The Doctor took a moment to work out what had just happened. Okay so he could accept that he and Rose were trapped on this planet; that he had completely failed her and that there was absolutely no way out, and he felt very guilty about all of that, but there was something that he couldn't quite swallow. Usually the Doctor admired Rose for being full of hope, but right now it was terrifying him. It was good that Rose still had hope, but it was what Rose seemed to have a hope for that terrified him.

Just why was a conversation with Rose about the future making him feel so uncomfortable?

He had already promised her that she could spend the rest of her life with him if she wanted, but he had promised her a life with him and the TARDIS, hurtling around space and time. He had definitely not signed up for life with Rose in a house with a mortgage and 2.4 children. 2.4 children? Where on Earth had that come from? Children with Rose was a thought almost as impossible as the planet they were stuck on. But did he want children with Rose? No, the thought terrified him. It was all just a little too… domestic. But he didn't mind domestic so much in this incarnation. Which brought him back to the question, why was talking to Rose about their future terrifying him so much?

Their future was what terrified him; their future together, like they were a couple. Wasn't that what Danny had said, something about them being a mysterious couple? Oh God! Were they a couple? After all they held hands, and hugged and travelled the Universe together, lived together, trusted each other and told each other everything. He even ate Christmas dinner at her mother's. They were a couple, in almost every respect. The Doctor hadn't seen that one coming. Oh God, what was he going to do? He's never had this problem before.

That was why it terrified him so much; he never encountered anything like this before. It terrified him because some small part of him might actually like to spend the rest of his life with Rose, just because it was Rose. Oh he knew how she felt about him, Cassandra had done a good job trying to wind him up from inside his own head about that one, but she hadn't seen how he really felt about Rose. That was shut away in the deepest recess of his mind, so that he couldn't even see for himself. Was it time to let that part of him out?

Were they really a couple?

Impossible thoughts for an impossible planet. The Doctor felt dizzy with all the silly things that were flying around in his head. One thing was for sure, they would have all the time in the world to work this one out, unless this planet disappeared into the black hole of course. With the TARDIS gone, Rose was all he had left. So why did that terrify him so much?

The base gave a sudden lurch and it was time for more action. The Doctor had only been a few moment in his thoughts, but it had felt like hours. Quickly he grabbed Rose's hand to help her; they would work this out later, when things were slightly calmer again. But that would mean he would have to tell her, didn't it?

Oh hell, what was he going to say to Rose?

He'd figure that out later, if there was a later; another planet needed saving, but this time he didn't know if he could, if it was worth saving. Rose was worth saving though, he'd settle for saving Rose.

And that would be what he would have to tell her. Eventually