Disclaimer&AN: I own NOTHING. If "Doctor-Who" actually belonged to me-do you think Rose would be leaving? I think not. Don't sue-I'm broke anyway. This little ficcie is strange, slightly dark and just pretty much weird. But please R&R all the same!

I would actually like to dedicate this piece to my dear, dear Theta-Baby. Considering as its my first actual attempt at anything decent where DW is concerned. This one's fer you love'!

How many times had she mentioned it? She couldn't remember anymore.

Time had slowly, but steadily passed-but she couldn't help but wonder if he was as young and vibrant as he had been back then. Back when he had been hers. Or whether time has finally caught up with him too.

The blonde hair had faded, the colour dimming and eventually changing into a soft silver. Her features had sagged with the years of maturity, her face weathered with the harsh reality of life.

There had been children, even grandchildren. She had seen it all. Wedding ceremonies, funerals, fumbling in the dark, screaming, crying, smiles-and all that came inbetween.

However-everyone in her life, whom she touched, knew that she was only giving half of herself to them, yet they accepted it.

Mickey grew used to the knowledge-that it wasn't him she was thinking about while they made love. He grew used to the long moments when she would just stop and stare at the sky, her mind and heart elsewhere.

After-all, she had seen the stars. Witnessed the end of the world aswell as its beginning. She even had-had a sun reduced to nothing but ash for her. It made it quite difficult for one to just move on.

He had never said those words. Even though, by all rights-both knew, they need not be said. However she couldn't help but think, if he had murmured them at that time-that perhaps it would help to offer her some semblance of solace now.

She hoped he hadn't forgotten her. Although she knew-that there would have been others, another willing replacement just waiting for him to come along and sweep her-off her feet. She often wondered if she had made a big enough impression, left a deep enough mark.

She also hoped-that eventually he had found happiness. Or atleast a small chance to lift the burden of the universe he was constantly carrying-if only for alittle while.

She couldn't remember how many times during the years, she had found herself whimsicially holding onto her own hope. She'd lost count of the amount of tears, or times she had wished whole-heartedly upon the stars above her. A small part of her, praying that somehow he could still hear her.

Sometimes she would get angry. Amid the mist of breaking things-if only to hear the satisfying crack that always followed. She would find herself wishing that none of it had happened. Atleast then, she would never have known any better, atleast then she wouldn't be left alone-with just an endless void of memories that time just couldn't heal.

Yet in her resolve, those haunting deathily-still hours just after midnight, she would allow herself the comfort of the knowledge. That some things were worth getting heartbroken over.

She never forgot that smile, the kindness and daring-behind eyes as dark as chocolate and as wide as a newborn doe. Or his quirky way of running head-first into danger, regardless of the consequence. She had never forgotten what it was like to hold his hand, or the warmth of his touch. Sometimes-when she closed her eyes, she could almost feel his fingers grasping her own-dragging her onto another adventure-to the far reaches of the galaxy. And when it was completely silent, she could almost swear she sometimes could hear him-calling out to her.

She never saved the world again. Or participated in anything remotely outrageous, not wanting to somehow confuse the present with those memories of the past. She felt it better to leave such tasks to those now younger than her and returned to her dead-end life with silent complaint. But she never stopped wishing on the stars. For once she had danced among them, so how could she?

Part of her knew, that even now-as frail and aged as she was. He would still welcome her-if by a miracle their paths managed to cross again. What was eighty-five years to a lord of time?

That was the thought that comforted her now. As she heaved a ragged sigh-eyes drifting closed as she gently eased herself against the tall-leather chair surrounding her, causing her form to loom-sillouetted against the flickering fire, crackling in the hearth.

Maybe it had been the wind through the chimney-or maybe her mind was playing tricks on her again-she didn't know. But she could swear, if she strained hard enough. Her hearing marred with old age, she could just make out a steady whisper-drifting through the air, dancing on the breeze and slowly-gradually getting stronger.

"I love you too..."

With that-she knew, somehow he was there. Beside her, repeating the words she had longed to hear for a lifetime. She didn't question them either-where perhaps once upon a time, she would have. Instead she just accepted the fact-which she had learnt many years ago. Not everything made sense.

And that was how she died. Rose Tyler-a stupid ape (But perhaps for a fleeting moment-his ape) With a look of love, upon her face.

End