A/N: please R&R!

Too Little Too Late
Chapter 1: The Argument.

'Rose, for the millionth time, I am just like him. I practically am him' The Human version of the Doctor insisted. 'I think like him, talk like him, walk like him, act like him. His memories are my memories. How am I not him?'

Rose had grown tired of this argument. She had accepted this human was the Doctor. She had fallen in love with him, but then she fell pregnant. When she fell pregnant she found herself realising how different to the Doctor this human version was. It was true he was like the Doctor, but he was so human. Everything he did was so human, and that was the opposite of the real Doctor. Everything the real Doctor did was so not-human, and it was not being human that made him for who was. Their daughter was 6 months old now, and over the past year the Human-Doctor - now using the name John Smith - had had this argument too often. They'd named their daughter after friends of the Doctor's: Donna Martha Sarah Jane Tyler-Smith. Rose wanted to leave the John, and if there had just been her to think about she would've left a long time, but it wasn't just her. Rose had to consider Donna before making any decisions. She wanted to leave John, but she wanted Donna to grow up with her Mum and her Dad. But Rose also wanted Donna to grow up happy, if she stayed with John they'd continue arguing, and Donna would grow up surrounded by arguments. So Rose didn't know what to do. She wished she could just accept John as the Doctor, so everything was ok but she couldn't. she tried, she really tried, but every time he did something different she always found herself saying 'The Doctor would've…' and John would get annoyed with her. And that in itself showed how different he was. The Doctor wouldn't've had ago at her so quickly.

'Well Rose?' John's voice was getting louder, more annoyed. 'What part of me isn't good enough for you'

'It's not like that' Rose insisted. 'And keep your voice down, Donna's asleep'

'So what is it like?' John lowered his voice to a whispered, but kept the annoyance in the tone he was using.

'John I want to love you. I want you to be the Doctor. I want to be with you and be happy, and for Donna to grow up happy with us but I can't because you aren't him, and I love him not you'

'I am him Rose. I really am' John insisted. 'Look at me. Please Rose just look at me'

Rose looked up at him slowly, when she made eye contact she found herself unable to look away straight away even though she wanted to.

'Don't tell me when you look at me that you don't see him because I know you do' John said.

'Of course I do. You're identical to him. But it's like twins, you can look exactly the same, doesn't make you the same person' Rose said, finally looking away.

'And when I'm talking, and I'm doing things, you must see him in me'

'Well yes but…'

'Because I am him'

'NO!' Rose hadn't meant to shout, and regretted it instantly as Donna started screaming.

'Oh well done' John said, as Rose stood up to check Donna was ok. She picked Donna up out of her cot, and rocked her gently. 'It's ok, baby. It's ok' She soothed quietly. She looked up to John 'Everyone makes mistakes. Stop criticizing everything I do' She hissed quietly, still rocking Donna in her arms.

'You're hardly one to talk' John whispered back. 'Every time I do something it's always "the Doctor would've done this…" or "the Doctor wouldn't have done that…" like nothing I ever do is good enough because it's not like he would do. Rose I am exactly like him'

'You aren't' Rose's voice was quiet. 'You're so different'

'What about the first year or so? We were happy then, you could see I was the Doctor then. What changed when you fell pregnant?' John asked.

'I started looking at you differently. I didn't mean to, I certainly didn't want to, but you seemed so different from him' Rose replied.

'And you started to see that once you fell pregnant?' John asked.

'Don't you dare blame this on Donna. It's not her fault' Rose warned.

'Oh I'm not. Believe me I'm not. I'm blaming it on you' John said. 'One minute we're happy, and the next minute you're criticizing every move I make. Comparing me to what I did when you were travelling with me'

'Stop it' Rose was careful to keep her voice quiet but still show her annoyance. 'I didn't travel with you. I travelled with the 900 year old Time Lord who is still travelling out there in the other universe. You, I first saw coming out the TARDIS on the Daleks crucible with Donna. Not in the basement of a shop, on the crucible. And nothing you say is going to change the facts. You can't change the past…not in that way. I'm sorry'

'I've had enough of this' John said. 'Rose I love you, never forget that. But I have had enough of you now'

'What are you talking about?' Rose asked, her voice so quiet it was hardly able to be heard.

'I'm leaving' John said. 'Now'

'Now? John be reasonable about this, it's 1 am' Rose said. 'At least wait until the morning'

'I'll find a hotel' John said.

'What about Donna?' Rose asked.

'I'll be back for my stuff, we can sort something out then' John said, and walked out.

Rose sat down on the bed numb with shook. She held Donna close to her, as the tears ran down her face. 'It'll be ok baby' She whispered, trying to convince herself more than Donna. 'It'll be ok.'