(The title's a bit off, not sure if I like it, but I'll deal with that later.)

Rose and the Doctor think meeting again after the time they've spent apart is everything they've ever dreamed of. But dark things lurk in the corners of their eyes, ripping away what they treasure the most when they least expect it. If they're going to survive this adventure and save the universes, they're going to need to face their fears, break the rules and team up with some of the most unlikely allies.

"There's five of us now – Mum, Dad, Mickey and the baby."

"You're not…?"

"Nah, it's Mum. She's three months gone. More Tylers on the way."

As Rose crumbled into her mother's arms she at first found it hard to speak, her words getting tangled up in tears and her throat filled up with sobs. As she regained some of her control she clung onto Jackie, desperately trying to say something.

Jackie stroked her hair, her own eyes filling with tears to see her daughter so broken, so utterly crushed. She'd hoped this would all be over long before now; in the last few weeks before that dream, Rose had even started sleeping all through the night, without waking up screaming and crying. Now she was back where she'd started.

As Rose struggled to speak, Jackie tried to quieten her. "Shush, sweetheart. Oh, Rose, baby, please. You shouldn't upset yourself like this, it's not good for you."

"I…" Rose stammered. "I… Mum, I… oh, I…"

"Shush."

But Rose wouldn't stay quiet. She had to say something. "I… I couldn't tell him, Mum. I didn't... didn't... Oh, Mum!" She broke into fresh sobs, like she'd only managed to store them away momentarily while she got her words out. They shook her entire body, making her shudder. All those months of hard work, forcing herself to get through the day without breaking down; all gone to waste. It felt like she hadn't stopped crying since the day she came here.

Jackie sighed heavily, wishing with all her heart that she could say something to comfort her, and knowing that nothing in the world would ever help. Nothing in this world anyway. She glanced round at where Mickey and Pete were still standing by the truck, huddled against the cold wind. They couldn't stay here forever, but she wasn't sure Rose would make it back to the truck. She might need help.

"Come on, Rosie," she said softly, using the name she hadn't used since Rose was tiny. "Maybe it's for the best, sweetheart, maybe it's easier if he doesn't know." Easier on him anyway. Nothing would ever make this easier on Rose. Her daughter's life would never be easy again now.

"But… I wanted him to know." Rose was beginning to regain some of her control. She was still trembling in Jackie's arms and the tears were pouring down her face, but her voice was evening out and she could support herself. "Mum, I…"

Jackie lifted her daughter's head off of her shoulder. "Come on. Shush now. Let's go, it's getting cold. You need to start taking care of yourself."

"What's the point?" Rose replied miserably, as she reluctantly put one foot in front of the other and trudged across the beach. Every atom of her body was telling her to stay, to wait here for as long as it would take. Five and a half hours. Or longer. She'd wait forever. Only she couldn't, and she knew it. She was too exhausted to fight her mum any longer.

"There's every point," Jackie took her daughter's hand and pulled her forwards. "It's not only you anymore, is it? There's the little one to think about."

Rose knew she was right. He was gone and she couldn't change that. But in this world, right here and now, she could do her damned best to take the best care of his baby. The baby he'd never know about.