This will be a series of one-shots/headcanons inspired by Doctor Who, mostly dealing with Ten and Rose. No two chapters will be related to or a continuation of the other unless specifically stated. If you want to see my ideas on what happens after Rose and the Doctor are reunited, you're welcome to read my ongoing story "Reunion" (much different beginning). Reviews are always welcome and appreciated.
~CREDIT FOR THE IDEA GOES TO MY LIVESTREAM FRIEND LILLY~
This one is based (clearly) at the end of Season 4, Journey's End.
Disclaimer: I do not own this show or the characters.
They stood once again on the sands of Bad Wolf Bay - the Doctor and Rose finally together again, in the very spot they'd said their final goodbyes years ago. But now it was the Doctor himself, not the rules of time and space, that threatened to tear them apart.
Donna watched passively, for now. She'd known what he was planning from the moment they'd stepped off of the TARDIS. It wasn't that she could read his mind – no, the Metacrisis had left her with his surface memories. Knowledge of the workings of things, the pulse of the universe, his past – it all pounded through her head, crashing together, combining to form a wave that threatened to overtake her. But for a while she could control it. And right now she had to stop him from making yet another foolish decision.
They were still talking, the Doctor addressing both Rose and the Metacrisis version of himself. He was explaining his plan, the plan to leave her sealed off in this universe. Trying to convince her that the man in the blue suit was still him, exactly him, and that he needed her just as much as the Doctor himself used to – still did. Which was... Mostly true.
She saw the logic in his plan of course. The Metacrisis Doctor was half human, and he would age just as Rose would. He would be content to settle down, mostly anyways, and live out the rest of his days with her. They would both be safe. But his thinking, still, lacked that extra bit of human that she possessed – it lacked the understanding that Rose would always know that he wasn't quite the same man, the knowledge that there would always be a sentence that sounded just a little off, or a movement that was the smallest bit wrong – something would always show that he wasn't the same Doctor who would never settle down, who would always keep traveling, who - despite all of these things - she loved.
And then there were the Doctor's feelings, the words he would never say. That he was leaving her here, sealing her away from him, because that was the only way that he'd be able to stay away. That the truth of what he was doing, what he was giving up in order to keep her safe, was destroying him. He'd been through so much, had had so many parts of who he was burned away or buried already… And now he was throwing another into the flames. Because he thought it best for her.
Rose had pulled the two to either side of her now – they only had a few minutes left. Such a smart girl… She'd already seen the paths that lay ahead of her, the one he was closing to her and the one that she, by all common sense, should choose. But she knew too. She understood the subtle difference, she saw the fate that lay ahead for her Doctor, the "real" Doctor - the pain that he was trying to inflict upon himself. When Donna saw the fight in her eyes, the decision that had already been made, she knew that it was time.
"Oi, Doctor!" she shouted, crossing the space between herself and the trio in a few strides. Two Doctors turned to answer her, a question in one's eyes and acceptance in the other's. "No."
"What?" the original Doctor asked incredulously, glancing between Donna and the queasy-sounding TARDIS as if demanding an explanation from them both.
"I said no." She crossed her arms and planted herself in front of him - she had always been the one to stand up and tell him to stop his nonsense, and she sure as hell wasn't going to stop now.
"Donna, there isn't time for this, we have to-" he gestured towards the TARDIS, seemingly unable to continue, and his eyes pleaded with her to stop. He was determined to see this through, and being cornered into facing what he was about to do would only wound him more.
"We aren't doing anything. You are going to take me and my double over there," a scoff came from behind her, but she barreled on, "home to our universe. Then you're going to get your unbelievably skinny self back here with Rose. And be quick about it too, we both know how fast the rift is repairing."
"Donna, you have my thoughts. We both know what the obvious answer here is. He was born out of a war – he is blood and rage and fire. He needs Rose, just like I did when I first met her. And she can live a normal life with him. She can never have that with me." His voice was firm, but his eyes told a different story. He was breaking. He needed her to agree, to tell him that this was the right plan.
"Yes, he was born out of war, but you know what you were born out of? Love. You've mentioned her enough, I know how you regenerated – you sacrificed yourself for her without a second thought. You, right now, were born out of love for that woman right there. And I won't let you leave that behind." Her eyes were hard, and her head was beginning to feel much too hot. The thoughts were coming too fast - the universe around her was so large and pulsing, and so many things were moving at once… She closed her eyes for a moment and gathered her thoughts again. If she had to go, it would only be after she made sure that he didn't make a decision he would regret forever.
"Besides," her voice was slightly weaker but still held the same edge, "there is no amount of blood and rage and fire that I can't take from you you cocky Time Lord. Just try me." He smiled at that, but worry, and now indecision, lined his face. Finally, Rose spoke up, blinking tears from her eyes.
"Isn't it my decision too?" she demanded, as stubborn as ever. "You promised you'd never leave me Doctor. And I don't want some version of you who isn't quite you – I love you, everything about you. I know the future if I go with you, but I've always known that. I made my choice. I made it a long time ago, and I've made it time and time again since." Her mouth twitched into a small smirk. "It's too late for you to turn around and get rid of me now."
The Doctor looked between Donna and Rose, in awe of them both, and his façade finally crumbled as tears sprang to his eyes. He stepped towards Rose, everything in him telling him to hold back and leave, but his mouth only opened in a wordless denial. She rushed forward into his arms, holding her to him desperately, and he finally relaxed against her. A fierce rush of love and adoration for this impossibly stubborn girl coursed through him, and he pulled away slightly so that he could see her face. He had to tell her, it had to be said out loud, even if she knew.
"Rose Tyler," he bought himself a moment more by gently brushing away a stray lock of hair and then steeled himself, meeting her eyes. "I love you." It was barely a whisper, but her eyes again clouded with tears even as a brilliant smile broke across her face.
"Then take me with you" she pleaded, her voice barely audible in turn. He looked behind her, to the other version of himself. The Metacrisis Doctor had moved a few feet away and was watching the scene rigidly. His face was pained, but his eyes still held the same acceptance. He'd known only one of them could be with her… It deserved to be the man she was holding so dearly. He'd been born for her. He, on the other hand, had been born partially out of his friendship with Donna. It would pain him to leave his best friend almost as much as it would pain him to leave Rose, and at least he still had a chance of living that normal life he'd always dreamed of now. Even if it couldn't be with Rose. He cut himself off from the thought and the pain and nodded. He had Donna - he knew she would be enough.
The Doctor, the original Doctor, kissed Rose on the forehead and smiled. Donna had won – she always did. Rose read the look on his face with growing relief and excitement. Before any of them could move, however, they were interrupted by a small cry of pain.
"Quick, get her onto the TARDIS!" he called out, moving to support Donna on one side and waiting for the Metacrisis Doctor to do the same on the other. She was limp now, her eyes pinched shut in pain and her skin much hotter to the touch than it should be. Together they helped her into the TARDIS, where she leaned heavily against the railing for a few seconds before speaking. With worried glances, Rose (who refused to be left behind on that beach again for even five minutes) and the original Doctor immediately moved away to began preparing the TARDIS controls for the trip back. When she opened her eyes, they focused on the Metacrisis Doctor, as clear as ever despite the pain.
"I'm sorry… I guess I can't stick around to keep you company. Funny… For some reason I thought we'd travel forever, you and I. The Doctor and Donna. Even now, I figured we could take some trips around the world before my own head did me in. That would've been fun, wouldn't it've time boy?" She flinched in renewed pain, supporting herself with one hand and holding the other to her temple. "You can see it all can't you. Feel it all. All at once. The entirety of time and space, the revolution of the sun and stars." She smiled weakly, not bothering to hide the awe in her voice. "It's amazing… But I think it's all too much for someone like me."
"Someone like you?" The not-Doctor Doctor sounded offended. "Donna Noble you are amazing. You've saved the universe, and so many planets and races in it, so many times over. I've been traveling for over 900 years and never have I met anyone who wasn't important, but Donna you stand out from them all." He stepped towards her and gently took her hand, the one that she held to her head, in his own and used the other to gently cradle her face. She felt feverish, impossibly so. The TARDIS began to power up and vibrate around them, but he held on to her and leaned forwards so that his head leaned against her own.
"You are wonderful Donna. And there is nothing in the universe that will stop me from spending a lifetime showing you that." He closed his eyes and concentrated, feeling his consciousness spread into her mind. She tensed in his hands, but didn't pull away. It was almost too much, almost a tipping point that caused all of the other memories and thoughts to overflow, but she was strong. She held on, her breathing uneven, as he removed certain paths and areas in her mind. He left many of his memories of the workings of things and the universe – she was the Doctor Donna now, and she would stay that way – but closed off certain pathways connecting to the overwhelming pulse of the universe and the other things that no human body or mind could withstand.
His hand was cool against her face, and as she felt his thoughts weed through hers it was like cold water extinguishing the fire in her head. He stayed away from her memories entirely, only sealing off or deleting areas where it felt like the thoughts that were not her own would overtake her. And then she was alone in her mind again. He was stepping away from her, and a door was hurriedly being opened.
She blinked a few times, taking in the fact that the door led to her own home on earth, and that the Metacrisis Doctor had already moved over to wait for her by it. She knew time was very slim now, but neither of the Doctors looked impatient. She walked over to the original Doctor, who was leaning against the control console next to Rose with a false air of ease.
"Thank you." His eyes shone with unspoken emotion, and the tone of those two words conveyed everything he meant – thank you for the traveling, the brilliance, this future with Rose... He was thanking her for all of the time they'd spent together and everything they'd done… And he was saying goodbye. He smiled and she hugged him tightly, knowing that she would never see this Doctor of hers again.
"Thank you, time boy" she whispered back, stepping away and watching him cross his arms leisurely. "Try not to make any more stupid decisions while I'm gone Doctor. And you, Rose, keep him safe." She was heading towards the door now, aware that the other Doctor had already ducked outside of it. "And try to make him eat something – I swear he is nothing but skin and bones." Rose laughed and nodded her affirmation, twining her hand through his, and the Doctor beamed at his best friend as she finally turned to walk through the doors of the TARDIS for the last time.
"Go be brilliant Donna. And you keep shouting at the world, because now – now they'll listen." She smiled at him one last time and stepped out, her eyes immediately finding the Metacrisis Doctor - her new Doctor. He was watching as the TARDIS began to fade away for the last time, grief shadowing his face for only a moment before vanishing behind a smile as he turned to her.
"So," he began, putting his hands in the pockets of his suit and leading the way to her front door. "I was thinking Canada first, if we survive your mother."
The TARDIS landed on the beach roughly, barely making it through the rift. The Doctor and Rose stepped out onto the sand to confront and calm a very agitated Jackie, who was demanding an explanation for their disappearance. Rose only grinned, hand still twined with the Doctor's, and Jackie looked between the two of them and sighed. After everything, she understood. She wrought a promise to call and a simplified, although rambling, explanation from them before resignedly leaving for the long drive back home – she refused any offers for a ride, something about a certain someone being unable to avoid trouble.
The two looked at the beach once more, marveling at the moment, and then stepped back into the TARDIS. It was finally just them again – the Doctor and Rose, ready to travel the universe together.
"Where to first?" she asked, turning to see him already smiling brilliantly at her.
"Well, I think it's time this universe had a Doctor. We can go anywhere Rose. History is different here – we have an entirely new everything to explore." He beamed, voice brimming with excitement. She was really here with him, after everything they'd done and everything that had tried to keep them apart. Stubborn and windblown, dried tears and mussed mascara overshadowed by the pure happiness etched onto her features. She was beautiful, and after all of this time there was one more thing he needed to do...
"But first," he amended, taking a step towards her and gently raising a hand to cradle her face, to be entirely positive that she was real and here and now. "I believe we never had a real first kiss."