Prologue

"Rose, hold on!"

He watched in utter terror, powerless to help as Rose held onto the lever for dear life. There was only a short distance separating them, but as he watched Rose fighting for her life, the distance between them seemed like a huge chasm. He prayed that she would have the strength to hold on until the gap closed. After all this time, he couldn't bear the thought of living without her.

Then, the very thing he had been dreading happened. Rose lost her grip on the lever. The Doctor screamed out her name too shocked to do anything else. In the past, he often had nightmares like this. Dreams where something would happen to Rose and he would be powerless to stop it. Watching as she was pulled towards her doom, the Doctor prayed that this was just another bad dream. That he would wake up and Rose would be safe and sound at his side. But, he knew better. He knew this was really happening. The love of his life was being sucked into Hell before his very eyes and his hearts were going with her.

No, this can't happen. Not like this. I can't lose her now. Not after all we've been through. He thought to himself.

Then, something began to happen. The Doctor's eyes widened and his hearts soared when he notice the gap begin to close in on itself.

Yes, close, close now, before Rose goes through. He thought frantically.

The last of the gap closed in on itself just as Rose slammed into the wall and fell to the floor. The suction died down and the Doctor felt his feet hit the floor. With a cry of joy, he let go of the magnet and ran towards Rose who was struggling to get to her feet. He embraced her and held her tight against him as he wept tears of relief. Rose snuggled into him as he rubbed her back.

"Oh God, Rose, I thought I was going to lose you." The Doctor moaned.

"Doctor, my Doctor." Rose said, throwing her arms around his neck.

They leaned their foreheads against each other and rested for a moment in each other's arms.

"Your mum, Mickey, they're gone. You'll never see them again." The Doctor murmured.

Rose nodded.

"I know and I'll miss them both, but this is where I want to be. I want to be with you."

She looked at him. She hesitated a moment as she stared into the Doctor's brown eyes. It had been so very close. Another second or two and she would have been sucked into the void. All the feelings she kept inside because she had been too afraid to express them to the Doctor. What if she had died without letting him know how she really felt about him? Summoning up her courage, she hesitated a moment and swallowed hard when the Doctor stared at her with a questioning look on his face.

"Doctor, I have to tell you something. I…have to say it while I have the chance."

"Okay." The Doctor replied.

She hesitated hoping that she was doing the right thing. She cared about the Doctor so much. What if she ended up driving him away from her? Still, she had to take the chance. She had to let him know. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to look into his eyes.

I…love you." She said.

The Doctor said nothing for a moment and Rose's heart stopped. She was afraid that she had just made a huge mistake, but then a grin spread over the Doctor's face. He held her closer to him.

"I love you too, Rose." He whispered in her ear. "Now and forever."

Rose let out the breath she had been holding as she felt her heart began to beat again. Tears came to her eyes as the Doctor gave her loving look.

He cupped her face in his hands.

"And I promise you, I will protect you with my life, Rose. I won't let something like this happen again, I swear that."

Rose smiled and nodded. She leaned her head back into his chest and breathed a sigh of relief knowing that the Doctor was near and that he truly loved her.