A faint pop echoed through the street and a blonde woman, around twenty-two, collapsed onto the blacktop.
The porch light from the house across the way illuminated her bloodshot eyes and her grief ridden face.
"Rose?" Called a voice from the porch. "It can't be."
"Wilfred?" Rose croaked, the effort of speaking apparently draining her off all remaining energy.
"Come 'ere Rose." Wilfred said quietly, as not to alert anyone else of her presence. " I'll get ya inside, you can have the spare room."
"Thanks." she whispered, trying not to faint for fear the old man would not be able to lift her.
Wilfred, however old he was, threw Rose over his shoulder and carried her to the sidewalk and through the door, setting her down on the sofa.
"Fancy a cuppa tea?" he asked her kindly. "Or do ya wanna sleep for a while?"
"Tea's good." Rose answered, her eyes darting curiously around a slightly familiar room.
"Oh," Wilfred laughed, looking at her startled expression. "When Donna came home, we redecorated."
Rose nodded, surprised, and Wilfred left to put the kettle on. He reappeared a moment later and sat down beside Rose.
"Ya can't talk about the Doctor near Donna." he said somberly, tears forming in his warm, blue eyes. "He wiped 'er mind, It'll kill 'er."
"Why?" Rose pressed, leaning towards him and suddenly forgetting about how exhausted she was.
" 'Cause she took in some of the Doctor's Time lord stuff an' now she can't talk about it or she'll burn."
"I'm so sorry." Rose whispered. "Donna did so much good in the universe and now she can't remember any of it."
"I know." Wilfred murmured, and then he raised his voice. "Why'd ya come here, anyway?"
Rose's eyes filled with tears and right when she wanted to be alone for a moment, the kettle whistled. Wilfred left the room, and Rose collected herself.
When he returned with the two steaming mugs, Rose's face had become rigid, and she looked intent upon telling him something.
"When the Doctor and I were reunited, he left me with a sort of clone version of himself in the alternate universe." Rose began and Wilfred looked shocked. She continued. "His name was John. He wasn't the Doctor, but we tried to-"
Rose took a deep breath and a sip of tea. Then she spoke again.
"We tried to be together. It didn't work too well, but we were happy. Then one day, John was walking home from work and was in the middle of a crosswalk-" Rose took an uneasy breath. "And he was hit by a drunk driver."
Tears erupted from her eyes and Wilfred patted her on the back, handing her tissues to wipe away the trails of mascara on her face.
"Then I couldn't be alone anymore without him, so I said goodbye to my family and pushed the yellow button. I escaped through the closing gaps in the void and I can't get back. I know because I tried. And then I saw you."
Wilfred thought for a moment and then took a sip of his tea.
"I just need a room for the night, and I'll be off in the morning. I just need to go to Cardiff." Rose told him, as if wanting not to impose any further.
"I'll give you a ride." he said firmly, and then upon hearing her yawn, took her to the guest room and left when she fell right asleep.
It's my first good fic, so please review! If I don't get at least one, I guess I won't update... Or maybe I will if I get too bored...