The sounds of the TARDIS were making their usual sounds of the engine. Adults, children, and creatures around the universe knew the sounds of The Doctor's TARDIS. Rose Tyler's eyes were filling with more and more tears. Watching The Doctor, the original Doctor, leave her side once again made a part in her chest ache. As the last of the TARDIS finally vanish Rose let go completely. Her whole body began to shake more violently than ever. Just than she fell over grabbing her knees and taking in all at once that, that was the last time the original Doctor would ever leave her, this time for good. For the longest time she wanted nothing more than to find that loophole that made seeing the Doctor possible again. She wanted to defy the world and its laws just to be in his arms once more. Once finding herself in the arms of the man she loved on Earth once more she had a no idea that she'd have to be ripped away once again. Everything hurt, everything inside her hurt. The tears from her eyes ran like waterfalls.
She had been crying so very long and so hard that she had forgotten about the duplicate Doctor next to her. The duplicate of the original Doctor, who she had just shared a very passionate kiss with, was now standing next to her rubbing her back. "Rose please, I-I can't stand to watch you cry." The Doctor watched her cry into her small hands. Even with the mind of a Time Lord genius The Doctor had absolutely no idea how to proceed. Did he hold her? Did he say something? Did he kiss her? So many things raced through his mind about what was to come or what was going on in this second. "Rose Tyler… look at me. Just look at me right now." He wasn't sure why he said that, but it just sounded like the right thing to say.
Rose did look up at him and saw her Doctor's kind eyes staring back. They were definitely The Doctor's eyes, but she could not resist the little voice in the back of her head that continued to remind her this was not THE Doctor. "You're him, but you're not. You're my Doctor aren't you?"
"Yes, Rose, I am The Doctor. I promise." He said as he proceeded to take her hand and place it upon his cheek. "Please Rose, Please. I don't know how to prove to you any more than I already have. Tell me what to do and I'll do it. Rose Tyler, I am The Doctor, I am your Doctor." His title never felt so…personal.
The young girl thought of many ways that he could just prove he was who he was, but she already knew he just was The Doctor. It would just take some getting used to properly. She just needed time. A small smile was brought to her lips when she thought about time. "Lets go." Rose picked herself up and dusted her jeans off. Her father finally arrived in his van on the beach. Rose's mother made her way inside the van first, taking shotgun.
"Ah, yes, well off we go. Where again?" The Doctor asked quizzically.
Rose looked at him with a content smile. "We're going home of course." The young girl let out her hand and her beloved Doctor took it ready to follow her anywhere.
The whole car ride back was full of an awkward silence. Roses hand never once left the hand of the Doctor. Her father, by look on his face, seemed that he had over a hundred questions about The Doctor who he was sure lost forever, again. "So, Doctor, you are The Doctor, yeah?" He started trying to break the tense environment.
His wife made a small nudge. "Now… there is no need for all that. We just saved the universe, again! How about we just drop it and be thankful that we're all here safe and sound yeah?" Jackie smiled at her husband and kissed his hand. Even though sometimes she felt light-years away from her own child she knew her inside and out and right now she was struggling. Through all the silence she could still hear Rose's gears turning in her head just trying to cope with the loss of The Doctor and gaining of the new Doctor. Did life get more complicated or a whole lot easier? 'I guess that's all for Rose to decide now.' She thought as she looked to the backseat.
The Doctor smiled at the sleeping Rose Tyler on his shoulder. He was quite pleased to be in her presence again. It felt just right and yet there were still so many things that were flying around in his head. His Rose slept all the way to their destination to be awoken by the sounds of the brakes making their squeaking stop. Rose's eyes looked heavy and yet still so beautiful and full with life. "We're here Rose. Though I don't really know where 'here' is to be quite honest. Jackie where are we?" Asked The Doctor at a hundred miles an hour just trying to distract him with now raw feeling of want for Rose.
"Uh actually, we're back at our old flat. I was feeling really nostalgic for the old place so Pete decided to just keep it for us, place for some of us to get away to once and awhile." With the tone in her voice The Doctor quickly picked up that Rose had found herself here once and awhile during their separation. Before he could plainly see how much this beautiful girl had wanted him, but now it was slapping him in the face that she didn't just want him it had seemed she needed him. "Here's the keys, I laid some fresh blankets down and a lot of the place is just dust now but I'm sure it will suffice for a few weeks right?"
"Mum? What do you mean weeks?" Asked Rose just as confused as The Doctor.
Pete turned toward his daughter and patted her head softly. "Dear, the universe was just almost eradicated again. That means paperwork, meetings, and loads of explaining. We'll be traveling about for a while and be back before you know it. Now, Tony is coming with us and the nanny you two need to uhm… lay low." There was a pause between them all taking a second to reflect on earlier that morning. It was dark now and it was hard to take in that they did just save everyone and everything. "You aren't even supposed to be here! How do I explain this to the committee? It'll be tricky I tell you."
The Doctor smiled his goofy smile then looked down at Rose again. 'Perhaps this is my chance to show her how serious I am.' He thought to himself just before taking another large plunge for the woman he loved. "Then maybe I'm not here Pete. Pete Tyler save us all the time and just tell this committee I'm not here. I'm not exactly "Time Lord" standard anymore anyway right? Pete it's perfect. Don't tell them I'm here and we can all live a quieter life. Am I right? Please tell me I'm right because I love to hear it."
Rose's parents faces twisted at the thought of lying to everyone but not Rose. She smiled a gentle smile then reached for her Time Lord's arm then tugged him out of the car. "Lets go you plum. I'm sleepy."
"Well goodnight Jackie, Pete, tell Tony I said 'See him soon.' Take your time we'll just be here, laying low." He waved goodbye as the van started off down the road and the faces of Rose's concerned parents faded away. "So Rose!"
He looked back at Rose to see her already half way up the first flight to her flat. "Hurry up old man." She called up to him as she treaded on. As quick as possible Rose found herself inside the flat breathing quite heavily. 'Okay, so The Doctor is right behind you. It's late, that means…Sleep. Sleep oh god. What does that mean? Do we sleep or sleep? What do?' With a rush of blood going to her head she made her way to her old room and shut the door behind her.
The Doctor walked into her flat again and sat himself down in the dark. "Rose? Hello?" He could hear her in her room moving around and possibly pacing. Just before opening the door to his companion's room it suddenly came over him just how worn out he was. On the long ride back he didn't get one wink, he was too busy thinking. It was just about time for sleep and though he had spent many nights with Rose on different planets, solar systems, and in the TARDIS this was different. They were together in enclosed place with just the two of them in the dark, both just humans.