Everything outside was grey and the rain splattered the windows. The sun, which was hidden behind dark rolling clouds, only made the scene worse, casting shadows and bleakness over Norway. The passing cars were shades of grey in the light and shined mysteriously in the downpour.

Jackie, the Doctor and Rose sat inside the car, the heating on full blast because they were cold and wet. There was silence, a neutral silence inside the car. Rose knew the Doctor well, but she still wondered about the words he had whispered in her ear on the beach, were they how she felt? Could she ever love this Doctor?

Jackie was thinking about Rose and how she had distanced herself from the family and her friends since being 'rescued' to a different dimension. At first she seemed to be coping, but as time went on she became less responsive. She eventually got her own flat, but the phone calls become more awkward, then she called less and less and they eventually stopped altogether. Rose didn't talk to her like she used to, even when they did see each other. Maybe, now that he was back, she would be like the old Rose again.

Rose couldn't believe that with all the danger she had been part of on their adventures, that she could fall in love with a man so old and yet so childish. Sometimes she forgot that he was 900 years her senior. When he regenerated she thought she had lost her best friend, but the new Doctor had become more than that to her. The Doctor she was sitting next to, although he looked the same, was different. She would have to see how they coped together. Would being mortal play on their strengths or tug at their weaknesses, and potentially create a void in which both of them would suffer?

When she turned to look at him, he seemed lost in thought as she had been a moment ago.

He was angry with himself, he was the only one of his kind. He was haunted by thoughts of the timewar; what he had done there and how much hurt it caused him because of all the people he had lost. Now he thought about it, he was a raw shell of what he could be and what he was once. Maybe Rose could help him become the man she deserved.

He felt angry not being able to keep Rose safe. He had let her go. She looked terrible now; thinner, ill and tired and his stupidity had caused that. The purple shadows under her eyes told him a thousand things: she had not taken this situation lightly, she seemed dead in some respects, like he had killed her spirit. Giving her warm hand a squeeze, she returned the gesture but didn't turn to look at him.

At the motel they had separate rooms. Rose needed some time alone, which worried her but she was so confused, she just wanted time to think properly. The Doctor had walked her to her room, kissed her goodnight and slipped into his own room next door. Both of them sat on their beds at the same time. The Doctor was on his back with his legs hanging over the edge of the bed and he fell asleep almost instantly. Rose, who was in the room next door, sat there staring at the wall in front of her. When she woke, she lay curled in a ball in the middle of the bed. Pulling the phone out of her pocket, the display told her it was 3am.

The Doctor woke suddenly, wondering what had pulled him away from the wonderful dream he had been having about had been there wedding.. There was a sharp knock at the door.

"Who is it" he called from the bed,

"Your worst nightmare; now let me in" said a voice he recognised

"Oh I don't know about nightmare" he got up and smiled at his own little joke, he opened the door to a very tired looking Rose

"I look terrible I know; can I come in please?" she smiled slightly as he stepped aside to let her into his room.

Hearing the sound of mattress springs contract, he turned to see her sitting on the bed.

when he turned and saw Rose sitting on the bed; he stopped dead. She sat where he had vacated just moments beforehand, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Rose why are you crying, Whats wrong?" he pleaded kneeling in front of her.

She frowned and wiped away the tears "sorry, I told myself I wouldn't cry, but I guess that was kind of impossible "

"well it was bound to be emotional considering that you haven't seen me in a year" he sighed and reached for her hand that lay in her lap, when their hands touched she jumped. He looked at her face, he saw shock, regret and the one thing that gave him hope, because he saw the hope in her eyes to.

She got up, leaving the Doctor kneeling by the bed, he watched her as she walked toward the window. Neither said anything for a while, Rose looked out into the dark forest that surrounded the back of the motel they in, it looked peaceful.

"Doctor, Do you want to go for a walk?"

He didn't answer, and even though she wanted to turn and see his expression; she kept a virgil on the forest, spotting an owl fly from one tree to another.

He got up off his knees and made his way over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist, he leaned his chin on her shoulder near her ear

"Where did you want to go?" he whispered

"In there" she murmured, pointing into the forest.

"Ok, sounds like an adventure" He smiled.

Rose twisted so she stood facing him; tears still running down her cheeks. He put his hand to her cheek wiping away the tears with his thumb. She smiled weakly up at him, he lowered his head to catch her lips in his.

She pulled away almost instantly, he tried to hide the anger that flared within him.

I'm sorry Doctor, I shouldn't of come here tonight"

"Did i do something wrong?, I thought you wanted me to kiss you, to try and show what i feel for you"

Rose wasn't used to this behaviour. "You never used to be like this, what happened to you?"

"I have always felt this way about you, the part that is Donna in me, i think now allows me to express it. I'm not sure anymore to be honest, I'm just going with it at the moment"

She giggled, "Thats one thing that hasn't changed then"

He looked confused for a moment and then smiled ruefully.

As they walked into the forest the Doctor tried to put his hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off. he frowned again, (what was wrong with her, What had i done for her to react like this?) he thought to himself as he slowed to let Rose gather some distance.

When she stopped he walked into her, pushing her to the ground.

"Rose, are you ok?" she was still crying, sitting on the ground she looked so lost. He bent down to her level; he held out his hand Rose accepted the hand. he pulled her up a little to roughly and she crashed into his chest. When she was grounded safely they looked down at their joined hands, her expression changed and she pulled her hand away.

"Rose, what the hell is going on? I can't take much more of this silence from you, it's killing me. I know i've broken you're heart once before, maybe more times, I might even deserve this silence. But please, I'm begging you. Tell me what is going on?"

"I wish... I could do... this... i...don't.. want to.... hurt... you!" struggling to get the words out between her sobbing

"Do what?"

"Give up on loving the life i had before, In the TARDIS, the other Doctor"

"Ohh...."

"I love you... I'm in love with you....that is why i can't give you up. You are him, but your better then that, you can grow old and die with me. it makes me feel happier, it shouldn't! I shouldn't want you dead"

"Rose i am happy to die..." she cut him off

"No... Don't say that, I don't want you to die..." she sighed "I shouldn't wish you to die, I never did before"

"Rose, if i had to choose someone to die with it would always be you"

"You can't promise that, neither can i" she sighed "I don't want to die alone"

"This isn't about me dieing is it?" frowning he took her chin into his hand, and waited for her to look at him "You think I'm going to leave you again" he saw emotions cross her eyes: despair, anger, relief, hope, she nodded her head sadly.

This time he wasn't going to leave, he had to make her see that. He leaned toward her and captured her lips with his.

Her back found a tree, as once again she was mesmerized, by his kiss.

When the need for air became to much he pulled away. They were both standing there breathing heavily

"I will never leave you intentionally without the meaning to come back, Rose Tyler!" she smiled...