*Beep Beep Beep*

The alarm went off, but didn't do much waking. Rose was already awake as she had been all night, just another lonely waste of time feeding into the bags under her eyes. On cue, she slammed the off switch, and struggled to the kitchen, rubbing her eyes.

"G'morning sweetheart," Jackie said kissing Rose's forehead and pulling her seat out by the table. Rose took it, silently, nodding to her mother.

"Why don't you go out today? Phone Sherene, go shopping…dad and I could take ya? How about Mickey. What's he been up to?"

Rose rubbed her temples, "No thanks, mum. I think I'll just stay in."

Jackie sighed, "Rose you can't just stay in all your days. You gotta get out. It isn't healthy. Start living again. Forget about him. Life was grand before he came. Bring it back to that."

"Mum, what've I told you? I can't. Besides, all this is pointless. I know my life means nothing in the scheme of things, and whether I sit and watch the telly all day or go out and waste energy, all the planets and beautiful things out in the universe will keep on turning anyway. I'm just a story, and I don't care enough right now to put the effort into making it an interesting one."

Jackie shook her head, but let it go, "Alright. Well, your father and I are going into town today. We'll leave you the car if you're at all interested in seeing anyone. Call if you need us." With that, Jackie poured Rose a cup of tea, cut her a piece of pound cake, and was off.

Rose played with the pound cake, picking it to bits without eating a single piece. Ever since her travels with the Doctor, her mind had not been the same. Her head ached and only got worse with each passing day. Her thoughts were too full for her head sometimes, and she couldn't make all of them out. How long has it been? How many years? Agh. She could feel everything around her moving, but all she wanted to do was stand still. She could feel the knot inside her chest tighten. Or was that tightening? This enormous pain had started afflicting her breathing ever since that dream. The dream where he found her, and gave her a piece of his soul. It felt so real. But it was so impossible. Rose went to the cupboard, took some Aspirin, and shook it off as heartbreak.

She sat down on the couch and turned the news on. "Breaking news, a flying car has been sighted flying through Surrey, and though it appears to vanish in the footage…" Rose rolled her eyes. More loons photoshopping pictures in order to make money, and the news still covers it. She giggled a bit until she breathed in too hard and her chest seemed to lurch outward causing her to double over in pain. Rose convulsed on the floor trying to stop the burning. Was she having a heart attack?

She tried to make it to the phone, but couldn't steady herself enough through the fits of pain resonating throughout her whole body, and now her eyes were started to fade. Or was it fading? All she could see was such bright light. So bright it seemed impossible. Rose screamed, and before she knew it, she was out.

"Rose," He called to her, "Rose."

"Doctor? Where are you. I can't see you. Please help me. I think I'm dying."

"You're in a dream."

"Why does it always have to be in dreams? Why can't it be real? Doctor, there must be some way for me to find you," she said this knowing full well it was impossible.

"The walls are collapsing!"

Not able to sense whether he was excited or scared, Rose shouted out, "But Doctor, isn't that bad? Doesn't that mean the world's gonna end?"

Suddenly, Bad Wolf Bay appeared in her mind, but she wasn't there. He was there. She could see him. She reached out in desperation, but then the image faded, and her eyes opened. She knew what she had to do.

Rose packed a bag, and ran straight out the door ignoring the lingering pains in her chest. Norway it is, she thought.

The trip was a long one, as she had remembered. Rose hadn't been here in years, but now looking out at the sand and waves, she felt like she never left. And maybe, her heart never really did.

Rose continued to drive along the shore, eyes darting in every direction, searching for signs of the blue box, or even…him.

What am I thinking? Rose thought. She knew this was impossible, and she began to realize she shouldn't have driven all the way here off the whim of a 2 second dream. It just seemed so real.

Rose hit the wheel in frustration, and looking at the clock, she realized she had been gone from home for almost a whole day, and her mother might be worried. She dialed up her home phone, and Peter picked up.

"Rose? You went out? Your mum was so happy not to see the car in the garage when we got home. Did you go to Mickey's?"

"I just want to start out by saying that I'm completely fine, but ehm, I'm in Norway."

There was a long pause on the other end of the line before Peter said, "Hold on. I'll just get your mum." There was a fumbling sound and then Jackie's obnoxious voice took over.

"ROSE YOU DID NOT. You promised you would stay away from there. Come home sweetie. Do you need me to pick you up?"

Rose was about to answer when she heard it, that annoyingly loud and yet most comforting whirring sound she had come to know.

"Rose? ROSE? Where are you?"

"Uh…I'll call you back, mum!" And with that, Rose slammed the phone shut, and ran out of the car to finally behold the Tardis. Rose slapped herself, but it still wasn't fading. Oh please God…be real!

And then he walked out, and it was really him. He greeted her simply with a crooked smile and a, "Hello." The Doctor, her Doctor, held out his arms to her, and she very willingly ran at her highest speed into them.

"Doctor…I…" Rose was sobbing, scrambling for words.

"I know," he said patting her head, and pulling her toward him.

The two stayed locked in an embrace until Rose finally spoke, "How did you…where did you…do you have to leave again? What's going on?"

"Look at me," Ten said.

Rose looked up.

"I'll never leave you again. I don't know what's going on with the walls, and for right now, I don't entirely care. Rose, I…I just...can't be without you anymore."

She saw the sincerity in his eyes, the same as before…that same beautifully sad, invigoratingly honest look. "I don't…I can't believe you," Rose snapped back. She had to keep her heart from succumbing as it ALWAYS seemed to, "I'm a human. You're not. I know I need to accept it like Sarah Jane. Please let me do that."

Ten laughed, "But Rose…haven't you noticed?"

"Noticed what?" she incredulously asked, stepping forward and crossing her arms. His joking flabbergasted her. She knew he always had that wit about him, and she learned to love that, but really, now? When they were in the midst of a defining conversation in their…relationship. Did he not feel the way she thought he did? Was she misreading signs? All those years ago, on this same beach…was that not what he was about to say? Why did he come back if he just wanted to spew a joke on her?

"My beautiful Rose," the Doctor said, giggling through her frustration, "you haven't aged! How is this possible?! It's not! Impossible! Not a day on you!" He began frantically circling her, seeming to size her up, making sure of something, "Blimey, it worked!"

She looked down trying to understand what he was seeing, "Well, yeah, it's only been a few years. You don't change too much, as a human over that time. How many times have you visited earth and you haven't put that one together? But what does that have to do with anything?! Oh come on then Doc…"

Rose's rant was silenced by lips crushing down on hers. She could feel his desperation, but not desperation to preserve her. It was just happy…happy longing. He's happy…truly happy…no quiver of doubt, not the typical rushed "I'm going to have to leave you soon" peck. Each time their lips touched and retouched, she felt a rush of goosebumps spiral up her arms and the familiar fulfillment encircle her heart, but it seemed somehow more ever-lasting even when she knew it could not be.

Why was this happening? Rose could not handle understanding his feelings at the same time as dealing with the fiery sparks bursting in her own body with each lock and pull of his lips. Reluctantly, he let go and resting his forehead his forehead against hers, whispered, "My Rose."

She began to cry. That sudden wave of beautiful familiarity filled her being, but she struggled not to let it numb her heart. "Doctor…you know this isn't fair," she sobbed snuggling her head against his chest. Before almost losing herself completely to the serenity of him, she heard the beating of his two hearts and it forced her back into reality. She suppressed a sob.

"No, Rose, you have not aged a day, literally. Do you feel that inside? He gently placed a hand on her heart and moved it slowly to the opposite side of her chest. With that, she felt awakened…she recognized another thing…beating in her chest…pumping her blood. Was that blood?

"Oh m' god! Doctor! 2 hearts!" She jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck. Ten caught her and pulled her up to him by her legs which wrapped automatically around his torso. Leveling their eyes, he excitedly replied, "Yes, you've got it!" and spun her around until her legs dangled, and giggling, he placed her back down. He then kissed her with fervor, finally allowing the passion to overwhelm them for the first time.

Pulling away, Rose joked, "Am I…a Doctor then?" cocking her head and biting her lip.

"I wouldn't quite call it that, Time Lady," he replied excitedly, "There can only be one Doctor!"

"My Doctor," Rose confidently beamed and grabbed Ten's hand, pulling them both down to sit on the sand. Rose looked out at the waves, deep in thought about the future. Ten chose, rather, to stare at Rose, for in thinking of his future, all he could see was her. His beautiful Rose.

After sitting quietly for a few minutes, Ten pulled Rose down to lay on his chest. He noticed as her breathing continuously slowed, and he kissed the top of her head sending her peacefully into sleep for the first time in years. All Ten could think of was the pain he must have put her through leaving her with nothing but an unfinished hologram message to tide her over for all these years. He selfishly pulled her closer, and before nodding off thought, You'll never be alone again.