"Remember what you said. When you start blaming yourself for things that weren't your fault... there's no coming back from that."
Later that night, or maybe early that morning, she sits crying quietly, cloaked by the comforting hum of the TARDIS console room. It's a tricky thing, time in the TARDIS. You never quite know whether it's time for breakfast or simply time for a nice cup of tea. And with the day she's had, the going back and forth, back in time, forward in time, back again, she's quite impressed that she can remember her own name and date of birth at this point.
All of a sudden the Doctor is there beside her, rubbing her shoulder, producing a tissue out of nowhere for her to blow her nose loudly. He waits until she's expelled a copious amount of snot and then says quietly: "It wasn't your fault, you know."
"Yes it was!" she cries, verging on hysteria. "I was selfish…I wanted to save him…instead I caused mass destruction…not to mention you being eaten by a…whatever that was, which I'm sure wasn't pleasant."
"Not in the least." He acknowledges. "But that doesn't mean you should blame yourself, Rose. It does no good. Believe me, I've been there." She sniffles and looks at him carefully; meeting his eyes for a split second before she drops her head back down.
"You blame yourself for the destruction of your homeworld, then." It's not a question. He sighs.
"I did, yeah, way back when. But I don't anymore." This time she lifts her head and stares defiantly right into his eyes.
"Liar."
"Right, I can't get away with anything with you, can I?" he protests. She laughs shakily and her face brightens with her smile.
"I have my moments, me." He continues. "I try not to dwell on it, but it gets me at the worst times. But it does no good, see? What's done is done, what's gone is gone, and despite what you've seen and done since you been with me, you really can't change the past. You can only look back on it with fondness, and sometimes, with regret."
"When did you get so wise?" Rose asks, with more than a hint of teasing in her tone. The Doctor shrugs and smirks.
"Dunno, must've been when you weren't looking." He takes her hand as she brushes away the last of her tears. "Come on, I'll make you a cup of tea." And with that, two people who knew all too well the dangers of changing the past advanced together into the future.