He shouldn't… shouldn't interfere in her life before she met him… but he just… just needed to see her face… one last time…
He attempted to stay silent and still as he saw her walk by after leaving Jackie, but he was suddenly struck with a sharp pain to the abdomen, like a metal claw twisting and squeezing his organs, and though he tried to suppress it, he couldn't help but let out a groan.
"You alright, mate?"
"Yeah."
"Too much to drink?"
"Something like that."
His eyes drunk her up, like he never wanted to stop looking at her, he wanted to soak up every moment of looking at he; every light ray reflecting off of her and into his eyes… he wanted to hold on to those images forever…
"Maybe it's time you went home."
"Yeah"
"Anyway, happy new year."
She smiled as she said it, that gorgeous, amazing smile that seemed to be meant just for him… he could think of nothing more beautiful in this, or any, universe…
"And you…"
She's walking away. Say something, say anything to stop her from walking away. So he asked, though he knew the answer already, though he knew it would be strange, a clue to her, later in her life, about his identity. He hadn't been specific with the TARDIS about where in Rose's timeline he wanted to go, but he was pretty sure he knew where she would send him.
"What year is this?"
"Blimey, how much have you had? 2005, January the first."
"2005. Tell you what, I bet you're gonna have a really great year."
His voice broke from sadness. It was still all to come for her, all the adventure, saving the universe, their camaraderie, the unspoken love – and the heartbreak of being left behind.
"Yeah? See ya!"
She smiled that smile again. He watched her until the absolute last second, and longer, tears welling up in his eyes, wanting to run after her, wanting her to come back… But before he could think anymore about how now, truly, he would never see her again, the pain struck once more…