fresh fracture
The red glow emanated from the central column of the TARDIS engine and everything seemed to slow indefinitely from his heartbeat to the pained groans of his beautiful ship.
BAD WOLF was everywhere, surrounding him, engulfing him. Worlds were melding together and it was the end of everything but Rose was returning. Though even with the fate of existence threatening to rest on his shoulders something in his heart quivered with joy at the thought of seeing her again. If he was truly honest then he was ever so slightly jealous that Donna had met her and spent time with her, his time with her was cut short both in real life and that stupid projection that wouldn't let him say…
He sighed softly.
She was always different from the others. He remembered standing in the middle of a suburban street discussing his usual behaviour towards doting companions with a Rose jealous of his past with Sarah-Jane. She had asked if the same would happen to her, if she'd fall into the past like the rest of them, living on only as silent memories in the darkest recesses of his mind with no real conclusion and no real goodbye.
No. Never. Not her.
That would never be her.
She was always different from the rest.
When she had said forever with those majestic flying rays swooping overhead he'd dared to believe her, he'd always believed in her, she was the one truth that had saved him over and over again.
And then she was gone from him; too soon and too soon again.
But things were different with her now that she was gone. He refused to let her linger silent in his mind. He voiced her name often and even though every time it broke his heart a little more it made it sing the most clearest and true sound too making that pain easier to bare.
It kept all the hope in his body alive too, reigniting that little flame every so often.
And now she was returning fire burned hot in his breast.
Walking forward he touched his hand to the darkened console and shivered, everything was about to fall apart. Rose was returning but at what expense.
The whole thing would fracture… two universes would collapse
So?
He'd smiled then and he smiled gently now. Nothing like the possible ending of existence itself for him to be reunited with his lost… companion. He sighed and shook his head once more why couldn't he just say it, why couldn't he just accept what his heart wanted to feel.
His thoughts wandered to River and another two words spoken by the woman who he was yet to truly meet. He was unsure which two words had truly had the greatest effect on him but the idea that someone might know his name, that he might trust a human female with his name made him think of love and the rules that were in place from his past.
In his distant personal future he'd allowed himself to love another but that was in the future; what about now? Did that mean that he could love Rose? That this longing in his chest would be acknowledged for the love that he knew it could so easily be was allowed too?
With a steely resolve and the pain of their separation still so fresh in his mind he decided that yes he was going to love her for whatever time he had with her. He was going to tell her the words that still lingered on his tongue just waiting to be spoken and wrap his arms around her so tightly that nothing not even the end of all things would matter just for a second.
He looked up from the console at one very worried looking Donna Noble.
A wide grin spread over his lips.
"This is going to be one hell of an adventure."
Bolstered by the Doctor's confidence she smiled back softly. But while thoughts of love and life filled the doctors mind Donna was plagued by the idea that she may not see it through this adventure, the sad look from the blonde haired woman and the gentle words of "I'm sorry" haunted her from her dream.