It does need saying, Doctor.

By TimeladyOfBlueTardis

Summary: A short story about how it has could end, when the meta-crisis Doctor would have never exist. It does need saying, Doctor, because it's your Rose Tyler.

AN: I'm sure, there stories with this idea that could sound like this, but I would never copy. I wrote this story because I still can't handle, after this long time, that Rose can't simply be together with the Doctor. I hope you like it.

Allons-y

Only Donna, Rose, her mother and the Doctor were left in the TARDIS now. They had stopped the Daleks from detonating the reality bomb, and now, it was time to take everyone home. The Doctor strode around the console and pressed the buttons. "So, here we go. Back home." He looked at Jackie and Rose. Rose did not really understand what he meant with that. She wouldn't stay at home, not without him, not after everything she did to find him.
Everyone could feel the TARDIS land.
"Where are we?'' Rose asked, frowning.
"Back at your home, Rose.''
"But. . .'' she protested, walking slowly towards him. Her eyes were filled with tears. The TARDIS door opened, and Jackie stepped outside. She was glad to be at home again and not ending up on the moon or something similar. She nearly had nearly gotten herself killed when the Daleks tested the reality bomb. If the teleporter hadn't worked, she would be dead now. She would never have seen Tony, Rose, Pete and her home again.
Rose was still in the TARDIS. She looked down at the console and ran her fingers along the time rotor.
"You can leave – I mean – if you want. . .'' the Doctor stood in front of her, with his hands in his pockets.
"Do you want me to?'' she asked, her voice trembling. Rose's gaze fell on Donna. Rose didn't know if the Doctor still wanted to travel with her; she had been gone a while and he had new companions now. Maybe, he didn't want her anymore.
"No, no, but. . . it's your decision,'' he answered, watching the ground.
"I will leave you two alone for a moment.'' Donna walked into her TARDIS room.
Rose and the Doctor waited until she was in her room. "The gap in the universe is closing. When, if, you stay here, there would be no way back for – you know. Rose, you will never see your family again!''
Rose was in an almost unsolvable situation. What should she do? The Doctor's hearts beat faster.
"I decided a long time ago, Doctor. I'm never going to leave you.'' She stared resolutely up into his eyes.
The Doctor opened his mouth to say something, anything along the lines of 'you can't do this to your family'. But instead, he just looked at her, his wonderful Rose. He would lie to himself, when he would say he wanted her to stay with her family. He never wanted to lose her again. Tears rolled down her cheeks, her eyes penetrating into his soul, just waiting for an answer. She was so full of hope and so innocent. How could he ever leave this behind? He took her into his arms, just like he had wanted to when they had to say goodbye at Dalig Ulv-Stranden. But there, he had been just an image for her. He never had been really there – no chance to take her with him, no chance to say her that he . . . .
But now, this situation between them was real. Rose Tyler was in his arms again, In the TARDIS. Something, he thought, that would never happen again.
Rose cried against his chest. Wrapped firmly in his arms, she was finally at his side again. The Doctor and Rose, together in the TARDIS, like it should be.
"Rose.''
She glanced up at him, still in his arms. The Doctor carefully stroke away her tears with his thumb. He remained there with his hands on her cheeks and stroked them again. He didn't want to see his Rose crying ever again. On Bad Wolf Bay, it has nearly broken his two hearts. Even if hadn't been his fault that she got trapped in the other universe.
The incredible pain in her eyes had made him feel more guilty than he ever had in his entire life.
"Doctor, at Dalig Ulv-Stranden, at the most horrible day in my life, what was the last thing you said to me?'' Rose asked, like she has read his mind.
The Doctor hesitated. "I said Rose Tyler.''
All of her emotions spread across her face. It was the same expression as when she had said she loved him. "Yeah... and how this sentence going to end?''
She was waiting again for an answer. Rose looked like she already knew it the whole time, but she wanted to hear it from him.
"I was going to say 'if it's my last chance to say it... Rose Tyler... I... I love you. '''
They could hear the TARDIS humming happily in the background. She has always been tired of the Doctor and Rose hiding how they felt until it had been to late for both of them.
There was silence for a moment. Both of them only enjoyed the moment with the certainty that they loved each other all the time, from the very first moment.
Then Rose's face changed into a huge tongue-between-her-teeth grin. Rose grabbed his tie and pulled the doctor towards her. She pressed a sweet, soft kiss on his lips. It was so natural, like it should have been all the time.
The Doctor was, at first, surprised, but then, he melted into the kiss. His arms wandered around her back, and he deepened the wonderful kiss. All the pain of having lost her was blown away like the wind.
He only felt how much he actually needed and loved Rose Tyler.
Rose pulled away for a moment. "Doctor, I love you too. But you already have known that all the time. . . ." She smiled warmly at him.
The Doctor grinned his typical doctor grin. "Yep.'' He popped the 'P'. "And I was going to say it, Rose. I'm so sor– ''
"Shut up.'' She laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulled him in for another kiss. She cuddled up against him, and she felt him chuckle.
Jackie opened the TARDIS door to see what her daughter had decided. She saw Rose, cuddled firmly in the Doctor's arms and him kissing her sweetly. Jackie could see how happy they were. She always had known that the two loved each other. And here in the TARDIS, in the Doctor's arms, was where her daughter belonged. In all these years, the two of them had only waited to find the other. They belonged together. Jackie could only smile warmly about the couple and closed the blue TARDIS doors.