Should have been, could have been

A/n: This story takes place after the events in the library in season 4 and while the entire cast of seasons 1-4 shows up in this story, River shows up too. Rose and River are my two favorite female characters and I ship both Rose/Ten/Eleven (automatically assuming she continues traveling with him when he regenerates and the meta-crisis doesn't happen) and River /Eleven but I like writing Rose/Ten more than River/Eleven. The reason for this is because to me, while River and Eleven obviously like and care for each other, they're just not as head-over-heels-in love-it's-overwhelming as Rose and Ten are. In a way, to me, Eleven reacts similar to River's flirting as how he would react to captain Jack, would he ever swing that way. So, in this story River play a role as a friend and someone who helps the crew of seasons 1-4 (Ten, Rose, Jack, Donna, Martha, Micky, Sarah-Jane, Jackie, Pete, Wilff, Jake and Ianto, Gwen, Tosh and Owen) and who becomes a friend of both Rose and Ten. There will be no bashing of all the characters mentioned above, especially because I like all of them. (Not a huge fan of Madame De Pompadour, by the way but I won't bash her either). This story will be AU to multiple events from season 4 and Journey´s end and Rose will not be busy racing to the universe to warn the Doctor about the stars going out. After this ridiculously long author´s note (I applaud anyone reading this far), allons-y!

Prologue- Gallifrey 101

Micky's PoV

I take a seat next to Rose and Jake as I wait for class to start. After ending up in the alternative universe, Rose and I took the Doctor's parting words to heart about 'having a fantastic life' and decided to apply for Torchwood after Rose managed to get her belated A-levels. Currently, we take extra courses for our Torchwood training, together with Jake, especially focusing on the knowledge the Torchwood of this universe has about aliens, science and technology. Having lectures about the Cybermen or even the Slitheen was difficult because of all the memories involved, particularly for Rose but I couldn't help snorting at knowing that Rose and I actually could understand the Doctor's technobabble now.

My musings are interrupted by our teacher who, by the way, looks like Sarah-Jane Smith's twin sister and shares her last name as well. "Today's lecture is about the Dalek race, its creation by Davros on Skaro and the impact of the last of the Time Wars''. I freeze before glancing at Rose. The blood seems to drain from her face the moment our teacher speaks those words.

Time war? I remember the trouble the TARDIS had, having to land here. The Timelords aren't supposed to exist here, nor the Doctor's home planet, nor the Doctor himself. How could the time war have happened? I know how tight-lipped the Doctor was regarding his past, even to Rose but I did know he was one of the key players in the war, turning him into the big-eared PTSD-patient he was when Rose and I first met him. How could the time war have happened here without him? It would have been having the second World War without Churchill. If the Timelords didn't win this war like in my original universe, who would have won here? The Daleks? Looking at my oldest friend and ex again, I realize Rose has drawn the same conclusion.

"What's going on?'' Jake has noticed our worry.

"I'll explain later'' I answer, before looking worriedly at Rose again who, unsurprisingly, isn't thrilled to see pictures of the giant angry pepper pots again.

Jake knows us well enough to know that 'explain later' usually refers to either the other universe Rose and I come from, the Doctor or both.

The content of our lecture does nothing to hide mine and Rose's growing discomfort. It stops at the moments leading up to the time war but the few words that have been mentioned regarding the Dalek's arch enemies makes even me pale with worry.

Rose voices my concern.

"Gallifrey? Rasillon? Either….he…and the TA…his spaceship have lied to us about not existing here or this is bad. Really bad.''

I don't voice it out loud but I highly doubt the TARDIS would lie about not being able to land. And as for 'he'….Sure, there have been guys who were interested in Rose since she came here but it's pretty obvious they don't stand a chance against the pinstriped last of the Timelords. Even though the Doctor would rather stop eating bananas for the rest of his current regeneration than admit it, I know him well enough to know that he loves Rose far too much to lie about this.

"I know a way to figure this out". Jake quickly grabs his phone and calls his cousin Shane, who has had the same Torchwood training in the year before Rose, the Doctor and I arrived here for the first time.

''Shane, have you ever heard of the Time War, Gallifrey, Rasillon, Daleks or Skaro?''

"No, what are you talking about?''

Jake quits his conversation with Shane before swallowing nervously. "This is indeed bad, guys. Somehow I've got the feeling information, as well as alien planets from your old universe are bleeding though the cracks of time and space and ending up here, changing Pete-verse.''

One week later Jake's theory and my worst nightmare seems to be confirmed as we see pictures of a group of people wearing red robes and gold headdresses and Mrs. Smith speaks of the Dalek's arch enemies. I've got a growing suspicion I'm rather familiar with a certain member of the species we're discussing today, which is confirmed the moment Gallifrey, Timelords and Timeladies are mentioned.

The lesson is about to get worse, though.

Mrs. Smith speaks of a rebellious young Timelord who steals a TARDIS to travel the universe before he's allowed, as we see pictures of his changing face.

I brace myself the moment a pair of pale blue eyes stare at me as I grab Roses' hand. It's good I'm not in love with her anymore or else I would have been really jealous when I notice how she looks at the picture of the man in leather, shown on the powerpoint slide. I can almost hear his northern accent.

Of course, the situation doesn't improve when the next slide shows up, showing the Doctor's current regeneration. Jake, who had catched on the moment the TARDIS theft is mentioned, looks worriedly at Rose as well.

"This man is known as the last of the Timelords and the Oncoming Storm. However, it's not how he introduces himself normally. His real name is secret for a reason and it is believed silence will fall when the question is asked. Does anyone know his name or at least, what he is known as?''

I let Rose answer this one. It will be the first time she'll not mention him as ''he'' since she has ended up here, along with her parents.

"The Doctor''

The love she feels for him is laced in her voice and she had swallowed nervously before answering.

As interesting as it is to know about the Doctor's past, I feel like I´m betraying him somehow by finding out like this, knowing how secretive he is about the subject. Pictures of his previous companions are shown as well. They are poorly drawn though, as far as I can judge. Only the picture of Sarah-Jane is fairly accurate but I nearly can´t recognize myself. In hindsight, that might be a good thing, considering I have no clue about what the general reaction would be the moment I´m discovered as one of the Doctor´s companions.

Rose and I both snort as we see the picture of who is…supposed… to be Jack. The picture is very poorly drawn and both of us can't help imagining the look of Captain Cheesecake's face if he would have ever seen the very unflattering drawing before he died on Platform 9.

'One companion is a mystery, though. Not much is known about her, other than that she is a blonde human women who looked into time itself and survived, killing the Dalek emperor and an entire fleet in the process, starting the great and bountiful human empire. Does anyone by what name she is known?''

Rose is allowed to answer the question again but the one who answers isn't the woman I've known since I was a child. Her hair looks almost golden and her eyes have a strange white and gold glow. Her voice carries a weight I've never heard before.

"Bad Wolf.''

Mrs. Smith , who doesn't notice the strange change that has come over Rose, nods.

"Correct. Even though the Bad Wolf is cloaked in secrets, the feelings her doctor has for her are not. She is the love of his ninth life, which he sacrifices for her, she is certainly the love of his tenth life and perhaps even the love of all his remaining regenerations. There is a legend known in Norway that he would even burn up stars for her.''

Seriously. Once again I'm glad I'm not in love with Rose anymore because then, this would even be more….wow.

Rose is swallowing her tears back now and I really wish our teacher hadn't announced all of this in the middle of class.

"Rose, are you alright?''

Mrs. Smith finally notices there is something wrong with her.

Of course she isn't, you just told her that the man she loves and misses terribly, is officially known as the love of her freaking life. I can't exactly blurt out that, now, can I? There's no saying what the reaction of Torchwood would be if they found out Bad Wolf is under their employment. Of course I don't say any of this out loud.

''Nothing, it's….hay fever," she quickly lies.

After class, I walk Rose home, neither of us saying a word. Rose storms to her room as Jackie walks up to me.

'Ok love, what's with the grim face?''

'Well, our suspicions are correct. Somehow information that's supposed to be applicable only to our old universe has somehow ended up here.''

"That's bad, isn't it? Even I know that's bad. How d'you know for sure, though?''

"Because we just had an entire lecture about the Timelords that shouldn't exist here. Especially about the one you call 'great big alien lump' and gave your infamous slap once. Oh and by the way, Rose is seen as the most likely love of his thousand-year-old life.''

Jackie curses before telling me to warn Pete while she runs to her daughter's bedroom.