Disclaimer I don't own DW, any of the characters or the rights. I make no money from this story.
One Last Message, a Question, a Promise and a Final Trip.
"And then what happened, Aunty Rose?" eleven year old Gwyneth Tyler asked excitedly.
It was a Saturday afternoon and Gwyneth was spending the day with her favorite person in the world her eighty-five year old great aunt Rose. Gwyneth loved spending time with her aunt because Rose always told the best stories.
Her other family members told Gwyneth fairy stories that made her feel like she was two years old instead of eleven. Rise never did that. She told Gwyneth about traveling with two of her best mates through space and time. At that particular moment she was in the middle of telling Gwyneth's favorite story about the first time she met a Dalek. Gwyneth had heard the story so often that she knew it by heart. Still she never got tired of hearing it.
Every time Rose told the story, it was like the first time all over again. Gwyneth could see her elderly aunt as a shop girl of nineteen. She was all bright eyes, smiles, and a loving heart. She had a fearlessness about her and a thirst for adventure. Gwyneth wasn't sure what had changed for her aunt Rose between the ages of nineteen and eighty-five but Rose's eyes were no longer as bright. Now even her happiest smile had flashes of pain in it. It was only when she told her stories that Rose looked truly happy. The first Dalek story made her look the happiest and that was why it was Gwyneth's favorite.
"The Doctor and Rose went on to explore many new worlds."
At the sound of someone new telling Rose's story the two Tyler women looked up to see an elderly man walking towards them. Like her grandfather, this man had kind eyes and a warm smile. Gwyneth decided that she liked him immediately. When Gwyneth watched Rose's face register shock and then glow with a happiness that she'd never seen Gwyneth decided that she liked this man even more.
"Hello Rose Tyler."
"Hello Doctor." Rose answered in a shaking voice full of tears.
She didn't know how she'd known it was the Doctor approaching her but something in her heart told her the elderly gentleman was the Doctor. That he was her Doctor. With a soft cry, she was on her feet and wrapped tightly in her arms in a welcoming embrace.
"What are you doing here? I thought you said you couldn't come back." Rose asked when the hug ended but he continued to hold onto her.
"I was able to find a way to come through briefly. I have something I need to tell you."
"Tell me. I've been waiting sixty odd years to hear it. It's about time, yeah?" Rose asked with a shadow of her younger self's cheeky grin as she guessed what he'd come back to tell her.
"I loved you from the moment you saved me from the Nestine consciousness. I should have told you sooner. I should have told you so many times. I really should have told you at Bad Wolf Bay but I couldn't do it. Coward, me. When you told me you loved me, you were also saying goodbye. I couldn't say it because it would have meant I'd said goodbye for good to you and I wasn't ready to do that. I'm still not actually. I also came here because I had a question. Do you have a fantastic life, Rose? Did you do that for me?"
"I do." Rose answered her voice still thick. As if remembering for the first time that she wasn't alone Rose gestured to Gwyneth who was staring at the two of them in open curiosity.
"This is one of my three favorite people in all the world my great niece Gwyneth."
"Hello Gwyneth." The Doctor said giving the child a warm smile.
"Hello." Gwyneth looked as ifs he was going to say more but suddenly something caught her attention just beyond the Doctor's shoulder.
"That's Julie. I'm going to go say hi." Without another word, Gwyneth ran off leaving the two adults alone.
"I could stay here forever." Rose said happily, as she snuggled into the Doctor's embrace once more.
"I'd grant that wish if I could." The Doctor replied sounding happy and sad at the same time.
"You have to go now don't you." It wasn't a question. It was a statement of fact.
"I do."
"Will I see you again?"
"When it's time I promise you will see me again."
The Doctor dipped his head at the same moment he used a gentle finger under Rose's chin to lift hers. Then he did something that Rose felt as if she'd been waiting centuries for instead of dreaming about it for decades. He kissed her. It was long, passionate and sweet. It was over far too soon. Rose who'd closed her eyes when he'd initiated the kiss opened them as it ended. She wasn't surprised to find the Doctor gone. She wouldn't have sworn he'd never been there and it had all been her imagination except for the fact that her finger tips still burned from the feel of his body under them and the whispered. "I love you, Rose Tyler.:" She heard dancing on the wind through the trees.
Epilogue
Ninety-five year old Rose Tyler entered her bedroom and collapsed on the bed wearily. She'd just come from Gwyneth's wedding to her own Doctor of space if not time. The ceremony and reception had been brief but still she was exhausted. She wanted to do nothing but sleep for the next three days. She doubted that was possible and decided to settle for a long nap. She closed her eyes and let sleep overcome her.
"Wake up, Rose. I'm back." The gently amused voice followed by a cool caress on her cheek made Rose open her eyes. As she took in the sight in front of her Rose gasped.
Standing in front of her was the Doctor. Unlike the grandfatherly looking old man who had visited her a decade ago the Doctor in front of her was her first Doctor. That surprised her but not as much as the scene behind him. Her small bedroom was filled with people. There were roughly a dozen men of various ages but all with something of the Doctor about them standing around. Intermingled with them were her mother, Pete, Mickey and all the others she'd lost during her long life. Instantly her eyes flew back to those of the ninth Doctor. If anyone could help her understand this, it would be him.
"I promised you that we would see each other again and I am a man of my word, my Rose. Now give me your hand it's time."
Rose trustingly placed her hand in his and allowed him to lead her from the bed. As he helped her stand, she realized she felt better than she had in years. She also realized that she felt as if she were floating but not falling. Once again, she looked to her Doctor for guidance. Once again, she heard his words as if they were carried on the wind.
"We love you Rose. Welcome home."