Disclaimer; I do not own the rights to Doctor Who, nor do I mean to infringe on BBC's copyright for publishing this work of fanfiction.

-x-

Rose's heart seemed to be being pulled in every different direction. The two Doctors would have been indistinguishable, if not for the difference in suits; they both had the same unruly brown hair, the brooding brown eyes, the same world-weary stance. Swallowing, she again looked from one to the other.

"Both of you, answer me this; when I last stood on this beach on the worst day of my life," Rose inhaled deeply, trying to calm her racing heart, "what was the last thing you said to me?" Only silence followed Rose's question, the two Time Lords choosing instead to remain silent.

"Well, Doctor?" She choked, her strangled voice barely making it past the lump in her throat. "Go on, say it."

"I said Rose Tyler." Said the true Doctor, the finality in his tone apparent. He said nothing else, and Rose grew impatient.

"Yeah, and how was that sentence gonna end?" The Time Lord simply looked at her for a moment, knowing that if he was the one to say it, Rose would chose him over the human Doctor; the Doctor who needed her more.

"Does it need saying?" He finally asked, swallowing past the lump in his throat.

Rose nodded and looked to the human Doctor; "And you, Doctor? What was the end of that sentence?" Taking a single step forward, the human Doctor closed the gap between him and Rose. He leaned forward and brushed his fingers against Rose's arm, whispering three words in her ear.

With fresh tears in her eyes and a mixed look of disbelief and happiness on her face, Rose grabbed the human Doctor by his collar and kissed him deeply, her arms finding their way around his neck. As if a switch had been thrown, their bodies pressed together and all the emotions Rose had kept bottled up inside for the past three years came flooding out.

Suddenly, there was the sound of a latch falling into place that echoed throughout the bay, and Rose tore herself from the kiss to see the TARDIS begin to hum and pulsate, leaving their dimension for the final time. As the last gust of TARDIS-generated wind blew past Rose's face, she looked at the empty space where her favorite blue box once stood, not knowing what to think. There went the Doctor, flying in his TARDIS through time and space, saving he universe everywhere he went.

Rose felt a hand slid into hers, and she looked to her left to see the human Doctor — her Doctor — standing beside her. Looking into his big brown eyes, Rose smiled.

"I think I need a Doctor," she smiled slightly, using his own phrase against him as she pulled him in for another kiss. As their lips met, Rose felt the full intensity of the love she had for her Doctor. The dam behind her eyes broke entirely, and tears of both happiness and sadness poured down her face as she kissed the man she loved.

There were never any other options for her; no other she would die for, no other she would follow to Hell and back, and as their lips met again and again, she knew that the same went for him. But the best realization of their lives was that neither would ever have to do so again. If there was any sadness in the fact that neither would ever travel in the TARDIS again, it was outweighed by the fact that they could be together to the end of their days; that the two could get a house together, have children together, grow old together. The other Doctor — the one in the TARDIS — would find another companion to hold his hand for awhile, but Rose would get to keep her Doctor forever. Finally, Rose could just love her Doctor.

And love him she did. Their mouths met again and again, and the Doctor held Rose tightly against his body while she tangled her fingers in his hair. If Jackie had not been standing on the beach, they definitely would've ended up on the sand without any clothes.

"Alright, alright you two," she reprimanded, shaking her head as the two broke their kiss with a surprised look. "Keep your pants on, Doctor; I won't have you snogging my daughter on some beach." Rose turned a lovely shade of pink as she straightened her jacket while the Doctor just grinned down at his lover and ran a hand through his tangled hair.

"I phoned Pete while you two were…" Looking from Rose to the Doctor, Jackie chose her words carefully. "...Saying hello. He was pretty close by already, so we should start walking towards the road. He'll be here in a jiffy" Rose nodded, still blushing, and joined hands with her Doctor, following her mother as the trio walked across the sand.

"You know, Doctor," Rose smiled slyly, "I wouldn't mind 'saying hello' more often." The Doctor laughed and grinned down at his beautiful companion with his winning smile.

"We have 'til the end of our days to do that as often as we like, Rose Tyler," he smiled. "I never thought I'd say this, but I am looking forward to this 'aging process.'" Pausing, he looked down at Rose again, a spark in his eyes. "As long as you'll do it with me." Rose wrapped both arms around the Doctor's, resting her head against his shoulder.

"Always and forever."