AN: This is finally the end of As Time Goes By-or of the series proper, at least. One of the fics of my fic advent calendar will be in this series. But for now, enjoy the culmination of the Doctor and Rose's journey.
An hour after leaving the Powell Estate behind, the Doctor and Rose were spooned together in bed as the sweat from their lovemaking cooled their skin. When he closed his eyes, the Doctor could still picture Rose falling to the Void, as had almost been her fate. But now he could also picture the way her eyes had fluttered shut as she'd fallen over the edge into ecstasy, and he focused on that image instead.
Rose sighed and laced her fingers together with the hand resting on her stomach and snuggled deeper into his embrace. Her hair was swept back against the pillow, leaving her neck exposed, and he couldn't resist pressing a kiss to his favourite spot, just below her ear.
She shivered in his arms, and her happiness buzzed at the edge of his consciousness. Making love always heightened the Doctor's telepathic awareness, but right now, he ached for more. Fear had held him back from bonding with her, but today, they'd faced the storm and won. In those moments when he'd thought he was going to lose Rose, his only regrets had been the things he hadn't shared with her, not the things he had.
The Doctor's mind spun as he considered what it would be like to share a full telepathic bond with Rose. He didn't realise he'd tensed in anticipation until she sighed and turned in his arms, her hand going to his forehead to smooth the wrinkles there. "What are you thinking, Doctor?"
His telepathy was settling back to normal levels, and when he found himself reaching for her, trying to pull her mind into his, his final doubt slipped away. Just as he made his decision, Rose ran her hand through his hair and her fingers brushed against his temple. The Doctor gasped and took her hand in his, resting their joined hands just below the pillow they shared.
Rose's face turned a deep red, and she tried to pull her hand away. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, her mouth pressed together in mortification. "I didn't mean… I wasn't trying to pry."
The Doctor leaned forward quickly and pressed a kiss to her lips, trying to convey how much he trusted her. When he pulled back, he was grateful to see that most of her blush had faded, but a puzzled frown still wrinkled her forehead.
"I know you weren't, love. But there's something I want to ask you, and when you touch me there, I lose all concentration."
"Go on then." She rubbed her thumb over his.
The Doctor pressed his tongue to his teeth as he considered how to begin. "You know I'm telepathic," he stated. "We've used telepathy a few times, and I told you that when we're in bed together, I can sense your emotions."
Rose bit her lip. "I'm a little jealous of that," she admitted quietly. "I wish I could see you the way you can me."
The Doctor's hearts stopped for a moment. "What if…" He licked his lips. "What if I told you you could? And not just when we're making love?"
Rose's eyes widened. "How?" she breathed.
"It's called a bond," he explained. "Mental bonds are how most telepathic races take a mate. They twine their minds together until the two are inseparable. And you need to know," he cautioned before she could agree on the spot, "that this is permanent. There's no way to unbind yourself from another."
Some of Rose's enthusiasm dampened with that warning. Her first thought when the Doctor mentioned a bond was to wonder why he'd never suggested it, but this was the answer, right here. They didn't talk about their disparate lifespans, but she knew the thought of losing her someday still troubled him.
And there were other things she needed to understand before she agreed. The idea of sharing an even deeper intimacy with the Doctor thrilled Rose, but she made herself ask those questions first. "What would this bond be like? If it's telepathic, would we be able to read each other's minds?"
"A telepathic bond links the two minds at the telepathic centre, behind the frontal lobe," the Doctor told her, brushing his fingers over her temple.
Rose felt a spark of happiness and excitement that wasn't hers when he touched her there, and she understood what he meant about losing the ability to concentrate. Feeling his mind on the edges of her own made her long for more.
"You mean you'd always be in my mind, and I'd always be in yours?"
The Doctor nodded. "Exactly. It's the height of intimacy, because a bond means you can see the essence of who your partner is—their soul, I suppose." He shifted slightly. "On a practical note, bonds allow partners to communicate telepathically, even over distances. And we would always be able to find each other." He tapped her nose. "That might be useful when someone wanders off."
Rose nodded. "You're right. Life would be so much simpler if I could just follow a psychic link the next time you go off on your own." The Doctor sputtered protests until she giggled and stopped them with a kiss.
She looked at him then, taking in the hope shining in his eyes, and she made herself ask the final question. "But are you sure—absolutely sure—that you want this with me, even though I'm only human? If our minds are tied together like that, it's got to hurt when one partner dies." She blinked back tears. "I really love the idea, but I don't want it if it'll hurt you."
The Doctor's eyes softened to the colour of melted chocolate. He took her hand again and brushed his lips over her knuckles. "Rose Tyler…"
There was something in his voice that caught her attention. Her name from his lips always sounded like an endearment, but tonight it carried extra weight.
"Yeah?" she whispered.
"I love you."
Rose stared at him for several seconds. She'd never resented the Doctor's inability to say the words, so the swell of emotion that surged through her on hearing them took her completely by surprise. Tears were hot behind her eyes, but she didn't want him to think he'd said something wrong.
In one quick move, she rolled them over so she was stretched out on top of him and kissed him, catching his bottom lip between hers. She felt the Doctor's confusion in his momentary hesitation, but then he melted beneath her and his lips moved with hers.
One languid kiss stretched into another, until Rose felt her tears dissipate. She released his lips with a pop then and smiled down at him.
"Took you long enough," she teased, then pressed another quick kiss to his lips so he'd know she wasn't upset.
She felt the rumble of laughter in his chest, then he cradled the back of her head with one hand as he rolled them again so he was on top.
Rose sighed and tilted her head back when he trailed kisses along her jawline. He laved his tongue over the sensitive spot just below her ear before shifting to catch her earlobe between his teeth. She moaned softly and ran her hands up and down his back, and he let it go with a final nip.
"Rose Tyler," he murmured as he brushed the hair out of her face. "Light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul…" He blinked. "Hang on, that's Lolita."
Rose wrapped her leg around his hips and arched into him, smirking when he gasped. "Oh, I don't mind being the fire in your loins," she purred as she repeated the motion.
The Doctor raised an eyebrow at the gorgeous woman in his arms. "Is that right?" He shifted against her, and her smirk disappeared.
Rose moaned his name when he moved again, and only the greater desire to be wrapped in her mind kept him from sinking into her body. He stopped his teasing movements and rolled them back onto their sides.
"As good as this feels, I think we were in the middle of something. That is, if you're willing to share a bond with me," he added, belatedly realising she'd never answered.
Rose rolled her eyes. "Of course I want a bond with you."
"Well then!" A grin spread across the Doctor's face, but before he could reach for Rose or even begin to explain how they would go about forming a bond, a loud growling came from Rose's stomach.
Rose groaned, then rolled onto her back and covered her face with her hands, while the Doctor laughed. "Oh, you think it's so funny," she muttered.
"Why are you embarrassed?" he asked matter-of-factly. "It's been ten hours since we ate breakfast, and we had… a rather active day." He sat up and swung his legs out of bed, then reached for her hand and pulled her to her feet.
"Come on, let's get dressed and eat dinner, then we can finally bond."
"Why do I actually have to put clothes on?" Rose queried as the Doctor buttoned his Oxford. "We're just going to the galley to eat…"
The Doctor tapped his fingers against his leg. "I've had… I've thought a lot about bonding with you, love," he explained. "And there's someplace I'd like to take you. I was perfectly fine doing it in bed"—He rolled his eyes when Rose snorted—"but as long as we're leaving our room anyway… Indulge me?"
Rose smiled and kissed his cheek, then reached blindly into the wardrobe and pulled out the first thing she laid her hands on. The Doctor watched as she pulled on the simple red long-sleeved top and a pair of jeans. She shook her hair out so it hung loose around her shoulders, then winked at him.
"It's not what I imagined I'd wear to my wedding," she said as she took his hand and led him out of the room. "But I know you have a thing for my girl next door look, so…"
The Doctor had the vague notion that he should protest, but they reached the galley before he came up with an argument. Besides, he admitted as they tucked into the dinner the TARDIS had waiting, she's right.
Rose spent the whole meal trying to get the Doctor to tell her where they were going, but he refused to reveal his plan, even going so far as to mime zipping his lips. In the console room, she hovered behind him as he set the coordinates, trying to get some idea of their destination.
He paused in mid-action and looked at her over his shoulder. "Unless you've suddenly learned circular Gallifreyan, that's not going to help you," he pointed out drily.
Rose sighed and flopped onto the jump seat. "Fine," she said, drawing the word out in exaggerated annoyance.
The Doctor winked at her, then turned the gravitic anomaliser, released the parking break, and threw the dematerialisation lever. He laughed gleefully when the time rotor moved up and down, indicating they were in flight. Rose's breath caught in her throat at the sight of him so happy, and she impulsively jumped to her feet and hugged him tight.
"I love you," she said, the words muffled by his suit jacket.
But he heard her anyway, and his arms pulled her even closer. "I love you, too. And in just a few minutes, you'll understand exactly how much."
The shiver that ran down Rose's back had less to do with the way his soft words tickled her ear than it did the excitement of finally sharing everything with her Doctor. Their limited uses of telepathy had left her aching for more of him, but she hadn't known until today that it was possible.
Their landing was soft, and Rose smiled when the Doctor brushed his fingers over the console in thanks before reaching for her hand. "Ready?" he asked as he led her down the ramp.
Rose nodded and pushed the door open, then froze when she saw the red rock formations of Senfina. The Doctor's hand in the small of her back encouraged her to leave the TARDIS, and a moment later, she heard the door click shut.
"I thought…" The Doctor paused. "We promised each other forever here. Those were our wedding vows, and since bonding is part of a Gallifreyan wedding, I liked the idea of coming back here to finish what we started."
Rose turned and looked up at her husband. It had taken her months to get used to the romantic streak he kept hidden from everyone else, and sometimes, it still took her by surprise. "This is perfect, Doctor," she assured him, and the line of his shoulders relaxed.
The stillness of time on Senfina was a balm to the time senses that had been rubbed raw at Canary Wharf. As they walked to the canyon, Rose felt her headache ease, and she understood what the Doctor had meant when he'd said he came here after temporally fraught events.
A light, sweet, floral fragrance hung in the air, and Rose spotted a flowering vine trailing down one of the rocky spires. The Doctor grabbed a handful of the red star-shaped flowers as they walked past and slid one into her hair behind her ear and another into his buttonhole.
After only a five minute walk, they stood on the rim of the canyon. "It's not sunrise today, I'm afraid," the Doctor said.
"That's all right." Rose nudged him with her elbow and grinned when he looked down at her. "I'd rather not get distracted from why we're here, anyway."
The eagerness in her eyes momentarily stunned the Doctor, and he was suddenly stricken with doubt. "So… one more thing I should have mentioned earlier," he said, kicking himself for leaving this part out. "If we bond, Rose, you will know all of me. That sounds romantic, but it doesn't just mean you'll know how much I love you, or why I'm obsessed with bananas. You'll know all the dark secrets of my past, the mistakes I've made and the terrible choices I've been forced into. There's no way to only share the light and shield you from the dark. Are you prepared for that?"
He held his breath, but Rose didn't make him wait for an answer. "My Doctor," she whispered, and the remembered words sent a jolt through him. "I love everything you are. Your light takes my breath away, but the times you let me see your broken hearts are the moments I cherish the most. I know you're trusting me at your most vulnerable." She cradled his jaw in her hand. "Let me see all of you, love. Let me help you carry the darkness."
The Doctor turned his head to nuzzle into her hand, then took it and moved it up until her fingers were over his temple. Rose placed her free hand on his other temple without his encouragement, and the zing of telepathic contact hit him right away. His hands were shaking when he reached out to complete the circuit by placing his hands over her temples.
Rose's telepathic avatar wore the same clothes she'd put on an hour ago, and when the wide collar of her top slipped off her shoulder, his eyes dropped briefly to the exposed skin before looking back at her face in time to see his favourite smile, the one that teased him with her tongue.
I knew you'd like this top, she teased.
The Doctor didn't bother with deflection or denial. When they were connected like this, she could tell exactly what he was thinking… just like he could tell what she was thinking. This was only the second time they formed a complete telepathic connection, and just like the day they'd explored her time sense, the Doctor basked in the feeling of belonging and being wanted.
I don't deserve you, love, he told her frankly. But if you truly want this, I won't deny either of us any longer.
Rose rubbed tiny circles over his temples, and the Doctor's eyes rolled back into his head. He felt her surprise when she realised how erotic that touch was, and her hands stilled. You'll have to teach me about telepathic intimacy when we're back in our bed, she said, and somehow, she managed to make her voice sound sultry. But we're here for a different reason.
Quite right, the Doctor agreed. He carefully lowered all of his shields. Can you open yourself up to me, Rose? He felt her fumble for the mental command that would lower her rudimentary barriers, then suddenly, they were gone and he was completely surrounded by her.
The Doctor froze and turned in a circle. Oh. Oh, Rose. You are.. Perfect. He gathered his control, then slowly moved into her mind. Do what I'm doing, love. He felt her move, slowly at first, then with growing confidence. Yes, that's right, he encouraged her. Keep going until you find one last wall.
Meanwhile, he was moving through her mental landscape, nearly overwhelmed by the love he felt at every turn. He spared just a moment to regret the fears that had kept them from this for the past two months, but then he was standing in front of the wall protecting Rose's telepathic centre, and the tingle in his head told him she'd reached the same place.
What do we do now, Doctor? She reached out and pressed her palm to the wall. Can I…
The Doctor sucked in a breath when he felt the bond begin. Eager to join her, he pushed into the wall. The feel of it changed as they both moved, and then suddenly, Rose was in front of him and they were one, sharing a telepathic centre. He pulled his newly bonded mate into his arms and kissed her as their timelines knit together.
And then, he received what was perhaps the biggest shock of his very long life.
He'd been braced for a slight unnatural tug when his nearly immortal lifespan was bonded to Rose's shorter timeline, but the pinch he'd expected never came. Instead, golden light washed over both of them and he watched in awe as their timelines stretched into the future, as far as he could see.
Doctor?
He looked down at his wife. I'll tell you in a moment, but first, let's slip back into the real world, okay? She nodded, and he felt her remove her hands from his temples. A moment later, he blinked down at her, then swept her up in his arms and spun her around. "Rose! Oh, Rose, I love you!" he chanted over and over as she tipped her head back and laughed.
Finally she said, "I love you too, you daft alien, but if you don't quit spinning me in circles, I'm going to be sick all over your coat." He set her down immediately, and Rose smiled wryly. "Yeah, I thought that would get you to stop."
"Janis Joplin gave me this coat," he reminded her. "It's irreplaceable." Rose raised an eyebrow, and he hurriedly added, "Of course, all you had to say was that you didn't feel well."
"Nice save, Time Lord." Rose took his hand and laced their fingers together. "Now, what was that?" she asked. "It felt like… like I was looking into our future or something. Not actual events, but just our time together."
The Doctor nodded. "The last part of bonding is tying the timelines together. Time literally binds us together, taking our separate pasts and creating a shared future. And I thought... I was prepared to feel the pain of losing you echo back through time over the bond."
"But?" Rose prompted.
"But instead, I saw our lives merge into one timeline, even longer together than mine had been alone." The Doctor remembered the golden cord he'd felt wrap around his timeline at Canary Wharf. "We are going to be together for a very long time, love. No matter what the future brings."
Giddiness swept over Rose, and it took her a moment to realise it was his. Once she figured that out, she focused on his words. She was… going to live as long as he did? "Bad Wolf," she said finally. "I did something to lengthen my life. And that's why promising forever in our wedding vows felt so right."
The Doctor nodded. "We can do tests later to figure out exactly how much your biology has changed, but for now…" He blinked back tears. "Rose. How long are you going to stay with me?"
Rose slid her hands up over his shoulders and linked them behind his neck. "Forever, Doctor."
He laughed breathlessly, then bent his head down to press his lips to hers. Rose swayed on her feet when the euphoric mixture of love, happiness, and desire doubled over the bond, and the Doctor caught her tightly to him when her knees would have given out.
My Rose, he whispered into her mind, and Rose shuddered at the intimate connection in the middle of an already passion-filled moment. I love you.
Time sang around them as they kissed slowly, stretching each moment out as long as possible. Rose slid her tongue between his parted lips and scraped her nails over his scalp. She felt his groan and thought she could almost taste how much he wanted her.
My Doctor, she said, and the Doctor shuddered in her arms when she echoed his claim. I love you, too. After the briefest hesitation, she moved her hand up to his temple and massaged the sensitive spot she'd accidentally found earlier.
The Doctor tore his mouth from hers and rested his forehead against hers, panting harshly against her lips. He reached up and pulled her hand down, kissing her knuckles before he linked their hands together.
"Are you ready to go home, love?" His dark eyes and raspy voice made Rose's stomach flip, and she nodded wordlessly.
The rays soared overhead as they made their way over the rocky terrain back to the TARDIS. The calmness in time that Senfina brought washed over Rose as they walked, and by the time they'd reached the doors, her desire was a banked fire.
She looked at the planet as the Doctor slid the key into the lock, peace stealing over her. "What is it, Rose?" he asked when he realised she wasn't following him inside.
She shook her head and took the hand he held out. "Nothing. I just wanted… I can see it all so clearly here, the way our lives go on together. And I wanted to capture it in my memory so I'll never forget."
His eyes softened, and he raised her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. "Come on, love. It's time for our forever to begin."