Waiting No More
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or anything associated with it. This is a one shot about the "Girl in the Fireplace" episode. I wanted to show that Rose had grown up in her travels with the Doctor.
"You doubted me, Rose Tyler."
"I want that body safe."
"Leave behind…not you."
She can hear his voice inside her head. Snatches of conversations they had had. She stares at the closed time window. Smashed by the Doctor in his attempt to save Madame de Pompadour from the droids.
Left behind by the Doctor on an abandoned space station, no way to pilot the Tardis, no hope.
Rose wanted to rage against unfairness of it all. She had willingly given up her life for her doctor. Not just because she loved him, but the world needed him. No, the universe needed him.
Mickey and Jackie thought she had broke into the Tardis out some misguided love for the Doctor, but it was always more than that. She had told them repeatedly that "he wasn't her boyfriend. He was better than that."
And he was. She and the Doctor were a team, not just alien and companion. They made the other better. Until now.
Now, the Doctor had found someone who could see into the darkness of his soul and light the way out for him. After meeting Sarah Jane, Rose had realized that "happily ever after" was not going to happen for her and the Doctor. But she didn't think he would just throw her aside like yesterday's leftovers.
She could tell Reinette had intrigued and captivated the doctor. Jealously burned within the deepest recesses of her heart. But for the Doctor, Rose would go to any lengths to see that time turned out all right. Even going to Reinette, perfect poised uncrowned Queen of France, and delivering the message that the Doctor would save her.
Save Reinette and doom Rose. The windows were closed, and he would not be coming back through them. He had left her, but it was never about choice. He had to. History, Earth's history, must be preserved; Madame de Pompadour must survive and fulfill her place in history.
Rose knew she had no impact on history. The loss of one Rose Tyler would only affect Jackie. At one time, she had hoped that the Doctor would feel her passing, but with the meeting of Sarah Jane and the knowledge that she, Rose Tyler, was just one of many had disabused her of that notion.
Rose slowly turned her eyes away from the time window. She closed her eyes and took one deep breath. The Doctor was gone, but life did not stop. Mickey would need to be helped and soothed. Then they would need to find a way to get back to their time and life.
She had the rest of her life to mourn the Doctor, dream about the what ifs, and so on. But she also knew that she had to do the only thing her Doctor had ever asked of her….she was going to have a fantastic life.