Disclaimer: Doctor Who doesn't belong to me. :(
The Doctor Is Dead
The Doctor never knew quite how he ended up back in the alternate universe. Amy had wanted to attend the first ever Cannes Film Festival and they had been pleasantly hurtling through the Time Vortex towards 1946. There had been a gut-wrenching shudder as they were torn from their original course and the TARDIS had spun out of control through the Void. The ship was filled with blaring alarms and instruments burning red hot and the Doctor had been powerless to stop their descent. They bounced off couple of things, corporeal or otherwise, and came to a halt with ear-piercing shriek. Amy had been knocked unconscious by their abrupt landing and he had lain sprawled on the floor, too stunned to move for some time.
Now the Doctor was slumped against the doors, watching his hands shake in a state of numb shock. As soon as he had made Amy comfortable, he had hurried to the doors to see where they had landed. The TARDIS was half-buried in some soft of garden display, but he had managed to force the doors open wide enough to show him a vista of modern London, with zeppelins dominating the sky. The moment he realised where he was, he had slammed the doors closed and slowly slid down to the floor. That was where he was now, with a maelstrom of emotions whirling through his head.
This was Rose's world. This was the world where he had abandoned the love of his life, here with the half-human shadow of his former self. He had no idea what had happened to them, or even if they were still alive. But he did have a feeling he would not be able to leave without finding out. Searching his feelings, he found his love for Rose fluttering within his hearts. It was more like a distant dream now, his pain and loss healed by the regeneration. He was nevertheless painfully aware that his love could easily be reignited and fuelled to a passion that could threaten the universe itself.
"Doctor, what happened?" Amy's confused question drew the Doctor from his thoughts. Amy had a cut on her forehead, but the bleeding had already stopped. She looked a little pale, but otherwise fine.
"We somehow ripped a hole through the fabric of reality and ended up in a parallel universe," the Doctor explained, his voice distant.
"Well, let's see it then!" Amy came to the doors, expecting the Doctor to move. When he stayed on the floor, she frowned.
"Amy, there is something you need to know about this world," the Doctor started, his voice tired, "this is not the first time I have been here…" He quickly outlined what had happened to Rose and the meta-crisis Doctor, his eyes filled with naked pain as he spoke of his past. Amy listened silently, her heart heavy with sadness for her friend.
"We should go find her," she said when he finally finished his story. "Surely she would want to see you again."
"I don't think we need to worry about finding her," the Doctor said, getting up slowly. "Our appearance wasn't exactly discreet and there will be many people watching in this world. All we need to do is wait." He pulled open the doors and led Amy outside, where the sun was making the Thames glitter.
"Zeppelins?" Amy asked in awe.
"It's just like your Earth in many ways, except that it has zeppelins." The Doctor explained, leaning against the side of the TARDIS and turning his face towards the warmth of the sun.
As the Doctor had predicted, they did not have to wait long. When they head footsteps running towards them, the Doctor turned to watch two figures emerge from crowd. Rose was wearing black and it certainly suited her. Since they had last met, she had become a woman. All the residual teenage awkwardness was gone and now she was a beautiful young woman. Judging from the change in the way she was carrying herself, the Doctor analysed subconsciously, she was also a mother. By her side, holding her hand even as they were running, was the other Doctor. His hair was as wild as it had ever been and he wore a customary pinstripe suit. Even the worn shoes were the same, the Doctor noted with a twinge of nostalgia. They both looked happy, which made the Doctor's hearts ache a little.
Rose and the Doctor slowed down as they approached the TARDIS, thrown by the sight of an unfamiliar man leaning against it. Rose's eyes flicked briefly to Amy, who was watching them alertly, before returning to take in the regenerated Doctor. The meta-crisis Doctor looked at the both nervously and wrapped his arm around Rose's shoulders. They stopped just a few feet away and Rose raised her hand but let is fall down to her side almost immediately.
"Doctor?" Rose asked, her voice uncertain. The man before her was utterly foreign and yet there was something in those eyes that she knew, had always known.
"Rose, me, hello," the Doctor replied, feeling rather awkward himself. He watched Rose's eyes widen with shock and then fill with sorrow.
"You've regenerated," she whispered, her voice breaking a little. She was blinking hard to keep the tears from falling, still reeling from finding out so very suddenly that her Doctor was gone.
"Well, couldn't let Donna's grandfather die, now could I", the Doctor said with a forced lightness, but he remembered how long his previous incarnation had fought the inevitable. "This is Amelia Pond, by the way," the Doctor pointed at Amy, deliberately changing the subject.
"Amy," the red head said pointedly and came forward to offer her hand first to Rose and then to the meta-crisis Doctor, who had stayed silent, simply watching Rose and the new Doctor. She expected Rose to be jealous, but instead the other woman smiled widely, despite her glistening eyes.
"Nice to meet you Amy," Rose said with warmth that gave Amy an inkling as to why she was so special to the Doctor. She was suddenly uncertain what to say.
Next to them, the meta-crisis Doctor, with a haunted look on his face, reached out to stroke the wooden frame of the TARDIS. His eyes widened and he stepped forward to rest his cheek against the outside of the time machine, closing his eyes. The Doctor frowned at this but did not wish to interrupt whatever communication was passing between the ship and her former master.
"But Doctor," Rose said, looking confused, "the walls between the universes closed years ago. How is it possible that you are here?"
"I wish I knew," the Doctor replied. "We just ended up here. I'm hoping we will be able to leave the same way, by some bizarre fluke." He fiddled with his sonic screwdriver nervously, while Rose stared at her feet, considering everything.
"When we do," the Doctor continued, surprising himself, "you could come with us?" Rose's eyes snapped back to his, surprise evident on both their faces. After a long silence, Rose pointed toward the TARDIS.
"May I?" She asked, with a barest hint of tremble in her voice.
"Of course."
Rose cautiously stepped to the doors and pushed them open. She gasped a little when she saw the new interior and turned to look at the Doctor.
"It's different." Her voice was sad.
"She changed with me," he explained, almost apologetic.
Rose walked in, taking in all the changes. The Doctor and Amy followed her in, but she did not go far. She ran her hands gently along one of the pillars and then rested her forehead against the rough surface.
"TARDIS," she whispered, reaching out to the ship with her mind.
The most beloved of companions, the ship hummed in her head. Rose suddenly felt so at home she could not stop a sob escaping.
"I've missed you," she whispered out loud, letting her thoughts mingle with the ship's. "I've missed you so very much."
You too have been sorely missed, by both of us, the ship replied with a hint of sadness.
"Did he suffer?" Rose asked, afraid of the answer.
You were in his thoughts when the pain came and you eased his passing greatly. Now the pain is much less, the sentient being reassured her.
"Does he, does he ever think of me?" Rose asked, uncertain which answer would hurt least.
You are like a brilliant, beautiful dream that he cherishes within his hearts. But those that loved you, both of them, have added their love to my song. They are with me always and we will remember you to the end of our days. Rose heard a distinct change in the ship's melody as she could no longer hold back the tears.
"Tell him that I love him," Rose choked on the words. "And tell him that he has a beautiful baby boy." She wrapped her arms around the pillar in an attempt to embrace not just the TARDIS but also her past.
Soon he will also have a beautiful baby girl, the ship's hum rose to a triumphant crescendo as Rose lay a hand on her flat belly.
"You already know what my answer will be," Rose whispered, overwhelmed with both sadness and pure joy.
The choice was made a long time ago and we feel nothing but happiness for you. Please remember us, Rose Tyler, our beloved companion. The TARDIS's words wrapped Rose in an incorporeal embrace and for a moment she thought she saw both of her Doctors before her, grinning their widest grins at her.
"I couldn't ever forget you, any of you," Rose smiled, brushing away her tears, suddenly aware that both Amy and the new Doctor were staring her.
Amy watched Rose with mixed feelings. She realised she had only been travelling with the Doctor for a short while, but she doubted she could ever become as familiar with both the Doctor and the TARDIS as Rose was. She heard Rose whisper to the ship but could not make out the individual words. She was aware that the TARDIS was sentient and had witnessed the Doctor having conversations with her on several occasions, but it had never occurred to her that she could reach out to the ship. Yet Rose was clearly able to do so and the TARDIS seemed to have special connection with her, for the ship's perpetual hum had changed considerably when Rose had touched the pillar. Amy tried to shut out a twinge of jealousy, feeling for the first time way out of her league.
The Doctor also watched Rose's exchange with the TARDIS with mixed feelings. It was wonderful to see the joyous reunion, but as Rose turned to him, in his heart he already knew what she was about to say.
"The Doctor is dead," Rose said, her voice cracking, "my Doctor is dead. What is left of him is waiting for me outside. His greatest gift to me was mortal love and I could never abandon that. I couldn't give it up even for all the wonders of the universe and for another chance to travel in the TARDIS. I have everything I need here and I have grown rather fond of the slow path over the years."
The Doctor averted his eyes, unable to hide the hurt he felt. He lifted his eyes once more when he felt soft hands cupping his face.
"You said it yourself," Rose spoke with sudden certainty, "you needed me to heal you. And I did, I healed you. And now you no longer need me. There is so much out there for you to see, so many worlds and peoples to help. I have a different adventure ahead of me and there's no place for me in your life now. And that's okay Doctor, it really is." The Doctor pulled her to a tight embrace and she hugged him back equally fiercely. He drew her scent in to memorise it and felt a single tear roll down his cheek.
"I never thought I would ever say goodbye to you, Rose Tyler." His voice was thick with emotion as he stroked her golden hair.
"Perhaps we'll meet again, in this world or the next," Rose smiled sadly and straightened his bowtie. She took a step back to regard him and brushed away her tears. She then turned to hug a rather surprised Amy.
"I'm glad you are with him," Rose whispered to Amy, "he needs someone to hold his hand and to tell him when to stop. And he is worth it all."
Rose walked to the doors, running a hand along one of the columns a final time. "Keep him safe, TARDIS," she whispered. Before she stepped outside, she turned to smile at the Doctor and Amy. "Goodbye."
Rose let the doors close behind her as she walked to take her Doctor's hand. He made no comment about her tear-stained face but simply pulled her to a hug. Behind them, the air shimmered as the great motor began its grinding cycle.
"The TARDIS told me," he started but Rose interrupted him.
"I know." Together they watched as the TARDIS faded from the view, never to be seen again in their lifetime.