A prequel to Bridging the Gap. Inspired by a Youtube video about the Human Doctor and Rose set to "Fix You" by Coldplay. Tennant's Coldplay love makes it all the better, I think. I don't own Doctor Who or the songs used.

Starlight

Starlight,
I will be chasing the starlight
Until the end of my life...

My life
You electrify my life
Let's conspire to re-ignite
All the souls that would die just to feel alive
I'll never let you go
If you promise not to fade away, never fade away
Our hopes and expectations
Black holes and revelations
Hold you in my arms
I just wanted to hold you in my arms
I just wanted to hold...

Muse, "Starlight"


He is the last son of Gallifrey. He is 903 years old. He is the Doctor, the space man who travels in his blue box. And he is terribly alone, despite having a companion along for most of his travels. These companions eventually leave him, moving along with their lives. He moves on, too. That is, he did. But then he lost her. She brought light and energy into his cynical life. She gave him a reason to keep going. Then she let go of that damn lever. Trapped in a parallel world, dead on her world. That was the day his hearts started to beat a little bit slower, a little more reluctant to keep going.

He had to say his goodbyes as a hologram. It hurt too much to see her but not be able to hold her, to console her. He could never hold her, comfort her, or see her ever again. And it killed him. It killed him to watch the tears run across her face as she clutched her stomach, shaking. He had felt his hearts clench when she had mentioned the baby. He thought she had moved on. He wished that it was their baby, though it was impossible. She had clarified that Jackie was expecting, and he felt a little better. Part of him had wished she had moved on while the rest of him wanted to be with her, always.

"I love you," she cried, nearly doubled over in emotional pain. The wind mussed up her blonde hair, her black leather jacket pulled across her form.

"Quite right," a ghost of a smile flitted across his face, "And I suppose it's my last chance to say it. Rose Tyler-"

The transmission was cut off, leaving him alone in the TARDIS. He burnt up a sun to say goodbye, and he couldn't even say the thing he most wanted to say. All he wanted, all he needed was her. But he couldn't give her the life she deserved, one with marriage and children. It hurt too much knowing he could never be with her. Never hold her. Never be the one to kiss her goodnight or be the first to see her in the morning. It was impossible.

That is, until now. Here he was on Bad Wolf Bay. This time, he wasn't a hologram. He was flesh and bone, and human. He had one heart. Her hand rested against his chest, feeling his single beating heart. His gaze followed hers as she turned back to face the Time Lord Doctor. Here was his chance to tell her what he had wanted to for ages. No "Quite right."

"Rose Tyler, I love you," he whispered into her ear.

She pulled away, glassy eyed, and examined his face. She pulled him closer to her and kissed him. And it was fantastic. He longed to hold her, to kiss her, and it happened. His ninth form had kissed her, and in effect he had saved her life. This incarnation hadn't. The other time didn't count, seeing as that bloody Cassandra was possessing her. It was the most wonderful feeling in the universe to hold her again. A non-possessed Rose was kissing him, and it took him a few moments to wrap his mind around the rapid progression of events.

Suddenly, she pulled away as if realising the weight of her decision. She whipped around to look at the Doctor as he walked away, Donna at his side. He didn't even look back. The idiot. Tears streamed down her face as she watched him leave her one last time. Except this time, she wasn't alone.

He stood next to her, taking her hand as they looked at each other. The TARDIS dematerialised, leaving them together. She brushed away tears with her free hand and looked at him again. She smiled, and he grinned back. He had been hoping for her, chasing her for so long, and now they were together. He vowed to himself never to leave her again. He had his starlight back.


Thank you to all who have put the story on their alerts list or have favorite-ed it. Thank you to my first reviewer, CapriceAnn!

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