"It's mum's birthday, I'm going to spend a few days with her," Rose said lightly, and the Doctor looked from her stoic face to the suitcase and the Tardis' floor beside her.

"Just a few?" He murmured, but she didn't respond, and he didn't ask her to. They both knew that when she walked out of those doors, chances were, she wasn't coming back. Again, he didn't ask her to. It was better this way- or that's what he kept telling himself.

He had been steadily falling in love with her for months. It wasn't just love of body- yes, the way she moved, looked and laughed were intoxicating to him- it was more than that. it was love of mind. He loved her curiosity, the way she stood fast to what she believed, how she always ached for more. She had reached for the stars, and he brought them to her. And it was love of spirit. Rose Tyler was proud, courageous, and compassionate- everything the Doctor wasn't. She made him a better man. He had been content with that.

Then something changed. Her eyes lingered on him, a mere smile quickly becoming something more; that was when he knew she loved him too. He couldn't allow this to go on. Today, Rose Tyler was going to walk out of that Tardis and he was going to let her. It was better this way.

(or that's what he kept telling himself.)

He held fast to a simple truth- that he could never be to her what she was to him. And one day, inevitably, she would leave him, as all humans do. He shuddered at the thought of it and quickly pushed it from his mind. He could let her go, push her away himself, he could survive knowing his misery had come at his own hands. What he couldn't bare was spending the rest of her life with her. Watching her perfect face whither and grow tired. Watching her slip away. Or having her torn so violently from him. It was too dangerous- for her and his heart.

The Tardis landed and the two stood silently, looking around, at their shoes, anywhere but each other, each mulling over words neither had the gumption to say. Finally Rose picked up her bag and cast one last glance around her beloved Tardis. In the Doctor's mind he heard her whisper.

Goodbye, my little wolf-cub. It is a shame that this is how we part ways.

Rose gave a little start and turned back to the console. The doctor watched with a curious frown- she was just a human, there's no way she could have heard the voice of his Tardis. He cast the thought from his mind, assuming she had heard the hum coming from the console that had accompanied her words. She shook her head and walked towards the door, running her hand down the hand-rail and murmuring, "Goodbye, old girl," With that, she strode out into the sunny London afternoon. The Doctor followed and stood in the doorway, not quite sure what to do with himself.

"Goodbye, Doctor," she murmured, her deep brown eyes studying him one last time.

"Goodbye, Rose." He tried to memorize the way she looked standing there, the afternoon sun glinting off of her golden hair. The pictures he had of them taped to the Tardis' console didn't do her justice. Even standing there now he swore she was too perfect to be true.

If only this had been a dream. Bad Wolf and broken hearts- remember this, Doctor. Remember her.

The cold words of the Tardis echoed in his head as he watched his Rose retreat. Hearts heavy, he disappeared back inside the Tardis and closed the doors softly.

"Mum?"

"Rose!" Jackie ran out of the kitchen and threw her arms around her daughter, pulling her in for a tight hug. She noticed the bag on the floor. "Staying a few days?"

"Happy Birthday, Mum."

"Had a little spat with your Doctor, did you now?"

Rose had become excellent at avoiding questions. "Got any tea made?"