The Doctor knows it's a bad idea. All he wants is to stay in the TARDIS and grieve for the loss of his beloved Rose. He cleans up the wound the best he can, and all he wants is to stay by her side. He keeps telling himself that she isn't dead, but the more he tells himself the more he knows it was a lie. She couldn't have survived that wound. He knew that before he took her in the TARDIS, begging for some help.

No matter how much he wants to wallow in his sorrow, he can't. Jackie Tyler deserves to know what had happened. He doesn't want her waiting at home for months at a time for a daughter who was never coming back. He doesn't want to show up months or even years later, have her ask where Rose is, and give her the bad news.

He lazily sets the coordinates for the Powell Estate.

'Are you sure, Doctor?' The TARDIS asks.

"No," he replies. "But, I can't put this off. Jackie is Rose's mum. I have to tell her."

The TARDIS hums, understanding what her Doctor thought is best.

The Doctor takes a look at Rose; he had moved her from her bedroom to the console room. She is lying on a small couch he moved into there.

She looks so peaceful, as if she's only sleeping. He wishes she is just sleeping. He wants her to wake up, give him that Rose Tyler grin, and embrace him, just like they always do after an adventure.

He goes to her side, his fingers gently stroking her cheekbones. Come on, he thinks. Stir, move, do something! She is completely still. He feels a few tears escape him as he presses his lips to her forehead.

"I am so sorry, Rose," he whispers softly into her ear before he goes to the TARDIS doors.

He freezes up, his hand mere inches from the knob. How can he possibly go into the Powell Estate and tell Jackie Tyler that her daughter is dead? She will blame him, most likely. And that scares him. But, what scares him most is seeing Jackie cry. She is such a trooper, and it will just kill him to see her collapse in tears.

'You don't have to do this now,' the TARDIS reminds him.

"Yes, I do," he says. He takes a few deep breaths before opening the doors and heading to the Powell Estate.

He freezes up again at the sight of Jackie's door. Closing his eyes, he raises his fist and knocks twice. He's surprised she didn't run outside when she heard the TARDIS.

Jackie opens the door, a big smile on her face, a smile he is going to have to shoot down.

"Oh, Doctor!" She cries, throwing her arms around her neck. "I've been wondering when you two would get back." She pulls away from him, frowning slightly. "Where is she?" She asks, peering behind the Doctor.

"She's… in the TARDIS," the Doctor replies.

Jackie crosses her arms. "She's sick, isn't she? She's lying somewhere, sleeping her little head off because she's sick."

"Something like that… Jackie, can I come in?" He asks. "There's something I need to talk to you about."

Jackie eyes him before nodding.

"I'll just go make a cuppa," she announces, about to head into the kitchen.

"No! I really need to talk to you."

She stops and sits down on the couch, gesturing for him to take a seat as well.

The Doctor sits down on the recliner, his hands together on his lap.

"So…?" Jackie asks when he doesn't say anything for a few minutes. "What do you want to say to me?"

"Right, right…" He clears his throat. "Rose and I visited a planet today…"

"Oh, I'm gonna stop you right there!" She holds out a hand. "You saw a diamond, didn't you? You're asking for my permission to marry my Rose. Well, I can tell you really love her, so yes. You have my blessing." She smiles hugely.

He can't help but smile at the thought of getting married to Rose Tyler and knowing her mother accepted it. Seeing Rose in a wedding dress that looks like it was made for her. It falls over her body like a cascade of snow. He lifts the veil, and they kiss. And they are bonded for life. His smile fades away when he remembers why he's here in the first place. He's not here to ask for Jackie's blessing to marry Rose. No, he's here for a much darker reason.

"Jackie, that's not it. The planet we went to is very dangerous, very dangerous. But it's beautiful. Lots of grass and blue skies. Plus, some of the best sandwiches you will ever eat! A riot broke out. The rebels were slicing down anything in their paths. Fixed point in time. I couldn't stop them for killing some villagers; it would've messed with history." He looks up at her face, which is full of confusion. He shakes his head before continuing, "Anyway, Rose and I got separated."

"You mean to say she's on some alien planet right now, running for her life by some alien rebels?" Jackie yells, getting up off the couch and glaring at the Doctor.

"That is not what I'm saying."

"Then what are you saying, Doctor?"

The Doctor can't help the tears. He wipes them away hastily on his sleeve. "Jackie… Rose got hurt there." He bows his head as his tears seep through.

"Hurt? What do you mean hurt?"

"A rebel hurt her," he explains. "The wound was very deep and…" He glances up at Jackie again; she is still confused.

"What happened to her, Doctor?" She asks softly, and this hurts him way more than her yells.

"I'm so sorry, Jackie. Rose didn't make it," he manages to say before burying his face in his hands and sobbing.

Jackie slumps against the couch, unable to comprehend what he had just told her. Her daughter is dead?

"Doctor, please tell me you're lying."

"Would I lie about something as serious as this?" He almost yells, but he catches himself. He can't blame her; she's hurt and confused.

"You took her to an alien planet, a dangerous one, and you got separated, and now she's dead!" Jackie shrieks. "You killed my daughter! This is all your fault!" She points a finger at him.

"I know," he says. He doesn't even want to deny it. "And I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry."

"Sorry is not going to bring my daughter back, mister!" Jackie presses her face against a pillow and screams loudly. "NO! Why my Rose?"

I've been asking myself that same question. Why my Rose? "Jackie, she's in the TARDIS. Her body is."

"Take me to her! Now!" Jackie jumps up and grabs the Doctor's hand.

He leads her to the TARDIS and has to catch her before she faints when she sees Rose's lifeless body on the couch.

Jackie rushes to the couch, holding her daughter's cold, clammy hand. She cries as she pushes some hair away from Rose's face.

"She looks as if she's sleeping," she says. "I wish she was only sleeping."

You and me both, Jackie.

"Yeah, I cleaned up most of the wound." He shudders, remembering his hands running up and down her injury. Though he washed his hands multiple times afterwards, he can still smell her blood on him. "I… want to leave. I want you take her body, and then I'm going to leave. I'll never be back. I promise you that."

Jackie glares at him again. "You're coming back, Doctor. If there's one person who needs to be at Rose's funeral, it's you."

His eyes widened. He can't imagine going to Rose's funeral. He will break down in tears. He can't do it. "I…"

"You're doing it! You owe her this much!"

"Do you know the last thing she heard before departing?" He asks.

"No. What?"

"'I love you.' I told Rose how I feel about her. She smiled, Jackie. Smiled as she died in my arms. God, I love her so much." He presses his forehead against the wall of the TARDIS as he begins to cry again. "I have lost so much over my lifetime. Why couldn't I just have one thing…? Why couldn't I have her? Why does the universe hate me so much?"

He feels a pair of arms wrapping around his waist. For a second, he thinks it's Rose.

"The universe does not hate you, Doctor," Jackie whispered. "You showed her so much, and you told her the three words she deserved to hear."

"Jackie, I am sorry! This whole thing is my fault! Rose is dead because of me!" He cries.

"Shh, shh, it's okay. Come on. Let me make you a cuppa."

The Doctor turns around and faces her, a small smile on his lips. He glances over at Rose. He picks up her body and takes her to her bedroom in the Powell Estate.

"I'll call the mortuary," she tells him as she hands him a mug of piping tea. The scalding drink seems to do the trick for his overworked throat. "I'll call them once you leave."

"Yeah," he mutters.

"You keep her phone. I'll call you when we have the funeral."

He puts the mug down on the table. "Jackie, I can't come to the funeral."

"Why?" She asks dangerously. "Because you'll be off saving the world? Some planet? This is Rose Tyler here."

"Jackie, I can't go because I can't take it! It hurts too much! I don't want to see her buried, my darling Rose." He grabs a napkin and quickly dabs his reddened eyes.

Jackie's face softens. She leans over the table, so their faces are inches from each others. "Doctor, I beg you. Please. You owe this to her! You have to be there for my daughter!"

He drinks some more tea. Jackie is completely right. Rose had given him so much, changed him in so many amazing ways. He has to go to the funeral. He has to say a final goodbye to his Rose.

Author's note: Credit to StormaggedonDarkLordOfAll for the suggestion to write a chapter dealing with the Doctor telling Jackie. Next chapter will be Rose's funeral. (I'm so depressing!)