Disclaimer: I still do not own Doctor Who, or the bit of line that I borrowed from Love Actually. Also I am not British and make no attempts at British language in this fic, it would really not be enjoyable for anyone if I did.
Rose's mind pulled itself back from unconsciousness, and abruptly wanted to return, she only knew two things, one she was on the Tardis, nothing could replicate that distinctive sound, and two that her head felt like it had been hit by a sledge hammer. "Actually," came an overly cheerful voice from above her, "it was a wall," apparently she'd said that last bit out loud.
She head a mechanical hum from near the top of her head and suddenly the pain was gone, ah the wonders of alien tech. Opening her eyes she sat up and was greeted by the oh so familiar sight of the medical bay, and the Doctor fiddling next to her. "There you go, right as rain, well the good kind, not the acidy sort," he said, then suddenly stopped his movements looking at her intently, "I'm sorry Rose, they're gone, there isn't a way to crossover." "S'ok Doctor," she said giving him a weak smile, "it could be so much worse, I accepted losing Mickey a long time ago, and I'm the one that left my mum for two years, it's her turn now. Besides they'll be happy there, and they both deserve that."
"Well then," he said helping her down from the table, "even after my wonderful doctoring you need to get some rest and I need to make some repairs, so off to bed with you!" and she felt herself propelled out the door.
"Doctor, wait," she turned to face him again as they entered the corridor, "I realized something when I was being pulled, and I…oh god this is stupid…"
"What's that then?"
"Well the thing is, I know all that stuff I said about forever is impossible, but I love you, and, well, I guess I just wanted you to know that; just in case."
"Rose, I… oh Rose…" he trailed off, leaning against the wall and pulling his hands across his face, "I can't give you that, we could never have a house or children, or safety, any of those things you want"
And that was not at all what she expected to hear; rejection, yes, brushing it off, yes, passionate acceptance, no, but she could hope, not that this though.
"Doctor, who have you been traveling with for the past few years?"
"What?"
"What could possibly make you believe that those are things I want? Could it have been when I gave up a boyfriend who loved me to travel with a total stranger, or all the times I ran into to danger with a smile on my face, or maybe it was all those times I came back after you sent me to safety," by now she was yelling and moving closer jabbing a finger at his chest as she did so.
"Rose, I'm..."
"No!" she interrupted, still yelling, "I am going to talk and you are going to listen, because as brilliant as you are you are a complete idiot." Slipping into a quieter tone, she continued, "First off, I do not want to marry you and have lots of sex and babies, I wouldn't object to the sex part, but I am happy the way we are, and that's what I wanted to tell you, if something like today happens again, and we're separated, or I die, then know that I love you. It's like my Mum, she's gone, but she knows I love her, and I know she loves me so I don't feel so bad about it."
"So you love me like your mum then?" By this time they had both slid to the floor, leaning side by side against the wall, and Rose swatted his arm, shooting him a glance of exasperated amusement before returning to her serious demeanor, though all traces of anger were now gone.
"I'm not done yet you; keep quite"
"Sorry," he said, his voice low and solemn.
"You seem to think that if you push me away I'll be safe, but it doesn't work like that Doctor, anything can happen, even in 21st century London. And even if things did work that way, I prefer my life short and full of adventure over long and mundane. You asked me to come with you, you saw Sara Jane after you left her, you should understand that I can't live that life ever again; you've shown me a better way to live, and even without you in it I couldn't stop, I don't do domestic anymore. And pushing me, and everyone else away won't keep you safe either, did it make loosing Jack any easier? I know you said you were fine, but I saw you all those times you thought I wasn't looking, and it would be the same if something happened to me, even if you won't put a name to what we have." There was a pause, and then the Doctor broke the silence,
"You're wrong."
"Wha…" her argument cut short by a finger on her lips,
" It wouldn't be the same as with Jack, because I love you, foolishly, stupidly, and any other synonym you can think of, I love you," his eyes were closed, his head resting against the wall, and his voice was pained. "I told you before, humans die, Time Lords live on, and I would have to watch that happen."
She turned his head until he was looking her in the eyes and said incredulously, "Let me get this straight; we've been traveling for 2 years, and you're in love with me, to the point where you would be devastated if anything happened to me. But you're making yourself miserable because I will eventually age and die, even though I've got a good 30 years, 15 times what we've already had, of vitality ahead of me if I take care of myself, and more if I take advantage of all that advanced medical technology you're always telling me about; is that about it?"
"You seemed to have summed it up"
"Well that is the second stupidest thing I've heard since I woke up. I may not have the wisdom of the time lords, but it seems like it makes more sense to be happy when all the bad things are going to happen regardless of how you spend the time before they."
"Quite right" he said, his eyes searching hers.
She blinked in surprise, and he leaned in to kiss her.
Well writing is much more difficult than I thought it would be. I'm not really happy with the flow of the dialog, or characterization, and it is definitely sappier than what started in my head, but I stuck some words together and they made something vaguely coherent so I'm pretty happy about that. Again constructive criticism is greatly welcomed.