Rose sat on her own on the private jet, just acknowledging the flight attendant who served her food and drink then Tony, coming out of the small bathroom for the umpteenth time sitting beside her but soon getting bored since Rose didn't want to play with two of his mini zeppelin toys then running to the bathroom again.

She was thinking of Emmett's face, staring at her even though she had turned back around after telling him he was the only man on this version of the world she had wanted to be intimate with, she didn't have the courage to see his reaction to that statement. Pete saw she was looking sad and tried to talk to her.

''Come on Rose, you can talk to me, your mother, I'm not so sure about. All she did was moan you were following that detective around like you used to do with the Doctor but since I don't really know about that too much except that night we were going off to try to rescue my first wife and it was clear you loved him but seeing you with Emmett? It was that same look, the one that made Mickey stay in this world and let you go back. Call him when you get home.''

''I intend to but he can't get over it, can't get over what it is I do. He told me he loved me but I don't know how I feel about him if he can't accept who I am, then what do I do?''

''If you do love him, it won't make any difference Rose, don't leave it too late.''

''I felt awful just leaving him to find out who killed Danny, he made me swear I wouldn't tell anyone but there's something wrong with him.''

''Really? What is it then? You may as well tell me, what am I going to do, inform his chief? We're out of it now Rose, there was nothing untoward about that boy's death, it was purely human doing, maybe an accident but if whoever killed him thought it was such, why didn't they just come forwards?''

''That's what Emmett reckoned, if Danny was struck by an object, maybe he ran in to it by accident, like if someone was trying to stop him but why wouldn't someone report it, not leave his body on the beach, unless he was actually killed there and not at that cabin like Emmett thought.''

''Hmm, you should have stayed in Gracepoint Rose, you'd make a great detective. Don't use the old 'Torchwood isn't needed' excuse, you're free to do what you want, I would have cleared it with Chief Morgan, say you were staying for some rest and relaxation. Didn't anyone know about you two?''

''Not exactly but maybe they guessed since we spent two weeks creeping around and disappearing into the janitor's room.''

''I don't need to know that thanks, just don't tell your mother. She's finally got Tony to sleep thank goodness, I'd use the bathroom now if I were you.''

Back in Gracepoint, Emmett had tried to go back to the hotel and get some sleep but he laid awake, thinking of a few hours before he had driven Rose to the airport, them making love which was supposed to stop them from wanting to do it when they got there but they had still gone round the back of the airport terminal and found they couldn't keep their hands or anything else off each other. While Rose was flying home, to another time zone, which made Emmett wonder what she had meant about her saying, 'on this world', maybe he should have actually let her explain but she had sprung it on him after they'd had sex the night before, what was he supposed to do?

As he got up the next morning, wondering when she was going to actually call him and trying to work out what time it was and how long it would take her to get home, he looked at the bed they had shared for almost two weeks, Rose hardly going home except for an hour in the mornings to see her mother and get a change of clothes, why she hadn't just moved in with him, he couldn't imagine. What was he going to do without her?

She had given him a new lease of life without going for that damn operation she had tried to get him to have, he'd said after he solved the case, maybe that was why she had left, because she couldn't watch him get worse. How could he tell her he was scared he wouldn't get through it? Plus, he'd have to go down to San Francisco and he had promised he would be in Gracepoint were she to come back.

Rose had arrived home and gone to her room, saying she was tired from the journey but wanted to send a message to Emmett to say she had got home safely but instead of sending a message back, he called her.

''Hey, I miss you already Rose, had a good flight?''

''Apart from Tony hogging the bathroom most of the way back, yeah. I miss you too Emmett.''

''But you can't say you love me, I accept that. You didn't stay long enough to feel like you ever could but you let me fall in love with you. I know we can't talk about, you know, what you do for a living but that last thing you said to me, it bothered me.''

''I can get Jake to set up a secure connection, I'll ask him tomorrow, then you can ask me what you want but please don't ask me to come back, not until you can accept my past.''

''I'm trying to understand Rose, really I am. I've decided to stop being an ass and called about that surgery.''

''Really? That's great. You still have to travel for it though?''

''Yeah, they can't do it locally, I called my daughter, after you left, I'm gonna wait until after her graduation, she's gonna come down and see me through it.''

''I'm glad she's still talking to you after she met me, it must have been a shock to say the least, that her dad had a girlfriend who was only ten years older than her.''

''She got over it. Rose, if I get the surgery, maybe I'll feel differently about what you do?''

Five weeks later, Emmett had a break in the case that almost cost him his life. He had been chasing a suspect up on Harvey Ridge after a call there was another break-in up in the cabin and Miller had got an ambulance to take him to the local medical centre. The first thing he said when he came round was 'Rose'.

''It's Miller Sir, you almost died, why didn't you tell anyone you were ill?''

''I told her, what does it matter Miller? You can go now, let me get dressed.''

''No Sir, I have to report this to the chief.''

''You can't, he'll take me off the case. That was the killer last night, I'm sure of it, just get my phone.''

''You're not allowed a phone in here, you're on a heart-rate monitor.''

''Then get me a payphone, hell, just get my phone out and call Rose, she'll get her stepfather to cover for me.''

''He doesn't having any jurisdiction here, they went home, remember?''

Emmett scowled at her. ''Just call her, tell her the chief's gonna take me off the case and she'll get something done about but don't you dare say I collapsed Miller or I'll bust you back to school crossing patrol, get it?''

''What am I supposed to tell her?''

''Tell her I love her and that the chief is pulling more resources back, including me, she knows I need to finish this case, just get her to tell Pete Tyler I need to finish this, I'm very close to knowing who it is.''

''I can't do that, you need to tell her yourself. Ok, I'll give you a few hours but if I get fired for not reporting you, not even Rose Tyler will be able to save your ass. You need to promise me you'll get yourself fixed, can't you get it done here?''

''No, I have to go out of town for it. Now get out of here, I'll be in the office in a while, I have to call Rose.''

Rose excused herself and answered when she was sure she couldn't be overheard.

''Hi Emmett, this is a surprise, any special reason?''

''Just to say I miss you and I need a favour.''

''Name it.''

''I need your stepfather's help, I need my illness covering up if I don't get this case solved today.''

''Wow and I thought it was something really difficult.''

''Be serious Rose, can he do it?''

''I'll ask him but I can't promise if you won't tell me why. Did something happen?''

''No, does something have to happen?''

''You're such a liar Emmett Carver, did something happen to you? Are your symptoms getting worse?''

This was his excuse. ''Maybe but I only need 24 hrs or less and Miller is suspecting something. She caught me, yesterday, looking out of my office window and stared back at me, she must have thought I looked ill.''

''Why were you watching her?''

He couldn't bring himself to tell her that every day since she had left, he had stared out of that window every moment he'd had to spare, hoping Rose would walk past and come back into his life. He had never wanted anyone the way he wanted her but he couldn't bring himself to beg her to come back, not when he wasn't ready to admit he believed her, that she possibly came from another universe and that was what she meant when she'd said she knew at least one other parallel world existed.

''I was watching for something.''

''What, for the killer to walk in and give themselves up?''

''No, you but that's never gonna happen, is it Rose?''

Rose couldn't answer him. ''What do you want me to say Emmett?''

''That you love me? When this case is over, I'm going down to San Francisco to get myself fixed. I'll be here another week Rose, at the most, just so you know and I know what you meant, when you said 'on this world'.''

''You do?''

It took two planes for her to arrive and hour's drive to Gracepoint. A car was waiting for her on her arrival and she drove herself to the small town after she had called The Crestview Inn and checked Emmett hadn't left. Gemma had known about the two of them and never said anything about the detective sharing his room with the Vitex heiress, she wondered why he'd tried to hide her.

Rose decided to go straight to the precinct, it was three in the afternoon and Emmett was only going to be there today, he was due to fly down and have his surgery the day after. Emmett was staring out of the window again, he had locked up Joe Miller for confessing to killing Danny Solano but he wasn't pleased with himself, something didn't settle well with him.

Miller and her two boys had been taken to a motel just out of town and she had called to say she wanted to talk to him later and would he meet her on the beach after dark, she was getting her nephew to watch the boys. It was time to leave, almost five and he had to pack, his flight was at ten in the morning and a taxi was booked to take him to the airport, the cab driver would probably overcharge him but he had very little choice so it was collecting him at seven thirty sharp, he'd have to grab something at the airport.

It had taken Rose two days to suddenly pack a case and call the airline to get booked on a flight with a connecting one to the nearest airport to Gracepoint. She had decided she could live with him half accepting and if he wanted to know more, she would tell him, if not, well it was going to be the story invented by Pete and Jake or she would never mention her old life to him again because she did love him and she no longer cared if he accepted what she did for a living, she wanted to be with him when he had his surgery.

She pulled into a vacant parking space, making sure her luggage was out of sight, there was no point in booking into the hotel and unpacking and Gemma knew she would be sharing Emmett's room anyway, there was no point in denying it. Emmett turned away for a moment as he heard a sound from the main office, never seeing Rose walking past, she wasn't sure which was his office anyway, she was usually in a hurry to get back to the hotel to screw the life out of him.

Emmett turned back, sighed and gathered his few personal items, his medication for one and the photo of him and Rose at the beach and put them in a box. He had managed not to get thrown out of the precinct, probably Rose making good on her promise to get Pete Tyler to cover for him but it didn't matter now, he was taking some personal time off for a few weeks before deciding where to go next or to come back since he had promised Rose she would find him there but that was weeks ago, he never expected her to stay away for so long, she knew where he was going tomorrow and it was too late now, she would wait until he came back, if he did.

He didn't want to leave his daughter waiting for him to come out of surgery but she had promised she would be there for him, travelling to Gracepoint and meeting him later that evening after he had got her a single room at the inn for the night and if she was going back on her own, his ex wife was flying down to make the arrangements through his lawyer, he'd made all the provisions.

There would only be Rose to tell, he was going to ask Miller tonight to do that for him, give her Rose's number, the hospital would call if it went wrong. Miller would probably argue with him like she had done that morning when he'd been in hospital, almost a week ago. He had spoken to Rose yesterday, telling her he was leaving and would be back in a few days, she had said nothing except for him to call her, no matter what time it was in Great Britain.

There was a tap on the door, his back was to it, taking a last look out of the window in a last desperate attempt to see Rose walking past, like she used to do on her way in.

''Go away whoever it is, I'm through here.''

''Hello Emmett.''

Rose drove them to the inn after they had kissed several times, Emmett wanting to make one last use of the janitor's room but Rose dragging him out saying there was a nice big comfy bed at the inn with their name on it. He never even asked why she had changed her mind at the last minute.

All she said was, ''It took some arranging but I'm going with you tomorrow, I found out what flight you and Julianne were on and with a bit of persuasion got them to seat me next to you.''

''Showing off were you baby?''

''Nothing of the sort but what's the point in being rich if you can't bribe a few airline ticket agents?''

After dinner with Rose and his daughter, Emmett said he had to go meet Miller so Rose drove him to the beach and waited in the car.

''She came back then Emmett?'' Miller noted.

"Yeah, she's coming with us tomorrow, for my surgery but something's bothering me, about Joe's confession, something when Tom was being interviewed.''

''I thought the camera went off?''

It had, he'd used his phone instead, something he wasn't letting on to her just yet. Rose drove him back, checking in on his daughter and then settling into bed, gently making love.

''You might have come all this way for nothing Rose.''

''Don't say that, at least not without a fight and I can make sure your daughter gets home ok.''

''Her mother's coming down if something goes wrong, it's all arranged, I had no other choice but please, don't fight with her, she doesn't love me any more, let her get on with it but promise me you'll be there when they bury me?''

''I promise but I don't think it will come to that, not for a long time because I've only just got started with you, detective.''

Less than 48 hours later, Rose and Julianne were sitting arm in arm outside the theatre, having said what they wanted to Emmett in turn before they had taken him for surgery. Rose had spent most of the night with him until late, being asked to let him get some rest and Emmett cursing. Rose had told him she didn't care he didn't believe her.

''Rose, I want to, maybe if I get out of this, you can tell me where you come from because I think I worked it out, you know there's another world like this one because that's where you come from, don't you?''

''Yeah and there's so much more I want to tell you, about who I was before I came here.''

''It doesn't matter Rose, I still love you.''

''You want to know why I couldn't tell you I loved you.''

''Just say it Rose, even if you don't mean it, tell me you love me, I don't care why you couldn't say it. It has to do with your past, maybe you left someone behind?''

''You're just too clever. Yeah, I left someone behind, the two worlds got sealed off and he's still there, there's no way back, no way to reach each other without unleashing the Cybermen and something even worse on this world and my old one. We can't risk it, not ever, not even for him to tell me he loved me because we got cut off before he told me, after I told him and now, you want me to say it to you and you might not be coming out of surgery tomorrow, how do you think that affects me Emmett?''

''I'm so sorry Rose, I had no idea you felt like that and yes, I remember them and I can see why you're so reluctant, telling someone you love them and not knowing if they were going to say it back, then getting cut off from them but I'm here Rose, I told you I love you, can't you say it back to me?''

''I want to, really I do but how can I? What are your chances, really?''

''As good as anyone else's I expect, now you know why I didn't want to go through with it, I wanted to go on my own terms, when I'd just made love to you but I know that wouldn't be fair on you. I almost died a few nights ago Rose, I told Miller not to tell you, I wanted to go then but you were still at home and I'd not seen you for weeks and I wanted to say goodbye to you in a way that wouldn't make you sad. So here we are, me in a hospital bed and I can't do anything but kiss you but if I go tomorrow, I'll go happy because you came to say goodbye to me.''

''How could I have stayed at home, knowing you were having surgery? Maybe I should go now, we'll be back early in the morning before you go and maybe I'll tell you.''

''Tell me what Rose? I only want to hear you say one thing, before they take me in.''

They kissed goodnight, Emmett moving the breathing tube so they could kiss properly, sliding his hand under her top and caressing her as he moved her bra up out of the way.

''I love you, Rose Tyler, see you in the morning.''

They had seen Emmett for a short time, his daughter having a few minutes so she knew exactly what to do if he didn't make it, that Rose would take care of her until her mother got there. Then it was Rose's turn. After a sleepless night, Rose had made her decision. What would the Doctor want her to do? Lose Emmett after she had flown thousands of miles and not even tell him she loved him, couldn't she get past the fact all that time ago the Doctor went away and never told her? Emmett might not be him but he deserved to know, to go knowing she had told him.

''So this is it Emmett, no going back now and I'm glad you came to your senses. You asked me last night, to just say it without meaning it so you could go without doubting it, like I doubted him but I can't do that to you. I do love you Emmett, I was afraid if I said it I'd lose you and I still might but I want you to hear me say it and mean it. I do mean it Emmett, I love you.''

Then he was taken out to the operating theatre, Rose held his hand all the way there, his daughter holding hers and walking behind her and just as he was about to go in, she leaned down for one last awkward kiss as he whispered, ''I do believe you Rose, where else would you have come from?''

Two hours later, Rose at one side of the bed, Julianne at the other, they were waiting for him to wake up, the teenager having gone out to tell her mother he had made it through surgery and it was up to him now. Rose couldn't decide if the girl's mother would be pleased with the news or not. Emmett began to stir, squeezing Rose's hand and a smile appeared on his face.

''Hey, did I get transported to another world?''

His daughter raised her eyebrows. ''Hi Dad, I think you two have some things to talk about and no, you're still on the same boring world as before you went in there.''

Emmett just looked at Rose as the girl left. ''Good, because this is where you are Rose, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. You're not planning on finding a way back are you?''

''Not anytime soon Emmett Carver, you're stuck with me. How do you feel?''

''Like I was run over by a freight train but hey, you're still here. You are staying, aren't you?''

''In Gracepoint or in this world?''

After kissing awkwardly again, Emmett knew she meant this world, where else would she go?

The End!