Part 2

They stared at each other silently for a few moments, neither able to speak because of the beautiful sight that was the other before their very eyes.

The Doctor broke the intense quiet first. "Hello, Rose," he whispered, his voice cracking on her name. "Happy birthday." The tears he'd been holding in started spilling over his eyelids and tumbled down his cheeks silently as he watched her slowly stand up. Water sluiced down her body and he couldn't help but let his eyes rove all over her, aching to hold her, to follow the path of the bathwater across her beautiful curves. She hadn't changed a bit, but it was still so much better to see her like this once more, instead of relying on memories and dreams where she was untouchable.

Her shell-shocked face finally broke out into a smile. "You're really here, yeah?" she asked quietly.

He beamed at her. "I really am."

Her tongue touched the corner of her mouth as she teased him with her mischievous smile. "Then what are you doing standing all the way over there?" she asked him wonderingly.

He closed the distance between them instantly, his hands getting lost in her hair as he tugged her mouth to his, kissing her passionately. She shivered against him and his hands left her hair to travel down her bare back, coming to rest on her hips, pulling her as close as he could with her still standing in the bathtub. His suit was getting wet but he did not care in the slightest; rather, he was delighted...it was proof she was really here, he was really holding her, they were together in the same universe again, the same room.

She shivered again and reached behind him, grabbing her towel, then broke their kiss to wrap it around herself. He pouted adorably.

"Let me get out of the bath," she murmured. She suddenly looked very worried. "I've got something to tell you."

He smiled gently and offered her his hand, which she took gratefully as she climbed out of the bath. "It's okay, Rose...I know."

She met his gaze questioningly. "Doctor?" she prompted.

"He called me Dad," he whispered, his voice full of emotion.

Her breathing quickened and she cupped his cheek in her hand. "I'm so sorry," she whispered back earnestly. "I'm so sorry I lied to you, I just..." she trailed off, starting to cry.

He brought her close again, running his hand through her hair comfortingly. "Hey, it's alright," he murmured. "Rose, everything's gonna be alright."

"I thought we were never going to see each other again," she cried. "And I just thought that if I told you about our baby, it would break your hearts, and I couldn't bear that...you knowing, but not being able to see him grow up, and..."

"Oh, Rose," he sighed, kissing the top of her head. "My hearts were already broken. But I'm here now," he added. "And I'm never leaving you, not ever."

She clutched to his jacket lapels, trying to gather herself. "I...how long has it been for you?" she asked him.

He tilted her head up to face him. "Too long. Far, far too long...but not as long as it's been for you, I think, if Josh's age is anything to go by," he confessed.

Rose stiffened in his arms. "Josh told you how old he is?"

He frowned at her, confused by her sudden tense posture and frantic eyes. "Well, no...I just thought...well, he looks about eight, nine...right?" He searched her eyes, then his gaze drifted to the corners of them, then her forehead...he lifted her hand, looked at that, too. His own hand rose to her face again and the pad of his thumb swept across her lips before he leaned in and kissed her again, gently this time, briefly. He pulled back, and screwed his eyes up in concentration. Rose couldn't help but giggle at how befuddled he looked. He opened his eyes and mock-glared at her for laughing at him. Then he really did grow serious. "Rose, why can't I tell?"

"Tell what?" she replied casually, avoiding meeting his gaze.

"How old you are..." he clarified. "See, you don't look a day older than...ooh, I'd say, twenty-one? Not an extra wrinkle in sight. And yet, if Josh is about eight or nine, then you've got to be at least the other end of your twenties. I mean, he's part-Time Lord, so of course, perhaps he's younger and looks older, acts older, thinks older...he must be a hundred times cleverer than his schoolmates, that's for certain...but...but then, that still doesn't solve the problem that is you, looking exactly the same naked. And I mean exactly. I know you, Rose Tyler, and your naked body. And..." he decided to demonstrate his point by unwrapping her towel, letting it slide to the floor, leaving her naked again. "...there are absolutely no signs of you having carried a baby, let alone given birth to one."

She swallowed thickly, and was about to reply when she heard a car pull up outside. Her eyes widened at the sound, and she quickly bent down to retrieve the towel, once more hiding herself from his penetrating gaze. "Come on, let's go to the bedroom to talk about this," she said hurriedly, shoving him out of the bathroom and towards her doorway.

"What it is?" he asked. "What's wrong, where's the hurry?"

She rolled her eyes impatiently and closed her bedroom door behind her when they'd entered. Quickly, she dropped the towel and put on her dressing gown, tying it firmly. "Right. You need to stay in here for a moment. I'll bring us some tea - "

" – Rose, whose car pulled up just now? Is it your Mum and Pete? 'Cos I'd like to see them again, I don't know why you're trying to hide me from them, I - "

"Just leave it for a minute, okay? I'll be back," she promised. "Please stay here. Please?"

He sighed, rubbing at his eyes wearily. "Well, yes, alright." He couldn't deny her anything, even now, even though he didn't understand what was actually going on.

"Thanks," she smiled, relieved. She pressed a quick kiss to his lips. "See you in a sec."

The Doctor sat down heavily on her bed when she left, wondering what the hell she was keeping from him.