Three days later-

Jackie Tyler found her daughter lying on her old bed, frowning down at a photo album. The book was well loved. It's spine was broken and the corners of the pages were bent. It was full of pictures of her and the Doctor. The two of them were forever immortalized running, laughing; in one they were wearing matching oversized sombreros. But even the memory of the sunny planet couldn't bring a smile to Rose's face.

"He's not coming back, is he," Jackie asked softly. Rose closed the book and set it aside, fresh tears pooling in her eyes. Jackie sighed knowingly.

"If he did, would you go back to him?"

Rose leaned against her mother and cried harder, caught somewhere betweenno and yes.

"Do you love him?"

"Yes,"

"And he loves you." Rose started to protest, but Jackie cut her off, hating to admit how in love they seemed. "He'll be back. I promise."

The Doctor was wandering the streets of London, lonely and bored. The sun was beginning to set on the silver city. In the distance he heard the Tube and the rush of people trying to get home. He pushed Rose out of his mind. She was gone. Never coming back, and he didn't want her to.

(oh, he did, he missed her, he wants her, he needs her-)

He turned the corner to where he had parked the Tardis, but paused when he saw a familiar figure leaning against the phone booth, talking to a tall man. He fingered the Sonic Screwdriver in his pocket as he approached. When he got close enough to recognize the pair, he almost laughed.

"Jack! Martha!" he called, grinning as they approached. Martha hugged him tightly and Jack planted a his on his lips.

"We knocked but no one answered," Martha shrugged. "We figured you and Rose went out so we waited here."

"Speaking of, " Jack interrupted. "Where is Rose?"

The doctor's face darkened and Martha gasped. "She's not dead," He said, cutting her off, brushing past them and into the Tardis. "She left. Went home."

Jack glanced at Martha and saw that her eyes mirrored the worry he felt. They ducked in after him and Jack asked, "What did you do?"

"Jack," Martha said sharply.

"What I had to," The doctor answered softly.

"You didn't give her that whole 'lonely time lord' speech did you?" Martha asked, aghast.

He shook his head. "I didn't have to. She read my mind."

"This is sudden," Jack muttered, leaning against the console, arms folded across his chest. "You two have been refusing to admit this for months. What happened? What changed?"

The Doctor suddenly found his shoes very interesting.

"You two didn't shag-" Martha gasped.

The Doctor's head shot up. "No! I would never- all we did was kiss."

"Must have been some kiss," Jack muttered, earning him a glare from both parties. He shrugged. "Well, you're not going to sit here and mope, are you? You're not going to let her get away."

The Doctor took a long look around the Tardis, taking in how empty it felt without her there. Rose belonged here, with him, and at the same time, he knew she didn't. He was only being selfish. I'm the one doomed to wander the universe alone for all of time, he thought to himself. She belongs home, in London with her family. I hope she knows that.

"Hope she knows what? That you're not going to let her get away?" Martha asked, and he realized rather dumbly that he had said the last part aloud. He started to shake his head and sighed again as he walked to the controls.

"In or out?"

"Where are we going?"

"Away." He started to spin a dial, but jack caught his arm.

"Oh, no you don't. If you don't go get her, I will."