Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or anything associated with it. Anything you recognize belongs to BBC.
Lines and plot from this chapter is partly borrowed from the episode 'Doomsday' written by Russell T Davies.

- Chapter three -
Bad Wolf Bay

Rose opened her eyes and found herself standing on a beach. Clouds ruled the sky and had created a grayish impermeable layer that cast a gloomy look over the place. Waves crushed in against the shore and the beach was empty–with the exception of four people. A few feet away a land rover was parked, and in front of it they all stood; her mum, Pete, Mickey and the Doctor. Her mum gasped and put a hand to her mouth as her eyes pricked with tears.

"Where are you?" she whispered.

Rose opened her mouth to answer, but realized that she didn't really know. The TARDIS had said that there were no way back for her, so she couldn't properly be there, but it still looked like it though…

You're still with me, the TARDIS sung softly and gave her some sort of mental hug.

"She's still in the TARDIS." That was the Doctor. Quickly, her eyes found his. He was standing with his sonic screwdriver pointed at her and reading something of the scan. "There's one tiny little gap in the universe left, just about to close. It takes a lot of power to send the projection; the TARDIS is in orbit around a supernova." Then he smiled warmly and gave a small laugh. "She's burning up a sun just to let us say goodbye."

I would burn up another if it meant more time for you, my Wolf and my Doctor, the TARDIS sung happily.

Rose was just about to open her mouth and tell him that, but the TARDIS stopped her.

Do not tell him about the bond, my Wolf. He would just worry for you and there is nothing he can do – give him some peace, at least.

Rose bit her lip and was about to nod, but then remembered herself. Instead, she whispered an 'Of course' through her mind and she could feel the TARDIS relax–or whatever time travelling ships now did.

"She looks like a ghost", her mum said and brought her back to the present. Frowning, she looked down at herself and saw what the others saw; just a projection. It looked like she was fading, like she was going somewhere else.

"Hold on", the Doctor said and changed a setting on his screwdriver. He pointed it at her, pressed the button and Rose saw herself become more of a solid form.

Her mum took a few steps forward and lifted her hand to caress her cheek. Rose closed her eyes and waited for the touch, but the Doctors words had stopped her.

"She's still just an image", he said, softly but firmly. "No touch."

"Can I come through properly?" Rose asked with tears in her voice, even though she already knew the answer. She wanted to be with them so badly, to be able to hug them and feel safe.

"The whole thing would fracture", the Doctor explained. "To universes would collapse." He started to get back the voice she was so used to hear, the informative one that could keep on babbling for an eternity. Still, his eyes were dark and sad, telling her that it was all a façade he put up with. For who, though? she thought sadly. To give her strength or to tell himself that he shouldn't be sad, that he was okay?

"So?" she laughed and the Doctor grinned so big that the area around his eyes got all wrinkly. "Where are we?" she then asked and looked around. A beach, yeah, but why? "To where did the gap send us through, then?"

"Norway", her mum said. "We're in bloody Norway." It was supposed to be a chuckle, but came out as a strangled sob.

"Norway", Rose repeated and nodded, like if it should mean something. Why Norway?

"About fifty miles outside Bergen", the Doctor continued. "The beach is called Dårlig Ulv Stranden." His Norwegian was perfect, just like any other language he spoke.

"Dalek?" Rose said with a shrill voice, thinking that she would like to give the universe a round or two.

"Dårl-ig", the Doctor repeated. "It's Norwegian for bad, apparently." The ghost of a smile haunted his lips. "You know… it translates as Bad Wolf Bay."

Rose laughed at the irony and the Doctor joined her, but only for a short moment. She felt how the tears swelled over as she realized that this was the last moment together with them, ever. She didn't even know how long she had, like, for how long does a sun burn?

"How long do we have?" she asked the TARDIS out loud, but the Doctor was the one who answered.

"'Bout two minutes."

Two minutes. That wasn't nearly enough time for what she wanted to say. She turned to her mum.

"Mum, could you…" her voice broke with tears, but her mum understood and nodded softly.

"I love you sweetheart", she sobbed. "I'm so sorry, I wish I… Oh, just know that I love you Rose, always and forever."

"I love you too, mum", Rose whispered. Jackie turned and fell into the arms of Pete, who just nodded slightly awkward against his parallels self daughter.

"Take care", he said quietly before he walked away with her mum, heading for the car. Rose could do nothing but just nod; her throat was thick because of the tears. They have each other, she tried to convince herself. At least they have each other.

"Don't get in trouble, babe", Mickey said with a sad grin. "Don't start any revolutions. Stay out of France." She laughed but it sounded more like she was strangled and Mickey gave her a kiss in the air, before turning his back and walked after her mum and Pete.

When it was just her and the Doctor left, she completely broke down. While sobbing heavily, she tried to wipe away the tears–but just as her cheeks were dry, fresh ones fell. She gave up and just looked at him, at her wonderful Doctor who she loved so dearly.

She ran a hand through her hair and tried to come up with something to speak about but failed.

"I don't know what to say", she confessed, just wanting to say at least something.

The Doctor laughed and bowed his head. When he looked up at her again, she could have sworn that he had tears in his eyes.

"You're taking care of the TARDIS, then? Still got the old girl?"

"Yeah", she said, unable to put in words what she felt about the ship. Home felt too small. "And you've got…" she glanced back at the car. "…Mickey. You've got Mickey–and your sonic screwdriver…"

He laughed again and looked over his shoulder, then back at her.

"There's five of us now", he said and nodded to himself. Rose didn't think it was possible for her heart to ache more, but when he said the words she just wanted to scream.

"So, you've met someone then", she forced herself to say, ignoring the burning tears. It wasn't fair, she knew that, and he wasn't hers in anyway, but…hadn't she suffered enough? She'd thought that maybe there was a tiny, tiny possible chance that her feelings were shared. Obviously not.

"No", he laughed hollowly. "Never ever, not after–" He cut himself off and looked away. "No. The baby, I mean."

"The baby?" she echoed, completely lost. He couldn't be pregnant right? She'd heard about men being able to become pregnant–far in her future though–but she wasn't actually sure about what he was doing when she was sleeping…

"Yeah", he said and his eyebrows shot high as he realized that he hadn't told her. "Jackie's pregnant! More Tylers coming right up." Then he smiled. "You're gonna be a big sister."

Oh. Oooh. The tears had momentarily stopped and Rose grinned. That was good. Her mum would have lots to do and barely any time to think of her–also, she was glad that this kid wouldn't have to grow up without a dad.

"And what about you?" she asked, trying to sound casual. "What are you going to do?"

"Brand new universe, same old life", he said. "Last of the time lords here as well. Can't feel any of them in here", –he knocked on his head–"so I guess I'm just gonna keep on traveling. On Earth though, since I don't really have transport. Just gonna have to wait a few centuries for you lot to catch on."

"On your own?" This time her voice broke and she started to cry again. He shouldn't be by himself; he needed someone to ease his pain. And without the TARDIS, it would be worse than ever.

He gave her a silent nod without letting go of her eyes. "And you?" he asked softly. "What are you gonna do?"

She didn't know. She truly didn't know what to do, more that she couldn't go back to the apartment to live her normal day life, so she told him just that.

"I'm not going back to the Powell Estate anyway." She sniffed. "Can't really leave the TARDIS, can I? There's so much to see, so much to do… The universe is big, so maybe if I look really hard I can find a way…" Her voice trailed off but she could see that he knew what she meant. A way back to him.

He shook his head but didn't say anything, choosing to give her that last flame of hope.

They stood in silence for a few moments, saving a perfect image of each other for future uses. She looked him in his warm eyes, watched the wind catch his silly suit and gravity-defying hair. She loved him so much. This was her last chance, and if she didn't say it now she would forever torment herself.

"I lo…" she choked on her tears and was forced to bow her head. With a deep breath she grew strength and looked up to face him again. "I love you."

There, she had said it. She watched him carefully as he reacted to her words, blinking away the tears so that her vision wouldn't be blurry. He looked at her the same way as before, even though a smile started to sneak up upon his lips.

"Quite right too", he said and she nodded. A great smile was on her face, even though she didn't realize it, because the expression in his eyes…she could see him. Without the false cheers and solid walls, without his tough façade and faked happiness. This was him, the true him, and he smiled at her in a way that made her realize that her feelings were mutual. The pain eased a bit, which made her smile grow even wider.

"And I suppose, if it's my last chance to say it", he said softly. "Rose Tyler, I–"

Confused, she blinked to clear her vision–just to realize that she was in the TARDIS. Her mouth was slightly open, prepared to gasp when he said the words, but now he never would. He was gone.

She squeezed her eyes shut and buried her face in her hands. The pain returned with such force that it became hard to breathe.

The TARDIS hummed softly, without speaking any 'words', giving her the best comfort she could. She just let her know that she was there, that she wasn't alone and never would be.

Rose stood still for a few moments, crying into her hands until the tears had dried out. Then, with a heavy heart, she dropped down in the captain's seat. She looked at the TARDIS with tired eyes, just wishing for her misery to stop. Then something got her attention and she snapped her head.

In front of her, a woman in a white dress was standing. A veil decorated her red hair and the soft satin could not be mistaken–she was in a wedding dress.

Rose's mouth slipped open but she could not speak a word. What?

The bride turned around and gasped, staring at the TARDIS with wide eyes. Then her look fell on Rose and she toughened.

"Who are you?"

Rose could do nothing but stare. "What?"

"Where am I?"

"But… What?"

"What the hell is this place?"

"What?"

So, you can't really do anything else with this scene. It's so painfully perfect and honestly, I wanted to change it as little as possible.
And I know this is exactly what the Doctors lines was, it's just… this last scene here couldn't really happen in another way either, could it? I believe that most people's reactions would have been just that.

Next up is The Runaway Bride Part 1, Rose's first adventure without the Doctor.