Chapter 3

There was a knock at the door. "Rose?"

No answer. The door was tentatively swung open, revealing Jackie Tyler holding two mugs of tea. Rose was lying on the bed, fast asleep; the duvet wrapped around her.

Jackie carefully put the mugs on the bedside table, and sat on the edge of the bed. She took her daughter's hand between her own and gazed down at her. Her little girl. The one that never smiled. The one that never laughed. The one with the broken heart.

Rose no longer burst with the life she once had. It was as though she'd died inside.

Jackie stopped herself from crying. "Oh Rose," she muttered, "Why did it come to this?"

"Because I was taken from him," Rose whispered, her eyes flickering open.

Her mother took in her exhausted appearance, "you have to let go sweetheart. You have to live on. It's what he would've wanted…"

"You said that before Mum. You an' the Doctor." Rose's voice began to rise hysterically. "You both said that I couldn't return to him… But I did."

"But Rose. That was different. You had his TARDIS," her mother tried to reason with her.

"Exactly – and now the Doctor has his TARDIS. He'll come for me." Rose's face was set with determination. "The Doctor will come for me."

Jackie knew that there was nothing she could say or do to show Rose that she was trapped her for good. Part of her couldn't bear to hurt her daughter like that, and another small part wanted to believe she was right – that the Doctor would find some way to return. He had to. Rose was lost without him.

"Did you have another nightmare?" Jackie asked gently, worry creasing her brow.

Rose sighed and nodded.

"The same one?"

"Yea," she said quietly. "Why d'you ask?"

"Pete and I heard you crying last night and:-"

"Oh. I'm sorry," Rose's voice was full of shame.

"Sweetheart! What are you sorry for?"

"For…For everything." Rose's voice was hoarse as she struggled not to cry. "I know I've been ignoring everyone lately… And I've been so depressing. I'm sorry."

"Honey, please. We all understand why. You can't apologise for something like that…"

Rose went on, ignoring her. "But that's all gonna change now. I'm gonna go back to work. And I'm gonna have a fantastic life – like the Doctor wanted." She managed a small smile, while Jackie beamed proudly.

An hour later, they were all sitting at the breakfast table. Rose was discussing with Pete her options at Torchwood. She knew that he was very high up there, and that he had the authority to give her any job she wanted. Mickey had come over, and was chipping in every so often – trying to persuade Rose to come back and work there. He needn't have bothered. Rose was already decided in the fact that she was going to – there was no way she could go back to her normal life after her adventures with the Doctor. No way.

While Pete and Mickey discussed where it would be best to put her, Rose gazed at her mother; vaguely smiling at the bump that was just beginning to show. They'd spent so long arguing on the best name to give the child, and they didn't even know its gender. Pete was adamant it was a boy, while Jackie just knew it had to be a girl. Rose didn't mind either way, and had laughed when Pete had asked Jackie if she wanted to bet with him.

She gazed up at the ceiling, mentally thanking anyone who was intruding on her thoughts for her family. She didn't know what she would do without them. She allowed herself a smile and a whisper. "I'll never give up hope in you Doctor."