Hey all! Sorry I'm late but the new update time will be around two weeks. Hopefully that will be at most. I had tons of school work to catch up on on the count of I was away from school for only a couple of days and aside from those days I had a lot to do. So, enough of that.

Discalimer: I think you should know by now that I don't own Doctor Who or any other sources of references I may casually make.

Onto your story:

xXThe_Child_of_TimeXx

Last Time:

"Rose?" the Toraji asked. Rose sent a mental nod back. The heard cries again but this time they were happy. "Thank the gods. I was worried you wouldn't be able to help me."

"Thank you, Bad Wolf. All will know you and your kindness, as well as your fury. For was it not you who decimated the dalek emperor?" Korwin asked. Rose's eyes softened at the use of her new name. It was great to hear it used.

After she'd finished, she left the room and made her way back through the ship to find the Doctor.

xXThe_Child_of_TimeXx

While Rose was away, dealing with whatever she was dealing with, the Doctor walked back to the engineering room. He'd left Martha and Riley behind and assumed that they'd get working on those deadlock-sealed doors. They did have an urgent need to get those auxiliaries up and running again.

While he continued down his path, the Doctor thought about those last few moments with Rose. She kissed me, he thought to himself, completely overcome with that little piece of information. Mind you, it wasn't a kiss, kiss but he'd think about that later. He was so deep in his thoughts about any other meanings of the action, that he would have tripped over the bottom part of the door frame if it hadn't been for McDonnell who'd just entered the room on the opposite side and called out his name.

He looked up and saw the somewhat worried look on her face and knew it couldn't be due to his almost falling.

"What's wrong captain?" he asked her once they were a few feet from each other.

She looked up at him. "I had a run in with Korwin." Her voice broke and she fell into him. The Doctor looked down in surprise. She started to cry and he just looked on in sympathy. After a few moments, the Doctor gave in to his awkwardness and wrapped his arms around McDonnell. He let her cries die out before pulling back and sending her a questioning look.

"What happened?"

"I talked to him, you know, tried to reason with him. It worked for a minute and he started to talk back to me. I said that I was his wife, which he repeated but then he said 'it's your fault' and advanced towards me. But then, a few seconds later, he just stopped. He turned and walked out of the room. Doctor?" she asked, looking back up at him. "That's not my husband anymore, is it?" she swiped at the tears in her eyes and backed away from him.

The Doctor dropped his hands. What is it with humans, he thought. We went over this earlier. I told her that it wasn't her husband. "No, captain." He answered aloud. "Your husband was gone the moment he was taken over. I'm sorry."

McDonnell nodded and turned to the wiring and machinery scattered around engineering. "So," she asked. "What have we got to do to get this done?" the Doctor walked up beside her and took a look at all the parts as well. Taking a breath, he began his usual explanation which then turned into a long rambling about some topic that was totally non-related.

After going back and forth between explanations and ramblings for about five minutes he felt something stir throughout the ship. Looking up into the air, at nothing, really, he felt something change within the ship. A few seconds passed and Martha's voice came over the intercom.

"Doctor, we're just outside of area one. Riley's inputting the code now."

"Good, keep moving and get those auxiliaries fired up." He turned to McDonnell who had a ghost of a smile on her face. "Nearly there." He commented. "We don't need the jumpstart any longer, lets head through, down to area one and meet up with the others." Where could Rose have gotten to, he asked himself. He hoped that they might run into her while heading down to the main area of the Pentallian.

He took McDonnell's elbow and led her from the room, pushing her before him through the door's frame. He let go and they both walked side-by-side down the twisting hallways.

When they passed through the door of area 12 he looked around. Down one of the halls that branched from their position, he saw Rose heading their way. He stopped and McDonnell kept walking before noticing his arrest.

"What's wrong, Doctor?" she asked him, slightly worried.

"Nothing, go on ahead without me, I'll meet up with you there." She looked at him and opened her mouth as if to argue but a look from the Doctor stopped it. She shrugged and continued on her way.

The Doctor only waited for a few seconds before he noticed an increase in Rose's pace and soon he had an armful of blonde. He swung her as much as he could in the confined space of the hall and then set her back down, though not letting go. He lowered his head to the space where her shoulder met her neck and took a deep breath. "You're okay." He mumbled into her shoulder. He could feel and increase in her heart rate and smiled a bit to himself.

Rose's left hand slid down to his shoulder and her right rose to his neck. She turned her head and burrowed into his chest where she felt safe. A small blush played on her cheeks but he couldn't see that.

"Of course I'm alright." She said. Rose was calmed by his double heartbeat. "I told you I would be, didn't I?" she asked.

He nodded into her shoulder and placed a kiss where the fabric of her shirt did not cover unconsciously. When he realized what he did, an intense blush rose to his cheeks but he didn't pull away in case she saw. Time Lords don't blush, he thought.

While the Doctor was busy being embarrassed, he didn't notice Rose's breath hitch or her increase of already-too-fast heartbeat. She thought of something she could say, anything. While thinking, she brought up images of the day she'd had and how the Doctor didn't seem as keen to shy away from displays of affection. That brought up another issue and, of course, that was the next thing to come out of her mouth.

"Doctor, when we get back to the TARDIS, I need to speak with you about something important. It's about Pete's world and what happened and I think you might be close to the condition." The Doctor drew away, only mildly startled. He'd thought there were multiple conditions, not just one. And then what she'd said hit home. She would finally tell him, he would – hopefully – be able to stop worrying about her. He just nodded to her and she grinned that grin that was so irresistible to him. He pulled her head a bit closer and placed yet another kiss on her forehead. Then he took her hand.

"Let's go down to the main control room, Martha and Riley have finally gotten down there. And thankfully with a few minutes left to spare." Rose nodded and squeezed his hand a bit when they started to walk down the hall.

xXThe_Child_of_TimeXx

Meanwhile, in the main area, Riley and Martha had gotten in and Riley was busy going through the mainframe, typing rapidly and inputting the codes to get the auxiliaries started up.

It only took about a minute but he finally stopped typing and they heard the choppy noise that grew smoother and a bit louder that meant the auxiliaries were up and running. The countdown to impact stopped and they were slowly, but surely, cruising away from the sun below. After a few seconds of relief, McDonnell strode into the room and saw them. Seeing their expressions, she, too, let out a sigh relief and smiled. It didn't quite reach her eyes but she was happy that Riley and Martha were okay and that they'd gotten the ship back online.

"You did it." McDonnell noted. Riley and Martha only nodded and smiled at the captain.

Minutes later, the Doctor and Rose walked into the room, laughing quietly between themselves. They stopped and took note of their surroundings. The Doctor didn't know how, but Rose had known that Martha and Riley had gotten the engines back online and so they hadn't been worried about it on their walk over. An ear-splitting grin adorned his face.

"Brilliant!" the Doctor exclaimed. He laughed and picked up Rose for another bout of twirling. It would seem that Riley got caught up in his enthusiasm for he had picked up Martha and was spinning her about the room as well, all the while laughing as he did so. McDonnell stood and watched the group of them with a sad smile on her face. They reminded her of herself and Korwin.

The Doctor noticed her expression and set Rose down. She looked at him in confusion and then noticed the sombre looking captain and waved him off. He sent her a grateful smile and walked over to the captain.

To McDonnell's surprise, he hugged her. She returned it gently and smiled to herself.

"I'm sorry," the Doctor said. "I'm so sorry." McDonnell shook her head into his shoulder.

"You have nothing to be sorry about, Doctor. You tried your best. You saved my ship, the last thing I truly have of my husband and you saved Riley and your friends." She pulled back. "I'd count that as a success." She smiled at him gratefully and he returned it in kind. He let go of her and walked back over to Rose.

Rose reached for his hand and he took it, entwining their fingers, a natural reaction for them. Martha and Riley had stopped celebrating and Martha was now looking over at the Doctor and Rose's linked hands disdainfully. They weren't looking at her so they didn't see the look on her face.

The Doctor pulled Rose over to the main computer and pushed some buttons. Rose knew what he was doing; he was venting all of that heat out of the vent chamber that the TARDIS was in so they could access it.

"There we go!" he said when the ventilation was up and running and turned to grin at Rose. "Time to go home." She gave him a soft smile and turned to Riley, Martha and the captain.

"Looks like it's time to leave." She said. McDonnell looked confused.

"How are you planning on leaving?" she asked. Rose looked at the Doctor who nodded in return. She then smiled at McDonnell and walked out the door, the Doctor in tow, beckoning what was left of the ship's crew and Martha along after her. They followed dutifully but somewhat confused as well. They were heading towards the interior of the ship. There was nothing there.

They walked along corridors and through doorways before finally coming to a stop outside of the ventilation room. Rose turned to look at the captain and Riley who were even more confused at their destination.

"Here we are." Rose said happily. When Riley stated the obvious – that they were outside of a room with only furnaces and pipes inside – Rose laughed. "Nope, for about 42 minutes there's been something else in that room. Hopefully she wasn't too hot in there." That statement, if possible, left the crew even more confused and Martha as well when Rose said 'she'.

The Doctor laughed at their expressions and started to open up the door. "No, Rose, I don't think she'd be too hot in there. Remember what I told you when you first saw her: the assembled hordes of Genghis Khan couldn't get through to her. A little bit of heat won't hurt." He pulled the door opened and motioned everyone through. They did so, albeit somewhat confusedly but they all piled in. Rose followed and the Doctor pulled the door over behind them, leaving it open a crack.

McDonnell and Riley were looking at the TARDIS with mixed expressions.

"Well." Said the Doctor. "Shall we go inside?" he hooked his arm with that of Rose and fished his key out of his pocket. He walked over to the TARDIS and inserted the key into the slot. Turning it, he pushed and the door opened while he led Rose in. The lights in the TARDIS brightened in welcome and the Doctor felt a hum of homecoming in his head. Little did he know, Rose felt one as well.

When he stepped inside he noticed that only Martha had followed him and popped his head back out.

"Coming?" he asked Riley and the captain. They both looked at the box that now held the Doctor and his two companions.

"Won't it be a bit... too close for comfort, in there?" asked Riley. The Doctor made a show of thinking it over and then answered the boy's question.

"Well, why don't you take a look? If you still think it'll be a bit condensed, you don't have to come in." McDonnell and Riley looked at each other and Riley shrugged. The Doctor pulled his head back inside and raised his eyebrows a bit at Rose and then dropped them.

Riley stepped over to the TARDIS and stood in front of the doors. One was open and he could see inside so he got a full view of the interior of the TARDIS.

"Captain." He said slowly. McDonnell stepped over to his side and her eyes widened at the sight before her. Mechanically, she stepped inside with Riley tailing after her. She took in the sight of the coral pillars and the floor grating. The time rotor really caught her attention though. She stared at it as did the man behind her.

"Welcome to the TARDIS." Rose said. "Stands for 'Time And Relative Dimensions In Space'." The Doctor stood next to her with a grin on his face and Martha stood a couple steps beside them, not looking too happy, but still welcoming.

"Still think it's a bit 'close for comfort', Mr. Vashtee?" the Doctor asked amusedly.

"We're in a box." Riley said. The Doctor nodded at him and Rose smiled. Martha nodded as well. "It's bigger on the inside." While he said that, the Doctor mouthed it with him causing Rose to laugh. Martha, again, didn't look too happy with their antics.

"What is it Doctor?" McDonnell asked, running her hand over the railing.

"This, captain, is my ship." The Doctor said fondly. When he said that, he overlapped the answer of 'home' from Rose and 'a machine' from Martha. The former made the Doctor smile until he heard the latter. Did Martha not understand the greatness that was the TARDIS? Did she really think that the TARDIS was just a machine? The Doctor really didn't like owing people. He shook his head at Martha and looked back to the newcomers.

"It's beautiful Doctor." McDonnell complimented. He smiled at her.

"Thank you, captain." He looked over at Rose who seemed to be thinking something over and then remembered what she asked him earlier. He turned back to McDonnell and Riley. "Sorry to cut this short, but we really must be off." He looked at the captain. "I'm truly sorry about the rest of your crew and your husband." He held up a hand when she tried to cut him off. "I know you said I have nothing to be sorry about but I am, truly. And Riley, I'm sorry about your friends." Riley nodded at him.

"Thank you, Doctor." He said. He motioned McDonnell to the door. "Goodbye." They both said and then they were gone. And then there were three, the Doctor thought.

He turned to his companions. "Well," he said, sending a look to Rose that he hoped she caught. "I think I'm going to go over to the library to rest. Keep yourselves occupied." He walked over to the console and set them adrift in the vortex. He nodded to his companions and walked from the room.

Rose and Martha looked at each other when he was gone, not sure what to say to each other. Rose had caught the look that the Doctor gave her and knew she was to follow him.

"I think I'm going over to the kitchen." Rose said to Martha.

"Alright." Martha replied, not really caring. Martha was planning to accompany the Doctor in the library. Thankfully Idris had taken measure to ensure that Martha wouldn't get to it.

Rose left the room, actually heading for the kitchen figuring that the Doctor might like a cuppa while she told him her news. That was if he would first tell her he loved her. Rose had a plan and given the Doctor's recent actions she was almost sure he wouldn't run away from this conversation.

She got to the kitchen and put the kettle on, absently grabbing a banana and peeling it. She took a bite and spoke with Idris.

"What do you think old girl? Will he learn my secret tonight?"

"I'm sure he won't stray from the impending conversation, dear. Earlier, I couldn't tell you, but he resolved that if you brought it up he would stick with it because losing you either way would hurt." Rose was confused.

"What do you mean Idris?"

"What I mean, is that when he lost you, before, to Pete's world, it hurt more than he ever thought it would. He figures now that he has you back, he's going to take full advantage of the second chance fate gave him. Before, he thought if he kept his distance that it wouldn't hurt when you left – either by choice or by force – but it didn't hurt any less. This time he wants you but he's not sure of the way you meant you loved him; as a brother, as a friend or as a lover. He just wants to be sure before he tells you this time." Rose laughed but had some tears in her eyes.

"He can be such an idiot sometimes and yet he claims that Time Lords are superior." Rose and Idris shared a laugh which was when the kettle decided to whistle. Rose pulled two cups from the cupboard and grabbed the milk from the fridge. She went through the motions of making tea and then took the two cups in hand and left the kitchen.

She walked through the halls towards the library, bracing herself for the conversation she was about to have. She stepped into the library and grinned at the pool, shaking her head. Rose walked over to where the Doctor had a couple sofas positioned and saw him sitting and reading. His eyes, though, weren't scanning the page.

"He's just as nervous as you are Rosana." Rose shook her head.

"I highly doubt that, Idris. Maybe close, but not as much." Idris laughed and Rose cleared her throat, announcing her presence to the Doctor who hurriedly put the book down, confirming her suspicion as he didn't mark the page.

Rose walked over and sat beside him on the couch, placing his tea on the table in front of him. He nodded gratefully and picked it up.

"So," the Doctor said after taking a sip. "This... condition?" Rose nodded and set her tea down.

"Doctor, there really is only one condition." He nodded, having figured that out on the Pentallian. "And it's not really an action as much as it is a confession." Now he looked confused but he motioned for her to continue. "What I want – what I need, is for you to tell me what you were going to say back on Bad Wolf Bay. That was the worst day of my life – I'd lost you and I thought I wouldn't get back – but now I have and... we have a chance." She looked into his eyes pleadingly. "So I need for you to tell me; to finish the end of that sentence." He stared back at her, unbelievingly. That was the condition for her to tell him? It seemed too easy, but then he thought about it.

Before, he'd always run from talks like this, from getting to emotionally attached. But last time, with Rose – amazing Rose – staying away hadn't lessened the hurt at all. So for this to be a condition, she had to love him as well or else she wouldn't ask. And that was what he was waiting for.

Rose saw the look in his eyes go from unbelieving to firm resolve. She didn't want to get her hopes up, but since when did her hopes ever care what she wanted? The Doctor put down his cup next to hers on the table and turned his body more to face her on the couch. He reached out and took both of her hand in his, while turning her to face him as well.

"Rose," he started. "This... is a big thing for me. You know this, right?" she nodded while staring into his expressive eyes. "Good." He said. "Then Rose Tyler, I love you." Rose let out a breath she hadn't even known she was holding and smiled at him.

"Quite right, too." Rose said jokingly. The Doctor laughed, but still held her eyes. "And I suppose, since you said it," she paused for dramatic effect. He shook his head at her in amusement. "I love you, too." She said softly. The Doctor, even through the minor shock he felt, leaned in and pressed his lips to hers and released her left hand to bring his right up to cup her face.

Rose just sat there for a moment, startled by the Doctor's actions. Even with the admission, she hadn't thought he would kiss her. She sat for a second and the she realized she hadn't responded and began to kiss him back, placing her free hand on his chest, over one of his hearts.

He pulled back and rested his head on her forehead. She opened her eyes to see his staring back at her with a glazed look. Rose smiled at him and he smiled back. He pulled away farther and took up his tea again. Rose laughed and grabbed hers as well. She sat back against the couch and the Doctor put his arm around her. Wow, she thought, he really is going to take full advantage of this.

The Doctor's expression turned serious and he remembered why they had been brought to that moment in the first place. He turned to Rose. "So, in Pete's world, what happened." Rose looked at him and smiled. She leaned back against his arm and laid her head on his shoulder. His hand fell and he absently began to stroke her hair.

Rose began her tale. She told him of all that had happened in the beginning, with the headaches, the time off and then going back. When she'd mentioned the pounding he'd looked at her strangely for a second but she knew it was because he was remembering Koschei. Maybe we can save him this time around, she'd thought to herself. Then she told him of what had happened almost as soon as she'd returned to work; the Usgaran and their knowing that she wasn't from that world and saying that they could help her.

"I've never heard of them." The Doctor said. "I've also never heard of the ability to read auras before." He looked sceptical at best but Rose kept on talking.

Unlike with Mickey, Pete, her mum and eleven, she actually told the Doctor about her choice in what she did with the Usgaran; that she'd chosen to die if it would return her to him. At that point, he'd pulled her onto his lap and buried his head in her shoulder. She could feel his tears but still he kept silent. She put her right hand over his left shoulder and traced patterns on his back as she spoke.

She finally came to the part about Bad Wolf and she'd feel his breathing catch. His grip on her had tightened but still he listened. She stopped her ministrations and just left her hand on his back. Rose didn't yet go into detail about what had happened with Bad Wolf just that she showed and helped Rose through the poisoning, thereby keeping her alive.

She had to ease him into it, didn't she?

Rose told him that Bad Wolf had helped purge the poison from her system and then skipped the part of her transformation, going right to Torchwood and then the estate. She only briefly went over her conversation with her family before deciding that before she told the rest of the story, she needed to tell him about her heritage.

"Doctor." She started. He looked up from where his head lay on her shoulder, his eyes still a bit misty. He just looked at her and she took that as permission to continue. "Saving me... wasn't the only thing that Bad Wolf did." The look of sadness in his eyes was pushed back slightly as intrigue settled in.

"What else did she do Rose?" he asked, his tone saying 'no matter what, it's alright'. Somehow, she doubted that sentiment, if only slightly.

"Well, before she eradicated the poison, Bad Wolf told me a few things about myself and about... who I am." The Doctor just continued to look her in the eye. "Doctor, I had to change." He just nodded, listening. "I'm not human, anymore."

That caught him by surprise.

"What?" he asked.

"I said, I'm not human anymore."

"Yes, but then, what are you?"

Rose turned from his gaze to look around the room. There were so many books, many of them from many different worlds and in many different languages. She knew from previous experience that there was a section devoted entirely to rare, ancient Gallifreyan texts. She had the entire history of Gallifrey and many of it's occupants and landscape all stored inside of her head now, but it would be nice to read them. She mental note to do just that and turned back to the Doctor. He had a somewhat impatient look in his eye now and she sighed.

"I'm part Time Vortex," the Doctor's eyes widened at that. If he's surprised about that... was the thought that flitted through her mind. "And part... part Time Lord." And with that, Rose was on the couch again and the Doctor was on his feet, paving the ground in front of her. Rose simply closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable explosion to come.

The Doctor paced with his right hand on his chin and his left under his right elbow, bracing it. He thought about this turn of events. Rose was a Time Lady! This was excellent news. But a part of his rational brain shook itself at the notion. Part of him said that this was completely impossible and the other half wanted to jump for joy! He couldn't decide what to do and so he thought.

Then a thought struck him. It was impossible for Rose to be here.

It was impossible when Rose took in the heart of the TARDIS and lived, even after the fact that he removed it.

The entire concept of Rose was a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. But she defied logic, escaped impossibilities and ignored impracticalities. Ever since they'd met it was once amazing feat after another; that amazing human girl – no – woman.

So why should this be any different, his logical mind was now asking. It didn't, was the answer and with that conclusion, a smile spread its way across his face.

Rose was now sitting kind of awkwardly. The Doctor hadn't said anything. Wasn't rambling under his breath. He was just... pacing! When he had stopped walking, she opened her eyes a crack and came face to face with a Doctor who had a wide-blown grin across his face. Suddenly, he was in her face, arms on either side of her. He leaned in a pecked her, once again, on the lips making the slight frown that marred her features to disappear.

"What?" she asked, grinning.

"You are brilliant, Rose Tyler!" he enunciated each word clearly, pecking a different place on her face after each word. She took his head in her hands and brought him to a stop, in front of her.

"Are you okay with this?" she asked him seriously.

"I'm brilliant! Do you know what this means." He'd started off loudly and then for the second half of his sentence he looked her straight in the eyes.

"Tell me." She said, not wanting to jump to conclusions.

"It means, Rose Tyler, that you," he leapt back and pointed exaggeratedly at her. "And me," he said pointing his thumb back at himself. "Can do this." She looked at him in confusion. That only lasted a mere moment before the Doctor's lips were once again on hers, kissing her passionately. She was amazed at the emotions she felt coming off of him in waves.

Her hands involuntarily moved up to tangle in his oh so unmanageable hair as she returned his enthusiasm. He held himself up in front of her, steadying himself by his hands on her waist so he wouldn't fall from where he stood.

When they came up for air, he looked at her again. "Forever." He finished. Rose almost didn't get what he meant and then remembered where he'd trailed off. He looked at her uncertainly. "I mean, if you want. Because, you might get tired of me, what with the whole of space and time at our disposal and your life span being very much elongated now and-" he was cut off when she kissed him again.

"Forever." came her reply. She smiled brilliantly and he returned it. He nodded at her and then retook his place beside her on the couch.

"So what happens now, what can you and Bad Wolf do?"

"Firstly, I can speak with your TARDIS. If my eyes ever start to give off that golden hue like they did back on satellite five then I'm speaking with her or Wolf." He looked at her in shock again.

"What do you mean you can speak with my TARDIS?" and then the rest of the sentence caught up with him. "What do you mean back on satellite five? And who's Wolf?"

Rose just smiled back at him. "I can speak with your TARDIS because her heart is made of the Time Vortex which, essentially, I am a part of. I can speak with her and she can reply. As for Wolf, well, the whole of Bad Wolf is compromised of myself and Wolf. Right now, Wolf is a second consciousness living in my mind. It's together that we are the Bad Wolf. She is building up my mind for what I will eventually have to bear on my own; the sight and knowledge that you have along with what comes with the Vortex. After a couple months, maybe longer if necessary, her voice will disappear from my head, integrating, but the defences, I guess you could call them, will still be in place. Or else I would burn.

"And that brings us to satellite five. When Wolf and I merged, what my mind couldn't take in on that day was returned to me and so I remember what happened." Rose looked at the Doctor and leaned over and kissed him. "You saved me, and for that I thank you." Rose could detect a small tinge of link in his cheeks.

"It was nothing compared to all of the times you'd saved me and you know it." He said.

"Nevertheless, you did and when you kissed me, taking the vortex, you also wiped the memory, or rather buried it deep in the recesses of my brain. It came out when I became what I am." The Doctor nodded in understanding. Then a thought occurred to him. Without thinking, he raised his hand to where her heart was and then the other to where her other heart should be.

The Doctor only found a single heartbeat and his brows drew in confusion. Rose's however, raised in amusement. She let out a small laugh and his eyes shot to hers.

"Where's your heartbeat?" he asked.

"It's there." She answered.

"I meant you're second heartbeat."

Rose laughed. "It's there." She answered again. The Doctor was about to object so Rose sent a mental nudge to the TARDIS to stop playing around. The perception filter that surrounded her heartbeat disappeared and the Doctor gasped, withdrawing his hands.

"How." He asked, looking into her eyes.

"Idris put a perception filter – like the one around the TARDIS – on just my heartbeat."

"Idris?" he asked.

"Yes, I believe you call her 'sexy'." Rose noted. The Doctor's eyes widened in surprised, choking on air before reclaiming himself. He looked at Rose and laughed. His laugh was contagious and soon they were both in fits. Not laughing because anything was necessarily funny, but because of their situation. It was simply ridiculous.

Soon they were both just lying on the couch. The Doctor had his back to the... well... back of the couch and his stomach to Rose's back. Their legs entwined and his right arm curled protectively over her midsection. They just lay there, taking each other in and enjoying the peace.

"So what happened in Pete's world after Bad Wolf." the Doctor asked, breaking the silence, curious.

"Wolf and I looked at the timeline here to see what would have happened had I not come back when I did and acted accordingly. Just in case it does happen, I won't go into detail but I will tell you that should things go the same way, we will have back up." The Doctor nodded into her head, breathing in her scent. She smelled of strawberries and had the distinct aroma of time. It was so strong on her that he paused to take it in.

"After ensuring that we would have the help that we needed, Wolf and I crossed through the void and ended up in this reality." She continued.

"And here you are." He cut in. She smiled, a little bit mischievously, and turned in his arms so they were front and front.

"Not exactly." She said. His eyebrows rose to his hairline and tilted his head as much as he could with it laying on the couch

"Then what did you do first?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing. I just met your next self and his companions." Now his eyebrows were even more gone and his mouth hung open a bit. She brought her hand up and shut his jaw. "Close your mouth, you'll catch flies." She said calmly.

"What do you mean you met my next self? Rose! You can't tell me that. I-"

"I can tell you that. And I'll tell you why; because what happened with that version of you won't come to pass with you. And I'll damn well make sure of it myself. He was happy, sure, but when I saw his eyes they were full of sadness and age beyond even your years. Doctor, the eleventh you had experienced so much pain and suffering... I never want you to have to go through that." The raw emotion that the Doctor heard in Rose's voice softened his old hearts. He saw her eyes were a bit teary and suspected that his were too. She was always looking after him.

He wouldn't lose her again. Not because it would hurt him, but because he never wanted her to hurt or to be sad. Nothing would touch her and he said as much.

"Thank you, Doctor." She said with a small smile. He nodded. "But that's a two way street. And nothing will ever happen to you, you got that?" she said. The Doctor returned her small smile and leaned forward to give her a quick kiss.

"I got it." He answered, pulling back.

"Good." Rose said. And she knew, as long as they stuck together they would be alright. No matter what the universe threw at them, they would make it through together.

And there we have it. What did you think? Questions, comments, concerns? If you liked it, please hit the nice 'review' button below this script and tell me, I'd really appreciate it. Again, like I stated before, update time will be extended to two weeks but your next chapter I have planned to be done for the Sunday after the March Break (18th).

I really appreciate all of those who take time out of their lives to review for little ol' me. It gets me right here *pats heart* it really does.

Thanks again for putting up with me and I hope to hear form you all.

Later and cheers! -Seeker