The heat of the dermal regenerator caressed her skin in a way that felt immensely pleasant. The cool hand of the Doctor delicately holding her arm only enhanced the experience, and she couldn't help but watch his intense concentration. That focus being trained entirely on her made her heart swell, and it reminded her a bit of the aftermath of their kiss in Marron's spare study.

Yet the second the memory came to mind, she deflated a bit.

Once Clara-Marie and Hans were out of sight, she, the Doctor, and Jack all made leave of the village. Heading straight for the TARDIS, she felt a pang of guilt for the disaster they were leaving in their wake, yet knew that it had come as the cost of saving two innocent lives. And while she knew no loss was acceptable to the Doctor, she couldn't help but feel maybe Hans' sisters got what was coming to them. It made guilt gnaw on her a bit until she remembered what it felt like to have the blade pierce her neck.

After they had all returned to the magnificent time and space ship, the Doctor put them in the Vortex and then immediately dragged her down to the medbay. He directed her to hope up on the examination table wordlessly, bringing the rolling table with all his equipment close by, and a small stool for him to perch on immediately after. In the small room with just the two of them, the potential for tension of any kind was exponentially high, yet seemed to be non-existence for more than just her. The Doctor hadn't said a word, wasn't any more gentle or caring than he would normally be as he checked her over for further injury, and she was beginning to understand that if anything had changed between them it wouldn't be for the better. The trip, which held so much potential and had moments of euphoria, had also seemed to place more wedges between them. Too much arguing, too many things she managed to say that would only serve to push him further away. He went about his exams and then her healing in an entirely clinical fashion without a word.

The regenerator kicked off. "All set," he said softly, fingers lightly caressing her pinked but healed skin.

"Thank you," She said softly, watching the trail his calloused touch blazed. She cleared her throat, sucking up air and as much bravery as she could before catching his fingers and forcing herself to meet his eye. "I know I said some things back on Leatis," She started, getting his full attention. "Things that maybe I shouldn't have. I don't want things between us to get … I mean, I don't want it to be weird, you know?"

"Rose," he tried to cut her off.

"Can't lose you." She said firmly, shaking her head. "Can't have anything I said or did change how we are if it means this trip home is a last stop. I love this life with you, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Not a thing. So words I said, if it's too much, forget 'em, alright?"

"I won't." He said bluntly. "What did you say that I'd actually wanna forget? I mean, aside from you goin' on to the Seurs sisters about my not being interested in women. Would like to forget that, but it's not the first time ya hinted ya thought that so makes it kinda hard. What do I need to do or say to get it through that thick little human skull of yours that that ain't true."

Rose rolled her eyes, lips curling into a half grin. "Only said that as a distraction. Know you have an interest in women, couldn't miss it with the way you smiled at Lynda."

"That the only hint you've picked up on?" He asked with a playful smirk, thumb lightly skimming her skin a second.

"Had a few others, yeah." She nodded before sobering, eyes falling to where he still touched her arm gently. "Just don't know what to make of 'em."

She counted her breaths, forcing them to stay steady instead of allowing herself to get worked up over the quiet around her.

"Suppose that depends on what you want to make of 'em." The Doctor said after six breaths. She slowly met his eye again. He was looking off to the side, a shoulder lifting in a nonchalance he really didn't mean. "You want it to mean something, it can. Want it to be just a passing thing, can be that too."

"Well, what do you want?" She countered.

He snorted. "Doesn't matter what I want. I have my rules, though never been much of a rule follower, me. And you, Rose Tyler, make me wanna break'em all. But that's not my call to make, not really."

Rose's mouth went dry, and her heart hammered as it seemed the Doctor was fighting the urge to look at her.

A nudge in her mind made her blink, and a second made her look up and around in effort to understand what was happening. She knew on instinct it was the TARDIS, and the ship was trying to tell her something, but the feeling was still alien enough to startle her. In her search for understanding, something caught her eye.

Over the Doctor's head, just beyond any possible peripheral vision of his, sprang a small sprig of mistletoe.

"That a hint?" Rose asked out loud, getting the Doctor's full attention. The lights behind him blinked quickly as if to say yes as he just furrowed his brow in confusion.

Before he could make a comment, Rose hopped off the exam station, placed her palm on his cheek and and shifted forward.

"Rose!" Jack called, startling them apart. "Just wanna check, is this appropriate for …." A smack echoed in the corridor, causing she and the Doctor to cringe as Jack groaned in agony. "What was that for?" The Captain said, rubbing his head as he looked about while entering the med bay.

"Fixed point, Jack." The Doctor said, amused. "TARDIS handles 'em a touch better than I do, but doesn't mean she's perfect."

"So I should just continue expecting to find door frames suddenly lowered or books toppling off shelves from now on?"

"Should do, yeah." He replied perkily.

Jack mumbled something under his breath, shaking his head and putting his hands on his hips before seeming to notice them for the first time. "Oh, was I interrupting?"

"Interrupting what?" The Doctor asked smoothly. "Just making sure Rose is all healed up. Just gotta take care of one more thing, then we're off to see Jackie."

The disappointment that came over Jack nearly broke Rose's heart. "Right," he said as if he'd been the one who was reject. "Well, just wanted to make sure I'm dressed for the occasion."

"You're fine, Jack." Rose grinned. "I'm gonna head off and change in a minute."

Jack nodded. "Alright, see you in the console room?" He asked the Doctor.

"Be there in a mo." He replied, and Jack left the room with a pat on the door frame. A second later she heard him stumble in the hallway.

"Oh come on, beautiful." He buttered up the TARDIS, his voice fading with the distance.

"You should go get ready to see your mother." The Doctor said. "Sure you're eager to let her know you're okay, celebrate and all that stuff."

Rose turned back to face him, seeing the disappointment and resignation in his put on smile. Above his head, the mistletoe reappeared, a bigger bunch than there had been before.

She replaced her palm on his cheek, marveling at how his eyes fluttered shut for just a moment as he leaned into her touch.

She felt the edge they were teetering on, the way it could all change for better or worse depending on which way she moved. His eyelids cracked open, his bright blue eyes peeking up into hers. "Rose?" He asked, or begged. Maybe pleaded. Possibly warned. She really didn't know. Didn't know what he wanted, what it would mean if she risked everything, the consequences of what might happen if she didn't.

It was a decision made in a breath, as was running off with him all that time ago.

Rose slid her hand from his cheek to his neck, closed her eyes, and took a leap.