Title: Remember Me?
Rating: T
Pairings: 10/Rose
Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who
Full Summary: As the Doctor investigates some strange alien sightings in 2004, Donna gets a job at Henricks to distract her from causing a paradox. There, she befriends a very familiar blond, who tells her about her dreams to travel among the stars one day. What comes next for our favourite time travellers is a frenzy of misunderstandings, a few terrible phone calls and a shocking revelation.

Author's note: This takes place exactly after 'The Parting Of The Ways', when the Doctor regenerates.

Rose tumbled backwards, steadying herself against a beam. The Doctor was enveloped in a gold explosion, almost as if his skin had caught fire. She shielded her eyes as she watched her best friend, helplessly.

The flames stopped abruptly, and Rose stood facing a familiar face. Not the close shaved, leather clad man that she had been travelling with, but the face of an old friend. Her eyes widened.

"John?" She whispered. The man furrowed his brow and titled his head to one side.

"Rose, it's me, the Doctor," John insisted.

"No, no, you're Donna's friend! You are! Where's the Doctor?" She demanded feebly.

"Who's Donna?"

"Your best friend...you went to America, and never came back...I swear, you did!" Rose protested. John glanced up from the console and advanced towards her slowly. She stood her ground, only trembling slightly. "Did you teleport him, or somethin'? I'm warnin' you, if you don't bring the Doctor back right now-"

"Rose, I'm the Doctor!" The man bent over in order to be in her eye-line.

"No..but you're not. The Doctor, he...he wouldn't leave me. You're John! Send the Doctor back, right now!"

"Rose, I changed. I was dying. To save my own life I changed my body. Every single cell, but... it's still me."

"But...but you can't be," Rose whispered softly.

"Then how could I remember this? Very first word I ever said to you. Trapped in that cellar. Surrounded by shop window dummies.... oh..... such a long time ago. I took your hand..." John encased her hand in his to emphasise his point, "And I said one word. Just one word-" John lowered his voice, "-run!"

"Doctor?"

"Hello!" The Doctor broke into a huge beam, as Rose felt herself go dizzy. The Doctor had been in her past, she was sure of it!

"But...what about Donna, how comes you...you were there-"

"Rose, the first time I saw you was when we were in the cellar, I swear...unless..." The Doctor trailed off, deep in thought. Rose focused on what had just happened to her best friend. She stood quietly by the time console, shyly running her fingers over the levers and buttons.

"Can you change back?" She piped up, interrupting his thoughts.

"Do you want me to?" He enquired.

"Yeah," She replied truthfully, averting her eyes from his gaze. "Can you?"

"No." He sounded disappointed. "Do you want to leave?" Rose froze.

"Do you want me to?"

"No, no, of course not...but if you want to go back, I get it. How about...Christmas Eve, 2005? Think of it as a Christmas present. Back to your mum, beans on toast, that sort of thing. Oh, hold on, Christmas! Turkey! Although... having met your mother... nut loaf would be more appropriate," He muttered. Rose bit back a smile, which the Doctor noticed. "Was that a smile?"

"No."

"That was a smile!"

"No it wasn't!" Rose shook her head, still not looking at him. "You're just like him. You have the same...everythin', even voice!"

"Who?"

"John! John Smith...you don't have a brother, do you?" The Doctor was quiet for a moment.

"No, not anymore. Anyway, there's no need to panic, all I did was change, it wasn't as if-" Suddenly, the Doctor lurched forward, clutching onto his stomach and making a nasty retching noise. Rose retracted back, her face full of concern.

"You alrigh'?"

"Yeah, yeah-" The Doctor gaged. He fell to the floor. "Uh oh. The change is goin' wrong."

"We'll go back, get Jack, yeah? He'll know what to do-"

"Oh, he's busy, rebuilding the earth...hold on, I haven't used this one in years!" A lever caught the eye of a beaming Doctor, which he flicked impatiently, causing the TARDIS to shudder and throwing Rose onto the console.

"What're you doin'?" She asked, her forehead hardening as she watched her friend.

"Ah, a bit of speed, that's more like it!" He cried.

"Stop it!" Rose ordered.

"Oh, you're no fun!" He spat, rather nastily. "Come on, my beautiful girl, faster!" The Doctor suddenly caught Rose's gaze and his eyes bristled with fear. "The regeneration's going wrong. I can't stop myself..." He clutched his stomach, a grappling pain shuddering through his body. He span harder. "COME ON! FASTER, LET'S OPEN UP THOSE ENGINES!"

"Stop it, you're gonna kill us!"

"Oh I love it!" A bell rang, causing Rose to whip her head around the room, alarmed.

"What's tha'?"

"We're gonna crash land!" The Doctor giggled with delight.

"Can you stop it?"

"No! It's out of control! Hold on tight, here we go!"

I'm sorry for so much copying, but I just wanted to get the regeneration out the way. Next is Turn Left.

Please review!

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