DISCLAIMER: Still don't own Doctor Who. Still don't make any money from this. But if he doesn't stop leaving TARDIS prints in my flower bed, we're gonna have words…

SUMMARY: Something goes horribly, horribly wrong in the Parallel Universe and the Doctor's not there to save the day.

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Only five minutes had passed outside of their shared mind when the Doctor suddenly opened his eyes to stare down at Rose.

"Come on, Rose. Come back to me." He closed his eyes again, exhaustion starting to pound at him. "Please, Rose, come on. You can do this. Yes… There you go. I'm here, Rose. I'm here, waiting for you."

He pulled back from her face, not releasing her but seeing her features screw up in concentration. "Wait! Wait, Rose! Just.. hold on. You've got a tube in your throat. Just hang on. Don't... wander off." He smiled down at her, feeling the affimative brush to his psyche.

Without moving from Rose, the Doctor bellowed, "JACKIE!"

"What?"

He jumped at the voice not five feet to his side.

"Good lord, woman, scared a life outta me." Still not releasing Rose, but leaning over her, he looked to Jackie. "Get a nurse, a doctor, someone in here quick to get this thing out of her."

"Right!" and ran from the room a lot faster than he thought she was capable of. But that was Jackie Tyler, always proving him wrong.

"Hold on, darling. Your mum'll be right back and you'll be home." He could have sworn he saw the corner of her mouth twitch up.

Jackie might have been gone for two minutes when she came running back in with the three nurses the Doctor had scared after he arrived in this universe. To him, it felt like years.

"Sir! What are doing? Get off of her!" One nurse moved to remove the Doctor from Rose when Jackie intercepted her.

"You listen here," she put a finger in the woman's face. "I trust that man with my life. More, I trust 'im with my daughter's life. Have done before and will again. So you listen to me: Get. That. Tube. Out. Of her throat. NOW!

Without a word further, the nurse moved to the head of Rose's bed, lowered it quickly and carefully, not dislodging the Doctor, and proceeded to remove the tubing.

The Doctor closed his eyes again to concentrate and put his chin to his chest, breathing deeply. "Hold on, Rose. Almost there. Hold on." He felt her slipping away from his mind, retreating further into her own, fear replacing excitement.

"No, no, no, NO! Rose! Come on, darling! The tube's out. Time to wake up. We need to go home, Rose."

The Doctor moved from his perch at her side, still not releasing his hold of her head, and moved to straddle her hips and thighs to give himself better leverage.

Her breathing became choppier and her skin greyed. Not breathing on her own for months on end had weakened her so much.

Jackie stood near the door, a hand covering her mouth and tears in her eyes. She watched the Doctor fight to hold Rose's mind in his own while her body rebelled and tried to slip away.

Machines began beeping in warning but the nurses stood to the side for fear of the wrath of Jackie Tyler. As the patient's mother, this was her choice and they could not interfere.

The Doctor didn't see any of this. His fear of finally losing his Rose to death's grip paralyzed his body but brought his focus forward in sharp clarity. But, Rose continued to slip from him.

"NO! ROSE!"

Sorry, my love. My Doctor. I tried so hard. So tired. Forgive me. Love you. Love you forever. Her mental whisper weakend as she projected her thoughts to him, and ended in a bare whisper. His tears dripped into her hair as he felt her mind slip from his like water through his fingers.

NO, ROSE! Please! I'm here! I'M RIGHT HERE! Please don't go! PLEASE!

His grip on her face tightened further, would have been bruising. He pulled her up then, tucked his face into her neck, and drew her scent into his burning lungs.

So close! He'd been so close.

The machines monitoring her life signs began blaring and Jackie crumbed to the floor, holding her ears as the Doctor started screaming his pain. Sobbing, he felt Rose's heart stop and her mind grow dark.

His cries melted into whimpers as he moved off her lap. Finally releasing his hold on her face, he moved to her side and gathered her into his arms, smootheing a hand over her stomach.

"Sweet child. You would have been mine. I would have loved you so much. Shown you the universe and all of time itself. I'm so, so sorry. Please, pleae forgive me." Tears streaked down his face and he placed a soft kiss to he swell of Rose's belly housing that precious life.

He looked back to Rose's face, her lips starting to tinge blue. He stroked her lips, her cheek, smoothed her hair back from her face, kissed her eyes and lips.

"Rose," he murmured. "My Rose. My love. I never should have left you." He pulled her to him again, rocking her gently, then stopped and pulled back to look at her again. He kissed her lips so gently, as if trying not to wake her.

"Not going to leave you again. Don't worry, love. Not gonna leave you alone." He pulled her close and continued to speak so softly. "Where you go, I go, okay? I promsed, remember? Never let you go, never leave you. I love you, my Rose."

His words finally sank through Jackie's grief. Her daughter and grandchild were dead but she didn't blame this man. Not this time. Not like she could have. Not like she would have before. But now he planned to die with her?

"Doctor, you can't do that!" She jumped up to grab his arm. "Please! You can't do this! The world... the universes need you. Don't do this," she begged.

The Doctor looked at Jackie, smiled even though he felt dead inside. His bond mate was gone and he planned on following. "Jackie Tyler. I never told you this, but you make the best cup of tea. Even if you do slap me."

Jackie choked on a teary laugh. "Come with me and I'll make you as much tea as you like."

He cupped her face. "No." He turned back to Rose. "I promised I'd never leave her again, Jackie. Gonna keep her safe this time. Keep my promise." He smiled at Jackie again without looking at her, turned and laid his body along Rose's side. He gathered her into his arms and stroked her stomach once more. He kissed her lips and placed his fingertips to her temples once more. "Hold on, Rose. Wait for me one more time. I'm coming with you."

He closed his eyes and bowed his head, letting go finally. Finally.

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