And here it is! The meeting!

This chapter is written in multiple view points so you can have an idea of what everyone is thinking. Hope you enjoy it! :)

The TARDIS pitched and bucked and then…nothing. She just stopped. The Doctor stood up. She not only stopped, everything had gone dark. That was definitely not good. He walked over to the control panel, checking switches and levers.

"Doctor, why's it dark?" Amy asked.

"It's not really dark. We can still see," he replied, offhandedly as he tapped the monitor. Nothing. Definitely not good.

"You know what I mean, Doctor."

"This is really not good."

He raced down the stairs, barely registering Amy following. The TARDIS wasn't dead. Couldn't be. He'd added precautions. After that whole incident with the crack that led him to Pete's World. Although, the crack they fell through this time was different, in a that can't possibly ever happen sort of way, but still.

"Doctor! What's wrong? Don't walk away from me!"

"I'm not walking away from you, Amelia."

He pulled the paneling open, checking the wires and crystals. There had to be…Yes! There was power. Not enough to get them home…yet, but the TARDIS must have stored some reserve energy when they fell through.

"You only call me Amelia when you're worried. Tell me what's going on?" she demanded.

"Oh, you clever girl," the Doctor said, stroking the side of the paneling.

"Doctor!"

Yes, Amy. She was worried and wanted an explanation. He turned around, facing an angry ginger. Then gave her a smile.

"Nothing's wrong, Pond. Why do you always assume there's something wrong?"

She folded her arms.

"Maybe because you got that worried look and said this is really not good."

Her voice changing as she repeated his words.

"Can we go home now?" Rory called down.

The Doctor took the opportunity to step around Amy and ascend the stairs.

"Home? Why would you want to go home? Don't you realize where we are?" the Doctor asked.

"Somewhere outside our universe?"

"Exactly! Some place we've never been. Where's your thrill for adventure?"

"Must have left that in my other pants," Rory replied.

"To be fair last time we left our universe Rory and I were trapped in the TARDIS with house, if you remember," Amy pointed out.

Oh, yes, there was that, but that was ages ago.

"Come on now. I'm sure this time will be completely different," the Doctor said.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Oh, come on Pond," he said wrapping his arm around her neck. "It's an entirely different universe, actually an entirely different reality-"

"Wait. What?" Amy asked. "Reality?"

"Anything could be out there," the Doctor continued, indicating the doors. "There might be swashbuckling Gorillas or giant Geckos or-"

"Man eating plants," Rory added.

"Exactly!" The Doctor exclaimed. "We can't leave without having a little peek, can we?"

"Uh…yeah, actually we can," Rory said.

"Oh, Rory, come on. We're stuck here until the TARDIS charges anyway."

"And how long will that take?"

"Hours, days, I'm not entirely sure." He turned to Amy, knowing she was really the deciding factor. "What do you say, Pond?"

"Giant Geckos?" she asked, smiling in that way that told him he had her interest.

"Could be."

"What're we waiting for?"

"Amy," Rory pleaded. "Giant Geckos!"

"They eat plants."

"No, they eat bugs."

"Fine, they eat bugs. It's not like we're bugs."

"Actually, we'd be about the right size."

She crossed the room and took his hand, giving him that look she reserved for getting her way, which she always got.

"Please?" Amy asked.

Rory sighed.

"Fine."

She squealed with delight and hugged him.

"Thank you!"

"If I die I'm going to be very put off."

"Don't worry, husband, I'll protect you from the giant Geckos."

"Ha ha," Rory replied in his I really hope you're joking sort of way.

The Doctor watched them for a moment. The Ponds. His best friend and her husband, who was also his friend, but definitely Amy's husband first. He smiled.

"Come along then," the Doctor said, walking to the doors.

"I'm going to grab my jacket," Amy replied.

"Jacket?"

Anything could be on the other side of the door and she wanted to grab her jacket?

"Remember that frozen beach?"

"Yeah, I think I'll grab mine too," Rory said.

"Fine, but I'm not waiting," the Doctor replied.

"We'll meet you out there," Amy called before dashing down the hall with Rory following.

The Doctor opened the door and stepped out, looking around.

"A room then," he said, gazing from the walls to the ceiling to everything else. "No swashbuckling Gorillas. A crack in reality. I really was expecting something different, but a flat? It's a bit of a letdown really. Just an ordinary…" his eyes fell on two people standing in the room. A man, dark hair, nice suit. There was a woman, but the man was standing in front of her, almost protectively, and the Doctor couldn't get a good look at her. Well, since the TARDIS had just appeared in their flat it was understandable that the man might be worried.

"Oh, hello. Sorry. Is this your flat? I said ordinary, but really, it's rather nice. Small, cozy, the wallpaper's a bit of an eyesore. Flowers? Really? You don't strike me as a flower sort of person, but then we don't actually know each other do we?" He turned around and looked at the TARDIS. No rubble, broken wall, that was good. "And I didn't crash this time so that's good. Hit the lever-y thing to materialize at-"

When he turned back around he saw her. The girl, but not just a girl. His mouth went dry. It…it couldn't be…she couldn't possibly be…No of course it wasn't her. Someone who looked like her. Someone who looked exactly like her. She was on Pete's World. A parallel earth. Exactly where he left her with his duplicate, well, his previous self's duplicate, living the life he could never have. Of course this wasn't that Rose. Her name probably wasn't even Rose.

"…the…last…minute," he finished, his voice coming out slowly. "I'm the Doctor."

"I know who you are," the man replied, his voice taking on a defensive edge.

Knew who he was? But he couldn't. Unless…no, he dismissed the idea. That wasn't Rose. Not his Rose. Couldn't be. The only other explanation was that there was another Doctor in that universe, but that was as absurd as that girl being Rose.

"Doctor?" the girl who looked like Rose asked. "You changed."

He swallowed, staring at her in shock. It was her. Rose. His Rose. The one he left on Pete's World. How? How had she gotten there? Where was his duplicate and who…the Doctor narrowed his eyes…the hell was this bloke?

Rose moved to step around the man, but he reached out his hand and grabbed her arm, holding her back. The Doctor took a step toward him.

"Let her go," he demanded in a low voice.

"Haven't you done enough to her?" the man asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but you will let her go."

"Your lack of understanding hardly surprises me."

At that moment the front door opened, but the Doctor's attention was focused on the man, his mind working out the best course of action to save the woman he left behind.

-0-

John stepped into Rose's flat. He wasn't sure what happened, but his entire flat had shaken as a loud whooshing sound filled the building. He came down to find out if she was alright, but the sight that greeted him was less than all right. The first thing he noticed was the big blue police box, but before he could ask what it was doing in the front room of her flat he saw the confrontation.

Sherlock's hand was clamped onto Rose's arm, keeping her away from a bloke in a strange suit. Something one might expect an aged professor to wear, but this guy was young. The bloke and Sherlock were staring daggers into each other. He wasn't sure what was going on, but it was obvious his friend needed help. He crossed the room toward them.

"What's all this about?" he asked.

"John, please talk some sense into him," Rose said.

"Yes," the man replied. "Talk some sense into your friend, would you? Otherwise I'll have to take matters into my own hands."

Sherlock scoffed.

"I'd like to see you try," the detective replied.

"You really don't want me to," the man shot, glaring at Sherlock.

"Blimey, would you two-" Rose began.

"I'm not going to ask you again," the man insisted in a way that told John things were about to become very dangerous.

"Good, you'll be going then. I would say it's been a pleasure, but-"

"Oh, I'm not going anywhere," the man said, taking a step toward Sherlock.

Obviously Sherlock felt the man was a threat otherwise he wouldn't be trying to keep Rose at a distance. Somehow John had to diffuse the situation.

"Who the hell are you?" he asked.

"Oh. Right. Sorry about that," the man said turning to John, his entire demeanor changing. "I'm the Doctor."

He held his hand out, but John just stared at him.

"The Doctor? The actual Doctor?"

"Yes…well, technically I'm called The Doctor not The actual Doctor, but that'll do."

But he couldn't be. An alien in a…John glanced at the big blue police box remembering Rose's description. It was. He looked back at the bloke standing in front of him still holding out his hand. He was. John smiled. Then pulled back his fist and punched The Doctor in the face.

"John!" Rose yelled as The Doctor staggered back a few feet.

-0-

Amy stepped out of the TARDIS in time to see some bloke punch the Doctor. She sighed. They'd only been a few minutes and he'd already gotten himself into trouble. Couldn't take him anywhere.

"Oi," she called to the sandy haired bloke. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"And who're you?" a dark haired man asked.

She noted the fact that his hand was clamped on the arm of a blonde woman. Had the Doctor been trying to save her? Possibly. He was always getting himself into trouble over women.

"A ginger with an attitude and right now I'm very cross so I suggest someone tells me what's going on," Amy insisted, striding across the room.

"Amy, I can take care of this myself," the Doctor said, rubbing his jaw.

"You know you can't do anything yourself."

"Amelia," the Doctor said, rounding on her. She stopped. This wasn't the Doctor's worried Amelia. This was angry. He was angry. "I said I can take care of this myself."

"Doing a bang up job too. You've already been punched by this bloke. So, what're we doing? Rescuing the girl? You're not going to marry this one too are you?"

"Amelia!" the Doctor shouted.

She realized too late that the situation was a lot different than she assumed as her attempt to diffuse it only made him go from angry to furious.

"I don't," the blonde woman said, pulling her arm out of the dark haired man's grip…Amy really needed to get their names, "…need anyone to rescue me! I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself!"

"Don't be an idiot, Rose!" the dark haired man shot.

"Don't call her an idiot!" the Doctor growled.

Hang on. Amy glanced from the Doctor to the blonde. Did they know each other? But they couldn't. The Doctor said they fell through a crack in the universe, but then he'd been wrong before. Rose? She couldn't remember him ever mentioning that name before.

"Shut up, the both of you!" Rose insisted.

"Would someone tell me what the hell's going on?" Amy demanded.

"For starters I'm Rose Tyler," the woman said, stepping around the men and offering her hand. Although Amy noted that the dark haired bloke watched her. "And you are?"

"Amy Pond," Amy said shaking Rose's hand.

"And I'm Rory, her husband," Rory introduced.

Rose gave him a smile.

"And they are?" Amy asked, indicating the two men.

"Oh," Rose said, turning around. She pointed at the dark haired bloke first. "That's Sherlock Holmes and the one who punched the Doctor is John Watson."

"What?" Amy eyed her. She had to be joking. Rose was smiling, but not in a joking sort of way. "Really?"

"Sherlock Holmes?" Rory asked.

"The Sherlock Holmes?" Amy inquired.

Sherlock straightened his suit, almost in the same manner the Doctor did when he was very impressed with himself, but at the same time he kept his attention focused between Rose and the Doctor.

Amy caught the look in her friend's eyes. The surprised and then worried look that told her there was something bad happening or about to happen.

"I know," Rose said and then laughed. "But it's true."

"Hang on," Dr. Watson said. "How do you two know about us?"

"We've read-" Amy began, but the Doctor cut her off.

"About your cases. In the…um…paper and…" The Doctor trailed off.

"My blog?" Dr. Watson asked.

"Yes. Blog. Exactly."

What was the Doctor up to? He knew perfectly well where they'd read about Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. He must have a reason. Well, she'd get it out of him later.

-0-

Sherlock watched the conversation between the three all the while assessing The Doctor and Mr. and Mrs. Pond. They hadn't read about him and John in the paper or on his friend's blog. The Doctor was lying, but then he expected as much. What he hadn't expected was for the man…man?...well, he looked like a man even if he wasn't. The detective hadn't expected the man to be so scatterbrained. Rose called him a genius and he very likely was, but not at all in the same league as Sherlock. His attire alone was laughable.

Mr. and Mrs. Pond were obviously the Doctor's latest traveling companions. Not new. They'd been together for quite some time judging from the woman's attempt to protect him. She hadn't been married very long. A few years perhaps and her husband. He was almost her polar opposite. While she put herself in the middle of the confrontation between John and the Doctor, Mr. Pond trailed behind her with a look of worry etched on his face. Even now his eyes darted back to the…TARDIS as if he'd rather leave.

Sherlock turned his attention back to The Doctor. He changed his demeanor as easily as the detective, as if flipping a switch. There was something about his eyes though. When Sherlock had looked into them during their confrontation he'd seen darkness, which affirmed his belief that the man was dangerous.

He had to keep Rose and the Doctor apart so he couldn't charm his way back into her life. This doctor had already hurt her enough. Sherlock wasn't about to let him do anymore damage. The detective glanced at Rose. She hadn't made a move toward the Doctor and there was uncertainty in her eyes. Best to get the unwanted visitors on their way before that changed.

"Now that you know who we are I'm sure you three have other places to be," Sherlock said.

"You're not leaving already are you?" Rose asked, and that's when the detective realized the terrible mistake he made.

"Of course not," the Doctor replied, giving her a smile that she returned and before Sherlock could stop him he crossed the room and pulled Rose into a hug.

The detective closed the distance between them, his fists clenching, but John caught his arm. He turned on his friend.

"Don't," John said.

"But-" he began.

"I know. I'm the one who punched him, but you can't drag her away from him. That's only going to push her closer."

Sherlock turned his glare on Rose and the Doctor. He knew his friend was right, but that didn't make this any less difficult.

-0-

Rose smiled as the Doctor pulled her into a hug. She buried her face in the crook of his shoulder. He was a bit shorter, not much, but he still smelled the same, like the wind before a storm. Her mind took her back to a time when it was just him and her and all of space and time. Back when he wore leather and spoke with a northern accent. Back when he took her hand, the word together hanging between them. Then to a time when he wore a different face and he made her laugh. He was mad and impulsive and God she loved him. It was just him and her…until it wasn't. He rested his cheek on her head.

The tears came as she thought about that man. The man she loved. The man she would've died for. The man she nearly died for. He was wild and mad and she would've done anything for him. Had crossed space and time to get back to him, but her dream of forever was shattered when he left her behind on a godforsaken beach in Norway. She hated that beach, all beaches.

"Rose Tyler," he said.

Those words. Her name spoken almost in the same way he used to drew her out of her thoughts. She pulled back, gazing at him through her tears. She loved him. She couldn't deny that, but something inside her changed when he walked away. When he left her on that beach without saying goodbye. The first time she'd been trapped on that world he'd burned up a sun to say goodbye, but he couldn't even manage the word the second time. What he did to her wasn't fair. It wasn't right.

He was smiling. Not the same ecstatic smile he used to wear, but he was happy. Only the feelings churning inside of her weren't exactly happy. Not all of them. Happiness was there, but it was buried under the pain, under the rejection, under the loss and seeing him like that made her angry. Why did he get to be happy? He was the one who walked away. The one who hurt her. Not to you. Words spoken when she found out what he'd done to Sarah Jane. Not to you. Only he did do it to her. Before she could stop herself she pulled back her hand and slapped him, but not just any slap. She gave him a right good Jackie Tyler slap.

His head snapped to the side as his eyes widened.

"Oi," The Doctor exclaimed. "What was that for?"

"Don't act like you don't know," she snapped.

"I-"

"I spent two years trying to get back to you and after I did what the hell did you do? You left me on a bloody beach in Norway on the same parallel world I escaped!"

"But-"

"Don't but me Doctor. I've been waiting years to say this and you're going to hear it! You don't get to walk away this time! Hear me?"

"Yes, but-"

"Do you remember when we were investigating that school? The Krillitanes? Remember them?" He didn't respond, but the look in his eyes told her he knew exactly what she was talking about. "What did you say to me when I found out what you did to Sarah Jane?" He didn't respond. "What did you say Doctor?"

"I said, no, not to you," he mumbled, but she wasn't going to let him get away with that.

"Sorry, I didn't quite catch that," she snapped.

"I said not you!" he yelled. "But I didn't have a choice!"

"You had a choice, Doctor! You always have a choice, but you chose the easy way!"

"Do you think that was easy? Walking away from you? From the woman I…" he trailed off, glancing at Amy.

"From the woman you what Doctor?" He didn't reply. "You haven't changed! You're the same selfish tosser you've always been! Don't worry I'm not going to ask you to say it! I don't even want to hear it from you!"

She turned to walk away, but he grabbed her hand.

"Rose, I-"

"The woman who loved you had her heart ripped out when you walked away! She died that day, Doctor!"

His face crumbled twisting guilt into her heart like a knife. Maybe it was wrong, but he hurt her and part of her wanted him to know how she felt. She stalked across the room, into her bedroom, and slammed the door. Then she collapsed onto her bed and cried. Her mask was gone, shattered and broken.

Standard Disclaimer.

Thank you to all my brilliant readers!

If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)