"We should have just stayed-"

"There was no way you could have known-"

"But she could have-"

"SHE is right here," Rose huffed. "And SHE is fine."

The Doctor turned to her with a raised eyebrow. "You weren't fine twenty minutes ago."

"Twenty minutes ago, I was unconscious. I'm fine."

"But-"

"No. The scan even said it was just Braxton Hicks, and you just said Time Lord contractions are stronger than human ones. It's stopped, I'm fine." Rose tried to sit up on the bed, but the Doctor pressed down on her shoulder.

"You should rest!"

"I'm fine!" Her eyes turned upward to meet his, a pleading chocolate brown. "Please, Doctor, just let me-"

"Let you what? Risk your health?" he snapped.

Rose bit back the tears at the harsh edge of his voice, cutting through her like a razor. "Let me function. I can't stay cooped up in my bedroom until...well, I just can't."

"Bedrest isn't an uncommon thing, Rose, and after today, I think it's what you need."

"Doctor, I can't. It's not who I am, I can't just sit back and waste what may be my last days-"

"Which is why you should be resting and not trying to cut those days in half-"

"I'm not-"

"Dammit, Rose!" The Doctor's fist flew out to connect with one of the delicate decorative coral structures of the wall, shattering it. Rose squeaked as the pieces clattered to the floor. The TARDIS rumbled, reprimanding the show of anger. Jack took a swift step closer to Rose, ready to step inbetween the two.

The Doctor's back was to Rose, but she could see the heaving of his chest as he grasped the wall with one hand, trying to keep control.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered. Jack's eyes caught hers, full of sympathy and understanding.

The Doctor straightened up, tugging his jacket back into place. "Fine. I'm taking us into the vortex. Your inability to stay still will have to be restricted to the TARDIS." He turned and walked out of the room, refusing to look at her.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Jack sat down on the edge of Rose's bed, taking her hand in his as she bit her lip, closing her eyes to keep the tears from spilling out. "You okay?"

She nodded slightly, taking a deep breath through her nose and holding it before huffing it back out. "I don't think I've ever seen him so mad before," she whispered.

"I know I haven't," Jack said. "He's just worried. You really had us scared, Rose."

"Sorry."

Jack rolled his eyes. "You couldn't help it, Rose. Nothing to be sorry for. The Doctor and I, though...we didn't know...we thought you were dying."

"I know."

"He thought you were gone."

"I know."

"He's just scared, Rose. He thought he was losing you, and he doesn't want to feel that again."

Rose bit at the corner of her lip. "D'you think I should go talk to him?"

Jack paused, thinking. "I think so. After that, I don't think being alone would be good for him. Might help him, seeing you up and walking."

Rose swung her legs out of her bed and stood, letting Jack hold her elbow to make sure she kept her balance. She nodded, and he walked her to the doorway. "I'm going to catch a bit of sleep. Come to my room if you need anything, Rose."

"Promise." He gave her hand one last squeeze before turning down the hallway, as she turned in the opposite direction.

As she entered the control room, she heard the slamming of gizmos and the clang of the Doctor hitting various gadgets on the control panel as the TARDIS' whooshing started up. She placed a hand against one of the coral structures as the sound reached a peak, and then subsided, signalling their arrival inside the vortex. The Doctor stopped, gripping the side of the control panel as his other hand pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes closing.

Rose could see the pain going through him in waves, and felt herself torn apart at the sight. She had never seen him so utterly defeated. She took a step forward, and he jerked up at the sound, spinning to face her. "Rose," he said, her name almost a plea.

She slowly stepped up to the control panel, her eyes unable to hold his. She stroked the surface of the panel, feeling the TARDIS' hum urging her on. "I'm sorry, Doctor. I didn't mean to…" Her voice faltered, but he nodded in understanding.

"I'm only trying to protect you, Rose."

"You can't protect me. That's the thing, Doctor. You can protect me from daleks and cybermen and even the devil. You can't protect me from life."

"I can try."

"Doctor...I've accepted my fate. I'm okay with this. I'm only worried about you, and it hurts me to see you like this."

The Doctor scoffed, his anger returning. "You're okay with dying?" He spat the words at her. "You're worried about ime/i?"

Rose bit her lip again. "I just...you have so much to keep you going, and I want you to know that I'm okay with this. I want you to...you know...just know that I want you to keep going. Keep travelling. Keep saving the universe."

The Doctor turned his face upwards in exasperation. "You think…" He let out a single laugh, his hands covered his face, sliding upwards through his hair before slamming back down on the console. "You think I want any of this without you? That I could save a universe without you in it? Is that what you think?"

Rose opened her mouth, but her voice stopped as she saw a fire burning in his eyes as he pierced her with his gaze.

"The universe can burn for all I care. You want the universe, Rose? Take it. Take it all. I don't iwant/i it. Not without you."

Rose swallowed as he took a step, closing the distance between them. She gasped as his hands found her wrists, shoving them into the side of the console and holding them there. Her eyes were locked with his, the intensity in his eyes near unbearable. She could feel his hot breath on her neck, and the scent of him, musky and deep.

"Take it, Rose. I don't want it without you," he growled. Suddenly, his lips slammed into hers, his body pressing against hers. She could feel the pounding of his hearts against her chest, the heat radiating off of him in waves, the muscles quivering at the emotions tumbling through him. His tongue, hot and wet, forced its way into her mouth, tasting every corner of her.

She had to turn her head to the side, gasping for air as his lips attacked the delicate skin of her neck. His hips pressed her firmly against the console, and it wasn't until the grip on her wrists tightened that she realized she felt the stinging of pain. She cried out, and the Doctor leapt back as she grabbed her own arm in pain. A trickle of blood ran down her skin. She glanced at the TARDIS console, noting a sharp piece of coral jutting out just above where he had been holding her wrist.

Rose looked up at the Doctor again, seeing the fire in his eyes quickly fading, replaced with a familiar tinge of regret. "Doctor, please, I'm fine-"

He held up a hand to silence her, his eyes closed. She bit her lip, but a tear had already escaped down her cheek. "I can't." His eyes opened, looking up instead of at her. She could hear the slow drip of her blood on the metal grate below her feet. He turned, placing his hands on the railing and leaning against them, bowing his head. "Go place a patch of medicated gauze on that, and wrap it with a bandage."

She knew the battle was lost, but she took a step forward anyways. Her hand slowly reached for his shoulder but, as though he could feel her, he jerked it away, and she pulled her hand back. She felt her teeth cut into the inside of her lip, and she finally turned away, walking towards the infirmary.

She didn't see the tears flowing down his face.