The Doctor watched Rose disappear into the loo and found himself thankful that the door was a dark forest green. He thought he might just go barging in there after her, her privacy and his dignity be damned, if it had been another white wall. As it was, he found himself drawn towards the bathroom door until he was standing only inches away. His hand moved almost as a separate entity from his body to press against the smooth green paint for a brief moment. It was only the thought of her opening the door to a clingy Time Lord that made him hastily retreat back a respectable distance.

And then he was completely still as he waited. As pale as he was, it wouldn't be out of the question to be mistaken for a statue if there had been anyone there to observe him. This reaction to Rose's brief absence was a direct contrast to their usual routine. Anytime he'd had to wait for her in the past, be it while she was in the loo of a cosmic theme park or saying a drawn out goodbye to Jackie, he had always fidgeted with barely contained energy, often going so far as to pace and make audible huffing sounds to show his impatience. But right now, even his very impressive Time Lord brain was overcome by everything that happened in the last several minutes and the longing to have her in his arms once again. He could barely remain standing under his own power, let alone fidget.

Rose is alive! He repeated it over and over in his head, letting her scent, the one that still lingered on his skin reassure him. She had been out of his sight for mere seconds and the fear that it had all been a delusion was a formidable enemy he struggled to reign in. He felt it tug at him, pulling him back to the nightmare that he had lived this past month.

When he had thought she was dead, not just lost to him and living a fantastic life in another universe, but dead and gone, everything but the pain that filled her empty space in the multiverse lost all meaning. He had known he should eat, should sleep despite the horrific nightmares, should try every means of escaping from his captors until he succeeded. He had known that it was his duty to the universe, what she would have wanted, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Even thoughts of Donna's fate barely got through to him except to compound his despair. Though he hoped that his latest companion had found her way back to the Tardis and got a ticket home via Emergency Program One, he knew there were any number of frightening other things that could have befallen his best mate. He had spent hours fearing that Donna was in a cell like him, or that she had been lost like so many others, like his beautiful Rose. One more soul on his heavy conscience. One more tragedy that pressed down on him, often making it hard to breathe despite his superior biology.

The extravagant meals that had appeared three times a day had not tempted him. Though the delicious smells had made his stomach growl in a very un-Time Lordy manner, he couldn't bare to eat much more than the odd banana. There had been books, an impressive entertainment system, and puzzles that sat unused as he spent his time laying listlessly on the large bed, caught up in memories of what was and what should have been.

Oh, he would have pulled himself together eventually…if he survived long enough. Even if this him hadn't, sometimes a regeneration could take the edge off of an all-consuming tragedy. That was, after all, how he had managed to survive long enough to meet Rose after the Time War. But with her taken so callously from him, he doubted he would ever truly recover, no mater how many times he changed his face. He had thought about this before, the eventuality of losing her, when they were traveling together and he realized that she was someone special, someone who was so much more than a companion to him. Each beat of her single heart brought them closer together but also closer to the day he would have to go on without her. When he had taken her home to visit Jackie before the mess at Torchwood, he had started to think that being with her, properly being with her and not just dancing around the invisible line he had drawn, would be worth it. But he'd never gotten the chance. Maybe if they'd had some time together, really together - if she truly had been able to give him her forever…but that had not been the case.

Now, having been so abruptly rescued from his state of hopelessness, he knew he should be ashamed of how he had acted - how he had given up and given in to despair. When Rose had looked at him with such sadness in her eyes as he told her the purpose of the IV, he had felt a flicker of shame. But just a flicker. He wished he could have been stronger for her, Donna and the whole bloody universe - a better man for all of them. At the same time, he knew he had been teetering on the edge for a long time now and it had been his traveling companions that had kept him from falling off the cliff. No, he thought, he couldn't be ashamed. He could be happy it was over - that his grieving was in vain, and that he now was given a second chance. That, he could most certainly do. The day he had dreaded for two lifetimes still loomed on the horizon, but for once, it seemed distant in light of all the two of them could achieve in the meantime - if she wanted, and if he could find it in himself to be very, very brave. He thought maybe this time he could.

His swirling thoughts were just taking on the fear that he would drown in her now that she was back when he heard the click of the bathroom door as it opened. In a fraction of a second the anxiety expanded exponentially before he reigned it back in. All those lingering fears he could confront later. Right now it wasn't the time for grand gestures and big decisions. Right now it was just Rose and it was him and they would be together in the comfortable way they always had been. They would get to know each other again after far too much time apart. They would heal what had broken, come up with a mad plan to escape this strange prison, and then maybe…well then they'd just see where their extraordinary life would take them. Together.

His breath caught as she peaked at him from behind the partially open door. "You're still here then? I haven't gone mad after all, have I?" she said with a perfect cheeky Rose Tyler smile hiding what he imagined had been a real concern.

"Not just yet," he chuckled, shoving his hands in his pockets and tilting back on his heels, "But you were taking so long I was worried about my own sanity."

"Oh come off it! I wasn't in there hardly a minute!" she teased back.

"One minute and twenty-one seconds, actually. Entirely too long. Why, I could have cured seven plagues in that time. Or used seventieth century behavior modification techniques to tame a wild Xylex. Or…" he looked down at her as she had used his time spent rambling to cross the room, "Do I need to go on?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

"I think I get the picture," she said reaching up and lacing her fingers behind his neck to initiate an embrace. His hands automatically went back to her waist to steady her as she rocked up on her toes. "And besides, if you keep up that gob of yours we couldn't be doing this…" She broke off, choosing to demonstrate the last part of her thought by meeting his lips with hers. His eyes slid closed, any thoughts of caution or reservations drowned out by the fire spreading through his veins. They stayed with their lips just lightly touching and the Doctor felt her smile against him. She sighed contentedly, pulling back and his eyes immediately opened and found hers as if pulled there. She moved one hand from the back of his neck to cup the side of his face and he leaned into her touch, "I love you," she said softly as she caressed his cheek with her thumb. She was so earnest, her whispered words with such immense meaning, something in him broke.

"Oh Rose," he breathed leaning in to recapture her lips with his own. The kiss was no longer gentle or chaste as they eagerly explored the thing between them that was finally set free. After the briefest hint of coaxing, she opened up to him and he continued his exploration of her, this time fired not by desperation but by passion that had been subdued for far too long. He reveled in the delicious noises she made when he stroked her tongue with his own, and oh! The taste of her! Taste was a very important sense to this body and right now he was completely and blissfuly overwhelmed. He thanked his advanced senses for every facet of her he could take in. She smiled again against his lips as he made some appreciative noises of his own. Suddenly her hands were back tugging at his hair as she took control of the kiss. The fire burning in him flared and he needed to be closer to her. There was still a small amount of space between them and that just wouldn't do. His hands rubbed up her back, pulling her flush against him and -

"Oh!" Rose pulled back, letting out a yelp that wasn't born of passion but pain. The Doctor immediately came back to his senses as if a bucket of cold water had been splashed over his head. The icy weight of fear was back and snaking around his hearts. "Rose!" he said desperately as her knees gave way and he found himself holding up her dead weight. She burrowed her head into his chest and to his horror she started shaking in his arms. No no no no! His mind was a whirl of panic as he swept her convulsing form up and made his way over to the bed. She continued shaking as he carefully deposited her on her side on top of the turned down bed. What was it!? Was she having a seizure? Some kind of fit? He gently reached to tilt her face toward him from where it was turned into the bedding and saw…

She was laughing - laughing so hard her eyes were pinched shut and her body was shaking with silent mirth. "Wha?" he managed completely at a loss and hearts still pounding.

"'M' sorry. 'M sorry," she got out as she reigned in her laugher and threw an arm across her face, "S' just, oh god! I'm a damsel in distress! A bloody swooning damsel in distress." She shook her head schooling her features and opened her eyes to lock with his. She took in his panicked expression and quickly reassured him, "Oh Doctor, I'm sorry. I'm fine. Brilliant, even. Was just too funny. It's been quite a day and I just -" she broke off and reached for his hand, showing her strength through a firm squeeze of assurance.

"Bloody hell, Rose. You almost regenerated me. Don't ever do that again." He puffed out through a long exhale that allowed his tightly wound body to relax a fraction.

"What, laugh?" she said cheekily as she smiled up at him.

The Doctor just let out another sigh and dipped his head to rest in the space between her neck and shoulder. He felt her hand come up to stroke his back and after a few seconds surrounded by Rose, his hearts slowed and that prickly fear began to recede. He pushed himself up so he was propped on an elbow facing her and their fingers twined together as if drawn by gravity.

"Hello," she whispered.

"Hello," he completed their routine and stroked the back of her hand with this thumb before calmly asking, "You want to tell me why me kissing you caused you enough pain to collapse?"

She took a deep breath, "Don't s'pose I can convince you I was just really into it?" she joked half-heartedly. The Doctor wasn't so easily distracted. He looked back at her with worried eyes.

"Rose, are you hurt? Did I hurt you? I'm sorry, I just got -"

"M'fine," she cut him off, blushing slightly, "skin's just still a bit sore from when they, um, caught me. It's mostly better, but I sorta escaped before they were through with me at the infirmary. Didn't have time for that hospital rubbish, I had an alien to find." She bit her bottom lip and smiled up at him. His felt his posture relax slightly at the sight, but was far from satisfied.

"And why is your skin sore?" he pressed.

"Dunno, some kind of burn, I think. But like I said, mostly healed already."

"Can I…can I take a look?" he asked, hoping his imagination was worse than what he would find. Burns were extremely painful and could easily get infected without the right care. His mind swirled with horrible possibilities.

Rose bit her bottom lip considering. "Yeah, ok." He understood her hesitance. He had examined her countless times after trips that went wrong before (or clumsy accidents he was sworn to never mention ever again), but never after such a thorough snogging. Or any snogging, really. He felt charged with more than worry as she sat up with her back to him and eased the loose fitting shirt off one shoulder.

The Doctor sucked in a breath at the angry red marks that stood out on her pale skin. She was right, it was mostly healed, but it had been bad. Bad enough that he was immensely relieved she hadn't been treated within the constraints of twenty-first century technology.

"Oh Rose," he whispered ghosting his fingertips across her skin, careful not to touch the healing blisters, "I'm so sorry."

She shivered at his touch and replied shakily. "I told you, it's fine. Almost healed."

"I know. But you shouldn't have anything to heal from." He brought his lips down for a quick kiss to the healthy skin at the edge of her exposed shoulder before easing the sleeve back up.

When she turned to face him, he was reminded of how tired she was and all that she must have been through the past few days. He realized he didn't even know a fraction of the story. The Doctor laid back down on his side and opened his arms to her. "C'mon. I think it's about time we both got some rest."

She remained sitting, looking down at him hesitantly despite the fatigue in ever line of her body, "But there's so much to say. I don't even know how long it's been for you. Or…or where you've been. Doctor we have so much—" her voice caught and she seemed unable to continue.

"And we still will in a few hours," he promised, reaching to take her hand.

Rose looked like she was ready to resist, body tensed. But instead she let out a shaky breath and nodded, dropping down to lay on her side facing him.

"You'll stay with me?" his heart broke at how fragile she sounded in the request. It was going to take them both a long time before they were confident all this was real.

"Of course," he smiled and wrapped his arms around her, careful to avoid the still-healing skin. She nestled her head under his chin and sighed contentedly. He closed his eyes a moment and welcomed the warm contentment that was spreading out from every place they touched. They both knew that the fact that there really wasn't anywhere else to go wasn't important. He could have the vast space in the Tardis before him and there was nowhere he would rather be than falling asleep beside Rose Tyler. Her breathing evened out and The Doctor thought she may already be asleep. Then she shivered - he supposed it would be a bit cold in the room for a human - and grabbed for the covers that were pulled back at the food of the bed. He bent down to press a quick kiss to her ear, making her giggle, before grabbing the blankets and spreading it over them. She waited as he got settled before lifting herself up slightly to readjust so she was laying against his chest. He pressed his face to her hair and breathed her in, sure that he might just regenerate after all, though this time from happiness. Now that was a new and welcome feeling.

Her breathing gradually slowed and became soft snores as he whispered endearments to her in Gallifreyan. He felt himself following her into slumber despite his desire to hang on to consciousness, to this precious moment he never in all his lives thought he would have. His last thought before sleep finally took him was of the overwhelming love he felt for the beautiful human in his arms.