I've just re-uploaded this chapter as I've changed his goodbye with Amy and Rory. Hope you enjoy it.
"Look at the stars,
Look how they shine for you,
And all the things that you do,
They were all yellow-"
Rose walked the aisle alone, the eyes of her fellow mourners watched her intently, but she didn't stop, she couldn't. Her breath quickened with her steps until she was trembling, and the world was twisting in front of her. It only drew to halt once she was outside the crematorium doors gates. She was alone now away from the sympathetic glances and silent tears that accompanied her in the chapel. She liked it out here, with only the stars for comfort. The stars, she watched them in awe, wondering how many of them had been saved by the Doctor and John. He was gone now, her John. She had her last goodbye earlier that day. She missed him. All the tears the others had shed for him were real enough, but she, she couldn't even cry. She and the Doctor had stood side by side, surrounded by the tears of others, unable to shed any of their own.
"Rose?" The Doctor slid out of the gates and hovered beside her. He had left the chapel just after her, following her out of the crematoriums grounds and bidding his time to comfort her. "He would be so proud of you, Rose. I know he would." His breath created a cloud in the air as he spoke and silently she slid her hand in his.
"Do you think it was ok?"
"I liked it. The songs; they was perfect. He would have loved it." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, shielding her from the autumn breeze. "You've done him so proud. He, I, I'm so proud of you Rose." So proud of what? Rose thought, so proud she had kept dry through the funeral, so proud of what she had done, or so proud that she had chosen him over John. She didn't know, and she didn't want to.
"The stars are shinning for him tonight. In every world, in every universe the stars are shinning for him." The Doctor draped his jacket over her frame, guiding her arms upwards to the sky, creating pictures with her fingertips. "Look above. That one there, the smallest one in the sky, that's Colmosh. Do you remember how we went there? When you still wore plaits and everything was new?"
Rose nodded slowly, pictures of the planet forming in her mind. "It was hot?"
"Yes, very hot, very, very hot. We got tans, well I burnt. You said, you said I looked like a-"
"-A tomato" Rose finished for him "-an old peeling tomato." Her laugher filled the air around them as she began to forget her earlier worries and for a moment she was here, sitting on the beaches of Colmosh and listening to the Doctor whine about his burning ears. "Those ears!"
"Hey! I loved those ears, and that accent, that accent was pretty good you have to admit!" And unsuccessful struggled to copy his old drawl. Rose collapsed with laughter, falling against the gate posts and instantly the Doctor was beside her pulling her up. "Come on, the others will wondering where we are." And with that he led her through the gates, her mouth still curved from laughter.
-x-
"So these are the triplets?" The Doctor bent down to welcome a bundle of excited children into his arms. It was a week or so after John's funeral and slowly but steadily people were leaving the TARDIS. He'd landed in Martha's back garden a few minutes ago and already he was being overwhelmed by people. Engulfed in hugs from Tish and quick slap on back from Mickey – it seemed that in his new regenerated state he got on with Mickey better and could almost not remember why he had ever treated him as the 'tin dog'. "They're great." He told Martha as he sent them off running round the garden. "So which is which?"
"The one with plaits is Ellie. She's the oldest, the boss. Don't mess with Ellie." Martha let a laugh escape as she captured a child between her legs, pulling her up onto her lap. "This is Harriet. Say hello to the Doctor Hatty." Martha prompted Harriet to give the Doctor a shy wave before collapsing in giggles against Martha's chest. "And the final one is Grace. She's my little doctor, always playing hospitals."
"Just like you then."
Martha nodded "And you."
"They're great Martha."
"You really think so?" Martha let herself blush with pride and he nodded energetically. "Thank you."
They spent the afternoon in the garden, enjoying a sudden autumn bright spell. It almost went too quickly but they didn't try and prolong their stay. Leaving as the clock hit six, the Doctor followed by Rose, Amy and Rory disappeared into the TARDIS as Martha disappeared into the kitchen for more wine, and whilst Mickey was putting the children to bed and the Torchwood crew toured the house. They arrived back to see the TARDIS fade into the hedge and stood wordless watching its light dim.
"He never was good at goodbyes." Martha will recount later over a morning coffee with Gwen or an evening drink with Jack or even in bed as she turns off the light. They'll hate him but eventually they'll forgive him and put it down as him, being him, and know for the future the Doctor doesn't do goodbyes.
-x-
"You'll visit right?" Amy embraced him on the doorstep.
"Of course." He wrapped his around hers and forced a smile. "I'm going to miss you Amelia Williams."
"And I'm going to miss you raggedy man." She held him tight, unwilling to let go, unwilling to leave the adventure and memories behind. "I suppose we really have to go this time?"
He nodded, tasting the rust of blood on his tongue as he stopped a tear escape.
"I mean it could be fun, couldn't it? It would get to see everywhere; it would have the best history and geography and science lessons all in one, all the time. It would fun." For the second time that week the Doctor noticed the rounding of Amy's flat stomach. The first time was a night or so after Martha's, when she had told him and told him that they were leaving at the end of the week. Because having a baby in the TARDIS would bring back memories of before and they didn't want to remember all of those things. But now as she left she realised how much she was going to miss it. But she needed to move away, they needed to start again.
"But it can also be dangerous, intense and sad." The Doctor's eyes told her much more than his mouth did. That he understood why they had to go, and he understood what she was going through. "I'd love to have you Amy, you, Rory and the baby. But maybe later. So whenever that baby or you need something, just call me. Anything, help with homework, an on hand babysitter, a weekend away. You pick up that phone and I'll come running." He gave her one last squeeze and broke away.
"Wait!" Amy called after him in a panic "Before you go, let me get my camera… and RORY?! Wait there. Don't you dare move." She threatened running back into the house "RORY?!"
The Doctor watched Amy's silhouette appear and disappear through the windows, her voice dying and rising as called for her husband. He began to open the TARDIS door but Rose's voice stopped him in his tracks.
"Don't you dare" She barred his path with her body and shoved him forward. "Not today, don't you even dare." So for once in his life the Doctor stayed for a goodbye.
Rose took the picture; her fingers fiddling with the simple buttons and Amy's laugh danced in the air as the Doctor straighten his bowtie. The pictures slid out in an instant and the Doctor caught them before they touched the ground. Then he tucked one in his pocket and placed the other in Amy's palm. She gave him a quick squeeze and made him promise to visit. "-And don't be 12 years late this time." She warned before watching him disappear into TARDIS. "I'm going to miss you Raggedy Man."
He closed the TARDIS door before Amy could see a tear slid down his check and, they were silent for a moment, the Doctor and Rose, listening to sound of TARDIS as it began to hum.
"What about you? What are you going to do now?" Rose watched him from the other side of the room, unsure of what to do.
"Well… back travelling, I suppose. Same old life."
She nodded, waiting for him to say more, to explain. But he just stood there messing around with controls and staring intently at the console. Finally she picked up the courage to ask the question she'd been dreading "On your own?"
"Why?" He looked up from a switch he was about to flick. His forehead furrowed as he asked "Don't you want to come?"
She broke into a lapse of relieved laughter "-Yeah"
"You do though?" He asked as he walked to her side and relieved she nodded.
"I just thought… 'cause I'd changed."
"I thought 'cause you changed you might not want me anymore."
"Oh no! I'd love you to come. Rose Tyler and the Doctor, in the TARDIS, as it should be. Barcelona here we come." He flicked a switch with one hand and slid the other in Rose's. He couldn't wait.
The end! May be a sequel, depends really. Hope you enjoyed this fic, it's the longest I've ever written and I think my writing technique has improved throughout, well I hope so. I'm glad people enjoyed it and I must say I found it really interesting reading peoples responses to the last chapter, everyone was very spilt between Rose and River! Oh and also just in case you noticed I did change the names of the triplets. Oh and the song at the beginning is Coldplay's Yellow.
I'd just like to say thank you ever so much to everyone you have favourite/reviewed/followed this story. And especially to
Sucperlc529 –Thanks for the continuous reviews and basically being my unofficial beta checker! Thank you!
Shara Raizel –Thanks for the continuous reviews and support!
