It appears that my muse for this story is back!

I will get back to Rewind eventually, but I'm finding it hard to focus on two stories at the same time. To that end, I may try to finish this one first (I feel it's about 2/3 complete) before I continue the other… even though I left that one on an evil cliff hanger.

Anyways, enjoy. As always, I don't own Doctor Who.

Tony was just a bundle of seemingly unlimited energy that morning. He shoved several toy trucks into his big sister's hands trying to get her to play with him, thrilled that she was around him instead of off working. Rose had sat cross-legged beside the low table in Tony's bedroom and only half-heartedly pushed one of the trucks across the small surface that wasn't covered in construction paper and crayons.

She desperately wanted to know how the Doctor was getting on with her mum at that moment, idly wondering if she should be arranging his funeral. Jackie had never wanted to speak to him in private like this before.

"You okay, Rosie?" She looked over at her little brother who was staring back at her. Concern was clearly evident on the child's face. Tony was such a thoughtful boy, always looking out for the welfare of others, even though he was far too young to understand the complexities of adult life. He was so much like his big sister in that regard. Rose shot him a small smile and opened her arms to him and Tony ran up and gave her the tightest hug his tiny three-year-old arms could muster.

"I am now." Rose smiled, rubbing her brothers back. And in that moment, she truly was.

"Good!" Tony exclaimed before releasing her, running off and pretending to be a zeppelin. Rose laughed heartily at the sight, even though it was a stark reminder of how this universe was so different. At one point in time, she showed him her impression of an airplane and the boy just stared at her confused as he had never seen an airplane before. So, zeppelins it was! And she was oddly okay with that as long as she could see her little brother grow up.

If someone asked her two days ago where she wanted to be, she would've said she wanted to be back in her home universe travelling through time and space with the insane Time Lord she loved so much.

But now?

Now she had everything she could ever wish for! She had her family and she had the Doctor, and hopefully in a year or so all of time and space as well.

It was everything the Time Lord wanted her to have to begin with. Words he had said long ago to her in a holographic message rose unbidden in her mind occasionally ever since she found herself in this universe:

'If you want to remember me, then you can do one thing. That's all, one thing. Have a good life. Do that for me, Rose. Have a fantastic life.'

Those words spoken in that Northern accent she so dearly missed used to taunt her. How could she have a fantastic life when she was so far away from everything she ever knew? How could she do that without him?

Her hand rose to the pendant around her neck – a gift from the original Doctor – and she smiled. He did everything he could to ensure they would have that fantastic life, and she would be forever grateful.

She was so lost in thought that she didn't hear the soft knock on the door. But she certainly heard Tony's loud squeal as he shouted "Docta!" as he ran past her.

"My little Tony!"

Rose couldn't help but smile (but inwardly groaned at the really bad pun and hoped that nickname wouldn't stick) as she watched the Doctor scoop Tony up and balance the boy on his hip. Tony's shrill laughter filled the air as the Doctor tickled his ribs.

Rose knew the Doctor had been both a father and a grandfather before, and it really showed by the way he interacted with her little brother, and all the other children they encountered during their travels.

'I wonder if he was bein' serious about us havin' those 2.5 kids?'

She instantly sobered at that thought. Growing up, she never imagined herself as a mother. Maybe it was because she didn't want to bring up a child on the Estate like she had been (although her mum did her very best, she could tell it was incredibly difficult for her especially on her own). She never thought Mickey was responsible enough to have a kid, not to mention how horrible Jimmy Stone was.

She almost felt physically sick thinking about Jimmy even after all these years, so she quickly banished those memories almost as fast as they surfaced.

Rose would always scoff when other mothers would tell her emphatically "you'll change your mind about having children one day." Now she was actually sitting there considering it! Considering it with a bloke whose exact words were "I don't do families." And, at the time, she was absolutely certain he meant it. Then over time he pretty much became a member of her family whether he intended to or not!

And what if they got the TARDIS up and running again – providing he was totally serious about having children with her. Would that life be suitable for a child with all the danger they invariably found themselves in? They didn't even know what really lay beyond planet Earth in this universe! Even Earth's past would be completely different! Plus, any children they would have would be a quarter Gallifreyan. Would they live to be hundreds of years old? Would they be capable of regenerating? Would they be dissected by human doctors curious as to why the child had two hearts and telepathic abilities?

"You alright there, love?" The Doctor's voice jarred her out of her extremely panicked thoughts.

"What?" She managed suddenly feeling dizzy.

"I asked if you're okay? You look like you're about to start hyperventilating!"

"I do?" Well, that explained the dizziness.

The Doctor set Tony back down, telling him to go play and (after pinky swearing to play zeppelins with him later) walked over and sat with Rose.

"Seriously, what's goin' on?" The Doctor tried again his eyes quickly scanning her, looking for anything that would cause her to be unwell.

"Shouldn't I be askin' you that?" She smirked.

"Rose." His eyes locked with hers. He was being dead serious, and almost seemed to be on the verge of a panic attack himself.

"Nah, it's nothin'. I'm fine." She attempted to wave him off, but all she accomplished was him quirking an unbelieving eyebrow at her. "I was just thinkin'…"

"A dangerous pastime." He sing-songed absently, then shook his head, causing Rose to laugh. "Sorry. Beauty and the Beast won't help right now… but seriously, what were you thinkin' about so strongly you're almost panicking?" He prodded gently after she trailed off.

"I was just worryin' about what was goin' on between you and mum. I was wondering if I shouldn't be arranging your funeral." She half lied, a slightly nervous laugh bubbling out of her.

"Well, don't. Both the worrying and the funeral arranging. Bit morbid, that is. I've still got several decades to go!" He puffed out his chest proudly while cracking a smile. "Jackie, uh… well. Well, she approves! Quite the shocker to me. I always thought she hated me."

"That why she greeted you with a kiss that one time?"

"Eugh, don't remind me." He shuddered.

"So she's totally fine with our… engagement?" Rose was genuinely gobsmacked, but she genuinely smiled at him nonetheless. She also mentally kicked herself for tripping over that last word.

"Yup! Isn't it fantastic?" She nodded emphatically. "Brilliant! Molto bene!" He crowed bundling Rose into a brief hug. "I am, however going to need your help with something."

"Well, if it's keepin' mum from plannin' our entire weddin' down to the last detail… I don't know how much help I'll be. She get's a bit crazy when it comes to this sort of thing. Wouldn't be surprised if she hadn't planned it all already…"

All colour drained from the Doctor's face.

The most important day of his life planned out by Jackie Tyler? He'd rather face a Sontaran firing squad!

"Oh my god, your face!" Rose was now laughing so hard it was difficult to get words out properly. "I'm only joking."

"You hope." He finally managed. "Anyways, I do seriously need your help with this."

"Sure, what is it?"

"What exactly do I do with this?" He handed her the cheque Jackie wrote out for him. Her eyes nearly fell out of their sockets when she read the amount.