The Doctor sat on the stairs just inside the door waiting for Rose to return to her flat. He wanted to get to her before the consulting detective waylaid her. At the moment, Sherlock was busy poring over that file. The Doctor learned everything he needed to know on his initial inspection of the research documents.

Dr. Hastings altered the meta-crisis' personality, but he had no idea what he'd actually done. What he'd unleashed. The meta-crisis was human, but with a Time Lord mind. The Doctor's mind. By altering his personality, by changing him, Dr. Hastings turned the meta-crisis into the darkest parts of the Doctor. The love he felt for Rose had been warped and twisted, which was most likely why he was targeting her. Unless someone intervened he wouldn't stop until he'd accomplished his goal.

The door opened and Rose entered followed by John. The Doctor stood up. He glanced at the other man and then focused his attention on her.

"Do you have a minute? I think we ought to talk," he said.

John gave Rose a protective glance, but she put her hand on his arm.

"It's all right. You go ahead." John shot the Doctor a warning look and then continued down the hall to her flat. "Let's…um…go for a walk, yeah?" she asked opening the door.

He stepped out and she followed. Then she took his arm and he allowed her to lead him down the street. The feel of her arm around his took him back, back before everything became complicated. When it was just him and her and all of space and time. Before the beast in the pit. The creature that planted the first seeds of doubt in the back of his mind. The valiant child who will die in battle so very soon. And she did, at least, according to the records. Rose Tyler died that day at Canary Wharf.

She wasn't really dead, but he'd lost her. Ripped away to a parallel world. He could've gotten her back. Tore a hole in the universe, but that would've collapsed both universes, not that he hadn't thought about it because she wasn't just another companion. She was the woman who saved him, the woman he was in love with. He tried to fight those feelings growing inside of him back in his ninth regeneration, but when she came back to the game station to save him all those years ago he couldn't deny how he felt and when he regenerated he became a man who could love her. Only, she was human so he kept that secret tucked away, making sure that although they were close they never crossed that line, a line he wouldn't be able to come back from.

He almost told her that day on Bad Wolf Bay. The day he burned up a sun to say goodbye. Almost told her because it was his last chance and then the power faded and it was too late. He thought that was the worst day of his life. It nearly destroyed him, but there was a far worse day coming for him. The day she returned and once again they found themselves on the godforsaken beach.

After almost losing her a second time to another battle he knew there was only one way to keep her safe and the meta-crisis was his way to do that. He needed her and she needed to live a human life. A safe human life. So, he held back those words because he knew the meta-crisis would say them and he had. Seeing her kiss him practically ripped his hearts from his chest and that was why he walked away. He couldn't watch them together, it was too painful. So, he left with Donna and he lost her too, but he knew that was coming. Knew from the moment he saw the meta-crisis.

He pulled himself out of his thoughts as Rose led him into a park. He sat down next to her on a bench.

When he left her he thought he was doing the right thing, but now he knew how wrong he'd been.

"You wanted to talk, yeah?" she asked.

The slight breeze ruffled her blonde hair. She was older than she had been that day. Only a few years, but he could see it. Her eyes were different too. There was more pain and guilt and he knew he was responsible for some, if not all of it.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"Sorry?"

"For everything." She gave him a suspicious look, something he'd never seen directed at him, at least, not by her. "For deciding what was best for you. For leaving him with you when he was my responsibility. And for walking away, for leaving you behind. I never wanted to do that to you. When I said not to you, I meant it, but then you almost died again and it would've been my fault. I just-"

She put her hand on his, stopping his rant.

"You thought you were doing the right thing, yeah?"

She gave him a smile that he returned. Her hand was warm on his. The feeling almost intimate. He gazed into her hazel eyes.

"Yes, at the time I did."

"But now you don't think it was right?"

"No, I don't."

"Because of what happened to James?"

James? The meta-crisis.

"No, not because of him." He glanced away, thinking about everything he'd been through since he walked away. "I…I've been through a lot since that day. I'm not the same man I was then."

She was quiet for a time. Thinking over what he said, but her hand was still on his and he took that as a good sign. She was right. He shouldn't make decisions for her. That's how they got into this mess in the first place. He wanted her to go with him, but in the end it had to be her choice.

"I'm not the same person I was either," she said, breaking the silence between them. "I've been through my own battles and they…changed me." He wanted to ask what she'd been through, but he knew now wasn't the time for that. "I won't blindly follow you, Doctor. I can't be that person again."

"I wouldn't want you to. Rose I…" he swallowed. There were three words. Words he'd held back, but now it was time to voice them. "I-"

"What are you going to do?" she asked, cutting him off.

He blinked. Pulled out of the moment by her question.

"About what?"

"James, Doctor, what are you going to do about him?"

The meta-crisis. The last thing on his mind at the moment, but she was worried about him. That was so like her. Rose never could leave a friend behind.

"He…well, I have to find him first."

"And then?"

"And then stop him."

She pulled her hand off his, making the air around them a bit colder. She knew what he was getting at and she wasn't happy about it, but he didn't have a choice.

"Stop him?"

She narrowed her eyes.

"Yes."

"How?"

He couldn't leave the meta-crisis, not as he was and he was too dangerous to take aboard the TARDIS. If the TARDIS was operable he could trap the meta-crisis in suspended animation, as he'd done to The Family, but that wasn't an option at the moment, which left only one choice, a choice he knew Rose wasn't going to like.

"I can't allow him to go on," he replied.

"You can't!" she snapped, eyes blazing.

He knew she'd be upset, but he'd rather have her angry and alive then…he pushed the thought aside before it took root.

"I won't let him kill you. He's dangerous, Rose, you have no idea-"

"No, Doctor! I won't let you!"

"Do you think this is easy for me? If there was another way I'd take it, but the TARDIS is still repairing and I'm not going to wait around until he comes for you!"

She glared at him for a moment and then the anger in her eyes ebbed.

"There is another way."

Another way? He couldn't see one, but then she did have a way of picking up on things that he couldn't.

"What?" he asked.

"You could fix him," she suggested.

"Fix him?"

"I know you could do it." She took his hands, her eyes filled with hope, something else he hadn't seen in a long time. "Get into his mind, repair what that doctor did to him. Change him back."

He sighed. Yes, he'd thought about that, but there were complications. As much as he wanted to fan those flames of hope he wouldn't lie to her. Not to her.

"I could. You're right, but I won't."

She dropped his hands, anger replacing hope.

"Why the hell not?"

He glanced at her. Startled by her words.

"He tried to kill you and he's killed others. If I changed him back I don't think he could live with what he's done."

"You can't know that," she snapped.

"Yes, I can, because he's me."

"He didn't kill those women. I know he didn't."

"You don't want to believe he's capable of that, but Rose I've seen the research papers. I know what Dr. Hastings did to him."

"You're right. You have changed. The old Doctor would've believed me. Trusted me. You aren't him, not anymore!"

She shot up and stalked out of the park. He let her go because he knew there wasn't anything he could say to change her mind. She always wanted to see the best in people, believe they could be saved, but he didn't have the luxury of believing that. Not after everything he'd been through. And not at the risk of losing her.

Standard Disclaimer.

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