April 2010

Jack wandered the corridors of the Tyler family's TARDIS. She was doing an excellent job of hiding the object of his search. "Come on, sweet girl," he said, stroking the wall and turning on his best charm. "I know she's hurting, we all are. But hiding her won't help. I'm her friend. I just want to help. Please."

A gentle hum filled the air and a door clicked open behind him. "You're the best," Jack murmured and headed into the room.

Inside, he found Rose sitting on the edge of what looked like a cliff. The wind was blowing and the sun appeared to be setting over the horizon. Jack was always in awe of what the TARDIS could manage to create. "Might not be a good idea to sit so close to the edge when it's about to get dark." He plopped down next to her and handed her one of the glasses he'd brought with him.

"Won't get dark," she said, sniffing the liquid he had just poured for her. "She's giving me a perpetual sunset. A single moment suspended in time. What is this?"

"Scotch. Old, expensive and great for drowning your feelings." He drained the contents of his own glass and watched as she swallowed her own. "Why here exactly?"

She smiled sadly. "It's the first place we came when the TARDIS was ready. We spent the day with Tony and Rory, just down there." She pointed to a village off in the distance. "The days here are incredibly long and the boys tuckered out early. So we sent them to bed and James moved the TARDIS here. "

Jack had filled her glass again and she had emptied it. "We had a picnic right here. We danced, actual dancing, not dancing." For a long moment she simply stared at the glass in her hand. "I miss him, Jack. I miss him so much it physically hurts. Sometimes I feel like I can't breathe."

Putting down the bottle of scotch and his glass, he wrapped her in a hug. "I know, Rosie. I'm here, I've got you. Just let it out. You have been so strong for everyone else, just let go. I've got you."

Her body racked with sobs while he stroked her hair and rubbed circles on her back. Jack was fairly certain this was the first time she had broken down since that day in the café. Rose had been trying so hard to keep her children from falling apart, she hadn't been taking very good care of herself.

After several long minutes, or it could have been an hour, Rose pulled herself out of his arms. "How many have you lost?" Rose asked quietly.

Closing his eyes, Jack remembered all the loved ones he'd said goodbye to. "Two wives, a husband, more lovers than I care to think about and even more friends. And I'll never stop loving people just because it will hurt to lose them."

"Does it ever hurt less? To lose someone?" Rose surprised herself with the question. Rory had asked her something similar on the day of James' funeral. Her response to him had been so certain. Now, months later she wasn't so sure.

"No... and that's what keeps us human. Well, in our cases, mostly human anyway," he replied, giving her another squeeze. She smiled slightly at his horrible joke. "There is one good thing though." He wiped away her tears with his thumb.

"Yeah, what's that?" She was staring at him intently, as if she was searching for any light in the darkness.

"There's me, always me and you. Best friends for all of eternity." There was such sincerity in his face that it overwhelmed her.

Fresh tears began to fall and then she laughed. Softly at first, then becoming a full blown fit of hysterical giggles.

"Hey, what's so funny?" He was slightly hurt by her reaction.

"Oh, Jack, I'm sorry. You are my best friend and I love you, so very much. It's just that... you reminded me of an old argument James and I used to have." She wiped more tears from her eyes.

"He would tell me that after he was gone I should find the Doctor. You know my husband, always trying to foist me off on another man." She was smiling now. "And I would tell him I didn't want the Doctor, that I'd have you instead, my pretty boy Captain Jack."

"It must have driven him mad." Jack laughed too. Rose was as good as his sister and he would never make a move on her.

"Oh, it did. He'd get all possessive and he'd want to mark his territory. That part was always very fun." She wiggled her eyebrows and shot him a mischievous grin.

"But it would get the point across and he'd stop planning for the future like that. Only it's not the future anymore. It's now, it's right now." Looking down at her empty glass, she asked, "Can I have another drink, please?"

He poured them both another and they sat in silence for a long time.

"Are you going to try to find him?" Jack finally asked. They'd given up the glasses and were now just passing the bottle back and forth.

"Nope. I told myself in a letter once that we had to wait for him to find us. So I'm gonna listen to me. It's a bit wibbly wobbly," she said with a snort.

"And when he does find you? What then?" He passed her the bottle again.

"Don't know. He's regenerated. He's the Eleventh Doctor now. For all I know he's moved on and good on him. He deserves happiness, too." She raised the bottle as if to say cheers.

"What if he hasn't?" Jack leaned back and studied her face. If there was one thing Jack was certain of, it was that the Doctor would always love the woman before him.

"It's pathetic, really, that I still love him, isn't it? That I would be with him if he'd only ask? I just lost my husband of over twenty years and I'm still in love with another man. Pathetic Rose Tyler, she will always be in love with the Doctor, no matter the incarnation or even the metacrisis. It can only ever be the Doctor for me."

"They're the same man, Rose. Underneath it all they are the same man."

"I know." She held up the bottle. "To my Doctor, James Tyler Williams, the best husband, father and friend anyone could ever have." She took a large drink and passed the bottle to Jack.

"To James, the luckiest man I ever met." Jack took a drink in the fallen man's honor.

Rose took several more drinks and then turned to face her friend again. "Who called, Jack? Which one of my busybody kids called you?" she asked, her voice flat once again.

"Amy called me, although I was planning on coming myself if I hadn't heard from you in the next few days." Jack nudged her shoulder. "I worry about you, Rosie."

She pushed back. "I'll be fine, Jack."

"Says the woman who parked her TARDIS in her living room. You do realize how gossipy this little town can be. What if someone sees?" He nudged her shoulder. "Amy's aunt may try and cancel the wedding if she finds out that the Williams family is actually the Doctor's family."

"Amy would never let that cow interfere with the wedding. Besides, I turned the Chameleon Circuit on. The TARDIS looks like a grandfather clock." Rose shrugged, as if that explained everything.

"And she hasn't left this spot since the wake, five months ago. Rory refuses to come inside of her, and you spend hours every day just sitting here. I know for a fact that she's getting antsy. And you must be about to jump out of your skin from sitting still. You can fly her all by yourself. Take me somewhere. Please." He gave her his best puppy dog eyes and stuck out his bottom lip.

"It just feels wrong without him beside me. And I can't go anywhere right now. Sabrina starts University this year and I'm going to be a grandmother again. Trisha could go at any time. Then of course there is Rory and Amelia's wedding in three months. With only one parent between the pair of them, most of the planning falls on my shoulders. Although Rory seems to have lost interest in the wedding, doesn't want to plan anything."

Rose shook her head. "The Doctor's death is making him think about a time when Amy won't be around anymore. He can't think like that. I'm scared he might call off the whole thing and run away. He's so much like his father at times. At least he seems somewhat excited to be an uncle again." She sighed. "So you see, Jack, I have to be here. My life is linear now."

"We're in a time machine, Rosie. We can head to a pleasure planet and be gone years and still be back in time for the baby's arrival. Come on, one trip. It'll make you feel better. Then we come back and celebrate the birth of your new grandson, my nephew."

"Sounds like you're planning on sticking around for a while, yeah?" There was the first hint of a real smile on her face.

Jack looked at her for a moment, contemplating what to say next. "You lot are basically the only family I have left and I care about you. Just let me take care of you for a while. Let's go have some fun." He smiled at her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "And don't worry about the Hub if your driving skills leave something to be desired. Mickey and Martha are helping fill in. Although, Martha is banned from field duty until after her baby's born."

"Martha's pregnant?" Rose gave her another genuine smile. "They are going to be fantastic parents." She raised the bottle. "To the soon to be newest member of the family." She took one last swig of the bottle and handed it back to Jack before standing.

Rose squared her shoulders. "So, Captain Jack Harkness, all of time and space at your disposal. Where do you want to go?"

"Oh, I have a couple places in mind that might cheer you up," Jack said with a wink.

"Alright, but if we end up naked in public again, I'll string you up by your toes," Rose said, offering Jack a hand up.

"Rose Tyler, that sounds like pickup line. And a cheesy one at that. "

Four hours or six weeks later

Rose landed her slightly purple, bigger on the inside Police Public Call Box in its customary parking spot in the cellar. She and Jack stumbled up the stairs in a fit of giggles.

Jack managed to speak between the laughter. "Oh, I remember that. And then she said..."

"That'll be six pence and the red squirrel," they finished together as they burst into the living room. The youngest Tyler was curled on the couch reading a book.

"And just where have you two been?" Sabrina asked in her most stern voice.

"Damn," Rose swore, stifling her laughter. "How long have we been gone then? How bad did I botch the landing?"

"Only about four hours, but it looks like you two had a good time. And it seems to have done you a world of good, Mum. Get in any good trouble then?" Sabrina smirked playfully.

Holding back his laughter, Jack spoke. "Oh yeah, arrested twice, started a revolution and attended a planet-wide celebration in our honor. The effigies were very flattering."

"Yours was gorgeous," Rose said, pointing at Jack. "They didn't get my bum right."

"Sounds like fun, next time maybe I'll come with," Sabrina kissed her mum on the cheek. "I'm heading to bed, I have an exam tomorrow. Night, all."

"Night, Brina," Jack said with a wave.

"Good night, Sweetheart," Rose called up the stairs. Once they were alone, she flopped down on the sofa. "You were right. I needed that, needed to laugh again. Time heals all wounds and all that. Thank you."

"Any time." Jack settled onto the couch next to her, snuggling in next to her. "So where to on our next adventure?"

At that moment Tony rushed down the stairs. "Hospital, now, Trisha's almost nine centimeters and the contractions are already less than two minutes apart. So the next adventure is going to be the hospital because she refuses to have the baby here."

Spinning into action, Rose went out to start the car, while Jack and Tony helped Trisha down the stairs. Rory followed with Trisha's suitcase, his face lit up with excitement for the first time in months.

Sabrina had a very tired EJ in her arms. "So much for a good night's sleep, for either of us. Isn't that right, EJ?" she mumbled, putting her niece into a stroller. "You lot take the car." She pointed to Tony and Trisha. "We'll hoof it. It's only five blocks. Next time, sister dear, don't wait so bleeding long. And I'll give Amy a call; she wouldn't want to miss this."

One hour and forty-five minutes later, Trisha held her brand new son in her arms.

"What's his name?" Amelia asked, itching to hold him.

"James," Tony choked out. "James Peter Tyler. I think we'll call him Jamie."

"It's perfect," Rose said with a tear trailing down her cheek. "A perfect tribute. Dad would have been honored." She sat down on the edge of the bed. "Can I hold him?" Trisha handed him over.

Soft brown hair, with a tint of Tony's red, ten toes and ten fingers and this little baby was already fixed permanently in her heart. A tear ran down Rose's face. His whole life was in front of him. She walked over to where Rory stood with an arm around Amy's waist.

Her heart had broken when her husband died. But life moved on and time would heal those wounds, a lesson that Rory needed to learn. He had centuries ahead of him and he needed to know that life would always move on. No matter how broken your heart was.

"Here, take Jamie," Rose said quietly.

Carefully Rory supported his nephew's head and cradled Jamie in his arms. Rose could feel the heaviness of his conscience lighten slightly.

"You can't stop time from passing, Rory. You can't pause your life and hide in grief. Life finds a way," Rose said as she kissed his cheek.

Rory's eyes misted as he snuggled this new life close to him. "I know and I'm sorry. That trip with Uncle Jack must have really helped you."

"That it did. You two should come next time," Rose said, wrapping an arm around Amy's waist.

Rory's eyes widened. "I'm not sure I'm ready for that yet."

"Then we take it one step at a time, together." Amy leaned over and kissed Jamie's head. "For starters, we can finish planning that wedding, yeah?"

"Yes," Rory nodded. "A wedding sounds like a great idea."