Disclaimer: Doctor Who is not mine.

The title is stolen from Loreena McKennitt's song Dante's Prayer. Features Rose with the 10th Doctor.

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Please Remember Me

"Doctor?"

The hesitation in Rose's voice made the Doctor frown with concern. She was perched on the metal stairs rising up from one side of the TARDIS control room, where she had sat deep in thought ever since they had said their farewells to Sarah Jane in London. Mickey had disappeared to settle into his room, sensing that Rose needed some time alone.

As the Doctor turned to her now, he saw that her brow was creased with worry and there was an unusual vulnerability in her eyes. He strode over to where she was sitting and sat down next to her. His fingers entwined with hers almost subconsciously. Rose gripped his hand tightly, clearly needing the reassurance of their physical contact.

"What is it, Rose?" The Doctor asked gently, while his thumb stroked slow circles on her skin.

"Do you ever," Rose hesitated, looking at their entwined fingers instead of meeting the Doctor's eyes, "do you ever think about your old companions?"

The Doctor opened his mouth to reply, looking surprised, but Rose hurried on.

"I realise it must be difficult to watch humans grow old and die. But do you ever think about them? Or do you just try to forget as best as you can?" When Rose finally met his eyes, the Doctor saw the fear in her eyes and realised that what she was really worried about was whether he would remember her. His eyes softened as he regarded her and his grip on her hand tightened.

"Come with me." He said, pulling her up.

Rose allowed herself to be steered away from the control room and hand in hand they headed towards one of the main corridors. The Doctor led her down a convoluted route, choosing each turn with practised ease. They finally came to a corridor that had a multitude of doors, all of them different. Some where brightly-coloured, others polished wood or gleaming metal and several were decorated with carvings or paintings. Rose looked at them curiously, certain she had never come across the corridor before, although one of the doors did look vaguely familiar. The doors did not quite fit together, as if they had been grouped in the same corridor as an afterthought.

The Doctor stopped at the nearest door and pushed it open. The air smelled faintly stale, as if no one had been in the room for some time. As they stepped in, the TARDIS automatically switched on the lights. The bedroom before had clearly been inhabited by a woman, although all the clothes and other items looked outdated. The room was neat and tidy, as if the occupier had left the TARDIS for a day or two and simply never returned. The Doctor let go of Rose's hand and wandered around the room, picking things up and then setting them down again. After a while he returned to Rose and pulled her to a small sofa, indicating that they should sit down.

"This was Sarah Jane's room," he began as the settled against the cushions.

The Doctor held Rose's hand as he recounted some of his adventures with Sarah Jane and spoke of many aspects of her personality. All throughout, there was a warm smile playing on his lips. After some time, the Doctor took Rose to the next room, where another one of his old companions had lived. They made their way slowly down the corridor, room by room, pausing only to make tea and sandwiches for lunch. The Doctor went through his past companions, telling Rose about each of them. He was open about his feelings for them, how he had coped with losing them and also what he knew about their life after the TARDIS. Some had died or were lost, but others had found themselves a good life back on Earth.

When the reached the final door, which had seemed familiar to Rose earlier, she stopped the Doctor by placing a hand on his arm.

"That's Jack's room, isn't it?" She asked with a sad smile.

"Yes," the Doctor confirmed. "The TARDIS moved it here soon after he… After the Game Station." He gently stroked the door, but did not open it.

"I don't suppose either of us need reminding how much we loved him," he said quietly, the pain of their loss clear in his dark eyes. Rose mirrored him by placing her palm against the door, but made no move to open it either. The loss of Captain Jack was too fresh for both of them. After a moment of silence, Rose surprised the Doctor by hugging him tightly. He pulled her close and buried his face in her hair. She shifted in his arms and clutched his jacket with both hands.

"When I'm gone," she whispered, "will you please remember me?" At her words, the Doctor tightened his arms around her, not daring to conceive of such future.

"I will never forget you," he promised, "not in a million years."

They stayed in the embrace a little while longer and then stepped back. Rose brushed her hand against Jack's door as they started down the corridor.

"So will my room end up next to Jack's someday?" She asked, finding the Doctor's hand.

"No," he shook his head. "I'll always keep it next to my room."

"Why?" Rose queried, tilting her head to one side.

"Because you'll stay with me forever." The Doctor's answer was quick.

They both smiled at the naivety of their fantasy.