Things were finally beginning to fall into place.
The Doctor knew he'd be able to turn the Daleks and Cybermen against each other, and with the support of Pete's Torchwood, he figured it would be time for the humans and the Cybermen to create the one of the shortest alliances there was. Once Pete Tyler had graciously allowed him to return to his own universe, The Doctor made sure to check Jackie was alive and safe.
It was probably one of the only times he'd EVER been glad to hear Jackie Tyler's voice.
He'd been trying to convince Pete to give this world's Jackie a chance for a few reasons. He liked Jackie, he did, (despite how much grief he gave her) and he knew that she loved Pete more than she could ever love anybody else. They were meant for each other. Mostly, though, he was fully aware that if his plan to get rid of the Daleks and Cybermen was to work, then Rose would need to go to the parallel world with the others, to be safe. Jackie wasn't in danger from being pulled in, she'd never gone through the void; but while he was fully expecting to be separated from Rose forever, he wanted her to still have Jackie.
If it went well, then she'd have both her parents, together and happy.
They could be a family.
Pete was steadfastly rebuffing his attempts, of course, but The Doctor was certain those walls would break down when the two of them came face to face. First, though, he needed to find Rose and Jackie and keep them alive for his plan to come to fruition.
He'd been able to open up the bonding chamber on Jake's gun, enabling it effective to work on Polycarbide – the skin of a Dalek. While it wouldn't destroy Daleks, it would render their firing power useless for a short amount of time which frankly, was all he needed.
Sticking a sheet of paper to a stick, and holding it around the corner, The Doctor was quick to step out, onto a new corridor, the Cybermen he'd been targeting turning immediately as they sensed his presence.
"No white flag. I only had a sheet of A4. Same difference." The Doctor confessed as he walked towards them, an easy grin playing on his lips. The Cybermen straightened, holding their fists out towards him to shoot, doubtful of his intentions.
"Do you surrender?" One of them demanded to know.
The Doctor continued to move forward until he and the Cyberman were face to face, staring unflinchingly into its cold black eyes. "I surrender unto you." He paused, his grin growing even broader. "A very good idea."
"Explain yourself." The Cyberman ordered, and The Doctor rocked back lightly on his heels, dropping the piece of A4 to the floor in favour of slipping his hands into his pockets.
"You want to get rid of the Daleks, you know they're your biggest threat right now," The Doctor pointed out, observing the small group. "I can get you into the sphere chamber, and I can give you weapons that will work on the Daleks. Your technology isn't advanced enough to come close to penetrating them. Nah, they're way beyond you! But, with a bit of HELP, you might stand a chance." The Doctor gestured with a hand, and Pete, Jake and the other preachers eased around the corner, none of them looking entirely happy with the situation.
Bah, they just couldn't see the big picture!
The Cybermen considered him for a moment, before the leader spoke once more, and The Doctor smiled, already knowing the answer. The Cybermen were certainly a proud race, but NOT above alliances when it came down to their best interests, and he knew it.
"You will assist us in disposing of the Dalek vermin, and then you will be upgraded!" It announced, and The Doctor tugged on his earlobe lightly.
"Well, when you put it like that… How can I resist?" He strode forward, gesturing for the others to follow him, and they did so, the Cybermen in close pursuit.
When they came to the sphere chamber, The Doctor was quick to explain his plan, determined to go inside by himself first, to make sure Rose (and he assumed Mickey) could get out of there safely before guns started to fire. It was also his chance to see this Genesis Ark he'd heard the Daleks speak of, and hopefully he could figure out just what they were trying to do.
Within the room, he could hear Rose's voice, taunting the Daleks about the Emperor, about what she'd done on the Gamestation, and alarm bells began to ring in his mind. She shouldn't be able to remember that- ANY of that. He heard the Dalek's furious cry of extermination, and knew he didn't have time to dwell on it now. He pulled on his 3D glasses and pointed his sonic at the lock, prompting the door to open up in a flourish.
"Oh now, hold on, wait a minute." He interrupted, sauntering inside. His eyes locked onto Rose immediately, trying to make sure she was safe. She was beaming at him, her arms lightly outstretched as though she'd been WELCOMING the Dalek's death ray. Ah, now, they'd need to have a little chat about that.
"ALERT! ALERT! YOU ARE THE DOCTOR!" Sec and the other Daleks swivelled to look at him, and he smiled pleasantly, noting that they were indeed soaked in void stuff, just as he'd suspected.
"SENSORS REPORT HE IS UNARMED." Another Dalek noted, and The Doctor's smile bloomed into a grin as he stood beside Rose and – Mickey! There he was. Brilliant!
"That's me, always," He confirmed, before his gaze roamed over towards Rose once more.
"THEN YOU ARE POWERLESS," Sec surmised, and The Doctor resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Typical Dalek mindset.
"Not me," He said, pulling off the glasses in order to slip them into his pocket. "Never." He had a plan, after all, but kept his eyes fixed on Rose. "How are you?"
"Oh, same old, you know," Rose said dismissively, her tongue touching her teeth in his favourite smile, and he grinned back at her, pleased.
"Good!" He turned towards Mickey, darting forward in order to knock his fist together with the other man. "Mickity-McMickey! Nice to see you!"
"And you, boss." Mickey offered with a returning smile.
"SOCIAL INTERACTION WILL CEASE!" Jast ordered, eyestalk swinging to look at the three of them, though Sec focused solely on the Doctor.
"HOW DID YOU SURVIVE THE TIME WAR?" Sec asked, and The Doctor's expression hardened.
"By fighting on the front line," He told them quietly, trying to supress those awful memories before they tried to consume him. He couldn't afford to lose himself now. "I was there at the fall of Arcadia. Someday I might even come to terms with that. But you lot ran away!" He focused his glare on them.
"WE HAD TO SURVIVE." Sec responded, and The Doctor lifted his eyebrows slightly.
"The last four Daleks in existence," He noted. "So what's so special about YOU?"
"Doctor," Rose piped up next to him, and he looked at her quickly. "They've got names, and they said they're the Cult of Skaro," Mickey looked sharply at her, and Rose bit back a curse. They'd never said that, had they? She needed to be more careful.
The Doctor's eyes widened in some surprise, and he turned back to the Daleks as they introduced themselves. Sec, Thay, Jast and Caan, the most clever Daleks in all of existence.
"I thought you were just a legend," He mused, before glancing back at Rose and Mickey, explaining for their benefit. "They're a secret order above and beyond the Emperor himself. Their job was to imagine, to think as the enemy thinks. They even dared to have names, all to find new ways of killing." His voice quickly turned scathing, obviously disdainful of the cult and all they stood for.
"But that thing," Mickey said, gesturing to what The Doctor could only assume to be the 'Genesis Ark'. "They said it was yours. I mean, Time Lords. They built it. What does it do?"
"I don't know," The Doctor confessed, shaking his head. "I've never seen it before."
"Even the Time Lords had their secrets," Rose seemed to guess, and The Doctor was inclined to agree.
"What is it? What have you done?" He asked the Daleks sharply.
"TIME LORD SCIENCE WILL RESTORE DALEK SUPREMACY." Sec replied, and The Doctor ground his teeth together in frustration and confusion.
"What does that mean? What sort of Time Lord science? What do you mean?" He demanded, Rose's voice pitching up beside him once more.
"They said one touch from a time traveller will wake it up," She told him, and his smile turned somewhat sardonic.
"Technology using the one thing a Dalek can't do." He confirmed. "Touch. Sealed inside your casing, not feeling anything... ever... from birth to death, locked inside a cold metal cage." His voice dropped to a whisper. "Completely alone, and that explains your voice. No wonder you scream.
"THE DOCTOR WILL OPEN THE ARK!" Sec ordered, and The Doctor let out a loud, contemptuous laugh in response.
"The Doctor will not," He scoffed, moving back towards Rose and Mickey, hands moving into his pockets with ease.
"YOU HAVE NO WAY OF RESISTING." Sec pointed out, and The Doctor let out a seemingly thoughtful hum.
"Well... you got me there. Although... there is always this." He smiled, drawing his sonic out of his pocket and holding it up.
"A SONIC PROBE?"
"That's 'screwdriver'," The Doctor corrected, knowing Sec would dismiss it instantly. Classic Daleks, they could never see what was right in front of them.
"IT IS HARMLESS," Sec responded, and The Doctor slowly smiled, prompting Rose to do the same.
"Oh yes, harmless is just the word. That's why I like it. Doesn't kill, doesn't wound, doesn't maim. But I'll tell you what it does do - it is VERY good at opening doors." The Doctor turned, pointing the sonic back at the door before activating it. It blew inward, revealing Jake, his team and the Cybermen, all immediately beginning to fire.
The Doctor wrapped his arms tightly around Rose, pulling her down to the ground to avoid the chaos, as the Daleks immediately began to fire back, before the shots from Jake's gun rendered their firing abilities near useless.
"Rose, get out!" The Doctor called as Mickey grabbed his own gun, beginning to fire it. Rose nodded, scrambling to her feet as she ran for the door, only to stumble and almost fall. An arm wound around her, helping her to stand, and though she knew who it would be, Rose's breath caught as she locked eyes with her father.
She forced herself to look away, ignoring the urge to throw her arms around him as The Doctor reached her side.
"Mickey, come on!" Rose called out, and he and Jake began to edge towards them. Rose flinched as Mickey stumbled, his hand pressing firmly against the Genesis Ark, though there was nothing she could have changed here. He and Jake ran quickly to the exit, just in time, as The Doctor sealed the doors shut, locking The Daleks and Cybermen in together.
"Jake, check the stairwell!" The Doctor instructed; his hand gripping Rose's tightly. "The rest of you, come on!" He ordered, and they began to run. Mickey was staring at the burn on his hand with a grimace as they rushed down a corridor.
"I just fell, I didn't mean it!" He blurted out, directing his apology to The Doctor, who simply shook his head.
"Mickey, without us, they'd have opened it by force. To do that, they'd have blown up the sun. You've done us a favour!" He flashed a cheery grin in Mickey's direction before he pressed a kiss to the top of his head, prompting Rose to let out a laugh. He grinned broadly back at her, despite the worry knotting in his stomach. "Now, run!"
OoOoOoOoOOoOoOoOo
"You will be upgraded."
"No, but you can't! Please—"
As the group rushed along the corridor, Rose felt her heart jump into her mouth at the sound of her mother's terrified voice. It had never quite sunk in just how close her mum had been to dying in this battle until now, and the sudden jolt of realisation almost forced her to rip Mickey's gun out of his hand and shoot the Cybermen herself.
Pete, however, beat her to it, lifting his gun and destroying the two Cybermen threatening her mum almost instinctively. Jackie looked at the group in obvious relief, squinting through the smoke before she saw him. Her breath caught, and she managed to choke out only one word.
"Pete?"
Rose moved closer to The Doctor, her hand holding onto his tightly, and he looked at her, seeing her eyes beginning to shine. This was it, the beginning of her mother's happy ending, and knowing what she knew, just HOW happy Jackie would be, how much better her life would be – it caused her smile to stretch wide, trying to force back her tears.
"Hello, Jacks," Pete offered quietly in response, unable to tear his gaze from her, and Jackie's voice broke.
"I said there were ghosts, but that's not fair. Why him?"
"I'm not a ghost," Pete tried to explain, and Jackie shook her head.
"But you're dead. You died twenty years ago, Pete." She insisted, and The Doctor cleared his throat to try to offer an explanation, though his hand stayed firmly in Rose's hold.
"It's Pete from a different Universe." He said by way of explanation. "There are parallel worlds, Jackie. Every single decision we make creates a parallel existence, a different dimension where—"
"Oh, you can shut up," Jackie snapped, dismissing him instantly. He fell silent, looking back at Rose with his eyebrows lifted. Rose could only grin weakly in response, giving his hand a gentle squeeze as her parents began to talk. She could see the hope and reluctance in the both of them, along with the desire for something new. As they both gave up on resisting and ran for each other, Rose wrapped her arms tightly around The Doctor, pressing her cheek to his chest, tears slipping freely from her eyes, though her smile stretched wide.
They deserved this chance.
OoOoOoOoOOoOoOoOo
Once The Doctor had retrieved a pair of magnaclamps from the factory floor, narrowly avoiding being shot by both Daleks and Cybermen alike, they had all retreated up to the top floor of Torchwood tower.
"Doctor," Rose said quickly as they rushed out of the lift and towards the full length windows. "If the Genesis Ark was made with Time Lord Science, then maybe… It's bigger on the inside? Like the TARDIS?"
The Doctor's eyes widened in sudden realisation, and he dropped the clamps onto Yvonne's desk before he ran to the window, palms pressed flat to the glass. The others quickly joined him, watching as the Genesis Ark spun in the air before it started to open, and Daleks began to pour out in a never ending stream.
"You were right, Rose. It's a prison ship," He murmured, throat suddenly dry, and Mickey looked at him sharply.
"How many?" He asked, and The Doctor shook his head as the Daleks above began to engage in warfare with the Cybermen below.
"Millions."
The group on the top floor of Canary Wharf could only watch the destruction below in a stunned, horrified silence, though Rose's gaze was hard, knowing the moment she feared most of all was at hand. What she did next could change the course of her life forever, and though distant, she could hear the song of the TARDIS echoing through her mind, encouraging her.
Pete turned away from the window, looking grim. "I'm sorry, but you've had it. This world's gonna crash and burn. There's nothing we can do. We're going home. Jacks, take this." He tossed one of the dimension hoppers to her, and though Jackie caught it, the mere thought that they were leaving seemed to shock her.
"But they're destroying the City!" She insisted, and Pete's smile to her was fond, affectionate, even. Rose knew they'd have a fantastic life, a wonderful life, and her eyes filled with tears despite trying to hold herself together. She had to say goodbye soon.
"I'd forgotten you could argue," Pete murmured, slipping the button around Jackie's neck for her, and taking her face into his hands, expression turning serious. "It's not just London, it's the whole world, but there's another world just waiting for you, Jacks. And it's safe as long as the Doctor closes the breach. Doctor?"
At the mention of his name, The Doctor turned, his 3D specs already on, and a manic grin on his face. This time, Rose could see right through his excitement, knew exactly what he was planning to do, and she swallowed thickly, unable to bear seeing him so chipper when she knew it was all false. He was still going to send her away, but this time, she would stay. She had to.
"Oh, I'm ready," The Doctor was saying as he rushed over to a nearby computer. "I've got the equipment right here. Thank you, Torchwood! Slam it down and close off both universes!" He announced, and Rose followed him, feeling as though she were working on auto-pilot.
"What about the Daleks and the Cybermen?" She asked quietly, and The Doctor straightened, looking at her with that huge, false smile she absolutely despised.
"They're part of the problem. And THAT makes them part of the solution. Oh yes!" He cheered, and Rose forced herself to smile back at him, before he laughed, gesturing to his glasses. "Well?! Isn't anyone gonna ask? What is it with the glasses?"
"What is it with the glasses?" Rose asked instantly, though she knew the answer. She could remember every single detail of this moment, of this exact conversation. She'd never forget it – how could she? Seven years had gone by and it was fresher than anything else, had seared itself onto her heart and mind.
"I can SEE!" The Doctor shouted buoyantly. "That's what! 'Cos we've got two separate worlds, but in-between the two separate worlds, we've got the Void. That's where the Daleks were hiding. And the Cybermen travelled through the Void to get here! And you lot - one world to another, via the Void! Oh, I like that. Via the Void! Look!" He pressed the glasses onto Rose's face, and she squinted slightly, seeing the expanse of void stuff that surrounded The Doctor as he darted around to help her see it. "I've been through it. Do you see? Void stuff!"
"It's background radiation from going through the Void," Rose noted, reaching out a hand instinctively to brush her fingers against the black particles, before she turned at his prompting to look at her family – Pete, Jackie, Mickey and Jake. They were all her family, even though she didn't know Jake as well in this timeline, it couldn't stop her from loving him like a brother, and Pete would never love her the way he'd loved her before, and god, did that ache.
"The only one who hasn't been through the Void - your mother. First time she's looked normal in her life." The Doctor pointed out, and Rose didn't even bother to crack a smile as she stared at them, her lips trembling.
The Doctor could tell something was wrong with Rose – in moments like this, when everything seemed like it'd been won and their victory was guaranteed, his excitement would rub off on her and they would bounce off of each other in their joy. Instead however, as she turned back to him and pulled the 3D glasses from her face, her eyes were shining as though she were about to cry, and she stared at him with such a wounded expression, it ached.
Did she know what she would have to do…?
Shaking it off, The Doctor turned, fighting back his emotions in order to rush to the wall from which the breach originated, running his hands along it slowly. Even if she knew it or not, Rose would have to leave, and he would need to lose her.
The grief of the impending separation threatened to tear him apart but he forced himself to remain smiling, to keep the façade up. He couldn't let himself show weakness, not like this, not in front of her. He wanted her to remember him how he was.
"The Daleks lived inside the Void." He explained lightly. "They're bristling with it. Cybermen - all of them. I just open the Void - end of verse. The Void stuff gets sucked back inside!"
"Pulling them all in," Rose seemed to guess, and The Doctor flashed her a broad grin.
"Pulling them all in!" He agreed, his hearts clenching at the look on her face. She knew; there was no doubt in his mind that she knew. He forced himself to look away from her, to swallow the guilt before it consumed him completely.
"Sorry... what's- what's the Void?" Mickey asked from behind him, utterly clueless, and The Doctor focused his attention on him, glad for the distraction.
"The dead space. Some people call it 'Hell'." He explained, and Mickey grinned, slipping his dimension hopper on over his neck.
"So... you're sending the Daleks and Cybermen to Hell," It was a statement, not a question, and he looked at Jake with a smirk. "Man, I told you he was good."
"There's just one problem," Rose breathed, and all eyes except The Doctor's roamed to her. She stared at him, the last of the Time Lords, the Oncoming Storm, her madman in a box, and she could feel tears slipping down her cheeks. The emotion of the day was beginning to wear on her, and she just wanted it to be over, to tell him everything. She wanted to BEG for him not to send her away, because though she knew she would come back, to be separated from him so forcefully and against her will right now would only break her heart. "If we stay here, then we get pulled in, don't we Doctor?"
The Doctor finally looked at her, and she hated that look in his eyes, that look of defeat, that he'd already given her up. He opened his mouth, but she shook her head abruptly before he could speak.
"No, no, don't you dare." Rose whispered, taking a step forward, wiping her hand over her cheek. "I'm not going anywhere, do you hear me? I'm stayin' with YOU. You're not sending me away, I won't let you."
"You have to," The Doctor said simply, shaking his head, and Rose let out a laugh of disbelief.
"Sorry, what's going on?" Jackie piped up from behind them, and though The Doctor went to speak, Rose beat him to it, eyes flashing with the old fire she'd been missing since they'd reached the rift chamber.
"The Doctor wants me to go with you lot to the parallel universe, to live my life on the slow path while he stays here. The breach'll close and I'll never see 'im again," She said flatly, disregarding that she HAD seen him again, just once before John. "Isn't that right, Doctor?" She finally whispered, and he couldn't meet her gaze as he strode past her.
"Wait, won't you get sucked in too?" Mickey asked, confused. "You're covered in that void stuff, right?"
The Doctor picked up one of the magnaclamps he'd left on Yvonne's desk, forcing a bright smile onto his face. "That's why I've got these. I'll just have to hold on tight - I've been doing it all my life."
"It's not happening," Rose snapped, trying to force the trembling in her arms to stop. She needed to be strong here, but now The Doctor wouldn't even look at her again, and she could feel her resolve slipping. One way or another, she would lose someone today, but she couldn't let it be him, not again.
"We haven't got time to argue," Pete said sharply, walking towards the breach, the others following him. Rose turned against her better judgement, pulling her bag from around her neck to rest it simply on her shoulders, knowing what would happen soon enough. "The plan works, we go in; you too. ALL of us."
"I'm not leaving him," Rose's words were flat, but they rang with sheer determination, though when Jackie spoke, she was clearly angry.
"I'm not going without her!"
"Oh, my God, we're GOING." Pete snapped back at her, and Jackie's temper flared into life instantly, seething that the man she loved could even TRY to convince her to leave her daughter behind.
"I've had twenty years without you, so button it! I'm not leaving her."
"Mum," Rose's words were firm as she gripped Jackie's shoulders to turn her, her eyes shining with more tears she forced herself to hold back. "You need to go with him, and don't argue, okay?" She interrupted, seeing her mother go to open her mouth. "I love you so much, but you're right, I've changed, I've changed so much and it's for the better, because The Doctor showed me who I could be. He's taught me so much and done so much good, and I know that If you forced me to live there, I'd spend every single day of my life tryin' to get back." Her fingers closed around Jackie's squeezing them tightly.
"You've watched me grow up, you've sacrificed so much for me, to raise me proper, but you can't give this up. You've got a chance to be with dad, you've got a chance to be happy, to live a new, amazin' life and you can't give it up for me, I won't let you. If you make me live there, I'll change even more, but I won't be me, not really."
"How am I s'posed to live a life without you, sweetheart?" Jackie whispered, tears already slipping down her cheeks, and Rose's lips trembled, though she smiled broadly.
"You're Jackie Tyler. You're my mum – you can do anythin'," Slowly, she let go of Jackie's hands, beginning to move backwards towards The Doctor, hating him for what he was going to do, for what he tried to force her into. "I can't leave him on his own, and I can't live without him."
Rose closed her eyes as she felt The Doctor slip the button over her head, and she choked back a sob as she felt the pull that dragged her through dimensions, to a world she'd never wanted to see again. She forced her eyes open, but threw her bag over towards Jackie, who caught it instinctively, her eyes wide and terrified.
"I love you," Rose told them simply. "All of you."
Then, she pressed the button around her neck and disappeared once more.
OoOoOoOoOOoOoOoOo
The Doctor had known he'd lose Rose Tyler one day.
All of his companions left in the end, one way or another, they could never stay forever, and each of their losses cut deeply into his hearts, leavings scars so deep he doubted they'd ever heal. From his beloved Susan to his wildcard Ace, they all left him one way or another, be it by his hand, their own, or by death.
Rose wouldn't be the first companion he'd sent away for their own good, to try to ensure they'd be given a better life, a life they truly deserved. Still, it didn't stop the pain that tore through him as he heard everything she said about him to Jackie as she inched towards him, the love she held for him so clear in her voice.
It scared him, just how devoted she was to him, how she'd promised him forever when she couldn't truly give it to him. It'd been inevitable, losing her, though the thought of never seeing her again tore him apart. After the war, he'd been so empty and so broken, but she'd given him hope, she'd given him a reason to be better.
I'm sorry, Rose. I'm so, so sorry.
He pulled the Dimension Hopper Jake had given him out of his pocket, draping it around her neck, and watched as his pink and yellow girl was pulled away from him, through the void, where she was safe. He stared at the spot where she'd been for only a few seconds, his heart heavy before he turned to the closest computer and began to type, locking his pain away.
"Don't you ever do that to me again,"
He froze at the sound of her voice, his throat tight, and turned to stare at her, stood before him, her eyes blazing with anger. She held the chain of the hopper in her hand, but threw it to the side, far away from the two of them, and though his hearts sang at the sight of her, he strode quickly towards her and gripped her shoulders tightly.
"Once the breach collapses, that's IT. You will never be able to see her again. Your own mother!" He tried to make her understand, to help her see that he wouldn't do this to her, he wouldn't take her away from the only family she had left. Rose stared back at him without flinching, her eyes boring into his own and seeming to reach deep within him, before her hand rose to rest on his cheek. He froze at the contact, knowing she'd be able to feel the way he trembled underneath her fingertips, but he didn't pull away. If this was the last time he'd see her, then…
"You don't get to make those kind of choices for me, Doctor," Rose said softly, slowly shaking her head. "You can't keep sending me away, because I can't bear it anymore. I promised you forever, and I don't care how long my forever is, it's yours," Her other hand reached up to cup his cheek too, and he let out a shaky breath, instinctively leaning into her touch. "I've lived a life with my mum, and I'll miss her, but living without you would kill me,"
"Rose, you don't-" The Doctor began, but Rose sighed and pressed a finger to his lips, finally smiling at him, her eyes bright.
"I want you safe, my Doctor," She whispered, and his eyes widened, searching her own for some kind of hint of gold, some remnant from the Time Vortex, of Bad Wolf, but he saw nothing, nothing but his brilliant, brave and beautiful Rose. "Safe and never alone, so tell me what you need me to do."
Swallowing thickly, The Doctor pulled back and gestured to the computer, his voice quiet. "Those co-ordinates over there, set them all at six." He told her, and Rose turned without hesitation, leading him to stare after her in wonder.
Another warning from the computer shook him out of it quickly, and he rushed to continue what he was working on, leaving Rose to the duty he'd left her. She'd noticed, with a pang of relief that this time he hadn't even shouted at her for coming back. Things were changing, and as she caught sight of the Cybermen on the floor below approaching on the computer monitor, she felt a sense of grim satisfaction.
Let them come; it would all be over soon.
The Doctor finished typing out a code onto Yvonne's laptop, only to grin triumphantly when everything seemed to fall into place. Rose looked up at him, and he could see a new light in her eyes as she grinned back at him with her tongue touched smiled.
"That's more like it!" She enthused, "A bit of a smile! The old team...!"
"Hope and Glory," The Doctor continued, picking up the magnaclamps with an even wider grin growing on his face. He was sure he'd feel guilty regarding what Rose was leaving behind for him later, but for now, she was here, she was with him, and when The Doctor had Rose Tyler by his side, there was nothing he couldn't do. "Mutt and Jeff, Shiver and Shake!"
"Which one's Shiver?" Rose asked, though they both knew the answer – it was routine.
"Oh, I'm Shake," The Doctor winked, setting the clamp down into her arms. She didn't waste a second, rushing to the wall, her heart pounding rapidly in her chest. This moment, it all led to this moment. She pressed the red button as The Doctor told her to, but turned, reaching into her inside pockets and pulling out the two bundles of rope.
"Doctor!" She called out, and when he turned, she threw one of the bundles towards him, which he caught in obvious surprise, staring at her in disbelief. "Just some insurance! Can't have us letting go and fallin' into the void!"
"Where were you-?" He began, but Rose was already wrapping one half of her own rope around her waist, tying it securely in a knot Jack had taught her a lifetime ago. Strong and secure, it would be all she needed to keep her tethered to the clamp.
"Bigger on the inside pockets," She explained quickly, tying the other end of the rope to the clamp before she grinned at him, giving a hearty tug to the rope to ensure it was secure. "I don't jus' wear this cos I love the colour!"
"Oh, Rose Tyler, you are brilliant!" The Doctor grinned in disbelief, quickly tying himself to his own clamp. He had no idea WHY she'd been keeping rope in her pockets, bigger on the inside or not, but he'd ask her later. She smiled back at him, before her expression sobered, nodding to the window.
"Doctor, the Daleks are coming!" She called, and he looked up to see she was right. The cult of Skaro were headed straight for the rift chamber window, having discovered his intent, and he grinned madly. Time to send them back into hell.
"Let's go, then!" He ordered, and together, they pushed the levers into the 'up' position, before they both rushed to grab hold of the clamps as the wall behind them began to glow brightly. A fierce wind began to pick up, and Rose gripped onto the clamp tightly as she felt her feet lift up off of the ground. Terror filled her every sense, and she could feel her body being sucked towards the breach, and she looked at The Doctor as the Daleks crashed through the window, falling into the void. He laughed joyfully as more Daleks and Cybermen alike were pulled against their will right to where they belonged.
Despite how terrified she was, she laughed with him, only for the sound to fade abruptly at the shower of sparks that came from her lever, before it slid back into the closed position. The wind began to die down, and Rose's eyes narrowed. She didn't need the Doctor's panicked cry to turn it back on, but inched forward until she fell onto the lever, gripping it tightly.
Forcing it back into position, Rose gripped onto it as tightly as she was able, her eyes locking onto The Doctor's once more as the wind picked up and the suction increased. He was shouting to her, but the sound was muffled, and everything seemed to fly by her in slow motion. She'd reached the moment, the moment she feared most of all, and she could feel her fingers slipping on the lever.
For the first time, though, she wasn't afraid.
Her fingers slipped, and she fell, flying backwards towards the breach with The Doctor's scream of her name ringing in her ears. She grasped blindly, her hands finding purchase on her safety rope, though it slipped through her fingers and ran sharply across her palms, causing her to cry out from the friction burns it had inevitably left behind. Her hands all but useless, the rope pulled taut and forced her body to a sudden stop, forcing the wind out of her lungs in a sharp gasp, pain rocketing through her entire body.
Despite the pain, Rose grasped at the rope, clinging to it though her body screamed in protest, and suddenly, she hit the floor hard, ragged gasps leaving her lips as she curled up slightly on the side, trembling.
"ROSE! ROSE!" The Doctor was by her side in an instant, his fingers fumbling desperately with the knot around her waist before he tugged her free of the rope and drew her into his arms, holding her tightly as though he was afraid she would disappear. She did her best to regain control over her breathing, her head spinning as she heard the triumphant song of the TARDIS in her mind.
"Doctor…?" Rose murmured, pulling back from the hug slowly, once she was able to take deep breaths. She stared at him, their faces inches apart, and her palm pressed to his cheek, ignoring the dull pain that erupted immediately at the touch. He was watching her carefully, assessing her for damage, but she could see the underlying fear in his eyes, that he could have lost her, and it hit her.
She'd done it.
"Oh, Doctor!" Rose burst out, tears immediately beginning to fall down her cheeks, and she dove forward, wrapping her arms as tightly around him as she could, burying her face into his shoulder as she sobbed, relief, joy and grief tearing her apart. She'd defied the universe and she'd defied time. She'd changed her timeline and she'd won.
The Doctor hugged Rose back, one hand moving to cup the back of her head, feeling himself tremble. He'd been certain the rope would hold, but seeing her fall had been terrifying. The rope had saved her life, had stopped her before she'd fallen into the void, but if Rose hadn't thought to bring it along with her… He shuddered.
Slowly, they pulled apart, Rose wiping at her eyes as she stood on shaky legs. She moved to the wall where the breach had been, her fingertips touching the white paint lightly. On the other side of this wall, in another world, her mother would begin to lead a wonderful life, and Rose moved forward, closing her eyes and resting her forehead down there.
"Have a wonderful life mum, dad… Tony," She whispered softly. "I love you."
The Doctor watched her silently, his hearts aching for the obvious loss she was feeling, and he moved forward slowly, hesitantly wrapping his arms around her shoulders. Right now, he was all she had, and though he knew one day she'd come to resent him for this choice, and as much as it would hurt, he would be there for her until it came to pass.
Rose leaned into him, her own arm moving around his waist, and she closed her eyes and dropped her head to his shoulder. Though the loss of her mother and a family she would never now know hurt her deeply, Rose couldn't help but smile, once more hearing the TARDIS sing in her mind as she celebrated her wolf's victory.
No matter what came next, Rose would have The Doctor, and he would have her.