"NO! PLEASE. DON'T KILL HER! TAKE ME. Please…." The Doctor twisted and turned, writhing beneath the sweat-soaked sheets. He whimpered, as if in pain, as his nightmare gathered full momentum and left him feeling helpless under its devastating waves.

In her room a few corridors away, Rose woke up with a start. She could hear shouting and thumps coming from the direction of the Doctor's room. 'Maybe it's the Daleks again' she thought – she knew this was impossible, but her brain wasn't yet in rational mode. 'He's in pain' – the mental message stirred her into panic mode, and without any consideration for her own safety she was up and out of the door at a run.

"Please. She's all I've got. Please don't take her away from me." He moaned into his pillow, tears streaming down his face, stinging his raw cheeks. Rose appeared in the doorway, panting, cheeks flushed. "Please. I love her. Please, not Rose. Not now. She doesn't know." He pleaded with the imaginary Dalek. Sobbing.

Mouth agape, she stood there taking the scene in. The Doctor was curled up on the rug sobbing; sheets tangled round his pyjama bottoms; bare chest heaving; clutching vainly at a pillow. The emotions inside threatened to overwhelm her. She couldn't bear to see him like this. So helpless. So vulnerable. But at the same time, she was rooted to the spot, unable to move a muscle. She couldn't take it in. What was it he had said? "I love her." Her mind was in turmoil. She just wanted to go and hug him. Tell him it was all OK – that she was here. But she couldn't – could she? Doing that would be as good as admitting her own feelings for him. Was she ready to do that yet? What if he rejected her? All her hopes and dreams could be shattered.

However before she had a chance to really consider all this, he started groaning again: "Rose. Please. Let me be the one. Let him kill me. I can't say goodbye to you again. Please…" This last sentence was filled with such emotion that she nearly broke down right there. Instead, she managed to stay upright long enough to fling herself at his broken body. He awoke when she landed spread-eagled on his back and arms. She barely had time to register the fleeting look of surprise and then deep gratitude on his face before he had pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. She took a moment to regain her breath, before she too gave way to the throaty sobs that wracked her entire body.

They had no idea how long they stayed there, locked in each others arms. Rose knew that at one point, he had shuffled them over to the bed and leaned against it, pulling her into a tighter embrace, her head resting on his chest, his buried in her hair. They cried and rocked together; calming themselves – she was lulled by the thud of his double heart-beat – it was oddly comforting.

At some point much later, when their breathing had returned to normal and the seemingly endless tears had all but dried up, she sat up and spoke tentatively.

"Doctor…what you said earlier…was it true?"

"What" his voice was soft and raw from crying, "What did I say?"

"About…you know…"

He grinned for the first time in ages. "Yeah well I can't help it if you overheard me fanaticising – I have absolutely no idea what on Gallifrey you're on about"

She punched him lightly, "Oh you daft idiot – I didn't mean…" she blushed furiously, "no I meant about… well, earlier…you were having a nightmare…you said that…well you…."

"I what?" he grinned?

"You said that you loved me." There she'd said it, just like that. She saw his expression grow serious. Oh god, what had she said that for? Well, it was out in the open now and they'd have to deal with it.

He was silent for a while. It looked as though he was having some sort of internal battle of feelings – his face looked pained and the double thud of his hearts sounded loud in the quiet, dark room. She turned away swiftly, not wanting to stare into those blue eyes – she could easily drown in those deep pools of emotion.

"I do." He broke the silence with a guilty admission. He had come to this decision, after a period of deep contemplation. Though when he thought about it, it seemed that it was something he had already decided on - in his heart - a long time ago. In fact, he had felt that love ever since their first adventure with the Autons. From the moment he'd first grabbed her hand.

"What?" She swivelled round to face him; unsure what he was admitting to. Was it…

"I do um…." He was once again lost for words.

"Go on…" she coaxed – almost a whisper, she was breathless with expectation.

"I love you." There he'd done it. He'd admitted it. Now he closed his eyes and braced himself for her reaction.