Notes of thanks:

Funky In Fishnet - Ta!

The Angel of Hope - Yes, naughty, evil High Priest! He get's worse.

Rose68 - Thanks! I'm glad you found yourself rooting for her. I always worry that I haven't written things like that well enough!

Interstella - Leave it there? Never! You'd all lynch me:)

Having left Rose when she finally succumbed to sleep, Jackie now sat in the living room with Mickey. Both were silent, not seeming to be able to form any kind of conversation.

Rose had choked out what had happened, hardly making sense through her grief-stricken state.

Finally, Jackie had got her to go and lie down, and she had eventually cried herself to sleep.

Jackie opened her mouth to talk, then closed it again, unsure. Mickey saw this.

'What?' He asked gently.

Jackie glanced at him briefly before staring at the floor.

'I feel so guilty,' she finally admitted. 'All I ever did was tell him how much I hated him for taking my daughter away. I absolutely hated him for it. I kept praying something would happen to make her come back… but not like this. Not death. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

'And now she's in there, devastated, and I don't know what to do, what to say to make her feel better without sounding like a hypocrite.'

She stopped to catch her breath as tears slid down her cheeks.

'I'd do anything to stop my daughter from being in pain.' She looked at Mickey. 'Even if it meant never seeing her again.'

Mickey went and sat beside her, placing a comforting arm around her shoulders.

'I know,' he sympathised. 'I feel the same.'

Hours later, Rose sat bolt upright, confused for a moment as to where she was. She tried to shake away the sleepy haze as she remembered, all too quickly. Exhausted, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood carefully. Her head was pounding. A wave of nausea flooded over her and she leant over the bed, placing her hands on it to steady herself. She squeezed her eyes closed until it passed, then staggered over to her mirror. She looked like a ship wreak. Her face was as white as paper, her hair plastered to it in stringy knots. The mascara smudged under her eyes made her look hollow and gaunt.

Somehow, she managed to co-ordinate her feet to get her to the living room.

Spotting movement out the corner of her eye, Jackie looked over to the doorway to find her daughter leaning against the frame.

'Hello, darling.'

Rose forced a weak smile in reply.

'I'm going to take a shower,' she said in a barely audible tone. As she turned to leave, Mickey spoke.

'Rose -'

'Don't.' She put a hand up to silence him. 'Please don't.' She stared at him for a second, and then walked off.

On the colourful planet of Calario, in what appeared to be a spectacular, far from understated dedication to a Turkish Bath, a gaggle of highly flamboyant men and woman cried out in disappointment as a handsome, cheeky looking character bade them farewell.

'I'm sorry guys and gals. It's been great, a real pleasure, it really has. But I have two beautiful people to get back to who are no doubt missing me terribly.'

'Aw, Jack, take me with you, eh?' An Italian looking man asked seductively.

Jack grinned and winked at him playfully.

'Sorry, Almero, no can do. I don't think Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee would be very impressed with me. Well, Tweedle Dee might… Anyway, I know I told them I'd bring back souvenirs, but I don't think you're quite what they had in mind.'

'Too bad. I could have shown them a good time. How we do it Calario style!' he waved a pair of maracas around to prove his point.

'I'm sure you could.' Jack chuckled as he imagined how the Doctor would react if he saw Almero advancing towards him.

'Adios Amigos!' He shouted, flashing them all a dazzling grin as he teleported back to the TARDIS, the fusion of tropical colours and sparkling jewels fading as his disappeared.

Seconds later he was pieced back together in the control room. He blinked away his swarming vision as he steadied himself and made a mental note to try and fix that unpleasant side of teleportation.

He looked around. No Doctor. No Rose. Just a strange wooden box by one of the walls. Thinking he'd check out the rest of the TARDIS's swarming interior for them in a minute, his curiosity drew him over. Before he could open it, however, the door banged open.

'Hey!' Jack shouted, startled, a frown on his face. He glared at Mickey.

'You're back,' Mickey said dumbly.

'Well done!' Jack said in mock delight. '10 out of 10 for observation.'

Mickey scowled at him. 'Yeah, I don't really think now's the best time to be cracking jokes.'

Jack narrowed his eyes at him, sensing something wrong.

'What's going on?'

Mickey panicked, not knowing what to say. 'Just get up to the flat and talk to Rose.'

He picked up Rose's jacket from off the railing. 'I just came to get this.'

Jack didn't notice Mickey's eyes focusing nervously on the box.

'Come on'.

Jack followed him out, walking up behind him and grabbing his shoulders. He spun him round.

'Mickey,' he said, agitated. 'What's happened?'

Rose was sitting on the sofa in her pyjamas, staring into space. A cold cup of tea sat on the glass coffee table in front of her. Jackie looked at her worriedly, wanting to speak, but not wanting to say anything that might upset her even more.

Rose had not said anything apart from asking Mickey to fetch her jacket from the TARDIS. Her phone was in the pocket and she wanted it in case Jack tried to get in touch.

A noise at the front door startled Rose back to reality. She heard hushed voices. Mickey was with someone. Jack suddenly appeared in the doorway. Rose gasped and launched herself at him. He caught her and sat her back down, rocking her as she wept.

'Rose,' he said, choking back tears and stroking her hair.

Jackie looked at Mickey, confused as to who this stranger that her daughter seemed to know so well was. Mickey gestured toher to join him in the kitchen.

Rose buried her head in Jack's shoulder and clung to him for dear life.

Two days later, Rose, Jack, Jackie and Mickey stood next to a grave in the TARDIS's garden.

Rose was huddled against Jack; she hadn't let him out of her sight since he'd got back.

She stared down at the coffin in the ground. Mickey had gallantly offered to dig the grave after Rose gathered the courage to think about laying the Doctor to rest.

Jack had spoken a very moving tribute to their dear friend. Rose had tried to add to it, but found herself too distraught to speak.

Jackie and Mickey had just stood there, frozen.

After a few minutes of silence, Rose asked to be left alone for a while, but not before making Jack promise that he wouldn't stray far.

As they left, Rose sat down by the grave. She held a single white rose in her hands.

'I still can't believe you're gone,' she whispered painfully. 'I keep thinking you're gonna appear at the door any second with that stupid grin on your face like nothing's happened.' She breathed deeply. 'But that won't happen, will it. I'll never see your face again.' Her voice broke as she struggled to hold herself together long enough to tell her dearly departed friend just how much he meant to her.

'You changed my life, Doctor, changed it for the better. Thank you. Thank you for showing me the stars, for showing me things that before I could only imagine, only dream about. Thank you for showing me a better way of living my life. For teaching me and guiding me and saving me.' She paused. 'If only I could have done the same for you.' The tears perched on the rims of her eyes fell freely again. 'I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you. I hope it was quick because I can't bear to think of you suffering, all on your own.

'I keep thinking. If only I'd taken us somewhere else, or not even asked to be shown how it was done. I'd go back and change it, but I know I mustn't, no matter how much it hurts. I know I could destroy the world if I do. Look what happened last time. Stupid Rose.' She was sobbing now. 'I don't know how I'm going to live without you, but I promise you, I will do it, only because I know that's what you'd want. I won't let you down again. Who knows, maybe, in time, I'll continue travelling for you, with Jack of course. I don't think I could do it alone.

'There are so many things I wish I'd had the chance to say to you, but I was afraid. But look where being afraid gets you. I want you to know now, that I loved you. I'll always love you. You're my best friend, my soul mate and I'll never forget you. I owe you everything. And even though I can't see you, I know you'll always be with me. I'll never let the flowers die on your grave. Jack and I will come visit all the time. We'll take good care of each other. We'll make you so proud.' She got to her feet shakily. 'Sleep well, angel. Till the day we meet again. I love you.' She threw the rose on top of the coffin, then, after one last look, turned to leave.

Jack had been listening by the door. His cheeks were damp and glistening. He made a silent promise to the Doctor that he would take care of Rose for him.

Until he was back with them.

Jack hadn't said anything, but he had the suspicious feeling that something sinister was going on and that all was not as it seemed. He pulled Rose into a hug as she came towards him. He refused to believe that the Doctor was truly dead.

He would right this wrong.