A/N: THANKYOU ALL SO MUCH! Yet another fantastic response. You people really know how to make my day.So, I've got a surprise for you... however you'll have to read to find out what.Here's chapter three! Oh and I apologise for any mistakes last chapter, and any I might make this chapter. Enjoy!
The Doctor sat on the park bench near Rose's "grave," the flowers sitting on the earth under the headstone. He buried his head in his hands and allowed himself to cry. He cried everything out, unashamed of what he looked like. 'This was the best kind of therapy,' he thought. 'Moving on. It's not like you'll ever forget her.'
"You know, a smile can make even the darkest days seem bright," an elderly lady said, taking the seat next to him. He looked up to see her smiling.
"Yes, I once knew someone who could do that. She's gone now," the Doctor replied.
"I take it that she's the one who you're grieving for. It's nice to see you men these days, not afraid to show their emotions. Not caring what other's think," the old lady said.
The Doctor smiled at her again, "I suppose. I just wish I'd told her how I feel. The one time I tried, I chickened out. I wish I could have my time with her again. Redo it. I could tell her everything. Feel better in here," the Doctor said, indicating to his hearts and the tears stinging at his eyes again.
The old lady squeezed his hand, and gave him another smile.
"It's getting late, I should be going, nice to meet you. Hope this doesn't keep you down," she said, giving him one last smile in a last attempt to cheer the Doctor up.
"Sure. Oh, and, thanks. It's been a while since I spoke to anyone who really cared."
She gave him a friendly wave, then walked off into the sunset. The Doctor stood up took one last look at Rose's grave, blew it a kiss, and walked the opposite way. Realising it was weeks since he'd had a proper meal; he stopped in at a small pub that said 'Meals after 7pm'. Scanning the bar, he ordered a side of chips, (sadly reminded of Rose) when he saw a familiar face sitting at the counter, with a number of shot glasses in front of him. He sat down next to him and said, "You know Captain, that's an awful lot for someone to drink."
"What? I'm sorry do I know you?" Jack replied, slurring his words.
"Here, take this, it'll sober you right up," the Doctor replied, giving Jack a pill and winking at the man who was known for his charm.
Jack swallowed, and found himself as sober as a child.
"Now, what did I do to deserve this honour? Is it my birthday?" the Captain flirted eyeing the Doctor in his oh so gracious fashion.
"Oh, I don't know, you dropped a Chula warship in the London Blitz and tried to con me out of my money… I'd say you brought this on yourself," the Doctor quipped.
Jack eyed the Doctor suspiciously for a while, before establishing the connection, and realising who he was talking and flirting with.
"Doctor?" he asked astounded.
"Took you long enough."
The two friends hugged as they were reunited.
"So, what's with the new face?"
"Regeneration. When I die, I change my body, every single cell, but it's still me. I've still got all my memories."
"Oh, bet that's sends the ladies wild. By the way, where's Rose?"
The Doctor bit his lip and smiled sadly, "We were separated in the incident involving Torchwood recently. She's in a parallel universe. Where I can never see her again."
"No," Jack breathed seeing the anguish in the Doctor's eyes and hearing the strain on his voice.
The Doctor nodded, words escaping him. They sat there in this silence for a few minutes.
"So, how did you get back here? Last time we met it was in the year 200,000," the Doctor queried.
"I hitched a ride back with a girl from the Time Agency. Ran off when she landed here."
Suddenly, the bar maid interrupted, "Drink sirs?"
Neither man looked up, but they shooed the girl away. However, she seemed insistent, "But you ordered it."
"Look, we don't want – " The Doctor said, cutting himself off as he looked at the barmaid. It was Rose, smiling cheekily at him. Laughing, he said, "Hey, you stole my bit!"
Jack and the Doctor lifted her over the bar and crushed her in a hug. She smiled at them, and said, " Well, you have to admit, it is attention grabbing."
"Is this real? I mean, how did you get back here?" the Doctor asked, staring into Rose's eyes.
"I'll tell you later, when I'm not wearing a leather miniskirt and white tee-shirt that makes me look desperate."
"Oh, I don't mind it Rosie. Accents your… features," Jack teased.
"Get over yourself," she laughed back.
They left their money on the bar and wandered back outside, Rose's hand interlocked with the Doctor's. Without realising, the trio had arrived at the TARDIS, a sight Jack and Rose thought they'd never see again. Clutching her TARDIS key, Rose pressed it through the lock and opened the doors up to the massive inside. The console room looked as normal as ever, and Rose could swear that she saw her jumper on the far sided railing.
"Welcome home."
"Ain't no place like it."
Rose ran off to her old bedroom to change out of her clothes and into something more respectable. This left the Doctor and Jack to share their joy.
The two men hugged each other, smiles plastered all over their faces. The Doctor twirled in utter joy around the control room screaming in ecstasy. It truly was the best feeling in the world for him. Jack simply laughed at the man who had nothing's happiness. The Time Lord who had lost everything, had finally found it all again.
Rose emerged some ten minutes later to find them sitting in the lounge.
"Took you long enough. Did you get lost?" the Doctor teased.
"Oh, yeah, but, I'm not they only one acting giddy. So much for not dancing," Rose pointed out.
She plonked down on the couch next to the Doctor and leant on him, his arm around her. Both realising that this casual façade they were putting on still left words unsaid. It took Jack to realise this. He saw the cool way they were treating each other, then took into account the fact that Rose had obviously made mountains move to get back to him, and the dance and ecstasy the Doctor had displayed earlier.
"If it's okay, I think I'll go to bed. Do what you've got to do."
For a while, they sat there, hands interlaced. With a bond as strong as theirs, words seemed like a waste. They were connected in a way that no one could and would ever understand, not even Jack, a guy both of them had grown to love. It was the Doctor who broke their silence first, " Did you mean it?"
"Mean what?"
"What you said on the beach. Did you mean it? Or were you just caught up in the moment?"
"Where's this come from?"
The Doctor felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. The assurance that she loved him wasn't real.
"Didn't you believe me?" Rose asked.
"I – uh…"
"I meant it Doctor. Every word. But what about you? What were you going to say to me before the transmission cut out?"
The Doctor sat up to face her. He took deep breath and said to himself, 'this is it.' Holding her hands and staring deep into Rose's eyes, " Rose Tyler, a long time ago, I met you cowering below a plastic dummy in a shop basement. I knew in that elevator you were better than the life you had. I knew you were destined for greater things on that bridge when you found the Nestene transmitter. Rose, it was you that destroyed those Daleks on Satellite 5. Sure I told you that ages ago, but, Rose, you defeated the things I couldn't. Rose, you're my equal in everyway. And that's why I love you. Rose Tyler, I love you. Truly. And that's what I wanted to say on that beach."
She stared at him for a while, eyes shining. He stared at her, eyes shining. They were inches from each other, and the Doctor tilted his head, his lips fluttering across hers. It was a fleeting kiss, but then, hungry for more, Rose kissed him back, the months of loneliness built up and exploding at that moment. Then, the Doctor scooped her up in his arms, and they went to get to catch up a little better…
Okay, now, there is another chapter to this, not sure how long this will be yet, but the next one will explain exactly how Rose got back. Hope you liked this instalment. Please review!