Rose was sinking into a pit of despair. She wiped her eyes furiously as she sat down on her bed, biting her thumb. How could the Doctor just send Jack off to save the world when he knew Jack would die? She couldn't believe he'd do such a thing.

Rose heard him coming down the corridor to try and explain. Sighing she looked up as he entered. He sat down next to her, pulling her towards him for a hug.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "If there were any other way you know I would've done it. But one of us had to die. I was going to do it myself, but Jack insisted that I stay, for your sake."

Rose thought back to the cryptic conversation the Doctor and Jack had had and realised what they were talking about. She sobbed as she thought of her best friend just leaving, not saying a proper goodbye, but at the same time she knew it would've hurt more if it had been the Doctor. It wasn't that she didn't love Jack as much, but with the Doctor it was something different. Like they were the same soul. She knew it would've been a different kind of pain, a deeper hurt, harder to recover from.

"Would he… would it…" Rose couldn't bring herself to ask but the Doctor seemed to know what she was about to ask.

"No, it would've been instantaneous, he wouldn't have felt anything," he replied stroking her hair.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Rose whispered, still shaking with sobs.

"Would you have let him go if you'd known?" The Doctor asked wrapping his arms more tightly around her.

"No," she said smiling slightly despite the pain shooting through her chest.

"I'm sorry that it came down to this," he said kissing her neck gently.

"I'll live," Rose replied still unable to think of anything but the last time she saw Jack.

The next few weeks seemed to drag on forever. Rose spared little time to think about anything but Jack. The Doctor, who had lost many people, concentrated on Rose and the baby. It wasn't that he didn't care for Jack, but having lost his whole planet he knew that Jack was dead and he should make sure that Rose didn't stop eating or anything.

They returned to the Powel Estate after that and Jackie seemed a little more accepting when she heard what had happened. Not only did she not want to see her daughter upset but she wanted to be there for her grandchild. Mickey was a little less enthusiastic to find out Rose was pregnant.

"Good for you, I'm happy for you," He said, though Rose could tell his smile was a forced one. She'd never properly broken up with him and it probably hurt a lot to suddenly find out that she was having a child with another man. Make that an alien.

"Are you sure you're ok with this?" Rose asked, after having dragged Mickey into the kitchen to interrogate him. The Doctor had been reluctant to see her leave, because he knew it meant he'd have to sit with Jackie on his own for several minutes.

"I'm fine," Mickey said firmly. "Just surprised is all."

"Surprised?" Rose asked frowning.

"Well… you've only been with him a week ad now you want to have his kids… it just seems like you're moving ten times faster with him than you ever did with me…"

"Mickey, for me it's been weeks, months…" Rose said sadly. "I didn't just decide to have a child on a whim!"

"Yeah, well it still takes me a while to get my head round stuff ok?" Mickey said frowning.

"Oh I'm sorry," Rose said irritably. "I'll just wait until you're ready shall I?"

"I didn't say that!" Mickey replied angrily. "If you had any concept of time you might realise how hard it is to deal with stuff!"

"My best friend just died!" Rose shouted. "And you're telling me I don't know what it's like to receive a shock?"

"Will you stop twisting my words!" Mickey hollered.

"I'm only saying what you're thinking!" Rose thundered storing out the kitchen and practically throwing herself on to the sofa next to the Doctor.

Mickey could be heard stomping towards the door and slamming it on his way out. Rose burst into tears. Mickey being annoyed with her was the last thing she needed right then. The Doctor put his arms round her and glanced at Jackie who came and sat on the other side of Rose.

"Come on love," she said, giving her a hug. The Doctor stood up and went to make another cup of tea, realising that Rose needed her mothers support right then.

"I just want people to understand!" Rose sobbed.

"I know, and I do!" Jackie replied rocking her daughter gently. "Now I hope you're taking things easy?"

"Yeah," Rose said sniffing slightly. "The Doctor's keeping me out of trouble."

"Good," Jackie smiled slightly as the Doctor returned holding three mugs of tea on a tray. He put it down on the coffee table and sitting opposite. "You'll come back for the birth won't you?"

"Course we will!" Rose replied and the Doctor nodded knowing that they'd both find it much easier if her mother was present. "Of course, we can't have it in a hospital what with it being part Time Lord…"

"Gosh, yes, I never though," Jackie bit her lip thinking. "Well as long as you're here, it should be alright shouldn't it?"

"Totally," the Doctor assured her. "It'll be a lot more painless than a normal birth. It will be perfectly safe as long as I'm here."

Jackie nodded and Rose wiped her tears away. It didn't really matter; her face was permanently tear streaked and her eyes always red. She was still in mourning for Jack.

"As long as we're together that's all that matters," Rose said to the Doctor.