"You know Rose," the Doctor said as he sat on a chair in the kitchen five minutes later, sipping slowly on the mug of sweet tea Rose had just handed him, "I never understood what the fascination was between you English humans and tea! I mean, it doesn't matter what the crisis is, you always seem to turn first and foremost to tea, like you think it has magical healing properties or something."

"That's cos it does Doctor. You were looking far too pale when you came in here a few minutes ago, but you're starting to get a bit of colour back in your cheeks now you're drinking that. You want to tell me what was wrong?"

He looked deep in to her eyes, and all he saw was love and concern. No pity, none at all.

You can trust her you know. She doesn't pity you, she cares about you. Why not trust her, let her in?

I do trust her, I've always trusted her. I just don't know if I can trust myself. If she sees me for who I am, she'll change her mind in a second. I can't risk that, not now I know she loves me too.

You're forgetting, Reinette saw you for who you were, and she still loved you. What happened to the doorstop, did you kick it away again?

"Doctor? Are you alright? You've gone all pale again."

"I'm so sorry Rose" he said, reaching out and tenderly stroking her face with a shaking hand. "I don't think I can find the doorstop again. I'm so sorry!"

Before she could do anything, he was gone, dashing off to hide in his room, but this time the door was locked, and there was no way she could get in.

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She knocked softly on his door.

"Doctor? Doctor please, just open the door, will you? You don't have to talk, don't have to do a thing. I just want to know you're alright, sit with you for a bit or something. Please?"

He had been locked inside his room for almost an hour now and so far, despite all of Rose's pleas, he had not showed any signs of wanting to come out.

"Doctor please, I want to help." A stray tear rolled down her cheek; she brushed it fiercely away. To her surprise she heard footsteps approaching, then a soft thud as the Doctor sat down heavily on the floor on the other side of the door.

"You can't help me Rose," he said quietly, "It's not you-"

"It's me, right?" Anger flickered inside of her again, but she forced herself to keep her voice even. "I've lost count of the amount of times I heard that line back home, and I'm telling you now, I didn't travel thousands of miles, across outer space and time, to hear that rubbish from you too."

He leant his head carefully against the solid metal door.

"You don't understand do you Rose?" he said wearily, " I'm not trying to feed you some kind of line to get rid of you, I'm trying to explain to you why I'm acting like a class A idiot over all of this. Not that I am a class A idiot you understand, I'm far too intelligent for that."

"Yeah, well you ain't acting like it right now" she said sulkily.

Silence.

Oh hell! I've blown it now haven't I? He's trying to talk to me and I throw it back in his face by making stupid comments like that. Rose Tyler, you're so thick sometimes!

She slapped her hand hard to her forehead in frustration, and immediately cried out in pain.

"Ow!"

"Rose, what was that?" he asked sharply, unable to disguise the anxiety in his voice.

It's happening already, see? She's hurting already, and you haven't even kissed her yet! Imagine what might happen if you get in a relationship with her, a proper one. It's only going to get worse, isn't it? And you already know how it's going to end…

"It's alright Doctor!" she said quickly, not failing to pick up on the change in his voice, "I just banged my head, that's all!"

He breathed a silent sigh of relief.

"That's okay then. Not that I'm glad you did that or anything-"

"I'm sorry Doctor; I shouldn't have said that about you being an idiot. I didn't mean it."

"I know you didn't Rose, it's alright. I'm sorry too."

"What for?" she asked cautiously. She was afraid if she pushed him too hard, he would snap and withdraw again, but she desperately wanted him to let her in, talk to her about whatever it was that was bothering him.

"I'm just sorry, alright? I'm sorry for everything I've put you through, because it's all going to go to waste. I love you, more than you can ever know Rose Tyler, but I know that the only way I can hold on to you is by letting you go."

"I don't understand Doctor. What do you mean, let me go? I thought you said you weren't taking me home?"

"I don't know Rose. I might have to. The thing you have to understand Rose is that if I keep you here with me, let myself love you, then I'm going to lose you, because that's the way this universe works. If you stay with me Rose, then you will die, just like everyone else I've ever loved. I won't let that happen, not to you. You're far too precious. I would be lonely forever if it meant I could save you."

It was heartbreaking to hear him, so vulnerable, broken. She wouldn't let him keep her from his side, not for a moment longer. She had to be with him. She pulled herself determinedly up from the floor where she had been sitting and on to her feet, ready to act.

"I'm going to die eventually Doctor, whether you take me back or not. That's just the way life works. You ain't shutting me out any longer, not cos of that. Open the door, else I'll just have to let myself in!"

"Rose, don't be silly. You don't have any kind of key, and this door is solid metal, so you can't try and break it down."

"Well then, why not just open the door? Make things easier for us both."

"No" he said simply.

"Fine then! I'll let myself in."

She took a few steps back, so that there was enough space for her to get a good run at the door. Adrenaline was coursing through her veins; she was unstoppable.

"Rose, don't! You'll break something, and it won't be this door."

"It's your choice Doctor, not mine. But I will get in that room, one way or another, metal or no metal. You're not going to be alone one minute longer!"

It all happened very quickly. One moment she was running at the closed door, ready to hurl herself at it, and the next she was sprawled on top of the Doctor on his bedroom floor, him having flung the door wide open just as she was about to hit it.

"Thank you Doctor" she whispered gently, looking deep in to his soft, chocolate brown eyes.

"No problem Rose. I mean, I'm not sure how the TARDIS would deal with a human medical-"

He was silenced at the moment as her lips found his, lips soft as rose petals.

Just as I remembered them, God bless strawberry lip balm! Rose Tyler, I love you.

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A/N: I am thrilled by the response I have had to this story, so thank you all. I hope you continue to enjoy, please let me know what you're thinking.

Did the kiss work? Should I end here, or would you like some more? It can easily be arranged if you would!

Any comments questions or suggestions then just let me know and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!

By the way, in case you are confused, the whole thing about the doorstop is a reference to my other Doctor Who fic, cunningly entitled "Doorstop." It's not essential to this fic, but you may like to check it out of you haven't done so already!

Hope to hear from you, thanks for reading!

Until Next Time…..

SmileyHalo