As If You Had a Choice

Jackie couldn't get Rose from out of her mind. It had been two weeks since she had all of a sudden started acting very strangely. She had been fine after leaving her flat after their usual Friday night but after that it was as if she had turned into a different person.

Jackie just fell that something was off with Rose – no calls during the week and she had even canceled twice in a row their Friday nights. Making her way up to Rose's flat she had to at least check in on her, see if she could finally spot what was wrong.

After ten years of Rose being a certain way she had grown accustomed to it and now things were starting to change again. She wasn't the same Rose that had existed before the Doctor but neither was she the one after him. In a small way, the few times she had seen Rose through the last two weeks, she was slowly reminding her of the girl that she use to be while with the….

Jackie stopped dead in her tracks as she walked down the hall of Rose's flat. She could hardly believe what stood out on the balcony. From the street one couldn't see it, the flat being far too many floors up, but there was no denying it now – it was the Doctor's blue police box!

A feeling of hope began to bloom within Jackie as she ran to the police box.

Opening the door to the time spaceship she stepped inside for the first time ever and found herself transported into the Tardis – it was so large, she thought to herself. And then there it was the one thing she had feared yet hoped for these past ten years.

Rose sat on his lap and they seemed to be talking about something very important. She could tell that it had to with him leaving with her or without her and although her heart screamed for him to take her along, to finally returned her daughter to the lively woman she had once been her head stepped in and the words came out before she could stop them.

"You would have to say nothing!" she screamed out as she approached them. Closing her eyes momentarily she scorned herself inwardly, in the end fear had won out. She wanted Rose to be happy but at the same time she couldn't help but still feel the fear of this man being in her daughter's life brought about.

It was the worst feeling that any mother could experience, an absolute lost of control since there was nothing she could do to keep her Rose safe. It wasn't that she was being selfish but Rose was all she had in this world. She had a made a promise to her husband that she would make sure their little girl grew up safe and sound, that she would never be in need of anything or in danger – even if it had meant being the bad guy in the picture.

It was a dirty job but someone had to do it – no one ever said that being a parent meant being fair, someday Rose would understand why she had done the things she had.

"Christ!" the Doctor muttered as he lay his head down against the rolling board he had been laying on. He had been about to finally make the biggest decision of his life and Jackie had to come and ruin the moment. He guessed that even thought it had been ten years her dislike of him had not waned in the tiniest bit.

"Jackie how lovely to see you" he answered slowly rising to a sitting position on the board, Rose still seated on his lap snugly. Resting his hand lightly on her thigh he looked straight into Jackie's eyes challenging her – he was playing for keeps and nothing or no one was going to stand in his way.

What happened next the Doctor would never forget. Instead of screaming her head off or taking another jab at him as she had once eleven years ago, she had just left. Looking over at Rose he found the same questioning look that was plastered to his own face.

What had just happened, had he won?

It had taken Rose a bit to finally catch up with her mum, she moved extremely fast when motivated and was already in the courtyard of her building.

"Mum, please stop" she called out as she finally stood in front of her. "What happened? Why did you just leave like that? Aren't you angry? Disappointed? I don't know…something."

Rose dropped her hands in defeat and then put them around her stomach. Although it was a beautiful spring day she felt a shiver run up and down her spine. The late afternoon was setting in and the sun would soon go down.

The sky held an orange tint to it as the two Tyler women looked at each other, the rest of the world melting around them.

"Rose…I left because I didn't want to say something I would regret later. I was afraid that if I stayed I would end up convincing him, Christ, convincing myself to not take you along…out there, into space and time or whatever you call it" she finished sadly, tears starting to form in her eyes.

Feeling her own tears starting to form for the first time perhaps ever Rose finally had a perfect moment of understanding between her mum and herself.

"I won't lie to you, I want to go back up there with him, it's where I belong. It's not that I don't love you but I can't stay here, this place…" she pointed around with her arms, "is far too small for me, especially after all I saw…all I experienced" she finished, her voice trembling due to all the emotions that were running through her.

"I want you to be happy Rose, I hated seeing you like that so turned off to the world and don't deny it! You were never the same after he left you; I wasn't fooled one bit." Jackie moved closer to Rose, placing her hands on her shoulders.

"I promised myself a long time ago that if he ever came back I wouldn't stand in the way. He's back Rose and I'm just going to have to let you go." Her final words finally hit the breaking the point and they both began to cry. Taking her only daughter into her arms they hugged fiercely, both knowing that this would be the last time in a long while that they will see each other.

Hearing an all too familiar noise they both turned to the same old spot the Tardis always chose to materialize in and watched as the blue police box appear, still holding onto each other.

Quickly the doors opened and a very concerned looking Doctor stepped out. Rose took his appearance; he looked so different than he had in the past two weeks. His face was clean shaven and he no longer wore the dark jumpers and jeans – instead he replaced them for a dark khaki trouser and a deep red wine zip up sweater – it was a more updated look and she wondered what brought about this change in wardrobe.

Looking down at her mum they both shared a smile and parted, Rose reached out her hand to the Doctor and immediately he took it, bringing it to his lips. Smiling down at her he finally did what he had been dying to do all along.

"Rose please come with me. Be my wife, partner, soul mate – whatever you wish to call it, but just be with me forever" he awaited her answer feeling as if he would burst.

She opened her mouth and couldn't find the words, her feeling finally chocking her up and all she could do was nod her answer and cry fiercely.

Holding her to his solid chest the Doctor felt as if the weight of the world had finally been taken of his shoulders for the tiniest bit. Looking over at Jackie she could see that she was happy for Rose but that some doubt still loomed in her eyes.

He knew exactly what she was thinking – Rose couldn't give him forever.

Turning around he held his other hand out to Jackie and with both women on either side of him he took a deep breath, this was a tough decision but it was the only way he could do this – ensure Rose's safety and at the same time their happiness.

Rose looked confused but Jackie for the first time could make out the workings of his brilliant alien mind. Tightening her hold on the Doctor's hand they both looked at each other and she nodded her approval – it was necessary and she had promised her late husband she'd do whatever it took to ensure Rose's safety.

"Rose there's one more catch to this…." He began to explain as she listened on, with each word her eyes growing larger.

A big changed loomed over them and nothing would ever be the same after this.

To Be Continued

The story is coming to an end…I think there's only two chapters left to go.