Walk On

Mickey leaned backed in the back seat of the taxi. It had been a long trip for him and unfortunately he couldn't say it had been for pleasure. The software company he worked for had asked him to represent them at a national convention in Seattle so he had packed up, bid Jackie and Rose goodbye and had left.

He hadn't bothered to inform anyone else since there no longer really was anyone else in his life – only his two gals. They were his family and there was no denying it. Jackie in an odd way had become a second mother to him, although they had experience a few rough patches in their relationship, mostly her blaming him for a year of having murdered Rose…and then there was her.

She would always be his love, no matter what happed between them. His heart refused to let her go and he doubted that he would ever let anyone else in. Unfortunately the same could not be said for Rose. Her heart belonged to someone who wasn't even human! His revolutionary blue eyes and manic grin had gotten to her form the word "run" – so she had explained to him once.

It had hurt to hear her say it, but in the end it had been best. He wasn't a fool either, he knew his chances and were he stood with Rose but part of being him…being human, was holding onto that last shred of hope and deep down he would foster the hope of her someday allowing him in to her heart.

If he had ever been in there in the first place.

Finally arriving at his final destination he paid the taxi driver and began to make his way across the courtyard. What awaited him next he would never forget. Never had he imagined that anything of the sort would ever happen.

Taking in everything he watched as Jackie, Rose and the Doctor held hands as if in a circle. A light began to shine all around them slowly and the three of them smiled at each other.

Mickey's heart began to slow down and he watched as his bag fell to the floor but as if it were happening in slow motion. He began to feel heavy as everything slowed down and the light began to shine brighter.

What in the world was happening?

The Doctor could feel it the power slowly draining out of him and into Rose. He was giving her a bit of his life force – the unique essence that made him what he was – a time lord.

Since Rose could not offer him forever he would do it for her. Binding her with his essence he would pass down his own immortality to his beloved, they would be one – no one outliving the other. His pain would be hers and hers his.

Squeezing Jackie's hand he silently reassured her that everything would be fine. He had included her in the ritual in order to bind her to Rose as well, to help ease the pain of separation between mother and daughter. In a way they would all be linked together, uniting the three souls in a vast universe that stretched for eons.

The light began to die away between them and Rose fell onto the floor. Opening her eyes she could feel the Doctor's powerful arms around her as he scooped her up, holding onto her as one would a sleeping child.

"I feel so weak" she whispered into his ear, not wanting to alarm her mum.

"Its ok sweetheart, you're going to be a bit weak for a few days, while your body grows accustomed to the new changes" he reassured her quickly, placing a light kiss on her temple.

"Are you sure she'll be ok?" Jackie asked, a bit of alarm in her voice. She too felt a bit odd, as if something very powerful ran through her veins.

"I promise that everything will be fine" the Doctor muttered as he looked down at the angel in his arms, a slow grin began to spread on his face as he realized what this all meant – they were one forever.

Mickey finally began to regain his composure and was now running after the three of them as they carried Rose into the Tardis.

"Wait! Wait one god damn minute!" he screamed, still not knowing what had just happened between them, but from the look of things it was serious since Rose could barely keep her eyes open.

Turning around Jackie and the Doctor looked extremely surprised to see him there – well more Jackie then the Doctor, his eyes radiated a very careful message to Mickey, as if indicating for him to back off since Rose was now his, literally.

"Mickey relax" Jackie soothingly said as she put a hand on his arm. "Its fine, you needn't worry…Rose wanted this, to be bound to the Doctor. She now carries a bit of his life force…"

"She's one of him now?" Mickey finished for her, fully knowing what this meant. Closing his eyes he felt that small shred of hope that burned within him begin to flicker out. Walking over to the Doctor he looked him straight in the eyes – his inhuman blue eyes.

The two men stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity but eventually Mickey pulled away and leaned down to place a small kiss on Rose's cheek. Surprisingly he looked up to find a hint of a smile on the Doctor's face.

"I swear if you hurt her again, I'll hunt you down and make you pay" where Mickey's last words as he took one final look at Rose, who was sound asleep, and made his way out of the Tardis and up to his apartment without as much as even a glance back.

Jackie watched him carefully as he retreated. He was a good man, she told herself and turned around to watch the Doctor retreat further into the spaceship with Rose still in his arms and then concluded, "but he isn't the right man" she whispered to herself.

Following the Doctor, who placed Rose on his bed and covered her up, they both sat at the end of the bed – there was nothing else that could be done – they would just have to wait until she woke up.

A new day was upon them.

To Be Continued