Again, thanks everyone!

Chapter 11: A Promise

Rose smelled something delicious cooking. Pancakes. It was pancakes, she was sure of it. Rose was certain that this delicious distraction had caused her to wake from her slumber. She opened her eyes, and stretched, looking around her room on the space craft. It was a freedom she had taken for granted; waking without being terrified. Her red and black back pack hung neatly on the chair next to her walk-in closet, a luxury every woman should be able to enjoy. Rose followed the sweet smell down the corridor, hung a left at the next, walked through the third door on the right and down the steps into the kitchen. The doctor was at the stove, a spatula in hand.

"I'm cooking." He told her with a devilish grin.

She gave a small grunt.

"Well at least you're talking to me."

"I didn't say anything."

"Yes you did."

"No I didn't."

"You said, Yum."

"I did not."

There was a silence between them where only the sizzle of the griddle was heard.

"At least tell me why." She demanded.

"Can we please just move on?" He asked.

"No, we can't." She said, "And if you can't understand that I at least need to know why… why you… broke my heart, then you don't know me at all, and all of this… all of it has been one big mistake."

"You're regretting coming with me?" He whispered.

"I didn't mean a mistake." She said. "I just always thought we'd… nevermind… there's just more to life than adventure and cheating death."

"Do you really want to know why I can't be with you?"

"Yes."

"Because I'm scared, Rose, alright?"

"Scared?" She whispered, "Of what? Loving someone? Having human feelings?"

"I'm scared because you're the first thing that's made sense to me since my people died, and I'm scared of losing that! I'm scared of losing you! If I lost you, I'd be alone again, and everything would cease to make sense to me! It's you, Rose! A simple human shop girl that… that makes me feel alive."

Rose was certainly taken aback. She had her whole rebuttle planned out about how he was scared of becoming too human. She wasn't expecting this.

"You wanted to know." He said, and turned from her, and concentrated on his pancakes.

A pair of hands gave his shoulders a squeeze. She wasn't quite sure what to say, so instead she kept quiet. No one had ever expressed such concern for her before, such love, not even Mickey. Perhaps the Doctor was more human than he thought he was.

"You're quiet." He pointed out.

"Does that mean you'll leave me like you did Sarah Jane?" She asked, "To protect me?"

"If it meant saving your life, then yeah, Rose, I would."

"What if I wanted to spend my life with you?" She eyed him warily, and covered her hands with her sleeves.

"What about your life on Earth? You could accomplish so much, Rose."

"It doesn't mean anything… things with you are just so much better! You know they are! I can't go back to a normal human life after this… my life will be with you."

"When did you decide that?" He asked.

"Shortly after I came on board."

There was a pause between them.

"What about children? A family?"

Rose clasped her hands together, and locked her eyes on them. "If I have children… I would want it to be with you."

The Doctor made an odd gurgling sound. He had never thought about settling down with a human. He was the Doctor, he didn't settle down, he just moved from one star to the next, and endless cycle of adventure. So why was it that this human was able to twirl him around her little finger? Didn't she know that one smile from her sent his two hearts beating furiously? One wink of her eye, one brush of her skin on his, and he was hooked. She was a tiger when they were in danger, and an angel when others suffered. Yet she was inquisitive, level headed, and sexy.

To Rose Tyler, the Doctor was a drug, and she couldn't get enough. As soon as she thought she had her fill, she needed more of him, wanted more of him desperately. He was an endless riddle surrounded by a web of mysteriousness and logic, a dab of seriousness with a hint of romance. He was her equal, physically, mentally, and he wowed her much each day. Plus, he was easy on the eyes. From his smooth voice and melted cinnamon eyes to his shock of feathery hair, the Doctor definitely had it going on. He was the perfect man, according to Rose.

The Doctor turned and kissed Rose's forehead. "I'll never stop loving you, Rose."

"Either will I." She whispered in return. "And it goes double in return. If I lost you…" She couldn't complete the sentence.

She smiled tentatively at him, and he grinned at her in return.

"So, we're in love then?" He asked.

"I believe we are, Doctor." She said, "And there will come a day when we won't have to be scared of losing each other, won't there?"

"I hope so. Because when I get to be with you, Rose Tyler, you'll never experience anything else like it."

"It would be better than this?" She asked, taking his hand.

"Oh yes," He whispered, and she blushed deeply. "I'd take you far beyond the stars, make you feel, show you things you only thought possible in your dreams."

"I'll wait for that day." She said with a smile. She circled her arms around his neck, and smiled again. "Can we go save the world?"

"I am picking up a distress call… sure you're up to it?" He eyed the bandage on her stomach warily.

"You know I can handle my own." She said, "besides, with the Doctor with me, what could happen?... don't answer that." She said with a grin.

"Come on!" He cried, and grabbed her hand. He lead her to the console and set a course. "Here we go!"

Rose smiled and rested her head on the Doctor's shoulder. The day would soon come when they were ready to settle down together, but for now, Rose was having the time of her life. And she wouldn't give it up for the world.

FIN