Fandom: Doctor who
Characters: Jackie, 10th doctor, Rose
Spoilers: erm, a little hint at Girl in the fireplace, possibly the parting of the ways.
Summary: TenRose - Rose learns that she has to tell the doctor something, before she dies.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It just happened. I can't remember how or why, or even what was said, but I know it happened. One minute I was there, the next gone. I heard his cry as I fell to the floor, I heard mum scream my name, but neither of them could stop the inevitable.

Now I can't see anything, nothing but bright lights. There's a killer pain in my stomach, but I feel nothing but emptiness surrounding me. Oh my god, am I dying? Is this the end?

The Doctor's face appears in my mind and my body shakes, I'm cold. I never thought of this, all those times when we thought we had lost each other, but I never gave up hope. He's my Doctor, my Doctor who tried so hard to protect me at every time possible. My Doctor, who, matter what happened, would always come back to me in the end. My Doctor. I see him again; a blurry image in the distance. I raise my hand to reach out for him, but I can't. My shaking hands seem to be forced back to my sides by the shining light.

Suddenly the light fades and there's darkness. I open my eyes in a daze and I'm startled to find the doctor leaning over me. For a moment I'm relieved, maybe that was all just a horrible dream and I'm safe with the Doctor, in the TARDIS, but I begin to doubt myself as I see tears roll down his cheeks. He stands up, and I use all of my strength to copy his actions.

"Goodbye, Rose Tyler" he speaks softly, his gaze drawn to the space behind me.

"Doctor" I gulp as I turn around to see something I really wish I hadn't.

A body. That's my body. I'm lying lifelessly on the floor… yet, I'm here. I cover my mouth in horror as I turn back to the doctor.

"So you're just gonna leave, just like that?" I hear the familiar sound of my mum's voice and turn to see her, now kneeling by the body.

I go to answer when I realised the question was not aimed at me.

"It's time" The Doctor replies simply, and it's as if I'm not there.

I'm not there. I realise. They just stare at each other, before my mum nods, and the Doctor starts to walk towards the TARDIS. What am I? What am I doing here? Am I some kind of ghost? If Satan was an idea then maybe God is as well. I'm torn between going to the Doctor or my mum, turning my head to look at her, I'm beginning to panic as the TARDIS starts to de-materialise.

"I'll be right back, mum" I whisper, before turning back and making my way to the TARDIS.

Somehow, I manage to get there in time as it begins to start shaking. The Doctor stands at the console, looking at the screen with wide eyes. He's mumbling something while he presses a few buttons, but it's not clear enough for me to make out. The TARDIS stops with a thud, but I'm used to it by now and the Doctor hardly flinches.

I stay stood by the TARDIS door as he walks away from the screen and heads into the corridor. I realise I don't need to wait long before following him, it's not like I'm spying on him, not really. I'm dead, well I should be. For some reason, I can't leave the doctor. There must be a reason why I'm still here; surely it wasn't a freak accident?

It's like that film with Patrick Swayze in! He got beaten up and died, then came back as a ghost! Mum made us watch it one Christmas. Didn't see much of it though; think I fell asleep half way through. No idea how that film ended. I saw all of 'Dirty Dancing' though that was all right…

I slowly follow the Doctor upstairs. His hair is messy and he still hasn't taken his jacket off; visible blood stains on the arms of the sleeves. Reaching the top of the stairs, never had it been so difficult to read his thoughts; in fact his face is unreadable, as he opens the door of my bedroom.

He seems to study the room like he hasn't seen it before; taking in every single detail possible. I hop into the room quickly before he closes the door, but God knows I might have even gone right through it! I watch him walk over to the wardrobe, mumbling something again. I hate it when he does that and I can't make out what he's saying!

He's searching for something, looking through lots of jeans and jackets until he seems to have found what he was looking for. He carefully brings out my red jacket and folds it over his arms. He quickly walks out of the room and I hurry to follow him as he matches into his room.

I haven't been in here before and take a moment to look around the light blue painted room. I'm soon distracted by the muffled sound of the Doctor crying. I turn to see him sitting on the bed, jacket in hand.

I walk over to the bed, nearly tripping over a straw hat on the way. I decide not to pick it up, it might do something weird like go though my hands and then the Doctor would see and know something was up. Maybe I want him to know I'm here. I sit on the bed next to him, hold my arm around his back, but yet I can't feel him. It's the emptiest feeling in the world. I want to feel his touch again, hold his hand and feel that tinkering sensation flow down my arm. I want to talk to him, listen, hear his voice; I want my Doctor back.

"Rose"

I hear a whisper and look at the Doctor. It wasn't him. It was a female voice yet it was low and quiet.

"Rose you have to tell him"

What the hell was that? There's no one in the room, no one but the Doctor and me. Well, the Doctor, and a ghost of some sort. No one else can get inside the TARDIS… That's it. This things alive! She's trying to tell me something; the reason I'm here, why I didn't die. The voice might even be inside my head, I can't tell.

The Doctor stands up, whipping the tears from his eyes. He leaves my jacket on the bed and lazily walks out of the room. The TARDIS obviously wants me to tell him something, so I follow him again, all the way back to the control room.

"Rose tell him how you feel, then it will be time" the TARDIS states.

The Doctor stands as he did before, looking at the console screen. He's put his hand down on something next to it, no idea what he's doing.

My god, the TARDIS really does know everything. The Doctor was right, this is an amazing machine. So that's what I have to do? I have to tell him I - How can I tell him, he can't hear me?

"He can't hear me"

I freeze, I didn't say that, I thought it. It was the Doctor's voice. He turns his head and he's looking right at me. I have to remind myself that I seem to be in a place between life and death. He knew what I was thinking how could he know that? Does he know; know that I'm here?

"I know you're here Rose" he says weakly. "The TARDIS is picking up more energy then it should do, I know you're here, because I can hear your thoughts" he stops talking, moves his gaze back to the screen.

My mind's gone blank and I don't know what to say. He's reading my mind, just like he did with Reinette. He held her head; he held her head as he read her thoughts. He can't do that to me, he can't see me! Ahh, the TARDIS. He's reading the TARDIS'S mind, and then she's directing him to my thoughts. That's what he's doing with his hand. Clever clever Doctor! I smile, but then realise there's really no I point because he can't see me.

"Tell him Rose, tell him now" the TARDIS insists, and I realise if I can hear this, then the doctor can too. He can read her mind, he knows what I have to say.

"Rose" The Doctor smiles weakly. He runs towards me and I'm stunned to find I can feel the scent of the Doctor, feel his arms around me, wipe the tears from his eyes for him as he looks at me with a meaningful gaze. The TARDIS must of done this. This is it. This is what I'm meant to do. All the time I've known him, this is what it's lead up to.

"I love you Doctor" A tear falls down my cheek as I say the words I have been longing to say for so long, and thought I would never manage to.

"I love you, my Rose Tyler, and I'll never forget you" he replies, and I realise my time is nearly up. "Tell, tell my mum bye for me" I stutter. He nods and I smile weakly.

He lowers his head, slowly, and I know what happens next. His lips reach mine and I hold onto his shoulder, responding to the kiss. I close my eyes as I sink into his embrace, and I know I properly won't open them again. I can't remember how I died (originally) it doesn't matter, dying in my Doctor's arms, that's how it should be.

I don't wanna run away baby
You're the one I need tonight
No promises
Baby now I need to hold you tight
I just wanna die in your arms
here tonight

THE END