A Storm is Coming
One step.
Two dreams.
Separation.
Isn't what it seems.
Roses wither.
Roses die.
Please.
Let this one survive.
He muttered under his breath, he did it a lot these days.
Rose had noticed that he had become withdrawn; "A storm is coming!" he would often say. He would sit in his library reading, reading his troubles away. Rose realised he would let the TARDIS drift for longer than usual, but when a laundry call came, he could hardly say no.
"Come on, I know you don' like mum, but it's only a day maybe two." Rose had said smiling as she piled dirty washing into her massive rucksack.
The Doctor had simply rolled his eyes, he wasn't going to admit he was defeated, nor would argue with her when she had very few clean clothes. The course for the Powel Estate was set, and they arrived within seconds flat. Rose had grinned at him and said; "Thanks." As she skipped of towards the high-rise flats. Thoughts whizzed around his mind.
'The storm is here.' He looked around him and shivered pulling his coat tighter to his body. He looked up and down the street, there was no storm. Not here. Cars zoomed by, their drivers oblivious and without a care. 'So many innocents.' He never was one for pessimism. But Rose was going to die. He had accepted that. But the terrible awful thing was…that she hadn't.
---
"How long are you staying with me?" he asked looking out onto the horizon then down at her, she smiled.
"Forever!" he couldn't help but smile. He only wished that she could live out the rest of her days with him. Love him. Be together. Forever.
---
But sadly, nothing lasts forever and things die.
The Doctor stopped Rose as she was about to walk up the concrete stairs to her mum's flat, her old home.
"Rose…" he paused and waited for eye contact, she made it and he noticed the concern in her eyes, she mush be wondering if there was something wrong, if he were going to leave her; "…Rose…I just, wanted to say…you've been brilliant, best companion yet…to quote a great man, you were…uh…are; 'Fantastic'" he could see then that her eyes were filling with tears, was this goodbye she had to be wondering; "…and, that…forever's going to be Fantastic with you by my side!" she laughed and pulled him into a hug, her tears gone and with no words to say she just hugged him, hoping that she could convey her love and admiration of him, in one hug. He already knew of course, he just hoped that like he had said to Ida Scott that she knew his feelings too.
"Well now…" the Doctor paused pulling away; "We've got a date with Jackie Tyler, and it's not smart to keep her waiting…you did call her right?" he asked and Rose blushed. He rolled his eyes again but smiled all the same. He liked surprises, but not ones on Jackie Tyler.
"Sorry, mum likes the new you though, so don't worry." Rose said grinning.
The Doctor shuddered; "Thanks." He said and pushed her towards the stairs, she was now giggling her earlier tears forgotten. It wasn't goodbye. Not just yet.
---
Then it came; The Army of Ghosts, who turned out to be Cybermen, he couldn't stop it. Torchwood the organisation set up to stop him. Queen Victoria. Werewolves, long ago. Forgotten. But not by them. Torchwood, the enemy, learning things from the one they were to protect the world against. The last Time Lord. Fireplace man. The oncoming storm. The Doctor. Rose's Doctor. The two hearted man, he had defeated and faced every horror imaginable, and yet he marched on. But would Rose? The shop girl. Dame Rose of the Powell Estate. Bad Wolf. His companion. His Equal. His Rose. So delicate, so pure. Innocent. But when it comes to the one you love, you never think clearly. Never.
So he would let her keep going, keep marching. Till she could march no more.
---
"ROSE RUN!" he had screamed hoping to get through to her. She had frozen. Couldn't move, couldn't breath.
"EXTERMINATE!" the sound of the Daleks coming closer chilled her blood and his.
She still hadn't moved. Brave valiant Rose. Even to the last, he had played this moment over and over in his mind, thinking of a way that he could save her. Somehow save her.
"Doctor?" her voice was so small, he could hardly hear it over the explosions over head. "I'm going to die…" he heard that. He couldn't miss that.
"NO! Rose I'll save you, I can't let you die. What about forever eh?!" he tried to keep his tone light hearted but failed, she looked back at him and smiled weakly, he knew as well as she did that she was going to die, he thought he had accepted it. It would appear not.
---
Humans are weak.
They Wither.
They Die.
---
Not Rose, no never. Not her. None of his companions had died on him. Rose always had been unique, but not like this. Please not like this. She had told him many things with her last breath.
"Doctor," she wheezed and he felt one of his hearts breaking; "Before I…before I…die, I want to tell you…thank you, you've shown me…so many things that I would never have dreamed of…" she paused and he wrapped his arms around her, tears sliding freely down his cheeks; "I…lo…love you Doctor, but you need to move on," she laughed dryly sounding like she wanted to let go but she didn't she really didn't. "Find someone else to watch over. Love her, and tell her!" she said smiling as she knew her time was drawing near. So near.
He was sobbing now; "Oh Rose, my dear sweet Rose, I love you so much. I'm so sorry I couldn't save you…please forgive me Rose!" he whispered as he clutched her to him.
"I do…" she whispered back just as she lost her grip on his hand and she slipped through his fingers, she was gone.
"NO, NO ROSE!" he screamed almost in pain. He'd lost her. Poor Rose, innocent Rose.
The Doctor had lost the one he loved. It was a feeling like losing the Time Lords all over again. But this time it was one human. A single human being had made him feel so empty inside, he was surprised that both of his hearts hadn't stopped, she had made him feel broken and like nothing in the world would ever be right again.
Poor Rose.
He had planted a kiss on her forehead and whispered; "Forever." As he lifted up her limp body, he was still crying. He didn't think he ever could stop crying. Not now.
He told Jackie, held her through her tears, she wasn't mad at him, not at first.
---
But now here he sat, a broken man. The TARDIS had tried to sooth him, but when you're nursing a broken heart you want to be alone, and when you're nursing two, you want to die. HE would've give his last 3 regenerations for her to survive, she had so much to look forward to. So much left in life. Why now. Why her? He would sit and ask himself questions he'd never be able to answer. He had loved her. And now she was gone. He'd have to live with that.
Poor Doctor.