Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who or Doctor Who the movie or anything vaguely related to Doctor Who, if I did the wonderful Billie Piper wouldn't be leaving! I think I'm going to cry!

Rose clung to the Doctor as he carried her through the doors of the American hospital, her body feeling weak and bruised after a disturbed night. She regarded the man who cradled her so carefully, his eyes heavy and rimmed in red after all the worry she'd put him through. He'd briefly told her what had happened throughout the night, how he'd even had to call for her mum to help him restrain her as she tried to attack him again. Now they were entering a hospital in America 2006 to meet a friend who the Doctor had said could help her.

One of the nurses in reception looked up as she saw the Doctor and his patient and rushed over with a wheelchair. The Doctor sat Rose down and rubbed his side gratefully, his hand grazing over the bandage that now protected his bruised ribs. Rose blushed with shame at the thought of injuring him but the Doctor bent down and pressed a soft kiss to her lips.

"I won't be a second," he said softly before wondering over to the reception desk and beginning to prattle on to the nurse on duty. Rose couldn't hear what was said between the two so turned her attention to her mother at her side.

"Has he told you what's going on?"

Jackie shook her head, "All he said to me was that he had a friend who he knew might be able to help him and that we were going to America. Then he just fiddled around with the TARDIS and we were here."

Rose watched as the nurse handed a phone over to the Doctor and he spoke into it, seemingly trying to convince the person on the other end that they should see him. Rose watched her name form on his lips and then saw him smiling happily and cracking a joke before handing the receiver back. He flashed Rose a brilliant grin as he walked back over. He crouched down at her level.

"We're in luck, she's in and she'll see us," he said getting to his feet and moving behind her, steering the wheel chair towards the elevators, "We need to go upstairs."

"But Doctor, who is she?"

"You'll see," he said as the doors closed around them and he hit the button for the fourth floor. The lift began its ascent and they stood in silence watching the numbers roll passed although Rose swore she heard the Doctor mutter something about Puccini. Rose read the sign as the lift doors opened again. Cardiothoracic Ward. Rose paled dramatically at the word, she'd watched enough hospital dramas to know what it meant. She clutched at the Doctor's hand frantically.

"There's something wrong with my heart isn't there?" she cried, "Doctor what's wrong with me? I've been having dreams, not heart attacks."

"Let's just see my friend," he said giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze, "She'll be able to give us a better idea."

"But why does she need to see another doctor? YOU'RE a doctor," said Jackie with a quiver in her voice that she swallowed down for Rose's sake.

"I'm not a medical doctor Jackie and the woman we're going to see is the best in her field. Plus she's a friend who has saved my life a couple of times so I know I can trust her with the most precious person I have," he said as he pulled Rose to a halt beside a large wooden door, "Here we are."

Rose looked up at the sign on the door. Grace Holloway M.D.

"Whose Grace Holloway? I've never heard you mention her," said Rose as the door opened to reveal an attractive woman in her mid forties. Her hair was somewhere between blonde and brown, styled elegantly and she wore a black trouser suit, accentuating her curvaceous figure. Her eyes scanned the Doctor's face before she reached out a hand to cup his cheek.

"Yes," she said smiling, "Yes it is you isn't it? Changed again but its you, you're eyes."

"Hello Grace," said the Doctor softly, "Its been a long time."

"Six years," said Grace pulling him into a hug, "Six years and you're back on my doorstep with a new face once again. At least this time I'm not performing heart surgery on you."

The Doctor pulled back with a tear filled smile, "I have missed you. How have you been?"

"Come inside and we'll all talk," she said looking over at Rose and Jackie. She gave Rose a gentle smile, "You must be Rose, let's see what I can do for you shall we."

XXXX

Grace shut off the microphone that would allow her voice to be heard in the MRI room and turned to the Doctor whose eyes were focused solely on Rose as she entered the large machine, keeping as still as she possibly could. Grace shuffled several papers on the table in front of her, results of the tests she'd recently subjected Rose too after the Doctor had explained her symptoms. She accidentally knocked the microphone switch back to on as she reached for a pen to make a note on the paper before her.

"Is she your girlfriend?"

"Hmm?" said the Doctor turning back to Grace.

"Rose, is she your girlfriend?"

Inside the MRI room Rose's ears pricked up at her name and she waited for the Doctor's response, deciding not to tell them that she could hear them. The machine around her didn't bother her as she heard the Doctor's response.

"She's much more than just my girlfriend."

"Oh," said Grace with a barely concealed sob in the word, "I'm happy for you. How long…?"

"I'm sorry Grace," said the Doctor, "I know you and I…"

"It's the past Doctor its just…well, you're a very hard man to forget."

"You'd laugh at the number of times I've heard that line in recent months. I think Rose thinks I'm some sort of intergalactic stud or something," said the Doctor, his eyes not leaving the form in front of him, "I'm sorry if I've hurt you Grace but I've changed…so much."

"I can see. You're a lot younger."

"Wish I felt it. "

Rose heard the whisper of fabric and imagined Grace getting to her feet and standing next to the Doctor.

"I never stopped loving you," she said softly, "If I had my time again I'd…"

"Don't," said the Doctor, "I hate what if's. I cared about you Grace but I have Rose now. Please don't make this visit any harder on me. Will she be alright?"

"I need to have a look at the results properly but if it turns out to be what I think it is to be honest her chances are about fifty, fifty at present," said Grace, her voice becoming more professional than Rose ever heard it that morning. Rose also thought she could hear a hint of malice but she couldn't blame her, Sarah-Jane had taught her how hard it was to lose the Doctor.

She bit her lip to stop a sob escaping her as Grace's words finally sunk in. She heard the Doctor curse in his own language and slam his fist on the nearest surface.

"You have to fix her Grace," he said, his voice choked, "This is all my fault."

"You don't even know what it is yet," said Grace, "How can it be your fault?"

"It is, I just know it is."

A/N: Sorry for the short chapter but I'm at work and don't want to get a kicking for working on this for too long. Will update again after the weekend. Question though, should Grace help Rose or should she refuse because she still loves the Doctor? There's one way to let me know. Nova x