Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who. So don't ask for any.

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Nothing ever changed on Woman Wept.

Only rare visitors broke the frigid silence.

"I lost her," he said.

The Doctor watched his furious younger self clench his fists as if fighting down the pointless urge to strangle him. "What do you mean, you lost Rose?" The words were spoken in low, dangerous tones.

He was impressive. That is, the other he was impressive. The ears might be bigger than strictly necessary, but the strong lines of his face gave his stare the intensity of a laser. "She's gone. She didn't—doesn't—die, but I'll never see her again. I can't explain! Why do you even ask? They always leave, one way or another." What did this face he wore now show?

The blue-eyed laser lost focus as the other looked over his shoulder to check for his companions, who must not witness this encounter. He knew that Rose and Jack were securely engaged in that daily human rehearsal for the final sleep. Satisfied that they were alone, the other asked warily, "Why did you come here, then? Of all places."

Rose had loved Woman Wept. It was dawn, but they were cast in deep shadow. Each Doctor was framed by the open door of a TARDIS. Mountainous waves loomed above them, locked into place by the biggest flash freeze in history. New light dazzled at the crests of the waves. Day and night were the only tides that came in to this shore.

"This whole planet is a like moment frozen in time, a moment you can touch. Only one Time, ever, preserving the memories of all who visit. I didn't know how right I was." The Doctor grinned humorlessly. "The Blinovitch Limitation Effect still works for us, I suppose."

"Great, another dose of limited amnesia. I had enough of that last time," the other said bitterly. He had done this dance before, speaking with earlier and future selves. Information could be exchanged, at great risk. Was it supposed to be news that Rose was gone? It had been inevitable. The other's sharp blue eyes accused him in vain.

"Shut it," he said with no sympathy at all. "I'd give up a regeneration to trade TARDISes with you. Go on! You've got things to do, memories to make, and an over-dramatic death scene coming your way. Try not to muck it up."

"No promises," his other said, with the cheeky black humor the Doctor hoped he didn't do any more.

He lingered in the doorway of the TARDIS and watched its twin dematerialize. Somewhere in one of its rooms, young Rose Tyler lay peacefully asleep and he would never be so close to her again. If the TARDIS repeated today's maneuver, he was going to get the mallet out and make some radical repairs.

Even his dark mood could not stop the Doctor from seeing the beauty of this world. As the sun rose higher, its rays stabbed through the mountains of ice where the water was translucent. One wave held the carcass of a sea-creature like a giant anemone, forever the sculpture of the life it had been. Nearly as translucent as the water, it resembled the northern Rose Window in the cathedral of Notre Dame. Surely Martha would like to see it.

No. Time to make new memories.

The Doctor went back into the TARDIS and soon the beach was empty.

Nothing ever changed on Woman Wept.

-fin-