"You're not really going to leave him, are you?" Rose looked alarmed as he fired the TARDIS up. "I mean, not really?"
He didn't reply but gave her a steady gaze as she felt the timeship begin to move.
"But what about that thing in his head? What's he going to do with himself?"
"He's a genius. I'm sure he'll figure it out."
"You really don't like him, do you?"
He shook his head. "No. I don't."
"You said everyone made mistakes. Surely you can't hold it against him. He did say he was sorry."
"He didn't mean it though."
"How do you know?"
"I'm a genius. I figured it out."
A smile tugged at the corner of Rose's mouth and she tried to fight it. He wished she wouldn't. She looked so lovely when she smiled. Not that she didn't always look lovely, but when she smiled…
"So what about me then?"
"What do you mean, what about you?" He pulled himself out of his reverie.
"Well, what about when I make a mistake. Are you just going to leave me too?" There was a tremble in her voice, like she dreaded the answer.
After a long pause, he shook his head soundlessly.
"You don't know that," she pushed him further. "What if I'd done what Adam had done?"
"You wouldn't though."
"But if I did-"
"You wouldn't!" He spoke firmly. "I know you wouldn't." He softened his voice a little. "I said I only take the best. Don't prove me wrong, Rose." He knew it was a lot to ask of her, to live up to his expectations. But he needed to be right about something in this stupid universe. He'd been wrong about the Time War, and Adam and the Gelth… he wanted to believe in what he thought about her for ever. He needed that belief in something… why not her?
He could see the daunting prospect of the task written across her face like ten foot high letters. She looked terrified. She had nothing to fear; he knew deep down that she'd never do anything bad enough to make him want to leave her behind. She couldn't ever do something that awful. And he knew in his heart that even if she did, he'd forgive her a million times over.
"Don't worry about that," he said finally, trying to comfort her. "Come on, forget about him. He's not worth it." He could see her about to get angry about that so he deftly changed the subject. "You were telling me about your dad earlier. What happened?"
