Lost But Not Forgotten

It was now late afternoon, only a few hours since they'd returned from London, the dark storm clouds still looming overhead making it appear night rather than day, flashes of lightning illuminating the mist beginning to enshroud the tips of the old trees that lined the grounds. The Doctor smiled wistfully as the soft tones of Chopin filtered through the old house, enhanced by the sentient walls and window panes to reach his ears. He slipped off his glasses and placed them down on the desk, putting aside the pages of old books and notations to follow the haunting melody to its source.

Rose sat on the cushioned window seat of the library, her knees pulled up to her chest and eyes closed as she rest her head against the cool glass of the window. He leant in the door way observing the flickering of the fire light across her features, tinted a slight blue hue as Idris swirled patterns across her screens in time to the music which came from a small device plugged into her monitor.

"Rose Tyler, are you functioning within normal parameters?"

"Yea Idris," She chuckled, "I'm fine."

"As you have said," Idris replied, "But my conclusions seem to disprove this statement. This peice is not conducive to any information I have on file thusly, you appear to be anything but, fine."

"Just 'cause I like to listen to this sorta' music doesn't mean anything's wrong." Rose smiled, "I suppose sometimes things can't be explained to within normal parameters."

"As I am learning." Idris agreed, her colouring turn from blue to a soft orange and pale pink hue.

"I remember the first time I ever heard it," Rose continued, eyes remaining closed as she toyed with the key around her neck, "The Doctor looked like he was gonna burst with embarrassment when I found him in the second library playin' away at that old piano."

"Yes," Idris replied in an almost wistful tone, "We remember being filled with the sounds of music and life. Such things had not been before in our very long life nor our Time Lords."

"That's sad." Rose murmured softly, pressing her TARDIS key to her lips.

"You know it's considered bad form to talk about someone who isn't in the room to defend themselves." The Doctor murmured from his place against the doorframe, his tone amused.

"Doesn't count if he's been eavesdropping in the shadows for the last five minutes." She smirked finally opening her eyes to raise her brow at him.

"I ain't been droppin' no eaves sir, honest." He quipped with a grin, hands up in surrender as he moved into the room and flopped down onto the sofa and propped his feet up on the table.

"Oh please," She snorted, "Intergalactic Gandalf more like."

"Oi," He raised an eyebrow at her, "I'm not that old Missy."

"Oh really?" She slid off the bench and wandered towards him, sitting down on the coffee table by his feet. "The two five-hundred year diaries in the drawer of the cabinet in the library beside the pool prove otherwise."

"Ah," He scratched his head in thought, "Well, you've got me there."

She laughed once again toying with the key around her neck.

"How many years for this you though?" She asked softly, "Since Canary Wharf I mean."

"Oh, well," He breathed, "A few, maybe-"

"Doctor." She warned, watching as his Adams apple bobbed as he swallowed.

"Fifty maybe," He murmured, "Possibly um, more."

"Ten years seems like almost nothing in comparison-"

"I never stopped." He interrupted softly, leaning forwards, arms rest on his knees as he surveyed the floor. "Missing you that is- or trying to find you. It took me two years to find that tiny gap between universes, only to discover- well-" He continued, "Then another 3 months to find a star to burn that wouldn't be missed, as it was I had to replace it."

"You burnt up a sun just to say good bye." She mumbled.

"Yea," He smiled sadly at the memory, "Idris, display UGC one-eight-one-zero and one-eight-one-three."

"Affirmative."

"Apply wavelength filters covering ultraviolet, blue, and red portions of the spectrum." He looked up as the galaxy spiralled across her display screen.

"It looks like a-"

"Of course it does." He chuckled, "Wouldn't be the Rose Galaxy if it didn't."

"You did this?" Rose breathed staring mesmerised at the swirling maelstrom of stars, she turned to look at him.

"I'm a Time Lord, Rose," He replied softly, "So many things are within my power. Even now without the TARDIS."

"You think you're so impressive," She teased.

"Oh I am." He smirked back and she grinned.

"Thank you."

"Whatever for?" His brow creased in confusion despite his smile.

"For saying goodbye, for mentioning me to those that came after me," She breathed, "For saving us all- for stayin' – with me, despite losing the TARDIS an' the closest thing you had to a brother - a family."

"I have you." He reminded her gently, "And I suppose there's Jackie, Pete, little Tony, Jake- that's quite enough family for me."

"I'm surprised she hasn't called," Rose snorted, "Must think we're off in the middle of nowhere shaggin like bunnies-"

"Why would she think that?" He asked with a confused frown.

"She thought that before." She reminded him. "Back with leather."

"Really?" He sniffed, "Blimey, it's no wonder she slapped me. Probably should rectify that soon then."

"Rectify what?" Rose laughed.

"Well I'll need her permission now won't I." He stood up fiddling around in his pocket.

"Permission for what Doctor, what are you talkin' about?" She shook her head in confusion despite her giggles.

"Isn't that what you humans do?" He shrugged, "Last I knew it was still customary to ask for parental permission or-or blessing or something-"

"Hold on," She stood up, turning to face him as he paced, still searching his pockets, "Are we talkin' bout what I think we are-"

"Well it makes sense doesn't it, human lives, human rules," He muttered pulling items from his pockets as he went, "I certainly don't plan on not being with you for however long we have left, makes sense to me-" He stopped dead looking up at her uncertainly, "Unless of course you don't want to- which is fine- um- if you dont-"

"Yes."

"I wouldn't want to presume," He continued not registering her answer, "Which of course I did, not used to doing things the right way I suppose, I'd just- wait, what did you say?"

"I never stopped either you know, what I said on that beach-" She smiled at him. "Of course the answer's yes."

"Oh," He beamed, "Well then that's just brilliant."

"Yea?" She beamed back.

"Oh yes." He replied slipping his hand in his pockets to find the very thing he had been searching for,

"Oh look here it is." He pulled the jumper from his pockets.

"Where are we goin?" She frowned up at him.

"Torchwood of course," He replied raising an eyebrow as if it should have been obvious. "I need TARDIS parts?"

"What? Now?" She should have expected the whiplash that his changing of thoughts could bring about.

"Well of course now," He scoffed, "Where did you think we'd be going?"

"Um-well after that I thought-" She didn't know what she thought, after all he technically just proposed to her in a roundabout fashion. She blushed slightly at the brief thought she had of having a wedding night.

"Rose Tyler," He chided, "Mind out of the gutter. Even my people had formalities that I still have to adhere to so stop it, well for the time being at least. I still have to survive your mother first."

"Right- course' sorry." She muttered. "T-TARDIS parts you said, actually there might be something in the archives that may help speed it up, trip to Torchwood R & D?"

"Oh Rose Tyler," He grinned, "You know the way to a mans heart, or subsequent hearts as the case may be."

"Oh you should see some of the stuff we confiscated from this lab under the Thames," She added, "This world has taken Alien's in their stride, after the Cybermen no-one batted an eyelid when a giant Christmas star just appeared in the sky and started shootin' up the streets. It was weird. I mean there was a slight panic but mostly they just went on with their lives."

"That was the night I met Donna." He smiled in memory.

"Yea." She smiled back. "Had any luck with her notes then?"

"Oh yes," He brightened considerably at her question, "She was quite thorough."

"So," She shrugged, "Ever grown a TARDIS before?"

"Can't say that I have, no." He laughed. "But, I suppose it's as good a time as any to start."

"Oh," Rose mused pulling her ID from her pocket, "What a coincidence, I seem to have found this super-duper-secret-access-all-areas pass."

"Oh but that takes out all the fun of breaking in, Rose Tyler whatever happened to your sense of adventure?" He teased as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Oh alright," She rolled her eyes dramatically causing him to cackle loudly, "Maybe I'll let you sonic the security cameras just for old time sakes."

The sound of laughter echoed round the empty house as they disappeared, a flash of lightning momentarily illuminating the giant white wolf sat watching through the window, it's hot breath leaving condensation on the glass.

"Familiar detected." The image of Idris appeared on the monitor.

"Who's afraid of the big, bad wolf."