Anyone still out there? Hi! I know it's been a while, but i've been juggling quite a few stories and writers block is bitch so here we are later than anticipated. After this there is going to be one more chapter, just to wrap everything up. I've really enjoyed writing this, and I've enjoyed hearing everyones feedback. It really does mean the world. Anyway, here we are. Enjoy and as per, let me know what you think!

A Chance Encounter

Chapter 3

The Doctor led Rose through the many corridors on the TARDIS, pointing out rooms she would be familiar with from her time aboard and popping in to show her how they had changed in the time since. Rose had been wondering about one room in particular, wondering if it would still exist even though she knew the chances would be slim and felt stupid for even thinking it in the first place. Her room. Would it still be around somewhere, hidden down one of the many never-ending corridors? Was it now someone else's room? Maybe one of her friends now occupied the room that had once been hers for the better part of two years.

"Your mates, they seem really nice." Rose spoke up after a moment, she had been following her in relative silence, enjoying her commentary as they explored each room.

The Doctor's face lit up at the mention of her fam, she nodded in confirmation and a wide smile stretched across her face.

"Oh, They're brilliant."

Rose smiled at her enthusiasm, her biggest worry for The Doctor was that they would end up alone and she was glad that even after all this time, they still had people by their side.

"Have they been travelling with you for a while?" She asked.

It was clear they were close, she wasn't sure if the trio knew each other before joining The Doctor but as she kept referring to them as her fam, it really did look to Rose as though they were a sort of family. She had to remind herself that this wasn't her time, she had her own Doctor waiting for her and as much as she would love to get to know this incarnation she knew that eventually she would have to go back and let this Doctor get back to her own life with her companions.

"It's hard to keep track, as you'll remember, um probably getting on for a year and a half now earth time? Give or take a few months." The Doctor said after a few moments, time was difficult to measure on the TARDIS and she rarely kept track herself but the others did and she recalled Yaz mentioning something to her a while back about them reaching their one year anniversary with her.

A year and a half. That's almost as long as Rose had with her Doctor before.. She wondered how long they would stay with her, she had promised her Doctor forever and it was cut short due to forces out of her control. Were they that close? Close enough to willingly offer the rest of their lives to travelling with her?

She had been too caught up in her thoughts that she barely registered The Doctor coming to a stop, her smile had faltered as she now stood facing a door with a look that appeared somewhere between confusion and surprise.

"You alright Doctor?" She asked, giving the hand still in hers a gentle squeeze.

The Doctor didn't respond and Rose frowned, looking at the door in question she wondered what was so significant about it. It wasn't until she noticed the very faint markings towards the top of the door that she realised where it led. The door itself was nothing special, but there was a pale red outline of a rose etched into the wood with the letter 'R' below it. This was Rose's room.

"Is that?" Her voice was quiet and uncertain, it couldn't be could it? After all this time.

The Doctor nodded silently. The TARDIS had jettisoned a lot of the rooms over time, it was something The Doctor had little to no control over, and for the most part it never really bothered her. This room however, she silently hoped had been kept, and it seemed her ship had wanted to keep the memory of their old friend alive as much as they had.

It had been a long time since she had been inside Rose's room, she had long since repressed her feelings for her lost love for the sake of her own hearts. The moment she saw her in the console room however, all of those feelings came crashing back. Letting go of Rose's hand, she glanced back at her before reaching for the door handle and turning it. The door swung open to reveal a room that oozed familiarity despite how long it had been since either of them had last ventured inside. The Doctor felt tears sting her eyes as she stepped into the room, she couldn't lose it now, not in front of Rose.

Rose could see the pain in The Doctor's eyes when she realised what room they had come across, it couldn't have been a coincidence and Rose had a suspicion that The TARDIS had something to do with making it appear out of the blue like this. She remained silent as The Doctor stepped into her old room, wondering in after her and finding herself shocked at how little it had seemed to have changed over such a long period of time. It was tidier than when she had left it, something that caused her to laugh quietly to herself. Whether it had been herself or the TARDIS that had cleared up the mess she couldn't be sure, although the latter seeming more likely.

Despite the room being tidied, there were still a few of Rose's things lying around. Her second trip to bad wolf bay hadn't been planned, not in Rose's mind anyway and so as a result a few of her things had been left behind. There were a few picture frames on the bedside table, one of her with her mum, and even a couple of her with The Doctor back when she was pinstripes. Folded neatly by the foot of the bed was also one of Rose's old hoodies.

"I don't wanna go." Rose said suddenly, her statement causing The Doctor to turn and look at her with an expression she couldn't read.

She knew it was a stupid thing to say, impossibly stupid, but she couldn't help herself. The TARDIS had all but welcomed her back on board by allowing them to find her room. The years she had spent trying to find a way to get back had been hell, but she had finally done it. She knew that if she went back, it was almost certain fact that she would never see this incarnation of The Doctor again. She loved her pinstriped Doctor, but looking at the woman before her and trying to fathom how she was supposed to go back to her own time and never see her again made her heart hurt in a way she couldn't describe.

"Rose.." Her name fell from The Doctor's lips like a sigh, the tears she had managed to keep at bay up until now were threatening to fall and she shook her head in an attempt to regain control of her emotions.

"The Doctor, Your Doctor.." She started, struggling to find the right words as her own selfish feelings threatened to take over.

"He's still you." Rose cut in.

The Doctor smiled, it was a sad smile and the tears that were on the cusp of falling finally did just that. She stepped forward, taking the empty cup from Rose's hand she set them both down on the table beside her bed because taking both of her hand in her own.

"I need you to listen to me ok?" She told her and waited until Rose nodded before continuing.

"I know I never said it, and this really is the last time I will ever get to, so, I love you Rose Tyler, I have always loved you and even after a thousand years I still love you."

Rose opened her mouth to say something but The Doctor gave her hands a gentle squeeze in hopes that she'd let her say what needed to be said.

"This is why I need you to believe me when I say that if there was any way you could stay here, with me, with us, then I would make it happen."

Rose nodded, her own tears falling as she tried to process what she had just been told. She had always known The Doctor loved her, it had gone unspoken because he had shown her in other ways. Dropping one of The Doctors hands, she reached up to wipe away her tears, a tearful grin stretched across her face when she did the same.

"I'm really glad I found you." She told her honestly, her hand now resting against her cheek whilst her thumb wiped away her remaining tears.

The Doctor nodded in agreement, a smile on her lips as she moved her hand to tuck a stray hair behind her ear.

"Me too."

Their faces were mere inches apart, Rose was sure she caught The Doctor's gaze drop to her lips and she couldn't deny not doing the same thing. They were so close, and if it was to be the last time they would ever get the chance to then..

Neither could be sure who made the first move, although one thing they could be sure of was that it was long overdue. It was short and sweet, a way of testing the water. Both women parted with smiles etched across their faces, their foreheads touching as neither was ready to break complete contact just yet.

This wouldn't be Rose's last kiss with The Doctor, but it would her last kiss with Rose. Squeezing the hand she still had in hers, she ran the fingers of her free hand through Rose's hair as she leaned in to kiss her again. She felt Rose smile against her lips and respond almost instantly.

The hand that had been caressing her cheek travelled downward, slipping beneath her coat she curled her fingers around her hip. Curves were a new but very welcome addition.

Things were escalating quickly and despite neither woman voicing any complaints, they both knew that if they allowed things to go any further it would only make Rose's departure that much more difficult. They parted after a few more moments, a few more long moments. Rose let out a sigh, her hand moving from The Doctor's hip to fiddle with one of her braces. The Doctor gave her one more peck before stepping back, her self control was hanging on by a thread and if she didn't create some distance between herself and Rose she feared it would all be shot to hell. She still wasn't entirely convinced that was an all bad thing.

"We should find the others." The Doctor suggested after a moment, she would need her fam by her side after they had dropped Rose off.

Rose nodded, unable to stop fresh tears rising and threatening to fall.

"Hey, no more tears." She said softly, reaching out and wiping away the strays that she couldn't hold back.

"I can't tell you what happens Rose but I am out there, waiting for you." She assured her and Rose nodded again, taking a deep breath as she tried to get her bearings.

"Lets go." Rose said quietly.

The Doctor offered her a small smile which she returned, leading Rose back out of her room they set off back down the corridor they had first come down in search of the others.