"Oh my God."

The Doctor knelt, looking up at Rose, a black velvet box held open in his hand, the slim band of silver glinting in the reflection of her eyes. She stared, not speaking, and the Doctor suddenly felt a surge of doubt. What if she had moved on in the years they'd been apart, and in the months he'd taken adjusting to his new human life? Sure, she had been happy to see him again after all that time, ecstatic even, but that could have just been the circumstances. Though he had tried to show his affection in recent months, he was never good with expressing those kind of feelings, and the few dates they had been on could have been misconstrued as best friend time.

But only if she was blind! The Doctor thought fiercely. But then again, that's what I love about her. She's so blind to so many things, especially danger. How many times has she done something stupid and deadly because that big, wonderful heart of hers just couldn't stop? Like when she saved Pete from that car and ripped apart the cosmos… or when she ended up flying over London on a bloody barrage balloon because she was trying to save that child… or when she crossed the fabric of space and time and fought the Daleks again…

Yes, this young woman was the most special and blind person in the universe. And if she couldn't see all that, then maybe, just maybe, she didn't know how he felt about her. And maybe he didn't know how she felt about him. When she'd agreed to his plans for the evening, the Doctor had thought her choice of words was a sign. Maybe he was wrong. His brain started whirring, searching for a way to play off the proposal as a joke while simultaneously feeling his single heart begin to ache.

"Rose –" he began quickly, but at the sound of his voice, she snapped out of her reverie.

"Yes, of course, yes!"

The Doctor's face exploded into a smile as he stood up and took Rose's hand, sliding the ring onto her finger. The next thing he knew he was kissing her in the middle of the restaurant, his hands on the small of her back, her arms wrapped around his neck. The moment he'd been waiting for since he landed in this universe with Rose at his side, and everything was perfect for what felt like an eternity. It wasn't until they broke apart that he realised with bemusement that the other restaurant patrons were smiling and clapping around them, hearts warmed by the engagement scene. Rose started laughing, and the Doctor joined in, elated that she finally knew exactly how he felt.

"Chips!" Rose said, breaking the happy silence they had been walking in. After leaving the restaurant, Rose decided they should take a stroll through the city before driving home. "We need to get some chips to celebrate!"

"Oh, that is so like you, Rose Tyler," the Doctor said. "I ask you to marry me and all you can think about is chips. Maybe I should have asked you to start a chip factory with me, instead." He smiled at his own joke and made a detour to the nearest fish and chips stand. When they arrived at home, Rose's parents were waiting up for them, eating a late night snack of ice cream.

"Mum, look!" Rose said to her mother, holding out her left hand to show off the ring. "We're getting married!"

"Oh, Rosie, that's wonderful! Always knew you two'd end up together, you're both bonkers." Jackie beamed while Pete sat smiling next to her. The Doctor glanced between the two, wondering if Rose knew that he had been planning this evening with Pete for several weeks now. Rather the spontaneous type, the Doctor had enlisted the man's help when he realised he had to make this especially special. But whether she could tell or not, she was too happy to bother calling anyone out.

"So, when's the wedding then?" Jackie asked, standing to bring the empty ice cream bowls to the sink. "I don't suppose you two'll want to wait very long, what with the Doctor's new job starting up and all. Gets distracting, you know, this job thing, and next thing you know it's next year! Oh, Rose, I'm so excited, we'll have to go shopping for your dress! Course you could always use my old one but that's a bit outta fashion now. Ah! This is great, just great, I'll make us a cuppa tea to celebrate!"

While Jackie bustled off to make tea, Pete stood up and gave Rose a long hug. She smiled as she hugged him back, her eyes misting at the thought of having a father to walk her down the aisle. The Doctor felt satisfied knowing he (or his double) had helped bring about something that for the majority of her life she didn't think she would have.

"Congratulations, sweetheart." He heard Pete whisper in her ear, then watched as the man went to help Jackie in the kitchen. He could still hear Jackie prattling on about dresses and cakes and flowers. Rose turned to the Doctor.

"So when are we having this wedding? With you teaching school, you're gonna be busier than me most days. It'll have to be on school holiday or something, right? So, like, next summer?"

The Doctor led her to the living room and sat them both down on the sofa.

"Well, I was thinking we could do December? School holiday, and your mum and dad'll be free too." He grinned as he remembered his first Christmas in that body. "Just no Christmas trees allowed."

"No mad Christmas trees, you mean." Rose said conversationally, as though making the distinction between mad Christmas trees and normal Christmas trees was an everyday occurrence (which, with the Doctor, it was.) At that moment, Jackie stormed back into the living room, going on full steam about taffeta versus satin for gowns and commenting on the inadvisability of Rose wearing a dress with a train.

"With you lot I never know what you're gonna do next, Rose you'd best not, you might end up being kidnapped by aliens or something and then how would you escape with a dress like that?"

"Oh, been there done that. Disappearing brides are so last year." The Doctor quipped, and he looked with amusement over his steaming cup of tea at the three shocked faces staring back at him.