After my revelation at Cardiff, I concentrated on my life here. I worked at Torchwood, just doing my job to save the world from alien threats. I kept looking for a blue box. No matter how hard I tried, I kept looking for him. Except now, I didn't expect him to come back. When there were no reports of a blue box, I didn't cry anymore.
The years passed more quickly after I gave up on the Doctor's return. My little Maris grew up from a one year old to an intelligent four year old. Maris had started school when she turned three and had progress to the next stage of her education. She had a few friends.
She kept her intelligence hidden at school, but she never hid it at home. She was reading books that an average seven or eight year old would be able to read. She could do simple multiplication and division. I was amazed at her abilities. My parents made sure that Maris would have the money to go to university when she grew up.
I celebrated my twenty-fifth birthday. I settled into a semi-normal life. I never forgot the Doctor, partially because I never could and partially because I had living proof he existed. I loved Maris with everything I had.
I did what he had asked me to do when he sent me home the first time. I was living the fantastic life he would have wanted me to live.
--
Right after Maris' fifth birthday, I decided that I would spend a week working from home. It was summer and Maris was out of school. And then everything, absolutely everything changed.
I had finished my work early for that day. Mickey and Oliver were going to a local park. Mickey had become Oliver's best friend. They wanted Maris and I to come with them. The weather was nice; no rain, but not a lot of sun either.
I sat on a bench, watching Maris and Oliver play with Mickey. After a while, I stood up.
"Mickey, I'm going to walk around a bit," I shouted to him.
"Alright," he shouted back.
I walked along the paths, through the trees. I found another park bench and sat down again. I wasn't tired, I just wanted to think alone.
I had given up on the Doctor. He wasn't coming back. I missed him, but the pain was more a dull ache now than a sharp pierce to my heart every time I thought of him. I sat there with my eyes closed. I thought I fell asleep because I heard something I hadn't heard for years.
It was quiet, just a whisper. But it was his voice.
"Rose."
My eyes snapped open. I looked around wildly, hoping to see him. I saw nothing.
Disappointment set in. I had started imagining his voice. But it was so clear, could I really have imagined it?
And then it happened again, louder this time. "Rose."
I knew I wasn't imagining it. I couldn't be. I had to find him.
"Doctor, I'm here," I said, seemingly to the air.
The voice came back. "Turn around," he said.
So I did.