I think it's time for a Rose chapter. 'Cause we all love Rose...

This chapter (and in fact her character in most of the story) has been almost completely inspired by the story 'Rose Smiles' which is simply amazing. It rather changed my view on how to write Rose here, because that is what she would have done. I have to admit, kinda nicked what is said in the last paragraph from it. If anyone hasn't read it, I highly advise doing a search for it (it was posted ages ago) and reading it. It's a oneshot so won't take long to read, but it's bloody amazing. Then of course come back and read this.

HOW good was The Shakespeare Code? Being a 10rose shipper I'm rather in love with it :D

Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who.

xxx

The first few weeks had been hard. She didn't really believe he was gone, she thought he'd find a way back to her. He always did. They were never really separated, not forever. He always made everything go back to normal, he'd come through and materialise and run out shouting about how amazing he was that he'd managed to get through. And she'd wait for him, she wasn't going to just move on like that. Because she knew he was coming.

It was when she found out Jackie was pregnant that it had hit her. The rest of the family seemed to be settling down, it had been over a month by then, she'd lost track of time. Surely the Doctor would have come back by now. But he did have a time machine, maybe he just got the coordinates wrong. He did take her back one year to late at one point.

As time went on, Rose began to realise. He wasn't coming back. This was really it, this was the end. She'd never be able to see him again. And when she realised that nothing worked anymore, and nothing in life made sense. She spent days, weeks just lying in bed, thinking of nothing but the Doctor.

And gradually she realised that she shouldn't be doing this. She remembered what he'd said to her when he'd sent her back, just before he'd regenerated. 'If you want to remember me Rose, then do one thing. That's it Rose, one thing. Have a good life. Do that for me Rose, have a fantastic life.'

So she did. She got up, and she did something with her life. She found herself a job in the most perfect place, Torchwood. As the weeks went by she got happier and managed to adjust to life without him. She was quickly recognised as being one of the best experts on aliens, and dared to admit that she was starting to get used to life without the Doctor.

Then she had the dream. She could hear him calling… he was coming to get her. She knew it. He must be. He'd found a way through and he needed her to go somewhere. So she told the family, and they packed up and went to Norway, Bad Wolf Bay. She stood on the beach, waiting, waiting for the TARDIS to appear. Waiting for him to step out and take her in his arms and whisk her away back to the life she wanted.

When she found out why he was really there, she was devastated. He'd come to say goodbye, and she only had a matter of minutes to speak to him. And so they spoke for the last time on that lonely beach, desperate just to touch each other, just to feel the other's skin on theirs, to reach through realities and do the impossible. She wanted nothing more than for him to embrace her and to lean into him and hear the gentle beat of his hearts, she didn't care what it would cost, whether the universe would be destroyed, she just wanted to be with him one, last time.

Then he was gone. Faded into the ether, out of her life forever. And for just a moment there was nothing left. She felt weak and lonely as tears cascaded from her eyes, her body shaking from the overwhelming pain and loss. She felt her mother hug her and do everything she could to comfort her, but it wasn't enough. It could never be enough.

The journey back had been the longest journey in her life. She was silent the whole time, staring out the window, knowing that somewhere out there he was there, as lonely as she was.

But she knew she couldn't give up. So she carried on working at Torchwood, and after the first few days she felt happier that they'd said goodbye. If it had just ended, it wouldn't have been right. But they'd said goodbye, and maybe it was time to move on. He'd said that all the people before her had, they'd moved on with their lives, found somewhere new to live. But then again, all the people before her hadn't exactly been in love with him. Well, other than Sarah-Jane, and even she'd managed to find her own life.

So the weeks went by and she learnt to smile. And it wasn't long before she was happy – properly happy, actually content with her life. She got promoted in Torchwood, and found that her life was so much better than it had been before. She was better off for having known the Doctor, and now every time she was reminded of him, instead of breaking down and crying like one might expect, she smiled. Why? Because life was too short to cry. Because he'd want her to. Because she could remember the good times with him. Because it made her happy. Not that she wouldn't give anything to have him back.

Then she got the news, and her life was turned upside down.