I decided an alternate ending was in order for this story. This isn't something I normally do, but I couldn't leave one of the Doctors lines of the alone as I originally had him changing a sentence on the fly. So this is the 'what would happen if he said what he really wanted to say' ending.

I suppose this would fit more in the Hurt Comfort/Romance categories but, since this is the alternate version, I'm leaving the main categories alone.

I repeated the first couple of lines from the original story so you can have context as to when it's taking place and not have to read the entire intro over again.

Enjoy!

"I couldn't let her die. But time did a better job of killing her than any clockwork droid could ever hope to."

"So if it wasn't for that, you would've replaced me." Rose made it a statement and not a question. The Doctor remained silent. "It's as plain as day that you love her."

"No Rose, I love you!" He blurted out. Rose sat in stunned silence as the Doctor's brain caught up with his mouth, her anger suddenly dissipating into pure shock.

His mouth suddenly went dry, his face turned red, and his right heart actually missed a couple beats when he realised what he had just admitted to.

She sat there a long moment, trying to process what he just said. Words from the day before, after she had met Sarah Jane, filtered through her mind.

'I don't age. I regenerate. But humans decay. You wither and you die. Imagine watching that happen to someone you…'

She prompted him to finish that sentence, but he deflected instead, saying something about how she could spend the rest of her life with him.

Wait.

So indirectly he said exactly what he said just now! And this was before he had his face snogged off by a uppity French…

"Rose, please say something." He said gently, his eyes searching hers for any kind of response. His grip on her arms had loosened considerably, and he trailed his hands down her arms to take her hands into his. His hearts were beating double-time as he waited, desperate for any kind of response. He wasn't going to take the coward's way out this time. It was far too late for that.

Her head was spinning and her heart pounding. She let go of the breath she didn't even know she was holding. She broke eye contact suddenly and looked down at their entwined hands, his thumbs lightly skimming over her knuckles over and over. They fit perfectly.

"You… you love me?" She asked incredulously around the lump that had formed in her throat. He smiled gently and nodded.

"Oh, yes." He breathed as gave her hands a gentle squeeze. Then he let go of one of her hands to reach up and cup her face. "I thought you'd realise that by now."

She leaned into his palm, her eyes drifting closed on their own accord as she felt his thumb drift across her cheekbone.

"Doctor, I…" the end of that sentence was cut off as she felt something brush against her lips.

It took her mind a moment to register the fact that he just kissed her.

It was quick and chaste. But that didn't stop the blush that crept along her cheeks as she opened her eyes and saw that his face was still only a couple of inches away from hers.

"Sorry," He gave her a sheepish smile "you were say…"

Rose, having decided that actions speak louder than words, leaned in and kissed him soundly. He stood and pulled her into a warm embrace, and she went more than willingly. They stayed wrapped in each others arms for a what seemed like an eternity, neither wanting to let go.

"I love you." He murmured into her ear, trying to figure out why he was so scared of saying it before. She smiled as she nuzzled his chest.

"Love you too." She said at last as she felt him place a lingering kiss to the crown of her head. "I'm sorry you lost her. She was a good person." She added after a long moment of just listening to his double heartbeat. "And I'm sorry for being so stupid." She felt him shake his head, and pull her just a bit closer to him.

"You weren't. You're never stupid, Rose. Never. You have every right to be angry at me. I was an idiot today. If I keep that up, Mickey'll be out of a job…" She smacked his back.

"Rude." She giggled as pulled out of the hug slightly so she could reach up and run her fingers through his unruly hair, "And still not ginger."

"You ever gonna stop rubbing that in?" The Doctor tried to give her his best pout, but it was kind of hard to muster with the delightful scalp massage he was receiving.

"Nope!" She gave him her signature smile, messing up his hair even more and pulling him into another kiss.

"I meant what I said before: I'll never leave you behind." He said seriously when Rose broke away for air.

"Yeah, try that again, and I'll just have to come after ya." She grinned at him.

"I'm gonna hold you to that."

"I bet you will."

But, for now, he just settled on holding her.

Which version do you guys like better? Let me know!