Hey guys. Hope you all had a very merry Christmas and a FANTASTIC new year!! Sorry I know it's been months since I last updated this fic, but...well just can't get into the groove of writing any story at the moment. Got a few I'm trying to work on, but won't be posting any others (that aren't already up) for a while, just so when I do I've got a backlog of ones to resort to. Anyway, one of the bonuses of where I left off is this part is kinda like a recap...but kinda not. Anyways hope you enjoy (oh and Becks, yup did get home safe and sound, and figured out what I'm getting you for Christmas...though it's gonna be a couple weeks late (well can't say it's gonna be early now can I!))

Rose first began rowsing as she felt her body temperature suddenly spike upwards again. She felt part of her body was still cool and reached out to claw the rest of her body to that spot, but there was something blocking her way, something carrying her forwards into the heat.

She tried desperately to fight through the fogginess of her own mind as she struggled to get back to the cold that her body needed, but then she heard his voice, soft and soothing. "Shh Rose, we're home, safe and sound…well for the moment," he told her.

It was then that she realised the thing carrying her forward was him, her Doctor. And even though she knew her body was screaming to get out of the heat, she relaxed. She trusted him completely. For he was her Doctor and he would always protect her.

He gently lay her down on her bed and then she heard him making his way across the room to the window. The cool draft was a god send and she angled her head slightly towards it as she heard him close the door. Her whole body tensed slightly as he sat down beside her. She was suddenly very aware they were together, in her room, on her bed, alone.

"Tell you what, I'll have the hots for you and you take care of your mum for me," he joked, and she couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips at the thought, realising a moment later the reason he didn't react to it was he was busy slapping his forehead for his choice of words. The smile was gone by the time he rested his hand gently back on hers.

"Sounds good to me," she couldn't resist murmuring softly as he gently stroked her damp fringe from her forehead, though she did restrain from holding it to her cheek when he took it away.

He sniffed and then she felt him get off the bed. She was worried that he was going to leave, and flickered her eyes open only to find him kneeling in front of her heater, sonic screwdriver at the ready. Was he even aware of how his jacket rode up and revealed how tight those trousers of his were she wondered before snapping her eyes shut as he turned back to her.

She could hear Jackie yelling at Jack downstairs, but tried to ignore them as he spoke.

"How can your room be such a mess?"

She contemplated this, quickly running through the items she'd left on her floor last time she was here. Few clothes, those notepads that she couldn't fit in her bag, few old magazines, probably some crisp and chocolate wrappers, nothing too incriminating then.

"Seriously, most of your stuff is on the Tardis, well now in a pack, but still!"

Shit! Her eyes shot open - the French knickers Shareen had bought her for her last birthday! Oh god how was he going to react to those?

"You shouldn't have enough stuff to afford such a…a…"

Realising her eyes were open, she looked over at him only to find he was looking in the direction of the very item she'd been thinking of. She closed her eyes contentedly as she realised his reaction couldn't be seen as bad at all.

"Such a mess," he finally stammered out, and she found it very hard not to laugh. Had a pair of her knickers actually almost made him speechless? "One of these days---" He stopped dead and she couldn't help but wonder if he'd caught sight of some other revealing item of clothing he'd never seen her wear.

As the pause wore on though, she opened her eyes to look at him through her lashes, only to find a deep frown crossing his face now as he looked off into space. She closed her eyes as he turned back to her though.

"One of these days," he began again, only to stop just as before. The pause was slightly longer this time, and then he repeated the words again, "One of these days," more loudly this time. After a short pause his voice came out choked, "One…I can't do this," he said softly.

It took all her will power not to reveal she was awake then, to just go over and give him a hug.

"I'll find a way, I..." he trailed off. Though it wasn't nearly as abrupt as the previous times, it still worried her.

She desperately wanted to 'wake up', to at least say goodbye. But she knew if she did that she'd tell him everything, even about the message she'd left him back on the Tardis, and then he'd never leave her behind. She wished he'd been smiling the last time she'd seen him rather than that frown, but she'd made her choice already. She was going to spare the Doctor her death even if that meant going through it alone, well not alone. Her mum would be there, but that wasn't the same as having the man you...as having him there.

"I'll be back," he told her, breaking her from her thoughts.

Her eyes shot open again as she realised he was leaving without even saying goodbye! But then of course he didn't know this was the final goodbye she reminded herself. She saw a flash of Jackie and Jack before he closed the door behind him.

She sighed, willing herself not to cry. He was gone. She never thought she would be the one to choose to leave. Always thought he'd either leave her behind one day or she'd die traveling with him. Her chest grew tight at the thought – she was dying. She'd never expected to die young. So many things she'd yet to do, to see. She couldn't help but smile at that though – she'd seen a whole lot more than most her age. And really she was lucky because she didn't have any regrets, or many anyway. Leaving the Doctor was one of them. Never telling him was the other.

Her mother's voice broke her from her thoughts. "Doctor if you don't get in there this very second and---"

"I'm going, I'm going," he cut her off, Rose watching him back into the room before snapping her eyes shut as he closed the door.

"Told you I'd be back," he murmured as he went back to sit beside her. "But it's only been a minute, no Tardis time snuck in I'm afraid," he added, brushing the hair that had flopped back across her face.

She bit the inside of her lip as his hand lingered on her cheek, fighting the urge to kiss him. Where had that come from? She wondered, frowning as the Doctor chuckled. "Completely obsessed with Disney."

"What?" she croaked out before thinking. She really had intended to let him decide whether he'd say goodbye or not, but her mum had taken that choice away just minutes later.

As she opened her eyes, the first thing to come into focus was the Doctor's huge grin which made her smile – now he would be smiling when she last saw him. Though the turmoil in his eyes worried her more than the frown had.

"Just berating my previous self," he informed her, taking her hand in his. "How you feeling?"

"Hot," she replied simply. "Why were you berating your previous self?" She raised a brow as he blushed, forcing herself not to giggle as he refused to meet her gaze.

"Just his obsession with Disney."

"As in the person or the movies?" she asked, knowing it was always best to clarify when it came to the Doctor. She forced the smile away as he finally made eye contact once more.

"The movies," he replied.

Rose raised a brow, the amused grin crossing her face once more as his blush deepened. "He never mentioned them to me," she said softly. "You sure you're not the one with the obsession?" she added teasingly.

He sputtered incoherently for a minute before finally saying "If it was me, how would I have known the Lion King so well after just regenerating? Wasn't exactly time to quick nip to the video store and get a copy while you lot were bungling up saving the world now was there?"

"We were not bungling it up!" she protested, quite offended at his reference to her attempt at it.

He smiled, tracing her cheek with his hand. "True…the rest of the humans were bungling it up, you were at least attempting to make it right…talking a lot of rubish, but an attempt none the less," he added with a cheeky grin. He looked thoughtful for a moment before adding, "You know there's actually a good few races that would have worked on. The---"

"So that Disney obsession," Rose quickly cut him off. She knew she didn't have much time left with him and she'd be damned if her last conversation was about aliens that talking rubbish to was an effective attack for. "What made you think of it now?" She was rewarded with his cheeks going a deep crimson once again, but no real response. "Well?"

"It's just, when you're sleeping you can look quite pretty and peaceful, and that just got me thinking of Sleeping Beauty..." he trailed off, hoping she'd leave it at that.

She smiled at the thought of him thinking she was beautiful. "You know how that story goes right? I mean how she's saved and all," she added, looking down at their joined hands rather than meeting his gaze.

"Umm yes…I'm aware of the…premise of the story," he mumbled, staring at their hands.

"Were you going to?" the question slipped out before she could stop it, and she felt her own cheeks go crimson.

"No! I mean that would be…oh what's it called…statutory rape?" he asked, not able to think straight as thoughts of kissing her flooded his mind.

Rose couldn't help but giggle. "I was only asking about a kiss Doctor, not going all the way!"

"Sexual harrassment," he quickly corrected himself, fidgetting uncomfortably. He would have gotten up had she not held his hand so firmly.

"Technically that only applies if one of the parties didn't want it to happen," she said softly.

He was so flustered by his previous mistake that it took a moment for her words to sink in. "You'd want me to?" he asked, not sure he believed how lucky he could be.

Whatever her answer may have been he didn't get to find out, as Jack chose that moment to open the door. "Sorry to cut the farewells short, but we've really got to get going," he said softly, looking truly sorry to break the pair apart.

"Right," the Doctor replied, quickly jumping to his feet, missing Rose's touch the minute he'd left it. "Well…we should see you soon," he said, not quite meeting her gaze, thoughts he knew he shouldn't be having still filling his mind.

"I'll walk you to the door," she replied and she tried to force herself up.

The Doctor shook his head though, putting a restraining hand on her shoulder. "It's too hot in the rest of the house, and besides we don't want to waste time having to drag you back here again," he added, getting a glare in return.

After a moment's silence, Jack cleared his throat. "I'll leave you guys to it. Rose, always a pleasure, and we'll see you soon," he told her, going over and giving her a hug.

"Try not get slimered again, even if it's an improvement," she teased as she hugged him tightly, trying not to cry once more as she knew this would be the last time she saw him.

He just ruffled her hair before leaving the room.

The pair stared at each other once again, neither wanting to be the first to say goodbye.

"Oh come here you big baby," she eventually sighed in exasperation, holding her arms out for him to give her a hug.

He pretended to protest being called a baby for about a second before diving into her arms, wrapping his own around her tightly. "I'm gonna miss you," he whispered into her hair.

"With Jack around? The pair of you'll be off on some beach paradise covered in beautiful people in minutes!" she replied, nuzzling into his shoulder.

He chuckled softly. "Yeah you're probably right," he replied, earning a whack on the shoulder as she pulled away from him. "Doesn't mean we'll enjoy it!" he pouted, rubbing his shoulder childishly.

Rose just raised a brow at him.

"It's true! Knowing our luck, we'd end up on one where the sunsets are an amazing orange, the sand dunes never ending, the waters perfectly swimmable day and night," he rambled on, faking a whistful look until she cleared her throat. "Oh, and you know, locals that find aliens a culinary delicacy," he added, tapping her nose affectionately.

She scrunched her nose. "There're planets like that?"

"Oh yes. It's set up to look like a complete beach paradise. Only problem is they happen to love non-locals so much they could eat them…literally."

"Way to put a girl off her pumpkin soup," Jackie chided, causing them both to jump as she entered the room carrying a tray with said soup steaming away in a bowl.

The Doctor leant forward scratching the back of his neck, hoping to avoid another Tyler seeing him blush crimson. "Right, well best be off," he said after a pause, giving Rose's hand one last squeeze before standing.

"No dilly dallying Doctor!" Jackie told him warningly, staring at him so intently he was surprised she couldn't read his thoughts.

"Mum!" Rose chided her mother.

"I mean it! You've got one hour! You turn up in one month and I'll have your guts for garters," she added, waving the spoon of all utensils in front of him ominously.

"Don't mind her, just go have fun!" Rose told him, earning a none to pleased look from Jackie. "Oh, and mind those paradise planets, don't want to be getting a call letting me know a new friend of yours has had you for lunch!"

Jackie frowned but the Doctor just rolled his eyes. "Tony did it better, though I liked the second one better."

"You're only saying that 'cause you're only his second favourite person," Rose teased.

"Are you two still fighting about who Hopkins liked better?" Jack asked as he entered the room. "Honestly, what was that? Like a year ago?"

"And four months," Rose added.

"And twelve days," the Doctor added after her.

"Give or take."

"Not that we're counting."

"Not like he promised to call or anything."

"I was just waiting for the autographed picture."

The trio would have burst into laughter had Jackie not given them each her death stare in turn.

"Right, times a wasting!" the Doctor said, clapping his hands together. "We'll see you in 57 minutes," he told Rose, kissing the top of her head.

She smiled up at him before turning to Jack. "Take care of him," she implored, hating that she couldn't do it herself, giving Jack a look that earned her a glare from the Doctor. "But don't do anything I haven't," she added glaring slightly as she thought of all the flirting Jack would be able to do that she wouldn't.

"Scared I'll win that bet?" Jack asked as he ruffled her hair once more.

"Oh I've won that twice over already," she replied with a cheeky grin, though not about to admit to Jack that the first time was when Cassandra had control of her body.

"Liar," he replied glaring, a look of shock crossing his face when she just raised her brows at him. "You little hussy! Holding out juicy gossip on me!" He was about to sit down beside her to hear it all when Jackie grabbed him by the ear, literally dragging him out the room.

"Maybe another time," she called, waving after him. "Go rescue him," she added to the Doctor once they'd both stopped laughing.

"And you think I need taking care of," he replied making his way out the room. "I'll see you soon."

"Doctor," she called out, waiting for him to turn around in the doorway. Now or never she thought. "I…I l…" she trailed off, fighting back tears, both at losing him and not being able to say it. "I'll miss you," she finally forced out. Maybe it was for the best. Maybe telling him now, knowing what lay ahead, would be worse than never telling him.

"You won't have a chance, I'll be back in a minute," he told her with a wink and his usual charming smile before leaving the room.

Rose listened as the Doctor saved Jack from Jackie, who'd gone from forcefully removing him out of the room to almost more forcefully trying to extract information on the bet out of him. She waited till she heard the door close before burying her head in her pillow and letting the sobs she'd been holding for so long out.

"Alright what is the bet..." Jackie trailed off at the sight of her daughter. "Oh Rose," she murmured as she shot beside her, drawing her into a hug. "It'll be alright. I know I'm forever telling him off, but he really is good, and he'll be back in no time. He will, just you wait and see," she added more adimantly as Rose shook her head.

"No he won't mum," Rose eventually croaked out. "He's gone for good."

Jackie frowned. "He'd never leave you Rose. I've seen the way he looks at you. It would take more than heaven and earth to keep him away."

"Not that much," she hiccoughed.

"What are you talking about Rose? You know how much he cares for you, don't you?" Jackie asked, now worrying that her daughter didn't think she was that important to the Doctor.

"I know mum, and that's why I had to do it," Rose sobbed.

"Do what sweetheart?"

Rose met her mother's gaze hating all the worry she saw there knowing she was the cause. "He's not coming back because I've told the Tardis not to let him."

"But the Tardis is his ship, it can't---"

"She won't let him mum. She's...she's a living ship and she's amazing and wonderful, and because I asked her to, she won't let him come back till..." Rose's voice trailed off, still not able to manage saying it aloud yet.

"But why?" Jackie cried, feeling her own tears trailing down her cheeks now.

"Because there isn't a cure mum. The whole universe knows that but he's not willing to believe it 'cause it means losing...it means it's his fault that I'm dying. But it's not. I was the one that wanted to travel with him, and I was the one that wanted to go to the pyramids so it's my fault. And I'm not gonna make him spend the rest of his lives trying to find a cure that just doesn't exist."

Jackie stared at her daughter. She'd always known she was special, amazing for her age, but looking at her now she knew she was already a woman, already such an amazing, wonderful woman whom she hated the thought of having to live without. "You never told him did you?" she eventually asked.

"He wouldn't have left if I told him---"

"Not about that," Jackie waved her off. "You never told him you love him did you?"

Rose stared at her, mouth opening and closing a few times before she held it shut, slowly shaking her head.

Jackie bit her lip. There may not be a lot they had in common, but that was one thing – yes she'd married the man she loved, but she wasn't sure he knew how much she loved him when she lost him. And she knew the pain thinking about it caused.

"So what would you like to do? I can turn off the heaters and you can come down stairs, or we can go out or---"

"Isn't it time for your daily dose of Cori?" Rose asked, raising a brow at her mum.

Jackie glared softly at her. "I'm sure I'll manage without the Street just this once. But if you want TV there's that spinoff to that Duffy show you used to watch?"

"Duffy?" Rose asked frowning.

"You know, kills the vampires...but the spinoffs about the vampire."

"And you watch it?" Rose asked, wondering whether she'd been dropped on some parallel universe without knowing.

Jackie blushed. "Well the blonde one's kind of grown on me. Reminds me a bit of your friend Jack. Plus he's got a point about cavemen," she replied, picking up Roses's tray as she headed for the door. "I'll go open the windows and should be ready for you in a few minutes."

Rose couldn't help but laugh. Not exactly how she expected her last hours on Earth to be, but that was the fun in the unexpected – it just wasn't what you expected.

Hope you enjoyed that. Soz, didn't want a sad ending so turned into a quirky one instead. James Marsters has been growing on me since I saw him in concert (yes I went to a concert of two actors I wasn't huge fans of. The things I do for fangirl friends :p but having said that, I'm SO glad I went now!!) And I'm SO gutted that I'll be missing the intro to Captain John in a couple weeks!! Anyway, enough babbling...actually, just before I go, HAVE to have a rant, cos Becks story reminded me of it (so blame her :p ...though at least I was nice and put it at the end!)

Can't remember where or who it was but somewhere on YouTube there's a clip from Utopia, you know the bit where Martha's telling the Doctor about Yana's watch and saying about Face of Boe's last words. Anyway, whoever it was commented that RTD stuffed up cos Jack has no reaction to the mention of Face of Boe. Sorry if I remembered where this comment was this would go there, but instead you guys get it. Okay I don't think this was a stuff up cos if you think about it, Jack was a Time Agent, knowing about heaps of different aliens etc. So if he didn't already know about FoB before joining the Agency, he would have after and since FoB woulda been round for millions of years prior, would have thought it a coincidence. So no reaction when Martha mentions him. Then give him a year of thinking about what the Doctor's said about not being able to cure him and he probably starts thinking maybe it is possible, which is why he asks the Doc if he knows what'll happen in a million years. The Doc saying he doesn't know would confirm for him that it could be possible it was him without the Doc knowing, and then the Doc and Martha's face when he tells them his old nickname would be like confirmation that FoB is probably him, so his last line is kinda evil cos in their business it's not always guaranteed, but he KNOWS he'll be seeing him again...okay so admittedly RTD might not have thought any of this, but yeah...that's my grumble for the day...though expect a lot larger one if RTD changes his mind on it!! Especially after GDL's interesting theories on how Jack turns into FoB!! And now that I've bored you all silly...please still review :p