I'm so happy for them. I can't begin to describe how happy, standing here watching them from the back of the church. Oh, and little Marion is just so sweet…silly really, isn't it? I'm the third part of the triangle – I shouldn't be this happy, right? But I am, it'd be stupid for me to be anything else. After all, I chose death. I chose this. If I did feel otherwise, I'd only have myself to blame.
Rose – she looks amazing. I watched her mum do her hair this morning, and help her into her dress. I don't think she knows the half of what she's capable of now. When I said 'look after him', I meant it, and now she'll be able to. Rose will live as long as he does, however long that is, and he'll live as long as her. It won't hurt her this time, either, nor will she change. I love Rose too, you understand. So amazing. I could see the first time she came in that she was different. And of course, she became my friend – my best friend, even, despite the way I've taken so long to trust before. She kept my secret, and I am forever grateful for that.
But as much as I could stand and watch her forever, I could watch him for forever and a day. My Doctor. My amazing, funny, brilliant, beautiful Doctor. Rassilon, it hurt so much to see him on the beach like that, but what else could I do? I knew he'd be so much worse without Rose, so there was no choice, was there? She put it so well, simply, but so well. I wanted to be human oh, so badly that it hurt. I was born in the wrong body. The body of a machine, and I had to live with that, but that knowledge never made it any easier.
No more self-pity. They're leaving now, and I have to leave too, for the last time. This is their future, not mine – mine is elsewhere. And it's not like we'll never meet again. It is, after all, the same paradise, the same Heaven, whoever or whatever you are, and I might be waiting a while, but they'll be there.
And she leaves, quietly, losing herself in the breeze that comes from the opening door of the church, as the Doctor and Rose leave hand in hand, Marion running behind with her flower basket and people filing after them. There's photos being taken, and the churchyard's a hive of activity as family jostle around, trying to get into position. But something's wrong here, Rose thinks, and she doesn't know what.
Then she sees her. Standing a short distance away, behind the photographer and seemingly unnoticed by the others is a girl – blonde, wearing a white top and jeans, a bemused, frightened look on her face. Just for a moment, their eyes meet, before the girl vanishes right before her eyes.
"Doctor," she whispers, nudging him in the ribs and pointing. "I swear I just saw…" He just smiles back at her as the party start moving again, a shower of rice and pieces of confetti raining down on them.
-
Sitting in the garden that night, Rose can't stop bouncing. They're going away tomorrow, and she can't wait. Marion's staying with the family, and they've got two weeks all to themselves before she has to be back for work.
"Rose?"
"What?" she replies, grinning and literally jumping around under the tree, grabbing a branch and swinging from it.
"Calm down."
"I can't help it!" But she gets down anyway, reluctantly, sitting on the grass next to the Doctor. Follows his gaze to the roses under the tree, growing around the exposed roots.
"You miss her, don't you?"
"Yeah. I know this sounds stupid, but I'm sure…I'm sure she was there today."
"Me too. When we were standing at the altar, it was like I was being watched. But it wasn't weird, it was a nice feeling…like someone smiling at me."
The Doctor looks back up at her, regarding her face carefully. Then his sombre expression cracks into a massive smile and he reaches over and plays with her hair. Holds up whatever it is he's found for Rose to see.
A single grain of rice, between his fingers.
