Short but hopefully sweet. Just setting the tone for the rest of the Doctor-Rose arc of this story and giving a little distance before revealing the fate of Ksenia.

New Adventures

He squinted upward into the dark. "This isn't snow, it's ash."

"Okay not so beautiful." Rose admitted, folding her arms and peering into the fall of ashes from the destroyed ship. Jackie and Mickey were silent.

"This is a brand new planet Earth." He said after a moment's silence. "No denying the existence of aliens now, everyone saw it." He turned to Rose. "Everything's new." This body was so different from his last one. It liked to tease. It's mind changed so rapidly, so unexpectedly. Its emotions were… stronger.

"And what 'bout you?" Rose asked, fidgeting slightly under his gaze. "What are you gonna do next?"

"Well…" He glanced over his shoulder at the blue box. "back to the TARDIS. Same old life."

"On your own?" Rose asked.
"Why don't you want to come?"

She smiled. "Well… yeah."

His left heart beat faster in anticipation. "Do you though?"

"Yeah!" She exclaimed with one of her wide, toothy smiles.

"Well I just thought… cause I changed…" Because he was no longer the same man, the one who had taken her hand and led her on so many adventures, the one who had saved her life and been saved by her.

"Yeah… I thought cause you changed, you might not want me anymore." Rose was saying.

"Oh no, I'd love you to come!" His face split into a wide smile that she quickly mirrored.

"Okay!"

"You're never gonna stay are you?"

They both turned to Mickey. But there was no anger in his gaze. Only acceptance.

"There's just so much out there." Rose told him. "So much to see, I've got to."

Mickey nodded. "Yeah."

He didn't want to feel like he'd just stolen Rose away from Mickey forever but he couldn't help that small flare of happiness that glowed between his hearts. She chose him. She wanted to be with him.

Jackie spoke up from behind them. "Well I reckon you're mad, the pair of you. It's like you go looking for trouble!"

This body was restless too. He was at Jackie's side in the blink of an eye. "Trouble's just the bits in between! It's all waiting out there Jackie, and it's brand new to me. All those planets, creatures and horizons, I haven't seen them yet! Not with these eyes!"

He walked slowly back to Rose's side. "And it is gonna be…" He glanced at her and smiled. "Fantastic."

She smiled back and he knew everything was alright. He was still her Doctor.

He extended his right hand towards hers.

"That hand of your still gives me the creeps." She giggled.

He wiggled his fingers. Nothing wrong with this hand. Oh no, this hand was perfectly insane. Just like him. Gently, Rose slid her hand into his and squeezed tight.

Their hands still fit perfectly together. He still belonged with her. The realization not only made him happy but filled him with dread. Rose was watching the sky as he watched her. This could be dangerous. The universe had a way of ripping away everything close to him. It had already tried with Rose. Both his hearts flared. He would always protect her. Nothing would come between him and his Rose ever again.

"So, where are we gonna go first?" Rose asked him breaking him out of his thoughts.

Maybe Felspoon? That was always a good place even in this day and age.

He hesitated, examining the sky. So many options. So many new and old places he wanted to see with this face. With Rose. "Umm…" He raised his free hand and pointed. "that way… no hold on…" He pointed in a different direction. "that way…" He knew just the place. Another new Earth.

"That way?" Rose asked following his gaze.

"See it?" He asked.

Rose nodded. "Yeah." She agreed. "That way."

He grinned at her.

So here it was. The start of a brave new adventure with his companion, Rose Tyler.