Rose is Free

The Doctor nervously prepared for his dinner and dance with Rose. He had grown more than just fond of Rose since she'd come to the castle and offered her freedom in exchange for her father's. She made him feel more alive, less alone and made him so much happier. He had—dare he say it?—fallen in love with her and cared for her more than anything. But how would he tell her? Did she love him in return?

He sighed as he glanced at himself in the mirror. He was wearing a fine blue suit with a gold tie and had used hair gel to make his unruly brown hair neater.

"Doc, you about ready?" said Jack.

"Yeah, just another minute, Jack," said the Doctor.

"Okay, so here's out it goes: there will be music and romantic candlelight, you have dinner with Rose, you dance with her and then when the time's right, you confess your love."

"Yes, I confess my…" The Doctor's face fell and shook his head. "No, I can't, Jack."

"You do love her don't you?"

"You know I do. But I can't—"

"Then there's no problem," Jack interrupted. "Doc, come on. Just tell her how you feel."

"I can't. What if she doesn't return my feelings? And besides, I—"

"Dinner is served," Mickey interrupted, coming into the room. "And Rose is awaiting you."

The Doctor sighed again as he left the room, not quite sure what was going to happen.

His jaw nearly dropped when he saw Rose.

Her silky blond hair was in an elegant bun, she was dressed in a dark gold down embroidered with rubies, a topaz necklace hung on her neck.

"You look beautiful," he said, holding out his arm.

She took it and smiled. "Thank you."

He escorted her down to dinner as Sarah-Jane began singing a romantic song.

Sarah-Jane.

Tale as old as time
True as it can be
Barely even friends
Then somebody bends
Unexpectedly

Just a little change
Small to say the least
Both a little scared
Neither one prepared
Rose and the Time Lord

When dinner ended, Rose then took the Doctor's hands in hers and led him to the ballroom where they danced in an elegant waltz. Both of them had trouble breathing in the other's presence, as they were both a little nervous and so in love.

Ever just the same
Ever a surprise
Ever as before
Ever just as sure
As the sun will rise

Tale as old as time
Tune as old as song
Bittersweet and strange
Finding you can change
Learning you were wrong

Certain as the sun
Rising in the east
Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Rose and the Time Lord

Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Rose and the Time Lord

Rose and the Doctor continued dancing until they reached balcony, where the Doctor led her to a seat. She was still smiling as he fiddled with his hair.

"Rose," he said, hesitantly. "Are you…"

"Am I what?"

"Are you happy here with me?" he asked.

"Yes, I am," said Rose. "More than you know."

He smiled, but then saw her look away and saw a look of sadness in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I do love it and I don't want to seem ungrateful for everything you've done for me, but…" her voice wandered off.

"But what?" he asked, lifting her chin. "Rose, tell me. What is it?"

"I just wish I could see my dad," she confessed. "I miss him so much."

The Doctor thought for a moment. He hated seeing Rose so upset. Perhaps he could…? He took hands. "Come with me, there's something I want to show you." He took her into the West Wing and disappeared inside the TARDIS, where he kept the mirror he'd made to see the outside world. He came back out of the TARDIS and handed it to her. "Just hold it and think what you want to see and you'll see it."

I want to see my father, Pete Tyler, please.

The mirror glowed and showed her Pete.

Pete was growing blue with the cold and kept coughing as he grew sicker from exposure. His cloak was gone and had with him, a dead lantern and several torn maps. He then collapsed to the ground, unable to move much further.

"Dad!" Rose cried. "He must've been coming to get me. He's sick and he's alone. Oh, Daddy…"

The Doctor cast a look at the watch, whose ticking had grown even slower over the past weeks. He didn't want to say good-bye to Rose, but he knew he had to.

"Go to him," he said, quietly.

"What?" said Rose, not quite sure she'd heard the Doctor right.

"You…you are no longer my prisoner. Take this," he handed her a key on a fine silver chain. "It's a TARDIS key. Use the TARDIS to go find your dad."

"You mean…I'm free?" said Rose.

He nodded.

"Thank you." She tried to give him the mirror back, but he pushed it back into her hands. "Keep it and the TARDIS key. So you'll always have a piece of me with you so you can remember me."

Rose looked at the Doctor. "Come with me."

"No, I can't. I-I don't belong there. Besides, your dad needs you right now. Go to him."

Rose smiled as he brushed some of her hair out of her face. "Thank you for understanding, Doctor." She looked at the mirror. "Hold on, Dad, I'm on my way."

She disappeared inside the TARDIS and the TARDIS vanished a few moments later.

Mickey then came in, looking cheerful.

"You did it! I knew you could do it, Doctor! Now we'll human again!"

"I let her go," said the Doctor, quietly.

"Excellent, you let her—you did what?!" said Mickey, shocked. "But how could you do that?"

"I had to."

"Yes, but why?"

"Because, Rickey the Idiot, I love her," said the Doctor, fighting back tears. "Leave me alone, please."

Mickey left the room and the Doctor was left alone. It was over now. The spell would never be broken and he would remain alone forever.

"No pain could be deeper
No life could be cheaper
No point anymore if she can't love me
No hope she would do so
No dream to pursue, so
I look to myself, despite all the pain I see
But I know that she
Cannot set me free
Let the worlds be done with me."

Letting Rose go was the hardest thing he had ever done. Now he would never see her again. She had no reason to return to him—an old and broken Time Lord who had imprisoned her father—and it would not be fair of him to ask her to return. His fate hardly mattered to him, for soon the watch would stop ticking and the spell would be permanent.

At least Rose will be back with her father and be happy. This was his only source of comfort as he shed a few tears before changing into a cream v-neck shirt and black pants and then remaining by the watch.

XXX

"He did what?!" said the others.

Mickey had told Sarah, Jack, Gwen, Luke and K-9 about the Doctor releasing Rose.

"Yes, I'm afraid it's true," he said, sadly.

"She's leaving?" said Luke, in disbelief.

"But he was so close!" said Jack.

"After all this time, he's finally fallen in love," said Sarah-Jane.

"Then that should break the spell!" said Jack.

"But that isn't enough, Jack," said Gwen. "Rose has to love him in return, remember?"

"Think she'll come back, K-9?" Sarah-Jane asked

"Affirmative," said the metal dog.

Because everyone else was so busy talking, no one noticed Luke had slipped away.

XXX

The TARDIS flew Rose to Pete's location, and when they landed, Rose went outside and found her father. She dragged him inside before going back to their house and treating him for his sickness.

A few hours later, Pete finally stirred. "Rose?" he said, groggily.

"Shh, it's okay, Dad, I'm home," she said.

Pete sat up and hugged her tight. "I knew I'd see you again."

"I missed you so much, Dad," said Rose.

"But how did you escape?"

"I didn't escape, Dad. The Doctor let me go."

"He did what?" said Pete, shocked. "But he was so…"

"He's not like what we thought he was, Dad," said Rose. "He's different, kind, caring and I think I…"

Just then, out of Rose's bag came Luke.

"Hi!" he said.

"Oh, a stowaway," said Rose, chuckling as Luke leapt into Pete's hand.

"Didn't think I'd see you again," said Pete. "What're you doing? Won't your mother be missing you?"

"Let me worry about that." He turned to Rose. "Rose, why'd you leave? Don't you like us anymore?"

"Oh, Luke, I do like you. It's just—"

A knock on the door interrupted her. Rose opened it to see the keeper of the asylum.

"May I help you?" she asked.

"I've come to collect your father," he said, icily.

"My father?" Rose saw a mob and the lunatic carriage and realized what he wanted.