Doctor 10.5 and Rose find a rift in the universe and time is about to collapse. What happens when they travel back to their own universe, only to bump into a new Doctor and the Ponds? I don't own DW. If I did, Donna would still be around. I do, however, have the Doctor Who theme (series 1-2) as my ring tone, so I feel ridiculously cool whenever I get a call.

Awakening

River's eyes fluttered open. She looked around. TARDIS. She was in the TARDIS, in the console room. The Doctor was just awakening from what appeared to be a deep sleep. He ran his hand through his hair and looked at her. She noted the bags under his eyes. Somehow, he looked older, worse for the wear.

"What was that?" she asked, her heart beating rapidly. She seriously thought she had killed a man.

"That was the Dreamlord," the Doctor said gruffly.

River nodded, taking in everything. Suddenly, Donna Noble came barelling into the console room, looking ecstatic.

"Oi! You! You better keep your word!" she poked at the Doctor.

"It was a dream," the Doctor said.

"I know. But I meant what I said. After we fix this mess, I'm not leaving," she said decidedly, crossing her arms across her chest for further effect. She would get to travel with the Doctor, and she was thrilled. There was so much to see, and so little time. She was like a junkie, her drug of choice, traveling in the TARDIS.

"So, you two had the same dream?" River guessed.

They nodded.

"Where's he?" Donna looked around.

"He'll pop up when you least expect it," the Doctor answered. He set the console to drift in the time vortex. They needn't be anywhere. Everything could be solved within this very room. If only his plan would work.

He held her in his arms as she cried. John ran his fingers gently through her blonde locks as Rose cried into his shoulder. The Doctor had looked the way he was supposed to. She could have saved him, but she didn't. She had her life with John, but she still felt awful. She knew it was a dream, but part of her had this nagging feeling that the Dreamlord had been right. She could have saved him.

John didn't ask any questions. Nor did he get jealous. After all, he was still part of the Doctor.

She remembered how the Doctor had come to her, before she even knew he existed. There, standing in all his finery, he said goodbye to her on New Years in 2005. Her heart broke just thinking about it-him, alone as he regenerated in the TARDIS. She couldn't take another face change, though. His attitude was greatly altered, as well. He acted as if she never existed, as if she never meant anything to him.

"He still loves you," John whispered, almost comfortingly.

She shook her head. He may still care about her, but she didn't sense any sort of love from him. He was so aloof and professor-like. He kept his distance from all of his human friends. Yet his former self was so loving, and passionate. Taking the time to go about saying goodbye. She and Martha spoke shortly, realising that he had made his goodbye to her and Mickey as well. Martha admitted that Mickey was a right distraught mess, as well. The Doctor would always be their friend. But he would never again be her Doctor.

"But I love you," she said quietly.

She looked around, smiling at the pictures, the memories. She would treasure them forever, but it was time to let the past stay in the past.

There, in her old room, an era ended. She could move on, just like he did.

Slowly, the TARDIS crew filed into the console room, still tired. Jack seemed irritable, not even answering Martha's enquiries. River looked extremely guilty and distraught. Mickey looked annoyed that he was woken up. Donna looked giddy just to be on an adventure. Rose and John looked solemn. Martha looked curious. Amy and Rory looked like they wanted the TARDIS back to themselves.

"So, what're we supposed to do?" Amy asked.

"Well, if we pinpoint the exact centre of the rift," Martha started.

"It's at Bad Wolf Bay," John said, "Rose figured it out at our Torchwood."

"But why there? Why not the Medusa Cascade or something on a grander scale?" Donna asked.

The Doctor knew why. The Dreamlord didn't want to destroy planets by creating a rift. He wanted a way to get back to her. He gazed at Rose, and she looked away, fidgeting under his scrutinizing look. He gulped. He had to tell them. He had to tell them that this was all for nothing. That the Dreamlord just wanted Rose back. But he was defeated. Now the Doctor had to lock him away forever. If Rose was happy, he was happy.

"He was looking for attention. He wanted someone to notice the rifts and come in saving the day," the Doctor admitted.

"More specifically," John looked to Rose. She looked back at him, confused as to what she could have to do with it.

"Exactly," the Doctor told John.

His human counterpart furrowed his brow. It was all beginning to fall into place. The Dreamlord wanted Rose back. When he saw that she was happy with John, she once again became the Bad Wolf. Knowing John would risk his life to save her, Rose would be free to travel with the real Doctor again. When that failed, and the TARDIS saved them both, the Dreamlord gave her an ultimatum. Bloody hell, he was persistent. But what would he do know that she had chosen? What was to be their fate?

The Doctor set a few coordinates, "I'm taking you all home. I need to deal with this on my own."

"We're not leaving you," Rose said harshly, "We're not just gonna up and swan off when things get too hard. Who do you take us for?"

John nodded in agreement.

"She's right," Martha agreed, "Plus, you've got two of UNIT's finest."

"Ah, I'm flattered," Mickey grinned, "and in agreement. You're not goin' to get rid of us so easy."

"You also have Torchwood's best," Jack pointed to himself.

Rose and John sent him a look. Jack bristled.

"Well, this world's best from Torchwood. And the other one's," he corrected.

"Quite right. I'm not leaving either. Without you, I wouldn't exist. I owe you at least this much," John said seriously, adding a small smile.

"You're never going to be alone," Donna took the Doctor's hand, "You have such tremendous friends. Every night, we'll look up to the starry sky, and look for you. I know I did after I turned down your offer to go with you the first time."

The Doctor cracked a smile. He squeezed Donna's hand. It was so...right to have her back again.

"Let's get going then," Rory said, grinning, "I have a bone to pick with the Dreamlord, killing me in a dream, and everything."

Amy and the Doctor shared a laugh.

"Geronimo!" the Doctor shouted.

This chapter was a bit fluffy, and filler-y. It's almost done! The next chapter is the showdown. I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed and added the story to their alerts and favorites.

I don't remember who had the crack theory concerning River, but that was quite brilliant, and disturbing. :)

Thank you every one for your reviews, it means a lot to me that you take the time to leave a comment.