This is it, folks! The very last chapter of Rose's Story! Thanks to everyone who stuck around until the end and dealt with my erratic updating! I hope you all enjoyed this story and will continue to read it (I still read old favourites from time to time). Don't forget to check out my profile and other stories - I'd love to hear your thoughts on all of them. If you would like to stay up to date with this story, when I have free time I will probably go through and update past chapters, fixing typos and other errors.
"Doctor!" Rose called as she entered the console room, looking around for her bond-mate.
"Yes?" The Doctor answered. Rose spun on the spot to try and see him, frowning when she didn't. "Look up," he called to her, and she did. He was half standing, half hanging from one of the corals, using his hand to prop himself against the walls of the TARDIS as he…did something…with the sonic screwdriver.
"What are you doing?" She asked curiously, moving to stand under him.
"Repairs," He replied, not looking at her. She felt a strong wave of negativity in her mind from the TARDIS, and a grin grew on her face. "Oh, stop it, I am so." The Doctor snapped, presumably in response to the ship's disagreement.
"Well, anyway," Rose jumped in before the two could get into a larger argument. "We need to stop on earth, grab some food. The galley's starting to run really low and there's only so much the TARDIS can do if we don't actually have any food on board."
"You don't want to go to Hyspera? I've been meaning to stop by there again – I haven't been since my eighth body! They have this fruit that tastes like a mix of pineapple and strawberries, well, sort of…that's the best comparison I can think of anyway…and it has this texture, sort of like…cotton candy? Yeah. It melts in your mouth, Rose! And –"
"Doctor, we're out of bananas." Rose interrupted impatiently, her hand reaching out to catch the sonic when the Doctor dropped it in surprise.
When she looked up, eyebrows raised, he was looking down at her with shock written across his face. "We're out…?"
"Of bananas, yes." Rose repeated.
He jumped down from the coral and stood face to face with her, shock still written across his face. "Did you check –"
"The blue suit's pockets? Yes."
"What about –"
"Your secret stash?" Rose raised an eyebrow. "Yes."
The Doctor, still looking appalled, ran to the console, hitting buttons and flipping levers quickly. The two time travelers braced themselves against the console when the TARDIS shook violently. When the shaking stopped, checked her pockets to made sure she had her wallet and then went to the TARDIS doors. She poked her head out, and, seemingly surprised at what she saw, turned around to look at the Doctor in surprise. "This is a market."
He raised his eyebrows at her, tucking his hands in his pockets and ambling over to join her at the door. "Yes."
She shrugged and existed the TARDIS. "Was half expecting us to end up at a banana grove, or something."
"Well, Rose, you humans need so many different – hey!" He whined when she mused his hair, looking at her with an annoyed but short-lived glare, fixing his hair before offering his hand, which she took with a smile.
"The domestic approach, then?" Rose's tongue poked out from between her teeth as they made their way into the market.
The Doctor grinned crookedly. "The domestic approach."
"Rose!"
Rose groaned and buried her head in the comfortable blankets the TARDIS provided her with.
"Roooose!"
Rose put her pillow over her head in an attempt to block the sound.
"Rooooooose!"
Frustrated, she threw off the blankets and pushed hair from her face. "What!" The Doctor was not in their bedroom, and not in the ensuite, and with a grumble, Rose rolled off the bed and went in search of the Doctor. "Where are you?" She asked loudly, her eyes bleary as she poked her head in different rooms to try and find the Time Lord.
"I can hear you, you're close!" He shouted back at her.
When she finally found the Doctor, she blinked several times at the sight in front of her.
"Don't laugh," he said threateningly. She pressed her lips together to keep the smile from her face.
The Doctor was standing next to a relaxed looking white horse, who was idly chewing on a brown tie.
That was still around the Doctor's neck.
At his despaired look, Rose lost control and burst out laughing, leaning heavily on the wall to help her stay on her feet as she clutched her stomach and tears came to her eyes. When she was finally able to meet his gaze, he glared at her, annoyed, but shot a desperate look to the horse, who kept chewing contently.
"Don't you speak horse?" Rose asked through her laughter. "Ask him to let go."
"He won't listen." The Doctor whined.
"Then take your tie off!" She laughed.
"Rose, this is my favourite tie!"
"You're going to be late." Rose told him, an annoyed look on her face as the new new new Doctor jumped and flailed around the console room. She felt a pang in her stomach as she looked at the new man, dressed in her previous Doctor's torn suit and tie. "I can't believe you ruined the suit." She sighed, shaking her head.
"Shush, Rose Tyler, I'm driving!" He shouted, dancing awkwardly around the console room. Smoke was still swirling around the TARDIS, and Rose found herself coughing heavily. She felt the strained apology of the ship in her mind, but knew that she was only trying to reconstruct herself while the blasted alien ran around the console.
"No, you're…I don't know what you're doing," Rose replied. "For God's sake, Doctor, why couldn't you have regenerated in the Zero room? That's what it's for!"
"I wasn't gunna make it that far!" He defended himself, his voice rising in pitch.
Rose shook her head as she tried to help pilot the TARDIS, the ship doing her best to stabilize but struggling. "Destroyed the TARDIS, shredded the suit…" She muttered.
"Oh, enough about the suit already!" The Doctor replied scathingly.
"Oi! I liked that suit!" Rose retorted.
"A bowtie, really, Doctor?" Rose said, arms crossed as she leaned on the console in the new new new TARDIS.
"Bowties are cool," The Doctor said, adjusting the aforementioned item around his neck and looking at her seriously. "What do you think?" He extended his arms towards her and flashed her a cocky smile.
She grinned. "Give us a twirl, then, Doctor." She joked, laughing when he did, spinning easily on the ball of his feet.
She skipped towards him and flicked floppy, sandy coloured hair from his eyes. Beneath his cocky smile and energetic excitement, Rose could feel a genuine concern radiating from the new regenerated Doctor. She smoothed his oxford over his shoulders and smiled at him. "I'll miss the hair," she said with a sigh, but smiled widely at him. She felt genuine sorrow at the loss of the suited Doctor, just as she still did for the leather Doctor, but she knew, without a doubt, that the man before her was the Doctor, and no matter what face he wore, she loved the Doctor.
She knew the moment the Doctor felt those thoughts, because he swept her up in his arms and hugged her tightly.
Rose and promised him forever.
And she kept her promises.
Fin.
Thanks for sticking around, folks! Don't forget to review! If you're looking for other stories to read, there are a lot of great stories in the "favourite stories" section of my profile, as well as some very talented authors!