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Previously

The Doctor was quiet. Rose knew his brain was processing the data she had given him faster than any computer possibly could. His look was intense when he rested his hands on her shoulders. "Tomorrow. We'll deal with this then. You need sleep." Rose opened her mouth to protest. "Yes. I know I need sleep too." He lay back and pulled Rose over him. He kissed her gently and said, "Tomorrow. Now rest."

He did not sleep a wink that night.

The Doctor spent the night looking at his precious girl. He kissed her forehead and brushed the hair away from her face. Rose sighed and turned her body so her back rested against his front. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, her body contouring to his. She should be dead. He did not deserve whatever miracle had brought her back. He never believed in miracles or fate or any of that nonsense but Rose had him changing his beliefs like the wind.

Rose was starting to wake up. She slept for thirteen hours, barely turned in the night. She was exhausted he surmised, perhaps it was like when he was suffering from regeneration sickness. Or it could be her body recalibrating to a new brain. He cringed and squeaked at that thought. Rose rolled and stretched at his noise. She gravitated towards his smell and clutched his shirt. She yawned and slowly opened her eyes to the sight of a pair of chocolate brown ones looking at her with concern.

"Good morning my sweet girl." The Doctor kissed her. Rose responded until she remembered the issue of morning breath and pulled away. "What's wrong?" The Doctor asked. Did she regret her confession? Rose blushed and mumbled something about cleaning and teeth. She sat up and stretched her arms over her head, yawning yet again. The Doctor kissed the top of her head and told her he was going to bring her breakfast.

Rose shook her head. "I'll meet you in the galley. I need to speak to Mickey." The Doctor looked solemn as he nodded. It was something she needed to do. The boy…no…man had seen her died in front of his eyes and was forced to watch her body there for hours. The definite time was not known. Mickey couldn't exactly look at his watch with his arms strapped down and no one knew precisely when he crashed through the mirror.

"I'll make you breakfast." The Doctor moved from the bed and waked to the door. Before he stepped outside he paused and looked back. "I love you Rose. I will never take any moment for granted." He was outside when he heard her say she loved him too.

Rose was showered and fresh when she went searching for Mickey. It did not take her long, he was still in bed. Rose walked to the bed and sat down, scooting up to the headboard while he made space for her to fit. They were sitting side by side and just remained silent. Mickey stretched his arms over to encompass her into a hug. She angled her body to reciprocate, hugging the man who was there for her final moments.

"Come back home, Rose," Mickey said into her neck. Rose stiffened and pulled away from him. She did not meet his eye. He held her chin and forced her to look into his eyes. They were glistening and she felt so much guilt. He was traumatized, he saw her die. He saw her dead for an unknown amount of time. He didn't deserve that. His first trip and he saw death given to the woman he loved. "Come with me Rose. We could be happy, me and you." Rose ducked and broke his hold on her chin. "I'll keep you safe," he whispered.

It was then she looked him in the eyes. "I can't," she breathed. Mickey held her in his arms as she did. "I can't," she repeated. Mickey never replied, he just stroked her back. "I'm sorry Mickey. I'm so sorry."

He pushed her to look at him. "Never apologise to me Rose." His grip was strong on her shoulders. "He told you then?" Rose face scrunched in confusion. "He told you that he loved you?"

Rose met him in the eye. "Yes. He did. And I did too." Rose watched as Mickey's face hardened. He nodded and stood up from the bed. "I'm not leaving 'im Mickey. I can't. He has no one. And I love 'im Mickey. I do." Rose watched as his stony expression remained.

"Make sure he treats you right. Else I only have to kill 'im three more times." Rose was confused again as he left for the bathroom.

Breakfast with the Doctor was a quiet affair. He passed her milk and butter for her toast when she needed. He just sat and watched her eat. She was never self-conscious in that moment. It was as if he was trying to convince himself she was still there and not some hallucination of grief. She let him had his moment of mental deliberation; he was watching her like a hawk.

"Have you eaten anything?" She asked him. She knew he wouldn't be taking care of himself in this state, the state of shock and strangling guilt. He had showered but hadn't shaved, the scruff darkening his face and matching the almost black circles under his eyes. His hair was not styled but looked as if his ran his hand through it continuously, still giving it his signature hedgehog style.

"Yes. A banana and some tea. Couldn't finish the cup." She appreciated his honesty. Perhaps now he would always tell her the truth. He moved from his chair and placed her now finished breakfast in the sink. "I'll deal with that later." He came up to Rose and pulled her in for a kiss. They kissed languidly until he moved from her lips and kissed each eyelid. "Ready for testing?" He whispered into her ear. She took his hand and kissed his palm. She nodded. It was time to explore the unknown.

She sat on the bed while the Doctor scanned her with almost every piece of medical equipment before he took blood samples. She watched him cross the room to the microscope where he prepared a slide and fixed the magnification. He then pulled out his sonic (which he had scanned her with too) and pointed at the screen near the bed. An image of her blood composition came up on the screen. He walked over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. The Doctor was staring intently at the image as if it held all the answers to all the questions in the universe.

"What's wrong?" Rose started panicking. She was sure he found something that warranted concern. Did something change in her normal blood work? Did something change in her DNA? Was she even human any more? What was she going to tell her mother? Jackie had already lost so much in her life. Would she accept any major change in her daughter?

"What?" The Doctor exclaimed, interrupting the myriad of questions assaulting her mind. "No! Nothing's wrong. Everything is perfectly normal. Even your DNA. Just brought this up to show you that you, Rose Tyler are," he kissed her forehead, "a perfectly normal human woman."

Rose was dubious about his conclusion. She looked up to the image and asked the Doctor, "Even that earmuff looking thing?" She pointed at the image.

The Doctor looked and laughed. "That's an eosinophil. It's a white blood cell. Only makes up about two percent of all white blood cells. He's a little warrior, fighting off larger parasites and helping with inflammation. He's a little buddy, Rose. No need for worry." He fluffed the top of her hair affectionately.

"So there is nothing in my body that Bad Wolf changed?"

The Doctor froze at her question.

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