A/N: What if … the "human" Doctor had come out looking like Nine? Would that have made Rose happy?
"When we first met"
The TARDIS doors flew open and Donna rushed out, followed by a tall, leather-clad man with big ears and not much hair, brandishing a gun. He cried as Davros shot him to the ground.
Donna turned to the Doctor. "He says he's you!" She was incredulous.
Everyone was still.
"He is me."
Rose looked at them both. "My Doctors," she whispered, sorrowfully.
"He was born in battle, full of blood and anger and revenge. Remind you of someone? That's me, when we first met. Exactly me."
"He's right," the new - yet old - Doctor chimed in, "And you made me better. Now you can do it again."
"But he's not you."
"Yes, he is. And he's better than me. He's the one you …"
"Fell in love with." Donna finished his sentence. "But don't you see, it's better than that! Go on, tell her!"
The taller, craggier Doctor turned to Rose. She looked at him properly for the first time in years. His blue eyes pierced her brain and familiarity and comfort threatened to overwhelm her - it was too much.
"I'm part human. Specifically the aging part – I'll grow old and never regenerate. I've only got one life, Rose Tyler. I can spend it with you, if you want." Rose smiled as the lilt of his Northern accent embraced the words.
"You'll … grow old at the same time as me?"
"Together." She placed her hands on his chest – his strong, intimidating chest – and felt a single heartbeat.
"But – all those memories, Doctor. All those things we did together after you regenerated … What about everything we went through?"
"He's got it all, too. Everything. Up their in his bald head."
"Watch it …"
Rose's eyes shone.
"We've got to go."
"But … it still ain't right. 'Cause, the Doctor's still … you!"
"And I was him."
"Alright, answer me this then, both of you." The two Doctors stood facing each other with her in the middle. The way it had always been.
"When I last stood here, on the worst day of my life – what was the last thing you said to me? Go on, say it!"
"I said 'Rose Tyler' …"
"Yeah, an' how was that sentence gonna end?"
"Does it need saying?"
She turned, disappointment clearly written across her tired face. "And you, Doctor?"
He bent down to her ear and whispered, "I think you need a Doctor …"
The flashback suddenly hit her, hard.
"I am the Bad Wolf …" … "Rose, stop it! You're gonna burn!" Lips on hers, familiar but so strange and wonderful and real …
"In other words … I love you." She was brought crashing back to reality.
She grabbed the lapels of his old leather jacket and pulled his face to hers, lips on lips, entwined once more, the way they always should have been.
The Doctor watched them sadly, then turned and walked back to the TARDIS.
"Are you alright?" Donna enquired once the doors had closed.
"You know me - I'm always alright. Besides, she's home now."
Everyone with me: REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!