A/N: To Weepingangel123, and all the other who've actually followed and reviewed!

2. Back Home.

She was everything I wanted and needed, and I would give her everything I had, just to see her smile.

For Rose, I could do anything.

Rose

Oh, how could I have been so insensitive?

How could I have asked him that, of all the things to ask my friend, the one thing that I knew- even with my limited knowledge of the subject- would cause him pain? I'd seen it often enough on his face; every word he spoke about Gallifrey was lined with longing and heartbreak. He radiated it every time the Time Lord's came up in a conversation, and he was forced to utter those terrible three words over and over again.

"They're all dead."

How many times had I heard him say that sentence in so many words? So simple as individuals, but put together, they were the only thing that caused my Doctor to disappear, to be replaced by a flat, dark mask that terrified me; because he wasn't there any more, the man I cared for, the friend I needed more than air. He was swallowed, and I grew more sure every time he did that one day he wouldn't resurface, and a Doctor I didn't know would take his place. Even the Doctor could only take heartbreak over and over again for so long before he too, snapped.

So why was I helping the process by asking him of this?

I hadn't meant to say it; the words had slipped out before I had had a moment to consider them.

Now I'd said it, and it was too late to swallow them; they were too sharp, too painful to try and smother. Instant regret had followed the second the question was free of my lips.

I tried to apologise, to get him to forget that hateful question, but one look at his face and my words died in my throat, like withered flowers.

His face was painful to see.

Turmoil raged on his features; pain and anger and fear all fought a vicious battle to be at the top. They flicked across his face at blinding speed, making my head hurt just to watch.

"I can't." he said softly, and he seemed to wince as his emotions bombarded him again. "Time Locked. It would destroy everything." It was something I'd been prepared for- expecting even- but disappointment still rushed at me, even overthrowing my guilt.

Perhaps it was for the best that he couldn't go there, otherwise I would always have wondered…

And yet, if the subject was closed, why did the Doctor looked so indecisive, as if he wanted to tell me something, but was too afraid to?

His emotions flashed across his face; for once I was seeing everything the Doctor normally kept locked away. I waited for him to tell me, but he said nothing- keeping his eyes closed and refusing to meet my gaze, and I worried that he would never look at me again.

I waited.

Still the Doctor said nothing. He'd been mute for minutes- the oppressive silence almost tangible- and I was reluctant to break it. More minutes passed before I could summon my voice again.

"…Doctor?" I tried; my voice small. His eyes flicked opened, meeting my before quickly glancing away. My frustration grew as he opened his mouth, before choked back the words he desperately didn't want to say. What was so important that he couldn't tell me? Not that I deserved to be told anything, not now. I wouldn't surprised if he never spoke to me again-

I felt a rush of crushing panic as a thought hit me- what if he sent me back to the Powell Estate? What if he left me there, dumped back into my old, boring, pointless life that wasn't going anywhere, ever?

What if I never saw him again?

Anger and pain glazed his expression again, and I felt my fear increase- I'd caused him this. He would be completely within in his rights to take me back and never return. My heart contracted with fear- what would I do without the Doctor?- as I looked at him, dreading the moment his eyes would flick to mine, full of hatred at what I had said, and the small but terrible gesture; pulling the levels that would take me back…

A million facial expressions twisted his features, one after another; he frowned, gritted his teeth, hissed, blinked, blanched and closed his eyes again in the space of a few heartbeats.

And I couldn't bring myself to speak again. I didn't have the right, not when this was my entire fault. My eyes closed shamefully, and I shrank backwards, like a child who awaited chastisement. I kept them clenched shut for several minutes, and when I reopened them again, I saw the Doctor was looking at me with the oddest expression on his face- a mixture of frustration, anger, pain… and something I couldn't name; fondness? I didn't know; it was something almost… loving. I didn't understand; why was he looking at me like that when I'd caused him so much pain?

"I'm sorry." I whispered, my throat thick with tears. "I'm so sorry for asking you that, Doctor."

He didn't say anything, but the strange expression on his face disappeared, and I felt pain shoot through my body, but I couldn't tell why. The Doctor's face became distant, as if the scene before his eyes wasn't the same as mine.

His eyes became haunted, as if he was thinking- or remembering- something that caused him much grief. I saw him mouth words that confused me. To me they looked like names, but I couldn't be sure. He silently said what looked like 'Alina', not that I knew what that meant. The Doctor hissed, as if in pain, and I forgot about the words and focused on his face again. Once more I was struck by my guilt; I should have got used to it by now, by every jolt sliced me up inside with startling ferocity that took my breath away.

"Rose."

His voice- oh how I loved the Doctor's voice- broke through the guilt; with one word it had dissipated into thin air. I looked at his flat expression, and steeled myself for the cold words I was sure to be subjected to.

They didn't come.

Hesitantly, I began to speak, but he cut me off with a single brush of his fingers against my lips. I shut up instantly. The Doctor held my helpless gaze for several long moments, his soft but unyielding hands holding my face in position, making me unable to move. He remained as statuesque for several long moments that were calculated only by my thumping heart, before his hands dropped to his sides and he turned and began to rifle through his pockets until he found his screwdriver.

Arms with the sonic- and some other tool I couldn't name- the Doctor opened a panel in the side of the mushroom-shaped structure. Still without saying anything more to me, he began to pull out various coloured wires and disconnect them, giving some a few quick blasts with the sonic as I watched in disbelief. What was he doing?

As he had read my thoughts, the Doctor began a complicated explanation.

"… just rewire the boosters to a higher setting and give these fibre-optics a blast to destabilise the engines and set them in parallel with the chronic super-structure…" he prattled, my mind having gone blank at 'just'. My mind was struggling to understand- where had the indecision, the pain gone? What had happened to the dark version of the Doctor that had only just been so evident? I couldn't understand the sudden change in his demeanour- I couldn't find my voice, and remained silently watching him, my mouth slightly open as the energy core started up, the familiar whirr of engines that I couldn't see filling my ears. After a while, the Doctor looked up from whatever he was doing.

"Rose, are you alright?" He asked, his tone concerned. I stared at him in disbelief. Was I alright?!

"Am I alright? What about you?" I almost shrieked, and his expression became serious.

"Rose," He said gently, coming to stand in front of me. He didn't look at me, though- as if he were admitting something he didn't want to "You were right; the fact is I'm scared to go back."

"But… it's Time Locked?" I couldn't keep the happiness from my voice- my heart was practically singing. He wasn't going to take me back.

He snorted, his face blank. "Time Locked yes- Time Lord proof? Never. Not even a seventh-level Lock couldn't be bypassed by me; time travel's written in my genetic make-up; etched into my DNA. It's part of me, Rose, and equipped with a TARDIS, nothing time-travel related stops me." His finger tips lightly ran up my arm. "I'm sorry I lied to you." He whispered, looking down. I couldn't speak, and could only pull him into a hug that hopefully said more than words ever could. He was making the hardest decision he'd ever have to make- and although I didn't quite understand it, I knew it was going to hurt him.

And he was doing it for me.

The immensity of his sacrifice made tears well in my eyes- I couldn't believe he would do this. Still without saying a word, I concentrated on channelling all of my gratitude and love for my friend into one simple hug.

His arms tightened around my waist to show me he understood.

* * *

The Doctor had remained motionless for several minutes, one hand resting lightly on the blue wood of the inside of the police box door. His eyes were fixed on a point I couldn't see, but I didn't dare break his concentration.

Because it was clear that the Doctor was having a personal battle within himself. And I couldn't blame him; he was facing the one thing he hadn't seen for centuries.

Home.

Hesitantly, I reached out and gently rested my palm over his reassuringly, hoping that whatever happened I could help him. It took the Doctor several heartbeats to register that my hand had covered his, and when he did his eyes met mine, and I saw the complete, uncensored torture in them. He didn't speak, but his eyes said everything.

Help me. I don't know what to do.

Smiling a small but secure smile, I gently took his hand in mine- noticing how cold it was compared to mine- and guided it to the door handle, not breaking eye contact. He returned the smile- even if his was shaky and close to disappearing. I softly kissed his cheek and nodded at the door. His lips lifted and he swallowed, squaring his shoulder and turning to face the door. I slipped my hand into his comfortingly, and felt his fingers tightened around mine. I heard him exhale quietly.

Without another pause he opened the TARDIS door, exposing the world behind it.

A/N: Hahaha... I am so evil- you gotta wait TWO WEEKS for the next one! Maybe several reviews from all of you would make those weeks go faster?...