A/N: I'm not sure I liked how this chapter turned out...

Rose was waiting on the Doctor; she knew that he was on his way. Her wolf had been talking to her since she woke, actually answering her questions instead of just being a little tickle in her thoughts. She had asked it what would happen if they didn't change back and the answer was as scary as it was promising.

Rose wondered what it would be like to spend what was essentially forever with this voice inside of her head. But the positive to that was that she would have that time with the Doctor. She wished she knew for sure that he felt the same about her. She thought he did, she was almost positive but there was still a tiny speck of doubt.

What if she agreed to this, and sometime down the road he was tired of her. Or what if- and this was much less likely- she grew tired of him. Sure she loved him now, and she couldn't imagine a day in the future that she would stop, but they were still fairly new to each other.

What kind of life would she have if she did this and they grew apart? But he was the Doctor, and he was worth every risk. He had been since she grabbed that chain to save him so very long ago.

She heard the door open, and she looked up at him. His blue eyes were both fierce and gentle and she fell into their depths as she had so many times before. She could see doubt and worry, and something that was both dark and light.

Then he sat beside her, and his mouth opened and closed a couple of times. It wasn't like him to be this at a loss for words, and she took pity on him. She knew what he was about to ask, because she had seen his vision- or whatever it was- when he had. For her it had been like a dream, but she was also in his mind when he had looked at the older woman. Ona.

And while it wasn't exactly like she could read the Doctor's thoughts- if she could she would know if he really loved her or if this was something else- but she could see one thought. This one single thought had taken over, and she could feel it flash in his mind with every quick step back to her.

Ask Rose.

But he wasn't getting very far, and she could feel herself asking, "Do we have to change back?"

He looked at her, and surprised didn't quite cover the looked he was wearing. He studied for her for a long moment, and it was one of the few times she felt as if she had all of his attention. With his big old brain- and he reminded her how big it was often- he could think of so many things it seemed a waste to focus everything on just one thing. It didn't matter whether it was her, or a problem it just didn't happen.

But very rarely she could see that she would say or do something and he was all there. This was one of those times. It was almost too much, like she was the very center of the universe, and in his gaze everything orbited around her.

She was suddenly glad that he didn't do it more often. It was a weird sort of pressure, as if everything you did made everything else change or happen, and she was the first to glance away.

"No," he said so softly she almost missed it.

"No," she repeated, and hoped he would follow up.

He bit his lip, but nodded, seemingly to himself, "No, we don't have to, Rose. But there are consequences to it, and I think you need to know them before we decide."

She loved how he said we. A lot of times the Doctor decided he knew what was best for everyone and never thought to ask what they felt on the matter.

"I understand, Doctor," she told him. "I know it is forever, and that we will always change in the moonlight. I know that we will have these wolves in our heads for as long as our lives go on. There is only one thing I don't think I understand."

His gaze softened, and he reached out to grab her hand. His was so warm now, and that would only be the start of many changes to come. But he was still the same man inside, and that was what mattered.

"What's that, love?"

"Why you would want forever with me," she looked away again.

She wouldn't beg him to love her, but she didn't think she could do this if he didn't. He might be worth the pain, but only his love would be worth the pain forever.

His brows drew up, and his face seemed troubled. Did that mean he didn't love her? Or that he hadn't thought about this as much as she had? She knew he was a little clueless when it came to things like this, but she also knew that this couldn't be the first time he had loved someone. Surely he could understand that while actions might speak louder than words there were just sometimes they couldn't be a complete replacement.

Not when it came to those little words. Such tiny little things, but they could change the world, the universe, and they would be the deciding factor between keeping the Dark within them, and finding the cure.

"I," he swallowed, "Rose, I'm no good at this."

She wouldn't make him say it, but she wouldn't stay like this if he didn't. She thought it was fair. It was going to change them forever after all.

"Doctor, I love you," she hadn't said it either so it was only fair he got to hear it too. "I'm going to love you whether we are us with wolves inside or whether we are just normal us."

There, she said it.

He took in a deep breath, and she could see tears forming in his eyes. She hadn't meant to hurt him, she really hadn't.

"Oh, Rose," he wiped his eyes with his free hand. "I love you too. You don't understand how many times I've wanted to say it, but I was so scared of losing you."

"Are we doing this, Doctor?"

He smiled at her, and she melted. Then his lips were on hers, and every serious thought was gone. All she could think about was his hands pushing her shirt off her shoulders, the way his chest felt beneath her hands.

She thought this might be a yes, but right now all she cared about was the way he was holding her, and his random whispers of love.