A/N: Last chapter! Be prepared for feels!

-CHAPTER FOUR-

-?-

"What?" he mutters, irritated. He wants to go back to his cloud, he's had enough of adventures, doesn't want it anymore, can't stand the pain. He's just lost Rose Tyler again, he's lost the Ponds, and he can't risk another adventure because all he does is screw up people's lives.

However, when the TARDIS doesn't take him where wants to go, there's normally a good reason for it (there better be), so he steps out of his blue box and steps into the hospital.

He sniffs. He hates hospitals. Even one with a little shop. He sticks his hands in his pockets and wanders, because he's bound to come across something interesting. He stops a nurse.

"What year is this?" he asks her. She gives him an odd look, and he thinks she's assuming he's escaped from the mental ward. He doesn't mind. He gets that a lot.

"1986," she tells him in a thick London accent. "I suggest you get back to your ward, dearie, before you're missed."

Then she hurries off, busy, things to do.

"Right," mutters the Doctor. "1986, what's significant about 1986?"

Nothing interesting, so far as he can remember, happens in a hospital in London in 1986, but that's normally what he turns up for anyway, so he keeps his eyes peeled. He wanders the corridors of the hospital, and his hearts nearly stop when he hears a familiar voice.

"Right, Jackie, I said I'd be right back, I was just gettin' some tea for ya, see, love? Tea."

"Oh yeah? And I suppose that's what you told that nurse, eh, Pete? You been messin' about while you're wife's been in here givin' birth to your daughter?"

"No! Jackie, come on, how thick d'ya think I am? I'm in here with you, ain't I? Gettin' you tea, do ya think I'm completely heartless?"

"I wouldn't put it past ya!"

1986. The Doctor finally realized what was significant about 1986. That was the year Rose was born.

He was going to give the TARDIS one hell of an earful when he was done here.

Swallowing nervously, he strode towards the door Jackie and Pete's voices were coming from, and hesitantly entered.

"Oh, and 'ere's himself. Just who the hell are you, then?" said Jackie Tyler to him, looking flustered and red-faced and angry.

"I'm the Doctor," he said in a hushed voice.

"Well, you're not my Doctor," said Jackie irritably. The Doctor smiled. Because really, he wasn't. Jackie Tyler's Doctor wore pinstripes and converse, not tweed and a bowtie. Or, really, leather and jumpers.

She had yet to give birth, judging by her protruding belly and general irritably-ness. He really didn't want to hang around to watch Jackie Tyler give birth to the love of his life (Really, even by his standards, that was just too weird).

"You're right, I'm not," he said.

"Well, then, who the hell are you?"

"I'm just…passing by," he said. "I'll just go now. Good luck with the …baby-ness."

He ducked out before she could throw something at him.

Despite his earlier misgivings, he did hang around. Mostly in the little shop, he waited. He didn't want to watch Jackie Tyler give birth, but he checked up on her occasionally as he waited.

It was a long wait, and he wondered if he oughtn't just pop back in the TARDIS and skip the rest, but something told him to hang around, so he did.

He waited, and he tried not to care how dull waiting was.

And it's not until three o'clock in the morning that he passes by the infant ward, and there she is, all tiny and swaddled in pink. He uses the physic paper on the nurse and enters, passing by the rows and rows of newborns to reach the baby who's destined to become the woman who steals the Doctor's hearts.

She's perfectly healthy, all pink and new with a tuft of yellow hair on her head. She's swaddled in her pink blankets, peacefully asleep. The Doctor's lip trembles as he leans over her cot, and he can't help himself as he picks her up, ever so gently, and holds her in his arms.

She's so tiny, and it's hard to believe she'll grow up to be so fierce and strong. It's not so hard to believe that she'll be all soft and cuddly, like she is when he first meets her, because she's so soft and cuddly now. He can see it. He can see, too, the strength that is in her grip as her tiny hand comes out of it's blankets and clasps around his finger. Latching onto him and never letting go, like she always does. Holding his hand as best she can.

He smiles as tears spring to his eyes at the contact. She burrows herself into his arms, making herself comfortable. She wriggles her way into his hearts and makes her home there yet again.

"Rose," he whispers to her. She opens her new eyes and he leans in close, bringing her up to his face, so she can see him. She gurgles happily, and he smiles at her.

"Yes, hello to you too!" he says.

She gestures towards his bow tie with a squeally baby noise and he grins, straightening his bow tie.

"Yes, it is. Bow ties are cool. Just as cool as pinstripes, I shouldn't think," says the Doctor.

Rose gurgles.

"Oh, never mind me. I'm just a silly old man. You'll understand someday."

Rose squeals. The Doctor laughs.

"Yes! You've got so much to look forward to, you know. You're going to see so many fantastic things. You'll see stars and planets, you'll fall in love and fight monsters. And you'll fight them and win, my precious Rose."

Rose looks at him in wonder, her brown eyes that have seen so little yet see right through his soul already.

"Yes, you are. You are going to be fantastic."

Rose smiles at him, a toothless, happy baby smile, and he grins right back. He holds her, cradled in his arms, until she drifts off to sleep. He holds her, looking at her, watching her, and tears spring to his eyes. He has to let her go. He knows he does.

He places her back in her cradle, ever so gently. He leans over, and kisses her on her soft baby head. He leans in close, his lips a hair's breadth away from her ear, and the Doctor whispers.

It's his last chance to say it, after all.

"Rose Tyler, I love you."

-?-

A/N: Keep calm, and remember Rose is coming back for the 50th. :) So, here we are at last, the end. Almost. There's still an epilogue.

I'm quite proud of myself. It's the first story I've managed to actually properly finish! (YAY!) Therefore, it would mean quite a lot to me if you would leave a review, and tell me if I hit you right in the feels or not! I really hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it, it's been fun! Thanks for sticking around till the end! Now go watch the end of Doomsday and try not to cry. :)

Hold on! Don't push that close button yet, there's an epilogue!

Don't forget to leave a review!