Rose was falling asleep, Alec wanted her to go to her room but she insisted he finished watching his programme. Just as it ended, the door opened and Pete came in. Rose sat up and moved her legs from across Alec's.
"Don't get up, I just wanted to say your mother's gone to bed so if you two are going to sneak around, now's your chance but don't tell her I warned you," Pete said, grinning at the two of them. "Have you made any plans yet Rose? What about your exams next week, you are still going to take them aren't you?"
"Yeah, course I am, I've worked hard at them. I'm going to do them then on Friday, I'm going to Glasgow to be with Alec. I was going to ask you if you'd think about maybe opening a Torchwood office up there by any chance? I'm going to need a job if I'm going to stay up there, I can't ask Alec to do everything on his own and it would a shame not to put all my studies to good use, wouldn't it?"
She knew she could twist Pete's arm if she put her mind to it and he knew it too and knew she was serious about Alec. "I'll consider it but in the meanwhile, why don't you spend some time up there and see if you like it there and take some time off? You'll need to find somewhere to live and Alec, you're still going ahead with your divorce, aren't you?" Alec nodded. "Good. When it's finalised, let me know and if I decide it's worthwhile, Rose can be in charge up there and I'll put a team together. Jake can go up and set it all up. You'll still have your allowance Rose, I'll be increasing it anyway after your birthday, you are coming back down for that aren't you or your mother will be upset."
"Don't worry, we'll both be down for it, won't we Alec?"
"Well if you need any help finding a place to live, let me know and please Alec, don't drag Rose's name into the proceedings will you?"
"Of course not, Sir, you have my word on that, I've already told her. I'll keep Rose well out of the picture."
"Right, I'll trust you to keep your word then. Goodnight and don't let Rose's mother catch you sneaking around in the morning, she'll be up at nine," he warned, looking Alec in the eye.
Pete left the room and Rose smiled at Alec. "Well, we've got two nights together then, let's put them to good use."
They turned off the TV and the light and went quietly upstairs. Alec said he would leave her room at eight in the morning and meet her down in the kitchen. As they undressed each other without saying a word, kissing and Alec finally appreciating Rose as she got into bed, they still had one item of clothing on each on their lower halves but they agreed to wait until Rose went up to Glasgow and they were on their own.
Alec woke Rose at seven and they kissed for a while after he had got her untangled and admired her as she lay on her back.
"You're beautiful Rose," he said, leaning on his elbow as he traced his finger in circles on her tummy, making her smile. "I'm going to miss waking up with you when I go back."
"I'm going to miss you too Alec it will only be for a few days. What are you going to do when you get back? Will you have to stay there overnight?"
"I'll have to. I have to talk to Tess, tell her I'm leaving, I have to tell her to her face. Don't be worried Rose, I'm not going to get tempted to go back. I doubt I'll hardly be through the door before she's out of it. I'll be sleeping on the sofa and yes, we do have a sofa. Not a very comfortable one, but one none the less. Then on Monday, I'll pick Daisy up and watch her until her mother gets back then I'll leave, I'll find a B&B during the day."
Rose looked worried. Alec could tell by the look on her face she was scared he would back out and make up with his wife. He got out of bed and crossed over to the bathroom but before going inside, he turned around.
"I'm not going to sleep with her Rose, we stopped that a long time ago and I really don't know why I stayed. I've got no interest in her now. Besides, I have you to look forward to when you arrive on Friday, don't I?"
Rose stayed in bed, she was still worried but she had to trust him. She had just reason to be worried, Alec was worried himself, things were flashing through his mind and it had all started when Rose promised to stay with him forever. He knew he couldn't say anything to her until he had sorted things out himself and he had to get over his jealousy, they had both had lives before they had met.
After breakfast, with Jackie walking into the kitchen and seeing Rose stuffing a piece of toast into Alec's mouth and both of them giggling and after receiving their instructions for painting the nursery, they went to make a start and made good time and Jackie gave her approval, giving them a couple of hours to themselves before dinner to make more plans.
"Alec, you know I could come up on Thursday night after I finish my last exam. I could see what time I could get a train and you could meet me at the station. I'll look up the times and find out what time my exam will finish. I can be all packed and ready to pick up as soon as I get out. What do you think?"
Alec was delighted at the thought she would be there early, it meant less time away.
"I think that is an excellent idea, I knew there was a reason I liked you so much," he said as he put his arms around her and kissed her neck.
Rose broke away. "Wait a minute, what do you mean just like me?" she teased.
"Got you," he whispered in her ear and pulled her into a deep kiss.
Rose smiled when he let go.
It was to be their last dinner together for a few days, Pete said he had considered opening an office in Glasgow and providing Rose passed her exams, he would put her in charge and until then, Jake would supervise the opening and setting up until she was ready to take over which meant he would be spending some time up there and she wouldn't be on her own and give her something to do while Alec was at work. Alec had yet to meet him and Mickey, knowing Mickey used to be her boyfriend before she had come here but he was okay with it. So he said.
They didn't mess about that night, Rose was prepared to face her mother if she caught them and didn't care but thought Jackie might be in a good mood since they had painted the nursery for her anyway. They just lay in one piece of underwear each, not wanting to spoil things between them but Rose knew if she had made a commitment to him, she would have to give him something for him to remain committed to her because after all, he was leaving is wife for her. Admittedly she had only given him the push he needed to go through with it but he was doing it none the less. She was wearing the briefest of underwear in her wardrobe much to Alec's delight and it didn't leave much to his imagination as she lay on him as they kissed. At one point Rose almost gave in until he whispered for her to wait and they compromised.
"Rose, let's just wait until you come up to Glasgow shall we? I'll have put in my divorce papers by then and neither of us will feel any guilt. Just a few more nights Rose, that's all and when you get there, we'll go out on Friday night, somewhere nice then we'll celebrate. You are staying up there aren't you? I mean besides coming back down for your birthday, your 21st or 24th, whatever but I need to know one thing Rose, that whichever it is you're going to stick with it. I mean you might be 21 in your world but like you say, time passes differently here, are you sure you're ready to handle running Torchwood and making a home for us? I know you grew up quickly, you had to when you encountered the Cybermen but if we're going to make this work and you're coming to live with me, it's going to be difficult enough as it is with our age difference."
"It's nothing Alec, I don't care about our age difference, Mickey was older than me, so was the Doctor although we were only friends, we went everywhere together. It doesn't matter what people think when they see us together or they find out who I am, it's us that matters in the end."
He wrapped his arms around her and resumed kissing her all over and they fell asleep entwined in each other. Alec had set his alarm early so they could say goodbye properly before they went downstairs but Rose didn't manage to hold back her tears as she cried into his shoulder when he woke her.
"Please Rose, don't cry, it's only for a few days. You're going to be there a day early. I don't like leaving when you're upset. You knew I had to go back today."
"I'm sorry Alec, I thought I'd be okay," she said as she wiped her tears.
Alec eased out of bed as Rose threw on a top and he went to his jacket and pulled out a rectangular box.
"I've been saving this for you, I wanted to give it you before I left."
He handed the box to her to open.
Her face lit up when she took out a silver chain with a single silver rose pendant. She held it out for Alec to fasten it. As he did, he kissed the back of her neck and her shoulders and whispered, "I love you Rose, I'm going to miss you."
That made her even worse as she turned around and clung onto him. He got her to stop crying by kissing her and said they should go get breakfast.
"I wanted to take you out last night, to give you the pendant but after spending the day painting you were tired so I thought I would give it to you this morning. Please don't worry Rose, I'll be fine, just promise me you'll be there on Thursday night, no matter what time it is. I'll organise a nice B&B for a couple of weeks while we look for somewhere to live."
"I'll be there, I can get picked up after my exam finishes and call you when I get on the train. I'll book my ticket in advance, get an open return for when we come back down for my birthday."
"I can drive us down you know," he laughed, thinking what he'd do for four hours on a train then realising he would be with her and it meant they could relax a bit more.
They kissed again and got dressed, Alec had brought his things in that he hadn't packed and they went for breakfast. He went to get his case and said goodbye to Jackie and Pete, thanking them for letting him stay and Jackie apologised for being rude to him when he arrived and gave him a sort of hug considering her condition and telling him he'd better look after Rose or else! They went back inside, Alec put his case in the back of the car then turned around to Rose.
"Well, this is it then, the big test to see how long we can put up being without each other. I bet you'll be out of that college door without your feet touching the ground on Thursday, what time does it start?"
Rose smiled. "It would have to a late start, if it had been at nine it would have been better but it's at 10am and 2pm and they're about 90 minutes each so if I get about around 3.30, get to the station and get a train more or less straight away, I should there around 9pm."
It cheered her up and gave her something to think about and Alec knew it, she needed to take her mind off his departure.
"See, you're brighter already. Just think positively, concentrate on your exams and the time will go quicker. You keep saying it passes quicker here anyway," he joked.
"Yeah, maybe but it doesn't seem to go any faster to me, it's not detectable, there are still the same amount of hours in a day, it's hard to explain."
She put her arms around his waist and snuggled up, Alec kissing the top of her head.
"You'd better let me get off then, or you'll be there before me, it's longer to drive than travel by train you know."
Rose looked up and smiled. "Yeah, I know, sorry. I just don't want to let you go."
"I know. I love you Rose, don't get upset about me being at home tonight, there's no way I'll change my mind, I'll be out of there in the morning, it will just be too late when I get back and I need to speak to Daisy."
He leaned down and kissed her, never wanting to let her go but he knew he had to get it over with and clear the path for Rose. She had become the most important thing to him over the last few days, like somehow he had been drawn to her. He had protested against going to the conference but now he was glad he was forced into going, it was the start of a new life for him.
Rose let him go, still tears in her eyes. She had watched the Doctor fade away from view just a few weeks ago and now she was watching Alec driving away but this time, he wasn't going for good, he wasn't going to be trapped in another universe she was going to join him in a few days time. He got into the driver's seat and let down the window. Rose went right up to him and leaned down to give him a final kiss goodbye, lasting longer than any of their previous ones, almost like their lips were sealed together as the kiss lingered until one of them had to break it, neither of them wanting to.
Rose stepped back as he started the car, he had to be the one to decide he had to go, she would have kept him there all day given the chance but he had to go face his demons and get it over with. Just like Rose, he was going to put his past behind him. He looked in the rear-view mirror at Rose standing in the driveway, waving then moving her hands over her face. He knew she was crying but there was nothing he could do or say to make it better, all he could do was make the future better for both of them because he had never been surer that his life and hers belonged together.
As Rose watched him drive off, she began crying. She was letting yet another man who she loved go but only this time for a short while. She decided she would throw herself into things, get her exams over with and get to Glasgow as soon as possible because when she got there, she wasn't going to hold anything back.