Chapter Forty-two: The Greatest Adventure

A knot of tension eased in Rose's chest when she threw the dematerialisation lever to take them to Chiswick. And then there were three, she thought, looking across the console at the Doctor and Jenny.

It had been a long day surrounded by people—often as the centre of everyone's attention. The quick drop-off in Cardiff had turned into dinner with her family and the Torchwood crew, taxing her even more. She felt a little guilty for enjoying the lack of conversation as they flew to Chiswick, but her mother's constant chatter wore thin after a while.

The TARDIS hummed around Rose, and she let the ship's presence soothe her weary mind. When she brushed her fingers over the console in thanks, the energy pulsed through her. Her connection to the TARDIS felt like a faint electrical current running through her just waiting to be switched on.

And yet… She pressed her palm to the console, and a moment later, she was certain. The sensation of being Bad Wolf was fading, the connection going dormant like it had been for years.

The TARDIS sang in her mind, and Rose smiled. Not quite as dormant as it had been, it seemed. Just, somewhere in the middle.

Across the room, the Doctor raised an eyebrow at her. Rose bit her lip; she was eager to tell him all about Bad Wolf, but not until they were alone. She let her gaze flick over to Jenny and shook her head.

Later. After everyone else has gone to bed, she promised him.

The Doctor held out a hand, and she took it and let him pull her into a hug. I'm looking forward to it.

Me too. Rose turned so her back was against the Doctor's chest, his arms wrapped loosely around her waist. I kinda wish I hadn't promised Jenny and Donna that I'd tell them more about Bad Wolf, she admitted. I'm ready to be alone with you.

His immediate, adamant agreement was obvious over the bond, and Rose put her hands on top of his. It won't take long, he reassured her. There's not really much left to tell.

Rose shifted her weight so she was balanced more steadily on both feet. A moment later, the TARDIS' hard landing forced the Doctor to let go of her and stumble back a few steps.

The doors opened and Donna strode inside. "You got here just in time to keep me from getting drenched," she exclaimed, brushing a few raindrops off her leather jacket.

"Mum was driving," Jenny said.

"Ah." Donna nodded sagely. "That explains it."

Jenny and Donna exchanged a knowing glance, and behind them, the Doctor pouted. "That explains it?" he sputtered. "Explains what?"

Donna put her hand on her hip and raised an eyebrow. "Admit it, Spaceman. If you'd been driving, you'd have been as likely to land in the Middle Ages as in Chiswick. Especially with perfect timing."

"Come on," Rose said, cutting off the Doctor's protest. "Why don't we have tea in the library? I think I promised you and Jenny an explanation."

Donna waved her off. "Nah, I reckon we already know everything we really need to know," she said. "I mean, I've always known you were a better driver than the Doctor. If you and the TARDIS are actually… connected, somehow, that only makes sense."

Rose looked at Jenny, and her daughter nodded. "Well, if you're both sure…" It was exactly what she wanted, but only if they were truly fine with it.

"Definitely," Donna said. "Besides, I'm"—A yawn cut off her words—"I'm absolutely shattered. I don't even know how long it's been since we landed on Shan Shen this morning, but I know it's time for me to get some sleep." She massaged the back of her neck. "And my head is killing me," she added.

The Doctor pulled his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket. "I can help with that, if you'd like."

Donna looked at the device, then at him. "You're offering to sonic me while your wife is standing right there?"

"That… it's not… It's a tool, Donna!" His high-pitched voice drew laughter from all three women, and he rolled his eyes. "All right, go ahead and laugh. But I can actually help your headache. A burst of sonic waves can help your muscles relax."

Donna rubbed at her neck again. "That'd be brilliant," she admitted.

The Doctor smiled and circled the console so he was standing behind Donna. Rose watched as he waved the sonic slowly over her upper back and neck.

After a few minutes, Donna's shoulders relaxed. She turned around and smiled. "Thanks, Doctor. It's already feeling better."

The Doctor slid the sonic back into his pocket, glad he could help. "The jolt of falling made your muscles tighten up. You should feel fine in the morning."

She rolled her shoulders a few times, then poked him in the chest. "Speaking of morning. I expect someplace peaceful tomorrow, with no universe-threatening mad scientist to interrupt my shopping. Is that clear?"

"I'm surprised you'd trust me with that landing," he retorted, even while running through a mental catalogue of possible destinations.

Donna nodded. "Good point." She turned to Rose. "No war. Shopping. Sunshine. Got it?"

Laughter sparkled in Rose's eyes. "Got it," she agreed.

The Doctor frowned. Despite her agreement, he could tell she had no desire to be surrounded by crowds of people. He considered his list of planets. Where can we go where we can find quiet while Jenny and Donna shop? The perfect answer came to him almost immediately.

Donna yawned again, then shook her head. "Right. I'm going to bed."

Jenny moved away from where she'd been leaning against the railing. "We'll see you in the morning, Donna," she said before Donna waved and shuffled down the corridor.

Once she was gone, Jenny looked at him and Rose. "I think I'll go to bed too."

The Doctor turned his head slightly so Jenny wouldn't see his smile. Rose wasn't the only one who was impatient to talk about what had happened on the Crucible. He still couldn't wrap his mind around how she'd managed to become Bad Wolf without looking into the heart of the TARDIS.

To his surprise, Rose grabbed Jenny's hand and shook her head. "You don't have to," she protested, and then her hesitation made sense. She felt guilty for wanting to be alone.

Jenny leaned forward and kissed Rose on the cheek. "It's fine, Mum," she assured her. "I bet you have loads of things to tell Dad, and honestly, I'm a bit tired too." After kissing the Doctor's cheek, she turned and left the console room.

The Doctor cocked an eyebrow and looked at Rose. "Do you have loads to tell me?"

Rose stepped closer to him and brushed some lint off his sleeve. "Might do," she said. "But I want to clean up first."

The Doctor took her hand and brought it to his lips. "Lead the way, Rose Tyler."

Their room was noticeably quiet after the busyness of the day, and they shed their wrinkled clothes and stepped into the shower without breaking the silence. The Doctor sighed when the hot water hit his back, loosening the tight muscles. As the dust from the Crucible swirled down the drain, it washed away the tension and fears of the day.

The Doctor stepped back to shampoo his hair, and Rose shifted so she was standing under the water. Her soft moan echoed his satisfaction and relief that they'd succeeded yet again in saving the world.

When they turned so he could rinse the suds out of his hair, Rose leaned against the wall of the shower, letting it support her weight. She blinked up at him through half-open eyes, and the Doctor let go of his desire to learn more about Bad Wolf, at least for the night.

"Come here, love," he said, taking her hand and pulling her towards him. "Let's get you cleaned up, then we can go to bed." He started massaging shampoo into her hair before she replied, and he couldn't tell if the sound she made was a murmur of pleasure or disagreement.

"I wanted to tell you what happened in the TARDIS," she protested, answering his question.

He pulled the shower head down and carefully rinsed the shampoo out of her hair. "And you will," he agreed. "Tomorrow, after we've both slept. We'll drop Jenny and Donna off for some shopping, and then you and I will find a quiet place for some rest and relaxation."

Gratitude swelled over the bond. "Thank you. I didn't want to tell Donna no, but the thought of spending another day surrounded by so many people…"

"I know."

Rose opened her mouth, but whatever she was planning to say was swallowed by an enormous yawn. They both laughed before finishing the rest of their shower in silence.

The pyjamas they'd left on the bathroom counter before their shower had been traded for the simple vest and underpants they both preferred to sleep in. The Doctor chuckled and shook his head at their ship's interference.

Thanks, old girl.

Her hum turned smug, and he knew she was pleased with herself for anticipating their needs.

The bed was still rumpled from their nap on Shan Shen. The realisation of how much had happened in the last twenty-four hours finally hit the Doctor, along with a wave of weariness. He yawned while helping Rose shake out the duvet, and she nodded.

"Donna was right—it has been a long day."

"Long and eventful." They turned down the covers and half fell, half crawled into bed. "Was it really just this afternoon that you dreamt about Mickey telling you the stars were going out?" he asked rhetorically as the duvet settled over his torso. The TARDIS turned off the lights, and the Doctor's eyes grew heavy.

The sheets rustled softly as Rose shifted in bed. She settled against his side with his arm draped over her back, his thumb absently caressing the soft skin of her shoulder.

"A really, really long day," she mumbled. The Doctor could feel her drifting toward sleep, and he closed his eyes and let her pull him along with her.

oOoOo

The next morning at breakfast, the Doctor surprised everyone by announcing that he'd made all the arrangements for their holiday while everyone else was asleep. Rose bit her lip to hold back her laughter when Donna boldly questioned if he had any idea where she and Jenny would want to go.

Her scepticism melted into excitement when he said he'd booked them a suite at a posh hotel in Paris, and she jumped up and hugged him when he held out two debit cards linked to his bank account.

"What planet is Paris on, Dad?" Jenny asked once Donna calmed down.

Donna cut in before the Doctor could explain, telling Jenny all about the city over breakfast. Her excitement was catching, and the two of them rushed through their meal so they could get packed.

In less than two hours, they were dropping Jenny and Donna off around the corner from their hotel. Rose smiled and hugged them both, then closed the door and looked at the Doctor, leaning against the console looking very pleased with himself.

"Yes, you gave them the perfect holiday," she agreed as she walked down the ramp. Standing in front of him, she put her hands on the lapels of his Janis Joplin coat and tugged. "But what about us? Where are we going for the week?"

Instead of answering, he stretched out and threw the dematerialisation lever. Rose swayed with the movement of the ship when they shifted into the Vortex, and he raised his eyebrows.

"You can sense how she's going to move. That's why you didn't fall when we landed in Chiswick yesterday."

Rose's hands clenched reflexively around his lapels, and his hands shot out to grab onto her hips moments before they landed hard at their mystery destination.

The Doctor shook his head. "That is going to be very useful."

Rose ignored his muttered aside. Instead, she looked over her shoulder at the door, then spun around and ran for it. A gust of cold air blew into the TARDIS when she pulled it open, and she had to blink a few times in the hazy light before she realised that wherever they were, it was snowing.

The Doctor came up behind her and pointed towards the right. Rose's eyes widened when she spotted a lovely Alpine chalet nestled in a small copse of trees.

Her mind was already conjuring images of cuddling in front of the fireplace when the Doctor pulled her close and rested his head on her shoulder. "Someplace quiet where we can be alone and rest, without any interruptions," he murmured in her ear.

"Exactly what I wanted," she agreed, smiling when she heard his pleased hum.

"Then let's go inside. I'm sure you're getting cold standing there in only a jumper."

Rose shivered, then put on the warm coat she kept by the door while the Doctor picked up the suitcase he'd packed. He closed the TARDIS doors behind them, then led the way to their home for the week.

She raised her eyebrows when he used the sonic to unlock the door instead of a key. "Did you actually rent this, or are we taking advantage of an empty home?" she teased.

He rolled his eyes. "Give me a little credit, please. It's just easier to press a button than to slide a key into a lock." He gestured towards the stairs with his chin. "Come on, the bedroom is upstairs."

Rose peered into the living room as they walked by. A large, fluffy rug in front of the fireplace caught her eye, and the romantic notion of making love in front of the fire struck her fancy.

The Doctor paused on the top stair when he saw the sensual images going through Rose's mind. He closed his eyes and imagined the way the shifting firelight would play across her body as they moved together.

He heard Rose stifle a gasp and knew if he looked back at her, her pupils would be dilating. A moment later, she put her hand on his back and pushed gently.

"Later," she promised. "First I want to tell you what happened yesterday."

It took them half an hour, but finally they had a fire going and tea made and they could sit down on the couch. Two large windows flanked the fireplace, and outside, the snow still fell.

Rose took a sip of her tea, then set the cup down on the coffee table. "This is perfect, Doctor. Yesterday was amazing, but a bit overwhelming. I really need a break to recharge."

The Doctor tugged on his ear. "You can tell me about Bad Wolf later, if you'd like," he offered.

She turned to face him, one eyebrow arched knowingly. "You could put your curiosity on hold?" She shook her head before he had a chance to answer. "No, I really want to tell you now. It's just… finding the right place to start…"

"How did you know to stay in the TARDIS?" the Doctor asked. "If you hadn't… if you'd gone out into the Crucible with the rest of us, none of it would have happened."

Rose's gaze went distant, like she was listening to something he couldn't hear. The Doctor started; he'd seen that look more than once the day before, but it was only now that he understood what it meant.

"The TARDIS sang to me," she said, her voice soft and ethereal, floating around him like a breeze. "It started on Shan Shen, when we saw the words Bad Wolf everywhere."

"And it happened again at the Shadow Proclamation," he said, remembering the moment he'd felt Rose's attention shift from the present to some point in the future.

"Yes. And when I tried to follow you, I heard the song again. Louder than before, calling me back." Rose blinked, and her eyes were clear again. "Walking towards the door felt… wrong. So I stopped, and when she closed the doors I knew what I needed to do."

The Doctor stared into the fire as he fought back the memory of that moment. Being cut off from Rose, helpless to do anything to keep her safe, that had been one of the most terrifying moments of the day. Even though he knew now that everything had turned out perfectly, he still didn't like to think about it.

He swallowed hard and skipped over the next part of the story—the part where he'd thought she would die in a sea of Z-neutrino energy. "I didn't think it was possible, but you became Bad Wolf without looking into the Vortex. What... How..." He sighed and raked his hand through his hair."How could you merge with the TARDIS like that without looking into her heart?"

"I told you ages ago, remember?" Rose straightened and lifted her chin. "I create myself, and I cannot be uncreated."

A shiver ran down the Doctor's back. "You didn't tell me that, Rose," he said gravely. "The representation of Bad Wolf in your mind did."

"I know." She closed her eyes, and he felt her reach for the TARDIS. When she looked at him again, her irises were ringed with gold. "I am the Bad Wolf."

The Doctor watched the now-familiar glow shift under Rose's skin. He'd seen it several times yesterday—but he'd seen it before, hadn't he? In London, underneath the Thames, when their proximity to huon particles had activated the part of the TARDIS still remaining in Rose.

"The huon particles. They weren't an accident of Bad Wolf. You left them there purposely to create a way to merge with the TARDIS again without risking the power of the Time Vortex."

His forehead wrinkled in a frown when another thought followed almost immediately. "Huon particles… How are you feeling, Rose?" He studied her face, looking for any hint of fatigue. She'd been exhausted the day before; was that because of the long day, or because being Bad Wolf had taxed her body?

Rose put her hand on his knee and squeezed. "I'm fine," she assured him. "That was my first thought too, but the TARDIS said the huon particles only wore me out before because of the Time Vortex. Now that we've connected without the Vortex, the huon particles have stabilised."

The Doctor narrowed his eyes. "Corporeal beings shouldn't be able to withstand any kind of extended exposure to huon particles at all," he countered. His hands twitched and clenched into fists—he'd only accepted the notion of her huon particles because they were inert. This changed everything. "The fact that you've been living with them in you for years with only occasional exhaustion as a side effect is hard enough to believe, but now even that isn't a problem anymore?"

Rose crossed her arms over her chest, and he realised he might have sounded a little condescending. He smiled ruefully and uncurled his fingers, and her forehead smoothed out.

"I understand why this is hard for you to believe, Doctor," she said, her voice gentle but firm. "But the huon particles—this connection to the TARDIS—it's a gift." She took a breath. "This is how she pulled me back to you when I fell through the Void."

It had been over four years, and they'd been through far worse separations since. But the memory of watching Rose fly towards the open breach was as vivid as if it had happened yesterday. The pain of pressing himself against a barren white wall until the last remnant of their bond tore echoed back through the years, and he reached out and pulled her into his lap.

A moment later he felt Rose's lips against his temple and her soft telepathic voice whispering words of comfort in his mind. The memory receded, and he relaxed into her embrace. Rose smiled against his skin, then trailed kisses across his face until the Doctor turned his head to meet her lips in a kiss.

I'm here now, and I'm never going to leave you, she promised as they kissed. Forever and never apart, remember?

The Doctor hummed in agreement, then gently pulled out of the kiss. Rose pressed her forehead to his, and he closed his eyes and basked in the quiet intimacy.

I'm holding you to that, he told her. You're stuck with me, Rose Tyler.

Rose laughed quietly, and when she leaned back, he could see the happiness sparkling in her eyes. "Stuck with you's not so bad."

The familiar exchange finally put the Doctor completely at ease. "So, if I have the huon particles to thank for not losing you to Pete's World, I suppose it would be hypocritical to be upset that they're still a part of you."

A new thought occurred to him. "In fact…" he said slowly, thinking back to another recent encounter with Bad Wolf.

Rose loved to watch the Doctor think. Right now, his tongue was pushed against the back of his teeth, and she knew that meant puzzle pieces were falling into place in his brain. She leaned back slightly against the arm of the couch and waited for him to share his conclusion, when he got there.

She didn't have to wait long. His pensiveness shifted to almost giddy excitement, and his eyes widened. "She used your connection to bring you back to her, and I think you've done the same thing."

Rose blinked. "What are you talking about?"

He nodded quickly, and Rose knew that if she weren't sitting in his lap, he would have gotten up to pace in front of the fireplace. "I suspected when we were in the Library, but now I'm positive. She didn't send herself through the Vortex, Rose. You called her to you."

Rose automatically opened her mouth to protest. She couldn't do that. But in the back of her mind, the TARDIS' song deepened before the ship's presence wrapped around her the same way it had when she'd confronted the Vashta Nerada.

She'd felt the barely-leashed power of Bad Wolf longing to snap free that afternoon, even though she hadn't quite recognised it for what it was. Now she knew. It was the TARDIS answering her call.

"Something of her in me, and something of me in her," she whispered through suddenly-dry lips. "Bad Wolf will always bring us together."

"So it seems." The Doctor straightened up and glared through the window at the TARDIS, covered in a blanket of snow. "Although that would have been nice to know, maybe when you fell to the centre of a planet orbiting a black hole?"

Rose shook her head. The answer to that was immediately obvious to her. "That had to happen like that, Doctor. If you hadn't gone down the drill shaft looking for the TARDIS, you wouldn't have learned the truth about the Beast. You wouldn't have been there to destroy the urns so he couldn't leave the planet."

The Doctor wanted to debate that point, but it was hard when he knew she was right. Rose smirked at him, and he squeezed her side, making her squirm.

"At least we finally know all of Bad Wolf's secrets," he said once she'd stopped moving.

Instead of agreeing, Rose shifted her gaze so she was looking over his shoulder, rather than meeting his eyes. "Rose?"

She reached for his tie and ran her fingers over the smooth silk.

The Doctor wasn't even surprised anymore. "All right, what's left?" he asked, with considerably more equanimity than he would have felt if they'd had this conversation a month ago.

Her shoulders lifted and fell in a tiny shrug, but she still didn't look up. "I don't know," she admitted. "But I know there's more coming, eventually."

"Eventually?" He couldn't help the squeak in his voice. It was one thing to hear there was more to discover about Bad Wolf; it was quite another for Rose to suggest those discoveries were lurking somewhere in their future

Rose took a deep breath and finally looked him in the eye. "I saw everything, Doctor. All that is, all that was, all that ever could be. I saw every possible timeline for my life, and every moment of every timeline."

He grasped the implications of that immediately. "Every moment of our lives. Every happy surprise, every heartache."

She nodded. "So I locked the memories. I never even knew, because most of them don't unlock as they happen." She wrinkled her nose. "Can you imagine having memories unlocking every day of your life?"

"You wouldn't be able to live your life because you'd constantly be remembering seeing it." He paused, his mind catching up with the conversation. "But there are some things you will remember. Other changes or side effects of Bad Wolf that aren't relevant to our life yet, but will be someday."

"Something like that."

Tension drained out of her body, and the Doctor realised she'd expected him to be upset by that revelation, or worried at the very least. He ran his hand down her arm, letting his touch further reassure her.

"After twelve hundred years, I really didn't think the life of a time traveller had any more surprises for me," he said a moment later. "But I suppose Bad Wolf is a unique case."

Rose fidgeted again, then turned so she was looking directly at him. "Good different, or bad different?"

Her blonde hair diffused the warm light of the fire behind her, giving her a golden halo that vividly reminded the Doctor of his first glimpse of Bad Wolf. He combed his fingers through her hair and watched it glow in the light.

"Oh, definitely good different."

There was a husky timbre to his voice that he didn't bother hiding. She could tell exactly how he felt, and anyway, he'd told her how sexy Bad Wolf was months ago.

Rose tilted her head, and he waited for the question. "What makes Bad Wolf so sexy?"

The remembered sensation of the energy buzzing beneath her skin flashed through the Doctor's mind, but he shook his head. That wasn't the real reason.

He cupped her face in his hand and brushed his thumb over her cheek. "You opened the heart of the TARDIS because you wanted to save me," he murmured. "All of time was coursing through you, but there was still so much tenderness in your eyes when you said you wanted me safe."

The same tenderness shone back at him now, and the Doctor had to clear his throat before he could continue. "Bad Wolf is a reminder of how much you love me, Rose. And that's more attractive than I can say."

Rose turned her head and pressed her lips to the palm of his hand. "You're my Doctor."

The simple declaration brought the same rush of love to the Doctor's hearts that he'd felt the first time, and every time since. Unwilling to tolerate even the few inches that separated them any longer, he wrapped his arm around her waist and tugged her towards him.

I love you, Rose, he told her as their lips met. The hand on her waist slid under her jumper, caressing the sensitive spot on her side. Rose shivered in his arms, but he tamped down his smug satisfaction. After four years, he knew how easily she could turn the tables.

He felt her lips curve into a smile, but then, to his surprise, she pulled out of the kiss.

"Rose?" Through the desire already simmering between them, he could sense her clever mind working. When the tip of her tongue appeared behind her smile, his hearts sped up.

Rose slid off his lap and held out her hand, which he took without question. She was the Wolf and he was her mate, and he would follow her wherever she would lead.

Her eyes softened when she caught that thought. Then she glanced behind her at the plush rug laid out in front of the fireplace, and the Doctor's breath caught in anticipation.

"I think," she said deliberately as she backed up towards the fireplace, "that we had made certain plans… for later."

oOoOo

Rose rested her head on the Doctor's chest, listening to the dual heartbeat—significantly faster than normal, she thought with pride. A moment later, she felt the rumble of his laughter when he caught that thought, then he brushed his lips over the top of her head.

"I can feel yours racing too," he pointed out.

The glow of the fire felt overly warm now, but Rose was too content to get up. She rolled onto her side, and the Doctor mirrored her so they were facing each other.

He reached for her hand and laced their fingers together. "This was an excellent start to our holiday."

His serious tone made her laugh, like she knew he had hoped. But before she could tease him about starting as they meant to go on, something tickled at her nose.

Rose held her breath and rubbed at her nose, hoping the sneeze would go away. Instead it got worse, and she sneezed rapidly four times in succession.

"Ah!" she said, sitting upright and rubbing at her nose. "This rug is tickling me," she exclaimed.

The Doctor's confused frown disappeared. "Ah." His fingers sank into the deep plush fibres. "Good for romantic love-making in front of the fireplace, not so great for basking in the afterglow."

Rose shook her head, still fighting back a sneeze. The Doctor chuckled, then stood up and offered her a hand. "Let's go outside for a bit before it gets completely dark," he suggested. "We can take a walk through the snow, then come inside and have dinner."

It was dusk when they stepped outside, the hazy hour between sunset and nightfall. The snow had stopped sometime in the afternoon, and enough of the clouds had cleared to let the moon appear against the twilight blue sky.

Perhaps it was the hour, or the softness of the freshly fallen snow, but somehow, time seemed to still around them. It felt like the universe was holding its breath, waiting for something.

And in that moment of anticipation, the Doctor realised what a gift Rose had given them when she'd hidden all her knowledge of Bad Wolf. He didn't want to know. He wanted to live it.

"It's not only Bad Wolf," he murmured. Rose took his hand and he squeezed it as he continued. "There are so many adventures left for us—planets to save, villains to stop, people to meet…"

She nodded. "And adventures should be lived."

A gust of wind blew through the trees, making Rose shiver and step closer to the Doctor. He hugged her tight, letting her benefit from his elevated body temperature.

Overhead, the first few stars twinkled in the darkening sky, reminding them of their most recent adventure. "We stopped the stars from going out," Rose whispered.

The Doctor nodded, his nose brushing against her head. "Yep."

She rested her hands on his, and her leather gloves were soft against his skin. "Is it all over, do you think? All the stars back, the Void repaired…"

The Doctor tilted his head and considered. "I think so," he said finally. "But it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye on things for a while, see if there are any lingering side effects we ought to take care of."

Rose turned and wrapped her arms around his waist. A thrill of excitement coursed through the Doctor when she smiled up at him, the yearning to explore sparkling in her eyes. He could spend centuries travelling with her and never grow weary.

"Well then," she drawled. "I guess we know what our next adventure is."

"Hmmm…" The Doctor nuzzled his cold nose against hers, then pulled back and smiled down at her. "But do you know what the greatest adventure of all is, Rose?"

She looked up at him, starlight reflected in her eyes. "I think so. But tell me anyway?"

The Doctor closed his eyes and reached for the bond, pulling her into a telepathic embrace as he leaned down to kiss her. She knew exactly what he was going to say—she'd heard him think it earlier, and had immediately agreed. He told her anyway.

Loving you will always be the greatest adventure of my life.

AN: Just the epilogue left!