Rose had said she was sorry for dragging him around the wedding venue last Sunday but because of his reluctance, would she think he never want to go down that particular road again? Did he, with the right woman? With Rose saying she was coming back, did it already mean she wanted something permanent with him? Well at least he would no longer have to pose as her fianc especially since it made him jealous of the man, being really engaged to Rose but now all this stuff about another universe and him actually believing her, was it too much?
Another man might have gone running but not him and he knew he loved her, she had told him her worst nightmare, something she had never shared with even her fianc and he had shared his, she had been there for him when he had woken from it and it hadn't sent her running. He made his mind up he would use the tablet PC she had left him to look up rentals they could go see once the hearing was over with and she wouldn't have said that if she wasn't going to stay, would she? He just wondered what sort of press release she would come up with.
Rose was trying to come to terms with what she had just heard. James, or rather the duplicate Doctor was pacing the bedroom, looking between the clothes on the bed and the now almost empty side of the wardrobe that had been hers.
Rose found her voice. "Well you owe me an explanation but how long have you been here, on this world?"
"Since 2005, I had to live through the aftermath of the first Cyberman invasion, keep out of the way then when they began to disappear, I knew you would come back and I got myself noticed so you would find me."
"Then why didn't you just knock on my front door and tell me you were here? Why let me find you?"
"Because you had to. How would you have reacted if I'd knocked on your door and asked if you'd missed me? You had to want to find me Rose, I was determined not to make it easy for you since like I said, I'm not really him, I was created out of him and it's not as gruesome as you think. Something happened back in your world, the walls of reality were breaking down but it didn't affect this one because it runs ahead. Jack came back, he found my hand from that swordfight and I got it back, then this woman called Donna touched the jar containing it and I was created while the Daleks were trying to wipe everything in existence out, as they do."
"I thought they were all in the void?"
"So did I but four of them, the ones we encountered at Torchwood in your world turned up in the 1930's and one got away and flew into the Time War and rescued their creator, Davros. He planned to wipe everything but the Daleks out but it went wrong and a group of us defeated him but I wiped them out and the other me considered me to be dangerous and sent me here, to find you but his timing was off, as usual. I didn't think I deserved you after what I did."
"You saved the universe, from what you said, more than one of them, that was brilliant and no, I wouldn't have thought you were dangerous, you did what you needed to do. What would have happened if you'd let them get away? The Daleks just keep coming back, I doubt you would have got rid of them entirely, they always escape. There may be others in the future or the past that will turn up, how could you have wiped them out? You thought you'd done that in the Time War."
"Thanks for the confidence in me, you always did believe in me and when we finally got together, it had to be for who I am now, not who I was but you're leaving me, why?"
"What do you want me to say? It doesn't change anything, you'll keep moving around, making films and TV shows and I'll keep following you, even if we did get married, I can't sit at home with three kids and wait for your latest project to end and yes, I know lots of couples do but they're not me, that's not who I am and do you think I could do that now I know who you really are? I've suspected for a while but I'd convinced myself I was wrong."
"But you weren't wrong Rose and I'm really sorry for not telling you but I couldn't plus, I didn't really know how this Torchwood would react, whether they would welcome me with open arms and make me their resident alien expert or lock me up, with or without your stepfather being in charge. Did he suspect or did you tell him?"
"He had his suspicions and so did my mum but I think they just wanted it as much as I did but I used you James, I mean Doctor, I let myself believe it was you until I convinced myself finally that you weren't, then I used you as a substitute and I'm sorry for that but I never saw Alec as that, I never for a moment suspected it was him instead of you who was the Doctor."
"Well I guess that says it all then. Being the Doctor is no consolation when there's no Rose Tyler, I learned that when I got here and waited for you, the girlfriends were fake by the way, there was only ever you I was with, if that makes any difference but I know you too well once you've made up your mind to do something, I hope you'll be happy with him. I hear he's been through a lot?"
"Yeah and he's survived an operation he thought was going to finish him off and he has a court hearing on Monday that I'm gonna attend with him and stuff all the reporters that will be there because it's not about me."
"Then I'll let you issue a joint statement, I'm going back to finish that film and there was something going on out there, a bunch of fun-loving humanoids thought it was a lark to disrupt everything but they left, it'll be quite boring when I get back. You asked why that remake? You still want to know why?"
"I know, it was one of the last films the old you, me and Jack watched, Jack was making faces and throwing popcorn all over the place and you kept trying to say how it was going to end. I should have known."
"I don't hold any grudges Rose, it was good and I just want you to be happy because I never got to tell you the end of that sentence back on the beach all that time ago. If I'd been clever enough, I knew the day you went there, I could have been there in person but it would have just freaked you out, appearing on the beach just after I'd left the first time but it wasn't meant to be. Trust his timing to be off again but he only had one shot to drop me here and get back, there wasn't a chance to check what year it was. I had some help by the way, becoming an actor but the accent should have given me away really, from the time we met Queen Victoria."
"Yeah, I should have known I was right but that would have just been too much, I had to convince myself it wasn't real and it was just me wanting it to be you and I'm really sorry it happened but you're right, I would have freaked out if you'd actually got left behind on that beach when the Tardis disappeared, that could have made things go in an entirely different direction with us."
"Yeah, it could but it could still have ended this way. I should let you pack and when I've finished the film, I'll come back and give this place up, get something else a bit smaller. You'll come to the film premi re?"
"Yeah, you bet. So are we still friends?"
"Oh you know me Rose Tyler, we were always friends, why let a little thing like breaking off an engagement spoil it? You can keep the ring if you want?"
Rose went in her pocket. "No, I couldn't keep it, sell it or whatever you want to do with it, I don't think Alec would like me to. Do you want to meet him?"
"When you come to see my film, you'll be the guests of honour, even though it will give the media something to talk about eh?"
"You're taking this very well, considering. Were you expecting this?"
"Well, sort of, just after Alec started pretending to be me but I'm glad he's ok. If I had been a full Timelord, I could have fixed him, well if I still had the Tardis."
"I thought you had your ship hidden away somewhere and it couldn't work properly in this universe."
The Doctor laughed. "Really Rose? Well I suppose if I had I would have got it to work while I was waiting for you to find me."
"Well I'd best get packed, I was sorting out what I was leaving at my mum's and what I was taking back with me and yeah, I'm happy to be going back there, I've had enough of being famous for being your girlfriend, if it had just been you were a normal bloke then maybe it would have been different and please don't say you can be that, it's not you, you're no ordinary man."
"Well thanks, I think but you're right, I'm kidding myself thinking I can settle down because I know I'll always be going off somewhere and I've quite got the acting bug but this film Rose, I was doing it for you. That's why I didn't want you to go with me, I had to do it on my own and I think when it was complete, I was going to tell you. Either that or you'd know because I ditched the Scottish accent and used my own."
Rose finished her packing and James offered to help her down with her cases then they went back for her other stuff.
"So this is it Rose? We are still friends aren't we? I mean, if that's ok?"
"I don't know what to say. I feel so bad about this now I know the truth but I know Alec needs me. He may have got his operation but he still has the nightmares, from his old case."
"It's ok Rose, I understand, you're worried about me but look at it this way, you could never have found me and never realised who I was. I'll be fine and at least I got to say I love you, you deserved that after I left you on that beach."
After an awkward hug and a final kiss, one Rose thought Alec wouldn't mind, Rose drove back to the Tyler residence and sought out Pete after getting someone to help her with her luggage.
"Dad, I was right."
Pete didn't look surprised. The Doctor had said she could only tell Pete, he trusted him not to tell the rest of Torchwood who he really was. She didn't need to explain to her stepfather what she meant. He had asked her not to tell Alec but she had said he knew everything and she wanted no secrets from him but she had said one thing before she left.
"Doctor, thanks for coming back for me and not leaving me here and I do still want to be friends, like we always were but I'm sorry he thought you had done something really bad to make you stay here, I hope he wasn't punishing you by leaving you here?"
"No Rose, he was making up for having to leave you here, he wanted to put things right and I tried."
"Yeah, you did."
After telling Pete that they had parted amicably, Rose went to her room to call Alec, who had virtually worn a hole in the carpet.
"Rose, are ok love? I was worried."
"Alec, I'm fine. Did you think I'd made up with James?"
"Me? No, why would I think that?"
"You don't fool me Alec Hardy. It's all over and I'll just spend tonight with my family and I'll be all yours."
"Do you mean that?"
"Yes Alec and when I get back, you can take me somewhere nice for dinner and when we get back, I'll tell you what you want to hear."
"Rose, that would make me very happy. So everything went ok? No rows or throwing things at each other?"
"No Alec, sorry to disappoint you but James isn't like that and I can't say much on the phone except I was right."
"Seriously? Well fancy that, who would have thought it but you're over it now yes?"
"Yes Alec, I'm over it and I'm coming back to you. I'm just gonna write out a joint statement for dad's PR team to release on Monday afternoon, after the hearing but I'll still only give an exclusive interview to The Echo, they deserve that much."
"So what story are you coming out with then?"
"Oh maybe the one I was using you as a decoy groom to avoid the fact James and I split up before he went off to the Nevada desert."
"Rose, you are very sneaky, did I tell you how much I love you?"
"Not today but you can tell me when I get back, if you want?"
"Only after you tell me."
"I will Alec, I'll see you tomorrow, I miss you cookie."
"I miss you too, call me when you're leaving."
"I'll call you later if you want? How's the house-hunting?"
"Slow but I've told the agency I need to move, that my girlfriend needs a bigger wardrobe. So can I go back to being me now?"
"Yeah but maybe not if Ashworth comes to call. My friend Jake is gonna come down and keep him away from you."
"I don't need any help Rose."
"Yes you do, Jake will be bringing a friend with him and between them, they'll make sure neither Claire or Ashworth bother us again."
"How are they going to do that then?"
"Oh let's just say you might get a confession out of them, Jake and Mickey will help them get their memories back. Where did you say Claire was?"
"I didn't but I know where she is, Ashworth's probably found her by now, they could have left the country."
"It won't matter. Is your ex still in charge of the case?"
"Unfortunately but I'm sure she'll be happy to see them both. Is it always going to be like this? You solving my problems for me?"
"Better get used to it detective inspector."
"Oh I think I just might as long as you promise not to drag me around any more wedding venues, cookie."
"I won't, I don't want a big wedding, I just want to sneak off somewhere, were I still want to get married that is."
"Good and if by any remote chance I'd ever want to go down that road again, I would too. I love you Rose Tyler."
"I love you too, Alec Hardy, see you soon."
"Not if I see you first."
Rose almost dropped the phone. What had Alec just said? Then she realised. James was an actor. Had she been wrong about this all along? Was Alec really the Doctor? She shook her head. No way but if he was a clone and something had gone wrong when he was created but James knew everything, about the Daleks and the Time War, there was no way Alec would have risked telling something like that to an actor.
She dismissed the idea as being stupid and unpacked the things she was leaving and set to work writing the press release, something along the lines that Rose Tyler and James Smith had wanted to keep their split private so Rose had gone to Broadchurch to escape and put out the story they were still together but while she was there, she had met DI Alec Hardy and fallen in love with him and wanted some privacy and that none of them were available for comment and Miss Tyler would be making a further statement at a later date.
It would make the press look foolish enough to leave her alone. She just wanted a quiet life with Alec Hardy, the man with the recently mended heart and sit looking out across the harbour every night and wait for him to come home. Yes, she could live with that and whichever of them was the clone Doctor, she loved Alec because he had found her.
The End!