Chapter Two – Rose's Choice

When the Tardis landed once again, the rest of the crew stepped through the doors and found themselves on the large front lawn of Pete Tyler's estate. No sooner had the Tardis door closed that front door of the mansion opened and Pete came out. Upon Seeing them he sprinted forward towards them, "Jacks!" He called.

"Pete!" Jackie ran from Rose's side to go and embrace him.

The sight of this newfound love between her mother and the parallel version of her father always made Rose's heart warm. It reawakened Rose's memory of that brief moment long ago where she's met her real Dad and the loving farewell had given her and her mum before going and sacrificing himself to save the universe. She wished she could have seen more happy times but luck was not on her side for that wish. Only that she's had a few hours to get to know what kind of man her dad really was. What made it better was that he recognized her and adored Rose and was proud of what she had become. That experience had inspired Rose to vow to her dad's passed spirit that she would make him proud. And all the adventures she had had with the Doctor since then, made her feel as though she had done him proud and that he was smiling down at her.

However she didn't feel the same level of joy upon seeing this, Pete Tyler. To begin with when she, The Doctor and Mickey had first come to this world and Rose had seen him on the poster, she had thought she had found her dad again. Despite The Doctor's denials at her newfound hopes, she had truly believed that when she revealed her identity to the Pete of this world, it would spark a connection between them and he would be overjoyed at the fact that he'd had a daughter in another parallel world. Instead, he had walked away and her heart broke at the same time as her dream.

She stood now where she was, watching Pete and Jackie for a bit and then something occurred to Rose as she looked around at their surroundings. "Hang on we're back in the parallel universe." She whirled back round to face the Doctor.

"Yes, you're back home." Said the Doctor.

Donna came over to join his side "And the walls of the world are closing again, now that the Reality Bomb never happened. It's dimensional retroclosure. See, I really get that stuff now."

Rose's heart froze with fear at what the two of them were implying. "No, but I spent all that time trying to find you. I'm not going back now."

"Rose…" The Doctor began but Rose interrupted him.

"No Doctor! Please don't do this to me. Not for a third time. I told you before that I made my choice a long time ago not to leave you. I can't be separated from you again after all this" Her eyes then widened "Unless…you don't want me…anymore?" The question caught in her throat and tears were stinging her eyes.

His face softened and he stepped forward to hold her upper arms. "Oh Rose Tyler, I would love it if you came back. I have missed you like you couldn't imagine and to have you back would wonderful. But you know the consequences if you do. You will never see…"

But he was interrupted when Jackie spoke up. "It's alright."

Rose whirled round to stare at her mother who was coming towards her. Taking her hands Jackie smiled. "Rose love, ever since you got trapped here, my heart broke everyday seeing you lost and demoralized. It was as through a part of you had died when he vanished in front of you on that beach and I was powerless to help you. I knew the only way you could be healed was if we found him again." She nodded in The Doctor's direction. "From then on, I swore to myself that if by some chance we ever found the Doctor again I would allow myself to let you go."

Rose's eyes widened "Mum…?"

Jackie laughed a little and held her daughter's cheek in her hand "Sweetheart, I learned that day that I couldn't keep you at my side forever. Despite how close we have always been, even before you met The Doctor. I've had friends whose kids moved out to go and live hundreds even thousands of miles away from London. You deserve to make your own path sweetheart, especially after all we've been through. I have already done that myself as you have seen."

Rose nodded and glanced once at Pete and back to her mother still unable to believe what she was saying. For once she couldn't think of what to say in response to her mother's words.

"Once we leave, there's no coming back Jackie." Said the Doctor.

"I understand Doctor." She said looking at him a second before returning her gaze to Rose. "I know you'll be more than thousands of miles away, but if this is what will make you happy, then I would prefer that then to see you miserable and empty for the rest of your life stuck here. As long as you'll be happy, then I shall be too."

Rose's tears fell and mother and daughter wrapped their arms around each other in a tight hug. "I love you Mum" Rose wept burying her face in her Mum's shoulder.

"I love you too sweetheart." She whispered.

The Doctor exchanged a look with Donna who was smiling at the scene before them.

"Rose?"

The two blondes leaned back to see Pete had come over to join them. "I know I was never your dad, but I am glad that in another universe Jackie had someone there for her when she lost…your dad."

Nodding, she let go of her Mum to face him. "When I first saw you thought that there might have been a chance, but The Doctor was right. You aren't my dad, but you are Tony's and he needs you to be there for him."

"Yes, I promise you, trust me on this, I will and for your mother as well." Placing a hand on her shoulder he leaned in to press a kiss to her cheek. "Good luck." Then he blinked as he took a step back "Should I go and fetch Tony, so you can say goodbye to him?"

A whirling sound came from the Tardis behind them and they all turned to look at the blue box.

"We've got to go. This reality is sealing itself off for ever." The Doctor warned.

"It's fine." Rose wept. "I know he'll be alright. He won't miss me."

"We will tell him about you though Rose." Said Jackie. "We will tell him as he grows up, he will know who his big sister was and what a brave, smart and caring girl she was. And that she is out there having adventures people can dream of. Don't worry sweetheart, Tony Tyler will know who you are."

She smiled through her tears and the three Tylers shared one last hug. Then after giving them both a kiss on their cheeks Rose turned around and approached The Doctor.

"Rose, are you absolutely sure this is what you want?" he asked.

With a smile she nodded. "Surer than I have ever been in why whole life. Please Doctor, let me come with you."

Then he smiled too and held out a hand and took Rose's in his. Smiling too, Donna waked back into the Tardis and the Doctor led Rose to the little blue box. She stopped in the doorway with the Doctor and looked back at her mother and Pete, and she smiled with true happiness. She didn't want her mother's last memory of seeing her to be sad. The couple smiled back at Rose and then finally she turned around and entered the Tardis closing the door behind her. The engines whirled to life and in seconds it was gone never to return to this universe.

Inside the Tardis Rose couldn't look up, so many emotions were running round inside her head. She was happy that finally she was reunited with the Doctor and would go back to travelling time and space with him as she had always wanted. But she was also sad, because although ages ago in the battle of Canary Warf she had left her mother in a second and was all but ready to remain with the Doctor for the rest of her life.
She also recalled the time before when she had almost been separated forever from the Doctor when he had sent her back home to protect her from the Daleks, the Emperor and the battle of Satellite Five. Back then she had also stated that there was nothing left there for her at home. Even then she hadn't given her mum or Mickey a proper goodbye, though mainly that was because she didn't know exactly what the Tardis would do when they'd opened up the heart to make contact.

Today on the other hand she hadn't been in a hurry, or had to make a snap-decision. Today she had had some time to think about her final decision. It was just like when Mickey had chosen to leave her and the Doctor to remain in the Parallel world to be there for his gran and to stop the Cybermen. The truth had really hit home for her. The fact that this would most likely be the last she would ever see her mother again.

An arm wrapped round her shoulder, and she turned to see The Doctor beside her, she wrapped her arms around him and rested her tearstained face in his shoulder and he held her close. She was thankful for the comfort, but also grateful that he wasn't asking her if she was alright, or if whether she was again sure about her decision. Because she accepted it was probably the most difficult choice of her life.
The fact that her Mum had completely accepted her daughter's wish to live the life she wanted was what made it a lot easier. At least Jackie Tyler would not be alone either in the Parallel world, she had the alternate Pete Tyler, their baby son and a life of comfort with his wealth.

Rose was sorry too that she wouldn't be there for little Tony or see him grow up, but he would provide her mother with what she needed. Jackie could still be a mother even though Rose wouldn't be there. She would miss them too very much, but she wouldn't be alone either, because she had the Doctor.

Author's Notes
Hello there readers. This chapter came quicker than I expected. I have the others ready too and will post them soon. I hope you'll have enjoyed this new one and will leave a review of what you think and Favorite and Follow the story.

Kind regards
LouisaJane007