What if the Time Vortex took Rose's soul?
Rose had never felt as light as this before. But it was soon replaced by a tightness in her chest. It burned brighter inside, squeezing her until she thought her insides would fall out.
The Time Vortex inside of her, Rose scattered the phrase 'Bad Wolf' throughout time and space, letting the Daleks burn to dust.
But as the Doctor stood by her, holding her as closely as she had always dreamed but never imagined like this, ready to draw it out, she closed her eyes.
The Time Vortex was consuming her.
No, it seemed to say to her, You shall not die.
Life. Life seeping through her, soft as a feather but still agonising. How could this be possible? But she had seen many impossible things in the time she had travelled with the Doctor. She didn't question anything anymore.
For a brief moment, Rose could see all of time and space at once. Wonders and horrors and mysteries and answers and laughter and fear. The start of every war, the end of every armistice. The first breath, the last breath, of every living thing.
It only lasted for less than a second. How much less she wasn't sure. Maybe it was no time at all. But she could only see the Doctor's head above her, lying her down on the floor of the TARDIS control room.
Rose wanted to tell him how much she loved him. But something else took over. As his hand brushed her cheek, she grasped it in hers.
But then she scowled wickedly up at him.
The real Rose wasn't here. She'd been replaced by a version of the Time Vortex.
Life is not fair or unfair, just or unjust. Life is life.
As was Time.
The Bad Wolf stood abruptly, watching in glee as the Doctor, frightened, took a few steps back and stood against one of the coral arches.
"Don't you want this?" the Bad Wolf asked, drawing closer, "Young and beautiful forever? No need to regenerate, no need to be afraid. The Skasis Paradigm? Child's play compared to me. Time itself at my fingertips, Doctor. We could have our happy endings. Stop humans and Thals from being turned into Daleks and Cybermen. Teach Sontarans not to be warmongers. Tame every civilisation in history and have gods kneel before us. We could save Gallifrey."
"You're not Rose," he shook his head, frowning in fury.
She gave a small chuckle as she pressed her hands either side of him. "I was always your playground, Doctor. Now we can be together finally. Your constant, unwavering companion."
But the Doctor seemed resilient. "You're inside of Rose. Rose Tyler. She's a human. Let Rose go."
The Bad Wolf paused. Then she smiled.
"OK."
The sole remnant of Rose looked out through what had been her eyes. Then she thought of everything and everyone.
"You wanted it." Mum, laughing and hugging her only daughter.
"I offered you infinity." Dad, in the few precious hours she spent with him.
"I'll still be watching." Jack, his cheeky smile gleaming.
"She'll be watching." The night she met the Doctor.
"But never able to be with you." Stepping inside of the TARDIS for the first time.
"Scattered forever." Travelling to an alien planet, breathing in the air of Earth's past.
"Goodbye." Now she saw them all, those she loved and would love forever.
The Bad Wolf gave a great sigh. The last part of Rose Tyler blew out and flew into the Time Vortex, her atoms scattering like smoke from a flame.
Her body collapsed. Her eyes shut one more time.
And she saw everything.