Just a little tidbit before we begin-this takes place right after The Runaway Bride, when the Doctor takes off into space. It's very AU, so be prepared.

The Doctor took off, hammering different buttons in a random fury and making the TARDIS rise into the sky, away from Donna, away from Earth. He wasn't quite sure where he was taking it, but he knew that he needed some time to grieve.

Rose wasn't dead, he knew. She was safe. She was happy.

But maybe she would have been happier if I had told her how I felt.

The Doctor swore softly and sunk down into a chair, letting the TARDIS drift in space. He wished ever so much that he had had the opportunity to tell her, because he knew that sooner or later he would regenerate and lose all of the emotions associated with his memories of Rose.

The only reason that the feelings he'd held for Rose had lasted longer than others was that he'd had her there, right beside him, and with her charm and her wit and her intelligence it was hard for him to not be attracted to such a sweet and wonderful Rose. Even now he couldn't think of it as love, because if he identified it as such then the pain would be doubled and tripled. Just another human that he'd grown to love and had to lose.

Rose would become just another memory, instead of the vividly alive girl that he had known.

He clenched his hands into fists so hard that he drew blood, and gave a little gasp of pain. For a moment, the pain carried him away from the world and he forgot of Rose, only of the red blood leaking from his hands. And then he sighed, and stood up, and wiped his hands on his trench coat.

You'll stain it, you know.

The Doctor glanced around, and seeing no one he assumed that he had imagined the voice.

I said, you're going to stain that perfectly lovely coat of yours.

The Doctor blinked rather incredulously, and whispered, "Who's there?"

Beside the point.

"You're on my ship. Not physically, I know, but you've sent your mind onto my ship. And you're trespassing. How is asking who you are beside the point?"

Well. Ah. Never did have your gift for words, Doctor, so suffice it to say that it's information that you don't need and shouldn't have.

"So you know who I am. Have I ever met you before?" The ache of missing Rose was still potent, but it helped to be distracted by the whole mysterious and powerful voice on the TARDIS thing.

Yeah, you've met me, and you'll probably meet me again.

"You don't sound familiar. And it takes a lot of power to send one's mind onto the TARDIS, so you would be...one of the most powerful people I know. But you don't sound familiar." The Doctor stared up at the ceiling with accusing eyes.

Doctor, for the love of-IT'S BESIDE THE POINT WHO I AM, OKAY?

"Don't yell, mysterious voice!" said the Doctor angrily. "This is my ship, and I am rather busy right now, thanks. What're you here for, anyway? World domination?"

Nah. I'd make a terrible world leader. I'm here to give you a second chance.

The Doctor looked up, surprised. "Do you mean-" he began, his voice barely a whisper, but the telepathic voice cut him off sadly.

There's nothing I can do about the Time War, Doctor. I'm sorry. My power right now is limited, and the most I can do is give you a second chance with-um-with Rose Tyler.

"Rose," said the Doctor, sinking back into the chair and staring at his bloody hands. "How? Just going to waltz into the parallel universe and bring her back?"

That's impossible.

"So why give me false hope, then?" snapped the Doctor. "Why the hell would you do that? I just lost her-is this some sort of sick alien joke?"

No. Getting her back from the parallel world's impossible. But a second chance isn't. My god, Doctor, you are so impatient sometimes.

"Oi! I will not be talked to like that by a pushy alien I've never met!"

To his surprise, the Doctor heard the voice giggle, which was actually quite surprising. "A giggle," he snorted. "Never heard any alien giggle ."

S-sorry. J-just something you said. Anyway, what I'm saying is that I can bring Rose to you.

"What, and scare her mum and dad half to death? Without any explanation?"

It would be as if she had never entered the parallel universe.

"Sorry?"

Hmm. How do I explain this? Okay, think of it this way. Rose never let go of the lever, she hung on, you and her are in the TARDIS together after she said goodbye to her parents for the last time, and right after you two left Donna.

"There's a catch," muttered the Doctor. "There's always a catch."

No catch. Doctor, what've you got to lose?

"I don't get it. Why are you offering me this?"

I can't actually tell you that. Do you want it or not?

The Doctor opened his mouth to tell the voice "Hell no," to go about his merry way across the galaxies. But then his breath caught in his throat as he imagined being able to change things, to see Rose, to hold her in one of those hugs that he'd always taken for granted. To watch her smile with that little poke of her tongue the way she always did. And-if he played his cards right-to kiss her.

"God, do I want it," he breathed.

All right then. Big important rule, though. No telling Rose.

"I do happen to be a fairly experienced time traveler, so I know at least that much," the Doctor replied coolly.

And Doctor?

"Yeah?" Hope was ballooning inside of him.

You'll succeed. I'm sure of it.

And then the world was white light for a moment, and when the light cleared the Doctor blinked like an owl for a few seconds before regaining his sense of sight. He glanced around the TARDIS. No sign of Rose. Except- wait a minute-her hoodie was hanging on the coat rack, as if she'd raced to her room in a hurry, like she usually did when she was tired out.

The Doctor hurried down the corridor of the TARDIS to Rose's room, where the door was shut. But that could mean anything, because he'd shut it right before he'd tried to find a hole in the fabric of the parallel universe. Because he couldn't bear to look at her little trinkets and her unmade bed. Because when he looked at it he thought that she might come back, and he had known in his heart that she never would.

He knocked hesitantly on the door.

No answer.

He reluctantly opened the door, not wanting to get his hopes dashed again.

Rose lay sprawled on the bed, evidently too tired to change into pajamas, staring up at the ceiling. At the sound of the opened door, she sat up, yawned, and commented sleepily, "Doctor, you have blood on your coat."

Oh-kay... Awfully nervous about this, but I'm going to start it and hope it turns out reasonably all right. Ten/Rose is my OTP for Doctor Who, and I'm nervous that it won't turn out that good in writing. Drop a review and tell me what you think?

-The Eclectic Bookworm