Title: Far Away
Rating: Probably about the same as the series. K+ maybe under ratings.
Spoilers: Up to Dalek, although set some time after that (no Jack or Adam).
Pairings: Doctor/Rose, although barely.
Summary: She wonders what it's like to be so far away from home. Angsty fluff if that isn't too contradictory.

Anyone on timeandchips has probably already read this

'Take me somewhere far away from earth.' Rose looked at the Doctor seriously as she made her request.

He gazed back at her, puzzled. 'We've been far away from earth. I've taken you to lots of planets your lot haven't managed to destroy yet.'

'I mean...really far away. In time too.'

'Am I going to regret asking why?'

'If your box can't do it, "Mr. I'm so impressive", just tell me.'

That achieved exactly what she was intending. He threw her a superior look, and set at the TARDIS controls. The ship had shuddered violently, and then stopped. He glared at her smugly. 'Five thousand years before the first ape wonders where the bananas came from, and as far from earth as you can get before turning back. That impressive enough for you, Rose Tyler?'

She opened the door, just to check, and the blue grass seemed to be a good indication that he had hit the target for once.

'Is it alright if I just go for a walk? No man-eating plants or anything?'

'On your own?'

'Yeah. That okay?'

'Be my guest.' He gestured out the door, but there was a slight look of hurt on his face. She couldn't worry about that right now. Smiling at him, she picked a direction, and wandered off.

When Rose had been walking for about a quarter of an hour, she looked over her shoulder to check that the TARDIS was out of sight. Looking around, she could be in the wilderness anywhere, all on her own. That was the point.

Rose sat down, and closed her eyes to the alien vegetation. It wasn't the feeling of being on an alien planet she was bothered about. He had said, back in Van Statten's museum, that he was the last one. That he could feel it. She hadn't been able to get her head around it then – knowing that you were the only one of your species. The first place he had ever taken her was to see the end of her world. Way back then she had thought he was just being alien. Either that or cruel. Who wants to know when their planet explodes? Now, though, she thought that maybe he had just wanted her to understand. She hadn't managed it then, hadn't realised what he wanted her to see.

So she tried now. Eyes closed, she told herself that where she was now, there were no other humans. When she was now, there were no humans. She was just about as alone in the world as it was possible to be. She was about to give up when she felt it, a tiny niggle in her brain. There was a hole where something should be, a little like reaching for something that wasn't there. She felt a sadness about something, distant, but still noticeable.

Rose shivered. It must be a thousand times worse for him. He wasn't just convincing himself of it. He had seen it happen. That was why there was always that look in his eyes, like Gallifrey's destruction was playing in his brain even when they were running for their lives. And he couldn't open his eyes and make it go away.

When she did open her eyes, it didn't quite go. But she didn't feel quite so small, or so far away from home. Rose walked back to the TARDIS to find the Doctor standing in the doorway watching out for her.

He looked at her curiously. 'Done communing with nature?'

She threw an arm round his shoulder and hugged him tight to her.

The Doctor gave her a mock stern look. 'What did you break?' But he put an arm round her waist for a quick affectionate hug.

'Nothing. Didn't even step on any of those ants that mean you kill your grandparents. So where are we off to now then? Worlds to save, governments to overthrow, stuff like that?'

'Depends. Where do you feel like going?'

For a moment she was tempted to tell him earth and chips. Tempted to make him take her to the one place certain to make these last cold tendrils of alone-ness let go of her. But then he would be alone in feeling like this, even if for her it was just a little bit, and it didn't seem fair. 'Nah, I picked this one. Your turn.'

'Chips,' he answered decisively. 'But not London, and not your mum,' he added in a warning tone.

'How bout somewhere up north then?'

The Doctor grinned at the shared joke, and flipped at the TARDIS controls.

When it came to a shuddering stop, he took Rose's hand to lead her outside. The empty feeling at the back of her mind disappeared. It didn't matter whether he was about to lead her out into Middlesbrough or Mars. She wasn't alone, not ever.

He smiled softly at her, and for a second she was convinced that the lost look in his eyes had dimmed just a little. 'Chips it is then.'