Don't own any of the characters from Dr. Who and I'm not seeking to profit from these characters in any shape or form. If anyone is willing to BETA for me, please contact me as I do this practically all on my own. Reviews are welcome as long as they are constructive and not scathing.

Rose ran through the doors of the TARDIS, her heart pounding loudly inside her. She thought she had lost him; that she would never see him again. For a moment she glimpsed her life without him and it made her angry that she didn't have the power to bring him back to her. At least she rid the beast that was the cause of their separation. That's why she fought back when the beast took over the archeologist body. She sent him flying off into space, thinking that it was what the Doctor would have done and in a way it was her revenge against fate for separating her from the Doctor.

When the Doctor's voice sounded loudly in the ship asking if she was there, Rose wanted to cry out for joy. She almost leaped out of her seat from happiness. Every cell in her body became alive. She could feel the tiny hairs in the back of her hand stand on end and her heart beating wildly within her chest.

As Rose ran inside the TARDIS she saw the Doctor still dressed in the orange space suit he wore when she last saw him. His face broke out into a huge smile as she ran into his outstretched arms. He clasped her to him in a fierce hug, her legs dangling as he lifted her up. For someone so skinny, the Doctors bear tight hug felt strong and protective. She felt his exhilaration and joy emanate from him as he spun her around.

Rose dared looked into his deep brown eyes, her own shinning with unshed tears. "My Doctor," she said with a whisper. "I thought I almost lost you."

The Doctor gave her a heartbreaking smile that took Roses breath away. Impulsively she closed her eyes and lowered her mouth to his, letting her kiss say everything her heart and soul couldn't.

The Doctor gasped in surprise and shock, but instead of pulling away, he found himself drowning in the kiss. As the kissing deepened, Rose moaned and pressed herself closer to him. That's when the Doctor noted that other parts of his body were beginning to awaken as well.

Rose was the first to take a step back, realizing what she had done. The Doctor looked at her, something dark flickering in his eyes. In Roses kiss he sensed what her heart had concealed, what she was willing never to say in order to be with him. With her sweet heartfelt kiss he felt a new kind of hope, something he scarcely allowed himself to believe he could ever have. The Doctor knew he was standing at the edge of a precipice. With Rose it wouldn't be just one kiss. It would have to be a thousand kisses as many as the scattered stars until forever. He could walk away now, salvaged what they had or he could act on his own secret desires that were hovering just above the surface.

"I'm sorry Doctor," Rose said, taking a deep breath. She was shaking from the impact of the kiss. "I shouldn't have… I know, I was just so relieved to see that you were ok…" her voice trailed off, not knowing what else to say.

"Rose, I…" the Doctor began.

"Don't Doctor, please," Rose said, dreading what he would say. Didn't he tell her that he didn't do domestic? Didn't he say that he could never share his life with her because in the end she would be the one to whither and die and he would continue to live on?

"It's ok," Rose said sadly, trying to conceal once again what she was feeling.

"Don't do this Rose," the Doctor found himself saying. "You're not the kind to just shut everything out."

"But you are," Rose bit out, a bit too harshly. It was too late for her to take it back, seeing how the Doctor grimaced at her words. "What do you want me to say Doctor? It was an impulse. Can we leave it at that? Or would you rather just chuck me out like the dozen others before me?"

"I would never," the Doctor said in a whisper, his voice sounding hurt. "Not you Rose."

Rose took a deep breath, daring to meet the Doctors eyes once again. "Let me decide how long I wish to be with you then, Doctor," she said.

The Doctor could feel her own fears, could almost sense the beating of her heart inside her. Strange how humans survived with just one heart, but they seemed to feel much more than his two hearts ever could. Maybe that's why he was so drawn to them, so drawn to Rose.

The Doctor stared down at the precipice and decided to jump. "So, how long are you going to stay with me?" he asked.

Rose answered unflinching.

"Forever."