A/N: Was watching Parting Of The Ways, and had a bit of 9/Eccleston angst (I miss him - he was 'my' Doctor, as they say. My favorite Doctor as well). Came up with this.

She stood on the beach waiting - just waiting for him. He told her to follow his voice, and this is where he led her.

And suddenly, he's there; materializing into view, a bit like the TARDIS itself. And he looks so painfully real - from his big ears and bright blue eyes, to the leather jacket he always wore.

Rose swallows a gasp as she turns to face him. "Where are you?" Her voice is raw, and sounds so lost and alone on a cold grey beach in Norway.

He's inside the TARDIS - where she should be, at his side - and he's destroying a sun just to make his farewell. He really is -the TARDIS orbits the dying star, and it's beautful.

"You look like a ghost."

They both shudder slightly - there have been too many ghosts. Too many memories floating around. Too much death.

His shape becomes clearer - more defined. And she can no longer see the sand behind him.

She walks to him, hair whipping around her. And before she can speak, he stretches out a hand to brush away the blonde locks from her face... His fingers go right through her, and his mouth quivers into an anguished frown - no touching. And it's agony; pure agony. And she's standing there before him, so real and breathing and alive. And he can't touch her. It tears through both of them.

"I'm sorry," he whispers.

She almost smiles, and shakes her head sadly. "S'like the last time when you sent me away. Satellite Five..."

"I'm sorry," he chokes again, remembering as her golden eyes shone with power and achieved the impossible.

They're at Bad Wolf Bay, and Rose can't help but hate the Bad Wolf, just that little bit. They'd always thought the Bad Wolf brought them together - that it always prevailed in the end. And yet, here they stand, so close together, yet so far away. Almost touching - but with a universe in between. Here they stand; taunted by the one thing they can never have - each other.

"Rose Tyler." He grins his toothy grin, and Rose's heart breaks just a little bit more at his Northern tones. "My little Bad Wolf."

She sniffs, desperately trying not to cry. A few stray tears dribble down her cheeks.

"Oh Rose," he sighs, and she knows she's torturing him with her tears. It makes her cry even more.

"Don't cry Rose. Not for me. Never for me." And she can see his own eyes have turned a startling blue as they fill with tears.

"I thought," she sobs, wishing she could sink into his arms and smell the leather surround her. "I thought we'd always..." she can't carry on, and cries freely.

"I know, I know," he soothes.

She stops suddenly, lifting her eyes to his and gazing into the depths. "It was fantastic," she says with a serious look.

He gives a watery smile. "Oh Rose. It still is. You're still fantastic. With or without me."

She shakes her head violently, breaking down again. "No. Not without you."

And he's only barely handing on - knowing his tears will only make this worse. "Now listen to me Miss Tyler. Don't you ever say you're less than fantastic. You've saved people. Helped people. Loved people. Just because I'm not there doesn't mean that stops. Never. You'd better go back Rose, and have your beans on toast and chips - have that fantastic life that I told you to have. But don't ever forget what you've done."

"I couldn't do that if I tried," she almost laughs - or is it an almost-sob?

His eyes burn into her and he whispers softly. "Don't you ever forget you saved me too. The minute I told you to run." So long ago now, and yet it still remains vividly in their minds. "I want you to find someone."

"I can't," she interrupts. "I... I can't."

His eyes show his pain - he doesn't want to be the one responsible for giving Rose a miserable, lonely life - even if it's his fault. "Rose. Please. For me."

"I:-" and Rose sees his eyes - all his misery and regret. "Ok." It's a lie - and they both know it. But that's ok. A lie is acceptable if it's done for protection.

He leans down to whisper in her ear, and if she closes her eyes, she can almost smell his scent; almost feel his breath on her neck. Almost.

"And always remember. Bananas are good!" And he pulls back, beaming as she gives a small giggle; her tongue poking out between her teeth - that smile the Doctor always loved.

"God." Lonely God. "You and your bananas." She rolls her eyes and suddenly remembers something.

"Doctor. Promise me something."

"Yes?"

"Go and find Jack. Don't be alone."

He nods slowly. "Only if you promise me the same... Don't ever be alone Rose Tyler. Ever."

She gives a small nod in return - she'll always have her family, she reasons.

"I don't have much time left Rose. The gap's closing."

She hates them both in that moment. They wasted all this time just talking about meaningless things. Her eyes fill again. "Will I ever see you again?" she whimpers.

He shuts his eyes against the sight. "You can't."

"It's not fair."

He gives a bitter smile. "It never is."

"I," she takes a deep breath, and the Doctor knows what she's going to say. He's known since the day she walked onboard. "I love you."

He practically beams. "More than bananas?"

She nods tearfully, forgetting how to laugh.

"Well then, there's something you should know." And now there's no humour in his voice - this is serious. "Rose Tyler..." and he vanishes.

And Rose cries and cries and cries.

And no matter how many times she screamed out his name - voice torn with agony - he never comes back.

A/N: Reviews are love, and 'All you need is love.' So please hit that button right away. I don't care if you loved it, hated it, wanted to have babies with it, or whatever. Just tell me your opinions/thoughts. Danke