The Doctor sat still for a few moments, watching as Rose shut her eyes and turned her head away from him. He felt the coolness of metal against his hand and set the stethoscope aside. He didn't need it to understand why her heart was aching. He knew what ailed her, because his hearts hurt, too.

He saw a tear seep from her eye and slide softly down her pale cheek. The pain she was feeling now was his doing, as much as the injuries her body sustained had been.

"I never want to see you hurt," he said, voice barely above a whisper. "But that's what happens; it's what I always seem to bring."

Her saw her exhale and heard the breath leave her body slowly as she turned over to face him. "No," she said.

"It's true, Rose. Pain and death follow me."

"Yeah, sometimes." She blinked at the tears. "But that's not your fault. Yesterday you saved the rest of the town; they probably all would've died if you weren't there."

"It's what I do—what I've always done," he replied. "But you shouldn't have to be hurt in the process."

"I wasn't hurt that badly, an' it's all sorted now," she reminded him.

He shook his head. "You shouldn't have been hurt at all."

He was surprised when she gripped his hand. Her skin felt cool. "But if I hadn't been there, Vond probably would've died. I mean, I know there were a lot of other people helpin' out, but maybe no one would've found him in time. An' if gettin' a couple of bruises an' scrapes is the price for savin' a child's life, I'm happy to pay it. It was my choice to go into the cathedral. I knew it might be dangerous. But it's what I do—it's what makes my life worthwhile now." Her hand tightened around his.

He opened his mouth to offer some rebuttal, some brilliant words that would convince her that traveling with him was too dangerous, presented too many opportunities for peril… But her own words echoed through his mind. She'd saved a child, and probably a dozen more victims. This wasn't the first time, either. Rose was always ready to leap in, through thick and thin, with a helpful hand and a willing heart. Those were the qualities that had drawn him to her the first time they met; those were the qualities that had made him ask her to come with him.

"But I could lose you," he began, voicing the crux of his argument.

"Yeah," she agreed, "you could. An' I could lose you—already did once. But that's part of the package, isn't it? An' even if it did happen, I wouldn't have any regrets. The things I've done an' seen…" She blinked back fresh tears.

"I know," he acknowledged softly, his thumb running over her hand. He leaned forward and opened his arms to her.

Rose slid up into his embrace. He wrapped his arms around her and held her for a long time. When he finally pulled back, he saw her clear gaze upon him.

"We okay?" she asked, her expression very serious.

He nodded. "Mostly."

She frowned. "What's that mean?"

"Well," he drawled, a smile twitching at his lips, "you, Rose Tyler, are in rather desperate need of a change of clothes." He made a show of dusting off his hands.

She poked him affectionately in the arm. "Git."

He rubbed at the spot, offering her a mock frown. "What's that for?"

"I think you know." She slid off the exam couch, but she wavered as soon as her feet touched the floor.

He took her arms gently. "Still dizzy?"

He sensed that she was reluctant to respond, but finally she nodded. "Yeah, a little."

"Hmm. That's what you get for going without food and water for, oh, how long's it been? At least twenty-four hours." He helped her back up onto the table then retrieved a pressure hypo from one of the drawers, inserting the appropriate vial. He pressed the hypo over her arm.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Little nutrient and hydration boost—enough to get you through a good, long shower. And when you're finished, I'm going to make you a proper meal."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "Thought you wanted to keep me safe," she said.

"Of course I do, as much as possible."

"An' you think eatin' your cookin' is a good way to do that?" she quipped.

"Oi! I make a mean spaghetti Bolognese!

She smiled at him, a genuine and joyful grin. "If you say so. S'pose it'll just be one more adventure."

She scooted down from the table again and walked steadily toward the door. He watched her, full of infinite gladness that she was safe and here with him. He knew that someday things would change, but for now he could accept the potential dangers from aliens, atmospheric implosions, and the like. They were no more threatening than the possibility of gaping holes in his hearts and soul.

Fin