Here we go! Another chapter [at last]!! I am so so so so sorry this has taken so long, because one of the things I HATE on fanfiction is stupid authors who leave a cliffhanger hanging for months on end. No offence if you are one of said stupid authors. Me too. We should totally make an annoying author club. Anyhow, back to the point… basically I have had loads on [mainly schoolwork] and I really haven't had time to do any of this. But I loveeee this story, so I'm doing another chapter. Because if no one reads it, it will still make me happy. [Warning: shameless fluff! Proceed at your own risk.]

For a few moments, all there was was the blur of colour, wind whipping back her hair, stinging her eyes until moisture streaked across her face. Or maybe she was crying again. It was hard to rationalise in this spinning non-reality. A moment of pain as she crossed into the next universe. Complete sensory deprivation; then pain, as the ground smashed into her feet.

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The TARDIS jolted very slightly. Not enough for humans to register, but the Doctor felt his ship react ever so slightly, almost as if someone had jumped inside her. Not likely. He was hardly in the jumping kind of mood, and there was no one else on board. Assuming that the fridge had burst open again spilling jars of marmalade all over the floor, he got up to clear it up, wanting something to take his mind off the pain. He wasn't one to dwell in his own misery, and he really needed something to do. At the same time, clearing up marmalade wasn't really very proactive, and he couldn't bring himself to go travelling without his lost friends.

The Doctor loped into the kitchen, but nothing was out of place there. Still, the thought of marmalade cheered him up a tiny bit, and he was hungry… Five minutes later, having toasted a few slices of bread and dolloped a large amount of marmalade on them, he almost felt normal. He took a huge bite, and, grabbing a plate, walked slowly towards the control room.

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Wincing, Rose straightened up. Useful they may be, but the reality hoppers were never the nicest things to use. Still, if it meant she could be with the Doctor, she'd take the pain a million times over. Suddenly, faced with the situation she had dreamed about for years, the thing she had worked and worked to get, only to get sent back home, the thing she had abandoned her whole family for the third time to have, Rose felt a stab of trepidation. Did he really want her? He had sent her away so many times…did that mean he cared about her, or that he wanted her out of the way? For the zillionth time that day, Rose felt tears prick in her eyes. What was with this crying? She normally had a bit more grit. She ground her teeth together; bit her lip, refusing to cry. He wouldn't make her cry, no matter what.

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Munching on his third slice of toast, the Doctor poked his head into the control room.

Hearing footsteps coming towards her, Rose stiffened, clutching her device almost defensively.

He couldn't see any immediate danger, so walked over to the scanner to check what had jolted the TARDIS.

She wanted to run to him so much, but she suddenly couldn't move.

His mouth fell open, and he staggered backwards, staring blindly around the room, eyes shining with…tears? It was at that moment that Rose remembered how to use her muscles, and moved tentatively around the console to look at him. He stared back, unable to keep the tears from streaming down his face, unable to express what it meant to him that she had come back.

The stood there for a while, just staring at each other, neither quite sure what to do. It was Rose who finally closed the gap between them, reaching out and wrapping her arms around him. He responded, squeezing her tight to him chest, murmuring into her hair, hot tears falling thick and fast as he rocked them gently. Neither spoke. They didn't need to.

Sometime later, when they had both composed themselves a little, the Doctor relinquished his grip on Rose unwillingly, and stepped back to look at her.

"Why did you…?"

"You needed me. But more than that, I guess, I really really needed you. More than anything."

Words failed him again, and he just hugged her tighter. He couldn't put how he felt into words, but something told him that she really needed him to. She needed to know how much more than a 'plus one' she was, how he had adored her from day one, and how every time she went away she took most of him with her.

"Rose I…" he stopped. It wasn't enough. "I want you to know what I probably should have said a long time ago. I… you are the most amazing person I have ever met, and I only keep sending you away because of my own cowardice. I can't face how much I need you, and the fact that I have been in love with you since you first stepped into the TARDIS. I sent you away again to save us both pain, and I nearly lost you completely. Nothing is worth that and I'm sorry." He looked down gently at Rose "Am I forgiven?"

She couldn't answer, just smiled up at him, the happiest smile she had worn for a long time. He beamed back, then, ever so slowly dipped his head towards hers, his soft brown eyes locked on hers. His lips met hers, pressing tenderly against them. For a few moments there was no sound at all, but their lips moving in synchronisation. When they drew apart, the Doctor reached instinctively for her hand, which fitted perfectly in his.

And that's where we leave them - travelling around the universe hand in hand, saving the world. Best friends. Completely and utterly inseparable.

I'm sorry, that was a HUGE amount of fluff!! Lol! I hope you like it as much as me, I actually nearly made myself cry! Just so you know, the Doctor didn't forget Donna. It wasn't appropriate to put it in this story, but he hasn't skipped off into the sunset without a second thought. They both miss Donna (who, lets face it, was awesome) and maybe someday will try to help her. Anyhooo…review, review!! ;D

Note: I nicked a quote from Stephenie Meyer!!! "their lips moving in synchronisation" can't take credit for that one! Belongs to SM (: