Must…keep going…why I still have motivation! Reviews keep my motivation up!
"What happens then is your own doing." The Doctor said quietly.
"I'll show you what happens next." The Empress hissed. "At arms!" she commanded the robots. The robots obediently raised their guns. "Take aim!" They all aimed at the Doctor. "And…."
"Relax." The Doctor said quietly. The robots went limp.
"What did you do?" Donna asked. Meanwhile, Rose took the opportunity to push the two limp robots away from her and sprinted down the stairs, skirting the Empress who hissed at her, but otherwise let her pass. Rose raced to Donna was and helped her up.
"Guess what I've got Donna?" The Doctor asked with a grin as he pulled the remote control from one of his pockets. "Pockets!"
"How did that fit in there?" Donna asked astonished. That remote control was way bigger than the Doctor's pockets.
"They're bigger on the inside." Rose told her with a grin.
"Robo-forms are not necessary. My children may feast on Martian flesh." The Empress hissed.
"Oh, but I'm not from Mars." The Doctor told her.
"Then where?"
"My home planet is far away and long since gone." The Doctor told her, with sadness in his voice. "But its name lives on. Gallifrey." The Empress reared up, suddenly full of anger.
"They murder the Racnoss!" She seethed.
"I warned you. You did this." He reached into his pocket and produced a handful of the Christmas Decorations that earlier had crashed Donna's wedding reception.
"No! No! Don't! No!" The Racnoss cried.
"Why not?" The Doctor asked, his face hard and unreadable.
"Please. I beg of you." The Empress hissed. "My poor children."
"Doctor, please." Rose said softly from below him, The Doctor looked down at her and his face softened. He looked back up that the Empress who was still breathing heavily from a mixture of fear and terror.
"Are you willing to take my offer now?" he asked her softly. The Empress hissed, then lowered herself.
"Yes." She hissed softly.
Rose and Donna sat inside the TARDIS on the captain's chair, alternating between laughing at some of the Doctor and Rose's adventures and Donna crying with Rose over Lance. Finally the Doctor came back inside the TARDIS and leaned against the console across from them.
"All settled." He told them. "Used my vast superior Time Lord intellect to set up a Trans mat and sent them to some deserted planet. They won't be able to cause anybody any more harm." Donna nodded and Rose smiled. "Thank you Rose." He told her, reaching over to grab her hand. "You make me better. Without you… I don't know what I would have done." Rose smiled, and stood up to hug the Doctor. She squeezed him reassuringly.
"I'll always be there for you." She said, her face inches from his, and again he suppressed the urge to kiss her. Clearing his throat, he reluctantly backed away and turned to Donna.
"And what about you?" He asked her.
"Take me home." Donna said wearily.
The TARDIS materialized across the road from Donna's house. She and the Doctor stepped outside, while Rose remained in the doorway.
"There we go. Told you she'd be alright. She can survive anything." The Doctor patted the TARDIS affectionately.
"More than I've done." Donna said tiredly. The Doctor scanned her with the sonic screwdriver.
"Nope! All the Huon particles have gone. No damage. You're fine." He reassured her.
"Yeah, but apart from that….I missed my wedding, lost my job and became a widow on the same day. Sort of."
"I couldn't save him." The Doctor told her sadly.
"He deserved it." Donna said coldly. The Doctor just raised his eyebrows. Donna's face softened. "No, he didn't." She looked round at the house. "I'd better get inside. They'll be worried.
"Best Christmas present they could have." Rose said from the TARDIS doorway. Through the window, Sylvia and Geoff could be seen embracing each other.
"Oh, no, I forgot. You hate Christmas."
"Yes, I do."
"Even if it snows?" The Doctor asked impishly, reaching back above Rose to pull a hidden switch. A ball of light shot out of the TARDIS and exploded like a firework in the sky, into softly falling snow. Donna laughed with delight.
"I can't believe you did that!"
"Oh, basic atmospheric excitation." The Doctor said casually, grinning at her. Donna smiled back.
"Merry Christmas." Donna said.
"And you. So…what will you do with yourself now?" The Doctor asked.
"Not getting married for starters. And I'm not gonna temp anymore. I dunno…travel. See a bit more of planet Earth. Walk in the dust. Just… go out there and do something." Donna said.
"Good for you." Rose said. Donna smiled at her.
"Thanks. To both of you. And Merry Christmas." The Doctor hugged her, the followed Rose back inside the TARDIS, closing the door behind him. The TARDIS shoot up into night sky as Donna watched with a smile, then walked back home.
"And now that we're safe, I can run that scan on you." The Doctor said, reaching down to take her hand, beginning to lead her towards the medical bay.
"I'm perfectly fine." Rose protested, but the Doctor stopped her with one of his smoldering looks.
"I want to find that out for myself." The Doctor said. "Don't make me carry you." With that, he scooped Rose up into his arms and carried her, kicking and giggling the whole way. When he finally set her down on one of the medical bay beds, she stuck her tongue out at him.
"I told you, this isn't necessary!" I'm fine!" Rose protested as the Doctor rummaged around for various medical equipment. The Doctor emerged from a cabinet,
"Rose." He told her seriously, taking her face in his hands. "I promised Jackie I would take care of you. I would never forgive myself if I didn't keep that promise." Rose's heart melted a little and she sighed.
"All right. If it'll make you happy." She said, resigned to a full scan.
"Good. Now lie back." The Doctor instructed her. Rose sighed again, then did as she was told. The Doctor ran several tests on her, becoming quieter with each result.
"Doctor?" Rose asked quietly. The Doctor walked over and took her hand as she sat up. "What is it." The Doctor rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. Rose bit her lip.
"You're fine." The Doctor finally said. "More than fine."
"What that's mean?" Rose asked. The Doctor hesitated and Rose squeezed his hand. "Tell me." The Doctor turned to face her, taking both of her hands in his.
"There's still residual energy left in you from the Time Vortex." He said. "A little bit of the Bad Wolf. I don't know why it's still there or why I didn't see it before."
"What's that mean?" Rose asked.
"It means you're still bonded with the TARDIS." The Doctor admitted very quietly. "Rose I'm so sorry. This is all my fault."
"No. Listen." Rose said, squeezing his hands. "This is not your fault. Not one bit. Now tell me. What does being linked to the TARDIS mean?"
"Well, normally it's a Time Lord that bonds with a TARDIS. When a Time Lord gets his TARDIS, the develop a bond that lasts for all time. It allows them to communicate and…binds their life lines." Seeing Rose's confused look, the Doctor continued. "But you. You're human. So human. So the link went the other way. You're still going to be able to sense the TARDIS." Here Rose nodded. She had always had a special link with the TARDIS. "And… your life line is tied to hers. Rose… You're going to live as long as the TARDIS does."
"How long is that?" Rose breathed. The Doctor hesitated again, then finally answered.
"A TARDIS lives as long as it's Time Lord." Realization dawned on Rose.
"That's you…" She breathed. The Doctor nodded.
"Rose, I am sorry. I am so sorry. I didn't know…" But Rose cut him off.
"No. Don't ever be sorry." She said, moving closer to him until their faces were only inches apart. "I wouldn't have it other way. I promised you forever and I meant it." The Doctor could barely concentrate on what she was saying, she was so close.
"Forever." He echoed. Rose nodded, then he leaned in slowly and gave in to the urges he'd been suppressing since he'd met her. He leaned in and kissed her. After a moments shock, Rose kissed him back. Because they were The Doctor and Rose Tyler. In the TARDIS. The stuff of legends. Forever.
FINISHED! Again, I'm so sorry this took me so long to finish.. I feel really bad. Forgive me? Please let me know what you thought! I'd forever love you if you do!