"Without you, the tides change, the boys run, the oceans crash.
The crowds roar, the days soar, the babies cry, without you.
The moon glows, the river flows, but I die, without you." –Rent

Rose peered out of her window, eyes desperately scanning the skies for answers.

Where is the Doctor? Is he safe?

"Idiot," she said out loud to herself. "He's safe and sound just a hallway away. He is the Doctor now. The other isn't coming back".

Tonight marked a week since the Doctor abandoned her here, yet again, and in that time she was still barely able to face the man he left her with. At first, she had been unable to keep her hands off him, constantly grabbing his arm, listening to his single heartbeat, occasionally pressing her lips to his. It was so hard to believe that he was here to stay, and only constant touch and supervision could assure her of this fact.

This man was so much like her Doctor. So similar that often Rose forgot who she was kissing, realized that the man she loved was still traveling without her, and drew back from this…impostor…as quickly as she could. Eventually he became to distinguish which touches and glances were not meant for him. Though he never drew away, Rose could see the hurt on his face.

She wanted to comfort him, to never let him go, to give him all the love that she had been saving during their separation. Just as strongly, she wanted to kick him to the ground for leaving her, for being such a source of confusion, for drawing away from her love of the Time Lord, for even daring to look like her Doctor. Her dueling emotions came to a head yesterday, when she tore away from him mid-kiss and shouted "I hate you!" before running to her room in the Tyler Mansion.

Rose Tyler had avoided all contact with him since, and the Doctor respected her wishes.

She desperately wanted to apologize to him, to explain her conflicting emotions, but she knew it was no use. If anything, Rose kept her distance from the Doctor to protect him from further outbursts that he didn't deserve and she couldn't control.

Rose's thoughts were broken by a stifled sob.

Get it together Rose, she thought. Stop crying about your situation and figure out what you're gonna do about it!

Halfway through her self-chastisement she realized that the sound wasn't coming from her. She peered across the balcony and realized- of course. The Doctor's balcony is on this side of the house as well. She silently exited her balcony, returned to her room, and silently made her way across her parents' mansion to the Doctor's room.

At his door, Rose almost turned and ran. She was instantly flooded with the Doctor's smell and with it, a multitude of memories. Frustrated and panicked, she steeled herself and dashed through the room full of memories before slowly opening the door to his balcony…and seeing a sight she would never forget.

The Doctor resembled a small, blue ball huddled against the railing. Though his face was tucked in tightly between his arms, it was not enough to muffle the sounds of the sobs that were wracking his body.

Rose ran to him and held him close, stroking his back and whispering the words that she knew would calm him. Inwardly she cursed herself for being the cause of his pain. How could she be ignorant enough to assume that she was the only one who longingly stared at the night skies?

Eventually, the Doctor stilled and lifted his head to make eye contact with her. The pain on his face was tangible as he nearly whispered, "I'm leaving tomorrow".