I actually just became a Doctor Who fan this summer and wrote this shortly after watching Doomsday. It's been a couple months, but I figured someone might enjoy reading it. Mickey's character is actually one of my favorites, which could be what made the idea pop into my head. Hope you like it.

"Do you ever wonder what things would be like if none of this had happened?"

When Mickey did not answer, Rose glanced in his direction, and he pretended not to notice. They were both perched on the back edge of the van with just three inches of space between them. That spaced seemed infinite anymore.

Rose chose to ignore the space and leaned over to bump Mickey's shoulder. "Mickey," she said again, "do you ever wonder?"

"Come off it," he replied, turning his head away from her. In the distance he could see Jackie and Pete strolling back along the beach. Mickey wished they would hurry.

"It was just a question." Rose leaned away as though to rid herself of his negativity. She paused as he took a breath of salty air. "I do. I see myself at the shop or sitting alone with you." She closed her eyes with a heavy sigh. "Looks like that's where I am anyway."

"But you don't regret it." Mickey did not need to ask; he knew she would never give up a day of what she did with the Doctor.

"No," she agreed. "Do you?"

Instead of answering, Mickey returned to her first question. "I think about it every day. I picture me and you and how happy we were together before he came along. Sometimes I wonder if we'd have been married by now. Engaged, at least, although I'm a little fuzzy on how much time has actually gone by. We've both sort of existed outside that, haven't we?"

Mickey looked at Rose to find her staring back, daring him to continue.

He dared.

"We could have been one of those couples, like your parents. Yeah, they fight sometimes, but they're in love. Everybody can see it. That could have been us. But I'm not sorry to see it go this way."

As he'd spoken, Rose had squeezed her eyes shut, but they flew open in surprise. "You're not?"

Mickey shook his head. "I was at first, and occasionally I still am. I saw you change, though, and you don't seem to realize how much. These adventures gave you life. You, an already lively girl." He paused to look her in the eye again. "I love you, Rose Tyler, always have. And even though you don't love me the same way anymore, I still will. If you ever get over him, we can try again. If not, I'm still here."

Rose's face stayed motionless as he finished his speech before a smile slowly crept over her features. She then pulled him tightly into a hug, sneaking a peck onto his cheek as she pulled away.

She said nothing except, "Thanks."

After everything they had been through, Mickey still had to swallow thickly before replying, "It's no problem."

Because it didn't break his heart that she loved someone else, although it did sting. It wasn't even that she knew how much he loved her.

He loved her a lot, but the part that hurt the most was that the Doctor loved her more. In the end, he was living with the after effects of doing what Mickey never could.

But Mickey had never been able to let go for good.