A/N. Rest assured – I am not taking my stories down on a whim. Just finishing this one sooner. After all, 73 hits on a chapter is not remotely bad, hm? Kidding.

Previously...

He nodded, a small thoughtful almost-smile on his lips. Even though he did not feel like smiling, not in the slightest.

His Rose was not weak. Not easily-frightened. In fact, she was all he could ever wish for…

But she was too fragile. Too fragile to cope with this on her own.

Breaking Through

Chapter Nine

Clean Up, Fix Up

The Doctor did not know how to address the complicated subject without accidentally giving away too much.

He took a deep breath. "You, Rose Tyler, are a walking miracle."

She giggled. "Yeah? What makes you say so?"

The Time Lord sighed in relief, believing to have successfully avoided the slippery barrier between the truth and the reality which resembled a wicked fantasy.

"Your kisses are to die for," he avoided the risky topic nonetheless.

"If you say so," Rose smiled at him almost shyly. "But you are not telling me everything, and-"

He averted his eyes, "You- you must be mistaken, love! Why wouldn't I tell you-"

"I am not a fool, Doctor. All I need is to be told the truth, however gruesome it might be!"

"Do you think many things can be done with the sole reliable information about the processes inside your mind being your dreams and the things you might have muttered while asleep? It's nowhere as simple as you think, love!"

"Then do something!"

Rassilon. "Not until I am allowed to enter your mind, which I won't be, because-"

For God's sake! Rose was getting agitated. "First, you convince me we must get married. Even if it's all fake, it's-" She sighed. "Then, all we do is make out for hours! Now, you are suggesting-"

"Forget it," the Doctor muttered. "I'm sure we can live just as we used to!"

"No. You are going to do whatever it takes to be allowed to enter my mind. You are going to make my mind work properly again, without all these memory leaps and dream-induced anxieties-"

The Time Lord gaped at her. It seemed Rose was getting to the point without his help.

"Could you?" Her voice was suddenly barely above a whisper.

He exhaled. "I don't know how to say this. It seems some part of your mind has locked up some secrets, currently unknown even to you, but-"

The girl began blinking at him furiously, as if trying to make something unclear out in the distance. "Such as?"

"My name, for a start. You know my real name, love," the Doctor considered it the least harmful piece of truth to be shared.

"I figure it's not 'The Doctor,' then?" Rose could not even allow herself to be shocked or at least greatly surprised about it. After all, that much has always been obvious?

"Nope."

"And you're saying..."

"Look, Rose. Only my mother and father knew-"

She eyed him curiously. "How about your siblings?"

"Oh, you mean Irv-" He froze, remembering. "Braxiatel. I think he knew, as well. Never paid much attention to who was supposed to know what... Then, there was my wife. That makes it four people. Four people!"

She exhaled, frustrated. Had she had siblings, she would never- No, this was not about her life.

"Any theories, Doctor?"

"I am afraid this is much more than a theory, Rose."

"What do you mean?" This was worrying her more than she thought possible.

"Since you know my name, Rose Tyler... I would need to perform some tests on you."

"Since I know your real name, Doctor, and am neither your mother nor any other blood-relation, and since-"

The girl shook her head at the silly concept. "I assume the TARDIS must have told me, or I might have overheard it once she was furious at you enough to use your real name when shaming you for whatever you might have done?" She reasoned, secretly hoping her deduction was correct, or else-

The Time Lord looked at her, chalk-pale. "The old girl does not know my birth-name. Even if she wanted to chastise me for whatever reason, calling me by that name would be impossible for her-"

"Which means-"

"Get up, we are going to the infirmary this instant, Rose!"

She did not find the strength or the wish to object. At least the Doctor seemed to be just as stricken by the still-uncertain news as she was.

Rose did not let out a sound once an example of her blood was being taken.

"For a moment, I thought you were going to faint here and now," he smiled at her softly. "You surely do look pale," he clarified.

"As do you," she countered.

"Yeah," he agreed, braving himself to confirm his insane theory, one accidentally confirmed by his Rose just hours before.

The Doctor's eyes grew wide once the analysis was fully complete. "I- I"

"What is it?"

It seemed the sudden fury on the Time Lord's face was only directed at his ship.

How could you?! Was this some kind of experiment? I know you thought you had the right, but-

The Doctor was trying to breathe out his frustration. "Come, Rose. We have some vows to renew."

"You don't mean the vows? Doctor?"

The Time Lord looked as if he were under the effect of some shock. All the girl could think of at that moment was following his lead.

"Shouldn't we call Donna? Jack?"

He exhaled. "Absolutely, absolutely not!"

"O- Okay?"

His determination was impossible to miss.

"I am not invading your mind without your full consent, could never think about doing that, Rose! You must know that whatever happens, you are the only one for me!"

She grinned at him. "Are you implying you must enter my mind? Whatever reason might that be?"

"Oh. Yes, sorry. If you want to wait, we could-"

"No! But what does allowing you inside my mind and renewing our marriage vows have in common?"

"You know how Time Lords used to have this ceremony called-"

Rose bit her lip. "Will it make you happier? Help you feel more at ease? Make you feel nowhere as lonely?"

He nodded. It seemed she knew him better than her human mind could ever imagine.

"The TARDIS might have thought she was helping you. She might have thought it was going to be better for you to only have these unlikely implications enter your mind in dreams! But a Time Lord mind cannot remain locked up forever!"

The ship objected, whining loudly at him.

Yes, it might have been safer for her not knowing. Not remembering. But Rose did! She has remembered me, always! Your plan has failed. Bring her back to me! This instant!

Rose inhaled deeply, the amount of memories finding their place in her mind at once. It's okay. I am not mad at you.

"Do you really think we should renew the vows? Right now? Maybe wait for at least another hundred years?" The girl, or, yes, the Time Lady could not stop grinning at him.

Your wish is my command, Rose Tyler! He smirked at her, gleeful.

Rose knew exactly what they were going to do next and for that, audience was very much not required.

The End

A/N. I think it was about time for the story to be over. Feels hurried? So be it...