Rose was drawn from a happy dream of traveling with the Doctor, when she heard someone whispering her name rather urgently. She felt something twitching under her cheek, where her head was resting. There was warmth there, so she didn't want it to leave. "Mm….what..? m'tired….sleep'n…." She mumbled back, not opening her eyes.

"I know you're tired sweetheart, but you're sleeping on my hand!" The Doctor whispered to her.

Startled in a realization of who was talking to her, and what he was saying, Rose jolted awake, and looked at him. "Doctor?"

"Hullo.. I wasn't going to wake you...'been watching you sleep for a few hours, but I can't feel my hand now...sorry…" He glanced warily at her, with concern.

"You cheeky alien! Why weren't you sleeping!? Why didn'tcha wake me? How long have I been out..?" Rose laughed at him. She lifted her head, to release his hand, but was startled when he snatched hers.

Smiling, he took her hand and gently kissed the back of it. His warm breath floated over her hand, making Rose giggle uncontrollably. He looked into her eyes with sincerity and whispered, "Thank you."

She smiled back and gave him a soft peck on the cheek. When she pulled away, she answered, "Same to you…" She sat up and stared at him seriously. "Now Doctor, to be serious for a moment. I know you, we've come close to 'this' before but with you, you just fly off, as if it never happened and everything that matters is just passed over. We'll be off hunting aliens and stopping the ends of worlds, as if nothing ever happened. I just want to be sure...things are gonna be different between us now...right?

After a brief pause to choose the right words, the Doctor spoke. "You know.. I always say that we-humans, Time Lords, I suppose any living creature in the cosmos-we're all stories! And those stories make a book. And I think that it's high time, Rose Tyler, that we start another chapter in ours." He smiled at her. "Don't ya think, so?" He stood and extended his hand to her.

Taking the offered hand, she stood and looked at him. With a laugh she answered, "Yeah!"

"All right then! That's settled!" He replied. They grew quiet, just standing the, their eyes and hands locked. A warm smile was planted on each of their faces as they traced the other's thoughts. The Doctor stretched out his arms, inviting her closer. "Ah, come here, you!"

Laughing she snuggled into his warm embrace and they stood there for several minutes just feeling the other's presence and warmth close to them. "Love you Doctor…" she mumbled, her voice muffled by his shirt.

Smiling, he kissed the top of her head and returned the remark. "Same to you, Rose Tyler…"

She looked up at him and tugged at his shirt. "Doctor?"

He pulled himself from the happy elation of love, to pay attention to what she was saying, "Mm?"

"Doctor.. Could we just go now? Just save how we are now and go on with our lives?"

"What? Don't you want to say goodbye to your mum first? And what about Mickey? Won't he be upset? He was mighty upset when I brought you back to Earth, injured. He's bound to be even more angry when he finds that you and I've run off!"

"Yes, I know, but please? Can't we? Mum can handle Mickey and he'll cool off by the time we get back again! Please Doctor!?"

"Your wish is my command! Just let me pick up a bit, first!" Stepping away from her, he picked up the blanket that had been covering them and folded it. He placed it on the couch. Noting that his ever-present red converse had been taken off of his feet and set underneath the couch he sat and slid them on. Tying the laces with impossible speed, he hopped up, ready to go.

As quietly as possible, they snuck out across the house, to the door and gently opened it. With a sneaky smile to each other, they slipped out and slid the door shut behind them. Hand in hand, they rushed down the sidewalk to the road and began walking off. Suddenly a scolding voice rang out behind them.

"So you were just gonna sneak off like thieves in the night and not even say goodbye to your old mum?" Jackie stood there at the door of the house, arms crossed, angrily.

"Mum?" Rose looked up, startled as Jackie slowly made her way to them. "Sorry…I didn't want to wake you and.."

Jackie interrupted, "Nah, that's not true you sillies, I've been hearing what you've been talking about. 'Mum can handle Mickey?' Really?"

Rose flushed, embarrassed. "Sorry! But-"

This time, the Doctor interrupted. "Jackie? Were you eavesdropping?"

"Well, no, yeah...no! Not really! Honestly love, I wasn't trying to invade.. Just going to make a quick cuppa before going home. But you two! You silly lovebirds.. took you both long enough to come out and say it, eh? I've known what was gonna happen from the very start… And you say you know the future and all that? Ha!"

The Doctor squirmed. "You knew? What? We just- ah...I guess a mother's eyes see clearer than the eyes of one in love." He smiled and put his arms around Rose.

"Oi! Stop it you two! I'm happy for you, but I don't want to watch you!" Jackie objected to their PDA. "Come on, I'll drive you back to the flat, that's where you left the TARDIS. I had my car brought 'round last night. It's just over here."

They agreed to the lift and Jackie drove them back to the alley by her home. The drive took around 20 minutes, but as she drove, they were content to snuggle in the back. Just holding the other and feeling their warmth was enough to make them happy. For them, the drive ended all too soon and they were forced to get out.

As they stood there, by the TARDIS, the Doctor took Rose's hands in his and looked her in the eyes. "Are you sure about this, Rose? You know...sure that you really love me and you're fine with me loving you?"

With a giggle she suddenly grasped his face with her hands and pulled him in for a long, deep kiss. When they pulled away, she answered sincerely. "Yes, of course, Doctor. I've always been ready. Ever since "run"."

He suddenly hopped away, sprinting for the TARDIS and laughing. "All right then, Rose Tyler! You just wait right there, I'll be back before you can say 'where's he got to now?'" He raced inside the TARDIS, slammed the door, and dematerialized before she could react.

"Doctor!?" she gasped.

"Oh that Doctor! Always running off! And right when you two were finally going to get together!"

"Oh shut up mum!" Rose burst out. "He's probably just gone off to take care of something I suppose…"

"Rose!? How dare you speak to me like that! I'm your mum!" Jackie gasped.

"Just leave him alone mum! Leave us alone! He's never done anything to hurt me, and he better not start now!" Rose sighed, with a slight chuckle she mumbled. "Where's he got to now…"

"WELLLLLLLLLLLLL, since you ask, right here!" The Doctor's chipper voice rang out behind them. They turned to see him approaching from the opposite direction that he had left from. Now, instead of the worn and dirty suit, he wore a finely fitted tux. Rose laughed when she saw that he still sported his ever-present trainers. He looked more healthy and cleaned up, then when they had seen him just seconds before.

"But-How!?" Jackie gasped.

"You see...time travel...such a wonderful thing for surprises! I just popped back an hour to take care of some things...actually I was a BIT early. I actually have been here for several minutes...watched you lot pull up! Now...to business." He took Rose's hands lovingly and knelt before her. "Now, Rose Tyler, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife and traveling with me through all of space and time, forever and ever? Because I love you, and I couldn't imagine my future any other way." With that he took a very tiny, very old looking wooden box out of his pocket and carefully slid it open. Inside sat a beautiful golden ring that also looked very old, but well looked after. The slim shiny golden ring was covered in nearly microscopic swirled engravings that Rose recognized as Gallifreyan, the lost language of the Time Lords. She picked it up, gingerly and scrutinized it. She beamed at the beautiful display at the peak of the ring where the golden swirls emerged as petals and a rose-shaped diamond sat embedded in the thing.

"What does it mean?" She pondered aloud, referring to the text.

"Love, eternal." He solemnly answered. "My mother, back on Gallifrey, gave me this, ages ago. She told me it was for my future. I felt a little silly about it, but now, I can see how right she was. It was for you! Because you ARE my future! Please Rose, please say yes."

With a chuckle she pulled his hands higher until she could reach, to kiss them. "Of course Doctor! Yes! I would love nothing more than to be your wife!"

He slid the ring onto her finger and stood. They pulled into a long and passionate kiss and joyous tears streamed down their faces.

The doctor pulled away and turned to Jackie. "Do you approve, Jackie? Cause we kind of need that for the next bit..."

"What do you mean 'next bit'? And of course I do!" Jackie retorted.

The Doctor pulled a worn woolen cloth out of his pocket. It was about a foot and a half in length and the colour was a beautiful blue that matched the TARDIS. "Alright Rose, my darling, take one end of this and wrap it 'round your hand." They both took an end of the cloth and wrapped their hands with it. "Now Jackie, please say "I consent and gladly give"."

"I consent and gladly give." She parroted.

"Now, Rose, I'm going to whisper something very secret and very special in your ear." He drew her close and spoke softly into her ear. He drew away several seconds later. "That was my name, my true given name. You can never repeat that to anyone, ever."

"But, it- it was beautiful! What does it mean?"

"It's Gallifreyan, language lost...it's not translatable. So there you are, Rose Tyler...you are the woman who married me!"

And together, they flew off into time and space. Living and adventuring, saving worlds for years and years. And they danced. You may not believe the story that you have just heard, but I tell you, it IS true. For my name is Violet Jacqueline Suzanne Tyler, I am the first Time Lady of New Gallifrey, and this was the story of my parents.

-THE END-