The sun had begun to set on the night's festivities. Rose Tyler watched with fascination as the people of 1953 Florizel St. celebrated the coronation of Queen Elizabeth with joy and wonder.

To Rose it was history unfolding before her eyes. To them, it was the beginning of something wonderful, a moment of pride in their nation after all the hardships that had come before them. It was a moment in time that would never happen again – a moment that Rose was lucky enough to be a part of thanks to the Doctor.

She watched him out of the corner of her eye. He was smack dab in the middle of it all, laughing and smiling as he danced with a small child of no more than five or six. She couldn't suppress a smile as their eyes met, nor the tingle of electricity that always accompanied it.

It was still the same – his smiles and those tingles. He'd changed so much in so many ways and yet that part of their connection never did. It was the only thing that still felt the same for her.

And there was so much that was different about him – this night for example. Before he changed they might have stayed for a few moments, then hopped back into the TARDIS off to another time, another planet, another adventure.

He'd said before that he didn't do domestic. He definitely hadn't been happy to sit at home at the Powell Estates watching the telly when the Slitheen space ship had appeared to crash land right over their heads. He'd wanted to be out there, in the thick of it, watching history unfold, being part of the events. It had been thrilling before, and Rose loved it regardless of which version of the Doctor she was traveling with, but tonight she was happy to be staying even if it were only a few hours to enjoy the party.

He may not have done domestic before, but now he seemed to be reveling in it. The personal touch, he had said. Not just seeing history, but being a part of it, at least for a brief moment.

After losing Mickey, and what had happened to her face with the Wire, she had a feeling that both of them desperately needed this night, this connection. They'd mostly mingled with the locals the entire night, but their eyes had hardly left one another, even as they spoke and interacted with completely different people. He wasn't letting her out of his sight and the idea of it caused Rose a little thrill of warmth and satisfaction.

There were times when she was so sure of his feelings for her. Times when she just knew he felt the same attraction, the same longing for her that she did for him. And there were other times when he really felt like an alien to her, when she could see the centuries behind his eyes, and the weariness engulfing him. Those moments would pass and he would ultimately be back again, the same manic grin on his face that had accompanied both his incarnations. But she hadn't forgotten that other part of him. And it was that part that always held her at arms length, never acting on the mutual desire she was sure existed between them.

Tonight, it was overwhelming. Maybe it was because of what had happened with the Wire, but it felt like it was all coming to the surface when she thought of just how frightened she had been. The Wire had stolen her face and trapped her into that horrible television set. Even now, she could remember the confusion and the fear of being split in two…her conscious mind still in tact, but her face elsewhere, screaming for help, for the Doctor to save her. The memories wouldn't last long, the Doctor had told her. They were like bad dreams…vividly remembered for maybe a day and then just a vague inclination of something unpleasant.

Regardless of whether she'd remember them later, she remembered it now. She had never felt so helpless in her life. She knew the Doctor had saved her, knew he would always do whatever it took to save her so she couldn't fault him anything. He had gotten her, and countless others back to their loved ones. The Doctor had come through for her again.

She felt a rush of love for the man who had turned her life completely upside down and watched, unable to keep the grin from her face as he approached her, hand outstretched.

"Dance with me?" His eyes sparkled with a mischievousness that tonight made him appear youthful and sexy. She couldn't help but nod and allow him to take her by the hand, pulling her tightly against his lean body and swaying gently to the music.

Someone from the neighbourhood played the guitar and had been serenading the crowd for the last few hours. It was all such a special night and Rose was glad they didn't miss any of it – especially now that they were here, together and safe and in each other's arms.

She wanted to thank him, to tell him how much it all meant to her, but she was afraid if she spoke it would break the spell, so she kept quiet. Instead, she leaned her head against his shoulder and breathed a soft sigh of contentment. He was warm, and solid against her. It was in these rare moments that she truly felt a part of his life, a part of his heart in a way he so rarely let anybody be.

And suddenly he was stroking the side of her face gently with his long fingers. It was not a casual gesture, but a sensual one. It was meant both to be tender and electrifying. Rose felt her pulse speed up at his touch and nuzzled her head against his neck to show her appreciation.

She had no idea why he was being so wonderfully responsive to her but she wasn't about to question it. It was something she'd been waiting for ever since she met him.

Pulling back for a moment, she met his eyes and saw an intensity there that she hadn't seen since before he changed. His gaze was affectionate, but haunted and his fingers had yet to leave her cheek.

"Doctor?"