She placed her hand on the door handle gingerly. Slowly. She ran her hand up and down the wood of the blue box and felt the texture of the painted wood beneath her fingers. She didn't dare close her eyes lest it all vanish like so many of the dreams she'd had before.

With a creaking and a soft rush of air, she pushed the door open and felt the glow from the console room fall on her. She lifted her foot and stepped in, hearing the clank of her shoe hitting the grating. She opened the door further and slipped in.

The hum of the TARDIS settled into her body and her mind. It was like slipping into a warm, soft bed after a long day of hard work. It was like coming in from the ice and snow and putting on that old comfy sweater that's just a bit too big. Putting on warm fuzzy socks and sipping hot chocolate in front of the fire.

It was coming home.

She heard a noise coming from the corridors and her body tensed up. The noise got louder and the sound of footfalls quickly grew closer. The first thing she saw was his white converse, followed by a pinstriped legs connected to a pinstriped torso and arms, and a head topped with wild hair. He turned the corner and walked up to the console. He started flipping controls slowly and mindlessly, his shoulders slumped and his hair limp. He hadn't seen her.

She didn't move.

His head turned towards her and his eyes flitted over her, but he immediately turned back to the console and went back to his work, looking up at the scanner briefly. She furrowed her brow in confusion. Then he looked back again, slower this time. He looked her up and down and she saw tears in his eyes. His shoulders were still slumped and there were bags under his eyes. He looked weary.

"Please go away," he muttered softly. His lips barely moved. "Not today."

His eyes were glassy and his chin started to quiver for an instant before he closed his eyes and steeled his expression. He rubbed his eyes hard and tugged hard at his hair. She wanted to say something. To move, but she couldn't find her voice or her movement just yet.

"I SAID GO AWAY!" he suddenly roared. His eyes were dark and his expression cold. It sent shivers of fear down her spine.

She opened her mouth to speak, willing some sound to come from her lips.

"D- Doctor?" she managed, a croak coming from her throat.

Instantly, his expression changed. The darkness in his eyes melted, but the tears returned. His lips parted as his jaw fell in shock. His breathing sped up.

"Rose?" he whispered.

Her heart jumped into her throat and a tear escaped her eye. She couldn't speak so she just nodded.

He took slow steps towards her an a look of uncertainty flashed on his face. She couldn't help the smile that broke upon her lips and his face rushed to match hers, his beaming smile growing with every step.

He ran to her and before she could move she was wrapped in his arms. She nestled her face into his shoulder and held him as tight as if he were a lifeline. He squeezed her so hard that she could barely breathe, but she couldn't care less.

They stayed like this until she ran out of air. She wiggled gently and he loosened his grip, but didn't dare let her go. She started to laugh, and he joined her. The laughter was full of tears on both sides, an overwhelming spectrum of emotions washing over them.

"I thought I'd lost you forever," the Doctor said into her ear.

"It's okay," Rose replied. "I'm home now."