It was loud. That was her first impression. Loud and bright. Rose opened her eyes and blinked, almost expecting to be lying in the med lab again. But she wasn't. She standing in her sitting room surrounded by her family. There were decorations up all over the place, though she found when she went to look at them that they blurred together, making it impossible to tell the celebration. She saw her cousins and her young nieces and nephews as well as her Mum and her Mums' friends, and her old friends from when she younger. Mickey had his arm around her and was chatting animatedly with her grandfather. There was such noise all over the place that she could barely drown it out, and she certainly couldn't hear the separate voices.

"Rose!" someone squealed with glee over the din. Rose looked to see her mother coming towards her. "Glad you could make it! We've missed you all so much. Have you been having fun, travelling with Mickey?"

"I... uh..." Rose stumbled, taking in the image of her happy, healthy, bouncy mother.

"Come on, come on, come and sit down and tell me all about it."

She took Rose by the arm and pulled her out of Mickey's grip, leading her into the dining room where a number of guests had already sat down.

"Look everyone!" Jackie beamed, putting an arm around her daughter's waist. "Rose has come back!"

She looked half-heartedly around the room and was almost slightly sickened to see all of the faces beaming out her. Every single one was smiling and raising a glass to toast in her name, even the little four and five year old nieces and nephews, sitting at a smaller table in the corner. All Rose knew was how much she didn't want to be here and how empty she felt at being away from something. Something or someone was missing from her life and though she couldn't quite put her finger on it, she knew that they weren't here.

Rose let herself be led to a spare seat at the table – right on the end – so that everyone could look at her and beam some more.

"How's the travelling going?" someone she didn't recognise asked.

"Yes, Rose, tell us; how is Mickey coping with all your bossings?"

"Is he keeping you safe?"

"Are you enjoying where you've been going? It's been a good few months now since we saw you last."

"Jackie says you got sick on the last place you went. She said Mickey had to spend three days hunting for a doctor in a remote little village. Is that true?"

Doctor... the word somehow made her feel warm and complete, as if it were a message to her that she shouldn't be here. A reminder. She couldn't take it any more. Rose stood up abruptly, not caring that she knocked her wine glass over in the process.

"I... gotta go," she said at last, glancing to all the faces – both familiar and unfamiliar – around the table. "There's somewhere I gotta be... something I gotta be doing."

"What?"

"Rose, you've only just got here!"

"Yeah, Rose; we haven't seen you in so long. We miss you. Stay!"

"Stay! Stay! Stay!" the children chanted, and Rose could feel one pulling at her sleeve. A heavy hand rested on her shoulder and she looked into the face of an elderly woman.

"You should stay, Rose. The family has never needed you this much. What can that world out there offer you? Not the comfort and warmth that we can."

Rose hesitated. She knew she didn't belong here, but there was something so tempting about settling here. It was safe and warm, and out in the world she was cold and alone. Was she? For some reason, the word Doctor echoed around her mind again.

"I... can't," Rose said at last, fighting out of the grips and wading through her family towards the front door. "I just can't. Mickey will tell you all about it. But I gotta go."

And with that, she sprinted to the front door and flung it open, panting as she did so.

I-------------------------------------------------------------------------I

The Doctor pulled a chair to Rose's bed. It was eerie watching her lie there still, her body unmoving. The only thing that soothed him was the fact that her chest was rising and falling in a comforting rhythm. He took some time to sit and watch her, a pleasant smile on his face. His hand was fastened around hers, his thumb stoking the top of her hand gently. He knew she couldn't feel him where she had gone. But it was more for his benefit than hers.

He watched as the expression on her face changed. It seemed rather confused and hurt and she twitched as she slept. The Doctor knew the dangers of waking her up before her time, so merely took in a large breath as he watched her. He couldn't believe how difficult this was. She hadn't been asleep that long; half an hour, maybe? He was well aware that the time it took to dream things was often a lot shorter than what went on in the real world. He just hoped that Rose was strong enough to cope with whatever her subconscious threw at her.

The mind was a dangerous place. It could play on her darkest fears and her deepest desires. He hoped that she wouldn't be tempted to stay. That she would make her way back to him on his own, without his encouragement. He trusted her and had faith in her so, as the Doctor watched, he let his smile grow. Rose was strong, he knew; and he was sure that she was strong enough to turn down even the most sinister offer her heart.

I-------------------------------------------------------------------------I

What Rose saw beyond her front door took her breath away. Suddenly, she was not standing in her house, and all the noise of the party fell away. There was complete silence as she looked out ahead of her. Was this... space? It certainly looked like it. There were stars, millions and billions of them, all spread out before her. Planets she could never name all the colours of the rainbow, and then some. Comets hurtled through the atmospheres as she gazed around in wonder at what she saw. There were so many splashes of colour as well as a deep emptiness beyond it all.

But then something else happened. She felt something pull on the strings of her heart like a harp. A great pain and sorrow, mingled with joy and happiness. Her blood pumped with a rage she felt flare up from nowhere. He heart broke in a sudden shattering moment and she doubled down, panting for breath. Tears began to stream down her cheeks, with happiness, with misery. She felt giddy with relief but betrayed, as if one of her best friends had just stabbed her in the back – literally and metaphorically. She felt it all, and Rose couldn't help the strangled scream that escaped her lips. So much pain and suffering, yet so much joy and acceptance. There was just so much... too much.

And then she saw it. Close to her, large and looming, there was a planet she had never laid eyes on. It was huge and swirling with a deep grey atmosphere. She knew that it was there all this emotion she felt had come from, at least partly. And then, while she was watching, it began to expand. It was as if Rose was watching the entire thing in slow motion. It began to expand and contract quickly, growing in colour and heat. Eventually, not being able to take it, Rose felt herself scream; and with it, the planet shattered into several million pieces, rocketing out in all directions as it was taken by a huge explosion. Blood red sparks sprayed out towards her, closely followed by blinding, white light. She wondered how she was so safe when the planet was dying. She collapsed to the floor, a scream ringing in her ears; whether it was hers or not, she couldn't tell. She felt as though her body were being ripped apart in all directions, held together merely by will power.

She opened her eyes. There was a big, gaping hole where the planet had been. And she felt the hole inside herself, as though someone had just pulled a piece of her heart out of her. She gasped for breath, hardly being able to believe it. Her safety net had gone. It was all gone, just like that, in the blink of an eye. She could have saved it, could have done something to stop the destruction of that planet. She was racked with guilt and grief, her body not being able to take it. She closed her eyes and shook her head, trying to shake the terrible feelings away. But it was as if they were coming from inside her, stuck to her for eternity.

Rose almost didn't hear it when someone called her name. But something had definitely broken through her barrier of emotion and she turned, slowly, to look behind her. She felt a hand on her shoulder and Rose stood up to look into the eyes of a man. He was tall and had smooth, defined features. His cheeks were set well in his face, as was a prominent nose. His close-cropped dark hair made his bright blue eyes all the more sharp and clear and his thin mouth was pulled at the corners into a smile. He was wearing an old leather jacket with a navy blue v-neck jumper, as well as well fitting black trousers. He blinked back at her silently, the grip on her shoulder tightening. Rose felt oddly comforted by the man.

"Rosy Tyler," he said in a soft voice that could make her melt. He reached his second hand to brush at the hair on her face, and Rose was surprised when she didn't stop him. Something in her trusted him with her life. He smiled at her gently, before his eyes flashed at her earnestly. "You couldn't have stopped it Rose. Even I couldn't stop it. And I'm the last Time Lord."

As he stood there with her, the man laughed bitterly before letting his face fall into a large grin. His entire face lit up as his grin spread all the way to his gentle eyes. He even gave her a courteous wink. He blinked at her softly, the hand on her hair now moving to cup her face gently. Then his hand slid to her shoulder and she found he was looking at her, really looking at her, with all the intensity in the world. Rose couldn't have looked away even if she'd wanted to.

"Rose," he said gently yet sternly. "You have to let go. You can't come back here and see this. You're not ready for it."

His left hand slid to her cheek again, while his right pulled her a little closer to him. Rose couldn't stop her hearts from racing: who was this stranger? He certainly seemed to know who she was. "I want you to come away with me," he said softly, his blue eyes boring into hers. "Come away from this and be with me always. I'll protect you forever. If you'll let me."

Rose's eyes darted over his face and came to a rest on his lips. She felt her breath catch as she realised he noticed him looking. Slowly his hand slid down her spine and rested in the small of her back, while the hand on her cheek tightened slightly. Rose felt her entire body tingle at his simple touch and knew, right then, that she wanted him to start kissing her and never ever stop.

His eyes adopted a husky look in them as he finally took a last step towards her and brought his lips to hers, with as much gentleness as Rose had ever felt. He wasn't forceful at all, not in the slightest; she felt completely at ease with him. Her lips tingled with the sheer touch of his lips on hers and all of a sudden she gasped as memories started to fly back to her. At first they were only strands, like words... Space... TARDIS... Doctor... but eventually, as she began to kiss him back, she felt everything at once. She pulled back, and was a little relieved when he didn't push it.

"Doctor?" Rose asked timidly. She remembered everything. This was a dream, she remembered, and the man in front of her was only the past Doctor. He wasn't the Doctor waiting in the medical lab for her to wake up; the Doctor whose kiss she could still taste on her lips.

The Doctor in front of her grinned.

"Welcome back," he said softly but cheerily, his voice light. "I was wondering when you would recognise me."

Rose turned back to look at the TARDIS door, her heart filling with sorrow.

"I can't believe that – "

But she was cut off when the Doctor slid his hand to hers, entwining their fingers.

"You couldn't have done anything," he said again. "It was meant to happen. It was how I met you," he grinned. She looked at him and couldn't help but smile back. Oh, God, he was really here. He was alive and in front of her and... and she was kissing him again.

Rose had flung her arms around his neck, intending to give him a hug; but somehow, her lips had found his again and now she was kissing him. His hands rested on her hips, pulling her close to him, as he devoured her with his mouth. Gently at first, but soon Rose couldn't take it and parted his mouth with her own. She felt his hand rise to the back of her head as he kissed her and she pulled every strand of him in that she could. His past, his future, his feelings – all of it. His tongue began to dance tentatively around hers and every inch of her body tingled with a sense she didn't even know she had. His kiss was soft yet demanding, passionate yet gentle; and though he knew exactly what he was doing – and was bloody good at it too – Rose was always sure that if she wanted to break away at him at any point, he wouldn't have stopped her.

Eventually, their need for oxygen overcame them and they broke apart, panting. The Doctor's fingers caressed the back of Rose's neck, making her shiver. His other hand pulled her against him and he grinned at her, his lips reaching softly for her cheek. She slipped her arms over his torso to link behind his neck and she could feel him smile as he kissed her flesh.

"I miss you," Rose found herself crying into his neck, and the Doctor's kisses stopped. Instead, he slipped his arms around her further and pulled her into a hug, kissing the top of her head gently.

"I know," he said, his fingers tracing small, delicate fingers through the clothes on her back. "And I'm sorry I made you wait so long."

"Worth it, though," Rose smiled, breathing in his scent. She had longed for him for so long that she almost couldn't believe that it was happening. Until she pulled back and felt the Doctor kissing her again, and after that, she was swallowed up by his sensuous attack on her body.

I-------------------------------------------------------------------------I

All right, so now he was getting a little worried. The Doctor had sat by Rose for the last hour and a half, never even letting his eyes roam anywhere else but her. Not that he wanted to look at anything else. Her face had been contorted with unreadable emotion and it had almost broken her hearts to see her in so much pain. Yet, at the pit of it, he saw that she was happy, too, and that she was coping. Then her face had started smiling and her body twitching, and after a while, she had mumbled his name.

The Doctor had stood, all too ready to greet her when she woke up; but then he realised she must have been talking to the dream him, and was more than a little crestfallen. He just hoped that she had more sense than to give in to temptation. All she was supposed to do was follow on with what her dream was leading her, not instigating anything that wasn't supposed to happen. But she was strong, he reminded himself; and he would know when she needed him. So, with his hand still linked around hers, he let out a sigh and sat back down.

I-------------------------------------------------------------------------I

Rose broke apart from the Doctor, her hands over his shoulders underneath his jacket. She panted and blinked her eyes open, not quite sure what had made her stop. She didn't want to stop. Every part of her body called for him and now she had started, she just couldn't bear to stop.

"Rose?" the Doctor asked questioningly, one hand behind her head the other resting on her back underneath her top. She bit her lip as she looked at him, feeling the comforting feel of his cold hand on her skin. She took in a breath and blinked at him.

He gave a small smile, his blue eyes staring kindly back at her.

"I can't," Rose said at last, hating herself for doing it. She could, she really really could. But it wasn't right, and she wouldn't let herself go in further than she already had. His shoulders dipped slightly as he let out a sigh, but he nodded and dropped his hands away from her.

"Neither can I," he said earnestly, giving her a sad smile. Rose frowned at him, slipping her hands away from his shoulders.

"What do you mean?"

He gave a small laugh. "I love you too much to hurt you like that."

Rose blinked at him." So you mean... you wouldn't have... if we'd have..."

The Doctor reached to take her hands in his, swinging them lightly. "No, I would have. If you'd have wanted me to."

"I don't understand."

He leant towards her casually, his forehead knocking against hers. "Good," he said softly. "Then my work here is done. Close your eyes, Rose."

She felt the grip on her hands tighten.

"I don't want to lose you," she replied quietly, and found her voice broken with tears. "You were so..."

The Doctor stood back and looked down at his favourite little ape. He grinned at her.

"I still am so," he said, smiling. "But everything has its time, Rose. You know that. And even when Gallifrey died, I'm still here, aren't I? Proof."

"Of what?" she sniffed, looking up into the face of the man she had once loved. The man she would gladly die for.

"That it's not really the end. This part of me will always be alive in you, but you can't let it control you. Gone but not forgotten, that sort of thing."

"Right," Rose laughed, astounded by his cryptic nature, even now. She shook her head and smiled with him, the tears in her eyes becoming more under her control. "And what about the new you?"

"What about me?"

"Well, I... he's still you, I know. But he's just..." Rose trailed off, still unable to find any words suitable for describing her new Doctor. In fact, finding words to describe him at all was a challenge. Nothing did him justice.

"Love him for who he is, Rose," the Doctor said wisely, the grip on her hands tightening. "And let him love you back. He wants to, you know."

Rose's eyes widened, and she couldn't stop herself from grinning.

"How d'you know?"

He winked at her, but didn't answer. Instead, he leant his head forward until their foreheads touched again. His breath covered her entire face and she thought for a second that he was going to kiss her again. But he didn't.

"Time for me to go, Rose," he said softly, smiling. "Now close your eyes."

She obeyed, despite the fear that he would be gone when she opened them. She felt the breath on her face quicken slightly and, after a moment, opened her eyes again. And there, in front of her, stood her Doctor. Pinstripe suit, dark eyes and a grin on his face. She pulled back a little, but didn't take her hands from his.

"Hello," he said softly with glee. She grinned at him.

"Knew you couldn't resist staying out of my head," she teased. Then she took in a breath and looked up into his smooth face. "Is this it, then? Is this the end? The answer?"

He shook his head and pulled her into a hug, his arms circling her like he never wanted to let her go.

"Hardly," he almost snorted with a grin. "This, my dear Rose, is just the beginning. I've got so much to show you and teach you. But first, you're going to have to wake up, because it's very difficult trying to teach someone the ways of the universe while they're asleep."

Rose laughed and kept on laughing as she closed her eyes and felt the warmth of the Doctor's body spread through her. She shook her head against him and, with her eyes closed, said, "You never told me how I was supposed to wake up."

Rose felt a hand on tighten on hers. Her other, she realised was resting somewhere on her other side.

"That's because I know you'd be clever enough to figure it out."

Rose jumped and sat up, and found herself in the medical lab, the Doctor's hand clasped firmly around her own. She swung her head to look at him and gave him the most amazing grin in the world. He didn't have time to escape as she launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his neck. He laughed and reached down to complete the hug, glad that she had woken up by herself. It meant she preferred the real world to her dream world; and that was pretty bloody flattering.

"Did you find it then?" he questioned at last, setting her down on the floor again, Rose pulled her head back, but the Doctor was strangely comforted when she didn't let go of his neck.

"I'm not really sure," Rose shrugged. "I don't really think I figured anything out. But I don't feel as confused now as I used to. I don't have that sort of... feeling in my head, like everything's wrong. It's all right now."

"Oh, good," the Doctor replied chirpily. "I'd hate to feel that I was disappointing you in some way."

Rose shook her head, and pulled herself to hug him again. "You could never disappoint me Doctor. Not now, not ever." She paused for a minute, enjoying the feel of his arms around her, before she added cheekily, "Not even in my dreams..."

The Doctor's head snapped back and he cocked an eyebrow, his grip on her loosening slightly.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" he asked mock incredulously.

She grinned up at him, her thumb playing with the hair that fell at the back of his neck. Definitely better with hair, she decided.

"Nothing," she sang innocently. He gave her a look that told her didn't quite believe her. Rose let her arms fall away from him and they released each other. She gave him a grin and then set off for the lab door. At the last instant, however, she turned back, and was pleased to see the Doctor watching her with the most confused look she had ever seen.

"By the way," Rose added with a smirk, not being able to help herself. "It's just as well nothing 'happened' between us; you're a rubbish kisser anyway."

His mouth actually fell. About an inch and a half, and his face dropped. Rose burst out laughing, her face creasing with her amusement.

"I've never had any complaints in that department before, I'll have you know," the Doctor defended, waggling a finger at his companion. Her grin broadened. "Besides, you don't have anything to go on. It's not like I was there to defend myself. People in dreams are usually just a reflection on different parts of us, so if I was a bad kisser, it was probably some portrayal of yourself rather than anything to do with me."

He finished with a satisfied nod and placed his hands on his hips. Rose couldn't help but take him off his high horse.

"Who said I was talking about the dream?" she winked.

If possible, his face fell more. "You, my girl," he said, with an amused frown, "are treading on some dangerous grounds. You don't want to go annoying the pilot; I can still take you to that planet of cannibals. They have the worst dress sense."

"Can't be any worse than yours, Doctor," Rose laughed, leaning idly against the door of the lab.

"If I weren't such a gentleman, you'd be up for a slap in the mouth, Miss Tyler," he teased. Rose's eyes widened.

"Don't let my Mum catch you speaking like that. She'd more than make you pay for it."

The Doctor cringed, the infectious grin spreading still further.

"I deal with Daleks, Slitheen and Cybermen on a daily basis, yet the thought of your mother on a revenge trip is more than enough to scare me."

"Good," Rose grinned, pleased. "Better start treating me right, then."

The Doctor raised an eyebrow and began to wander over to her.

"Me? I always treat you right," he replied with a smile. Rose looked at the floor for a moment, a slight frown flickering over her face. When she looked up again, the Doctor was closer than she remembered.

"Yeah, you do," Rose confirmed softly, her eyes sparkling. "You're a bit rude sometimes. And you eat my toast. But you're all right."

He stood, towering over her, with his hands in his pockets.

"Only all right?" he asked, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Well," Rose shrugged with a grin. "Can't let that head of yours get any bigger, can I?"

The Doctor's eyes narrowed as he pretended to study her. "Are you flirting with me, Rose Tyler?" he asked after a while, his voice light.

"Nah," she said quietly, reaching for his hand. "You must be imagining things, Doctor."

He smiled down at her, enjoying the feeling of their linked hands.

"Must be," he echoed quietly, pulling her away from the door to stand next to him. As he stood gazing down at her, he wasn't sure what made him do it. It might have been how comfortable the atmosphere was, or the comforting feeling of her fingers in his, or the way she was looking at him, or how he suddenly realised how close they actually were to each other. But something, perhaps maybe instinct itself, made him bend his head towards hers and, with the lightest pressure that he could even imagine, touch her lips with his. He brought his head up again, his lips tingling with the feel of her and his head a little giddy. Well, that had been something he wasn't expecting to do.

Rose took in a breath and opened her eyes, looking up to him inquisitively. He grinned at her, and slipped his hand out of hers.

"See?" he said at last, straightening up to full height. "Told you I was good."

He laughed and moved around her, heading out of the med lab. She stood for a moment or two, stunned, before turning to look at him.

"What was that?" she asked quietly, her hearts still racing.

"Your imagination," the Doctor winked, before setting off with a trot in his step down the corridor. Rose blinked after him before calling out to him.

"Doctor," she called, convinced that he would turn and flash her a grin. But he didn't; he just kept walking. Sometimes, it was too much fun not to wind her up.

"Good night, Rose," he called cheerily, though he didn't turn around. "Sweet dreams."

"Doctor!" Rose yelled after him, but he just laughed, shook his head and rounded the corner. She stood for a moment, a confused frown on her face; had he meant to kiss her? Was he only proving a point? Did he take it seriously? Her head ached with the questions he had flared up and, more importantly, tiredness. Grumbling about his complete lack of manners, Rose made her way back to her room and, for a good few hours, slept soundly.

I-------------------------------------------------------------------------I

It was a few hours later when Rose stumbled sleepily into the kitchen looking for something to drink. Her head was still spinning with the last twenty-four hours' situation, and she wasn't quite sure what was real and what wasn't. So she was quite surprised to find the Doctor already raiding through the kitchen fridge.

"Morning," Rose yawned. He straightened up to look at her and frowned.

"No more mornings on the TARDIS, Rose," he said, waving a finger at her.

"Fine. Hello," she amended, slumping at the breakfast bar. The Doctor took a glass from a shelf and poured some water out of the filter in the fridge. He hesitated before handing it over to Rose.

"Not going to throw this one over me too, are you?" he asked cautiously. Rose sat up and grinned at him.

"Depends if you behave."

"I always behave."

Rose took the glass from him and swallowed.

"Do not," she complained after she had finished.

"Do."

"Don't."

"Do."

"Don't."

The Doctor frowned for a moment. "What am I arguing about, again?" he asked with a grin. Rose snorted with laughter.

"Use your imagination," she replied, laughing and putting the glass back down on the counter. The Doctor's eyebrows rose as he watched her stand up. He made his way slowly around the counter and reached for her hand, tucking it gently within his. Carefully he leaned over to her, keeping his eyes flicking over her face. Rose felt her heart race faster as he went to cup her cheek with his other hand, his dark eyes harbouring something she hadn't seen in him before.

"In that case," he said quietly, edging himself towards her, "I think I'm going to need some practice."

Fin