My little girl. My beautiful, smart, little girl. The centre of my universe, whichever universe it is... A crumpled wreck of a human being. "For once, I can sit beside you and say I know what you're going through. I wasn't that much older than you when your Dad died." Jackie placed a gentle hand on Rose's shoulder. "And I did the same thing. Fell apart for a while... took to my bed and switched off. And it's alright to do that, you know, to grieve for him… perfectly natural. I'd have been surprised if you didn't." There was no response from her daughter, save the odd hitch in her breathing. Jackie didn't expect one. Rose hadn't spoken since they'd left Canary Wharf and driven to Pete's mansion. There had been nods and looks in response to people talking around her. Some food eaten, tea drunk, enough to keep her functioning. Jackie had given her some leeway, but after almost a week, the time had come for Rose to rejoin the human race.

"The thing is," Jackie continued. "I didn't have the option of staying curled up in a ball and wishing the world would end. I had to raise my daughter. Oh, I had your Gran and Nana Tyler to help and God knows what I'd have done without them, but you were my responsibility, Rose." Jackie smiled. "You always will be. So I'm going to do what I did 20 odd years ago. I'm going to get you up in the morning, and make you a good breakfast. I'm going to put you in clean clothes, brush your hair and take you out for some fresh air." Jackie stroked Rose's hair back from her face. "I'm not telling you to get over it, but The Doctor wouldn't want you wasting away like this. Wasting a life? You're better than this, Rose and you know it." Jackie raised her voice slightly louder than she meant to. "So tomorrow morning, okay?"

Stil no response from under the duvet, but Jackie had made her stand. "I may not have spent nearly as long with him as you did, love… But I spent enough time to know that he'll turn up someday, with the stupid grin and the stupid coat like he never left. You have to believe it too, Sweetheart." Jackie kissed her lightly on the forehead and got up from the bed. "I'm sure he wittered on about it being impossible and everything... but if you want to see just how redundant the word impossible is, when it comes to the Doctor, come downstairs to me... and your Dad."