Because I Have You

"So this, is Barcelona?" Rose asked stepping out of the TARDIS. The Doctor followed her out and locked the door behind him. He looked around to get his bearings.

"Yup!" He stated happily, "We are just outside the capital city, Espange"

"Oh you are kidding me."

"No, why would I do that?"

"The capital of Barcelona is Spain?

"In French!" They both laughed.

"Okay that is too-" She broke off as a native Barcelonite walked by, "…weird." She finished, staring at him. The Barcelonite walked on two legs as a human might, but every other feature resembled that of a dog, minus the nose.

"Now, now, don't stare." The Doctor said with an amused smile.

"But," She stuttered pointing at his retreating back.

"And it's rude to point." He took her hand from the air, interlocked their fingers, and pulled her off to the right.

"Is she your wife?" A Barcelonite named, Karol, asked.

"Who, Rose? No." The Doctor answered uncomfortably. Rose had popped to the loo for two minutes and a complete stranger was asking him personal questions about their relationship.

"Girlfriend?"

"Not really." The Doctor looked around for Rose. There was still no sign of her.

"Prostitute."

"No. Why does everyone ask that?" He huffed upset.

"So you're single?" She reached out and touched his sleeve flirtatiously with her paw. Now, the Doctor understood what was going on. He frowned unhappily.

"I'm not interested. I'm sorry." He told her patting her paw awkwardly. She pulled her paw away.

"Are you gay?" She asked in a hushed almost reverent tone.

"NO!"

"No what?" Rose asked walking up behind them.

"Ah! There you are!" The Doctor said taking Rose's hand. Then his smiled wavered and he looked down at their hands. Rose laughed.

"Don't worry, I washed. You going to introduce me to your friend?"

"Oh! Rose, this is Karol. Karol, this is Rose. She's my plus one!"

"Nice too meet you." Rose said to Karol, but it was forced.

"Likewise." Karol replied, also strained.

"Karol was just-" The Doctor started but Karol interrupted him.

"I was just leaving. Nice to meet you."

"Come on," The Doctor said leading Rose down a sandy hill towards the water that surrounded the Island on which Espange lay. "We can watch the suns set over the water. It's absolutely breath taking."

"If it's so beautiful, won't it be crowded?" She asked.

"Nah! It's not novel enough. They see it everyday, and they don't get many tourists during this season. Most likely we'll be alone."

"Fine by me."

They reached the bottom of the hill and the Doctor and Rose sat in the sand. Rose straightened her tank top and skirt, and kicked off her flip-flops burring her toes into the hot sand. Barcelona was a hot planet, sweltering under the heat of her twin suns, and even the Doctor had braved it without his suit coat and tie. In his thinnest white shirt he was still uncomfortable. He rolled up his sleeves.

"I think Karol fancied you." Rose commented starring at the sky.

"Jealous?" He asked with a smirk.

"No."

"Liar." The both smiled, but not at each other. Then, they both reached out simultaneously and took the other's hand, with out moving their eyes from the sky. "You want to know why I love this planet so much?"

"Why?"

"When I was younger, a bunch of my friends used to sneak out of the Academy and watch the twin suns set over the mountains. Watching this, it takes me back. We were so young, not a care in the world, or any other. I wasn't even yet 19, just a child. Look at me, 900; I've never felt so old."

Rose didn't say anything. What could she say that would help? Its not like she could bring back Gallifrey with words. So, instead she squeezed his hand in hers, just so he knew she was there for him.

"But right now, with you," The Doctor turned and smiled at Rose, "I feel like I'm 19 again."

"It's not the same, is it though?"

"No." He smiled faded, but was replaced with a new found resolve, "But, Rose, I'd choose being here with you right now, or anywhere and any when with you, over Gallifrey every time."

"Really?"

"Every time."

The gravity of his word hit Rose and she tried to scramble for something appropriate to say in response, but came up short. It turned out not to matter because he turned his attention back to the setting suns. She linked her arm through his, leaned her head against his shoulder, and followed his example.

The last light of day had faded just minutes ago and the moon and the stars had come out quickly. The Doctor and Rose lay in he sand, shoulder to shoulder, staring at the night sky.

"What is that one called?" Rose asked pointing up at a blue tinted star that shown a little bit brighter than the rest. The Doctor followed her finger.

"That's Gamma 3 Sigma 4," He said without hesitation, "And that on right nest to it is Gamma 3 Sigma 5, even thought they are light-years away from each other." Rose turned, propped herself up on her elbow, and look at the Doctor. He turned his head and looked up at her with a raised eyebrow. "What?"

"How do you know so much, huh?" She asked. He grinned.

"I'm just brilliant."

Rose laughed. The she shivered. It had dropped several degrees since the suns had set. The doctor has already rolled down his sleeves, and Rose was only wearing a tanks top and a short skirt.

"You cold?" He asked concerned.

"A little."

"Do you want to go back to the TARDIS?"

"Not just yet."

"Well, alright, but its only going to get colder." He warned turning on his side to mirror her position.

"That's okay."

"Oh?"

"Because I have you." She stated as if it were obvious. Then much to the Doctor's surprise, and (secretly) his pleasure, she wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled her head into his chest.

For a moment he froze in shock and Rose worried that she had over stepped some boundaries. She began to blush, embarrassed at her audacity, and was very close to pulling away, when she felt the Doctor's arms at her waist. He pulled her closer to him and turned onto his back so she could rest against him.

"Yes, Rose. You have me," He whispered into her hair. She shivered, and not from the cold. "You always have me."