Chapter 13

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Rose stared into the mirror on her small vanity, her hands twisted together in her lap. They'd been in Cardiff for a week now, a week of training Torchwood (and that had gone over well, the alien and the Torchwood agent from a parallel world acting as consultants) and preparing for the bonding ceremony. Rose knew her part backwards and forwards now, as well as sideways and in the fourth dimension. There was a knock at their door, and Martha poked her head in. "Rose?"

"'Lo, Martha!" She managed a hasty smile and stood, brushing out the wrinkles of the long red robe the Doctor had somewhat shyly pointed her towards. It was a simple design, long-sleeved and close-fitting with a wide, off the shoulder neckline. The deep crimson of it set off her lipstick and the elegant gold trim edging the collar and the sleeves echoed her hair, which had been pinned up by her temples and left to fall down to her shoulders in soft waves. Rose liked the dress—rather a lot, in fact—but seeing herself wearing it still sent shivers down her spine. She was doing this. This wasn't some someday plan, they were bonding themselves to each other today, and she'd never be just Rose Tyler again—her life would be woven with the Doctor's, indelibly interconnected.

Suddenly, she snorted at herself. Who was she kidding? Bond or no bond, she had already chosen to join her life to his. Martha's lips twitched. "Wedding jitters?"

Rose smiled self-depracatingly at her. "Somethin' like that, yeah."

Martha wrapped her in a hug suddenly, and Rose closed her eyes as she squeezed her tight. "You two'll be okay, you know."

"I know." Rose pressed a hand to her stomach and grimaced. She'd been so nervous this morning she hadn't eaten breakfast, and her stomach was reminding her off that now with a vengeance. "Just a bit nervous, is all. I never really thought we'd get here."

"Well, I'm glad you did." Martha studied her for a moment. "It's amazing, the change in him. When I first met him, he was so empty. But now it's like he's full-up on joy. I've never seen anything like it."

Rose blushed and looked down, and Martha reached out and squeezed her hand. "I'm so happy for both of you, really. Now I'd better go before Mickey gets lost looking for me."

She couldn't hold back a delighted giggle. "Blimey, the TARDIS would so do that to 'im." She glanced in the mirror and sighed, flicking her hair off her shoulders. "C'mon, I'll go with you. It's not like I have anything else to do right now."

Martha raised her eyebrows. "But won't the Doctor see you?"

"Nah, he's off preparing the room somewhere—I just hope he remembered to leave directions, or else all our guests'll get lost."

Martha snickered as she and Rose left the room. "So who's coming, anyway?"

"Oh, not that many people—there's you an' Mickey, of course, and Torchwood Cardiff—you'll like 'em, really, even if they can be a bit daft sometimes. Sarah Jane's coming, too—she used to travel with the Doctor, and she's absolutely brilliant. Then there's Brigadier Lethbridge-something—I've never met him, but the Doctor keeps talking about how brilliant he is. It's nice to see him so happy."

Martha had paused, her eyes wide. "Wait, are you talking about Brigadier Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart?"

Rose snapped her fingers. "That's it! I always forget his whole name—it's so bloody long."

"Rose, the man's a living legend! Everybody at UNIT's in complete awe of him."

The blonde stopped and narrowed her eyes. "Wait, how d'you know what's going on at UNIT?"

Martha looked down and blushed, but she couldn't help the grin that spread across her face. "Oh, you know... just workplace gossip, I guess." She looked up, and her eyes were sparkling. "I guess word got around that I'd travelled with the Doctor, so they recruited me about a month ago. Gave me a bit of a fast-track, too—you're looking at the newly-minted Dr. Martha Jones."

Rose threw her arms around Martha with a delighted laugh. "Congratulations! That's brilliant, Martha!"

She squeezed back and let go, grinning. "I thought so, yeah. And now Mickey won't be able to tease me about being so far behind him, which is even more brilliant."

"Oi, I don't do that that much!" Rose spun at Mickey's voice, and he laughed and picked her up, her skirts swirling around her legs as he spun her. "Blimey, you look gorgeous!"

Rose flushed almost as red as her dress as he set her down, and she straightened it nervously. "D'you think?"

"Cross my heart, babe." He wrapped his arm around Martha's waist and looked around. "So where's the Doctor, anyway? Captain Cheesecake wouldn't say, and the TARDIS just kept leadin' me to the trampoline room."

Rose laughed. "He's off preparin' the room for the ceremony. So Jack's here, already? He was sayin' he might be a bit late."

"The whole team's here, Rose." The lights in their corridor flickered and lowered, and the next one over lit up.

Rose took a deep breath. "Looks like it's time."

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They stopped in front of a large wooden door, the heavy planks of cherry darkened and roughened with the ages. Rose swallowed and nodded at Martha and Mickey. "Right, you two go on in. I've got to wait for a bit."

Martha smiled at her and entered, and Mickey paused as the door swung shut behind her. "Jackie'd be so happy for you, Rose."

She closed her eyes, ignoring the moisture that gathered against her eyelashes. "Thanks, Mickey." He nodded, pressing his lips together, and followed Martha through.

And then there was stillness. Rose wished for a sudden, desperate moment that she could feel the Doctor in her head, his comforting, overwhelming presence wrapped around her to drive all her fears away. But no—the bond had to be formed without any distractions or substitutions, and so they had both had to retreat to their own minds. She wouldn't feel his mental presence around hers again until the ceremony, and then they'd never be alone again. She felt the gentle nudge of the TARDIS in her mind, and she swallowed and smoothed her dress before opening the door.

The room behind it was unlike any Rose had ever seen on the TARDIS. Oh, she knew the TARDIS was old—the Doctor had mentioned that She was about to be retired when he'd run off with Her, and he really had no idea how old She actually was—but there was little around to suggest it. This room, though—Rose felt the age of it press against her skin, the weight of centuries stilling the air. The stone walls were covered in ivy, and elegantly carved pillars were set around the room at regular intervals. There was a short stone border around the center of the floor, which was covered in thick golden grass. At the very middle stood a slender tree with dark grey bark and shining silver leaves that chimed as they shifted.

Jack was standing under the tree, still in his familiar trousers and greatcoat. The rest of the guests were seated in a circle around them. Sarah Jane sat next to a distinguished military man with silver-white hair, Mickey and Martha on her other side. Gwen, Ianto, Tosh, and Owen completely the circle, and Rose had to smile at Gwen's small thumbs-up.

The Doctor had entered from a door opposite hers and they met in the center, surrounded by friends and allies that had seen them through pain, regeneration, and separation. The Doctor was dressed in a long robe of the same crimson fabric as hers, gold trim running up the center to his high collar.

A wide grin spilt Jack's face as he looked at them, but Rose could only focus on the Doctor. He looked happier than she'd ever seen him before, his eyes shining with the smile that was hidden from his mouth. She fisted her hands in her long skirt, resisting the urge to reach out for his.

Jack cleared his throat and spoke. "We stand witness here to one moment that will become an eternity, in the joining of these two souls. Never again will they travel alone, no matter where their paths lie. Your roads have been long, and your trials many, but now you stand at a crossroads. If you take this step, your journey will be one." He turned to Rose. "Rose, do you consent to share yourself with the Doctor, your sorrows and your joys, your weaknesses and your strengths, your pain and your love, wherever your path may lead?"

"I do." Rose felt the timelines begin to shift around them as Jack reached out and placed her right hand in the Doctor's, their arms crossed between them. He turned to the Doctor then and spoke again.

"Doctor, do you consent to share yourself with Rose, your sorrows and your joys, your weaknesses and your strengths, your pain and your love, wherever your path may lead?"

He cleared his throat and spoke, his eyes warm and heart-breakingly sincere. "I do." Jack placed the Doctor's left hand in Rose's, completing the circuit between them, and she gasped as she felt the bond spring to life between them. A flood of memories crashed over her; flickering images of a dark-haired, elfin girl, glittering cities encased in unimaginably huge domes, a blonde with a ponytail swinging a baseball bat, burning planets and freezing rage and everywhere, in every memory, the Doctor's presence swirling around her like a hurricane. Rose closed her eyes and concentrated on him, letting the deluge of memories wash over her until he was all that was left, his mind wrapped around hers as his history and hers flashed together around them. She couldn't help the upwards twitch of her lips. The eye of the Storm.

His amusement warmed her like sunlight. Oi, and you say I'm the one with the bad puns.

Well, I had to catch up to you sometime, didn't I?

His response was far more sincere than she'd expected. That you did. Rose dimly heard Jack announcing that they would seal their bond with a kiss, and they leaned forward over their clasped hands, their lips meeting softly. She felt the tremor of the timelines around them, felt them shift and firm as their minds merged together. She felt his love for her, the overwhelming gratitude and disbelief he felt for their bond, his ever-present fear that he'd lose her, and she instinctively reached out to calm him. Her fierce joy blazed through him, and underneath that her anxiety and self-doubt, and his mind wrapped around her, soothing her.

Slowly, carefully, the bond calmed, fading from an overwhelming flood to a vibrant spark that blazed in both their minds. Rose blinked her eyes open slowly as the Doctor gentled the kiss, releasing her mouth with one last press of his lips. She looked up at him, biting her lip through her grin, and gave him one last vow as they turned to their applauding guests.

Forever.

He smiled.

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FINIS

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A/N: So, another one done, and another question: Stolen Plot sequel, or Phoenix and the Wolf/Tangled Web sequel? I've got ideas for where both of them could go, but I can't decide which to focus on. And thanks so so much for reading and reviewing! I love you guys.