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What have I become?

"Doctor?" Rose held out her hand as the Doctor turned to face her. "Are you alright?"

"Me?"

"Yes, you." She smiled at him. "Are you alright?"

"Of course I am." He smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. He couldn't stop thinking about the bunker where the Dalek had asked to feel the sunlight on him. He knew he was being irrational but he couldn't shake the words of a nineteen year old human girl. He turned back to the TARDIS controls and tried to focus. "Where to next?"

"I don't mind." Rose smiled.

"There's a meteor shower due in a couple of hours. Just outside of the the Dromega Complex."

"Ok." Rose tilted her head to watch him.

"We could go for chips afterwards. Pop in on your mum."

"Now I know you aren't right. Offering to go and see my mum." Rose shook her head. "You'll be saying you want to see Mickey next."

"Nah, I'm not that bad." He smiled at her.

"Doctor."

"What am I? Rose? Really?"

"The last Time Lord?" Rose stated calmly. "Look, if this is about what I said back in that bunker."

"You were right."

"No." Rose stepped towards him. "No, Doctor."

"I saw so much." He paused. "In the War I mean. So much. I didn't think the Daleks were still around. I was certain every last one of them had been destroyed. I never ever expected to see another one."

"I know."

"So?" He turned to face her. "The way I reacted when I did."

"Was natural."

"I was cruel. Rose. I never thought myself to be cruel."

"Hey." She took his hand and stared up at him. His forehead creased in concentration as he tried to make sense of what he thought. A Dalek had existed in the Universe and it didn't want to kill him. It was an alien concept. "You are not cruel. I wouldn't travel with you if you were."

"I was cruel to the Dalek."

"You weren't." Rose shook her head. "You were scared. Frightened. There is a difference."

"I just." He closed his eyes as she squeezed his hand. "Rose."

"It's over." She sighed. "It is all over."

"What if?"

"What?" Rose watched his eyes open. Her heart almost stopped at the pain that was so evident in them.

"What if there are more? What if you hadn't been there to stop me? I would be just as bad as any other Dalek out there."

"I was there and you could never be." Rose smiled slightly. "Get some rest Doctor. I'll call you when the meteors start."

"Rose?"

"Yeah?" He turned back to her as she leant against the rail.

"What have I become?"

"Human." She watched as he wrinkled his nose. "I think you've become just a little bit human."

"Ah." He paused. "That'll be on my mothers side. Rose?"

"Yes Doctor."

"Thanks." He smiled before heading back towards his sleeping quarters. Rose shook her head sadly as she watched him go. She knew there was no way she could ever comprehend all he had seen but she knew that she'd be there. For as long as he needed her.

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