A/N. I still refuse to accept The Day of the Doctor as canon. Gallifrey was supposed to be gone, so let it be gone. Hopefully, the final chapter meets your expectations.

Previously…

I loved it. More than anything. Their first time, the times after… They went above expectations. This experience has changed the way she saw, the way she understood, the way she experienced what making love was truly about.

Stay: Chapter Seventeen

"Doctor," Rose untangled herself from him unwillingly, her voice soft and barely heard.

"Mm?"

Has this been a one-time occasion? The stars?

The incredulity in her voice was hurting him.

"No. Of course not."

Rose sighed in relief. You can't begin to imagine how spectacular, how- It's like-

The Doctor eyed her meaningfully. The amount of surprises, unbelievable things – there were more things in the galaxy one could ever number. Even those most willing, the Time Lords most faithful to discovering, identifying and labelling as many new things across the infinite galaxies as they could… It was an impossibility.

Eventually losing faith in their cause, beginning to doubt everything was the beginning of the end for the Time Lords.

All they wanted was power, Rose. Power above the joy of discovery, the joy of understanding and feeling,his thoughts have reached the Time Lady's mind without any additional effort on his side. I have run, they have brought me back. Multiple times. This place, Gallifrey, my home planet, it was rotting right in front of my eyes. I tried. Have tried to save it. Even before the War began, I kept trying to make as many of my kind see reason.

Rose gulped, knowing he needed to let it all out. Instead of calming him down, she wrapped her arms around him, projecting as much support as she could muster, afraid to interrupt his train of thought.

It was already too late to change anything. Our culture, our endless resources… It was disappearing together with both the best and the worst of us. The bravest. The most fearless.

He inhaled. Then, there I was. The one always considered as being the first to run away. But what was I to do when everybody, everybody-

Some of them might have survived, I believed at first. But those that survived were no longer the ones I knew.

In the end, it was I who has ended it all. There was nothing left. No more of my beautiful planet. No Citadel. No suns in its sky. No red grass. No wind. Nothing.

It seemed the pain of his sorrowful memories of his planet dying was eating him from the inside. However, just like his previous incarnation, the Doctor kept his tears locked inside… If it took another Time Lord to soothe his pain, to feel and share it – she was ready.

Rose wrapped her arms around her bond-mate protectively. She was his. He was hers. I am here if you need me, Doctor.

What followed next was not a surprise for her. Rose Tyler realised what had to be done in order to ease and feel the Doctor's heart-wrenching loss of his home. He welcomed her sweet lips on his just as much as he welcomed her inviting wetness when it became obvious to them both kissing, nibbling and licking was no longer enough.

This, this was completion. A beginning and an end. Both of them knew it.

Rose could not close her eyes, willing to see everything. Only this time, instead of the stars glowing invitingly inside the lonely sky, Rose saw the sky of Gallifrey, burning. It felt as if the heat from the waves of wild, uncontrollable fire was reaching her… It was gone as soon as it appeared.

The girl was surprised that his pain of the loss supposed to haunt the Time Lord for all eternity did not pierce her half as strongly as she was expecting it to. The Time Lady saw the Doctor's planet turn to dust and clung to her bond-mate willingly, needing him more than ever and knowing her husband needed her just as much. This was much more than sex. Much more than anything they have experienced before. The feeling of necessity bordering on painful. Rose, while hunting for her release, always so close, was watching the blood-coloured sky melting in the distance.

Funnily, as soon as the only word in her mind and on her tongue was some colourful, deeply emotional and very, very unacceptable expression left her mouth together with the wave of divine pleasure, the sight above them was gone.

Neither the Doctor nor Rose were in a hurry to untangle each other from the intimate position only allowed for lovers.

While nobody said a word about that afterwards, they both knew this was the last time the dreadful sight of a planet burning was plaguing their joined minds again.

Thank you.

I love you.

"Doctor?" Rose cooed to him, wishing to lighten the mood. "Was it a tear I saw running down your cheek earlier?" If anything, his previous incarnation would have denied it.

She was hoping for a negation and encouraging him to begin the banter. Too bad they both knew it was there. Maybe, he agreed. But you seemed much more affected than I was, Rose Tyler.

That much, Rose did not bother denying. Oh, yes.

The mischievous wry grin on her face has left the Doctor with nothing but having to accept her rules. Hofonestly, he was more than happy to. What is it now, love?

"Oh, nothing. Absolutely nothing," her smirk took up half of her face. "I bet you five quid you couldn't make me come with Shareen in the next room?"

He stared at her. "I'd bet you wouldn't want Shareen or anyone to see or hear what I can do when it comes to making you utter profanities," the Doctor rolled his eyes at her. "Particularly," he threatened, "your mother."

She nodded, relenting.

You win.

What he should have known at this point it was that it was never a good idea to threaten Rose Tyler…

The End