Note: I just had to get this story outta my chest.

Canon: Post "Journey's End" in Pete's World.

Quick legal garb I wouldn't be saying if only I owned Doctor Who... I don't own TenToo or Rose Tyler. Or any other potential characters in future chapters of this story... *sighs* All these characters respectfully belong to the BBC. *bows*

Chapter 1 - One Step at a Time

"There have been reports of a motorbike crash on the a40 motorway just approaching west London. Police are reluctant to gather witnesses as they have yet to find out the cause of the collision. However, the two passengers were seen speeding in the last two junctions before crashing. Only one of the passengers has survived the crash and recovering from mild cases of concussion. Sadly the other passenger died of severe whiplash and head trauma. We have been requested not to mention the names of the victims."

...

The meta-crisis Doctor leaned towards her, putting a hand on her arm as he gently whispered those three words.

"I love you."

…

They broke apart from their heated kiss as the TARDIS engines began its hullaballoo. Rose let go of the meta-crisis Doctor's blue lapels and slightly pushed him away, glaring at the fading blue box. She had the inner urge to shout "Doctor!" But it was as noticeable as the last glimmer of the TARDIS bulb. She felt a hand entwine in hers and looked down. It was the meta-crisis Doctor. They exchanged glances as they took their final glances at the TARDIS.

The moment the engines were heard no more and the winds whipped up by the sentient ship grew fainter until a mere breeze blew by, a deafening silence enshrouded the whole of Bad Wolf Bay. The Doctor squeezed Rose's hand bringing it to her attention that she'd never let go. She looked at him, not knowing what to say. Frankly, the Doctor didn't know what to say either.

…

"I've just gotten word from Pete!" Jackie yelled, flailing her mobile phone in search for better signal. "He's sendin' over a zeppelin from Bergen to pick us up! Bloody 'ell, that Doctor could have dropped us off closer to home."

No one replied, despite her attempt to lighten the mood. Rose and the Doctor, or so he was called, were standing right in front of her in the middle of Bad Wolf Bay. Rose suddenly dropped down to the sand and drew her knees towards her and let out silent sobs. The part Time Lord stared in utter horror as Jackie ran towards her daughter.

"John," Rose chocked out, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt. She looked at the meta-crisis Doctor. He gazed at her, comprehending what exactly was happening. "Can I call you John?" she nervously asked, finally composing herself. It felt like a giant stab through his heart when he began to understand where Rose was getting at. "John Smith."

"And why the hell would you wanna do that?" Jackie boggled, but he raised a hand to stop the complaining mother.

"If… If you want…" he stammered. He dug his hands further in his pockets and kicked a stray pebble across the sand, trying not to show his distraught face. Rose picked herself up and glared at John and then back at her confused mum.

"I can't look at him and call him "Doctor". He's not the Doctor," she muttered under her breath to Jackie. She walked away leaving Jackie to give an apologetic smile. John stared at Rose's back, growing further and further away as she hastily climbed the various rocks where they sat there talking and taking quick glances at him.

Then his eyes burnt with unshed tears as he stared longingly at the space where the TARDIS used to be nearly five minutes ago. John felt the unmistakable shape of the rock he got given previously in his inner jacket pocket and fell into deep thought. He shivered at the cold sea breeze biting at his skin; That was new, he never shivered from the cold.

The sound of zeppelins became audible over the distance.

…

John gazed at the window, looking at the Norwegian scenery below him. It was totally different compared to his accustomed spot by the TARDIS console and running about trying to pilot the ship. Frankly, he liked riding on a zeppelin considering this was his first.

"I was being a jerk."

John jumped at the sudden break in silence and noticed Rose walking towards him. His shoulders tensed and she noticed his uneasiness.

"I didn't mean what I said back at the beach."

He looked down at a loss for what to say. "I… I understand if you still want to call me John," he mumbled. Rose felt a warm smile tug her lips.

"Thank you."

He looked back up at her and noticed she was crying. "Oh, I'm sorry," he breathed, taking a step towards her and holding her in an embrace. She willingly accepted the hug and instinctively wrapped her arms around his back. They stayed like that for a moment before John murmured something Rose couldn't hear. She pulled apart from him.

"Hmm?"

"What I said back at the beach," John murmured. "About spending the rest of my life with you-"

"We'll work it out one step at a time," Rose chipped in. He looked back at her with wide eyes.

"I didn't think you'd want me," he confessed.

"We promised the Doctor to live a happy life together, and we'll live a happy life together," Rose stated. She cupped his cheeks in her hands and she studied him for a moment. Everything about him was the same.

Except...

"John, I've never seen you wear that suit before," Rose suddenly said. Instantly, he looked down at his battered and worn blue suit sustained from events back in the other universe. It was then he realised Rose indeed had never seen the blue suit.

"Oh, I thought I could try out blue," he babbled. She arched a brow. "You know..." he trailed off. "I wear blue when I go to the future. Then a bit of the ol' brown for when I go to the present or past..."

Rose burst out laughing at that, making the part Time Lord frown. "You never looked like the systematic type," she chided. John, however, seemed totally oblivious of the last remark as he studied his outfit. Then a look of nervousness crossed his face.

"Why, what's wrong with blue? I mean I could change the outfit. Donna said it was "bonkers". Even my inner Donna doesn't seem impressed. Maybe I should have just stuck to one colour..."

"John."

"Did you like the brown one? I thought it was a little too brown. What with the brown long coat and all. Yeah, it was a bit too brown."

"John."

"Is it the tie? It is the tie, oh I knew it was the tie," he suddenly groaned. "But it matches with the trainers."

"..."

"I mean compared to the other outfits I wore..." he winced at a memory. "Yeah, I admit the colourful coat wasn't exactly brave, but it was the 70s fashion in my defence... Oh okay, celery wasn't exactly the most fashionable thing but not a lot of men can pull off a decorative vegetable-"

"JOHN." His mouth instantly shut with an audible snap. To his surprise however, he found Rose laughing in front of him - a very rare sight seeing the kind of situation he found himself in. "Celery?" she chortled.

"Gas indicator," he corrected, only to get a very confused glance in return.

"Colourful coat?" she began.

"Oh, don't get me started," he warned.

They suddenly both burst out laughing and John saw this as a golden opportunity. "I love you," he finally let out. The laughter suddenly faded.

"I… I love you, too..." Rose mumbled. Then a smile formed on John's lips. They both gazed at each other for a very brief moment.

"Tea?" he suddenly asked.

"Tea," Rose replied with a tongue in teeth smile that made him melt.

"Well then, Dame Rose Tyler of the Powell Estate," he said, puffing up his chest and giving a salute. "Your wish is my command." Rose burst out laughing as she watched him bound towards the zeppelin kitchen.

John entered the kitchen and leaned on the counter top, letting out a winding sigh. He tried to steady his erotic breathing and scrunched the bridge of his nose. He gritted his teeth, trying to prevent that inner Donna from taking a shine and making him let out all his emotions. He steadied himself before a tear trickled upon his cheek.

She doesn't love you. You're just a cheap imitation of him.

John felt a lump form in his throat. His mind was a war zone between conflicting emotions and thoughts. He began reasoning with himself. Rose kissed him back at the beach, why would she kiss him? Did she just kiss him over a couple of flattering words he whispered in her ear? Is she playing the "I love you" act just because she made a promise to him? Then he realized after Rose apologized to him just two minutes ago. She hesitated when she said she loved him…

She doesn't love you. You're just a cheap imitation of him.

…

Being the wife of a millionaire surely didn't pay off enough for Jackie Tyler as she slumped by the bar her husband's zeppelin had to offer. Why couldn't he send over a faster mode of transport? The zeppelin just... drifts in mid air. Frankly, she doubted the zeppelin was even moving... She scowled as she held up her mobile phone, praying to God for an extra bar on the top of that mobile screen to appear so she'd enough signal to call that silly husband. For goodness sake, she could cycle from Norway to London and get there before the zeppelin. On second thoughts...

She took a more half-hearted sip of red wine before a dreadful thought crossed her mind and she pushed the glass away. She couldn't arrive in England in front of her son all tipsy... she glanced at her watch and sighed. Four hours to go... If she remembered correctly, a plane flight from Norway to London was only three hours... Jackie sighed again. She was being pessimistic. She just got her daughter back along with the man who could potentially spend the rest of his life with her. Then her mind tore to John. Or the Doctor. Whichever name it was. Jackie had a sense of sorrow for both of them, but almost thanked the Doctor for leaving her daughter. If he loved her, he would have left her here with the man who was obviously perfect for her and he did so. But the question lies in whether Rose is fine with that... then she remembered her little conversation with Rose at Bad Wolf Bay whilst waiting for the zeppelin.

...

"I don't know what to do, mum," Rose croaked, drawing her knees even closer to her body. "It's not him."

"Rose, he loves you," Jackie stated simply. If she had to yell at her daughter for her to get the message, she would have done it if it weren't for John being a couple of meters away from them. "If he doesn't, he wouldn't have left you in that beach to live a better life with your family and that man," she said, pointing a finger at the tall man looking distant over the shores. "He was practically born to live his life with you." Rose looked at the grief stricken man in the distance with guilt. "Do you love 'im"

"... yes. I don't know..." Rose muttered. Jackie looked sternly at her daughter. "I get what you're tryin' to say, but every time I look at him, I think of him... I can't spend the rest of my life looking at his face from time to time and suddenly start cryin'..."

Jackie sighed. "I understand too, sweetheart. You saw how me and Pete started..." Rose laughed.

"He made you that romantic dinner and you shouted at him because apparently dad was never romantic," she chortled.

"Yeah, you get my point," Jackie waved off with a chuckle. You're just gonna have to work things out with him one step at a time. It will definitely work. You two I mean." Rose looked intently at her mother.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Jackie confirmed. "You two were practically made for each other. I haven't seen you two all those times, but every time you came over to visit, you two were just bogglin' at each other." Rose blushed at that.

"Yeah, thanks for the info, mum," she tried to bat off.

"Promise me one thing?" Jackie asked. Rose nodded and gestured for her mum to continue. "Don't do anythin' stupid. If things somehow don't turn up good between you two, don't shun 'im." she said, gesturing at John who was beginning to approach them. "The least he deserves is to be treated like a close friend yeah?"

"Yeah..."

...

From what Jackie had already seen and heard the few hours that had passed back at Bad Wolf Bay, she could already tell they didn't have it good for each other. She stole another glance at her watch and groaned. A mere four minutes had passed since she last checked... she hoped to God the journey won't appear to be longer after the awkwardness between her daughter and John.

Jackie pushed herself from the bar and smiled at the bartender before heading into the lobby. What she never thought she'd see was John sat on a passenger seat by the window with Rose almost curled up on him, both sleeping. Both clinging onto each other with peaceful expressions on their faces. It had been a long time since she saw her daughter sleep so soundly. Jackie smiled at the much longing sight before turning back in the direction to the bar. This needed celebrating.

...

Rose offered to let John stay in her apartment in North London. He willingly and thankfully accepted her offer on the condition that he slept on the sofa. Rose gave a wry smile as she put down her keys.

"Like I said, we'll work it out a step at a time," she murmured. Never in her life would she have expected to return with the man who was like him, let alone return to the parallel universe. She prepared for the Doctor, not John… but she made a promise. John nodded before unbuttoning his jacket and shrugging it off. He paced around the room, totally unsure what to do. He really wasn't up for the domestic life... He slumped on the sofa looking distant when Rose came back into the living room with a bowl of popcorn. John looked up at her.

"One step at a time," he grinned.

"Yeah," she giggled, sitting on the sofa and shuffling near him before stretching out for the TV remote. He took this as an opportunity to put his arms around her and he did so. She explored some channels before settling for Friends and proceeded with a mouthful of popcorn. John instinctively muzzled her hair and Rose jolted slightly.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"No, it's okay," she quickly responded, not looking at him. He sighed before reaching around her form and taking a handful of popcorn from the bowl she hugged tightly. He had to do something, just something. Anything... Nothing over the top he thought. The hair muzzling went too far - he was lucky Rose didn't flip out at that. But all he could do was think about the years he could have spent wooing a girl instead of making the sonic screwdriver... A brief silence fell between the two as they both stared at the TV for the next ten painfully long minutes. "The popcorn's finished." Rose suddenly said. The Doctor blinked and peered into the now empty bowl.

"Oh…"

Then Rose sighed. "This isn't working out," she muttered.

"Yeah, we'll be needing more than just one bowl of popcorn," John murmured. Rose burst out laughing.

"It's not what I was getting at, but yeah…"

"Oh…"

Rose began to get slightly irritated. "Stop saying "oh", he's never lost for words."

""He"?!" John echoed, feeling like his heart just got ripped out of his chest and rolled in shards of glass. Rose saw his hurt expression and quickly cupped his face in her hands.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she murmured.

"Yeah, I understand…" he trailed off.

"I promise we'll get through this." Rose began after another awkward silence.

"Yeah…" John gazed at her for what felt like the hundredth time in the last half hour. "What if… What if we don't?" Rose stared hard into John's eyes.

"Tha's not gonna happen, yeah?" she stated with steel in her voice. He nodded, feeling slightly reassured. Then to his utter surprise, Rose hesitated before giving him a kiss on the cheek. She smiled and poked his chest. "We're gonna need four bowls of popcorn."