Not This Time

Chapter 8

Doctor's POV

Rose wants to travel with me! I didn't think she would, I wouldn't travel with me if I were her but I'm so happy she does.

I never stopped thinking about the day I left her behind. I never stopped thinking about the day Rose let go of the lever and fell into the void. The sheer panic and fear that swamped my mind.

But she's here and she's safe and she wants to travel with me. It's everything I've ever wanted.

There's still so many secrets I'm keeping from her, like the fob watch that contains all the memories that were stolen from me.

Or the fact that I haven't just been thirteen people, I may have been thousands.

"That's great" I say. I hug Rose and breath in her familiar smell, remembering all the adventures we had together.

Dan looks happy but Yaz is wearing a sour expression on her face. But it only lasts a second before she plasters a smile on her face as well.

It lasts long enough to put a nervous feeling in my stomach though.

I've never been good at understanding humans and all the strange customs they seem to have. But I can tell Yaz is upset so I quickly pull away from Rose.

"We better get going straight away in that case" I say.

"We need to bring bandages with us, in case Yaz's need changing. And dressing" says Dan, always the considerate type.

"The TARDIS has all that stuff" I say. The TARDIS is equipped for nearly every situation.

The three humans smile. My hearts swell with love for my family. The people I depend on the most.

You think you can steal humans away from their lives, call them you're 'family' and then let them die?

Not this again. I don't have time for this strange voice in my head. I don't have to listen to it. I always try my best to save people, don't I?

River Song, Bill Potts, Donna Nobel, Amy Pond.

Okay, I get it, I've left a lot of people behind. But now I have the chance to be with one of them, shouldn't I make the most of it?

Dan and Yaz are already walking out the door but Rose lingers in her kitchen as if taking one last look at what a normal life looks like.

Am I making a terrible mistake? Should I leave Rose here in this parallel universe? I can't bear to leave her behind again. I hate saying goodbye.

She begins to walk slowly out the door. I feel uneasy about this, as if I'm forcing her to do this. I stop her as she's opening her car door.

"Do you really want to do this?" I ask her.

"Yes"

"But you might get hurt. You know better than anyone how unpredictable travelling with me is. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I love you" she says "I never stopped loving you and I'm never leaving you again"

She gets into the driver seat and I slip into the seat beside her. Dan and Yaz are in the back seats. It seems like I can feel Yaz's gaze burning into my back.

Rose starts the car and we pull out of the driveway.

I stare at Rose's beautiful face, her dimples and the way her face looks so cute when she's concentrating on something.

The drive passes in silence. I don't think anyone wants to talk. How do Dan and Yaz feel about Rose coming with us? I wish I could ask them without sounding weird.