Forever Loved (Tenrose Fanfiction)

3: Promises

The Doctor's POV

As we enter the TARDIS, I close my eyes. Rose looks up from her seat by the console. She laughs and jumps up. 'What are you doing, idiot? If you close your eyes we're both going to get killed, and I'm not sure my mum would be too happy about that.'

'I'm only typing in coordinates,' I explain. 'The TARDIS has nav-com turned on anyway, and the safeguards. So there's no way she's going to land us on a dangerous planet.' I shrug. 'Just want to see where it takes us.'

I tap in some random numbers for coordinates, then open my eyes and pull the lever. The journey is rocky, and Rose is about to fall off the chair. She shrieks and I run forwards, in the heat of the moment, ready to catch her as she falls.

We end up centimetres, millimetres away from each other.

My hearts beat like crazy as I hold her in my arms, and impulsively I reach out to touch her face gently. I'm expecting her to flinch, move away, but she doesn't. We're stood in the middle of the console room, frozen in time, as the TARDIS flies to mysterious lands.

Something brings me to my senses and I deposit Rose, stood on the floor. She blushes and smiles timidly. She thinks I can't see her, as I'm facing the console. But Time Lords know when anyone is looking at them - we almost do have eyes in the backs of our heads.

The TARDIS lands and I grab Rose's hand. It's only a friendly gesture, we do it all the time. She once told me she felt safe when I held her hand. And I know what she means. I feel safe too. I feel less vulnerable. I feel like nothing, nobody out there in the whole of time and space is out to get me. No Daleks, no Cybermen. Nobody.

Just me and Rose.

I start to walk out, but Rose doesn't come with me. I turn to face her.

'What's wrong?' I ask, concerned.

Rose shrugs. 'I just...Doctor, will you promise to always keep me safe? And to always protect me from anything? And to-"

She doesn't seem to be able to get the words out. 'I promise them all,' I prompt. 'What else do you want me to promise?'

Taking a deep breath, she says, 'And to love me...forever?'

It feels like I've just walked into a brick wall. She wants me to...love her? Well, that shouldn't exactly be a problem. I love her, unconditionally, forever.

But it's not like I'd ever tell her that.

Do we have a telepathic link or something? What's happened to make her say that? She must have known what I was thinking about her, she has to. There's no way she'd ever just say that of her own accord.

Is there?

Whatever made her say it, I've got to promise. Because that's the one thing I will always, always do, even if we're ever - God forbid - parted. I will always love her, forever.

'Rose, I promise to love you forever, unconditionally,' I tell her. 'That last one, it's easy. I have to do it. Because I could never, ever stop loving you.'