That Ship Has Sailed

The Doctor & Rose

No sounds came from the TARDIS as it drifted aimlessly through space. Where once were the sounds of parking breaks left on while flying or shots being fired at the wooden exterior there were now echoes and the ringing of silence.

Rose rubbed her eyes, not used to the silence all around her, and sat up in bed. Her hair was disheveled and her sweatpants crooked from tossing and turning, but she got up anyway. Yawning, she exited her room, roaming the silent halls in search of The Doctor. When she found him, he was tinkering with something, as he so often did now. Leaning against the banister, she watched for a few minutes. His concentrated face, tongue between his lips, and his hair pushed up in all directions. His coat and jacket were tossed aside and his tie was now tied up, holding some wires out of his face.

When he finally noticed her watching, he sat up quickly, bumping his head. He stopped to rub it, a small laugh escaping Rose's lips. He then slid out from under the mechanism and stood, leaning against the banister across from her, "Did I wake you?" he asked quietly, looking down at his sonic screwdriver, still trying to determine what it was reading.

Rose shook her head slowly, "No."

The Doctor was quiet.

"Doctor?" Rose asked, shifting her position slowly from one foot to the other, then back again, unable to find a comfortable standing position.

The Doctor looked up from his screwdriver and their gazes lingered.

"Do you hate me?"

"Why would I hate you?"

"Because of me you can't go out and fight and save people anymore."

"Rose Tyler," The Doctor said, walking closer until he was standing right in front of her. He smiled and looked down, taking her hands in his before looking back up at her face, "I collapsed three universes to get you back. I chose  to do that and I have to live with it. Am I nervous about my meeting with the Ood? Well, yes, but I'd do it all over again if it meant just a little more time with you."

Rose paused, looking down at her hands in The Doctor's, "D'you mean it?"

"Of course I do."

"Then say it."

"Say what?"

"Those words that you keep dancin' around, but never actually say. If you're not afraid of your consequences with the Ood, then why are you afraid to say the words to me?"

The Doctor sighed, his hand leaving one of Rose's to scratch his head, mussing his hair even further, "You know I'm immortal, Rose."

"I don't care, Doctor--"

"That's because you won't have to watch me age. I will have to watch you age and, eventually, die. I can't live without you, but I can't help but feel it was a mistake getting you back."

Rose took a step back, "You are angry with me. You wish you could take it back, don't you? You don't want me here, that's really why we haven't gone anywhere yet, you're regretting it!"

"Rose," The Doctor said in an attempt to stop her from walking away. Instead, he watched her sassy, determined walk out of the room and back down the hall, her footsteps padding against the floor, audible until she reached her room. The Doctor ran his fingers through his hair again, puffing out a breath. He turned, then looked down at his sonic. The light was flickering. He pressed the button toward his monitor, getting the reading on a bigger screen.

His meeting with the Ood had arrived and he had to go.

He debated going to talk to Rose beforehand, but decided against it, re-fastening his tie and pulling on his jacket and coat. After pocketing his screwdriver, he pressed a button, making sure the brakes were off so he wouldn't disturb Rose with the noise, landing silently on the Ood planet. After parking the TARDIS, he exited, being met by a parade of Ood who were to escort him to the meeting.

Rose waited for what seemed like a thousand years. She wanted, several times, to go to the panels and go forward in time to save some waiting, but her anger and fear kept her pacing in her room. She didn't know what earth-time it was, but her exhaustion told her she really should still be sleeping. The Doctor had programmed some of the lights to go off at night, but the unexpected flight had turned them on.

A while later, The Doctor returned and went to Rose's bedroom. He looked around at the simple room he'd designed for her. A bed, a dresser, a bookshelf, and some simple souvenirs from their travels. Rose stopped when she noticed him in the doorway.

"Well?" she asked testily.

"I plead insanity," The Doctor admitted, scratching the back of his head, "They tried to understand, but couldn't, really."

"What did they say, Doctor?" Rose asked again, needing an outright answer.

"Well, I destroyed three universes. That isn't something they can just look over. Although, they were parallel universes, so not much changed. In one I destroyed, you didn't exist, in another, you were a boy, and in the third, your mum became president..."

Rose tried not to smile at the thought, but the corner of her mouth flickered slightly.

"Still," The Doctor continued, "In one of them, a cure for cancer was found. That was bad to destroy, for humans, at least. Doesn't really affect aliens..."

"Doctor," Rose said again, meeting his gaze and holding it.

"All in all, Rose, it was worth it. I did it and I'd do it again. I'd do anything to be with you. You and the TARDIS are all I need in any universe and I don't regret it one single bit. Quite right, too. And, I suppose, since I haven't said it before, you'll finally want to hear it, even though I'll have a million million chances to in the future--our future--"

The Doctor paused and Rose stood, frozen.

"Rose Tyler--"

"Stop," Rose said, shaking her head."

The Doctor opened his mouth again, but Rose interrupted, "Shutup," she said, walking forward, "Just shut up."

She stopped when she was standing right in front of him and stood, neither moving. She paused, looking up at him with determination, "Not until you can say it for the last time. I want the first time to be the last."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's find a way."

"A way to what, Rose?" The Doctor asked.

"Make me immortal too. When we do, then you can say it. Until then, just shutup."