After a few hours of shopping, the Doctor stopped Rose in front of a chip shop. "I'm buying you lunch."
"Don't be silly, Doctor. I have money."
"No, I insist. It will be my thank you for helping me go shopping."
"Doctor, you really-"
"Don't say that I don't have to do this, because I really want to."
Rose sighed, then smiled. "Well, you insisted."
"Right then, Geronimo!" The Doctor clapped his hands and held the door open for Rose.
"Why thank you, good sir." Roe joked.
"You are quite welcome, young miss," The Doctor joked back. There was hardly a line in the chip shop, so they were able to get their food pretty quickly.
Rose sat across from the Doctor, smiling as she popped a chip in to her mouth.
She looked at him differently than she used to. The Doctor just wanted to reach over, grab her hand, tell her he was the same person as before. But even that would be a lie. He wasn't the same person and he knew it.
"Doctor?" Rose asked, breaking through all of the Doctor's thoughts.
"Yes?"
"How many?"
"Sorry?"
"How many others have you had travel with you?"
"Well, there was Donna, Martha, both of whom you met," Rose nodded at him, signaling for him to go on. "There was Rory... And... And Amy," The Doctor tried to hide his sadness, but Rose was too quick to notice.
"Doctor..." She touched his arm lightly, making him feel slightly better, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
"No... no, it's fine. I need to get this out."
"Alright." Rose said in an understanding voice.
"The Ponds left me to a weeping angel. Rory was sent back by accident. Amy... She let herself be sent back. To be with Rory." The Doctor finished with a sigh. Rose reached across the table to wipe a tear that had been trickling down his cheek. He hasn't even noticed it was there until her warm finger wiped away the tear. The Doctor reached up and held her hand to his face. She smiled at him, and he gave a weak smile.
"It's okay Doctor. I'm here for you now."
"I know you are." He whispered. Rose slid her hand down his face, down his neck and his shoulder, across his arm, finally intertwining her fingers in his. The Doctor gave her another weak smile before standing up.
Rose held on to his hand the rest of the way back to her house. They talked and laughed, just like they had so many years ago. All the while, neither let go of the other's hand. The Doctor told Rose about some of his latest adventures. In return, Rose told him all about life in 'this wretched parallel'. Though her nickname sounded cruel at first, the Doctor noted that she would always say it in a joking tone.
"I once went in to an asylum full of Daleks."
"Really?" Rose seemed to recall many memories of the fearsome race.
"Yes. The funny thing was, I was supposed to be helping them."
"You? Help the Daleks?" Rose looked surprised. The Doctor nodded. "Well, I've had a few crazy things happen here. Not nearly as amazing as yours, not by a long shot, but out of the ordinary. Like old Mrs Feighten. One day the old soul was fine and cherry, next she was dead as a doorknob." This made the Doctor stop. Rose laughed. "Oh, don't worry. Nothing alien or weird like that. It came down to stress. The poor old woman had an irregular heartbeat, and there was a lot of stress that was being put on her shoulder, what with her husband's death, planning the funeral, getting him cremated and whatnot. Her poor heart couldn't take it."
"That sounds... interesting." The Doctor looked down at Rose thoughtfully.
"Okay, I'm sorry, but I hate this. You're too tall. I feel like a little leprechaun around you. You're like some massive giraffe." Rose pouted.
The Doctor laughed. "Is this better?" He bent down so he was just below eye level with her.
"Yes. Much better." Rose could barely get the words out through her giggles. She looked at him, then reached out to straighten his bowtie. "I just noticed this, but are you aware you have no eyebrows?"
The Doctor gave a sigh. "Yes, I am fully aware of that fact. I am also aware of my odd chin."
"Well, I wasn't going to even mention the chin, but now that you've brought it up..."
"Please don't."
"Don't what?"
"Oh you are perfectly aware of 'what'." The Doctor crossed his arms and straightened up to normal height. Rose laughed her magnificent laugh, and stood on tiptoe, her lips gently grazing his cheek. The Doctor felt his cheeks go hot.
"What was that for?"
"For coming back."
