Just One More Moment

McRaider

Summary: She only wanted one more moment, one more glance, another second with him, to hold his hand, to see his blue eyes sparkle. She only wanted one more moment.

She sat by his side, covered by his mother's blankets, sleeping restlessly as he murmured incoherent words. His body shaking, sweat soaking his forehead, she remained by his side, gently running the cool cloth across his feverish skin. It wasn't helping, he was dying…again.

She looked at the unfamiliar handsome face, what was she supposed to do without him, how was she supposed to survive without him? She felt tears prick at her eyes; she only wanted one more moment, one more glance, another second with him. To hold his hand, to see his blue eyes sparkle with laughter, she only wanted one more moment. She didn't know this man who claimed to be her Doctor, he'd said she was his doctor, explained that he was still the same person, just different on the outside. Except it was the outside that she'd loved as much as the inside.

He'd yelled at her, cried over her, held her, he'd loved her. Even though he never would have admitted it—not yet anyway; she knew her doctor loved her. She could see it every time he offered her a glance, every time he grabbed her hand and whisked her away on another adventure. Destiny had finally collided with fate when he'd grabbed her hand that day in the basement and told her to run.

She missed those big ears; that crooked nose, the short brown hair—not ginger—his toothy grin, his blue eyes. This doctor had more hair; also not ginger, a straighter nose, he was skinner. She wouldn't have the little bit of muscle and fat to grip to. She'd loved her doctor; there was just something about him that was different from everything else. When she hugged him she felt safe and protected; she felt loved.

"Rose," came the faint whisper form the man on the bed. She looked down to meet chocolate colored eyes. "My Rose," he whispered.

For a fleeting moment, Rose swore she saw her doctor again, "You're safe?" he mumbled weakly as he reached out and stroked her cheek.

Rose bit her lip and gently squeezed his hand in return, "Thanks to you Doctor," she'd wanted to save him, not the other way around. She didn't want to lose him, even if it meant accepting this new man in her doctor's place, she wanted her doctor.

"My Rose," he murmured again before his head flopped to one side and more golden mist flew from his mouth.

She ran a hand through his silky hair and looked at him; he was a far cry from her last Doctor. However physically he was more attractive, his accent was less Northern and just on the fine line of Scottish. She wiped at her eyes, dreaming of her doctor's face again, see his beautiful clear blue eyes.

Her doctor had been more serious, less jovial, this one seemed to be far more relaxed, and perhaps a little more cynical. She attributed part of that to her Doctor had been alone for so long, this one had her. She looked down at that unfamiliar face again, yes he did have her. Until he didn't want her any longer, he had her forever. For as long as she could have him.

o0o

She sat quietly at the table, waiting for the new Doctor to come in; she looked up in surprise when the door opened. He slipped into the house, dressed in a brown pinstriped suit; he took one look at her and smiled widely, showing all his teeth. She felt a twinge at how similar their smiles were. She instantly returned the smile widely. He joined them at the table, and outside when the ash began to fall all around them.

He asked her to come, she'd been so afraid that when he'd regenerated he wouldn't want her anymore. But those chocolate brown eyes met her's and he'd asked for her to come. He wanted her to come, again she saw a hint of her old doctor when she saw fear and doubt that she'd want to come. He held out his hand to her, and her heart began to race, hesitantly she accepted the hand in her's and felt the warm flesh wrap around her's. Brown eyes met and she could see the light that shone in her eyes, he drew her close, she wanted so badly to hug him, see if he was the same doctor.

She hadn't even thought about it, but before she'd gone to sleep that night she'd looked up at him, "Doctor…" she whispered.

"My Rose," he replied softly as he held out his arms to her.

She practically flew into them, hugging his lanky body close. No he wasn't as muscled as her pervious doctor, with just enough fat to be really comfortable, but their bodies seemed to fit just as well. She leaned her head against his shoulder, and realized she was close to his height, closer than her doctor. He easily rests his chin against the top of her head and smiled. "My Doctor," she whispered as she looked at him, feeling his arms holding her tightly and close, as though if either let go they would lose each other.

She sighed, she longed for another moment to hold her doctor, to grip his hand, touch his cheek, to love him with all her heart and soul, but she accepted that part of him was definitely still here. That he was still here in another form, and that this doctor possibly loved her just as much as the last one. After all, if he was the same man…regeneration wouldn't mean he stopped loving her. She certainly hadn't stopped loving him.