A/N: Thanks for all the lovely reviews and all those who put this on their alerts. Glad to know you're enjoying it! As promised, the continuation.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

Then he vanished around the corner.

Rose stood a moment. Everything she'd hoped for this moment had failed to pass. For one mad instant, Rose was tempted to give up. It was that very thought that spurred her on.

She tugged on her shirt, tucked her hair back, lifted her chin and sped around the corner to see that familiar brown jacket vanish into the TARDIS. She pulled out the thin chain around her neck to find the warm metal key at the end.
Rose dimly noticed the white light beginning to flash, the wheezing building up around her as she shoved the key into the slot and burst into the ship a moment later.

She fell back on the door as it shut, as she had such a short time ago. She looked up to see The Doctor staring at her with an amazing mix of emotions on his face.

He stood at the TARDIS console, grey suit sleeves falling back into place as his arms went to his sides. The column's green light rose and fell evenly as The Doctor struggled with words. Confusion, anger, sorrow, and curiosity all battled for control of his expression.

Rose took a step forward, only to stop herself as she saw the brown jacket lying across one of the coral-like supports of the TARDIS' dome. This simple image brought a choked sob up from deep inside. "You always leave your coat lying around." Eyes shining, she looked up to the Time Lord. She forced a wobbly smile to her face, but it quickly faded.

"Why are you doing this?" The Doctor asked quietly.

Rose started to answer; it was easier to say the second time. "Because… I love—"

"No!" He interrupted quickly, eyes dark again. "Who are you, what do you want, and how did you get on my ship?"

"I have a key…" Rose began hesitantly. "Doctor, what's wrong with you?" She reached out to him.

He pulled away swiftly, "Don't call me that. Who are you?"

"Doct— it's me. It's Rose." Her eyes pleaded with him to know her but she was only met with more confusion.

Whatever he had expected; it wasn't that. Confusion and curiosity finally won the fight and his brow lifted.

"Rose?" He turned away from her, a hand ran through his hair, "Rose?" He looked back to her. "This is impossible."

"You usually like things that way." Rose managed to say.

He nodded distractedly, "Yes, yes, three impossible things before breakfast…" He paused again, "How do you know that?"

Rose forced the emotion from her voice and said only slightly shakily, "I travel with you, Doctor. I have for a long time now. About a month ago, we were separated from each other in the battle of Canary Wharf, yeah? The Cybermen and the Daleks? You said you wouldn't be able to come for me, but…I know you. I knew that you would find some way…"

Rose slowed her explanation as The Doctor whirled around the console, he didn't seem to be listening anyway. He paused at a screen, "That looks like a scar, that's what that looks like. How?" He waited.

The Doctor looked up at Rose, "How? How were…we separated?"

Taking a deep breath, Rose continued, realizing that The Doctor was going to keep quiet until he knew exactly what was happening, no chance for him getting it wrong then. "The Void. You sent the Cybermen and the Daleks to hell, and I almost ended up there too, but my dad from this universe got me out at the last second…" From this universe… A sudden thought struck Rose, and it was confirmed as The Doctor popped up from behind the console with 3-D glasses on his nose.

"I've figured it out—" The Doctor began.

"You're The Doctor from this universe, not mine." Rose finished. She might've broken down in the light of this conclusion if not for the pout that found its home on the Doctor's face.

"I know that, I was going to say so," He waved a finger limply at the screen. "You see, there's a healed wound in time, right near the Torchwood headquarters, that's where you came in..."

They stood in silence for a moment or two.

"Why were you angry with me before?" Rose asked suddenly. "You couldn't have known me. And you wouldn't have been cross if you had."

The Doctor turned his gaze down, and fiddled with a lever. "Oh, no reason really."

Rose had spent enough time with The Doctor to know when a question was being avoided. She rounded the console nodding, "Right, you just go around being angry at people who call you Doctor. Of course, it's not as if it's your name or anything like that, I—"

"It's not like that." The Doctor spoke quietly. When he looked up the sorrow had again filled his eyes.

Rose stopped walking forward, immediately feeling guilty for pushing him, "I'm sorry, I just…"

"No, don't be sorry." The Doctor closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You look like her." His hand released and he opened his eyes to look at Rose. "You look like Lily."

"Lily?" Rose asked quietly.

He looked down, "Lily Taylor. She traveled with me." He looked Rose in the eye. "I loved her. And I promised I'd keep her safe." The Doctor's voice cracked and he stared intently at the console.

There was silence for a long while.

Just as Rose was about to ask, The Doctor spoke again.

"I promised that I would always keep her safe…and I got her killed." He kicked and the console suddenly. "I should've done something! Something I missed, someone I could've…" He pounded the controls with white-knuckled fists. "I killed her! I killed her, I killed her! Rassilon!" He rounded on Rose, who flinched back, "Why did you have to die?!"

Rose bit her lip in the face of the guilt crazed Time Lord. His eyes were wild and bright with unshed tears. His hands reached out to her, shaking, demanding an answer that would never come. Without hesitation, she grabbed hold of his hand, cool in hers.

The touch froze him. He stood stock-still; the anger vanished from his face, swept surely away. Then, slowly, she pulled him toward her. Arms wrapped around shoulders and breathing became hitched with sobs. Cheeks wet with tears, they comforted each other.

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Rose walked into the control room of the TARDIS to find The Doctor reclining, his feet resting on the console. He sat up as she came closer.
"Are you doing all right?" He asked a hint of concern in his voice.
"Yeah, fine. What about you?"

He brushed it off with a half smile, "I'm always all right."

Rose didn't bother to correct him. "So, I should probably be getting home…"

The Doctor nodded, "Right, I can drop you off in a jiffy." He paused. "A jiffy?" He glanced a Rose, "Is a flash faster than a jiffy? Or is it the other way around? What about three shakes of a lamb's tail? Does it have to be three? How fast is one shake?"

Rose walked down to the console. "Flash, one shake, two shakes, jiffy, three shakes."

The Doctor looked at her, mouth slightly open in wonder that his rambling had been cut short. He gathered himself, "Right then, three shakes of a lamb's tail it is." He looked down at the consol, starting up his ship.

A moment of silence.
"Doctor?"

"Hmmm?"

"Three shakes was the longest one."

"Was it? I could've sworn it was jiffy." The Doctor set in the coordinates. "I could get you there in a flash if you'd like." He didn't look at her.

Rose felt a small surge of hope. "Three shakes is fine…Longer if you want."

There he looked up. "Longer? Well, if you have some time… I mean, we could take the scenic route…"

"I think I'd like that."

He grinned. "Would you?"

"Yeah." Rose smiled

"Me too."

A/N: Again, thank you all who reviewed; it is muchly appreciated. :D Hope you enjoyed it!