Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Without You

Prologue

Rose stood in the middle of the console room, her rucksack at her feet, trying to hold onto the tears that were threatening to escape down her cheeks. The green glowing light that she had gotten so used to was casting a strange shadow against her skin, making her seem like she was already fading away.

The Doctor stood in front of her, unable to speak, unable to move, frozen to the spot in shock.

"But... w-why, Rose?" he stammered, confused and bewildered.

Rose took a shaky breath, and closed her eyes for a moment to calm herself before she answered. "I have to. I have my reasons."

"Reasons? What reasons? What reasons could possibly justify us not... being together anymore?" he said quickly.

"It doesn't matter."

"Of course it matters! Please, Rose, just think about it. Sleep on it. Go see your mum for a couple of days... just please don't do this!"

"I've already made my mind up," she replied in a harsh voice. She wanted to cry. She knew she would. She just had to get out of the door first.

The Doctor felt a lump form in his throat, and his face drained of colour.

"I'm sorry," Rose whispered, mirroring the words he used on a near daily basis to the victims of circumstance. "I've gotta go."

She picked up her bag and stepped towards the door. The Doctor rushed over towards her, closing the space between them and gripping her upper arms. She refused to look up at him.

"Rose, look at me."
She shook her head, her hair falling into her face. The movement caused the promised tears to fall, flowing down her cheeks to her shirt.

"Look at me!"

She managed to look up at him, and locked her gaze with his tortured eyes.

The Doctor tried to swallow the lump in his throat, but he couldn't get rid of it. He couldn't believe this was happening. For the second time in his haunted life, he was being separated from everything that was important to him; everything that he lived for was going to walk out the door and he was powerless to stop it.

"Please, Rose," he begged, his voice husky with emotion, "Please don't leave me."

A whimper fell from Rose's trembling lips.

"Rose, what will I do without you?" His voice broke as he spoke.

Rose blinked back fresh tears. She looked up at the man who meant everything to him, and wished he could understand. But he couldn't know. She couldn't let him know.

Without thinking, she reached up to the collar of his shirt and pulled him down to her, pressing her lips firmly to his for a fleeting moment, not risking lingering too long – she couldn't bear to think that this would be the one kiss, the only one true kiss, they could share. She pulled away, and took a deep, shuddering breath.

"See ya, then, Doctor."

"Rose."

She pulled free of his grip and headed to the door without looking back. She couldn't bear to look back. The TARDIS hummed after her, mirroring the Doctor's despair and grief.

"Rose, please..."

Her hand touched the door, and she pushed it open and stepped resolutely out into the dull light of a London afternoon. She let the door close behind her, locking away the pain, and strode away from the blue box and the broken man inside it.

A/N: Please let me know what you think! I know its different to my other stories, but I'm hoping people will enjoy it. I'm a little rusty as I haven't written Whofic in a while, so constructive criticism will be appreciated. As for my other stories, they are currently on hiatus: being away for so long, I have lost my inspiration for them. I hope to pick them up again at some point in the future.

Thanks for reading.