As soon as the TARDIS doors had shut, Rose bolted to her room. She didn't want the Doctor to see her cry, didn't want him to see her when she was weak. She ran in and shut the door, jumping onto her bed and sobbing into her pillow. Why did Mickey have to go? Why did he leave her?

She knew it was selfish, but him being there, loving her, made her feel special. Even though she didn't feel that for him, he did for her. But now she was all alone. Well not alone. There was still the Doctor. But without Mickey things would be awful.

She loved the Doctor. Had for some time, and having Mickey around balanced everything out. But now he was gone, and she was stuck with the Time Lord whom she loved but would never desire her the way she did for him. She began sobbing even harder into the pillow at the thought of the Doctor. Why couldn't he love her? He flirted with her all the time, why couldn't those feelings be real? Why couldn't he love her like she loved him? It didn't seem fair.

He knew she was trying to keep her feelings from him. That saddened him deeply. Was he really that bad with people when they were upset? Was he not a comforting enough person? He tried, he really did, but why did she have to hide? "Oh," He said aloud softly. "It's because she doesn't want me to see her cry.." The pieces began to fall in place. He was rushing to her door when the TARDIS spoke sharply in his mind.

Don't, she said, making the Doctor jump. He put his hands on his hips.

"And why the bloody Hell not?" The Doctor mentally shot back. To anyone observing their conversation, they'd hear her, but only through beeps and hums. He was telepathic, and with the help of the translator inside his lovely ship, could speak to her.

Don't use that tone with me. I was only going to suggest how you approach her, the TARDIS huffed. The Doctor sighed. Sometimes he forgot his TARDIS was a female.

"Alright, what should I do?" He asked her, a bit annoyed his was taking advice from a sentient spaceship but open for possibilities. The TARDIS replied simply,

Knock on the door and you march right in. The Doctor was confused,

"Why would I do exactly the opposite of what she asks?" He asked. The TARDIS hummed at him as if he were the stupidest bloke to ever step into her console room,

She doesn't want you to see her while she's crying, but what she really wants is for you to go in there, wrap your arms around her and tell her everything is going to be okay. He sighed. The TARDIS was right. Wise, for a ship. But he knew better than that; She wasn't just some ship. She was a TARDIS, a part of the Time Vortex, and she was indeed very wise. Though he never pegged her for a sappy sentimental. He patted her appreciatively and walked up to Rose's room. What he heard on the inside made his hearts burn; She wasn't just crying, she was bawling. Uncontrollably. He knocked,

"Rose," He said, "Are you alright?" The crying ceased. He got no answer for thirty six seconds, the silence defining. He slowly slid down her door, landing on his bum, "Rose, I know it hurts, but please don't shut me out. I know what it's like you know. I-" His voice faltered a bit, "I've lost people. I can help." Again, silence. After a minute and twelve seconds he heard the strained response,

"Doctor please, just leave me be."

Did that count as telling me to go away?" The Doctor mentally asked the TARDIS. She cooed, so the Doctor plucked up his courage and sat up, spun the door knob, and walked into Rose's room. She was laying down on her bed, her face pressed against her tear-stained pillow. Her arms were underneath it, cushioning her head. She was silently crying,

"Doctor," She said, her voice muffled from the pillow and strained from crying, "Please, please leave." Her words hurt him, but the Doctor only went closer to her. He sat on the edge of her bed, eyes fixed on his hands.

"I'm not going anywhere," He finally said. His hand beginning to stroke her back. She stiffened at his touch, and his first reaction was to stop, take a step back, and leave. But he wasn't going to do that. Because truth be told, he liked Rose. More than that. In fact, he loved her. Loved her more than anything in the whole entire universe, or space, or whatever. And he wanted to be there for her, like she was always there for him, always.

"I'm sorry," He said, shuffling and removing his hand. "I'm real rubbish at this. It's just, you mean so much to me Rose. It kills me to see you this way," His voice trailed off and his eyes became fixated on the ceiling. He closed them, "Idiot, idiot, idiot!" Was the mantra he played in his head back to himself. Why was he such a complete arse? Then suddenly, Rose's head lifted off the pillow to stare into the Doctor's eyes. Her's were tearstained, red, and full of sadness. Without a word her arms slipped around his waist and she buried her face in the crook of his neck, crying loudly.

Normally he would feel awkward in these situations, but he wrapped his arms around her back and held her tightly. His thumb traced light circles on her back,

"Shhh, shhh Rose. It's alright. Everything is going to be alright." But her crying didn't stop. In fact, it got even worse as time went by. Suddenly he got an idea that might help,

"Would you like to see your mother?" the Doctor asked. It was the only thing he could think of that might make her feel better, even though her mother scared him half to death. She looked up into his eyes and nodded, but she never let go of him. The Doctor squirmed a bit and said,

"Rose?"

"Mmm?" She replied.

"I have to get up and chart the course.." The Doctor said distantly. Rose nodded and let go, curling up in a ball on her bed. The Doctor got up, went to the door, and looked back at Rose. His eyes wandered along her body to the curve of her backside. Her wondered what it wound feel like; Would it be soft, moulding into his hand like a pillow? Or would it be firm, filling his palms perfectly? At the feel of a bulge forming in his trousers he turned away. Thinking like that was a bad idea, especially when she was so upset. He felt ashamed, thinking of her in that way when she was obviously upset. He walked out the door, but let it open just a crack.

Walking towards the TARDIS's console, he pressed in keys and got the TARDIS to arrive at Jackie Tyler's house, about a year since their last visit. The sound of their arrival hummed, and the Doctor was surprised when he found Rose at his side, any indication that she had been crying gone from her face. But that was about to change. As soon as the doors to the TARDIS opened, Jackie Tyler was face to face with him and her daughter.

"Where's Mickey? What happened sweetheart?" She asked innocently, not having a clue what had happened. Rose's face squinted up, and she rushed into her mother's embrace. The Doctor stood and watched, completely unsure what to do. So he pushed his hands in his trouser pockets, leaned against the door frame of the TARDIS, and fell silent. Rose sobbed into her mother's shoulder loudly, causing the Doctor to wince in pain. He never liked to see Rose in pain, it burned his hearts.

Jackie cooed to her daughter and patted her back, shushing in her ear. Jackie let go of her and held her shoulders, studying her daughter's face,

"Now you've got to get some sleep sweetheart," Jackie said sadly.

"But 'm not tired.." Rose protested, her voice quavering. Jackie tensed,

"Rose, you're exhausted. Now go back to your room and go to sleep, please sweetheart." The Doctor could tell Jackie was doing everything in her power not to cry. Rose began to protest some more, when the Doctor took action into his own hands, crossing the room and putting a finger to her temple. In an instant she was asleep, her body limply fell back against his, and in one fluid motion he scooped Rose up in his arms and took her to her room. Using his trainer clad foot, he pried open the door and swooped into her bedroom. He remembered being in here during his regeneration, about one year from now. Even though he had been knocked cold for the most part, every now and again he would whimper in his sleep as his body regenerated a large amount of energy, or he was releasing a lot at one time. He remembered how badly it had hurt, and how Rose had stayed by his side, dabbing at his forehead with a wet washcloth a whispering to him things he couldn't even remember.

He sighed, gently dropping her body onto her bed. He took hold of her covers, pulling them up under her chin. At least in sleep she wouldn't be in pain. He bent down gently and kissed her brow, his lips gently pressing against her warm flesh. Then he got up, and was about to leave her room when he heard a faint sigh,

"Do-c-or," Rose moaned in her sleep. The Doctor spun around, his eyes going at once to Rose. She was asleep, but her brows were knit together and she was moaning his name. She seemed upset, as if whatever she was dreaming about was not good. "Docter," She said, "Don't.. go." Oh, he thought. She was having a dream of him. What was wrong? Was he dying, or was he stranding her somewhere on her own? Or was she half conscious, eyes closed, her mind fully aware of his departure?

Slowly he settled down next to her on her bed. He began to stroke her forehead, and slowly her knitted eyebrows became soft and her lips curved into the start of a smile. Her smiling made him smile, and soon the Doctor was grinning brightly, stroking up and down Rose's arm. He shifted, trying to get into a more comfortable position. He removed his jacket and trainers, setting them beside each other on the floor. He twisted on his side and suddenly Rose was curling next to him, her arm around his chest and leg wrapped around his own. Her head had found home in the crook of his neck, her breath warm against his skin.

At first he was shock-still. What if Jackie walked in and beat him senseless for crawling in bed with her daughter? What if Rose woke up, embarrassed and shy and not able to speak with him for a few days? He shook of those thoughts. She was indeed the one who wrapped herself around him..

Slowly and gently the Doctor wrapped his arms around Rose's waist. Plucking up some courage he used his arms to pull her as close to him as possible. She sighed contently in her sleep, squeezing her arm around his chest tighter. He carefully pulled the duvet around them, providing Rose with extra warmth.

It felt so good, him finally getting to hold Rose in his arms. She was so beautiful and wonderful and smelled so good. He wanted to kiss her, but fought the urge back. Suddenly his eyes began to heavy, and he closed them, falling into a deep and much needed sleep.