"Morning sunshine." Rose said as John emerged from their room.

"Morning." he said with a smile before heading straight for the coffee. Rose smiled and shook her head fondly at the scene. She grabbed his attention by asking is he wanted any breakfast. John made himself a bowl of fruit loops and milk before walking to the table to sit besides his wife. John froze mid step.

"John?" Rose asked, her attention fully focused onto him.

The bowl John was holding fell to the ground, creating a pile of broken glass and milk. His hands flew to his chest, grabbing onto the fabric of his light blue shirt. Underneath it he could feel his heart beating the rhythm he was so familiar with: the heart beat of a Timelord. He felt a hand grab his right shoulder and grip him tight. He closed his eyes tightly shut, trying to somehow get away from the sudden pain he was feeling. John's knees were threatening to give, his entire body was violently shaking. John felt another hand grab into his other shoulder. The person who was holding him began shaking him back and forth gently.

John's eyes snapped open and he saw Rose's worried expression. Her lips were moving, but he couldn't hear her. He allowed his eyes to close once more, he couldn't take seeing her so scared.

He tried to speak but it came out dry. John realized his throat hurt and came to the conclusion he had been screaming. He tried to speak again.

"R-Ro-Rose." he said in between his harsh breaths.

His ears were only picking up a high-pitched buzzing sound and his eyes were closed, he didn't know if Rose had responded.

His mind flashed to a place he thought he'd never see again. His human heart swelled with joy when he saw the interior of the TARDIS. It looked different, but it was still her. Then he saw him. The man who gave up his own happiness so that he could have his. He saw the Doctor, but what he saw startled him. Tears. The Doctor was crying.

Then his mind jumped back in time; as it had done so nine times previously. He saw himself in his first form-he saw himself regenerate. Then the image morphed into his second regeneration. Then his third, fourth, and fifth. He re-lived himself changing into the sixth, seventh, eighth end ninth versions of himself. He felt the same panic while leaving his ninths for his tenth.

Then John gasped, eyes snapping open, knees giving out. He fell forwards-straight into Rose's arms.

"John." she whispered, her fear audible.

His eyes moved to look into hers and he felt a tear fall from his eye. "I don't want to go." he whispered.

Realization formed in Rose's eyes, but it quickly changed into confusion. John could tell she was trying to hide it though-trying to be strong. "You don't have to go John." she said, hand moving to his back, rubbing soothing circles.

Then his body jerked back and he threw his arms out to his side. He heard his screams fill the air around him. His body felt different then it normally did though. After a moment his screams were silence, and he fell forward into Rose's arms again.

Silence filled the air. John couldn't tell if it was actually silent or if his ears weren't working.

He jumped out of shock when he felt Rose start rubbing soothing circles on his back again. Rose. He thought and quickly moved so he could see her face. A small, reassuring smile greeted him and he smiled a small smile back. Than a wave of exhaustion came over him and his eyes fell close as his head found a spot on Rose's shoulder.

He felt like he was living in a horrible nightmare. The TARDIS, his precious TARDIS was burning. There was a strange man with strange hair running about. Doctor. John immediately felt safer, but a nightmare it still was. So he regenerated. John thought as he watched the version of himself he didn't know.

"Hello old friend. A voice echoed around him. The voice made his nightmare feel like a dream. A wave of peace washed over him at the sound. We've been on many adventures, you and I."

"Yeah, we've been on one crazy ride Sweetie, haven't we?" John replied to the voice. "How-"

"My Doctor, I now have two of you to take care of. Just because you are in a parallel universe does not mean I do not keep an eye on you."

"How is it possible?" he asked. His eyes still saw the flames of the TARDIS, but his mind wasn't processing them.

"All those many, many years ago Doctor, when you first started running. You did not just steal me, I stole you as well."

"Sweetie, my precious girl. Are you hurt?"

"Yes, currently I am. But that is okay. When you regenerated into your Eleventh form I was given the opportunity to show you the events of this universe, I was able to enter your mind."

"Why? I'm not him, not really." John admitted.

"Oh but you are, and I love you just the same. You, my precious Doctor, are very important to me. I love you, and I will always try to protect you, until the day you need it no more."

John looked up as the console room started filling with water. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"Do not worry. You burnt up a sun to say goodbye to someone you loved and I am burning up my heart. It will physically heal when a new layout to the console room is installed."

"Stop. Please. You're in pain."

"Yes, physical pain will heal, it always does. But when you left I was unable to say goodbye. I was unable to inform you that I will always be watching over you. I needed this just as much as you needed to see your regeneration with your own eyes."

John blinked away some tears. "You never stop, do you?" He let out a short laugh. "Always taking me where I need to go."

"I always have, and I always will. Until the time it is destined for us to travel to Trenzalore."

"Thank you."

"No Doctor, thank you".

"For what? I'm just a human living in a parallel universe with the memories of eleven lives."

"Memories we shared. You always brought companions along, companions whom I loved. But they never stayed for long. You do not let anyone run with you forever. But you let me. You stole me, and I stole you. Thank you, my precious Doctor, for letting me run with you." The voice of the TARDIS began fading. "Goodbye for now Doctor. I love you, and I will always be watching over you. Send my love to our Bad Wolf. Until we meet again my friend."

The voice became silent, the console room became submerged in water.

"Goodbye my friend."

The first thing John was aware of when he woke up was a hand on his back rubbing circles. The next thing he noticed was the smell-it smelt like Rose. He became aware that a blanket had been placed on him. He could feel Rose's head resting gently on top of his own. He opened his eyes and slowly lifted his head. Rose moved her own and looked down at him. A smile grew on both their faces.

"Hey." she said gently.

"Hey." he quietly replied, throat raw from screaming.

"Are you okay?" asked Rose, her hand no longer moving on his back.

"He regenerated." John stated, looking into the sad eyes of Rose.

"I figured that was what was happening. But hey, I didn't ask 'what happened', I asked if you were okay?" John nodded his head slowly. "Good, I'm glad to hear it."

"Rose." John tried getting a full sentence out but his attempt failed.

"Sh John, it's okay." John was glad her hands started moving in circles again.

"No, Rose." his eyes begged her to understand that he needed to talk.

"You always need to hear your own voice, don't you?" she teased.

"The TARDIS-"

Rose interrupted him again. "I know." Johns face must have informed her just how confused he was because she gently laughed. "I am the Bad Wolf. I looked into the heart of the TARDIS and the TARDIS looked into me. Ever since then we've been linked, her and I. I felt her pain-"

"Rose." John croaked. "She's alright Rose, she's fine. So is the Doctor-they're both just fine-" He had more to say but a hand fell over his mouth.

"You can tell me all about it when you don't sound like a dying Slytheen."

John smiled, remembering when he locked them in a panic room. "Okay."

Rose smiled in triumph. "You look tired, why don't you rest some more." John smiled tiredly up at her and nodded. His eyes fell closed again.

Rose kissed the top of his head. "I love you John, I'll be here when you wake up."

"'love you too Ro-" he said before he fell unconscious, welcoming sweet dreams of his past life.

Thanks for reading!

Reminder: the water is from the swimming pool-though I understand it went into the Library I thought it would also get into the console room.