AN: This last chapter fills a prompt for TenxRose hurt/comfort, with an argument or a misunderstanding of some kind and them already in an established relationship.

The Doctor could feel Rose's growing anger as he sent the TARDIS back into the Vortex, and he started babbling to delay the inevitable fight. "Well, that was definitely interesting. I don't remember that happening at all." He glanced at the time rotor. "It does explain why you were so determined to take us to all those planets where we'd have to get married, though."

Rose's surprise reached him over the bond, and he realised he'd never actually mentioned that before. "The TARDIS arranged for us to get married?" she asked.

"I don't know if I'd say arranged…" The Doctor rubbed at the back of his neck. "Sent us into situations where it would be likely to happen? Created a conducive atmosphere?"

"Right. So she set us up."

A furrow appeared in the middle of Rose's forehead, and the Doctor raked his hand through his hair. "On eleven blind dates, apparently. Welllll, not really blind." He cocked his head, considering. "Not really dates, either, though I suppose you could call a wedding a date. Bit more serious than a date, though."

Rose turned around and walked away from him without a word. The Doctor stared at her back for a long moment, then chased down the corridor after her, catching up with her just as she was opening a door. He followed her through it, and when he realised what room she'd asked the TARDIS for, all the wind was knocked out of him. They were in Rose's old bedroom—the one she hadn't slept in since their last wedding, six months before.

"What… why did you come here?" he asked, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Rose didn't look at him as she started stripping off, tossing the blue jumper onto the bed and letting her black trousers fall onto the floor. "I think it's pretty obvious, isn't it?"

His stomach roiled at the implication. "You're not moving back in here."

Rose looked at him over her shoulder, and the Doctor realised his panic had made that come out like an order.

"I mean," he amended, "why do you want to move back in here?"

She pulled on a dressing gown and went into the loo. The Doctor followed and watched as she washed her makeup off.

When her face was clean, she carefully folded up the flannel, then turned around to meet his gaze. "Well. It doesn't seem like you actually want to be married."

The Doctor recoiled as if she'd actually punched him in the gut. A sharp gasp escaped his mouth, then he sealed his lips shut and swallowed hard until he thought he had his emotions under enough control to keep his voice from cracking.

"Could we—" A lump rose in his throat, and he swallowed again. "Could we talk about this somewhere else?" He could sense Rose's intent to refuse, and he hurried on. "Not our room. It can be someplace… neutral." And oh, didn't it hurt to know Rose didn't consider the bedroom they shared to be neutral territory.

Some of the fight drained out of her, but she didn't look calmer—she looked tired. "If you want," she said, her voice toneless. "Library?"

The Doctor nodded and followed her out of the room. The whole way to the library, his mind worked frantically, trying to figure out why she would say a thing like that. He knew she was upset with him for trying to send her to Pete's World without asking or telling her, but surely…

Rose sat down on the couch and crossed her arms in front of her, tucking her hands under her elbows. The Doctor took a deep breath and crouched in front of her, willing to take a penitent posture if it would convince her to forgive him. He wished he could take her hands, but he settled for resting one of his on her knee.

"Why would you say that?"

Her disbelieving eye roll hurt almost as much as her words. "Oh, let's see," she bit out. "Maybe because you just told me you only married me because our ship coerced you into it?"

"Not the last time!" he argued. "Remember what I said—one more wedding where we both knew we meant it."

"Yeah, and then you tried to send me away!"

And there it is. The Doctor had been trying to avoid Rose's emotions over the bond, but her feeling utter betrayal cut through him.

Rose shifted her gaze to the fireplace. "That doesn't really make a strong case for you wanting a wife," she said quietly.

The Doctor's hearts raced. "Rose, I—"

She cut him off. "Is that what's going to happen every time we're in serious danger? Will I always have to be on my guard against whatever ridiculous scheme you've come up with to send me away for my own good?"

He tapped his fingers rapidly against her knee. "If the TARDIS hadn't brought the past me to Torchwood, you would have been lost to the Void."

"And if I'd let you have your way, I'd have been separated from you, forever." Her lips thinned. "Doctor, you have to respect my right to make my own choices about my life."

He sagged onto the floor. "Your safety will always be my first priority."

"Then we've got a problem, because if my choices are to be safe, or be with you, I will choose to be with you every time."

"I am not worth your life," he said through gritted teeth.

"You are to me!" Rose's face was red, and her voice was sharper than he'd ever heard it. "And—as you seem to have trouble grasping—this is my life, so it's my choice that matters. You would hate it if someone kept making decisions for you, so why are you doing it to me?"

The Doctor cast about for another argument, but it was difficult when he had the nagging feeling that Rose was right.

"You're right," he said finally, but that only relieved the smallest amount of hurt on her part. "But Rose, sending you away was never about not wanting you." He reached up and took her hand. "It was about not wanting to live in a world where you didn't exist."

Rose held her Doctor's gaze for a long moment, searching for some proof that he was sincere. She could tell over the bond that he meant what he said, but it was still human nature for her to look for visible cues. His entire posture was remorseful, from his position on the floor in front of her to his bowed head and the eyes that looked up to meet her gaze.

Being sorry for this time wasn't enough, though. "You won't do it again?"

"I won't do something that would separate us forever," he said. "Not without your permission, at least." He smiled wryly. "I think we both know it's asking too much to hope I won't be overprotective. But I'll try not to be so…"

"High-handed?" Rose suggested when he floundered for a word.

The Doctor winced. "Is that what it was?"

Rose raised an eyebrow. "Trying to send me to a parallel world when I'd already said I didn't want to go, because you thought you knew what was best for me?" He blushed and tugged on his ear. "Yeah, that's high-handed."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then looked up at her. "Will you forgive me?" he asked, his voice soft.

Until he spoke those words, Rose's anger had blinded her to the emotions he was feeling. But now they came through clearly, and she realised with a start that his fear of losing her was almost as strong as it had been when the Void had been pulling her in.

Her throat closed up; she had done this, with her impetuous announcement that she was moving back into her old room. She'd been angry, and she'd meant it at the time, but she hadn't realised how much it would hurt him.

"Of course, Doctor," she said, trying to imbue the words with as much reassurance as possible.

His brows drew together and he bit his lip. "I'm sorry, Rose."

Her heart turned over when she realised he didn't believe her. Rose reached for his hands and tugged until he moved up onto the couch beside her. Forgoing verbal conversation, she reached for the bond, knowing that would calm his insecurities more than anything.

Doctor, I promised to love you until death do us part—not until the first time you really made me angry. She cradled his face between her hands. I was hurt, but I was never gonna leave you. I'm so sorry I made you think I would.

When his shoulders relaxed and the furrow in his brow smoothed out, Rose stroked his sideburns then moved her hands so they were covering his hearts. "I love you, Doctor."

The Doctor smiled finally and reached out to push a strand of hair back over her ear. Rose leaned closer to him and slid one hand up to the nape of his neck, waiting for his kiss.

His lips brushed over her forehead first. "I love you, too, Rose Tyler." He kissed her cheek next. "My love." Her other cheek, closer to her mouth this time. "My wife."

Finally, his lips met hers, moving over them tenderly. When Rose sighed against his lips and her hand shifted up into his hair, the Doctor wrapped a hand around her waist and tugged her into his lap. He pulled out of the kiss and pressed his forehead to hers, panting slightly as emotion took over.

"No matter how much of an idiot I am—and sadly, Rose, I can guarantee this won't be the last time—never doubt how much I love you."

"I won't, Doctor." Rose turned her head and kissed his temple. "I promise I won't."

oOoOoOoOo

The Doctor circled the console nervously the next morning, checking and double-checking the coordinates. He had to get this right.

"Where are we going?" Rose asked.

He shook his head. "It's a surprise," he told her, feeling the weight of the rest of the surprise in his coat pocket. He took a breath and pulled the dematerialisation lever, and a minute later, the TARDIS landed gently on an alien world.

Rose hopped off the jump seat, but before she could start for the door, the Doctor snagged her hand. "Let me make sure I got us to the right place first," he requested. She raised an eyebrow, but nodded and leaned against the console. The Doctor let out a breath when he examined their current coordinates—exactly where he wanted to be.

"All right," he said, pointing to the door. "Ladies first."

She smiled and skipped to the door, letting warm sunshine in when she opened it. Two steps out, she stopped, and he could feel her surprise over the bond.

He shut the TARDIS doors behind them and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Do you know where we are?" he whispered in her ear.

"It looks like the planet where we had our first wedding."

"Fasway," the Doctor confirmed. He reached into his pocket and retrieved their bonding bracelets. "You'll want to put this on, so we don't get arrested this time."

Rose slipped the bracelet onto her left wrist, then smiled up at him, a hint of tongue peeking out. "No indecent smiling this time?"

The Doctor kissed her quickly. "Hmmm, that smile is still tempting, even when you're wearing the bracelet," he murmured.

She giggled. "So, why here?"

"Do you remember what the elder said, after we went through their short ceremony?"

Rose tipped her head back and pursed her lips. "Um… something about our lives being joined forever."

"Your lives and souls are now entwined," the Doctor quoted. He took a deep breath and ran a finger over her bracelet. "I was yours from the moment I put this on your wrist," he confessed.

She shook her head. "Hmmm… I don't think so." Before he could argue, she took the bracelet he still held and pushed it onto his left wrist. "I think you were mine from the moment I put this on your wrist." She lifted her hand and smiled shyly. "I was yours from the moment you put this on mine."

The Doctor's hearts beat erratically for a moment. Even after six months, it was still incredible to him that Rose loved him. He tugged her close with a hand on her waist. "You're wrong," he whispered as he leaned down to kiss her. "I was yours from the moment I took your hand and whispered, 'Run.'"