AN: This story is a bit different. I'm using a list of "100 ways to say I love you" and writing ficlets averaging 400 a piece to create a story of 50 ways they told each other I love you. I'm posting the individual pieces on my Tumblr (chocolatequeennk) and AO3 (chocolatequeen), and then once a week or so, I'll gather together the complete section and post it as a chapter here. If you want to read it as it's being posted, you can come follow along in either of those places.

This chapter is ways 1-4. Used are, "We can go visit your mum," "This is my home," "Is this okay?" and "Go back to sleep."

After stepping into the TARDIS, Rose turned and took one last look at Mickey before closing the doors. As soon as the latch clicked shut, the Doctor threw the dematerialisation lever, and the time rotor started its slow movement, taking them not only into the Vortex, but through the Void into the correct universe.

She pressed her back to the door and slid down until she was sitting with her legs pulled up and her head resting on her knees. The polyester maid uniform scratched her arms when she wrapped hem around her legs, but she didn't care.

When the TARDIS finally stopped her shuddering flight, Rose took a deep breath and looked up at the Doctor. "Well. We made it home," she said, forcing a cheery tone she didn't feel.

The Doctor, usually the first to pretend he was all right when wasn't, didn't return her fake smile or do a dance around the console as he told her where they were going next. Instead, he walked over to her and held his hand out, then pulled her to her feet.

Rose bit her lip, willing back the tears that threatened again. But when the Doctor wrapped his arms around her and held her close, she couldn't hold them in any longer. One of his hands moved up to stroke her hair, and he made soothing sounds in her ear as her tears soaked through his dinner jacket.

When her sobs finally slowed, Rose pulled back and wiped at her eyes. "Right. So… where to now?"

The Doctor brushed a few remaining tears away with his thumb and smiled down at her. "I thought you might like to go home, actually. I've got the coordinates set, so as soon as you're ready, we can go visit your mum."

Rose's mouth fell open as she stared at him. It was like she was seeing him for the first time. Had he always looked at her with so much tenderness in his eyes?

She'd been waiting for a declaration, or for some sort of conversation where they would talk about their relationship. But from a man who could barely tolerate her mother just a few months ago, his offer to take her home for a visit said the words, loud and clear.

Rose smiled. "Yeah. Let's take a moment to change into normal clothes, and then I'm ready."

Despite her sadness, a new feeling of anticipation built in Rose as she walked down the corridor to her room. She had a feeling that things were about to change.

oOoOoOoOo

The Doctor was under the console when he heard the TARDIS door creak open. "Rose?" he called out uncertainly as he pulled himself up onto the grating.

"Well, it's not my mum," she said dryly.

He rolled his eyes as he wiped his greasy hands off on a rag. "I did know it was you," he told her. "I just figured you'd be asleep in your own bed, happy to be home."

To his surprise, Rose combed through her hair and started wrapping a curl around one finger. That was one of the universal signs for, "Rose Tyler is embarrassed/upset/doesn't know what to say," and he was baffled as to what incited it this time.

"Rose?"

She sighed and let go of the strand of hair. "Nothing," she said. "It's just… this is my home."

The Doctor stared at her, his great big Time Lord brain suddenly incapable of understanding four short English words.

"What?"

Rose bit her lip and looked down at the grating. "Mum wanted me to stay, but I just… I couldn't. I don't belong in the flat anymore." She took a breath and looked up at him. "I belong here, on the TARDIS, with you. If that's all right?"

If it was all right? The one thing he wanted more than anything was to have Rose with him forever, and she wanted to know if it was all right that his home had become her home, too?

"Yeah." His voice was raspy, and he cleared his throat quickly. "Sorry, been down there breathing in all the dust and debris from our little sojourn across the Void." He grinned at Rose. "But, as I was saying, it's absolutely all right that the TARDIS is your home."

Rose shook her head, and the fond smile teasing the corners of her mouth made the Doctor's hearts flip. "You're a bit daft sometimes, you know that?" She reached out, and he took her hand automatically. "Come on. I want to watch something besides EastEnders."

oOoOoOoOo

When Rose suggested they watch telly even though she was obviously done in, the Doctor knew she wasn't quite as all right as she was pretending to be. It was one of the little quirks of Rose Tyler that he'd learned very early in their travels together—if she was upset, she couldn't fall asleep on her own.

"It's like… when I'm with you, I can sorta… not think about it," she'd explained to him, the morning after their ill-conceived trip to 1987. "But alone in my room with the lights off, there's not distractions. It's not even nightmares—I just can't fall asleep."

Very familiar with this struggle, the Doctor had simply pulled her into a hug.

Beauty and the Beast was cued up when they reached the media room. As soon as they sat down, Rose scooted up next to him and rested her head on his shoulder.

He remembered the first time she'd done that, after they'd left Adam behind. He'd watched her that night, as she'd shifted closer to him, inch by inch, until finally, halfway through the movie, she'd taken his hand and cuddled against his side.

"This all right?" she'd asked, her voice barely a whisper.

The Doctor had nodded, then swallowed hard and said, "Yeah, 'course it is," somehow managing to sound completely nonchalant.

Tonight, with his suit jacket discarded hours ago, he could feel her human heat through the thin layer of his Oxford. Several of the barriers he kept between them crumpled at the sensation, and as the prologue played, he carefully moved his arm until it was wrapped around her shoulders. He held his breath, but after a brief moment of surprise, Rose relaxed completely into his embrace.

With Rose in his arms, the Doctor hardly noticed the movie. This—actually cuddling on the sofa, reciprocating her touch—was a move he didn't think he could step back from. Not without hurting Rose, at least. Maybe some friends could cuddle together and not have any romantic undertones to the gesture, but for friends who knew they had mutual feelings, this could only be a signal that he was ready for more.

But was he? The Doctor considered his reasons for holding them back, especially his fear of losing Rose. She would die one day, long before he did, and the thought of going on without her made his stomach tighten painfully.

But she'd die whether they were together or not. He'd tried to tell himself that keeping their relationship platonic would somehow keep her safe… but he knew that wasn't the truth.

In the middle of his pondering, he realised that Rose had fallen asleep. He looked down at her blonde head, pillowed on his shoulder, and his chest constricted.

Could he let go of his fears, if moments like this were the trade-off? Or perhaps, he dared to think, for even greater intimacy?

Yes. He could.

Rose snored softly, and the Doctor pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. Then, moving carefully, he stood and picked her up.

Her eyes fluttered open. "Doctor?" she asked groggily.

"Shhh, go back to sleep, Rose." He pushed the door open and carried her down the corridor. "I'm just going to get you into bed."

A ghost of a smile crossed her face. "Always wanted to hear you say that," she mumbled. Then she relaxed back into his arms, apparently unaware of the way his hearts were now racing.

Maybe soon, Rose, he thought as he laid her down on her bed.

He pulled the covers up to her chin, then quietly left the room and went back to the console room. The TARDIS still needed some repairs, and he could think better if he had something to do with his hands.

He would lose her one day, but they could be happy together today. He just needed to figure out the perfect way to let Rose know that he was ready.