Seven months later...

"Hold on! Rose! Hold on!"

Rose clung desperately to the lever, her grip slipping inch by inch with every Dalek flying past her. The pull from the Void tugged mercilessly at her, trying to suck her in with all its might, to separate her from the man she loved... The wind became faster, the pull stronger and she fought and fought to keep her grip. It wasn't supposed to end like this. Not in an empty white room... not without a last kiss and a parting caress from her lover. But her fight was in vain... she felt it before it happened and looked to the Doctor. He clung to his magnetic clamp and watched in terror at her losing her grip. He screamed at her, reached desperately out for her but was too far away... too far away for once to hold her hand.

She closed her eyes briefly when she lost her grip, thinking about the times they spent together... what they did, what they lived through and most of all, what was yet to come.

Opening her eyes again, she reached out to another hand extended to her. No, it wasn't supposed to end like this. Because they weren't alone... not this time, not in this universe.

Rose held Jack's hand tightly in her own and grinned up to her friend. He, in turn, gritted his teeth as he struggled to hold onto the magnetic clamp for both of them. Rose thanked God for his long arms and strong muscles that had prevented them both from being sucked into the dark.

The pull strengthened again. Daleks and Cybermen whizzed past them faster and faster, vanishing into the Void with a loud 'whoosh.' The wind howled, the monsters' screams grew louder and then... there was nothing. The wall, the gateway to hell, stilled and changed back to solid form. The wind stopped, the pull lessened and Rose fell unceremoniously on the ground. She only had time enough to rub her throbbing knees angrily before her face was pressed into the solid chest of a Time Lord.

He held her close enough to make it difficult for her to breath, desperately clung to her like she would disappear if there was even an inch of space between them.

"I nearly lost you!" he cried, pressing her even closer than she thought possible to his body, his voice breaking her heart with the sorrow inside of it. "The Void! It would have sucked you in and... Rose... God, Rose..."

Rose gently put a hand between them on his chest, pushing him back enough to look up at him. "I'm here, Doctor, yeah? Not going anywhere. Never gonna leave you. I promised that, didn't I?"

His eyes widened and for once fully believing her words, he crushed her lips with his own. His tongue sought out her mouth, exploring her, tasting her to make sure she was really there... really in his arms. Rose put her arms around his neck, pressing her body to his and deepening the kiss. One hand first tickled the hair on his neck and then went up to his head, pressing it down and threading her fingers through the locks of his hair. The Doctor groaned and Rose took the chance to push her tongue into his mouth, exploring it like he had done just seconds before.

The Doctor's hand on her waist vanished under her hoodie, seeking out as much hot skin as it could find.

They might have gone much further than kissing if it hadn't been for their immortal friend clearing his throat.

"Not that I mind watching you two in such a heated moment," Jack said, wriggling his eyebrows suggestively when they turned dizzily to him. "But I think we should go. Can't be long until the authorities arrive."

Rose laughed and threw her arms around him. "Thank you, Jack!"

"Yeah," the Doctor said, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you for saving her."

"Aww, don't worry about that!" Jack said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I think you are going to find a great way of making it up to me," he purred at Rose, grabbing her hand and running with her to the door.

"Oi! You sorry excuse for a Captain, stop stealing my girlfriend!" the Doctor yelled, grinning at their antics when Rose and Jack vanished out of the door.

He turned around to the wall that now laid calm and pure white again. The Doctor closed his eyes. He had nearly lost her. He nearly did... would have if it hadn't been for the Vortex's warning.

The Doctor closed his eyes and tears began streaming down his cheeks. "Thank you," he whispered to no one in particular, his voice full of relief and sincere joy. "Thank you so much."

"Doctor?" he heard Rose's voice from the doorway. Wiping his tears away, he turned around and smiled at her knowing face.

She stood there, illuminated by the outside light, shining brighter in the Doctor's eyes than the Bad Wolf ever could.

"You coming?" she asked holding out her hand. He thought her smile more beautiful than the blazing sun.

Smiling, the Doctor took Rose's hand and they stepped into the light. Together