Title: A Suitable Happy New Year

Author: Bunny

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Over half a bottle of chardonnay is enough to state I'm crazy enough to try to write for these characters, but not crazy enough to say I claim them as my own (All BBC and RTD and whoever else I didn't mention). :)

Summary: Oneshot. Alternate End of Time. On New Years Eve 2005 The Doctor sees Rose for the last time. In that moment, what if he did a little more than just talk to her?

A/N: I'm sure this is a concept that's been done before, but I wanted to give it a try!

A/N 2: Much like my fic, "This Night", I am very drunk (though on wine this time and not rum!), it is late, and I spontaneously wrote this out in one go. So any mistakes are without a doubt mine! I'll fix 'em in the morning if they are just awful.

Pain pulsed throughout him. It was far more intense than it had been in the recent past, but this was his last stop. His last visit before he allowed himself to move on.

Hearing the chimes and bells indicating the stroke of midnight, he knew he wouldn't have to wait long now. Keeping to the shadows of a surprisingly quiet side street, the Doctor glanced up at the Powell Estates. Remembering all the good times, the good times that were to come in this timeline.

Snow crunched from a ways off, indicating the approach of some people. From the voices they were female. Just who he was waiting for. Despite the hitch of pain in his chest, the Doctor remained still in the dark. Waiting and watching.

Finally she came into view, stopping a few paces ahead of him and arguing with her mother. The discussion mattered little to him, all he wanted was to catch a glimpse at his Rose again. Here she was. Young, unburdened, unsuspecting of the adventures she would endure and thrive on in the coming year. And she was just a radiant as he remembered, more so even. Mentally he chastised her stubbornness to avoid a winter coat despite all the snow, but he was glad for the view of her curves. The Doctor knew that was the exact reason she had forgone the warmer apparel and he couldn't help the small grin that appeared. She was stubborn and absolutely gorgeous, just like she should be.

He observed her and her mother embrace, before her mother walked off. He remained still, observing Rose as she silently watched her mother leave. In that moment he fought the urge to go up to her. To speak a few words to her. To hold her hand. To get that last kiss he never received.

Another twinge of pain brought him back to reality. That would be impossible, mess with their entire time stream. He would rather suffer through the rest of eternity without those comforting moments than live without her at all.

The stab didn't subside and he let out a groan of discomfort, keeping it as quiet as he could. He didn't have much time. As soon as his Rose left the alleyway he would retire to the TARDIS to live out the rest of his existence in his form. Be content that she was his last stop.

"You alright, mate?"

His head whipped up in alarm meeting the concerned, yet amused eyes of Rose Tyler. He clutched at the wall, minorly panicked about his predicament, but inwardly ecstatic at her attentions. She looked at him, clearly waiting for a response. "Yeah."

"Too much to drink?" she asked, coming to his side.

Her sudden closeness threw him for a loop; he could feel her body heat, smell her scent, see himself in her eyes. "Something like that."

Rose placed a hand on his arm, the other coming up to rest on his forehead. He dared not move, his hearts afraid this was an illusion, that he'd somehow tip the cosmic balance; but mostly that she would leave him alone again. "Maybe it's time you went home," she offered kindly.

"Yeah," he nodded, losing the contact from her fingers as she wrapped her arms tightly around herself. The Doctor locked his body in place to resist reaching out to her, instead settling on a brief nod. "Do you stop and talk to all the men on the street who may have partied too hard?"

"Only the really lucky ones." She flashed a brilliant smile that only made his hearts contract with longing. "Anyway, Happy New Year."

"And you," he wished back. The irritating tingle that had begun the instant he had landed here had traveled from his toes to his knees. He knew there wasn't much time left, but he needed closure on this moment. As she turned to walk away, he gently grabbed her elbow, his entire existence simultaneously screaming it was both a good and bad idea. Clear, inquisitive eyes met his and he was lost for words. "What year is this?" he asked lamely.

"Blimey, how much have you had?" she questioned pausing for concern. He didn't offer anything, just watched her figure out how to deal with this bizarre situation. He missed how he could actually see her mind trying to work through anything out of the ordinary. Rarely was fear a leading emotion; it was always curiosity, the excitement, the preparation for a challenge. "2005, January the first."

The Doctor slapped a quick smile on his face as he let her go. There was compression in his chest from the loss of contact, but he knew there was little more he could do here without altering future events. "Yeah, well you'd better get inside. I'll be fine."

Instead of leaving Rose stepped closer, the front of her body hovering against his side. "You know it's supposed to be good luck to kiss someone right around midnight on New Years Day," she suggested biting her lip. "And to me it looks like you could use a little luck right now."

"Um," he gulped, knowing that the heat he felt rush through his body had nothing to do with his imminent change. "I don't know if that's a good idea…Your boyfriend might catch us…"

She gave an unworried laugh, taking his tie in her hands and tightening it for show. "It's just a little New Year's kiss. What harm ever came from a little kiss?" she tempted raising her eyebrows. The Doctor knew her question held more weight than he cared to consider. Especially with her standing so near, drawing him in, asking for him.

If the Doctor had been asked later he would have sworn it was her who made the first move. Anyone watching, however, would have said differently.

He closed the brief distance to cover his mouth with hers. Only intending for it to be a light kiss, but her small squeak of surprise awoke something bold inside him. Instead of pulling back immediately, he doubled up on the kisses, becoming intoxicated by her smell and taste. His arm snaked around her waist to hold her form closer to him, as if she couldn't leave him ever.

Responding with equal enthusiasm, Rose released the thin fabric to bring her arms up and around his neck. When her tongue slid in between his teeth, the Doctor moaned back. The moan triggered her to roughly trail her fingers through his already messed up hair. The gentle hair tugs encouraged him to playfully nip at her lips, causing her to mewl in encouragement.

"I'm sorry," he whispered between fervent kisses, pouring his guilt and relief into both the apology and the physical affection. "I'm so sorry."

"It's alright," gasped back Rose, grasping him closer to her.

With a surprising amount of force from such a small individual, she pushed enough to make him stumble against the wall. At the sudden jerk, the Doctor slipped his hands to her shoulders to steady her, before picking up right where they had left off. Every little thing she did to him made the Doctor think he couldn't take anymore stimulation. For these few minutes he would forget this wasn't his Rose; not yet anyway.

Far off in the night sounds of late night partiers and automobiles could be heard, but in the near vicinity of that quiet night, all that could be heard were their needy gasps and desperate groans.

The hands that were already squeezing her shoulder pushed her away enough to break the kiss before things progressed further. Rose blinked a few times, metaphorical stars dancing in her eyes and the Doctor felt a swell of pride in that fact. Before she could step back or say anything, he trailed a hand down her arm to clasp hands with her. Entwining his fingers with hers, he gave her a tight squeeze. "2005," he stated somewhat breathlessly. "Tell you what, I bet you're going to have a really great year."

"Yeah?" she asked, licking her slightly swollen lips. He flashed a smile as bright as he could at her and she giggled.

Without realizing what she was doing, Rose used her free hand to bring it to the back of his head. She pulled him down for another kiss, far shorter and less intense than the previous; but it held so much joy. It proved so brief the Doctor didn't have time to respond into it. When she pulled back she settled her forehead against his, just staring into his eyes. In that moment, the Doctor tried to convey every unspoken word, every untaken action, every missed chance. The hand that settled in his hair trailed down to trace his cheek bone. She returned the smile and nodded, and that was more enough for him.

"I'd better be seeing you!" she exclaimed.

"Oh, I dare say you will," he promised. Rose bestowed one more quick peck before jogging to the building. She stopped just inside, giving a little wave from the window. He gave one back and she ran up the rest of the stairs.

The stab of pain that instantly followed sent him nearly to his knees. As he stumbled back to the TARDIS he replayed the last few moments in his head. He obtained more from that encounter than he could have possibly dreamed.

Their kiss.

Her first.

His last.

A smile managed its way onto his lips as he struggled to reach his home.

This ending suited him just fine.