Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“My life amounts to no more than one drop in a limitless ocean. Yet, what is any ocean, but a multitude of drops?”

- David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas

********

Today was the day. The dimension cannon was finally ready. After years of hard work and sacrifice, launch day had arrived. Rose could hardly believe it. 

She stood in the center of the platform, readying herself. Torchwood’s army of soldiers, scientists, and medical professionals surrounded her, eyes wide in anticipation. They were either about to witness a miracle in motion or a sobering disappointment. Rose breathed in deeply. Any moment now. 

“Ready?” Pete said as he prepared to signal for launch. 

“As I’ll ever be,” she admitted with a shrug.  

“We can always send someone else,” said Pete, voice laced with worry. Rose couldn’t tell if the concern came straight from the heart, or in fear of what Jackie would do if something went south. 

And maybe that wasn’t wrong to assume. The Doctor said travel between parallel worlds was impossible, now that the walls were resealed. Rose had spent years struggling to make peace with that, but she just could never manage it. How could she? She didn’t want to accept that she might not ever see him again. They hadn’t even had a proper goodbye. 

She shook her head. “Nope. Nobody else knows the Doctor like I do. It has to be me.”

Pete acknowledged her with a simple nod. He knew the answer before she even gave it, and so did the rest of Torchwood. When she volunteered to be the first to go through, most assumed she was just being brave, wanting to save their universe from dying out. Stars were disappearing from the sky faster than anticipated. There wasn’t much time left to act. Rose was one of Torchwood’s best field agents and the adopted daughter of its leader. It just felt right, sending her through. However, those who knew her better understood the main reason. 

She had to hear the end of that sentence. 

********

Rose slowly woke up, eyes wincing as she did so. She was struggling to adjust to the sunlight. Light sensitivity was a common side-effect of using the cannon, probably due to overexposure to bright flashes. 

As soon as she got her bearings, she sighed and leaned her head back against the tree her back rested on. She must have fallen asleep during her stakeout. Dimension-hopping was starting to take a major toll on her body. 

Maybe Pete was right on launch day. Someone else might be better prepared for these missions. How many worlds ago was that memory? She was starting to lose count. 

However, any minor doubts beginning to surface were quickly replaced by Rose’s real ambitions. She had to find him. She just had to. That had been at the forefront of her mind when she first volunteered, and it was looming in the background as she traversed through realities. Her Doctor was out there, somewhere.

But now wasn’t the time for wishful thinking. She had already determined this current world wasn’t the one she was searching for. After all, there was another one of her roaming around.

Rose was currently stationed at the top of a small hill, overlooking a plaza below. 

When she first landed in this dimension, she did a routine internet check for members of the Tyler family. Usually, if she found anything online, it became obvious that she wasn’t in her original Earth. 

She found evidence almost immediately. 

Rose straightened her posture and boosted herself off the ground with a hand. Stretching out her arms, she did her best to try and wake up from her minor doze.  She walked over to her bag a few feet away, grabbing a pair of binoculars from it. Turning them on, Rose put them against her eyes and zoomed in on the plaza below. 

For the most part, it wasn’t a remarkable place, hosting only a typical assortment of buildings: a grocery store, dry cleaners, and tattoo parlor. In fact, the dainty flower shop that Rose set her eyes upon wasn’t anything too special. Well, except for the pact that a parallel version of her owned it.

Rose zoomed in on the small sign hanging on the side of the building. 

A Rose By Any Other Name

A little cheeky, wasn't it? Shakespeare was never her favorite in school, but whatever sold the flowers, Rose supposed. Then again, this version of her was already so different. 

In her research, Rose found a series of online advertisements, announcing the grand opening of a flower shop owned by someone named Rose Tyler. After some additional digging, she found a photo of herself plastered on the shop’s website. 

Perhaps Rose should have signaled to Torchwood immediately that she wasn’t in the right world, but something about the information compelled her. She disabled her main communication device. That way they couldn’t scream at her for straying away from the designated protocol. 

So far, in all her missions, Rose had only met one other alternate version of herself. His name was Rob Tyler, and he was both alike and dislike her in so many ways. 

This was the first time she found someone who looked exactly like her, and Rose just couldn’t help but wonder. 

And there she was. 

Rose spotted the other her coming out of the store. This Rose was moving a pile of objects — ranging from decor to a cash register — inside the shop. She wasn’t alone though, being aided by another familiar face: Jack Harkness. The other Rose pointed her fingers to certain boxes, and Jack said something that made her laugh. Then, the two picked up more boxes and moved back inside.

From her spot on the hill, Rose could only see so much. Yet, she could tell the other Rose and Jack great friends, just as they were in her original reality. 

Watching the other Rose fulfill her dreams, opening a flower shop that she likely had been working for years to achieve, was fascinating. Rose was a soldier, morphed into one ever since her heartbreak at Bad Wolf Bay. Much of the youthly gentleness she once held faded away, lost amongst a sea of tragedies. Yet, in this unfamiliar landscape, just one drop in the limitless realm of the multiverse, another her found a peaceful, simple existence. That fact alone gave Rose a slight wave of comfort.

Rose could hear electricity-generating around her. Torchwood was telling her it was time to go. They only had a brief window to bring her back to Pete’s World safely. And so, with a resigned sigh, she accepted her fate. Rose gathered up her things, reading herself for the trip back home. Even if there was a Doctor in this world, it wouldn’t be the one she needed. 

And so, she gazed down the hill one last time, taking one last look at that dainty flower shop. The corners of Rose’s mouth upturned slightly. Good on me, she thought. One of them deserved to get the life they wanted, even if it wasn’t her. 

The roar of the dimension cannon echoed in Rose’s ears, and just like that, she disappeared in a flash of light. 

********  

Meanwhile, the celebrations begin.

“This should be the last of them,” Rose said triumphantly. “Nearly done with moving day.”

Jack playfully clapped. “Look at you, Rosie. About to change the world, one fantastical flower arrangement at a time.”

“Damn right,” she said. Rose picked up another box from the ground. “I’m gonna put this one in the back closet, and then we should be good. Ok?”

“Hey, I’m here out of the goodness of my own heart. Take all the time you need,” said Jack. “I’ve already canceled all the appointments in my incredibly busy schedule to be here, helping you out on your special day.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Rose responded, not taking his quips too seriously. “You’re truly a saint Jack.”

Jack laughed, accepting her sarcasm in stride. “Well, I’m expecting a dinner date in exchange, or at least your cute assistant's number.”

"I'm sure Ianto will gladly give it to you, Jack. He talks about you too much already." Rose gave him an exaggerated eye roll and then disappeared off into the back closet.

"Hey!" Jack shouted at her. "What does he say about me?"

He could hear her laughter from afar, and he just shook his head in response. Then, stationing himself at the front desk, he continued to unpack.

Suddenly, the door to the shop swung open, with the little bell at the top jingling along with it. This caught Jack’s attention, and he stopped unpacking boxes momentarily to see who came in. Though, he didn’t recognize who it was. 

“Hello,” said the stranger with a light smile. “Hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

It was a tall, mature-looking man wearing a leather jacket. He had short brown hair and some rather large-looking ears.  Jack looked him up and down, seemingly in approval. 

“Well hello, there,” said Jack with a cheeky grin. “Name’s Jack Harkness, and who might you be?” 

The man raised his eyebrows but didn’t seem to take Jack’s blatant flirting too seriously. He chuckled slightly. “Just popped in to say hello. I, uh, I own the place next door. Figured I should get to meet the neighbors,” he said. “Are you the owner?”

“Ah, I wish,” Jack said with a coy shrug. “Might get to see you more often that way.” 

“Mind not flirting with the customers while on duty?” Rose teased, slightly out of breath. She was still struggling with the boxes but could overhear the conversation just fine. 

“Please, you’re not even open yet,” responded Jack.  

“Uh, I can come back later if you like,” said the man, slightly off-put by the (playful) argument. 

“Oh never mind him,” said Rose, “he’s just upset that someone threw off his groove.” She managed to lift up the final box on the shelf, congratulating herself in her head as she did so. She walked out of the side closet to greet the man. 

“Hiya. I’m Rose,” she said, smiling brightly as she outstretched her hand over the counter in welcome.

The man smiled just as earnestly and shook her hand in return. The sleeves of his jacket fell back slightly, and Jack could spot what appeared to be a line of tattoos. 

“It’s John. John Smith. Everyone around here just calls me Doc’, though.”

Chapter Text

Rose had been wandering around a university campus for hours now, wasting away time. The dimension cannon was supposed to have been recharged by now, but her team was having unexpected delays. 

Yet again, she had the wrong dimension. Torchwood analysts predicted a ninety-eight percent success rate for jumps to different parallel worlds, ensuring no repeats. However, the chances of finding Rose’s original dimension were far less favorable. It was like searching for a needle in a haystack, or at least that’s how Rose’s mum put it. 

She had been to so many dimensions now, most of them experiencing apocalyptic events. From endless rainfalls to AI invasions, something powerful was tampering with the fabric of space and time, throwing realities into catastrophe. However, the current world Rose was in seemed to be doing alright, at least on the surface. There was something rather odd about it though. Nearly everyone had black tattoos. On this campus alone, she could spy various students with different handwritings decorating their forearms. Some had quotations, dates, or even tallies. 

Rose couldn’t wrap her head around it, but these dimensions were all so different in how they operated. She would have to make peace with never understanding the cause behind these strange markings. She was bound to leave soon anyway. 

Then, Rose felt a familiar buzz in her pocket. 

“Finally,” she sighed, relieved that the cannon was rebooted at last. 

But before Rose could run off to find a secure location for the jump back home, she heard a voice call out. 

“Rose! There you are!” A man shouted from afar. 

Rose tensed. She knew that voice anywhere. It belonged to a Torchwood general; General Mickey Smith, her oldest friend. But this wasn’t the Mickey she knew. 

Getting a closer look as he approached her, it clearly was him, or at least, a younger version. Fresh-faced and clean-shaven, this variant was softer than his Torchwood counterpart. In fact, he looked about twenty-one, or somewhere around that age.

Normally, Rose would have run away, but unfortunately, this dimension’s Mickey was determined to speak with her. 

And so, because disengagement was no longer a possibility, Rose went with the second-best option: play along, and hope for the best. 

The alternate Mickey Smith approached her, waving and giving a cheerful smile. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you. You’re a surprisingly difficult person to find, you know that right?” 

“Mickey, uh, wha-what are you doing here?” Rose asked, struggling to act discreetly.

He scoffed. “You thick or something? I have a class in this building.” 

The playful mannerisms Rose knew and loved, having spent her entire childhood with him, were much more obvious here. This was a Mickey from before Canary Wharf, before the travels in space and time, and before the Doctor. Did those things even exist in this universe?

It was…strange, to say the least, like looking at a mirror into the past. She didn’t quite know if she missed this version of him. Her friend was so different now. 

Rose stared at the other Mickey, blank-faced for a moment, but she forced out a curt response. “Right. School. Love school.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Rose, I know today’s a bit overwhelming and all, but are you alright?”

“Right as rain, ah, yes,” she mumbled. 

However, Mickey seemed to wave it off. “Ah, it’s ok. I was feeling the same way the day I met Martha,” he said shrugging. “You’ll be just fine, promise.”

Leaning over, he patted her shoulder in support. That’s when Rose noticed the blank ink tattoo on his forearm. 

In curly black letters, it read: “Excuse you, I was in the queue.”

“Oh,” she said. “That’s interesting.”

“What is?”

She pointed at his tattoo, to which he simply laughed. 

“Yeah, I know. Short sleeves for once,” he joked. Letting go of her shoulder, Mickey turned his head and looked down at his arm reflectively. “I’m just one of the lucky ones. Knew she was the one instantly. It was rather obvious when she told me off.”

Seeing Rose’s lost expression, he incorrectly interpreted it for sadness. 

“Ah well, chin up Rose. At least you know it’s today! You’ve just got to figure out who. No problem,” he said, smiling at her. 

“I-I’m sorry what?” Rose asked, positively confused by his line of reasoning. However, he ignored her, glancing at his watch. 

“Ah, gotta run. Helping Martha study for midterms, but I’m glad I ran into you. I was worried I might miss the big day,” he said, supportively. 

Mickey startled her with a sudden hug, but Rose slowly returned it, unsure of how to approach things.

He pulled away and pointed a finger at her. “Remember to come and find me after you’ve met them. I want to see if they’re good enough,” he teased. 

“Yes, uh, will do,” she replied, plastering on a fake smile. 

Quickly saying goodbye, Mickey hurried off down the hall and out the doors. Once he was out of sight, Rose shook her head. 

“God, that made no sense,” she said to herself quietly.  

Her conversation with Mickey was more than enough assurance that this reality was wrong. Still, it was diverting. He seemed happy, all things considered. That Martha girl Mickey kept mentioning was probably the cause behind the cheerful attitude. Good for him, she thought. 

She glanced around at the other people in the building. Students were rushing to class all around her, eager to make the most of their education. Rose felt…out of place, and not just because this was a parallel dimension. No, it was just the university setting as a whole. 

Rose never cared much for school, but in retrospect, she’d begun to harbor more resentment for her teenaged carelessness. Her A-levels were abandoned in favor of some terrible boyfriend, one that dumped and left her in debt not long after she dropped out. She’d always wondered what could have been, had she given herself the chance to pursue greater education. Would she ever have even met the Doctor?

The Doctor…he was someone that never gave her grief for a lack of education. While he could be arrogant and overly clever at times, he never disrespected her background. The fact that she worked in retail and never got past A-levels didn’t matter. The Doctor saw her as a human being, plain and simple. He admired her sense of compassion, something that he told her frequently. Stuff like that was hardly noticed at the Powell Estates. He and Rose didn’t need to be complete intellectual equals to be friends. That’s partly what made her fall so hard in the first place. 

Yet, the past was the past. There was nothing she could do in regards to school now. She felt a sliver of envy for this alternate version of her. The prospect of what could have been was intriguing. So many opportunities must lie ahead for this Rose. She dearly hoped they wouldn’t squander it. 

But for now, Rose had other worlds to discover; other worlds to save. She’d have to leave this one alone, for now. 

********

Moments later, a chance encounter takes place.

Rose scratched her hand nervously again, chastising herself for the tick. She couldn’t help it though, being as anxious as she was. 

Today, she would meet the supposed love of her life; her soulmate. No pressure, right? 

The bell rang, and Rose quickly got out of her seat. She bolted out the door, still wary of every new person she came across in the halls. No one stood out yet, and she was starting to become paranoid. How in the world did Mickey deal with this? Meeting Martha must have been the most terrifying, brilliant moment of his life. Would Rose be able to say the same?

So much expectation was built around soulmate meetings. Everyone had different kinds of tattoos, but they also gave clues for how to find that special person. Mickey and Martha had the first sentences they spoke to each other. Her mother and father were extremely fortunate, having each other’s full names. Rose, on the other hand, only had a date, today’s date. No time. No place. No description. Just a calendar date, one Rose had been waiting her entire life for. 

For God’s sake, she was only nineteen. The wait wasn’t even that long. Her mate Shareen also had a date, but it was in twenty years’ time. Twenty years…Rose couldn’t imagine how excruciating that countdown must be. Rose’s soulmate date came so early in her life that she never even bothered to do practice dating. Instead, she focused on her studies, silently waiting for that fateful day. 

Rose wore a short-sleeved t-shirt today, trying to show off her tattoo in any way possible. She continued to walk down the halls, spying each and every passerby for the soulmate candidate. 

That was until she spotted something weird through the window. There was a person outside wearing a purple leather jacket, with long blonde hair. Rose could only see the woman’s back, but there was something about her. Anyone else wouldn’t have batted an eye at the distant figure, but Rose had a strange feeling about them. She just couldn’t put her finger on it. 

But as Rose inched forward to take a closer look, a bright flash appeared. The light temporarily blinded Rose’s vision, causing her to reflexively stumble backward. She nearly tripped and fell, but instead, she bumped into someone walking behind her. Shocked by the impact, Rose clumsily elbowed the person. Unfortunately, she hit something in the process. Then, the sound of several books hitting the ground echoed in Rose’s ears. 

“Woah!” Exclaimed a voice. 

She instantly cringed. Great, she thought, highly embarrassed. 

Swiftly turning around, she began to apologize profusely. “God, I’m so sorry.” 

Rose looked at the person she bumped into. It was another student about her age, but his outfit felt more professor-like than anything else. He wore a tweed jacket and a red bowtie. His brown hair flopped down over his eyes. He began to kneel down to pick up the books that fell. Rose quickly moved to do the same. 

“I’m so sorry! Today’s been the worst. My head is absolutely everywhere,” Rose said, scrambling to help organize the books into a stack. The textbooks in question were all rather sciency, ranging from astronomy to physics. 

“Ah well, don’t worry about it,” he said, giving her a closed-lipped smile. “I’ve kind of been having an off day myself.” 

Rose simply nodded in response, giving him a friendly smile back. “I’m usually not this clumsy, but there was this woman and this light and…”

Glancing back to look out the window, the woman that Rose saw earlier had disappeared. While it was strange, Rose snapped back to reality to help the man she bumped into. 

However, when she turned her head around to face him again, Rose was surprised to find him in a semi-state of panic. He was wide-eyed, staring at Rose’s tattoo. 

“I-I…is that?” He stuttered, utterly bewildered, slowly beginning to point at the black date on Rose’s arm. “I…are you…what?”

“Um. Are you alright?” Rose asked, tilting her head in confusion.

That was until the man lifted up his jacket sleeves, and showed his bare forearm to Rose. 

Then, it felt as if the entire world was closing in on itself. Rose felt her heart still. 

The man’s tattoo read the same date as hers. Today’s date. The day she would meet her soulmate. 

Rose slowly glanced away from the tattoo and made eye contact with him. His face was pale as he stared at her. Yet slowly but surely, his expression morphed into that of a wide-grin. 

“Hi,” he said, smiling warmly at her. “I'm Pond. James Pond.”

At first, Rose struggled to respond, still partially in shock. Then, she laughed, in utter, happy disbelief. “I’m sorry, did you say…James Bond?” 

James cringed and rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s Pond actually. I suppose my parents had a sense of humor.”

Rose stared at him, but just laughed again and shook her head. “That’s alright. I’m Rose. Rose Tyler.” 

“Hello Rose,” he said. He stared at her, incredulous. Then, he raised himself off the ground. Extending a hand out towards Rose, he smiled widely. She took his hand, and he lifted her up. 

And as the two continued to introduce themselves, Rose realized that this was indeed the most terrifying, brilliant moment of her life. 

She couldn’t wait to tell Mickey all about it. 

Chapter Text

Torchwood had managed to calibrate a signal, zoning in on an individual named Donna Noble. Multiple timelines were converging on the woman’s multiverse variants. For what reason? No one could tell. Yet, the signals helped map out different realities for Rose to scope out.  

Donna Noble? Rose didn’t recognize the name, but she’d have to look out for it in the future. They were undoubtedly important, whoever it was.

Having just warped into a new world, Rose observed her surroundings, taking note of the early morning sun in the sky. She was in the outskirts of a suburban neighborhood. A light snowfall drifted down from above, onto the streets and rooftops. Rose lifted up her hand, catching snowflakes in her palm. She watched them slowly melt away, leaving nothing behind but small droplets of water.

“Real snow,” she remarked to herself, smiling. “Always good to see.”

Before Rose could become too swept away in memory, she heard a noise. 

Outside the house closest to her, a car door slammed. A woman stepped into Rose’s view. Could this be Donna Noble? 

Safely tucked away in a forest outcrop, Rose ducked for cover. She pulled out her binoculars and watched closely. The woman’s bright ginger locks stood out amidst the pale white snow and icy atmosphere. She was balancing a stacked pile of gifts in her hands. 

Was it Christmas? A birthday maybe?

Rose watched her walk over to the house and knock on the door. Zooming in her view, Rose silently wondered if she was wasting her time. The door to the house opened, and a figure appeared, welcoming the woman inside. Rose’s view was slightly obstructed, but once she gained a better look, her eyes widened instantaneously. Rose gasped, nearly dropping her binoculars. 

It was him. It was the Doctor. Her Doctor. With his pointy brown hair and signature grin, it was completely, undoubtedly him. 

It had finally happened. Rose found him, and she felt like jumping for joy. Her heart fluttered, and she nearly sprinted from her hiding place to embrace him.

But those wants quickly died. 

Another figure appeared from behind the Doctor: Rose herself. 

The other smiled and embraced Donna with sisterly affection. The Doctor joined the hug, and the three departed inside. 

Rose was frozen to her place as the truth overcame her. The wrong reality, yet again. She should have known this would be too good to be true. 

Yet, he was here, the man she jumped across universes for. He was here, and with her! Her of all people. What was this world supposed to be?

Rose slowly walked to the side and found a window uncovered by curtains. She zoomed in with her binoculars, gaining a view into what appeared to be a family living room. Perhaps it was a little creepy, but Rose wanted to know what she was doing with the Doctor in this reality. Were they friends? Were they…something else entirely? Regardless of what the dynamic was, they were together, and Rose hadn’t been with him in so long. She needed to see this. 

But what she found shocked Rose to her very core. 

She instantly dropped her binoculars. She started breathing heavily, and her throat felt foggy. No, no, no, she repeated over and over again in her head. 

“It can’t be. That’s…that’s not possible,” she whispered.

The other Rose and the Doctor were standing side by side. His arm was wrapped around her, and her head rested upon his shoulder. Together, they watched Donna open up presents on the floor, but the ginger woman wasn’t alone. No, she was ripping open gifts with a giggling child. A child with brown hair and eyes. A child who looked eerily similar to Rose herself. 

Rose tried not to panic. This was…this was all so much to take in. Maybe she shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions but, there were very few explanations for this. Her alternate self had a child; a child possibly fathered by an alternate version of the Doctor. She felt a shiver of unnaturalness wash over her. He wasn’t like this. The Doctor didn’t do domestics. Not like this. 

All those times he teased Rose for domestic attachments — avoiding dinner with her mother, being annoyed at Jackie's presence on the TARDIS, lamenting the concept of a mortgage — those conversations were clearer than ever, so seeing this just felt...wrong. 

And yet, here he was. Opening presents with his wife and child on Christmas morning. It was an image ripped straight from a dream; a dream Rose had long considered hopeless. Or perhaps, this was more attuned to a nightmare; the Doctor’s fears of settling realized. But if that truly was what the Doctor feared, then why did he look so euphorically happy? 

Through the frosted window, Rose watched herself laugh at something the Doctor — or the man who looked like him — said. The other her playfully punched his shoulder, and he laughed in return. The little girl ran up from her spot on the floor and hugged his legs. Swooping down, he picked her up and started parading her around the room, the other Rose chasing after them. Donna laughed, watching the trio fool around. 

Father, mother, and daughter; the family Rose was robbed of in childhood. The sight was so endearing, so beautifully alike to a future she never thought possible, that Rose couldn’t help but shed a tear. 

This was not her universe. This could never be her universe.

She couldn’t stay here any longer, she just couldn’t. Not when everything she ever knew about the Doctor was called into question. 

Sending a distress signal to Torchwood, Rose tried her damndest to escape this reality. She wanted to run, leave her role as an unwilling spectator to domesticity. The longer she stayed, the more hope she’d start to receive, a luxury she couldn’t afford. 

She knew the Doctor better than she knew anyone else, but not this Doctor. Never this Doctor. Whatever he was like in this world, as far as Rose was concerned, he was already a far cry from the man she knew. She had to go back to a reality she understood, back to a place she could make sense of. Only then would she be able to accomplish her mission. 

And that terrified her more than anything. 

Thankfully, her prayers were soon answered. Rose heard the familiar whirs of the cannon in her ears, and she breathed a hefty sigh of relief. 

And just like that, a flash of light stole her away, leaving nothing behind but a small set of footsteps being slowly filled in by the falling snow. 

******** 

Later, in the midst of an impossible dream.

“Rose?” A voice whispered, gently waking her up.

Rose abruptly opened her eyes and perked up. “I wasn’t sleeping,” she defended. 

“Sure you weren’t,” her husband softly chuckled, amused by Rose’s attempts to cover up her snoozing. The two were cuddling on a couch, recovering from the aftermath of Christmas morning. “Ah, I don’t blame you. This one was on a rampage all morning.”

John waved over at Mia, their four-year-old daughter, asleep on the ground. Her little toddler arms were wrapped around a fluffy white teddy bear. She looked so precious, it nearly made Rose want to cry. The angelic image was a far cry from the chaos Mia exuded earlier that morning, tearing open her presents with a demonish fury. 

“Yeah, she needs the sleep,” Rose agreed, yawning.

“As do you apparently,” said John, rubbing her shoulder. “Donna went out for something, rather frantically too.”

“What for?”

He sighed, exasperatedly. “God knows what that woman wants.”

Rose laughed. “Hey, be nicer to your sister. It’s Christmas.”

“Yeah well, she called me ‘spaceman’ earlier. I don’t think a holiday ban on rudeness applies to us.”

“Well, you’re usually pretty spaced out in the morning.”

“Oh god, not you too. Rose Noble, why can’t the women in my life just let me be?” He mournfully complained, making Rose chuckle again. “But I must concede that I'm useless without you lot. Anyway, I’ll go make us some tea.”

Kissing Rose’s head, John started to get up, but Rose grabbed him before he could. “Nah,” she asserted, “I want to stay just like this.” 

John smiled, unable to refuse. “No arguments here. We can sit and watch the snow.”

“Sounds just perfect to me,” she said, turning her head to smile up at him, before resting it on his shoulder. 

He kissed the top of her head. “Happy Christmas, Rose,” he whispered, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer. 

Leaning into his embrace, she smiled, feeling completely at peace. “Same to you, love.” 

John rested his head atop hers, and together, they continued to watch the morning snow drift down from the skies, blissfully unaware of the outside world.

Chapter Text

Usually, when Rose warped into a new world, Torchwood chose an isolated area of the dimension. An abandoned factory, a dark city street, or a large open field; somewhere she wouldn’t draw too much attention. However, traveling through the multiverse couldn’t always be a game of accuracy. Instead, it could be like tearing through a cement wall. Then, it didn’t matter where Rose showed up, just as long as she could get through. In those rare cases, sometimes she would disrupt a conversation, or slightly worse: be thrown into the battleground of an interspecies war. 

Now, unfortunately, was one such case. 

As the blinding light and thundering noise of the canon receded, Rose fell on the hard, glass ground. Before she could even begin to process her surroundings, she heard the dreadful cock of a gun. 

“Hands up!” A woman’s voice screamed at her. 

Never one to provoke the enemy, Rose reluctantly obliged, raising her hands. “Alright!” Despite Pete's insistence, Rose still hadn't gotten into the habit of carrying a weapon with her. Unfortunately, no matter her moral codes, she was now completely defenseless. Rose turned and faced the woman; a brunette with a black leather jacket. When she saw Rose’s face, she nearly went pale, surprise invading her facial features. 

“How...what?” Rose heard another voice softly say. Standing a few feet behind the woman was a man in a crisp suit. He was stationed behind a laptop, studying Rose intently with a quizzical brow.

“How the hell did you get in here?” The woman demanded, more to herself than to Rose. 

Rose could tell the accent was Welsh, helping her somewhat establish where possibly she was. The woman looked vaguely familiar, but Rose couldn’t place her face. 

“I promise I’m not a threat. I just…this is all a bit of a misunderstanding, you see,” Rose said, trying to plead a case for herself. 

“Yeah, sure,” said the woman, point-blank. “Ianto, run a body scan. Now, please.”

“On it,” the man, Ianto, immediately responded. 

“Well, maybe if I just come down,” Rose began. However, when attempting to step off the small platform she was on, her moves were stopped. 

“You stay right there now!” The woman ordered. “You’ve just invaded the Torchwood Three base. I’m not gonna have you just wandering about.”

Torchwood? Rose’s eyes lit up in excitement. Just her luck.

“Well, I happen to work for Torchwood!” Rose said, raising her hands higher in defense. “Maybe not in this dimension, but certainly in mine. Can’t shoot one of your own, can you?”

Rose’s verbal credentials didn’t seem to have much sway over the woman, whose grip on the gun tightened. “You being one of our own is what concerns me,” said the woman, narrowing her eyes. 

Rose tilted her head, perfectly confused. She glanced over at the man who was overlooking body scan results. 

“This is unusual. The data says human, but I’m not sure,” the man named Ianto said, shaking his head. “Whatever it is, it’s strange that it wouldn’t want an exact copy. She’s too young.”

Working on borrowed time, Rose didn’t have time to deal with their cryptic analysis. She thought back on what the woman said earlier. Torchwood Three...she had come across this place in a few other dimensions. It was a long shot, but she went for it. 

“Torchwood Three, you said?” Rose asked, recapturing their attention. “There's an off-chance, but I might have a friend that works here. His name’s Jack Harkness. You know him?” 

“That information’s classified,” said Ianto, rather quickly; too quickly. “We neither confirm nor deny that.”

Rose rolled her eyes. Bloody protocols. “Well if you could just pop off and get him, please, because he might know who I am. Then you can get all the answers you need from me. Promise!” She pleaded, desperately hoping her brains wouldn’t get blown out.

“That won’t be necessary,” said a new voice from afar. “Gwen, you can put the gun down now.” 

Rose glanced around the room to see where the message was coming from, but she couldn’t see. That voice…but whoever they were, Ianto and Gwen seemed to straighten their posture, suggesting a position of authority. 

Gwen hesitated to put down the weapon but eventually complied with orders. “Took you long enough Marion,” she said, sighing.  “Any idea what’s going on?”

“I don’t know, but it seems to be a matter of…personal interest”

Then, the figure suddenly stepped into Rose’s line of sight, causing her mouth to fall agape. 

Another Rose Tyler stood in front of her, or rather, a much, much older version of her. 

Dressed in a black leather jacket, not too dissimilar from Rose’s purple one, the other Rose looked to be in her late forties to early fifties. She had subtle streaks of gray in her — brunette, not blonde — hair, and had slight wrinkles around the corner of her mouth. A stoic expression was plastered on her face, as she examined Rose closely.

“You-you’re me. You’re Rose,” Rose said without thinking. 

The other her cringed hearing that. “Oh please. I hope Jack isn’t trying to get that to catch on again. It’s Marion.”

Rose’s bafflement only continued to grow. 

“Well Gwen, I don’t think she’s an alien,” said Marion, tilting her head. She walked closer, making eye strict contact with Rose. “Now then, care to explain what another me’s doing here?”

Rose stood still, struggling to form an answer. Eventually, she managed to string one together. “It-it’s a long story.”

“I’m sure it is, but believe me, I’ve got all day,” said Marion with an eerily familiar smirk. 

******** 

They moved to a smaller, more private conference room. The walls were dark gray and scarcely decorated. Rose sat on a simple fold-up chair, drinking a glass of water that Marion graciously granted her. She had an ever-growing headache, so she much appreciated the gesture. Rose had just finished giving herself, or Marion, the rundown of her mission. Apparently, their histories lined up rather nicely. Well, minus the fact that Marion had a good two decades or more on Rose. 

Marion stood against the wall, closely observing Rose’s every move. “Fascinating, isn’t it? And to think…you’ve jumped across all those universes, and this is your first time talking to yourself?”

Rose gave her counterpart some side-eye, setting down her glass on the floor. “Well, this probably isn’t a good idea. But it’s not like you gave me much of a choice, did you?” 

Marion raised her brows and gave Rose a rather patronizing look. “Hm. I suppose not.”

In no position to provoke her older self, Rose attempted to change the subject. “So…you go by Marion nowadays?” Rose scrunched her nose in distaste. “I always hated that name. Thought it sounded like an old lady’s.” 

Marion scoffed. “I’m making an effort not to be insulted.”

Rose sighed, putting her head in her hands. “Sorry. It’s just…it’s weird seeing myself like that. I…you…you look so different.”

“You’re telling me.”

“I mean, you’re not blonde, for one,” Rose said, absentmindedly stroking a hand through her locks. 

“Bit of a hassle to get it done. I’m usually the one out on field missions,” Marion explained. “It’s a luxury, not a necessity. Plus, my hair is already changing color, so I don’t really see the point.” Marion plucked at a gray streak of hair, giving it a look of disapproval. 

“What year is it anyway?” Rose asked, curious. She didn’t tend to travel in time as she jumped across multiverses, so seeing a version of herself this much older was rare. 

“Oh god, you still try and keep track? I gave up on that ages ago,” said Marion, contemplatively. She rested her head against the wall, thinking deeply. “Let’s see…well, the paper Ianto gave me the other week said two-thousand and eight.”

“Two-thousand and eight?!” Rose exclaimed, raising her head up. “If it’s two-thousand and eight, then why the hell do you look older than mum?”

Marion stayed silent for a moment, perhaps debating whether or not to tell Rose. However, she managed to disclose some details. “Back when I first joined Torchwood, Jack and I were-.”

“You work with Jack?” Rose asked, mood-lifting slightly. Marion had mentioned him earlier. “Where is he?”

“Out, unfortunately. He’s over at the police station, clearing something up. It's not like that matters though. Can we get back to the story?” Marion said with an almost hostile tone. 

Rose cringed. “Sorry, yeah. Go on.”

“As I was saying, it turned out the creature was something called a Weeping Angel, and it didn’t necessarily steal youth, rather…time,” Marion said with a shrug. “I got touched by one and traveled back a couple of decades.”

“You say that like it’s not a big deal,” Rose said, surprised at Marion’s lack of emotion. 

“Well, it wasn’t really. I met up with some Torchwood associates back then, and what do you know? I spent all those years working with them, waiting to get back to the right year. Next thing you know, I eventually met back up with Jack mere moments after I disappeared. It was a bit of an adjustment for the team, but it all worked out.”

“Why didn’t you ask the Doctor for help? Or at least, try and find him?” Rose asked, confused. “Then you might not have wasted years of your life like that.”

“Ask the Doctor for help?” Marion gave a humorless laugh. “God, don’t tell me you still think you can count on him?”

Rose shot Marion a perplexed glare. “Of course I count on him. That’s who I’m trying to find in all these universes. Maybe not yours, but certainly mine.”

“It’s funny, how defensive you are of him,” said Marion, reflectively. “Leaving the Doctor was probably the best decision I ever made.”

“You…you left him? Willingly?” Rose could hardly believe what she just heard. 

“Yes, Rose. Yes I did,” Marion said, a far-off look in her eyes. 

Rose took a moment to process. “Why?”

Marion sighed. "The Doctor’s afraid of absolutes, of fixed points in time. He prefers to wander around aimlessly, never attaching himself too strongly to anyone," she said, stepping away from her place on the wall. Dragging another chair over, she sat down across from her younger self. Then, Marion gave Rose a cold, hard look. “He’d rather woo a French courtesan than ensure the safety of his friends. Remember that? Please tell me you do.”

Rose raised her brows. That was such a long time ago; a memory she often tried to forget. But it wasn't quite forgotten yet. “Yeah, of course," she begrudgingly admitted, "but he apologized, profusely.”

“Well, I wasn’t having any of that," said Marion, crossing her arms. "The Doctor abandoned me and Mickey that day, unsure of whether or not he could find a way back to us. I spent hours thinking I was doomed to spend the rest of my life on a spaceship.”

“I went through the same thing, Marion, but it was a mistake,” Rose defended. “A mistake he felt terrible about. He said so.” 

Marion shook her head. “And? Just a few days prior, he promised he would never leave me behind, that things would be different. I wouldn’t just be abandoned like Sarah Jane,” said Marion, an angry tone festering. “And what did he do? Exactly that.”

Rose was silenced. She never really thought about it that way, and now that distant memory was beginning to hurt even more. She remembered just how upset she had been when the Doctor left her for Reinette, even if only for a few hours. That accomplished, high-class, brilliant woman was a far cry from Rose. Sometimes...the darker part of her mind wondered if Reinette was more worthy of the Doctor’s affection. It was hard not to. 

“I-I just don’t get how you could leave him like that," Rose said, wringing her hands together. "He said things would be different, and at least, they were different, for me.” 

“The Doctor lies, Rose. No matter how human he makes himself look, he’s still alien,” said Marion, point-blank. “He can’t process consequences the way you and I can. He’s lived for centuries, and that’s made him forget that we’re not all invincible like he is.”

“He’s not invincible,” Rose argued. 

“Maybe, but he sure as hell thinks so.”

Rose groaned, annoyed by this circular argument. “Did you even try to talk to him about it? When was the last time you saw him?

Marion played with her fingertips, in a gesture so eerily similar to Rose’s own. “He’s sent me messages over the years. Trying to check in on me, and asking if I’m okay.” She scoffed again. “I don’t know why he bothers, really. I moved on, so should he.”

Doesn’t seem like it, Rose thought. If Marion still got this worked up about the Doctor, obviously she still had some kind of emotional attachment to him. 

Then, the sharp string of rings came out from the device in Rose’s pocket. She reflexively moved her hand to touch it. 

“That’s not irritating at all,” Marion said, sarcastically. “What’s it mean?”

“It’s Torchwood, my Torchwood,” Rose clarified, her lips forming a thin line. “They’re telling me it’s time to go home.”

******** 

Marion walked Rose back to the hub of Torchwood Three. Although Ianto and Gwen apparently wanted to see Rose leave, Marion ordered them just to go home. She wanted privacy, for some odd reason or another. 

Hearing Marion’s story — listening to a version of herself filled with so much resentment for the man she loved — was draining. Rose was almost glad to be going home. But still, this version of her seemed so...joyless. Rose felt a strange urge to comfort her older self, even if their beliefs differed so drastically. 

Rose examined Marion. “Well, I’m not sure how to really say goodbye,” Rose confessed. “I know we just met but, we’re also sort of the same person. I’d give you a hug bu-”

“That might summon an army of reapers?” Marion continued, cutting Rose off. “Yeah, I don’t really know how to end this either.”

Rose nodded and bit her lip. She felt like she should say something. Marion looked so tired, so devoid of the hope Rose held. It scared her. “I know we might have our differences, but I’m glad I met you. It was...interesting, to say the least.”

She moved to hit the button on her device, but before she could…

“Wait. Rose?” Marion interjected, rubbing a hand underneath her chin.   

Rose stopped and tilted her head, curious. “What is it?”

“I know the Doctor probably passed his ‘no weapons’ agenda onto you, but you might want to start carrying one,” Marion said, crossing her arms in that defensive pose of hers. “If the multiverse collapse is really happening, then it wouldn’t hurt to have some extra protection.”

Rose still didn’t like the idea, but she had to agree it was smart. She couldn’t talk her way out of every situation like the Doctor could. “I’ll consider it,” she told Marion. “Not like fieldwork without its dangers.”

Marion’s stoicism faded, making way for a minor smirk. “You’re damn right it's not.” 

Rose nodded, silently appreciating the fact she received any advice at all. She pulled out her communication device again, readying to hit the button. 

“Oh, and Rose?”

Slightly annoyed, Rose looked up at Marion again. “Yes?”

“Just promise me one thing.”

“And what’s that?” 

“When you find him, you better demand to hear how he really feels about you,” said Marion, raising her chin defiantly. 

Rose tried to prevent dark thoughts from pervading her mind. Yet, she couldn’t help it. That sentence…how will it end?  “And if he doesn’t?”

“Then you’ll learn what I already know.” Marion bit her lip contemplatively. “And just remember, you’re worth more than how he treats you. Whatever you’re looking for, I hope you find it, truly,” she said with surprising earnestness. 

Rose acknowledged the words silently. However, she felt compelled to add something. “I’m hoping the same for you Marion. We deserve to be happy, in any way we can.”

For a moment, Rose almost saw a touch of sadness cross Marion’s face. However, the stoicism quickly returned, as the other her did nothing but nod in response. 

This lack of emotion; lack of care for the Doctor; lack of care for herself, was disconcerting. Was this what Rose would become? Was this Rose’s future in Torchwood? She couldn’t stick around to find out. While a part of Rose longed to help Marion heal that hole etched into her heart, she wouldn’t be able to. 

And so, Rose hit the button, and after a few moments, the canon stole her away.  

The two had separate battles to fight. 

******** 

Moments later, there comes a second chance.

Marion watched Rose disappear in a flash of light. Now, she was once again the only Rose Tyler in this universe. 

Probably for the best, she thought. Marion had forgotten how stubborn she could be at times.

That younger part of herself was still so in love with the Doctor. It sort of hurt for Marion to watch, knowing what she thought she knew. 

She was still haunted by that final look the Doctor gave her, the day she left him. The sadness, the growing grief in his eyes, almost made her want to stay. But she didn’t, and Marion swore to leave that version of herself behind. Never again would she allow herself to be vulnerable like that. She changed her name, her hair, her perception of the world, and yet a shadow of her young self still lingered. Perhaps she would never go away, but Marion would try her damnedest to keep her at bay. She didn’t regret her decision, not at all. 

Suddenly, blaring alarms ringed out from the security systems above her head. Red lights flashed throughout the hub. 

“Jesus!” Marion shouted at the ceiling. Why was the base sounding the warning bells? “What now?! I’ve had enough surprises today.”

Then, Marion’s eyes went wild as she heard the last sound she ever could have wanted to hear: that familiar wheeze of the TARDIS. The machine in question rapidly materialized mere footsteps away from her, and Marion resisted the urge to pound on its doors. Well, initially resisted. 

“Agh!” Marion stomped up and banged a fist on the blue wood. After all these years, now he bothered to invade her life? As usual, he had the worst timing. “Doctor! Come out! You better have a damn good reason for showing up like-”

But Marion was cut off as the door suddenly opened, and a figure stumbled out. Pushing past Marion’s shoulder, they collapsed on the floor. Marion rolled her eyes and kneeled down expecting to find the pompous, arrogant man she knew. 

However, her eyes went wide as she turned his face to view it. It was an older, gray-haired man Marion didn’t even recognize. He was bloody and battered, with clothes torn at the sleeves. 

His eyes snapped open and when he saw the face looking down at him, he hoarsely whispered: “Rose. Rose, I need your help.” 

Biting back the urge to correct the use of her old name, Marion investigated him. She registered the Scottish voice that came out of his mouth, and although it was entirely unfamiliar to her, she knew instantly who the man was. 

She sighed. “Yeah, of course you do.” 

“Rose, she’s coming for you,” said the Doctor, an unrecognizable semblance of fear in his eyes. 

Marion narrowed her eyes, concerned at his unsettling tone of voice. “Who’s coming?”

The Doctor closed his eyes, seemingly passing out from exhaustion. 

But then, he opened his eyelids, and Marion found bright gold orbs shining back at her. With a booming voice that shook the room, he spoke: “Bad Wolf.”

Chapter Text

Physically exhausted and emotionally taxed, Rose pushed on. Walking down London alleyways at random, she wasn’t even trying to do her job properly. And what was the point? By this time, Rose had been to hundreds of realities, all of which were not her own. 

She was tired; tired of failing again and again to locate the Doctor; tired of seeing apocalyptic visions of the Earth; tired of running into herself, seeing the lives she could never have. 

Rose’s quest was starting to feel meaningless. Torchwood’s calculations looked increasingly dismal with every new dimension jump. Never once had she encountered her version of the Doctor. This multiverse was vast and frightening, and Rose felt like a pawn in its cruel, never-ending game. 

Stopping, Rose huffed and leaned her back against a brick wall. She rubbed her wrists against her eyes, fighting the urge to collapse. She was completely sleep-deprived, having been stuck in this dimension for far too long. The entire city was starting to make her feel sick. 

Then, she heard the glorious beep of her communication device. Torchwood could let her back into Pete’s World now. Her mood instantly brightened, and she looked around the alley to see if anyone was around. It was late at night, so hopefully, she would be in the clear. 

Unfortunately, there was a woman walking towards her, her face barely illuminated by a street lamplight at the edge of the alley. 

Rose groaned. “Just my luck,” she whispered. 

She moved away from the wall, heading out of the alley and into the street. Rose needed somewhere quiet to activate the canon. Sometimes other people were pulled through to Pete’s World with her, and it was always a hassle getting them home. She tilted her head down, attempting to pass by unnoticed. The woman walking paid Rose little attention, only quickly glancing over before turning away. So, Rose continued walking forward, minding her own business. 

What she failed to notice, however, was the woman’s near-instantaneous spark of recognition. Suddenly, Rose heard a gasp from behind her. 

“Rose,” said the woman, breathless. “Rose Tyler.”

Hearing her name, Rose stilled. She turned around surprised. This time, she carefully examined the other woman. Her hair was short and blonde, almost like Rose's. She wore a blue shirt with a rainbow pattern, long pants, and a gray trench coat. That last article of clothing caught Rose’s attention, as she was immediately reminded of the Doctor. But the eyes...it was the eyes that captured Rose. With striking green color, they gazed at Rose with such a magnifying intensity. They seemed...so knowledgeable, ancient even. 

A forbidden thought crept up in Rose's mind. No...could it be?

“It’s you. You’re my Rose,” said the woman, incredulous. “I thought I’d lost you.”

“Lost?” Responded Rose quietly, at first, processing the situation. Then, Rose’s eyes went widened in realization. She shakily placed a hand over her mouth in shock, before daring herself to ask the impossible. “Doctor, is it you?”

The Doctor nodded, a tear strolling down her face. “It’s me.”

Rose choked out a sob; the sound a strange mixture of disbelief and complete joy. Before she knew it, the two collided, grasping each other in an all-consuming embrace. They wrapped their arms around each other tightly, both completely unwilling to let the other go. 

“I found you,” Rose spoke, pressing her forehead into the Doctor’s shoulder. 

This was it. This was the moment Rose had jumped across universes for. And by God, she had missed the Doctor's hugs.  

“Rose. My Rose,” said the Doctor, stroking Rose’s hair tenderly. 

Even with their new voice, Rose loved hearing the way her name rolled off the Doctor’s tongue. There was an utter sincerity to it, a comforting tone that stayed true throughout each regeneration. 

“You’re Northern again,” Rose softly giggled, attempting to distract herself from crying further. 

“Yes, I suppose I am.” Rose could feel the Time Lady smile against the side of her head. Then, Rose felt that expression slowly disappear. “But this hardly makes any sense.”

A chill ran down Rose's spine as she felt the Doctor loosen the embrace. No, Rose thought. Just let me have this, she mentally begged the multiverse. You owe me that much. She raised her head off the Doctor’s shoulder. “What do you mean?” 

“You’re Rose Tyler, I can tell that much…but…you’re not my Rose Tyler. That’s impossible,” admitted the Doctor, a dark expression crossing her face. Her fingers trailed down to grasp Rose’s hand; a gesture Rose gladly returned. 

It felt good, her fingers lacing with the other woman’s. There was a certain spark to it, like there always was with the Doctor. For once, everything felt right, and Rose couldn't allow this moment to be wrong.  

Rose desperately shook her head. “I’ve traveled through so many worlds, trying to make my way back,” Rose said, squeezing the Doctor’s hand tighter. “And look, I’ve found you.”

“You can’t be able to cross over like this, it’s wrong,” said the Doctor, her brow furrowing. 

“That’s part of what I’ve come to tell you. Doctor, we need your help, the stars are going out,” she said quickly, not noticing the Doctor’s growing realization. “This might seem impossible, but the walls between worlds ar-”

“No,” the Doctor cut her off. “That's not what I mean. It’s not the walls between worlds. It’s the walls between life and death.”

Rose’s heart sank. What?  

“When…when was the last time you saw me,” the Doctor asked, gently letting go of Rose's hand. 

Seeing the Doctor’s body language sounded alarms in her head. In all but a second, Rose’s hopes dissipated. 

It took her a moment to respond, building up the courage to do so. Yet, somehow, she knew her answer wouldn’t match the Doctor’s. “I was in Pete’s World, at Bad Wolf Bay. You burned a sun just to say goodbye," Rose said slowly, taking her time. "Sound familiar?” 

The Doctor’s gaze shifted downwards. “No, it doesn’t.”

Hearing that, it took all Rose’s strength not to just break down. Her legs nearly gave out. “I don’t have the right world, do I?” She asked, vision foggy. 

“No. No, you don’t,” said the Doctor, breathing deeply. “Because you’re dead Rose. You died centuries ago.”

Rose furrowed her brow, at first confused, until an inkling of anger began to fester. “No,” she said, shaking her head rapidly. “Don’t say that. Please don’t say that. Not when I’ve just found you.”

“Rose,” whispered the Doctor, as she raised a hand to cup her lost companion’s cheek. 

Rose didn’t want to believe it. After all she had been through, the first sign of victory couldn’t turn into a loss. But as she stared at the Doctor’s grim, yet spellbound expression, the stark reality of the situation overcame her. The Doctor’s eyes could tell a thousand tragedies. Rose knew them well, and so she understood what the Doctor said was truthful. 

She had failed, once again. This wasn’t the right world. 

******** 

Rose sat in the hub of the TARDIS, taking in the new interior. While it was still the same machine she knew and loved, it was strange seeing all the changes. The hub was much darker for one, and the colors were all different. Gone was the green tint she had become accustomed to, replaced by overwhelming hues of orange and blue. 

There were no benches, so Rose was resting on the edge of the central platform. She stroked a column, which was now more quartz-like than coral. 

“Good to see you, old girl,” Rose muttered under her breath. “Wasn’t sure if I ever would again.” 

“She’s happy to have you back too,” said the Doctor from afar.

Rose turned to see the Time Lady enter back into the room. The Doctor had disappeared earlier, saying she wanted to grab something. Now, she was back, clutching a box in her hands. Walking over, she set it aside and sat down beside Rose. 

Staring at the Doctor once again, Rose was mesmerized. The Doctor was quite pretty in this regeneration. There was a certain charm about the woman; a unique twinkle in her eyes. 

“Have I got something on me?” Asked the Doctor, plucking at her face curiously. 

“No, it’s just, well…you look different. Not what I expected,” Rose said, taking in the Doctor’s new form. 

The Doctor chuckled. “Yeah, I get that a lot nowadays. Good different, or bad different?” 

Rose tilted her head, analyzing the Doctor’s face. Maybe it wasn’t the face she’d been longing to see, but it was beautiful all the same. 

Rose smiled. “Just different. The blonde hair’s a good look. It suits you,” she said. 

If it weren’t for the poor lighting, Rose could have sworn she saw the Doctor blush. “Thanks,” she said, grabbing a few strands absentmindedly. “Thinking of letting it grow out more. Promised I’d let Yaz help me braid it someday.” 

The Doctor froze, fingers stilling in her hair. 

“Oh,” said Rose, softly. “Is…is that who you’re traveling with nowadays?” The room promptly felt tenser than before. 

“Uh, yes, oh yes well, Yaz is a good friend,” the Doctor stuttered rather awkwardly, fidgeting with her hands. “Been all sorts of places together. But, uh, it’s not just her! Have a bit of fam going on with these other two, Graham and Ryan.”

The Doctor’s bit of dialogue all came out rather quickly, and Rose knew why. Rose wasn’t a part of this Doctor’s life anymore. She’d moved on with several other companions. Perhaps Rose should have felt a spark of jealousy, but no. Instead, an overwhelming wave of sadness overtook her. This was a parallel universe, but when she found this Doctor, she had hoped things could have been different. 

“How long did I stay with you for?” Rose asked, hesitantly. 

The Doctor tensed, her jaw clenching as she absorbed the question. Her face seemed lost, eyes glossing over ever so slightly. Yet, her expression quickly morphed back into a relaxed state. Rose could have easily missed that wordless reaction, had she taken her eyes off the Doctor’s face for a mere moment. She hadn’t. Always hiding behind a mask, aren't you Doctor? 

There was another pause before the Doctor answered. “Forever, just like you promised.” She gave a small smile, one that suggested a reflection on fond memories.

But Rose knew better. 

“And how long was forever? My forever?” She corrected.

The Doctor looked at Rose, her eyes seeming older than ever. “About twenty years, give or take.”

Rose closed her eyes, slowly absorbing the information. She leaned down, putting her head in her hands.

The Doctor moved slightly, and then grasped that box she had brought out earlier. “You stuck with me for such a long time,” said the Doctor. “That’s far longer than most of the companions I’ve had, in my many, many years.”

Shifting the box into her lap,  she opened the lid and set it aside. Rose opened her eyes at the noise and looked over to see what the Doctor had.

The box was filled to the brim with photographs, trinkets, and papers. It didn’t take Rose long to figure out what they were. 

“Keepsakes. From when we were together,” the Doctor said. 

Rose reached in, grabbing a picture. It was of her and the Doctor, the version of him that loved pinstripes and converse. The Doctor’s arm was wrapped around Rose’s waist, as both of them looked at the camera. They were in the TARDIS, the old interior she knew and loved. With them were two others. The first she didn’t know: a young woman with a gorgeous red leather jacket. She did, however, recognize the other man in the photo. It was Captain Jack Harkness, one of her dearest friends. Everyone in the group was laughing, captured in the midst of some light joke. 

“Seems like we made a lot of friends together,” Rose said, a smile tugging at her lips. 

“A great group, that one,” the Doctor agreed. She started pointing out each person in the photo. “Martha, oh she was brilliant. Training to be a doctor herself. And Jack, well, you know him.”

The Doctor picked up another photo from the box, passing it to Rose. 

This one featured Rose and a strangely dressed man. Wearing a bowtie and fez, he was by far the youngest-looking version of the Doctor that Rose had ever seen. Conversely, Rose was noticeably older, possibly in her thirties. Seeing her future self was unnerving, even if it was only a decade or so ahead. Even having met Marion, it was still a weird image to take in. 

Rose traced the photo lightly with her fingertips. “How many regenerations did I go through with you? This is the fourth face of yours I’ve seen now.” 

The Doctor’s smile dimmed. “That was the last one. I lived for centuries in that body,” she noted offhandedly. 

Rose bit her lip. “Centuries. I see.”

She avoided making eye contact, nervous at what she’d find in the Doctor’s eyes. Rose handed the photo back, staring at her knees. 

“How did I die?” Rose asked. A part of her had to know. 

The Doctor’s voice perked up as if to warn her, but Rose prevented the Time Lady from speaking out.

“And don’t say telling me will disrupt a timeline. We already know I’m from a different universe than you. This is different,” Rose reasoned. 

The Doctor simply shook her head in agreement, signaling that she wouldn’t argue against Rose’s words. However, she was silent for a while, making no move to speak. Rose lifted her head to look at their face, finding a painful expression plastered onto it. To offer some comfort, she moved to grasp the Doctor’s hand.

The Time Lady smiled gratefully, interlocking her fingers with Rose. She inhaled deeply, stroking Rose’s thumb with hers. 

“You…got sick. We went to this planet together, and there was an outbreak,” said the Doctor, gulping. Was she fighting back tears? “While I went off to find a cure, you wanted to stay and help the ill.”

Rose processed what she heard, and then made a silent guess as to what happened. “But?”

“I didn’t think the disease could spread to humans.” The Doctor shook her head in frustration. “I should have known better than to leave you there, but you insisted. Always wanting to help, even at the chance of danger. It’s just how you are, I suppose. Always ready to jump into action.”

“That’s why you kept me around,” Rose said, smiling. She tightened her hand in support.

“Not the only reason,” said the Doctor lightly. Rose almost didn’t hear that part. 

“By the time I came back,” the Doctor continued, “you were already far gone. The disease worked quickly. You only had a few hours left.”

Rose held her breath. This wasn’t what she pictured when she imagined a future with the Doctor. She couldn’t think of her own death. She didn’t want to.

“You died in my arms, Rose. You died, and it was my fault,” the Doctor lamented, tears beginning to run down her face. But, the Doctor quickly wiped her tears away, and abruptly let go of Rose’s hand. 

But before Rose could protest, the Doctor raised her other hand to caress Rose’s cheek. “But here you are, back with me again. Rose Tyler, no matter the universe, you never cease to amaze me.” 

Rose could have sworn that the Doctor was leaning in closer. Suddenly, a beep sounded out from Rose’s communication device. 

Annoyed by the interruption, Rose looked down at her pager. Her eyes widened in alarm as she read a warning from Torchwood. They were losing their grip on this reality. If Rose stayed any longer than the allotted time, then she’d be trapped there forever. Oh god, she thought, how am I supposed to leave now? 

Rose wrinkled her brow. “Doctor, I don’t have much time,” she bluntly admitted. “I only have ten minutes before I need to leave your reality.”

The change in the Doctor’s expression was immediate. She looked pale. “Ten minutes?” She sputtered out. “There’s too much I want to say to you. Too much I never got the chance to say.”

Rose breathed in, willing herself to hold back. The Doctor was right, there was always so much unsaid between them. However, Rose wasn’t sure if she deserved the right to hear all of it now. It just…didn’t feel right. “Then don’t,” she said, reluctantly. “You don’t need to say anything.”

“Rose I-”

“Doctor, it’s alright,” Rose resigned, shoulders sinking down. “I don’t belong in this reality. I shouldn’t be here.”

“No, you stop that now,” insisted the Doctor, shaking her head. “This might be the last time I ever get to see Rose Tyler. I don’t care if you’re not the one from my universe. You’re here, and that’s all that matters.” The Doctor’s hands moved, cupping Rose's cheeks softly. Her green eyes stared directly into Rose’s, highly concentrated. 

Then, Rose felt the Doctor’s lips fall upon hers. 

Surprised, it took Rose a moment to respond to the Doctor’s touch. But her temporary shock hardly mattered, because she soon melted into the kiss. 

Kissing the Doctor was hardly like anything Rose had fantasized about in the past. No, it was so much more. So much better. So much sweeter. 

This wasn’t a kiss of necessity; of a residual energy transfer spurred on by Bad Wolf. Nor was it a playful snog; one which Cassandra possessed Rose’s body for. No, this was a real kiss. For once, this was something Rose was truly experiencing, fully conscious and aware.

And she wanted more. So much more. 

Rose moved a hand up, her fingers tangling themselves in the Doctor's hair. The Doctor hummed, her mouth smiling against Rose's. She brought a hand down to grip the side of Rose's neck, pulling her closer. 

This was a kiss of an experienced lover’s touch, from a Doctor who had spent decades loving Rose Tyler. It was more than Rose could have ever dreamed of.

Yet, this thought starkly reminded Rose of the dismal truth. Rose still had so many firsts to experience, but this Doctor had long ago ended their story. Rose knew she wasn’t meant to be here, because no matter how beautiful this moment was, no matter how marvelous this Doctor was, it wasn’t truly her Doctor. 

But that didn’t mean Rose would waste an opportunity.

She was the first to break the kiss, gently moving her mouth away. Rose rested her forehead against the Doctor’s, debating whether to repeat what she once said during that fateful beach encounter; an encounter this Doctor never witnessed. Yet, the choice was easy. 

“I love you,” Rose whispered. 

The Doctor smiled, her eyes softly gazing into Rose’s. There was a pause, and Rose wondered if she would finally receive confirmation. The end of that fateful sentence. 

But that was another Doctor, another life, another moment that never came to pass in this universe. Rose thought back to what Marion told her, and her chances at receiving that ideal answer appeared increasingly dim. No, Rose figured today wasn’t the day for miracles. 

“I know,” said the Doctor. 

Rose closed her eyes in resignation, accepting her answer. It was better that way. 

“I love you too.”

Rose’s eyes snapped open, and she stared at the Doctor, incredulous. “What did you just say?”

“I said I love you too,” said the Doctor, firmly.

The dams keeping Rose’s tears at bay finally fell, and she finally began to recede to a weeping mess. But for once, her tears were not the product of tragedy, of losing the one she loved. No, they came from something else entirely. 

The Doctor cupped Rose’s cheeks, wiping the tears with her thumbs. “What’s wrong?”

“I…I just never thought I’d hear you say that,”  Rose said, managing to speak through her tears. 

Tilting her head, the Doctor looked entirely confused. “Have I not before?” 

Rose shook her head. “No. I was starting to think you didn’t care for me that way,” Rose admitted, gasping out a blubbered laugh. “How could you? I’m just a human.”

The Doctor surprised Rose again with yet another sudden kiss, which Rose happily reciprocated. When they parted for breath, the Doctor spoke. “Rose Tyler, I have loved you since the day we started running. I just never told you enough.”

Love. It was so strange hearing those words come from the Doctor’s mouth. But Rose was exuberantly happy to finally receive them. 

Of course she had to be torn away from this universe so soon. Of course she couldn’t remain here with the Doctor any longer, soaking in their presence. 

That’s just how things were, and Rose had to accept that. 

She leaned in to grasp the Doctor in a tight hug, and the Time Lady buried her head into Rose’s shoulder. No words were said for those last remaining minutes together. None needed to be. The comforting embrace was enough to speak multitudes. 

As Rose heard the last few warning beeps from Torchwood, she reluctantly loosened her grip on the Doctor. “I have to go outside,” said Rose. “Not sure if they can reach me from here.”

The Doctor simply nodded, and the two moved to head outside the TARDIS doors. 

They returned to the dark night alleyway of London where the ship was parked. No one was around, so it was safe. Rose walked a few paces away, ensuring a safe distance between herself and the Time Lady. It took everything in her power not to run back into the Doctor’s arms. 

She had mere moments now. What could she possibly say? What if she never found the Doctor again after this? What if this was the last time she ever saw them?

Rose’s look of desperation told the Doctor exactly what she was thinking. 

“You’ll find me, Rose,” assured the Doctor, softly. 

“How do you know?” 

“Because you’re Rose Tyler. You always find your way back to me.”

Rose smiled at the Doctor one last time, as more tears continued to fall. The whirs of the canon began to sound in her ear, and flashing lights began to spark up. 

This may not have been the right world, but it was one Rose needed to find. 

She still had another to keep searching for, but after all this time traveling, Rose was reinvigorated in her quest. Why? Because she had regained what she once thought was lost: hope. Because she finally heard the end of that fateful sentence. Sure, it wasn’t from the Doctor she knew, but hadn’t she learned a long time ago that no matter the body, the Doctor was always fundamentally the same. 

If this Doctor could say those loving words to her, then maybe, just maybe, the one back she traveled the stars with could too. 

As the light overwhelmed her vision, Rose watched those optimistic green eyes fade away. The last thing she saw was the Time Lady mouthing those three beautiful, reassuring words to her. Rose’s heart burned with radiant fire. And then, once again, she was thrust back into the chaos of the multiverse. 

********

Far in the future, universes and universes away...

Donna Noble was frightened. The exploding star in the sky was a terrifying cosmic sight to encounter. And yet, people kept staring at her, seemingly appalled at her presence. But the glares were never directed at her face. No, never her face. 

But she didn’t have time to wonder about it, not when the aftermath of an alien invasion was taking place. 

She sprinted down the dark alleys of London, looking for somewhere safe to catch her breath. Eventually, she was met with a crowd of people, all gathered around a riverbank. Curious, she walked closer, trying to spot whatever they were so enamored by. Police were ordering people to back off, so Donna searched for another route. 

Spotting an opening by a military vehicle, Donna snuck around it. Then, she heard the sounds of a crackling voice on the radio. She saw the back of a soldier, and Donna leaned in as close as she could to hear what he was saying.

“Trap One to Greyhound Fifteen. What is your report? Over,” said the radio voice. 

The soldier breathed heavily. “From the evidence, I'd say he managed to stop the creature. Some sort of red spider. Blew up the base underneath the barrier, flooding the whole thing. Over.”

“And where is he now? Over.”

Donna had absolutely no idea who they were talking about, but she kept listening. 

“We found a body, sir. Over,” said the soldier, a trace of regret in his tone. 

Ambulance personnel moved in front of the truck, pushing a body on a stretcher. Donna saw an arm peaking out, the hand grasping a small metal device with a blue head. 

“Is it him? Over,” questioned the static voice on the radio. 

“I think so. He just didn't make it out in time.”

As the stretcher was being lifted into the ambulance, the hand lost grip. The strange metal object fell to the ground. 

A chill ran down Donna’s spine. Why? She couldn’t tell. But something far off in her heart ached. 

“The Doctor is dead. Must have happened too fast for him to regenerate.” The soldier’s shoulders dropped slightly, as if he were experiencing a great loss of some magnitude. Then, he readjusted his stance and readied for orders. “Escort the ambulance back to UNIT base,” he told the paramedics. 

Donna shook her head. Shame, she thought. So many people were lost today. She hadn’t experienced the last few alien invasions, being preoccupied during each. Before, she always felt sort of left out, considering how much her friends had to discuss after the events. She didn’t feel that way anymore. Not after what she had seen. 

Donna left her place from behind the truck and walked out into the street. Maybe she could get a closer look?

Yet, in the distance, she spotted a woman sprinting towards her. The young woman looked desperate, frantically making her way towards the ambulance. 

Donna stopped, concerned at the blonde’s desperation. 

“What happened? What did they find?” Exclaimed the woman, near breathless. She frantically turned to face Donna. “I'm sorry, did they find someone?” Her eyes begged for answers, and Donna felt compelled to offer something.

“I don't know,” Donna admitted, shaking her head. She was working with limited information. “A bloke called the Doctor, or something.”

A painful look appeared on the woman’s face. “Well, where is he?” She asked, pleading. 

Donna frowned. “They took him away. He's dead.”

The woman’s face went pale, as a merged expression of shock and grief overtook her. Poor thing, Donna thought. 

“I'm sorry, did you know him?” Donna consoled, trying her best to make the woman feel better. “I mean, they didn't say his name. Could be any doctor.”

The blonde woman walked a few steps away, that same look of disappointment on her face. 

“I came so far,” the woman said, painfully. 

Donna’s face softened, feeling terrible for the stranger. “It could be anyone,” she reasoned.

While the woman remained frozen, she quickly turned around and made eye contact with Donna. Her eyes suggested distant recognition, but Donna had no idea why. She had never met this woman before. 

“What's your name?” The blonde asked.

“Donna,” she responded automatically. Her brows furrowed, confused at the other woman’s tone. “And you?”

The blonde woman’s eyes widened briefly before her gaze changed into a far-off stare. She was lost in thought. “Oh, I was just passing by. I shouldn't even be here. This is wrong,” she said, her eyes occasionally drifting to Donna’s back. “It's wrong. This is so wrong.”

Oh god, Donna thought, not that look again. What the hell do people keep staring at?

“Sorry, what was it?” The blonde woman’s voice raised, as she investigated Donna closely. “Donna what?”

Donna began to grow frustrated. “Why do you keep looking at my back?”

“I'm not,” the other woman defended.

“Yes, you are. You keep looking behind me. You're doing it now. What is it?” She argued, turning around to look behind her shoulder. “What's there? Did someone put something on my back?”

When she turned her head back around, the blonde woman in the purple jacket was gone. 

Donna went silent, looking in different directions to see where they could have run off to. However, they were nowhere to be found. She shook her head, trying not to think much of it. Besides, it's not like she knew the person. Donna would probably never see her again anyway. 

Sighing, Donna continued to walk down the road. She thought it might be best if she started to find her way back home, feeling a sudden urge to go and hug her grandfather. Despite the horrific circumstances, he was probably thrilled at the sight of aliens. He was always searching for them in that old telescope of his. So, Donna kept wandering, hoping she’d manage to head back where she needed to go. Sometimes, these city streets felt limitless, each branching out into diverging paths. Who knew where they could lead? Reaching the end of the road, Donna contemplated both ways, before deciding to turn left.