Stars

She walks outside and finds him lying on the grass, staring at the night sky, humming gently. At the sound of her approaching, he leans up and turns his head to look at her, the smile on his face growing impossibly wide. She tries to smile back, but a part of her, the part of her, which still cannot believe this is real, stops her.

She does not know how to sort out the infinite variety of feelings, which is running through her. She is happy he is here, she really is, but a part of her cannot help but feel guilty. She feels as though she betrayed her other Doctor, by choosing this man. Not to mention the anger, at having been left behind again, without being given as much as a chance to say goodbye, not given the chance to choose, which life she would want.

Without a word, she lies down next to him and stares at the stars, remembering the years she spent in the TARDIS with him, going on wonderful adventures, saving planets and running. Suddenly, the Doctor puts his arm around her as if he is expecting she will pull away from his touch. When she does not do that, he gently pulls her closer, still allowing her some distance. She lets him. Despite her conflicting emotions, she needs to be close to him, to prove to herself that this is real, that he is really and truly here with her, prepared to spend the rest of his life with her.

"That," he says and points, "is Canopus. It's the brightest star in the Carina constellation. Also known as the Star of the Old Man."

"So it fits you then," she jokes.

"Oi! Technically, I'm only about a week old!" he says. "I am very, very insulted Rose."

"You'll be fine. You definitely still have your Time Lord ego and it takes more than a little poke at your age to bruise that."

He chuckles and she cannot hold back a smile of her own. She points at one of the brightest stars. "What's that one called?"

"I am very, very disappointed Rose. It's the one J. K. Rowling named one of her characters after. That's Sirius, the dog star."

"Are you serious?" she asks, smiling at him.

"No, I'm the Doctor," he replies, grinning at her. However, her smile fades and she pulls away from him. She knows it is him, she does, but she does have her doubts. The Doctor would never settle down, the Doctor would never have told her he loved her. He was the master of avoiding the unspoken feelings between them. But this man, he had done just that. He had told her what she had been longing to hear ever since their first adventure, when he had been a grumpy man with a Northern accent and stunning blue eyes.

"Look, Rose," the Doctor says, pulling her back to reality. "I can't understand how difficult this is for you. I wish I could, because then I could help you through this. But I am the Doctor. I have all of his emotions, all his memories. And if you do not think he loves you, then you are completely wrong. He does love you and he wishes he could be the one to spend the remainder of his life with you, but he only wants what is best for you."

"I know," she says, unable to stop the tears from falling from her eyes. "And I want to be with you forever, but I just feel as though I am betraying him, cheating on him, but I love both of you."

"Oh, Rose." He hugs her tightly and she finally lets the tears fall, sobs wracking through her body. He never lets go off her, clutching her even tighter. "It's going to be okay. I'm here, I'm here, and I promise I will never leave you, no matter what happens. And you know, what he would say if he were here?" Rose shook her head slightly. "He would say 'Have a good life. Do that for me, Rose. Have a fantastic life.'"

"Do you think so?" she asks, wiping away her tears.

"Rose, I am him. Of course, this is what he would want for you. I know it's difficult to let go of someone you love, but don't let that stop you from having a brilliant life. And if you think being with me is too hard and will always remind you of him, I could always... you know, stand down."

"Oh, shut up, you stupid part Time Lord," she says and kisses him passionately. Within a second, he is kissing her back and it is wonderful, brilliant, fantastic, and mind-blowing, just like the kiss on the beach. And it is the beginning of their forever.