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Rose clenched her eyes closed and counted to ten. When she reopened them it was still there - the TARDIS. She’d been searching for it - for him - for so long. It felt like a lifetime and maybe it had been. Time hopping across dimensions. God, it could have even been multiple lifetimes for him. She hoped he hadn’t forgotten her. Maybe he didn’t even want her back. She grasped her key tighter and lifted it to the lock. She paused, hand trembling.
Taking a breath, she chidded herself, “Oh, just do it already!”
“It sounds like you’re trying to convince yourself,” Rose flipped around to see a handsome man approaching her, “whether or not to break into my TARDIS.” The man crossed his velvet clad arms and leaned against the side of the timeship. With a grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes, he added, “I wouldn’t, if I were you.”
Rose whispered, “Doctor?”
He tilted his head. “Do I know you?”
“It’s me. You...don’t you recognize me?” Rose backed up until she hit the door with a thud.
He straightened and looked her up and down. “Master? Eh, blonde and quite pretty this go around, but you’re still not getting into my TARDIS. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” The Doctor wrapped his hand around Rose’s bicep and began to move her out of the way. He froze and his eyes went briefly out of focus. “Rose Tyler.”
“Doctor? What’s going on? Master?” She cleared her throat and stood straighter. “Do you not want-”
“Ah, Rose Tyler,” his husky voice sent shivers down her spine, “I didn’t recognize you at first because you’re from my future. And the Master is another Time Lord, always pops up with a different face.”
“But I don’t- How’d you know my name then?”
“When I touched your arm, I, erm, the bond echoed back.”
“Bond?”
He blushed and ran a hand through his luxurious curls. “Ah, er, our marriage bond. I should have realized immediately when I couldn’t read your timelines, but the Master can hide his as well. Again, I’m sorry.” Rose stood wide eyed and slack jawed. “Are you quite alright, my dear?”
“Marriage bond? But...but we’re not married.”
“Oh, eh, that’s a bit...unusual. Typically it would need to be there for one of us. Are you sure-” He cut himself off with a shake of the head. “Nevermind that. It appears the bond echoed back even further than I expected. Well, we may not be married yet...either of us, but...it looks like we will be one day. And as such...” He rubbed his hands together in delight and gave her a mad grin that so reminded her of her first Doctor it caused a pang in her heart. “...my darling wife, what can I do for you?”
“I...but...what?”
“The TARDIS obviously put me here for a reason. I wasn’t trying to come and after we got here, she simply refused to leave. I can only conclude that we were waiting for you.”
Rose bit her lip. “But if we haven’t even met, isn’t it dangerous for you to be here helping me. I mean the timelines. The wrong word-”
His eyes softened. “Brilliant, Rose. Absolutely brilliant. I can see why I...ah...” He jumped suddenly and pushed open the TARDIS doors, grabbing Rose’s hand and dragging her behind him. “Time Lord. I can make myself forget anything, including any future knowledge that can potentially damage my personal timeline.”
He ran up to the console as Rose spun around gaping at the Victorian library she’d walked into. She suddenly knew exactly what Sarah Jane meant all those years ago. Seeing the beauty of the TARDIS interior and loving it, but with that small hint of yearning for the room as she remembered it.
The TARDIS sent a wave of love and understanding to Rose.
The Doctor gasped. “But how’d-”
Rose turned and saw shock written plainly across the Doctor’s face. “What?”
“The TARDIS...she...you…the two of you can communicate?”
Rose smiled and sauntered toward the Doctor and the console. “The TARDIS and I have a bond.” She ran her fingers along the controls. “Isn’t that right, darling?” Her grin brightening with the pulse of response she got back from the sentient ship. “Not a marriage bond, but-”
The Doctor moved faster than Rose had been expecting and she found herself caged between his arms and the console. She looked up into his eyes and saw them dark with arousal. He dropped his gaze to her mouth and fought to control his breathing. She licked her lips and felt the muscles in his arms tense against her.
The TARDIS hummed her amusement at the antics of her thief and her wolf. Pilot and sister.
With a shaky breath, the Doctor asked, “Which me should I take you back to?”
Rose reached up and rested her hands against his pounding hearts. “Tryna get rid of me already?”
“If I don’t take you back now, I’m afraid I’ll never let you go.”
“But you just met me.”
“Same man, Rose. If I’m having this response to you after just meeting you, I can’t imagine how much I’m missing you in the future.”
Rose looked away.
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
“‘S just...what if future you doesn’t want me back?”
He cupped her cheek. “I can guarantee that's not the case.”
“But I'm not the same person I was when...I've had to do things...I'm afraid you’ll be disappointed in me.”
“Oh, Rose, I don't know what you know of my past, but I've done things I'm not proud of too. If you could forgive me my sins and find it in your heart to love this old man-”
“Course, I do.”
“-then I'm sure that whatever it was you've done, I can forgive you. But what I'd really like is if you could forgive yourself, because-
“But you don't even-”
“I don't need to know what you did, because I know you.”
“We met 10 minutes ago!”
The Doctor rubbed his thumb over her temple. Rose nearly went weak at the knees as emotions flooded through her. She felt as expansive as the universe and as tiny as an ant. She felt all the knowledge in the world and life lived over lifetimes vibrating within her - understanding and passion...and love. When he broke the connection, she stumbled, but he was there to catch her.
“I know you. You. Your soul. And it’s beautiful.”
He wiped away a stray tear from under her eye.
“You really think he’ll...you’ll feel the same when I get back to you?”
“I know I will. And I’ll make you a deal, if I’ve lost my mind in the future and reject you, then I promise that I...this me...will come back for you.”
Rose laughed at that. “Right.”
“No.” Her breath caught in her throat at his change in tone. “I’m serious, Rose. I would defy the laws of time and steal you from myself...”
He brought himself into her personal space, and leaned down slowly, giving her a chance to stop him, before he finally caught her lips in a blazing kiss.
“...in a heartsbeat.”
She nodded slowly as her fingers traced her lips.
He kissed her on the nose then jumped back to the controls. “Now which me shall I return you to?”