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Rose collapsed against the Doctor, her hands braced on his chest. He immediately wrapped his arm around her, keeping her upright even as he plucked the dart from her shoulder. She looked at him with bleary eyes and slurred, just before she passed out, “Feels like you have two hearts in there.” The Doctor caught her and scooped her up, running for the TARDIS.
Rose regained consciousness a couple of hours later in the infirmary on the TARDIS. The blanket covering her was soft and warm. She registered the sensation of someone stroking her hair, and it felt so good and comfortable that she decided she wasn't quite ready to open her eyes yet.
“Sweetheart? Back with me?” She heard the Doctor’s voice, as if from far away.
Rose nodded, and immediately regretted it. She forced her eyes open. It felt like the room was spinning, even as she rested on the bed, so she blinked hard. “Yeah,” she mumbled, struggling to focus. The Doctor’s face swam into view. “There y’are.”
He chuckled. “Right here the whole time, me. Glad to see you're back.”
“What happened? M’head’s poundin’,” Rose moaned.
“You ran ahead of me, Miss Jeopardy-Friendly. If you’d’ve waited, I woulda been hit by the dart. And instead of you gettin’ knocked for a loop, I woulda only been slightly dizzy. Superior physiology, remember?” He gave her a cocky little smile but she could see the strain around his eyes.
“You never let me forget,” Rose quipped, trying to lighten the mood.
The Doctor checked her IV and ran some diagnostics. “Lucky you, Rose Tyler. You'll have a hell of a headache for an hour or so but you're through the worst of it. Next time, listen!” Rose was staring at him. “What? Do I have two heads?”
“No….but I think I dreamed you had two hearts,” Rose replied. Her memory of everything after the dart attack was hazy but she was fairly confident that she remembered that part, anyway. Maybe.
“Didn't dream it,” the Doctor murmured. “Cause I do.”
“Yeah? Pull the other one,” Rose retorted with a snort.
“Why's that so hard to believe? Got two hearts, me.” He sat next to her on the bed, taking both of her hands and laying them on his chest. The wool of his green jumper was slightly scratchy against her palm, but she was too focused on the feeling of a heartbeat under each palm to notice. Her breath was stolen and it wasn't due to her current medical condition.
“Blimey,” Rose gasped.
“Got two livers and an extra rib on each side, to go along with it. Also a respiratory bypass, which is good for those moments when breathin’ isn't a good option. Told ya my physiology was superior,” he explained with a grin.
“There you go, thinkin’ you're so impressive again.” Rose hadn't moved her hands. The sensation of the double beats was comforting. She wanted to slide her palms under the jumper but decided against it.
“I am so impressive,” he assured her after a few seconds. He briefly debated sliding her hands under the jumper. Before he could shut down the thought of her palms against his skin she interrupted him.
“Can I hear ‘em?” Rose asked, unable to resist. “Gimme your stethoscope.”
“Demandin’, aren't you. You're the patient, not me.” He handed her the stethoscope from the bedside table anyway.
Rose sat, up, ignoring the dizziness. She impulsively pushed the hem of his jumper up, baring his chest to her. “Lemme check you out. I mean...erm….”. She hastily stuck the earpieces in, hoping she didn't look as flushed as she thought she did.
“Have at it, Dr.Tyler,” the Doctor chuckled, sounding rather more calm than he actually felt. “Wanna check my livers out too?”
“Shhh….” Rose placed the stethoscope against his skin, listening to both sides. She smiled up at him in wonder, hearing for the first time that double heartbeat that would soon become the sound of home.
*********
Three weeks after Bad Wolf Bay...
The Doctor collapsed against Rose, holding her tightly as his breathing began to slow, aftershocks still coursing through both their bodies. He could feel her heart beating hard against his chest. He rested his forehead against hers. “I hope I never get used to how amazing this feels with you,” he gasped. He wanted to memorize every sensation of their first time together.
“I love you, my Doctor,” she murmured, kissing him lightly. He rolled off of her eventually, to lie on his back. She snuggled in next to him, her head on his shoulder, her hand resting on his single pounding heart. She raised up to lean over and kiss his chest. “Has it started to feel more normal....with just the one heart?”
The Doctor sighed, then spoke softly. “It’s gotten better. I'm used to it now, I think. This body has never had anything but one heart, so all the discomfort was in my head, really.”
“Doesn't mean it’s not real. And this body might have only ever had one heart, but your memories are of a body with two. Of course it’s gonna feel strange.”
He dropped a kiss on the crown of her head. “Well, I can truly tell you that it’s better now.”
She smiled at him. “I'm glad.” She felt the Doctor sigh heavily. “What, love?”
He was silent for a while, then finally spoke when she propped herself up to look him in the eyes.
“Is the same for you? I remember how you used to snuggle with me in the library. You'd be about to doze off against my chest and you said…”
“Your hearts beating sounded like home? I remember that.” He nodded. “It’s still you and me, Doctor. It’s different, but it still feels like home to me.”
The Doctor wrapped his arms more tightly around her, and this time the sigh was one of contentment. “You know I still have two hearts. You're my second heart.”
Rose raised up again and gently kissed the skin over his heart, giving him the most pleasant goosebumps. “Forever, Doctor.”
“Rose Tyler, I love you,” he whispered as she settled in, her head resting against him. They were both home again after a very long time away.