Chapter Text
It had been two years since they shared that kiss on Dålig Ulv Stranden, Bay Wolf Bay in Norway. The initial sting of being left on that beach was equally hard on both of them, but after they realized that he did it because he wanted them to be happy, with each other, the way he couldn’t be, it made it better.
For a while, this Doctor felt abandoned by his only family member. Definitely the last of his kind, now. Rose felt unwanted and unloved by the man she’d grown to love and spent so long searching for.
Rose was consoled by the man who shared his face, his thoughts and his feelings. Soon, she came to realize that this Doctor, the man who was now her true Doctor, had the same, if not more, love in his one heart than the Time Lord Doctor had in two. He did in fact share everything the other Doctor did prior to his “birth”. He was the same man. A man who was taking his own path in life. The slow path.
It was hard for them to celebrate their first anniversary, because it was the last time they would ever see him again, but it was also the day they became officially domestic. They learned to live with it and even though they both still thought of him, they were happy.
The part-human Doctor had a feeling that his counterpart had regenerated. Something changed in him when it happened. He knew that feeling, even though for the first time in his very long life, he didn’t have to live through the glowing pain.
The Doctor wondered how he looked, how he acted, what he wore. He suspected that he would wear something silly, because he had done leather jackets and pin-striped suits and after losing Rose, he knew he’d have to be silly to mask the pain. He remembered how it felt to lose her and he counted his blessings every day, because she was his — as short as a lifetime was, they’d share it and it would be fantastic.
On the eve of their second anniversary, the Doctor made an appointment with Rose’s stepfather, Pete Tyler. Pete was a very busy man, being the owner of Vitex and the head of Torchwood. Although, technically her stepfather, Pete considered Rose his daughter and Rose considered him her dad.
He accepted the Doctor right away and to the Doctor’s surprise, so did Jackie.
The Doctor knocked on Pete’s office door.
“I have to get off here, Jake. The Doctor’s coming by for a visit. Yeah, I’ll call you later. K, bye. Come on in, Doctor.”
“Pete! How’re things?”
“Oh, well you know. Another day at Torchwood. Never a dull moment, is it?”
“Hardly. No dull days in the Tyler clan, for sure. How’re Jackie and my buddy, Tony doing?”
“Good, good. Tony keeps asking when you’ll stop by for a game of football. I tell him you’re very busy, but he’ll have none of it, I’m afraid. You should pop in next chance you get. Jackie’ll be thrilled to fix you a cup of tea, I’m sure.”
“Do love a good cup o’ tea. ‘Specially Jackie’s. Woman can’t boil water without burning it, but she can make a mean cuppa,” the Doctor said, not really to Pete, but more in a reminiscent way.
“I won’t confirm or deny the cooking statement, but I do agree about the tea,” Pete said with a chuckle. “So! What can I do for you, Doctor?”
“Well, I’m not all too familiar with Earthly customs, especially not in your world, but I figured that this would be appreciated anyway. I’d like to ask you for a favor. Would it be at all possible for you to grant me Rose’s hand in marriage?”
Pete sat back in his chair. He didn’t have a telling look, but he was contemplating his answer. The Doctor thought this would be a doozy. Pete liked him, he liked Pete. Why was it, then, that Pete had to think about it?
“Under one condition.”
The Doctor scooted to the edge of the very comfortable chair he was sitting in, suddenly feeling quite uncomfortable.
“Oh, and what is that?” The Doctor finally responded.
“It’s not really a condition so much as a request. The answer is ‘yes,’ regardless, by the way. When Jackie came here to be with me, she brought over her engagement and wedding rings that she had with her first husband. She told me that she wanted to give it to Rose one day and that she hoped Rose would wear it and that she would want it, even though she didn't know her dad very well.
“If you would like, I could arrange for you to get it from Jackie and if you haven’t gotten a ring already, you could use it to propose to Rose with. I bought Jackie another one when she agreed to marry me. I understand if you don’t want to do that, but I know it would mean a lot to Jackie.”
“Pete Tyler, I would be honoured and provided Rose agrees to marry me, I know she will be honoured too.”
The Doctor stood and they shook hands.
“I’m going to call Jackie and tell her to expect you.”
“Thank you. It means the world and I’ve seen some worlds.”
They both chuckled. As the Doctor walked out of Pete’s office, he heard Pete’s side of the conversation with Jackie.
“Jacks, the Doctor is stopping by to get the ring. I know. It is about time. Calm down! Let Rose say ‘yes’ first before you go out buying magazines and things. Okay. See you for dinner. Love you too.”
The Doctor smiled and made his way out of the building and to his hopefully soon-to-be mother-in-law’s house.