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It was near on impossible for him to lie still. Who could blame him? It had been three years since the Doctor had lost Rose and now he finally had her in his arms again. He was lucky enough that she’d agreed to stay in his hotel room with him for the night, he wasn't going to bugger it all up by waking her with gentle caresses, the soft touch of his lips against her temple, despite how much he wished he could. He was quite happy to just have her half-naked sleeping form safely in his arms. And yet he couldn't help but desire more. Nervous excitement hummed throughout his body. He knew that if he were standing he’d be bouncing on the balls of his feet, however he just laid there as his legs and hands twitched occasionally with wanting.
“I can feel you starin’,” Rose mumbled, voice thick with sleep.
“Hmm?”
The Doctor’s face reddened with embarrassment. He hadn’t even realised how much he’d been looking.
“Sorry.”
“S’fine,” she sighed. “‘S’been a while so… I get it.”
Rose slowly blinked her eyes open before smiling at the Doctor gently.
“Hello,” she said cheerily.
“Hello,” he replied, breaking into the wide grin he often reserved just for her.
Rose snuggled further into the Doctor’s body and he was certain that they’d be okay.
::
The Doctor stood in the hall of the Tyler’s manor, clenching and unclenching his fists. He really hadn't wanted to do this, yet he couldn't see another way. He wanted nothing more than to be with Rose, not just as friends. He wanted to share a life with her, be romantic with her, settle down; all of the gloriously human things that were once out of his reach. Even now he could have all of this, and with the woman he loved, it still seemed so impossible. Rose had been pulling away and acting distant with him for weeks. He was tired of walking on eggshells. He just wanted their life to begin, or at least to know if they had a future together. He had just assumed they did after their kiss on the beach, yet it now seemed he might have been wrong. He couldn't just go and ask Rose, that might scare her away even further, which meant there was only one option left. The only person in the universe who knew Rose Tyler just as well as the Doctor, if not better, was sat in the kitchen drinking her tea. The Doctor took a deep breath and stepped into the kitchen. He had to ask her advice about Rose before he lost his nerve.
“Alright, love?”
“Yeah,” breathed the Doctor. “Urm…” he tugged on his ear uncomfortably. “Could I talk to you for a moment please, Jackie?”
The Doctor sat staring into his cup of perfectly made tea. He’d missed Jackie’s tea making skills after the battle of Canary Wharf. She always got it just to his liking.
“What’s up, sweetheart?” Jackie asked as she reached across the kitchen table and placed her hands over his.
The Doctor sighed, leant back and rubbed his hands over his face. Jackie just looked at him patiently.
“Rose, does she - you can't tell her about this little chat by the way --”
“Oh no, I don't keep secrets from my daughter, Doctor.”
“Please, Jackie.”
“Okay, I promise I won't say anythin’... within reason.”
“Meaning?”
“Meanin’ if you're about to chicken out and make a run for it I’m gonna tell ‘er. I won't have you hurtin’ her.”
“I would never, I just… I’m worried that she doesn’t feel… she doesn't feel the same about me - the same as me. You’re her mother and you're very close, I just want to know… something .”
“Well then it’s Rose you need to be talkin’ to, Doctor. Not me.”
“It’s hard.”
“I know. Don't you think me and Pete went through the same thing? Bein’ the same people, but not. Bein’ different and the same all at once. It’s confusing, but when has anythin’ for us ever been simple, eh?”
The Doctor’s lips quirked up and he chuckled sadly.
“Talk to Rose.”
“Okay. Thank you, Jackie.”
“Ooo come ‘ere you!” Jackie got up and marched over to the Doctor, throwing her arms around him and hugging him tightly from behind.
“No, Jackie! Stop, put me - let g-get off!”
“Oh, shut up! I know you missed me too, ya big softie!”
::
It was near on impossible for him to lie still. Who could blame him? It had been five weeks since the Doctor and Rose had been reunited and now he finally had her in his arms again. He was so lucky that she’d agreed to spend the rest of her life with him. He was no longer worried about buggering it all up by waking her with gentle caresses and the soft touch of his lips against her temple. He had never been happier than he was now, with her naked sleeping form safely in his arms. Pure bliss hummed throughout his body. He knew that sleep would come for him soon. If only he had spoken to Jackie earlier. It turns out she wasn’t just good at making cups of tea, she also gave incredible advice.
“I can feel you starin’ again,” Rose mumbled, voice thick with sleep.
“Can’t help it.”
The Doctor placed a gentle kiss to the top of her head.
“Go to sleep, love,” Rose whispered into the darkness.
The Doctor made a contented sound in the back of his throat, before listening to Rose and falling into a deep slumber. The nightmares stayed at bay that night.