Always Her Doctor

    The Doctor stepped out into the London air, Amy and Rory Pond in his wake.
    "Now," he said, straightening his (cool) bow tie. "Just a quick stop for chips and then we're off to Anura."
    The trio walked into a small restaurant and stood in line. Well, Rory stood in line. While he was ordering two plates of chips and awkwardly asking for fish fingers and custard, the other two sat at a table by the front window.
    "Something is... wrong. And I don't exactly know what it is." The Doctor turned to his extremely red-headed companion. "That is usually very, very, bad."
    "Oh calm down, you worry wart!" Amy rolled her eyes. "Besides, Rory's already got the food, so we might as well stick around for a few minutes."
    "Don't tell me you want us to leave already," Rory said as he sat down in the booth next to his wife. "The whole store gave me a dirty look because of what you wanted, I'm not asking them to wrap it up!"
    "There's definitely something wrong here..." The Doctor stared out the window.
    "He never listens to me, does he?" Rory complained.
    Amy shrugged and popped a greasy chip in her mouth.
    The Doctor broke out of his trance and dug into his snack happily. "The Anurians have a whole country dedicated to catching fish! If they didn't the fish would overrun the planet--"
    "Are you alright?" Amy asked as he choked on a fish stick.
    "Yes, um, fine, but we should really go now." The Doctor dragged his companions out of their seats.
    "But--" Rory grabbed his basket of fried potatoey goodness.
    "In fact, we should get back to the TARDIS--" they nearly ran over a skinny man in a long tan coat.
    "Sorry," The Doctor said in a panic, dragging the Ponds off the floor. "we were just leaving. Come along, Ponds!"
    "What's the big rush?" the skinny man dug his hands into his pockets. "And do you happen to know what the date is?"
    "Doctor," Amy hissed in his ear. "Why is he wearing your suit? The old raggedy one from when I first met you?"
    "I'll explain later." he mumbled. The Doctor once again pulled his companions out the door. "We've got things to do," he shouted behind them. "and as a matter of fact, I don't!"
    Once they were past the shop window, The Doctor started walking briskly back to where the TARDIS was parked. "Now depending on who he's with, we have ten seconds to one minute--"
    "But who is he??"
    "Did you say something about a TARDIS?" the skinny man in the not-raggedy Doctor suit ran out to them, holding a bottle blonde's hand.
    "TARDIS? What's a TARDIS? That's not even a proper word, as I said, we were going. Come along, Ponds."
    "Ponds? You're dragging a random married couple through the streets of London like it's about to explode, why?" the skinny man demanded.
    "Because we're going to a completely boring place for boring people and we're late!"
    "Doctor, what are you doing--"
    "Amy!"
    "Did you say Doctor?" the blonde spoke up.
    Suppressing the urge to kiss her on that spot, the Doctor reminded himself of why they were leaving and quickly answered. "--Yes. She did. I'm Doctor Smith."
    "Oh, well, I'm Rose, and this is The Doctor." Rose gazed up at her Doctor.
    "Pleased to meet you." the Tenth Doctor shook the Eleventh's hand.
    "Yes, wonderful, brilliant, now we really need to leave--"
    "But Doctor--!"
    The Doctor finally gave in. He couldn't help but talk to her one more time. "Right, well, Ponds, seeing as The Doctor is as boring as we are, why don't you take him to the boring anonymous meeting we were going to in the museum?" he loved museums. It was his way of keeping score. It would give him at least fifteen minutes with her. His Rose.
    His past self bounced happily away with his confused companions.
    Rose started to follow, but The Doctor gently grabbed her arm.
    "Rose Tyler, I need to tell you something." he looked in her eyes. "But not here."

"How did you know my last name?"

"Trust me."
    He grabbed her hand an they ran, just for the sake of it. Just like old times. The Doctor and the wonderful, brilliant, perfect Rose, outrunning the universe.

They didn't stop until they reached his TARDIS. (at least he hoped it was his. But it was the right shade of blue) Rose looked at The Doctor, then back at the TARDIS.

Rose gave him a tight hug. "It's you!"

"It's me." The Doctor smiled and spun her around. He pulled out his key. "Shall we talk inside?"

"It's different. What happened?" Rose asked when she walked around the control room. "And why did you want to leave so badly? And why are you wearing that?"

"Bow ties are cool." The Doctor said defensively, straightening it. "And self conversations tend to be a little awkward. I prefer to avoid them all together."

Rose laughed. "'Doctor Smith'.  I'm surprised he-- I mean you-- bought that one."

The Doctor chuckled. "Yes, that was pretty thick of me."

"You should talk to him. He'd probably think it'd be brilliant." Rose beamed her beautiful smile that hadn't been seen by the Timelord for far too long.

"Maybe." The Doctor pretended to study the monitor as he blushed.

"Oh, c'mon then!" the blonde companion grabbed his hand and tugged him out the door.

"Rose,"

"Don't worry, it'll just be for a minute!"

"No, Rose." The Doctor pulled her into a stop and held her other hand.

"Please," he whispered. "can we just... Stay for a minute?"

Rose looked into his ancient eyes, confused. "Sure."

The Timelord pulled her into a tight hug, trying to capture her touch, her scent, her beautiful pink lips... Which he then kissed.

Rose started, surprised, but soon melted into his arms. They stood there, in the blue light of the TARDIS, kissing as if it was their first... And last. Which, of course, it was.

Finally, The Doctor broke off and gave his Rose a sad smile. He turned to the threesome standing in the background.

"I'm sorry," he said to his previous regeneration. He opened the door to his TARDIS. "Come along, Ponds."

"--Wait!" Rose ran forward, unknowingly mirroring what she did-- will do-- on that terrible day in Bad Wolf Bay.

The Eleventh Doctor looked at her as his current companions entered his ship. "I miss you." he nodded to the Tenth. "I miss you both."

He shut the bluest blue doors.

The Tenth Doctor held his companion's hand as she cried. She hugged him and put her head on his shoulder. Her Doctor. Always her Doctor.