Journey's Beginning

The Doctor and Rose spent the next several weeks moving into the flat the Time Lord had arranged for them. Boxes of her things were moved from Jackie's to thier new residence. It wasn't large but perfect for the two of them. It was qaint but it was there's and they would finally have the privacy they had been craving the few months he had become part of her life on Earth. Tonight was the big night, thier first night sleeping at the place that, as of tonight, they would call home.

It had been a good but long day at work and both were more than ready to greet the weekend. Thier daily life together was becoming more and more natural. Being around eachother every day all day was as natural as breathing. And that was the way they liked it.

They took the tube and got off at the station nearest to their new furnished flat. Rose tried to make their usual conversation but The Doctor wouldn’t hardly look at her. This was odd for many reasons, the first being the fact that since his human arrival to London he rarely took his eyes off her. They had been staring at eachother since she brought him home with her all of two months ago. She could count the number of times they had been apart in the last several weeks on one hand, the few hours from yesterday included.

"Mr. Smith?" she said a bit loud, trying her best to get his attention and clear the blank pale expression from his face. "Aren't you excited? This is our first trip home alone with everything in its place waiting for us at our flat."

"That it is," he sighed, still deep in thought with a far away gaze.

The lights flickered off and on as the passengers swayed with the winding track. It was a perfectly mundane scene but Rose still thought he would be more enthusiastic. From the hour the TARDIS had disappeared from their sight, The Doctor had been so thrilled about each and every little event that had taken place. Quiet nights in front of the telly, their Torchwood experiences together, finding a place to call their home, moving in, and joining the Tyler family had all meant so much to him. Why not this?

They joined the crowd in making their way to the stairs. She took his hand so they wouldn't be separated in the five o'clock traffic of bodies. With each step they took, he appeared more nervous. By the time they silently turned onto the street they now called home, he was completely white and breathing in an odd rhythm. He suddenly stopped, turned towards her, grabbed her by the shoulders, and looked her in the eyes.

"I need you to close your eyes and promise not to peek," he commanded, using the stern tone she remembered from many of their journeys across treacherous planets.

"Alright," she replied, closing her eyes becoming more nervous by the second. "Is everything alright, Doctor?"

"Just do as I say. I'll lead you the rest of the way." He took her hand and they slowly walked until they were in front of their new building. "Alright, we're going up the stairs. Everything is alright. I won't let you fall, I promise."

"I'm a bit confused. What's going on? You're acting very strange. If you're nervous, why shouldn't I be nervous?"

By the time he could answer, they were up the stairs that lead to the door of their flat.

"We're here. I know exactly where we are. We're at our door, aren't we?" she asked, panic lining her tone.

"Alright then," he said before taking a deep breath. "Open those beautiful browns, Rose Tyler."

Her eyes filled with tears the moment they fluttered open. The simple door that she had seen her last visit here, while unloading the last of their belongings, had been replaced with another. This door was painted TARDIS blue with silver windows painted on to look like the blue box she loved so much. A thin extra board had been placed at the top of the door reading "Police public call Box", just like the real thing. Another pale sign was hung with the smaller print she had seen a thousand times before entering the TARDIS. In its entirety, the door looked like a two dimensional replica of the blue box that meant everything to them. To her.

This explained the few hours he was missing yesterday.

"Oh, Doctor," she gasped with bright teary eyes, "it's perfect."

When she turned her gaze to him, he was still more serious than she would have preferred. He knelt on one knee before she could make another comment about his unusual mood. A different sort of gasp crossed her lips as she covered her mouth, eyes larger and more teary than before.

"Rose Tyler," he began, finally smiling that quirky wonderful adventurous smile, "the day I met you, the greatest adventure of my life began. I was just a lonely clever man with a brilliant blue box before I met you. All we've been through in the past and all that's in our new future, it all means so much more to me than you will ever be able to comprehend. You're courageous, fantastic, and more than I ever dreamed of finding in all my findings combined. You're beautiful, kind, and never afraid to be you and do what's right."

"Doctor."

"Rose Tyler… I love you, with all of my heart and being. You have been my best friend from our first day together to our worst days apart. And right now, before we walk into our first home to sleep here for the first time, I need to ask you a question."

His favorite smile of all shinned on her face. Her eyes were full of tears that streamed down her cheeks and he could feel every bit of love she had always felt for him. As his heart beat fiercely, he blinked and attempted to say the words he never imagined saying to anyone, much less a human girl that stole any heart he ever had. The Doctor pulled out an open blue velvet box with the most beautiful ring she had ever seen- a diamond with a small blue sapphire on each side with a decorative silver band.

"Will you marry me? Be mine for the rest of time as we know it? Be my wife forever?"

"Forever is an awfully long time," she teased with a loving playful voice.

"I only have one life to live, my darling, and I want to live every last day of it with you… as my wife."

She looked serious for a few seconds, a few moments of doubt where her eyes sunk to the floor.

Then she suddenly looked up at him with that mischievous grin of hers.

"Got cha," she sang. "Of course! Yes!"

He laughed while rising to his feet as she threw her arms around his neck. The happy man picked up his bride to be and spun the laughing girl around in front of the blue door. They kissed before he set her back on the floor. With arms still wrapped around eachother tightly, they stared into eachother's misty eyes. Even The Doctor was tearing up a bit.

"I love you," she blissfully whispered, grin still wide in amazement.

"I love you," he replied with color returning to his face. He placed the posh ring on her finger as she squealed in delight. "Now, shall we, future Mrs. Smith?" His arm was offered for her to take.

"Absolutely, Mr. Smith," she replied in the same proper mocking tone and linking her arm with his.

He unlocked the door with his free hand and opened it full of pride. The room had a few new modifications, a few surprises for Rose. A brand new blue couch was against the wall facing an expensive telly set she had never seen. Thin silver curtains danced in the breeze making the room dreamlike, perhaps something from a film. Life with The Doctor usually seemed like a dream or perfect random scenes from films. Each day was still an adventure and the future was as much a mystery as it was in their traveling days.

"Welcome home, my love," he whispered in her ear with a lover's tone.

Rose squealed and jumped into his arms laughing. They ran around the slightly improved flat and moved a few more items around. Once they were inside they made dinner, kissing and flirting the entire time the way lovers do.

And that night, there was something special about the way he whispered "Good night, my love" to her just before they fell asleep happily tangled together.