Author's Note: This one shot was another draft I had from when I was roleplaying back in 2013, although I edited it quite a bit. I also added the video above because it's one of my favorites and has a similar theme to the one shot. I hope y'all enjoy it <3

Rose walked into the flat she shared with her mum, exhausted from another long day at work. Sitting down on the sofa, she lifted her hand to the light to gaze at the bulbous diamond ring on her finger and sighed. She and the Human Doctor were now engaged. She should be happy right now, exuberant even. After all, she did love him...even if he wasn't the man she remembered.

It's not as if she hadn't tried to move on, move past her memories. They went out on dates - the Human Doctor taking her dancing almost every night - and eventually, she accepted his proposal of marriage. Yet...something still seemed to hold her back from taking the next big step.

Suddenly, a knock resounded at the door that snapped her out of her reverie. Getting up from the sofa, she crossed to the door before wrenching it open. Confused at the sight of the stranger in the brown coat and red bow-tie standing there, she couldn't help but frown.

"Yes?" she greeted, tilting her head slightly.

A grin full of childlike glee slowly spread from ear-to-ear as he gazed at her, strands of shaggy brown hair falling across his forehead.

"It's me, Rose. The Doctor," he breathed out.

Her dark brown eyes widened in surprise, a gasp emitting from her throat. No, it couldn't be! And yet, somehow...somehow she could see bits of her Doctor within this new visage. Yes...yes, he was the Doctor!

Rose's hand briefly covered her mouth before a laugh escaped and within moments, she found herself in the Doctor's arms. He hugged her back tightly, afraid that if he let go for just as split second, she'd be gone. Rose buried her head into the crook of his neck, breathing in the scent of him clinging to his tweed coat. It had been so unbearably long since she had seen him last. He looked different and changed...but she knew that deep down, he was still the same...still her Doctor.

When he finally set her back on her feet, a huge smile was plastered on Rose's face as she looked up into his eyes.

"Oh, come in, come in," she said, ushering him inside when she realized they both were still standing in the doorway.

As he walked in, she shut the door behind him, "So...how have you been, Doctor?"

"I've been good! I mean, not obviously as good as when we were traveling together but good, you know?" he rambled on, evidently nervous as he fidgeted with his bow tie, "How have you been?"

The words almost wouldn't come, she had been left utterly speechless by his appearance. It had been such a long time, it was hard to believe he was actually here standing in the middle of her flat.

"Um, good. Yeah, really good. Mum just had her baby. So now I have a little brother. Dad's started his own business. So I guess you could say we've all been pretty busy...how 'bout you? Got any new companions?" she asked, hoping he hadn't found anyone to replace her.

The Doctor hesitated a moment before replying, "A couple actually. Amy and Rory. They're fun to have around, keep things interesting,"

Her heart sank a bit, but she tried not to let it show as she faked a smile his way, "Well, that's good. I don't like the thought of you being up there in space all by yourself."

Suddenly, she remembered the engagement ring on her finger. She put her hand in her jeans pocket then and subtly slipped the ring off her finger. For a reason she couldn't explain, she didn't want the Doctor to know about her engagement...Maybe it was because she had those old feelings she had for him were starting to resurface with his visit. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach, that familiar pang. She had thought she'd let go of all that that day on the beach, the day he left. But as soon as she was back in his arms...those feelings came rushing back. She wondered if he had felt it too.

Suddenly, a thought came to her. A thought she had attempted to tamp down over the past year that the Doctor hadn't been in her life, a figment of the past...

"Doctor...that last day. The day on the beach. You started to say something...but you didn't get the chance to finish..."

The Doctor paused, fingers lingering in the cluster of wrapped-candies nestled in a bowl on the coffee table. He knew she would ask...it had always been Rose's way, so direct. He knew and yet...he truly didn't know what to say. Did he love her still? Of course! Just because his face had changed didn't mean his hearts had. But...if he admitted it now, it would only complicate things. For the both of them.

Instead, he chose silence. And it was this silence that caused Rose the most pain. She nodded minutely, momentarily glancing down at her hands resting in her lap. He had forgotten. How could he have forgotten that? She thought he was going to tell her he loved her...

Rose shut her eyes tightly, trying not to cry. It had meant so much to her when he nearly said it that day. And now he couldn't even remember...Maybe he wasn't The Doctor she remembered. Maybe he had changed.

"Rose..." he breathed softly, flicking his green eyes to meet hers as he thought about what he was going to say next.

She turned her face upward, meeting his gaze head on, "How could you have forgotten? I mean...I know that you regenerated and that you look different...but you've always been the same on the inside..."

She shut her eyes once more.

"You always remember." she finished softly.

He opened his mouth, perhaps to apologize or perhaps only to console her when the phone rang. They both jumped, startled by the sound. Glancing at him once before getting up, Rose strode over to the phone before picking it up on the third ring.

"Hello?"

A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, the Doctor only hearing her part of the conversation as he sat on the couch watching her.

"Yeah...yeah, I know. Okay. I love you too. See you soon, sweetheart."

Rose smiled as she hung up the phone. He was so amazing, her Human Doctor. Everything she wanted and more. The Doctor coming back had almost made her doubt her newfound relationship. She shook her head, feeling silly. She looked up then, noticing that The Doctor had been watching her, waiting on her to explain who it was.

"That was the Doctor...well, the Human one. He will be here in just a few minutes."

Nervously, he pulled on his red bow-tie with two fingers before dropping his hand. He knew it was time to go. In fact, he knew he never truly should have come. But when the opportunity arose to see her...just one more time...he couldn't give that up. But he did have to give her up. It was past time...

Feeling an ache begin in his twin hearts, he sighed as he ran a hand through his unruly hair.

"Rose, I'm sorry. I barged in on you like this. It's not right. I just...we never did get a goodbye, did we? And you were one of the best, you deserved a better goodbye,"

Unshed tears were swimming in Rose's dark gaze as she looked back at the man who had meant so much to her long ago. Nodding in agreement, she sighed.

"Yeah, we were pretty good together, weren't we? One of a kind..." she trailed off then, wanting the moment to last forever but knowing it couldn't.

The Doctor stuck a hand out then, "Goodbye, Rose Tyler. Thank you for all the best years."

The moment seemed to be stuck in slow-motion as she glanced from his waiting hand to the waiting smile on his face, almost like being trapped in honey. She didn't know if he was the first to break the moment or she but within seconds, his arms were wrapped around her slight frame and she clung to the Doctor as if he were her lifeline, fingers digging into his brown coat.

All the memories came crashing over her like a tidal wave, dragging her out to a sea of joy and sadness melting together. But good things always come to an end entirely too fast. Almost as soon as it had happened, the sound of car pulling up outside could be heard in the tiny apartment. They broke apart then as she opened the door, watery smiles were shared and just like that, the Doctor was out of her life once more.

He seemed to nod once to the Human Doctor, who was sporting a Nirvana t-shirt and faded pair of denim jeans, as he passed by. Her own Doctor shot her a look, eyebrows knitted together in confusion as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Who was that, love? I don't think I know him."

Rose could hear the insecurity lacing his words, that nervous edge she feared he would always have. And it was in this moment, she realized how hard it must be for him to feel like a copy of her true love. Like he was a knock-off replica of what she wanted most. She squeezed him tight then in a gesture of reassurance.

"Just someone from my past, sweetheart. Nothing to worry about. It's just you and me now, how it's meant to be."

Her words were soft and so was his mouth as it collided into hers, the warmth of his kiss assuring her that she truly had made the right choice.