He slams his hand on the grating below them, to shut her up. That's not how it happened. It didn't work and she just-- was gone.

"No, that's enough."

She keeps going and he is just done with it. "I said enough! You. Died. You took the vortex and and you killed the daleks and then it killed you. Too much for you, you idiot girl. Stupid blathering idiot!"

His head smacks back on the railing when he looks away from her, and he curses. Why is this happening to him?

She steels herself against flinching when he slams his hand down on the grating. He would never hurt her. She knows this but he's not looking at her like her right now.

"I would have forgiven you. For not kissing me. For not saving me. It wouldn't have mattered. I saved you. That's the important bit."

She looks up at him. "You kissed me. You saved me and then you regenerated. And you saved me over and over again. Never let me down. Never disappointed me."

Until he'd left her on a beach with a man who could never be anything more than a poor imitation. She won't go there. Not yet.

"Look in my head. If you think I'm lying, take a look."

The look on his face is-- contempt. She was the important one, he knew that as soon as she did the stupid thing and tried to save everyone. And now she's telling him it's okay that he failed? His disgust for himself cannot be contained.

"The only thing that matters is that I failed. And you, here -- your rubbish timeline and backwards memories, they're just. Proof. That I failed again."

She squeezes her eyes shut. He's not that far along. She forgets that. He's her Doctor but he's not the Doctor she put so much work into. She's going to have to put her foot down.

"All right. Got it in one. You failed. You can accept that. I didn't. Jumped 'round in time 'til I found you 'cause I wouldn't. You failed. And now you got a second chance. M'not going anywhere. TARDIS won't let me." She tugs on the handcuffs that are more a part of the TARDIS console than anything.

"Oi!" And she's back, tricking him again. He's really not expecting that, with the way this encounter's been going and now he's scowling at her, indignant.

"Isn't like I didn't try! And where do you get off all high and mighty-- you didn't fail, hmm? You found the wrong Doctor, Rose. Yeah, you did a right bang up job!"

Okay, so now he's less angst and more petty bickering, without even realizing what she's doing.

It's an improvement and she'll take it.

"No such thing as the wrong Doctor. They're all mine. It doesn't matter what time line, what regeneration. You're still you. Sorta what counts."

Ha. Take that.

"Sorta was hopin' I'd find an earlier regeneration. Or a later one. That'd be fun. Seein' who you become."

A scowl, again -- no, more of a pout. He wasn't supposed to let her get the upper hand. How does she do that!?

"Rest of them were bloody moronic. You're at the best one." Wait, he's agreeing. "...Even if it's the wrong one."

She grins at him, the tip of her tongue between her teeth.

"Maybe I've just got good taste. Rather have fun and be wrong."