She didn't get it. She still didn't understand. The Doctor had given them both what they wanted; for him, Rose. For Rose, a version of him that could stay, that could stop the endless racing, the endless running from the broken things he left behind. A Doctor that could stay and love her and do all the domestic things he would never do.
"You're wrong, you know."
One thing hadn't been affected by his half-human genesis. Telepathy.
"I am the man who grabbed your hand and said 'Run'. Who took you to see your da when you were scared he would die alone. Who sent you home when the Daleks were slaughtering everyone at Satellite 5. I'm the man who defeated the Sycorax on Christmas morning. I'm the same man who burned up a sun to say goodbye."
He was back at the doorway, looking at her. "I meant it, you know. Even though I didn't get to finish what I started saying when I first saw you at Bad Wolf Bay. I said 'Rose Tyler'. And the words that would have followed were 'I love you too.'"
He was immediately sorry he had said all that. He turned away again, this time heading straight for the door. "I'll be out," he said, his voice rough and breaking. "See if there's a match on at the pub."