One day, the Doctor might learn. He'd have a chance here, in Kansas, if the Seal kept him and Rose in the same place long enough. Part of him wanted his metacrisis double to stay away. He didn't want to share, though he would step out of the way if that was what Rose wanted. He would always place Rose first ahead of himself.
"Sorry," he repeated, though he'd already apologized to her for his actions back at Bad Wolf Bay. "I just wanted you to be happy. I thought he could give you that." When he opened his eyes and met her gaze, his expression was earnest, almost pleading. He was ill, and his defenses were down. He kept talking, telling her the things he'd wanted to say, but had never lowered his guard enough to voice. "I thought, since he was part human, and you could grow old together ... I didn't want to leave, Rose. I didn't. I wanted to keep you with me. But I thought ... if I loved you ... I ought to be able to walk away. To not be selfish when he could give you so much more."