"That's just the thing," he said, squeezing her hand. "I nearly wasted the time that we had. I don't want to waste anymore. Maybe we'll be able to keep out of trouble for a while, or maybe we won't. There's something that I want to do while we have the chance, something I should have been planning to do years ago. Something you deserve to hear. We've got a bit of a problem in that neither of your parents is here, but under the circumstances, I think we can work around that." He could live without Jackie slapping him for asking permission to propose, especially since that slap would most likely be followed by a hug and a kiss. Pete ... Well, alternate Pete could be a bit scary. What father wasn't? Maybe, technically, he wasn't Rose's father, but he was near enough. He and Rose were family, and family was important in what the Doctor was about to suggest to her. How to bring it up, though ... He couldn't just ask. That didn't seem right. There were things Rose should know before she said made a decision.
"Rose ... did you ever wonder why I never told you my name?"