And Other Short Stories

by LookToYourLeft

Because while the War Doctor was leaving the message 'No More', the TARDIS was right there. And children are children, all over the universe, so when a lost little Gallifreyan finds one in the middle of a warzone, it will seem like a safe place to hide. It was only bad luck it was the Doctor's. Or good luck. It varies.

"Arcadia has fallen."

Run, run, run, she had to keep going, otherwise the bad guys would catch up with her, and she'd be dead. And then, she'd regenerate, again and again and again, and the Daleks would laugh if they could, at the little girl who's parents were their enemies, who was hurt and dying and alone. But enemies were bad, but her parents were ones, yet it was okay, because she was on their side so it was all…okay.

"I repeat…"

It was only…they were gone now, and she didn't know if her big brother was too, but she had never known him anyway, and she had to keep running, running, running, or else she'd be gone too. It was all red, and there were collapsed buildings and she knew that man, lying on the floor, he was a wise one on his last regeneration, and now he was there in a puddle of blood, and she had been speaking to him just this morning, and – she had to keep running, running, running…

"Arcadia…has fallen..."

She didn't know what it was, or where it came from, but it was there and it was wonderful, being she'd seen one of those before. That was a TARDIS, it must be, she could feel the power of time coming off of it, and it was a Time Lord thing, and it was safe. No Daleks, or bad guys, or nightmares would get to her in there. It was bright, and blue, and brilliant, and her head hurt so very much, so if she was in there, did she have to keep running?

"Soldier…"

She fell onto the door, wanting to be close to it (she, she, turns out the TARDIS is a she), praying, hoping, asking repeatedly 'can you let me in, let me in, please, I can't take this anymore' and an overwhelming wave of feeling washed over her from the TARDIS, followed by a loud click. Stumbling in, she barely blinked at the inside, mostly because she was focusing on tumbling down into a corner, a place, where she would be unseen. Because, if you stop running, you need to hide, everyone knows that.

"I'm going to need your gun."

Everything was blurry, and could almost feel her hearts slowing, and the last thought that went through her head was 'does it hurt? To regenerate?'