His Turn

By: Tenshi Chupip

*I do not own any thing in the Who-verse :*(

The dull beeping of the heart monitor was starting to get on Wilf's nerves.

"You'd think they'd have the courtesy of granting a dying man's wish to turn that blooming thing off," he grumbled.

"Don't say that, Gramps" Donna scolded from her chair next to the hospital bed. "You're not dying. You'll get better and you'll be back up on that hill with John and Christi looking at the stars in no time."

Wilf knew better than to argue with his granddaughter, even if she was wrong. She knew she was wrong too, but he had a better chance of joining the Russian Ballet than getting her to admit it. There was no way on heaven or earth Donna Temple-Noble was going to admit her beloved granddad was going anywhere but home.

"Is there anything I can get for you?" Donna asked. "Mum will be off work soon and Shaun will be round with the kids in minute, so if you want a chocolate bar in peace you better speak now."

"That does sound lovely actually, thank you," he said smiling faintly. "One with almonds in it?"

"Anything you want," she patted his hand and got up. "I'll be right back, don't go no where."

Wilf chuckled softly, "I'll try."

After watching Donna leave the room, Wilf closed his eyes for just a moment. He was tried. So very, very tired. At ninety-eight years old Wilfred Mott was ready to go. It had been a wonderful life, one filled with children and grandchildren, even great grandchildren. He looked back on his life and could see not a thing he regretted. He smiled to himself, being nothing short of proud knowing that both of his great grandchildren had learned every constellation in the sky before either entered kindergarten. All thanks to him of course. Both children had inherited Wilf's love for the stars.

And then of course there were the stories. Special stories about a special man who loved the stars too. A lonely man in a blue box. Couldn't tell mummy of course, that would spoil the fun of it. No, they were Wilf's special and secret stories that only his darling great grand children were allowed to hear. And they had heard them. Every last one. And so it was time to go. It wasn't that he really wanted to leave, he very much loved being alive, but everything had its time, and his had come. He knew it and was at peace with it. The only thing he would wish to have was one last visit from that wondrous man that filled his stories.

"If only," Wilf chuckled to himself.

That amazing man come back just to see him?Such a man had saved worlds and important people across the stars. What was one dying old man to him? It was a ridiculous notion. A click of the door opening alerted him to someone coming in.

"Back so soon?" Wilf opened his eyes. He was puzzled to find, not his granddaughter baring a chocolate bar, but a short brown haired man wearing a bow tie standing by the door. "Oh sorry, Sir, thought you was my granddaughter. Are you from the front desk? I rang not long ago. Is there anyway to turn that blasted machine off, it's aching my ears."

"I would turn it off but I'm sorry to say your granddaughter scares me more than you do, Wilf, and I over heard her talking to the nurse about making sure you keep it on," the man flashed a cheeky grin.

"Have we met, Sir?" Wilf asked.

"Oh many times," he smiled. "But it was a life time ago."

"But I've never seen you before..."

"Haven't you? Oh well yes I suppose not... Not like looking like this at least you haven't. I was a bit taller and thinner last time," the young man said, stepping forward towards the bed. "I was a bit less cheerful last time we met, though to be fair, that much radiation at once does tend to make one a bit grumpy."

Wilf's eyes widened. "D...Doctor?"

"In the flesh! Well...new flesh at least but I am getting used to it and look!" the Doctor lifted up his chin. "I have a bow tie now!"

"What happened to the old tie?"

"It got a bit...crispy, never mind then, the bow tie is an improvement I think," he said. "I like bow ties. Bow ties are cool, like fezes. Do you like fezes, Wilfred? I never thought to ask that before now."

Wilf laughed as he hadn't laughed in months.

The Doctor frowned slightly, "What?"

Wilf wiped some tears from his face still chuckling, "Well your face is different, and I can't say much for that barmy bow tie..."

"Oi!"

"But it's you. Glory be, Doctor, it's really you," Wilf elation suddenly melted into concern. "Wait...what if Donna comes back? You look different but didn't you say Time Dukes could tell each other apart?"

"That's Time Lord, Wilf, and yes but Donna was never fully Time Lord," The Doctor said. "No worries though. I have a lovely friend, Amy Pond is her name, and she's keeping Donna distracted for the time being. Although to tell you the truth if those two get into a fight I would really like to have a front seat. And possibly some popcorn. Popcorn does actually sound marvelous right about now anyway, know where I can find some here? Don't think they'd have any in the vending machines... might have to go to a store..."

Wilf laughed again and patted the Doctor's arm, "It's good to see you again, Doctor."

"You didn't think I would miss the chance to say good-bye to you, did you Wilfred?"

Wilf's smile faded just a bit, "Didn't think such an important chap like yourself would need to bother with an old geezer like me."

"Oh that's tosh!" the Doctor frowned. "Why wouldn't I come say good bye to my dad?"

A brightness came over the old man's face and he squeezed the Doctor's hand, "Couldn't have asked for a better son than you, Doctor. And thank you, for what you did for Donna and Shaun. They've made quite a life for themselves and their children with that money."

"Donna had children?"

"Like you didn't peak into the future and see for yourself already," Wilfred scoffed. The Doctor just grinned miscellaneously, though didn't admit anything. "Johnny's the oldest and he's getting in to university early, going to study Astrology and Physics. My beautiful little Christi is just the sweetest girl you can imagine, loves the stars she does. Wants to see them someday for herself."

"With your influence I'll be she does," the Doctor smiled. The two men sat in a comfortable silence for a moment before Wilf turned to the Doctor with a serious look.

"Will you answer something for me, Doctor?"

"Of course."

"And don't try and lie to me please, I want to know this," Wilf looked his old friend in the eye. "Do I die tonight?"

The Doctor froze instantly, a war waging in his eyes. After a moment he squeezed the old man's hand. "Yes," he said softly. "You will die tonight. At 6:44pm."

Wilf strain to look at the clock on the wall. "Eight minutes then," he replied. "I'll be honest with you Doctor, I'm a bit scared. Been near death a lot in my time. Weren't near as frightening when it wasn't actually staring me right in the face."

"I find that fear comes right before the thrilling adventure," the Doctor smiled.

Wilf chuckled, "I'd drink to that if I had a drink.

"Think of it this way," he said. "It's your turn to go travel the stars."

"Well when you put it like that it sounds exciting."

"It can be," the Doctor smiled. The green eyed man then leaned down and laid a gentle kiss on Wilf's forehead. He straightened and cleared his throat. "I've got to go, Amy only promised me a few minutes."

"If you're ever in heaven, give me a ring," Wilf said.

"Will do."

And just like that, the Doctor was gone but the smile on Wilf's face wasn't. Even the beeping of that horrible monitor couldn't bother him anymore. It was half a minute later that a very flustered Donna came storming into the room.

"I'll have that bloody ginger bint up in front of the medical board!" she practically snarled to herself.

"Problem, Sweetheart?" Wilf asked innocently.

"You would not believe the nerve of the nurses they hire here!" Donna fumed as she unwrapped the candy bar and held it to her grandfather's lips.

Wilf took a nibble off of it and let the flavor of the chocolate roll over his tongue before swallowing it. He would miss that flavor. Knowing it would be time to go soon, Wilf smiled lovingly at his granddaughter.

"Donna, love?" he said.

"Yeah, Gramps?"

"Will you do me a favor?"

"Anything you want," she smiled at him. How he would miss that smile too.

"I want you to always remember that you are amazing and that I love you more than anything else in creation," he smiled. "You are so amazing that you could change the world if you put your mind to it. Always remember that, will you? For me?"

"Sure, Granddad," Donna smiled back, tears welling up in her eyes. "But you'll have to stick around to keep reminding me."

"Just look at those little angels of yours and you'll remember it on your own, Darling," Wilf smiled. "Tell everyone I love them will you? And that I am so proud of all of you."

"You can tell them yourself, Gramps, Shaun just called and they'll be here in five minutes," Donna said, the tears running down her face.

"Don't have five minutes," Wilf said looking back at the clock. 6:42 it read. He could feel a heavy warmth like being under a thick blanket start spreading up his body... didn't feel as bad as he thought it would.

"Granddad, please," Donna grabbed his hand and held it close to her cheek. "Please don't go, we need you. I need you."

Wilf smiled weakly. 6:43 "Just watch the stars for me, Donna. I'll be up there. For once it's my turn to travel the sky."

"Granddad, please!"

"Wish me...luck...Sweetheart..." he smiled and closed his eyes.

6:44

The dull beeping on the machine melted into a long blaring buzz just as Donna's quite tears melted into heart wrenching sobs.

The End

A/N: This is the most angsty thing I have ever wrote but I think it turned out well! R&R please.

~Tenshi Chupip