Christmas. 2015.
Ellie was done. Done with people, done with work, with life. Just with everything. She honestly couldn't keep going anymore, what was the point? She had no home, no money, no motivation, nothing to keep her going. Her family were either deceased or in another country with absolutely no way of contacting each other.
So there she was, on the edge of the bridge with her eyes glued to the thrashing and unforgivably cold waters below. Her life was going to end any minute now, she was sure of it. For once she was determined.
Fat, hot tears ran down her now red raw cheeks from rubbing them with her sleeve. Wisps of hair sticking to the damp skin as the breeze made strands of her brown locks flow around her face.
She had attempted to write a goodbye note, though as soon as she as the pen hit the paper, she quickly gave up on it. The gnawing feeling at the back of mind began biting violently, reminding her that there wasn't really anyone to read it. She wouldn't be missed.
As the breeze rolled into a stronger gust of wind, picking up loose leaves and carrying them to new homes, the crumpled piece of discarded paper slipped from between her delicate and numb fingers. Ellie made no attempt to get it back, watching from the corner of her blurred eyes as the wind carried it away from her sight. Following the path of the rotten leaves to wherever they will land.
A man in a sharp suit- mainly consisting of a blues and blacks- eyed the paper as it rolled down onto the tarmac. Watching with a carefully eye as he stepped on it, the corners flapping wildly in the wind like a caught bird. With a frown, his gaze was fell onto the few visible, little words- mainly consisting of apologies and scored out scribbles, instantly catching his attention as picked up the paper and unfolded it between his fingers.
His eyes barely grazed the note, scanning it frantically as he began walking quickly. By the time he finished reading up to the last word, he was running down the street, the ends of his tail coat flapping behind him.
He carelessly threw the note into his pocket before breaking off into a sprint. Hoping to find the owner of the note before it was too late.
He always preferred to be on time.
Ellie inhaled slowly, the cold, winter air pricking the inside of her nose as she breathed, her eyes closing as she tried to settle her nerves. Her body shook like a loose leaf in the wind, yet it not caused by the cold. She was scared, scared to end it all right now, but at the same time, conflicted. She was so determined to follow this through, to not cower away again, everything had built up to this very moment. She wasn't going to leave and try again another time like in the past.
She was going to do this.
Feeling her fingers fall from the rusted metal fence on the bridge, she leaned forwards. The corners of her lips barely tugging upwards as she smiled weakly, feeling the weight of everything slowly fade away.
It was going to en-
"Wait!"
The brunette's eyes shot open in panic, her heart almost leaping out of her throat as she gripped onto the railings once more. Her heart beating erratically against her chest, bruising her ribs as she stared down at the height she was about to fall from. Feeling her stomach churn and her sight blur from the nauseating height.
She frowned- her breath shaky- as she turned around.
"Don't you dare! Don't jump, please." The man said through pants as he stood on the other side of the railings, bent down slightly as he leaned his arms on his legs, catching his breath.
Ellie glared at the man, scrunching her nose in frustration. Why would this man care whether she jumped or not? He was merely a stranger, he doesn't know anything about her or her hardships. So, why would he stop her?
"Listen, it's a bad idea to do that. Trust me, it really is." He commented, crossing his arms on the top of the railing and gazing down. He whistled, impressed by the view down below.
"Woah, that's pretty high up." He muttered under his breath.
"Excuse me?" Ellie snorted, still in disbelief from this strange man interrupting her. He glanced back at her with a weak smile.
"I found your note. Well, it found me." He chuckled lightly, tapping his fingers on the cold metal bars.
"Like I said, it may seem bad now, but it will only get worse if you let it. I went through...horrendous things in my lifetime...," He trailed off, eyes falling onto the cracks of the concrete ground. Ellie stared at the man as a silence fell over them, leaving them with the sound of rushing water and the breeze.
"...But...here I am. Still here." He smiled at the young girl, his eyes lighting up with what Ellie believed as hope.
Hope. Something Ellie lost not too long ago, but this man still had despite claiming going through difficult times.
With an awkward shuffle, she clambered over the railings, her heels clicking against concrete as she straightened up.
"Then how? How are you still here? How did you cope?" Ellie questioned, leaning her back against the railings with her arms crossed. She watched intensely as the man hesitated to answer, turning his head to side with his smile falling slightly.
"Sometimes I don't even know myself. Most days, I catch myself, and it hurts to think of the things that happened….the people I lost." He stared down at the water once more with empty, glassy eyes. Too many. Too many close ones' lives had slipped from his hands, seeping between his fingers like water.
"But! I always know that there's a way! Trust me. Over 2000 years, I've learned a lot, that there's a way." His smile rose once more. However, Ellie's did not. She stood up straight with a look of staggered confusion at him.
"2000….years…?" She repeated slowly, pouting as the man nodded enthusiastically.
"Ah ha...about that..." He chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "Believe it or not, I'm not exactly from around here. One could say I'm an-"
"Alien." Ellie finished quickly.
The man glanced at her, rolling his wrist as if brushing her off before returning to look at the water below.
"Y-Yeah, you could….yeah, basically." He said bluntly.
Ellie inhaled deeply, and found herself shaking from the his presence.
Alien. Alien. Alienalienalienalienalien.
Ellie had seen aliens. Attacks, upon attacks to society from whatever fell from space. It wasn't anything new, but it still frightened her. Most of her family had been caught in some of those attacks, that still traumatised her to this very day.
With a trembling gasp, Ellie spoke up.
"Like...like...like the Daleks…?" She remembered them. The bronze, 'salt shaker'-like robots that had zapped anything they didn't like into non-existence. She remembered their ear piercing, horribly grating voices and the screams of the innocent people that got caught in their path.
If this man was an alien, he must be like them. Everything had attacked Earth, so he must be like them.
"No. I despise the Daleks." He spat the name out as if it was the most disgusting thing. It was the most disgusting thing.
However, his grimace fell into a soft smile once more.
"That's what I learnt, over the years. That's how I keep going. I know that somewhere in the universe, someone needs help from the terrors it brings."
"But wh-…" Ellie paused, her lips forming a thin line as her eyes trailed down her fidgeting fingers. She stood still, watching as a small ghostly cloud formed before her lips as she breathed, conflicted.
"Why...why bother with me then?" She eventually muttered pitifully, refusing to look up.
"You have countries, counties, planets, entire galaxies to help, to save, why choose me?"
She wanted to know. She wanted to know whether she was just a random bystander he decided to help, or whether there was something else. Something big. Though as Ellie thought, she realised it wasn't going to be the latter. It was all just a big coincidence.
"Because every life matters." The man said gleefully, a child-like smile plastered across his face. Though it fell when the girl barely glanced up, turning her head away.
"Mine doesn't..." She uttered under her breath, her hands clasped around each other, squeezing tightly. Her nails digging into her skin, forming red crescents on her hands.
"Hey, it does." He reassured, gently pulling her hands apart, pouting at the thin irritated cuts.
"Listen…"
"Ellie. I-It's Ellie."
"Well, Ellie, I, the Doctor, can help prove that you indeed do matter." The Doctor grinned, placing his hands in his pockets as he twirled one heel to face the girl.
"The Doctor? Doctor Who?" She asked with a frown.
"Me!" He chuckled. "Ha, that never gets old. But in all seriousness, the name for now is just the Doctor. And you," He began, pulling out a single key on a single chain from his pocket. It swaying in the light breeze. Ellie eyed the chain, eyes glued to the key as confusion twisted on her face.
"Are gonna join me."
"I-I don't...I don't understand…"
"All of time. All of space. I can show you everything and anything. Anytime, anyplace."
Ellie stared at the bland piece of metal, scowling at it as if it had offended her. While part of her told her that this was all just a joke, to walk away and leave, the rest of it was screaming- screeching- at her to take it. To grab this opportunity, as she had nothing else to lose.
Cupping the key in her hands as the Doctor dropped onto her palms, she breathed out a gasp. The key was cold, and so...so ordinary. How could this simple key be her light at the end of the tunnel?
"Merry Christmas, Ellie." He grinned, holding out his hand. Ellie's eyes moved from the key to stare at the optimistic, gleeful man. Staring at his cheerful smile. Still unsure what to do. This was a big thing, a big change to her monotone life.
"Come on. Time to travel to the ends of the universe, you're bound to like it. There's a planet that rains diamonds that you'll like. Real shiny place, though kinda hurts without an umbrella." He chuckled lightly.
"Will you join me?"
Screw it. Her life wasn't going anywhere anyway, might as well take this opportunity while she could. Sniffling, she rubbing her eyes with her sleeve, drying her tears.
For the first time in her dull life, she finally had something to look forward to. She was finally grabbing the reins of her life, taking control. And she was going to love it.
With a grin that matched the Doctor's, she gripped onto his hand, clutching the key in the other as they began running through the streets. The wind was whipping her face, numbing her cheeks, but she didn't care. She was too giddy to care.
Flakes of snow began to fall as they reached the vibrant blue box at the end of the street. Ellie frowned, confused and wondering if this was all just a mistake, that this man was just mad. However, when the door opened, she knew that there was nothing to worry about, that there was no going back now. Without even glancing at the bridge down the street, Ellie stepped into the ship. Ready to start her life.
One life saved, a universe to go.