Doomsday: Burning Up a Sun
—ж—
"There's one little gap in the universe let, just about to close. And it takes a lot of power to send this projection. I'm in orbit around a supernova. I'm burning up a sun just to say goodbye."
—ж—
He had come to say 'goodbye', to apologize and explain. He did not expect for her to suddenly be kissing him; tenderly, with a feeling of desperation and a sense of need that he has never known before. He feels fingers curl into his jacket, and his feet move him another step closer. His hands are ghosting the space above her hips. His eyes close, and he sees everything that he has always wanted; the life he has dreamed of, the idea that he does not have to be a lonely old man in a little blue box forever. She has already emphasized her willingness, her desire, to leave everything behind, to travel through time and space and just be with him. A breath, and he tastes scones on her plump lips. Another, and their whole future is splayed out before him. Tempting him to take her away forever, to just be his until never.
It is a future he knows they can never have. Because she only human, and he is not, and she deserves to be happy and out all of the wondrous and mysterious things that he was capable of, he couldn't provide that for her. Not in the end.
Reluctantly, he pulls away, and fresh tears spill from jade-colored orbs.
"I'm sorry," He takes a step back, if only to regain his composure, as his hands fall limply back to his sides. He knows it is not enough, it will never be enough for her, not after the things she had seen and the place she has been. He fears the knowledge of what lies out there will slowly drive her insane.
"Will I ever see you again?" Her voice begs, please for his answer to be 'yes', that someday her Doctor will come back for her, and take her away from this place.
The Doctor shakes his head, and crushes her whole world with two words, "You can't." A strangled sob escapes her lips, and she momentarily buries her face in her hands. "Both universes would collapse if I tried to come through. I only wanted you to be happy, Rose—."
"I'm happy with you!" She interjects, her fingers return to their loose grip around his jacket material. She cannot bring her eyes to meet his; doing so would be admitting to his imminent – and very permanent – departure. "I've always been happy with you. Please, please don't leave me. I love you."
She feels calloused hands, rough from centuries of adventuring and working, softly free her jacket's lapel from her grasp. For a moment, one hand wraps around hers, and offers nothing more than a fleeting, sentimental glance.
"Rose, I—," But it is too late. The warm grip disappears from around her hand, and she if left alone standing in the ocean's cold breeze. He is gone, and she is here, and somewhere, deep in the universe, a pair of lonely hearts are breaking.