A/N This my very first fanfiction, so please be kind. Flames will be completely ignored. However, if you wish to leave a suggestion or constructive criticism, I would appreciate it more than anything.

Chapter 1

I can almost see the planet of Gallifrey in my mind's eye. It's beautiful. Oftentimes, I would find myself sitting in a field of tall, red grass, staring up at the sky. The sky is burnt orange and I am under the shade of a tall tree with silver leaves, watching the twin suns set on the horizon. The breeze is cool, coming down from the snowcapped slopes of Mount Perdition. I pull up a few blades and chew on them, trying to remember the taste of the planet. The texture. I close my eyes and sigh, watching the imaginary patterns dance across my vision. I listen to the wind and lie down, fingers laced behind my head.

Then, I snap back to reality. The Drums dominate my mind again and I am facing the Doctor. He has a little revolver pointed at my face, but I already know he won't do it. Rassilon realizes this too and he also realizes that he's lost. He knows the Doctor's need to save the Universe and my need for revenge outweigh the wants of our home planet. Even if Gallifrey returns, it wouldn't be the same. The small, singular sun in the sky is not enough to support Gallifrey. Gallifrey is so much larger. Our planet would freeze in days and we would all die. Rassilon's talk of 'ascension' is nothing but the mad rambling of an old man who's afraid to die.

I feel so betrayed. My own people used me as a link to this universe because they knew they'd get time locked. They knew they would suffer for their crimes during the war and used me as a way to escape that punishment—punishing me instead. It wasn't fair. My people were once peaceful to the point of indolence. Now, they expected me to assist them in their ridiculous destruction of the universe for hope that they would 'ascend' and live forever. The Doctor wouldn't allow it and as I glimpsed Gallifrey in my mind for the last time, I knew… neither would I.

"Get out of the way," the Doctor says quietly. I move just in time to dodge the bullet that hits the last White Point Star. The connection breaks and so do I. Suddenly, everything is clear and logical. My mind is no longer crowded by the Drums and I finally understand. The Signal was used not only as a link to this world, but a message system to my mind. Lord President had used it as a way to send me orders. Destroy planet Earth. Bring us back. Dominate the Universe like a true Time Lord should. As the Doctor turns to Rassilon and tells him to return back to the time lock—back to hell, I see exactly how this should play out. Only one of us is meant to survive this and isn't me. I spent my whole life trying rule the universe, and now all I wanted to do was take revenge. I am the infamous child and I will live up to my reputation. My bones filled with rage and my life source crackled between my fingers, emitting a blue light. I'm so tired, but I have just enough energy for this. The Doctor thinks he's going to die and leave me on this planet where I am nothing but a criminal. The Doctor is about to be very disappointed. I take a deep breath and rub my hands together, focusing my energy.

"Get out of the way," I tell the Doctor, looking directly into his eyes for the first time in centuries. And in that moment, our minds connect. He realizes my intention and seems about to protest, then closes his mouth and nods. The Doctor soothes and calms me through our connection so that I have the strength to do what needs to be done. I hear his voice.

-Don't leave me, Koschei. I don't want to be alone again.-

I don't respond at first, but I understand what I did not when I last died. The Doctor had his companions—human companions. They looked like us and that was all that really mattered. He didn't want to be alone; he didn't trust himself to be alone. The one period of time he'd let himself be alone, he'd gone too far and brought about his own demise. He wanted me because I would not wither and die and cause him so much pain, like the humans. The Doctor is tired of losing people. I am simply tired of losing. I want to win for once, and the only way to do that is to sacrifice myself for my old friend. I give him hope because I know he'll fall for it.

-If you can save me, Theta, I will stay.-

The Doctor nods and with that, I step forward and fire my life energy directly at the President. I fire all of my rage, despair, and madness into Rassilon's hearts. I scream.

"YOU DID THIS TO ME!" I fire again, harder. "ALL OF MY LIFE!" He staggers and leans helplessly on his staff as the other members of the council stand by, horrified. "ONE!" I fire again. "TWO!" Again. Golden energy leaks from his being, but I fire again before he can regenerate. The Lord President, Rassilon, has lived too long. "THREE!" The energy stops and he looks utterly shocked as his regeneration is halted. "FOUR!" The last hit is all I have left and as Rassilon dies, I see him swallowed up by a magnificent light. For me, however, a magnificent darkness swallows me and I am gone.

I can hear a sound beyond that darkness. The Doctor calling to me. He presses his fingertips against my temples. I want to open my eyes, but I can't. I am dying.

"D-Doctor?" I manage.

"You'll be fine, Koschei," he says in Gallifreyan. "Sleep now."

Hi guys! So, what do you think? This is just a prologue... kind of. But I have another chapter that's about to come up soon. Please read and review because it makes my day brighter! Thanks!