Title: Death of the TARDIS
Author: CosmicalMadison
Summary: Assuming the clone hadn't appeared, and the TARDIS is acutally destroyed. How does the Doctor react? JE.
Rating: K
Pairing(s): 10Rose
Genre: Angst, tragedy
Author's Note: Author'sNote
Rose stood close beside the Doctor, holding his hand tightly as they watched the TARDIS bobbing in the zed neutrino energies of the Crucible's core. The Doctor was trembling, his face a mask of fear and helplessness. She'd seen him like this on more than one occasion, but it still burned every time.
"Total TARDIS destruction in ten rels," the Supreme Dalek grated.
A more pronounced tremor went through the Doctor, and Rose squeezed his hand tigher.
"Nine…eight…seven…"
"Please…" she heard him whisper, and it was hard to tell whose loss he would mourn more, his most recent companion or his faithful ship.
"Six…five…four…"
The Doctor's body was shaking wildly now, and she could see tears running down his face. Doubtless because of his connection with the TARDIS he could feel her pain as she burned. Rose wanted nothing more than to hold him at the moment and tell him that everything would be all right, but she couldn't. It would be a lie. Even if they somehow survived this, life for him would never be the same without his ship.
"Three…two…"
Rose watched his eyes flickering. He wanted to look away from the screen so badly, to not have to witness this terrible end. But he wouldn't. He considered it his responsibility to witness every death he caused.
"One," the Supreme Dalek announced with something surprisingly close to triumph for an unfeeling creature. "The TARDIS has been destroyed."
A cry of pure anguish burst from the Doctor, tearing Rose's heart in two. She pulled him to her, wrapping her arms around him and pressing his face into her shoulder as he cried. She let her own tears join his, thinking of the two wonderful beings who had just been lost. An instant later, Jack was beside them, his arms around the two of them, his own shoulders shaking though he let no tears fall.
As they could hear was the pitiless laugher of the Daleks all around them.