The sound of the Tardis was the only noise in the lifeless beach. Waves were almost crashing against the wooden wall of it as a man opened the door, stepping out. Snow creaked under his converse as his eyes darted around, trying to figure out where his oldest friend had taken him. He only had mere minutes left before he couldn't hold the regeneration in. As he stumbled forward, he finally realized where his last resting place would be.
Bad Wolf Bay lay before him, not a single soul there. Snow was covering the sand and icy winds ruffled his hair as he took a few steps forwards, noticing something in the sand. Once close enough to see, his legs gave out under him and he fell onto the snow, knees now wet as his eyes never left the red petals of a rose.
He didn't dare to touch it, hands resting either side of the ruby bloom. He could no longer feel the cold nor the wet. Every inch of his disappearing body was filled with grief and mourning. He had said good bye to everybody he had ever loved yet he knew that he had never said goodbye to the one who had stolen his hearts, not really. He might have said the words but never had he accepted it. 'I guess this is my last chance' he thought as smiled sadly to no one.
Birds flew as a tall man stumbled out of a blue phone box that had appeared in the middle of a forest. The man sat up on the ground, before jumping up, realising that the snow was starting to melt under him. He patted the box while muttering "Where have you taken me this time, Sexy?" He shrugged and decided to have a look around, maybe there was a reason he was there. He could hear the sea somewhere near and followed the sound.
After a few minutes he found himself on a cliff overlooking the sea, wind blowing through his hair, making it even bigger than it was normally. He fixed his bowtie, looking around the whole place, trying to see a reason why he was there. The only thing he spotted was a man on the beach, kneeling. It seemed as if he was crying.
He was about to run there and ask what was wrong when he noticed that the man was quite familiar. He then muttered "No, no. It can't be. Please..." The sight was all too familiar to him. The waves, the seagulls, the snow covered beach, the rose... He could feel the air not moving anymore in his lungs as his eyes never left the younger him, feeling exactly what he had felt then and there. The sadness, the empty place in his heart appearing again. That had been his last chance to say good bye.
Quiet swearing was heard as a man stepped right into a small puddle, snow flakes landing on his leather jacket. He couldn't believe his luck- he was on his way to London when suddenly the Tardis had had some kind of a restart and he had landed on the border of some beach and a forest. His eyes darted around, looking to see if there was someone to ask where and when he was. When he finally spotted a man dressed in a brown, striped suit, he was about to call out when he noticed the look on the stranger's face. It seemed as if the petite flower on the ground was someone he had lost.
He leaned a bit closer, curious about the whole situation, and noticed it was a rose. His eyes narrowed a bit, immediately thinking about his Rose that had just called him. A thousand explanations ran through his mind and one stood out the most. But it couldn't be, he would never let anything happen to her. No, it was just a coincidence. Yes, that's it. He looked up a bit to see a man on the small cliff, eyes on the kneeling man as well, his gaze empty.
A quiet ding brought him back to reality and he shook his leg, trying to get most of the water out before starting the Tardis up again. He let the door close behind him as he sent Rose a text that he would be right there in exactly 5.8 seconds.
The man in a bowtie glanced at his previous Tardis silently disappearing before looking back at the figure still crouching on the ground beneath him. He closed his eyes, not wanting to see anything anymore. The sun was beginning to set, he could still see the dim light behind his closed lids before turning around to leave. But before he could take the first step, he turned a little, throwing a final glance at his past.
Snow beneath his hands had melted away, leaving him against the sand. The crimsom flower had not moved in the wind, always being there with him. He did not know who had left it there nor why and he didn't know wheter to be grateful or angry. It was beginning to be harder and harder to push the regeneration forward and he knew there was only little time left. It was now or never. A single tear fell onto the rose as the man stood up, breaking the gaze. He turned his back and started walking back towards his Tardis. His teeth were gritted and steps painful but he still stopped for a moment before continuing again, knowing there was no point anymore.
The door closed behind him as he collapsed, taking hold of the bar to prevent him from falling into a heap on the floor. Tardis disappeared as well as the man in the bowtie.
But as the man was about to take a step into his Tardis, he saw a rose bush next to it. He plucked one of the blooms and ran inside. The next time he stepped out, he was on the same beach, same day. He planted a kiss on the petals before gently laying in on the snow and turning his back. That was the Doctor's first, last and final goodbye.
