The Doctor was crying.
It wasn't often the Doctor cried, but when you have lived as long as him, you had to expect some heartbreak.
Nyssa. Peri. Adric. Katarina. Rose. Donna. River. The Doctor had lost many companions in tragic ways before. This pain was by no means new.
But that only made it hurt worse.
He finished working on the TARDIS controls and put her in autopilot. She purred in sympathy, concerned about her Timelord.
He sat on her floor and leaned against the console, putting his head in his knees while quickly rocking back and forth.
Amy. Rory. Gone.
Those three words repeated in his brain over and over threatening to explode.
"Voice Control, show me them," he said in the shaking voice of a grieving five year old.
Holographic projection of the Ponds appeared. He had hoped that seeing them would make him feel better, but it just made the tears come faster. Choking on his words, he told that TARDIS to get rid of the holograms. Amy and Rory disappeared and were replaced with another.
Brian Williams.
The lonely father who didn't even know that he should be grieving. The TARDIS shook as her way of asking if her doctor got the message. The Doctor's rocking slowed as his mind focused on the message,
"Brian Pond. Oh. You have no way of knowing," he muttered in another small voice. The TARDIS gently shook again his eyes widen.
"No," he said getting off the floor and pacing around. "No. Someone else can tell him."
The TARDIS shook a little less gently this time.
"Don't argue." The Doctor was wearing a path into the floor at this point, periodically raising his hands in frustration. "I can't go back to him. I can't tell him. How does one tell a father that his children are dead? I can't. I just can't." He was shouting now. He stopped and took a deep breath, tracing his fingertips along the controls.
"I promised him," he whispered in a strained voice. "I promised him I would bring them back, Sexy, and I failed."
His bottom lip quivered. He seem so small and young and very alone. She was very tempted change the controls herself, but no, he needed to do this himself. The weary Timelord continued to trace circles and lines with his fingertips on her surfaces. She recognized that pattern. It was circular Gallifreyan. He was tracing a comforting Gallifreyan lullaby to calm his thoughts.
A pained sigh escaped from his lips, causing his body to shutter. He slowly put his hands on her controls and changed their direction. When she came to a stop the Doctor didn't move.
He slowly lifted his head from the controls to stare at the door. One step at a time, he made his way to the door and stepped out into the most painful scene.
Brian was standing in front of the TARDIS, grinning ear to ear.
The Doctor swallowed hard.