Between Death and Life
by
Sabrina Lonewalker
He stood there, frozen, motionless. The Master had been sucked into the Eye of Harmony and was gone, forever. But the damage had already been done. Grace was dead. He knelt beside her where she had landed, on the grating beside the Eye. Her head lay at an awkward angle. A single tear made it's way down his cheek.
He had called her name until he was almost hoarse but, she would never answer. He would never see that brilliant smile again or hear that laughter that sent chills up and down his spine. He would never hear that beautiful voice again. He picked her limp body up in his arms and carried her up the stairs to the landing and carefully, gently laid her down among the wind and the blowing leaves.
He played the horrendous scene over and over in his mind. Grace had run back into this room after rerouting the power and getting the TARDIS into temporal orbit. She had flown up the stairs and stood between him and the light of the Eye. As she unfastened one of the wrist restraints, she had asked him what temporal orbit meant then, he had seen her eyes fill with fear as they looked over his shoulder.
She had moved, to shield him, it seemed, from the Master's charge but, he had grabbed Grace, lifted her and had thrown her off the staircase. All the Doctor could do was watch, helplessly, as her head contacted the wall surrounding the Eye. He heard her neck crack and then, his voice screaming her name. A red haze had drifted in front of his eyes and he remembered getting that dratted restraint device off and flying to her side.
The Master attacked him and a fight had ensued. Usually, the Doctor preferred not to fight but, he was fully capable of doing so if needed. Finally, the Master was gone and the Doctor was alone again. Now, he knelt on the landing beside her. He thought about those kisses in the park. The first had been spontaneous, exuberent. Then, when Grace had asked him to kiss her again, he had, more tender, more full of promise but now, he sighed, there was nothing.
He looked down at her, her face relaxed as though only asleep but, he knew better. He could keep her here, he knew that. TARDIS wouldn't let anything happen to her. She could remain here, forever suspended in time. Right now though, he only knew that something wonderful had ended before it even had a chance to begin and that was what hurt him the most. The tear began to fall more freely.
He had finally opened up his hearts to the possibilities of loving again and once again, it had been snatched away. The TARDIS was still moving back in time and she saw the grief of her Doctor and she smiled. Then, a golden glow rose from the Eye and floated over to where Grace lay. It shifted and settled down on her, permeating her body then, miraculously, Grace opened her eyes.
He looked down, joy threatening to overwhelm him but all he could say was, "Hello Grace." That terrifying thought of being without her was gone, banished away by the sight of her beautiful, brilliant eyes. he pulled her into his arms, not ever wanting to let her go. He heard Grace whisper in his ear, "I'm here, love, I'm here." They were the sweetest words he had ever heard.
Finis