He slammed the door of the TARDIS just as a cloud of toxic gas swept across the plains the TARDIS was parked on.
Another world saved, another brick taken from the wall that was his guilt.
He sighed and then realised he was covered in the stuff.
He wandered down the corridors of the TARDIS and into the bedroom that he hardly used.
He left his dusty coat on the floor, stripping off his suit and the rest of his clothes. He walked into the bathroom and found the bath already run.
He spent a good hour just soaking away the aching muscles and the cries of the unfortunates he had not be able to save; those that wouldn't leave their homes.
His mind wandered back to another world...
"You have to leave! They've broken through the defences!"
"No, we'll be safe here, they won't come this far."
"Please, I can't stay and protect you...the Citadel is under attack!"
"Then go son, protect the Council, we'll be fine. I'll look after the children."
He would never forget the screams of his family as his world had disintegrated; never forget the millions that perished that day.
With a sigh he got out of the cooling bath, dressed and stepped out into the corridor.
He stopped outside another door, took a deep breath and opened it.
He walked through waist deep red grass.
The sounds of children laughing in the distance caught his ears and he walked towards it.
A group of children were playing in a stream that wound into the distance.
One of the children looked up at his approach.
"Daddy!" she squealed and ran towards him.
With a grin he swept the girl into his arms. "You've grown."
"I'm a grown up now, you going to catch krisaks with us," the little girl said.
"Why not," he smiled.
He sat with his feet in the cool water of the brook, laughing as his daughter splashed in the water chasing krisaks that she would never catch.
Then a voice came from came from over the small rise nearby.
"Time for dinner!"
"Come on daddy, it's your favourite for dinner."
"In a minute sweetheart, you go ahead."
"Okay daddy," she said and disappeared into the grass.
He sighed and didn't move and a tear slid down his cheek.
Only in here was he truly happy...only in here could he forget.
Of only this dream was true.