A short one-shot about our favourite Doctor. I don't own anything you recognize. Don't blame me for some mistakes, English is not my first language. R&R!

"It's starting."

The Doctor's voice was filled with fear, while a golden light spread out of his hands. He didn't want to go, he couldn't go. Not now!

"I'll stay with you when it happens."

Her voice was so soft and caring, but he didn't want her to see that procedure, that terrible, painful procedure. He didn't want to make her sad. A weary smile appeared on his lips.

"It won't be nice to look at. It feels like… dying."

"I know. That's why I'll stay with you. No one should ever die alone."

She raised her arms, touching the tall man's cheeks with her hands. Shiny, blue eyes looked at him and a reassuring voice stated:

"I will not leave you."

Then it started. A golden stream of light burst out of his hands and head. He screamed, an almost endless scream of pain that didn't sound similar to anything she had ever heard. She hugged him, hold him tightly in her arms.

"Shh… I'm here. It's okay. You're not alone."

Tears ran down her cheeks, but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered. She just wanted to comfort him even if she knew there was no way to do that. Moments later it was done. He collapsed in her arms, exhausted from the regeneration and out of consciousness. She laid him down at the ground of the TARDIS and sat down beside him. Carefully, as if she could destroy anything, she touched his pale face. He looked different and was still the same. It was so hard to understand for normal people. She waited for him to wake up. She could have waited for years, it didn't matter. It feels like dying. That's what he said. No one could ever imagine what that meant. To die so many times, to live for so many years… to see so much horror. She knew the universe was beautiful, too. She'd seen it, he'd shown her. But there was also so much pain. How could he ever deal with it? How could anyone ever deal with it without getting mad? He moaned, waking up slowly. She looked at him, tried and forgot these painful thoughts.

"Welcome back, Doctor.", she whispered with a smile.

"You stayed with me? All the time?", he asked, rubbing his aching forehead.

"I promised. And I always keep my promises. Some doctor told me to do that, y' know."

She smiled.

- The End -