This one is for the ouch factor. Such an upbeat story about living. And loss. And death. This one is mainly about hope. And wishful thinking. Watch that last line carefully though, it might bite.
Living Again
He had run.
He had no idea why he ran, but he had. He ran. Sometimes it felt like that was his best skill.
At least this time he had known the death would be permanent and not a regeneration fixed situation. He'd done that enough times to know it wasn't like dying, it was like coming alive again.
River would have just plain killed him and he'd be dead. Never coming back. And he had not been able to accept it right away.
When he had gotten the news of the Brigadier's death, he knew. Knew that it was alright, that nothing, regardless of what he may wish of himself, can last forever. Even him. In that moment, he had stopped running.
If he hadn't met the Teselecta, he would have gone to his true death. He would have accepted that just as easily. Because it would have been the right thing to do.
He had gotten lucky!
And now he could live again, truly live. And he wouldn't waste a moment, because life was precious, even a life as long as a Time Lord's. He had his friends (a family! That was different!) And when he said goodbye to the Ponds, he would undoubtedly find someone else afterwards.
Oh, he would always remember Amy and Rory, he always remembered his companions, but he always lost them too and had to find new ones.
And that was fine, because that was what living was about, the good, fun times and the heartbreak of the bad. You couldn't possibly have one without the other, especially in his life.
Now, if only his companions learnt the same thing, he'd be great, and by the way he had left them twice before he was sure that they will be fine without him. They won't repeat Sarah Jane's mistake, or Rose's little trick to get back to him. They'd leave on amicable grounds, good friends saying bye for the last time.
He was going to cry, he knew it with all his hearts, but that didn't matter.
They had earned his sadness and tears through being such good friends (like having family again) to him. They had seen him cry in grief before, why should it bother him when it was their time to leave.
This time he'd also make sure Rory was there.