So, I noticed that we now have a "10th Doctor Duplicate" character option. So, I wrote this to celebrate. Yeah, it's not great, though I suppose you could say it's Journey's End from the meta-crisis's view. Read on, my readers, and review! :D
The hand in the jar sits, all too innocently, while the Doctor and his companions bustle around the TARDIS. They exchange nervous laughs, then leave. All but one. And suddenly the she is looking at the jar, and the TARDIS transmits a steady heartbeat into her brain, helping the time-ripples; for she knows what's coming.
"It's... you!"
"Oh yes!"
Already the new man can hear his counterpart's thoughts. The Doctor's memories - his memories, in a way - but not just his memories. They're linked, because they're the same person. A buzz of consciousness is streaming directly into the meta-crisis's mind.
Has he noticed him yet? Can he hear the fact that his mind, his body has just been split into two?
No. To busy, wrapped up in the panic; after all, the universe is ending.
Rassilon, the TARDIS. Oh, please, no! Donna!
"Please. I'm begging you, I'll do anything! Put me in her place!"
I- the TARDIS, I can still hear her - it's just an echo. Has to be. She's gone. It's all gone. I'm broken. Davros, Davros. It's over. Oh, Rose, Martha, Jack, ...Donna.
The meta-crisis listens as the Doctor's thoughts spiral downwards, and there's nothing he can do. He can't know, not yet.
"Now, tell me Doctor, what do you feel? Anger? Sorrow? Despair?"
"...Yeah."
But then he's distracted by Donna's thoughts - why does everyone seem to be in his mind? - and they can't, can't drop a spanner.
"Shh!"
Everything's so mixed up - it's backwards and frontwards and sidewards but so quiet, quiet, quiet. It's all mixed - all mixed around Donna. His single heart speeds up and he can only just make out the timelines all swirling around her; the temp from Chiswick.
But then - the planets are moving. He doesn't know what's going on yet, but he's so close. The TARDIS shudders.
It will destroy everything.
"This is my ultimate victory, Doctor! The destruction of reality itself!"
The meta-crisis has an advantage the Doctor doesn't. Two advantages. Three.
One: he's got the TARDIS, and all the equipment on board.
Two: He's human. He's a clone; it doesn't matter if he dies in the process. The universe needs the Timelord Doctor, not the human one.
Three: His soul hasn't been crushed to pieces.
He's been working, and just before the bomb is detonated - he can hear the sickening countdown through his counterpart's head - the TARDIS materialises, finally.
No, but that's- impossible. It wasn't an echo - Donna?
The meta-crisis steps out of the TARDIS, and a small part of him can't help but notice how impressive and dramatic it must look. The Doctor takes one look at him and finally he hears the meta-crisis's thoughts, realising, recognising.
Oh, Rassilon. Hello.
Hello.
And just when the pair of them, and everyone else on the Crucible, thinks there's no way out - everything stops. The two Doctor's thought mirror each other's.
What?
Eventually, the Daleks burn.
The Doctor would have done it. He would have had to have done it; even without the bomb, the Daleks would destroy the universe. The meta-crisis was being kind. If he did it, he could then be pushed away, and there could be one less genocide on the Doctor's conscience.
Even as the Doctor tells Rose the meta-crisis is dangerous, he knows he may as well be talking about himself. He is.
Forget me. Forget that I'm you; pretend you wouldn't have done it. Because the universe needs you, not me. Make your excuses, push me away. Hate me if you need to. Just don't blame yourself. Please. Dalek Caan was the one to say it; this was always going to happen.