Today was a strange day.

Many days happened to be strange when the Doctor was in some way involved in them, but today was especially strange, what with the universe exploding and all that nonsense. The Doctor however, amid all this, had found the perfect solution to all the misery going around.

He had found what he was absolutely certain was the most lovely thing he had ever seen for all his 900 years. It was just lying there, unnoticed, obviously left behind and abandoned by it's previous owner, and the Doctor could not prevent himself from picking it up and placing it over his head. And then, the most blissful feeling opened up to him, and he felt all the energy he had lost before fill him with new enthusiasm.

When he walked with it on his head, he walked with pride, with confidence, and with hope. He knew that with it by his side, he could never fail, and that was precisely what he needed: something to hold on to, something that would make him want to win.

But it had all gone away too soon. He was used to people and things of all kind leaving him, but this was too early, even by his standards, and when Amy pulled it off his head. He felt it, that dread. Something horrible was happening, someone was going to do something horrible and wicked indeed. As Amy thrust it in the air, he knew what was going to happen, and it broke his heart more than what nine hundred years of misery and hatred ever could have.

There was a blast, and it was gone.

He saw it happen. As it burst into flames and incinerated, he felt his stomach drop. All his hopes, all his dreams, all went to nothing. All he had gotten was a few minutes with it and nothing more. He hadn't even managed to photograph himself with it, and it hurt so much. His trail of thought was interrupted, by the incidents of that day, and it was not until he was back in the TARDIS again (after saving the day. Again) that he realized what had just happened; what he had just lost.

And it filled him with so much grief, that (now that the Ponds had gone up to their room) he sat down, his arms wrapped around his knees and he thought about it.

He sat there for very long, he could not exactly tell the time, sitting in the TARDIS as he was, and in the TARDIS time gets a bit messy. At last, he got up and ran his hand over the TARDIS controls.

"At least I've still got you." he said, smiling in a sad way.

He was stroking the controls gently when he saw it. It was a large envelope, TARDIS blue with a red ribbon around it. A part of him told him he ought not to touch it without being sure it was alright, but he ignored that part and rather followed the instincts of the part of him that was yelling at him to open the damn thing already.

Hurriedly, he ripped the ribbon off it. Before he could open the envelope however, a piece of paper that had been cleverly hidden inside the ribbon, slid out of it and landed in his lap.

I know you'll love this. Or, rather, you should, because getting this was a rather difficult task. We both know the last thing I ever want to do is revisit that day again! Don't worry, this is a favor for me just as much as it is for you!

- Oh let's not pretend you don't know who I am.

The Doctor didn't react, he just opened the envelope, and inside it was the most beautiful thing he had seen. It was him, with it. The Fez, in a photograph!

Smiling gently to himself, and thanking the Gods he had a Time Machine, the Doctor looked at the picture happily one more time, before sliding it into the first drawer he could see of the TARDIS controls (he would find it again, he knew this ship better than the back of his... well he knew it pretty well!) and called out to the Ponds to hurry up so they could get back to wherever they had wanted to go.

Sometimes, when he was upset, he'd take the photograph out, and that would cheer him. Just the sight of it would lift his spirits no matter what had just happened. The Doctor and the Fez, together for an eternity... well, at least in a photograph.