Author's Notes:
BBC owns Doctor Who, I just enjoy him. Betaed, as always, by the generous z0ireech
Spoilers through Boomtown in S1 What was he supposed to do? Sit and moan in his TARDIS, alone, the last martyr of time? Endure a long miserable life, knowing what could be seen and done. Immobilized by fear of doing it wrong? ponders and a surprise.
Gravity
He was tired of being wedged into tight spaces, stretching to reach beyond the boundaries. The feeling of being trapped wrinkled one's frustration. Though it was as endurable as rheumatism, confinement was no more pleasant.
"Every now and then, you let one go" — Blon Fel Fotch had said, unaware that every now and then, one stayed. Ones who traveled, seeing the universe, expanding horizons. Innocence matured, narrow vision withered and died. He grew, more than they ever knew, ever could know. With their assistance, he'd evolved from merely curious, to frantically eager, to brilliantly energetic with a sober edge of caution. Who knew what would come next.
All of them left before delight evaporated, before weight wearied them. They found a cause, love, something to nurture, to expend remaining lifespan on, out here. Some were stolen, some were trapped some met death. Eternity's track, barreling onward, looking either direction, you watched for the light. Just in case.
None remained. Can't hold time, or companions. Both living, with an aura of change to highlight the shadows he avoided. Enjoy what is, while it is. Expectations of time were a narrow tunnel, squint to detect a tremor of surprise. Like the constant doctor, no time to die, barely enough to live.
Squirming deeper, he cursed the slight bulk he'd recently acquired. What was he supposed to do? Sit and moan in his TARDIS, alone, the last martyr of time? Endure a long miserable life, knowing what could be seen and done. Immobilized by fear of doing it wrong?
Time Lords were supposed to observe, not meddle. Hadn't stopped him before, wasn't stopping him now. Though, he did try, really try, to be more cautious since the safety net was gone. Shielding his eyes as sparks drizzled toward him, he spotted a golden sun wedged as he.
Hello. What's that? Tucked like a wad of bubble gum between panel and a board, it was just within reach since he was willing to scrape his knuckles. He pried the board with his thumb, flinching with joy. Raising his head, regretting the shot of pain, he still announced his discovery. The burst of memories, and impact, was a corona of mirth he had to verbalize.
"I wondered where that'd got to!" Wriggling free to stand like a conqueror on a battlefield, he slipped the string round his finger. With a flick of his wrist, he proceeded to determine the presence, magnitude, and direction of gravity.
"Rose! Come see what I've found!"
Jack, still fondling the extrapolator, tossed amused commentary over a hunched shoulder. "Nice yo-yo."
"It's my field gravity detector!" The Doctor shouted for one who would share this pleasure, "Rose?"
There was no answer. An idle sliver of his mind remembered the exhaustion on her face. Yes, he definitely recalled yawns and a muffled apology as she swayed away, hoping to find, "a pillow on a mattress. Don't blow anything up until I get back, huh?"
Indignation transformed to a smirk as he tucked the detector in his pocket. It wasn't all about the flash, didn't he know that by now? Patting the lump of just in case, he shuddered back under the console, wriggling with less effort, more ease, and a grin.
"Spock! Ha! I'll give you so much more, Rose Tyler. Well, if I can cross this wire here, and, uh, tuck that bit. Hmm, when did I do that?"