Title: The Price of Survival
Fandom: Doctor Who
Characters: Charley, the Doctor (Eighth)
Prompt: 014 - you're hiding something, 'cause it's burning through your eyes; I try to get it out, but all I hear from you are lies
Word Count: 257
Rating: PG
Summary: Charley confronts the Doctor about her true fate.
Author's Notes: Originally written for 50lyricsfanfic on LJ. Doctor Who belongs to the BBC. I'm just borrowing it for fun.
The silence was uncomfortable, punctuated by Charley's ragged breathing. She stared angrily at the Doctor from the other side of the console room, her eyes bloodshot from the tears she had shed.
"Is that it then? I'm destined to die and you have to take me back there?"
"Charley--"
"You saved my life, and now you're telling me I have to die to keep the timeline set! That's not fair, Doctor. If you knew what would happen... You shouldn't have done anything at all."
"Charley, please--"
"Stop! I don't want to hear any more of your lies. Because lies are all you've ever told me when I brought the subject up."
"Charley, wait--"
"Why? So you can bring me back to the R101? Or maybe you have something here in the TARDIS that'll let you end my life yourself. Is that more preferable in the end? I suppose at least that way, you'd know I won't suffer very much."
"Charl--"
"Don't even start in with your holier than thou Time Lord attitude! Just...don't. I'm leaving. You made the choice to save my life and now I'm choosing to live it. Goodbye, Doctor."
The doors slammed behind Charley as she stormed out of the TARDIS, leaving the Doctor alone in the spacious console room. He closed his eyes, bowing his head as he leaned his weight onto the console itself.
"Oh, Charley... I wasn't going to take you back... I could never..."