"A lonely road, crossed another cold state line
Miles away from those I love, purpose hard to find
While I recall all the words you spoke to me
Can't help but wish that I was there
Back where I'd love to be, oh yeah"
The Doctor stared down at theTARDIS console, images from the past few days racing by in his head. Sayinggoodbye to the Ponds, while he knew it was right, had been one of the hardestthings he had ever had to do. The old Time Lord wanted nothing more than to set course to Leadworth,or even more, to where he knew in his hearts Rose and the human Doctor were atthis very moment. Slowly he shook his head, trying to convince himself that hecouldn't.
"They're all happy," murmured the Doctor, frowning at the unfamiliarsound of his own voice. It wavered as he spoke, almost as if there was something in his throat blocking the words. The TARDIS hummed softly, and he smiled softly to himself. "Looks like it's just the two of us again, Sexy." He blinked back the tears that threatened to fall and sat down on thetop step.
"Dear God, the only thing I ask of you
Is to hold her when I'm not around, when I'm much too far away
We all need that person who can be true to you
But I left her when I found her and now I wish I'd stayed
Cause I'm lonely and I'm tired, I'm missing you again oh no
Once again..."
With a soft thud, the TARDISlanded, and the Doctor looked up from where he sat. After a few long seconds, he gathered himself and walked outsideslowly, his true age showing through the young appearance. The moment the doorsopened, he froze. A blonde woman and a dark haired man stood just a couple of houses from him. "Rose." He tried to call out, but the name came out at awhisper.
Rose reached up and knocked on thedoor of the house, then turned back toward the man and laughed at somethinghe'd said. The Doctor felt a wave of sadness wash over him, and a twinge ofjealousy of his human copy. Just as he was about to close the door once more,Rose turned so that her eyes caught sight of the blue box. The Doctor's gaze locked with hers through the now barely open door. Even from a distance, the Time Lord knew she toowas fighting tears. (paragraph break)"Rose Tyler!" a voice (one the Doctor soonrecognized as his own) called out, and then the doors of the TARDIS shut seemingly on their ownaccord. With a gentle rasp, she dematerialized out of existence.
"There's nothing here for me on this barren road
There's no one here while the city sleeps
And all the shops are closed
Can't help but think of the times I've had with you
Pictures and some memories will have to help me through, oh yeah..."
The Doctor's hand rose and pressed againstthe blue doors. "What was that for?" he snapped at the walls around him, the tears beginning to fall down his cheeks. The TARDIS hummed once more. He could detect an almost sad note amongst the comforting sound. His hand fellfrom the door accompanied with an almost inaudible sigh. Then, with sluggish footsteps, he walked up to the console and plugged in coordinates, eyeingthe blue stabilizers as the TARDIS shook around him. She landed once again,making a sound that made him smile. He walked out of the doors with that smile onhis face, though it dropped when he realized his location.
Instead of being in Doctor MarthaJones's office, like he'd been planning, the Doctor found himself in a prison herecognized as Stormcage.
"Dear God, the only thing I ask of you
Is to hold her when I'm not around, when I'm much too far away
We all need that person who can be true to you
But I left her when I found her and now I wish I'd stayed
Cause I'm lonely and I'm tired, I'm missing you again oh no
Once again..."
"Doctor?" A curly-haired blondewoman looked up from where she had been sitting on a bed. Her eyes were alight with concern. "Are you alright? Have you been...?"
"River," the Doctor said, thenlooked around before getting out his screwdriver and opening the door to thecage. River stood and walked out of the cage and over to him, reaching up ahand to wipe away the salt-water trails on his cheeks.
"Did something happen?"
"I… spoilers."
"It's been a very long while sinceI heard you say that word." At this, the Doctor looked up at her from wherehe had been staring at the ground. She was right, this was not the young Riverhe had gotten used to seeing. Panic welled up in his chest at the look in hereyes. This looked like the River who had ran with him in the Library.
"Some search, never finding a way
Before long, they waste away
I found you, something told me to stay
I gave in, to selfish ways
And how I miss someone to hold
When hope begins to fade
A lonely road, crossed another cold state line
Miles away from those I love, purpose hard to find..."
"River… I… where are you?"
"Come sit." She led him into thecell and they both sat on her bed, her hand resting on his shoulder. The Doctorresisted the urge to lean into her touch and tell her everything that hadhappened. "The Picnic at Asgard," she said, bringing him out of his thoughts.
"The picnic," he breathed. "Thatmeans…"
"Spoilers?" She nudged him withher shoulder to remind him he wasn't allowed to give anything away.
"Yeah…" The Doctor nodded, then wrapped an arm around herwaist and pulled her into a half-hug. He rested his head on against her soft curls as if it were the most natural thing in the world and inhaled deeply. "Spoilers."
"Dear God, the only thing I ask of you
Is to hold her when I'm not around, when I'm much too far away
We all need that person who can be true to you
But I left her when I found her and now I wish I'd stayed
Cause I'm lonely and I'm tired, I'm missing you again oh no
Once again..."
"Where are you?"
"Not long after Lake Silencio."
"The wedding." River looked up athim, her eyes shining. The Doctor felt himself smile back at her, despite theaching he felt inside. Footsteps echoed down the hall, drawing nearer to thecell they were sitting in. River jumped in her seat then turned to herhusband, the smile having disappeared. No words needed to be said for him toknow what was on her mind.
"Come with me." He blurted withoutthinking. River gave a sad smile like she was about to say no, but then two of them walked out of the cell slowly, not caring whether they werecaught by the guards. It wasn't like she wouldn't be back.
River skipped up the stairs of theTARDIS, twirling on the console platform before running to her room to get change outfits. The Doctor walked over to the control panel and pulled a lever, smiling to himself.
"How did you know?" The TARDISdidn't respond to his question, but at that moment River walked in.
"Who are you talking to? I swear,every time you pick me up you bring someone else!"
"There is no one else, dear; justthe two of us." She stared at him for a few minutes, standing at the bottomstep and looking like the angel he had slowly come to love.
"Where are we headed?"
"Anywhere and Everywhere, have all the time in the Universe."