Title: Forever
Pairing: Bran/Jane, Will/Jane, Will/?
Disclaimer: The Dark Is Rising book series is property of Susan Cooper. Doctor Who is property of the BBC. For entertainment purposes only, no money being made.
Summary: Years after Silver on the Tree, Jane gets a visitor.
The world seemed quieter now as if waiting in hushed anticipation of her passing. She chuckled softly. As if she was anyone important. Only an old, wrinkled woman who had lived a long life; that was her: Jane Davies. She felt at peace strangely enough. It helped that she had led a beautiful, fulfilling life. The man that she loved, that she had spent many memorable years with; was by her bedside. She remembered when she was only a little girl - oh so very long ago now - how she was bothered by him – Bran, the boy without color, but with the most remarkable eyes and a kind soul to those he opened up to.
And there was something inexplicable that also connected the two, in ways others didn't truly understand. The magical dreams she always had, that she knew were vivid as she slept, but once she awoke, only a faint lilting music that she could almost hold on to, was left. But that too faded away as the morning sunlight greeted her to the land of the living. When Bran told her that he too had the same sort of dreams – elusive slivers of something that once had to, must have been a cherished memory – Jane felt drawn to him. She stayed with him because he understood. He understood her yearning for dreams that she tried hard to remember. Because these dreams were not just any old sort of dreams; they were real, they were a part of her. She wanted so desperately to remember what escaped her in her waking hours. One thing she never told Bran, because he wouldn't have understood, was that she once fell in love with a boy. Another boy who she always associated with Bran, yet this boy was so very different. She wasn't certain at the time that what she had felt deep in her heart was love. Eleven year-old girls were too young to know, too soon to be concerned with the kind of soul mate love that people dream about.
She knew now that she had to have loved him dearly. The biggest reason why she was with Bran was because he knew about the dreams. He looked at her and she felt happy, relieved that there was someone who did not think she was insane or foolish to dwell on such things. Simon and Barney, her brothers, had similar dreams, but they didn't think much of them. They only shook their heads and sighed saying, "It's just a dream, Jane. It's not real."
And after a few years, it was as if they never had the dreams. They simply forgot. But something – someone kept Jane preoccupied over these dreams. These infuriatingly elusive dreams.
She heard Bran speaking.
"The children are here, dear. Would you like to see them?"
Margaret, Penny, and Will were all grown up now; married with children of their own.
"Yes, of course. Are the little ones here as well?"
"No," Bran shook his head, "They're with your mum."
She coughed weakly. She felt old and tired, especially these last few days.
"I could use some water," She murmured.
"Here," Bran said, but before Jane could reach to grasp the glass, she saw a man standing at the window behind Bran.
She wanted to gasp in shock, cry out in fear of the stranger in her midst, but something stopped her from doing so.
The man looked straight at her, placing a finger to his lips. He held up his hand, fingers straight and whispered words of a language Jane could not understand; and Bran stopped moving. As if he was frozen in time.
The man, she knew who he was, but a part of him was lost to her. Forever locked in her mysterious dreams. This was most assuredly Will Stanton, the boy she had met so long ago now, with the light brown hair, round face, and blue-grey eyes; what she always felt was his most striking feature. And he didn't seem to have aged a day past thirty.
His blue-grey eyes were as piercing and commanding as ever, and Jane smiled a real smile as he came to her bedside, opposite Bran.
"Hello, Jane." He said, smiling.
"It has been so long. Where have you been all these years?"
"I have a gift for you. I'm sorry it has come so late." Will said quietly, and then he pointed his fingers, straight and stiff, toward her.
A rush of memories. Her dreams came flooding back to her. She finally remembered.
Will smiled at her as he sat down in the chair by her bed, "How do you feel?"
She sighed tiredly, "Old, but satisfied. I think my life has gone rather well. Better than most, I would say. We stopped the Dark, didn't we? The six of us – all united?"
"Yes, we won." He said simply.
Jane looked more closely at Will, "You know, I remember when I first really looked at you…I saw something."
"What did you see?" He whispered.
"Forever." She said.
Will nodded, "It's about time."
She gave him a questioning look, "Time for what?"
Will leaned over and kissed the top of her head, "I have to go."
"Won't you stay?"
"I can't." He turned away from her looking at Bran, who was still as a statue. Jane could see his shoulders tense for a moment.
"Will?"
"He'll be okay. I promise." He said.
"Who?"
"He deserves that much, at least." Will continued, appearing not to have heard her or just not choosing to.
"Will, please. What are you on about?"
He looked back at her, "Bran – he'll be all right. You don't have to worry about him."
Jane eyed him, "What is that supposed to mean?"
"I chose one person – just one. And forever won't be forever anymore."
She stared at him, finally coming to a realization, "Will – he's only human."
"I can work around that."
"But--"
He turned toward Bran again and pointed his right hand at him – again saying words from Old Speech, she now knew. The language only Old Ones could understand.
Will was gone before Bran could blink.
A few years later:
Will Stanton stood before a grave that was just beginning to show the signs of age. He had come to visit the grave every year since Bran's death. It had been unexpected – that even after Bran was given his memories back – that he would choose the slow path. To die when his time was up. He'd made his choice long ago, Bran had said, and even though he was only a boy then, he never regretted the decision and he felt that if he had chosen forever, then it would be like he didn't appreciate the life he had had – with Jane, their children, grandchildren…
To live life day by day…and each day as if it were your last.
"Hey," He heard a voice say behind him.
Will, without turning around, replied, "Thought you would be back later, Rose."
"The meeting ended early. I'm glad though. I wanted to spend time with you."
She came up beside him and took his hand, squeezing it reassuringly.
"I'm sorry about Bran. I know how much you wanted him to stay."
Will looked at her, as always feeling lucky that he found her. This beautiful girl with blonde hair and knowing eyes. She had flirted with forever, he knew.
"It's the way of things, isn't it? Sometimes forever can't compare to a fulfilling life and its peaceful ending."
Rose said quietly, remembering a time that seemed so long ago, "The Doctor, you know, the one I told you about? He once asked me, 'How long are you going to stay with me?' and I said, 'Forever.' And then it all went wrong…but I wanted it to be forever so much, Will. I wish I could have said no like Bran, but everything was right in front of me – waiting to be discovered and explored. How could I give that up? How could anyone give that up?"
"It may not be easy, but look at you, Rose Tyler, you're moving on. Working at Torchwood, defending the Earth, getting married…" He said quietly, though his eyes lit up as he looked at her.
The diamond ring on her finger glowed a little more brightly than before.
"We'll always be alright, you and me." Rose said confidently, leaning her head on his shoulder.
It was only after the sun had set that the two decided to leave.