[EDIT as of June 3, 2012] I was weird and started writing this in first person and present tense even though I hate first person and present tense stories *shrugs*. I guess it's kinda an experiment to see how well I can write something like this. And it's also a big re-do of the majorly sucky original. I hope you enjoy it a lot more than you would have of the first :).
Disclaimer: Doctor Who isn't mine I swear! *pelts critics with Skittles* It belongs to BBC and any other owners!
The mad babble coming out of his mouth is making less sense than it normally does, and I tell him so as I stand up. Why am I on the floor again?
He laughs as he says, "I might never make sense again. I might have two heads, or no head. Imagine me with no head. And don't say that's an improvement."
What is he talking about? I smile awkwardly at his joke. He's probably just messing with me.
Then he says, "It's a bit dochy, this process. You never know what you're gonna end up with." To my shock, light literally explodes from him.
I scream his name and move towards him, but he stops me saying to stay away.
"Tell me what's going on," I demand softly.
"I absorbed all the energy from the Time Vortex and no one's meant to do that." He pauses leaving me to wonder what the hell he means. "Every cell in my body's dying."
"Well, can't you do something?" He's joking, right?
"Yeah, I'm doing it now. Time Lords got this little trick, it's, ah, sort of a way of cheating death, except…it means I'm gonna change."
I can't speak. All I can do is mouth, "What?"
"And I'm not gonna see you again. Not like this, not with this daft old face."
Why is he talking like this?
"And before I go –"
"Don't say that." Why is he acting like he's dying if he says he's fixing it?
"Rose," he says sternly. I clamp my mouth shut.
He continues on in what I dare say a gleeful tone, "Before I go, I just want to tell you were fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. And you know what?"
How can he be so…god, I don't know. Happy?
"So was I." He smiles, yet I can tell he's terrified.
I smile back. For all I know that's the last thing he'll ever see.
That light shoots off of him like it did before, only more intense. Intense enough that I can't see and I have to hide my eyes. It burns too, but not long after it starts, it's over. I look up to see someone completely different standing where my Doctor was just a few seconds ago.
"Hello," he says to me. I think he's about to say something else, but something seems to distract him. His lips puff out then he says to himself, "New teeth. That's weird." His eyes again settle on me. "So where was I? Oh, that's right! Barcelona!" He smiles.
I just stare, not listening. His face is so different from the 'daft old' one that had big ears. A full head of light brown hair sticking in all directions replaces the black stubble. His piercing blue eyes that had displayed so much grief over a lost world, guilt because he caused it, such age - all 901 years of it - and courage to protect what was still alive are replaced by chocolate brown ones. They are so big and warm and new. But suddenly they fill with pain and he grabs his chest.
I control the urge to gasp. I've seen this before.
Just days before I met the Doctor, I saw this very same man on the street corner. The emotion in those brown eyes was so incredibly sad when he had told me I was going to have a great year. I had dismissed that as alcohol talking when he doubled over just like he is now, and I'd asked if he was okay. He had assured me he was and I had just walked away.
Seeing him now, I realize it was so much more. He, whoever he is now, is going to be in pain and I didn't help him. Funny how time works, I muse grimly.
The memory passes through my mind in a second, and I quickly go to his side. "I'm all right," he says. I have to force myself not to slap him. Of course you're not alright! I scream in my head. Why can't I speak right now?
He straightens up and does stuff on the TARDIS controls.
I can't deal with this. I watch him forlornly. The only thought going through my head is that memory. I leave the control room and wander in the never ending corridors. I sort of know what his future holds and, frankly, that scares me. My stomach feels weird, like the butterflies only not in a good way.
The TARDIS jerks and shakes with more violence than normal. Slightly worried, I wait out the near-crash landing, and once everything calms, run back to the control room to make sure he hasn't hurt himself. I continue to run down the metal grating when I see that he's not there and the door is open.
I find him unconscious with my mum and Mickey looking confused. They bombard me with questions I answer, not fully believing it myself.
Then impulsively I get on my knees and pull his head onto my lap. My heart is pounding in my ears, but I don't care. I stroke the side of his face with the back of my hand. I don't know if I can deal with this – this change, but right now it doesn't really matter.
For some reason he's going to end up alone; however, I'm going to re-write history. I don't know what this change means for us, but I vow to never leave him again, ever.
[EDIT] Yes, I'm much more pleased with this now. Please, please, please review!