A/N: I don't own Doctor Who, I'm not even sure I own the plot. I mean, I'm sure it's been done before. But, hasn't every story?
Someone goes on a quest… Someone saves the day… Someone is in love with someone else…
So I guess here's another someone.
-It's early, or late… Either way you're only finally escaping from the warm confines of your bed when it happens.
Passing by the window you catch a glance of something strange, something that doesn't fit into the view you've seen every morning for who cares how long. At first it doesn't register, your only reaction is an apathetic, "Meh." But then… Suddenly you're reversing course, moving back to look out the glass and into the great wide wonder of the world. You press against the glass, breathing fast as the image registers in your brain. The glass starts to fog but you could recognize that shape anywhere.
A blue box.
Oh, how did you not recognize it for even a second?
It looks so small, but you know it's gigantic on the inside! Housing all kinds of mysteries you've only dreamt of exploring!
And now's your chance, isn't it? But wait…
Where is he?
Is he close perhaps, his knuckles only an inch away from rapping against your door?
Or is he already wrapped up within the latest adventure? Keeping some strange unearthly creature from causing harm? Or assisting some stray time traveler to get back where they belong?
Even as your mind races with thoughts and questions, your heart stops as you spot a figure.
It's him.
Your doctor.
White haired. Or celery on his lapel. Long scarf draped about. Velvet coat. Leather jacket and large ears. Swished brown coat and converse. Or even a bowtie and fez. It doesn't matter, but it's him. The one that stole your heart.
For a moment, you're not sure if you're alive. Or even awake. And you wait for the vision to blur, to shift and reveal itself to be a parked car and pedestrian. Or even a strangely shaped tree.
But it doesn't.
And suddenly you realize he's walking away from you, heading towards the TARDIS doors to step inside and leave forever. The book you forgot you were even holding, clutching in your hand, drops to the ground falling open and wrinkling pages.
But you're already bolting for the front door, moving faster than you ever have before. Than you ever thought you could! You're sure you almost rip the door from the hinges and you go crashing through the entryway, fumbling and tripping in your desperation.
By the time you tumble outside all that's left is the faint outline of a silly old police box in the air, almost taunting your slowness. The air echoes with the sound you can now only relate to waking dreams.
"DOCTOR!"
You can't help it, the single word escapes from your lips. But it's to late, and it goes unnoticed by your query as you collapse on to your knees.
Choking sobs let loose into the air from your defeated position, sounding out until you can't make another sound. Your tear ducts long dried out.
You rise to your feet, realizing the sun has started to set and you've spent all day staring at the same spot. Pleading with air for the apparition to appear before you once more.
Stumbling inside, your throat is dry and your body sore.
When you reach the window where it all started you can't help but glance outside. It's dark now, and only the usual view awaits you.
Your toes tap against something and you look down to see the book, abandoned on the floor. It's your favorite, and you can't help but feel a certain connection with its current abandoned state.
Stooping down, you carefully gather it up and press it close to your chest. A strange need to comfort the poor thing almost overwhelming you.
Glancing at the book, you notice some of the pages have become crumpled and folded from its unexpected visit to the floor. You hold it out and give the item a soft shake, a pathetic attempt to undo the damage you've caused.
Something sounds as it hits your floor, and you find yourself stooping down once more to retrieve and inspect the foreign item.
Your breath catches!
A key.
Surely, left by someone for you.
Hurriedly you look outside, desperately opening your senses to notice the shine of the TARDIS light or the much beloved sound of it's arrival.
Only silence and darkness meet you.
You look back at the book and find words scrawled on the inside cover in familiar script.
'For next time.' Is carefully written out and underlined three times on the inside cover.
Your heart swells and a delighted giggle echoes about the room as you rise to your feet, clutching both the book and the key within your hands. You shuffle back to the warm embrace of your bed, happier than you've found yourself in a long time.
As you settle in, a smile on your face you hear something. Whooshing and grinding greets your ears as you sit up, the metal of the key pushing against your palm as you clench tighter with hope. You look towards your door as a soft light filters through.
The door cracks open and you see a blue box, so much bigger on the inside, followed by a familiar head peeking in.
"Is now a good time?"