Series: Doctor Who
Title: By any
other name.
Summary: Promises,
promises. The Doctor (now on his 9th Regeneration) and
Rose has
had
many adventures through the galaxy. But sometimes, the best
adventures
are
closer to home.
A/N: I don't
own---blablablawoofwoof---except Aaliyah Etymolo. She's
allllllllllll mine!
The
character, Kojami, belongs to my boyfriend. Everyone else (aside from
the Doctor, Rose and other BBC assortments) belong between the two of
us.
"Doctor, doctr, will
I die?"
"Yes my dear, and so
will I."
"How many years until
I'm dead?
"One...two...three...four..."
A group of young girls, all between the ages of six and eight, play on (what they consider) their front walk. It is actually the expanse of cement that connects the front of the apartment complex (where cars or trucks can drop off large loads on Sundays) to the sidewalk and street. The clutch of girls are playing skip-rope.
Across the street, overlooking the scene of the playful rhyming group, a tall lanky man in (what appears to be) his mid-forties and dressed in a black leather jacket, watches the scene with a grim expression. He is known only as the Doctor. As the ninth regeneration of himself, he is rather a bit more of a scarecrow than a few regenerations before, and his ears are bigger once again, but all in all he is satisfied. Normally he is, anyways. At this very moment, he is filled with a chilling dread at the sound of the children's skip-rope rhyme. The haunting melody sweeps over him, seizing his soul in a cold grip. It forcefully reminds him of a terrible nightmare he use to have, one that came true so many years ago...years that have yet to come...
"Doctor? Doctor!"
Twice the young, blond teenager calls his name. He hears her, but cannot wrench his eyes from the children, cannot bring his mind towards the present; he is too anchored in the stream of time. It is only when she reaches a hand out to touch the arm of his black leather jacket does he turn his head to acknowledge her. Looking into his eyes, she is shocked to see a feeling she has never seen in him before, nor thought possible for him to feel; a soulful hurt that seem to hover around him, wrapping him in a blanket of pain. Her foggy-crystal blue eyes bore into his, concern etched into every nanometer of their gaze, from under a tangle of wavy blond hair.
"Doctor...are you alright?"
He flashed her a tight smile, one of reassurance.
"I'm fine Rose."
He answered her, the half-lie slipping easily from his tongue. She didn't believe him, not at first, and he could understand why. He didn't believe himself. Scrounging up an inner happiness, he felt himself actually lighten from the fabricated glowing mood. Yet, he cannot resist gazing once more at the girls across the street, who have already abandoned their haunting rhyme in favor of the less morbid, "Teddy Bear".
"Really, I'm fine. Now," He turned, glancing and pointing up at the apartment complex that loomed behind them. "Your mum is up there. It's May, back in your proper time. She's not suspecting' a thing, and we are here for one purpose. Now, let's complete this purpose and work ourselves on gettin' outta here." Rose gave him a look and grinned, nudging his shoulder in a friendly manner.
"What is it with you an' my mum?" The Doctor frowned, a whiney-seriousness creeping into his voice.
"Hey, she's the one wit' the problem!" He claimed. Matching Rose's grin with an encouraging smile of his own, he pointed the way ahead with a toss of his chin. "Come on then, let's go."
Together, with Rose slightly leading the way, the duo stated towards the apartments. Across the street, the group of girls had moved on inside, sensing an oncoming thunderstorm and choosing to take refuge in the shelter of their respective homes. Only a 1950's styled police call box, painted blue, remained in the empty side street, silently waiting for the storm to begin.
