It was raining, that was his first thought as he stood there, and just as well, for a beautiful sunny sky had no business there, not today of all days.
The Doctor watched the service from a distance. Part of him felt he should be standing there with the others who had came to mourn the man that lay in the coffin to pay his respects, but he can't, he had no right to stand there, not in this form. He had never met him, not in this regeneration and perhaps he never will now, he doubted he could ever see the man and talk to him again, all the while knowing that the man before him is dead and buried.
This could very well be the final time he'll ever say to goodbye Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart.
He had only just landed the TARDIS in London for a completely unrelated reason when he realised what the date was, after that he left Amy and Rory behind, telling that he there was something important he had to do and that he would be back to pick them up later. then one quick TARDIS trip later and here was here, standing under a tree watching the funeral service for the man the Doctor had known for the longest of times.
As the sermon continued, the Doctor turned his gaze to the crowd. Sarah Jane was there, right in the front row, among all of the Brigadier's family and friends. There was John Benton and Mike Yates as well, their heads bowed in grief and sorrow for the lost of their friend and leader. And then there he was, or more accurately, there was his past selves. There they all were, the previous Doctors from the elderly man with a walking stick to the lanky man in the pinstripe suit and raincoat, all of them had came to pay their respects to the one of the few people that were the closest thing they ever had to a friend. Once again apart of him wished to be down there, sitting with the rest of them and give his farewell to the old soldier, but he quickly pushed that feeling aside again, the Brigadier never met him in this regeneration while he did with the others. He didn't deserve to be in front of the coffin of a man that was far better then him, not without meeting him.
As the service drew to a close, the Doctor began to think of all his adventures with the Brigadier. The first time the two of them met and worked together, the Doctor becoming a member of UNIT's staff during his temporary exile to Earth, his farewell before his latest regeneration.
Soon it was over, the coffin lowered into the into the ground and people began to leave. The Doctor stepped out from under the tree, the heavy rain already soaking him from head to toe, as he watched the last of the people left. The Doctor looked mournfully at the grave one more time, his throat going dry as he spoke,
"Good bye Brigadier. It had been more then a honour knowing you."
in tribute to Nicholas Courtney, who has recently passed away.
R.I.P. Nicholas Courtney, You will be greatly missed.