"Who are you?" A raggedy woman stood in his box. She tiled her head.
"I was called Idris, but in private you called me Sexy."
The Doctor smiled, "Yes, but how did you end up in the TARDIS, in that form again?"
Sexy smiled, "I don't know."
"You're the TARDIS, you must know."
"I know you're asking me because you know," She smiled at her thief. "Now the question really is why?"
"I wanted to see you"
"You always see me"
"I wanted to talk"
"You always talk"
"But you don't always respond"
"I always take you where you need, don't I?"
"No, no, no, I wanted a proper conversation with you. Speaking, with words" The Doctor's arms flailed. The TARDIS smirked. He responded with a warmer look and began moving the controls on the panel. Some interesting sounds echoed around the two.
"I'm not supposed to make that sound," Idris called out.
"Let's go on an adventure," The Doctor cheered
"We always adventure,"
"Yes, but not together like this" The Doctor said, exasperated.
"Doctor, what's happening?" Idris asked, suddenly serious.
"We are going adventuring!" The Doctor shouted. the TARDIS was really not supposed to make that noise.
"No but really, what will happen next?" Curiosity and sorrow mingled through her voice.
"All of time and space in in your mind and you're asking me what's going to happen next?" The Doctor moved from his piloting stance to stand in front of Idris.
"I am old, Doctor, not as TARDISes go but I'm old enough to be called old. I've seen burning planets and impossible astronauts with you. We've been to Asguard and the farthest stars in the universe. I've destroyed suns to project your image into a parallel universe. I've seen companion after companion come and go. But never once, Doctor, never once have you tried something as ridiculous as trying to fly an empty TARDIS. Now I ask you, Doctor, what is going to happen?"
"Companions," the Doctor laughed quietly to himself, perhaps going through the list of people he's come in contact with, people he could never get back. "I don't know," The Doctor looked up, flashing his classic puppy dog eyes.
"Doctor, I see everything, all the time. The past, the present and the future but I don't see you,"
"Oh Idris, good old, faithful Sexy, you," the Doctor skipped down and placed his hands on Idris's shoulders, smiling at the sight of her face.
"Doctor, what is going to happen?" She was desperate, her voice barely a whisper.
"You're asking me because you know," The Doctor responded. His lips curved slightly despite the mist of possible tears budding in his eyes.
"Doctor, no," Frantic was never a word which could be used to describe the TARDIS. Frantic was never a distant synonym to any emotions the TARDIS has ever felt. Frantic was the only word which could describe her now.
"No, don't do that," The Doctor laughed, "I lived! I was alive!" the Doctor patted Idris's head. "Now, lets go on an adventure! Let's go on one last adventure. Let's make it a good one. One last good adventure. How about it, Sexy?" the Doctor smiled, his eyes begging.
Idris stretched her lips over her teeth, forcing a smile, just for her timelord, her thief, her doctor.
And off they went, on one last great adventure. The madman and his box.
"Hello, sweetie" A flirtatious River twirled into the TARDIS. "Doctor?" The TARDIS was silent.
"Hello, Melody," A woman, middle-aged, worn said behind River.
"Who are you? Where's the Doctor?" River demanded, reaching for her gun.
"He took me back to Galifrey, not too close, of course. He took me to see my sisters, from afar." The old woman crinkled her face into a smile.
"Who are you?" River demanded, a softer, questioning tone this time.
"It's still early for you, Melody, just got your archaeology degree, correct?" This old woman reached out to stroke River's hair, and for some reason, River let her.
"You're aging," River's voice cracked with confusion and concern.
"The Doctor loved that about you, your concern for others, your humanity," The woman's lips started to crack as her skin turned gray. "Come here, Melody, let me show you how to fly the TARDIS," River looked straight into the dying woman's eyes, "You're a strong girl; think you can handle all of time and space in your mind?"
River tried to question the woman but she quickly kissed her finger and pressed it to young River Song's lips.
"Take care of the Doctor," The old woman smiled, grinned and slowly flaked apart, a pile of dust left on the TARDIS floor. River finally looked around, the lights were slowly dimming. River turned to the TARDIS consul, flipped a switch. An image of the Doctor lingered on the screen. It quickly fizzled out as the TARDIS darkened. A headache slowly crept over River.
"I need to see a doctor," She mumbled, stumbling out of the blue box. Not for the last time, of course, all stories have a beginning, middle, and end. But they're not always in that order.