(A/N: So this was written primarily to help me deal with Eleven's regeneration. I'm still a little torn up, honestly. He will always be my Doctor, and I will always miss him. Enjoy!)
The Eleventh Doctor played with something in his hands, tossing it back and forth and twirling it around thoughtfully as he leaned against the TARDIS' console.
"Should I?" he asked the TARDIS, conflicted. "It might not even work. I might be being stupid again."
He paused, rubbing the console fondly. "Oh, you're right," he murmured. "I'm never stupid."
He held what was he was holding up to his face carefully. It was a small chip, glowing with gold TARDIS energy.
"Of course it'll work," he told himself confidently. "I'm the Doctor. Everything I make works."
He paused again, then groaned, falling against the TARDIS console pitifully. "Nooo, it doesn't," he moaned. "Half the time. They work half the time. I'm going to diiiiieee!"
He plopped onto the ground, tearing at his hair – which was a wig, so that was a bad idea.
Just then, the doors of the TARDIS opened. Eyes widening, the Doctor quickly put his wig back into place.
"Doctor?" Clara asked, coming around. "Are you all right?"
"What? Yes, yes, fine," the Doctor said hurriedly, getting to his feet and plastering a smile on his face. King of Okay.
He quickly put a hand on the console lever. "Clara, Clara, Clara," he grinned. "Where do you want to go?"
Clara smiled and leaned against the rail. "Surprise me," she said playfully.
"Ooo, surprises," the Doctor laughed, eyes glinting. "I love surprises!"
He pulled the lever and the TARDIS jolted. The Doctor bursted into action, running around and pressing buttons until the TARDIS steadied and landed.
Clara's eyes shone and she ran giddily to the door, hesitating just before opening it.
"Where are we?" she asked.
"Find out," the Doctor said, grinning mischievously.
Clara grinned back before tearing the door open and running outside.
He heard her squeal in pleasure before the door closed behind her. He didn't follow, not right away. Instead, he let his smile fall and pulled the chip back off.
"Oh, Trenzalore," he murmured. "I know you're coming, and I don't know if I can run anymore."
He placed the chip securely in a small crevice of the console carefully, looking at it sadly. He patted the TARDIS fondly.
"Hold me to it, eh, old girl?" he said. "Don't let me forget."
And with that, he ran out of the TARDIS after Clara.
~O~
Clara stared at the man before her in horror.
No. That…that couldn't be.
Could it be?
"Doctor?" she breathed.
They were crashing, and the man – the Doctor, Clara was slowly beginning to realize, the new Doctor – was madly trying to figure out how to fly the TARDIS. Apparently, he didn't remember, but Clara was too in shock to attempt to help him.
"Hold on to something!" he yelled. "We're going to crash!"
She was already clutching the rail, so she wasn't too jolted when the TARDIS made its ungraceful landing. The Doctor, on the other hand, was thrown halfway across the console room and into another, yelling.
"DOCTOR!" she screamed, trying to get to him, but finding her way blocked by sparks and debris as the TARDIS malfunctioned.
"I'm all right!" the Doctor called, crawling his way back and attempting to approach the console.
"Oo," he hissed, burning himself when he tried to touch it. "Hot."
He looked to her. "Get out of here!" he yelled. "I'll be right there."
She didn't need to be told twice. Dodging disjointed parts, she exited the TARDIS, finding herself on soft grass. She paid no attention to her surroundings however, her eyes fixated on the smoking TARDIS.
The Doctor emerged a second later, coughing as he shut the TARDIS doors behind him.
He smiled at her horrified face. "Don't worry," he assured her. "She'll be okay. She's just fixing herself."
"D-Doctor?" Clara breathed.
"Hm?" The Doctor looked to her, obviously unfazed by his own change. "Yes?"
"You're…you're…" she fumbled with the words, not knowing what to say.
His face softened. "Still me," he assured her. He smiled. "And you're my impossible girl."
Clara made some sort of chocking noise and the Doctor laughed, turning to take in their environment.
"Now," he said, putting his hands on his hips. "Where are we, and where can I get some new clothes?"
He began walking in a random direction, Clara following.
She didn't notice the small chip he had grasped in his hand.
~O~
The TARDIS landed with a jolt and Clara gave the Doctor a quizzical look.
"Doctor," she said seriously. "Stop being so secretive. Where are we?"
The Doctor's face was grave. "There's something I must do, Clara," he explained softly. "Alone. I'll be back soon. Stay here."
He left the TARDIS with purposeful strides and Clara just caught sight of something small clutched in his hands before the doors shut behind him.
The Doctor emerged from the TARDIS and into the library with a deep breathes, his hands clammy.
He moved forward in a sort of disjointed way, like a sleepwalker. He walked slowly, taking in everything around him even though he knew exactly where he was going. People moved all around him, which seemed odd, since the place had been so deserted when he had last been here.
When he had last been here. Two regenerations ago. So long.
He twirled the chip between his fingers nervously as he reached the spot where it had happened.
The computer blinked haphazardly, like it meant nothing more than what it was: a piece of technology, doing its job.
But it was more, so much more, than that.
He touched the pole she had cuffed him to lightly. He wasn't entirely sure why she had kept handcuffs on her. He smiled at the thought. It didn't surprise him.
Then he turned to where she had sat. It was largely changed, rearranged when the library had been fixed from the damage sustained in freeing it from the Vashta Narada. But he could still see her sitting there, tears dripping down her chin as she made the ultimate sacrifice. A sacrifice for him and all the people in the library. A sacrifice for them: her past, and his future.
He touched the computer lightly, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Oh, River Song," he murmured. "I miss you."
He smiled sadly, reminiscing before standing to his full height and holding out the chip. He stared at it for a long moment, the chip glowing golden with TARDIS energy.
"Well," he muttered. "Here we are. I didn't forget."
Without any more hesitation, he inserted the chip into the computer. It fit perfectly and glowed gold.
He smiled weakly at it. "Dying man's wish," he whispered.
"Doctor?"
The Doctor turned to see Clara, standing behind him with arms folded and a curious look on her face.
"Sorry," she said. "I was curious."
The Doctor straightened and smiled. "It's fine," he said. "I was done anyway."
Clara looked to the computer, curious. "What's that?" she asked. "What did you do?"
"Nothing," the Doctor said, striding away with a small smile and guiding Clara with him.
"Just taking care of an old promise."
~O~
Somewhere in the depths of the library's computer, River Song tucked the children of her own little virtual paradise into bed and shut off the lights, smiling at their sleeping forms.
She left the room quietly, closing the door behind her. Turning, she was surprised to find her friend, Evangelista, waiting for her with an excited look her face.
She frowned. "What is it, Evangelista?" she asked, confused at what had excited her friend.
"You won't believe it!" Evangelista exclaimed breathlessly. "C'mon!"
She grabbed River by the arm and began to run, River following in confusion.
They emerged out into the lawn of their home, the sky filled with stars above them. The field was lit by the moon, casting a beautiful glow on the sleeping flowers.
Evangelista cut through them without even looking. "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" she kept saying.
"Evangelista!" River exclaimed. "I don't understand, what could possibly - "
She cut off abruptly as she saw it.
Standing on top of the hill at the edge of the field was a man, silhouetted by the moon's white light.
Evangelista stopped, looking up at the man with a wide grin. Her eyes shone as River's mouth fell open, releasing herself from Evangelista's group and moving toward the hill in a daze.
The man on the hill began to walk down it slowly, the odd little jump in his step causing her heart to flutter. The closer he got, the more she could see of him. The trousers, the red suspenders, the tweed jacket, the bow tie, the fez –
"Doctor," she breathed.
"Hello, sweetie," the Doctor said, putting a hand to her face and kissing her, right there and then.
She kissed him back, hardly daring to believe it. But this was real. His hands cupped her face and held her hair and she did the same, the two kissing each other in the light of the moon like they hadn't seen each other in centuries. And oh, they hadn't, they hadn't…
After eternity and back, they finally split apart, and she ate him up with her eyes like she could never get enough of him.
"How?" she chocked.
He smiled. That goofy smile she would never, ever get tired of. "Oh, you know me," he said cheekily. "Always got a trick up my sleeve."
He laughed, poking her on the nose. "I died," he said matter-o-factly. "I knew I was going to die. I knew it was my time. So I made something."
"Made what?" River asked.
"A chip," he said simply. "With all my memories in it. All my memories' up through this body. A chip that I could put in this computer."
"You uploaded yourself?" River breathed in astonishment.
"I did!" the Doctor squealed, looking infinitely pleased with himself. "Well, my next regeneration did, I think. I don't think I ever had the time. Trenzalore came a bit faster than expected."
"But you're out of regenerations," River said, aghast. "How could you have possibly – "
"Oh, don't ask questions, River Song," he breathed, kissing her again before she could continue.
"All that matters is I'm here now," he whispered in her ear. "And I'm not going anywhere. No regenerating, no TARDIS, no distractions. Just you and me. Forever."
He laughed quietly. "Are you ready for an adventure of a lifetime, River Song?"
River grinned. "You can bet on your life I am, sweetie."
The Doctor smiled as he took her hand. "Good," he said.
"Because it starts now."