Golden dust falls from his hands, but he's not going to let himself regenerate. Not anymore. He's lived far, far too long, and it's time to let go now. The one

thing that he's learnt over all the years is that no matter how many people he saves, he can't save them all. The things that he fights so hard for all come to

dust eventually. And anyway, he's won. He's won the Time War for the last time; the Daleks are gone for good. He's the last fighter, the only one left in all the

universes who remembers. Gallifrey and its majesty and its fall.

The Doctor reaches out slowly to run his hand over the deep red grass one last time, takes a deep breath and gazes at the most beautiful sunrise he's ever

seen, the second sun rising over the endless mountains. The planet of the diamonds, Darillium, Catrigan Nova, the eye of Orion, even Earth – nothing he's ever

seen has ever been able to replace the place in his hearts for thisplanet.

The only thing he wishes for is the TARDIS, his TARDIS. He never gave her back, even though there is nobody left to give her back to. The last TARDIS in

existence, destroyed on a Dalek warship by his own hands as he wiped out the whole race forever. He never got a chance to say goodbye.

A silver leaf falls past him, looking for all the world as though it's a diamond on fire, and he catches it. And as he catches it he hears that best, most familiar

sound, that beautiful sound which he chose to accompany him through the centuries, staying with him longer than any companion he's ever had. The TARDIS

has found him again for the last time, returning through the fire and the horror and the pain like a faithful dog to stand by his side as he lies in the fields of his

home planet. And he can almost hear the machine crying, trying to urge him to regenerate, and asking him not to leave her forever like he never thought he

would. He can't find the words to explain to her why this is the end. He's about to close his eyes for the last time when he sees something flicker out of the

corner of his eye, and when he opens them again they're there. They're all there, everyone he's ever loved.

Sarah Jane Smith, smiling like she knows a secret. Jack Harkness, hugging Rose Tyler as she smiles through her tears. Martha Jones, Donna Noble, grinning like

they always used to after they had teased him. Amy Pond and Rory Williams. His mouth ghosts into a smile. They're still there for each other. Clara Oswald, the

impossible girl whose mystery he finally solved. River Song, his wife, who he always knew was going to die, and so made the most of his time with her. And so,

so many more, countless images of everyone he's met, helped, laughed with, forgiven. The TARDIS has made sure he's not alone at the end.

There's so much he wants to say to them all, even though they're not really there, but he can't get the words out. He feels the tear that he's been holding back

for so long fall down his face as finally he smiles and manages, 'I love you. I love you all.'

And that's how the Doctor leaves the universe for good, surrounded by his real family and the TARDIS. That impossible, amazing machine that was always there

for him, even until the very end. Giving him hope and support and letting him know that it wasn't all for nothing. The friends he's made have been good enough

for all the pain. The sky of Gallifrey shimmers and fractures as its last child finally closes his eyes. And the last thing that he sees is a beautiful landscape full of

incredible people, and the glorious blue of that wonderful, magical box. His first, his last, his best friend.