For Her

It was a perfectly normal day in the TARDIS; the Doctor was bouncing around the console with his seemingly endless energy. Amy and Rory were sat on the swing underneath the glass floor of the console room, gazing into each other's eyes, when the shrill ring of a telephone broke the moment. They both looked up and saw the Doctor answer it,

"Hello Harry, been a long time since I've..." He broke off and suddenly all that energy seemed to evaporate "Yes, of course I'll be there, wouldn't miss it if the world was ending" His voice had taken on a sad tone, he put the phone down. "Amy, Rory I've got to go get changed I'll be back in a bit" And with that he disappeared into the depths of the TARDIS.

Amy and Rory sat in shocked silence for a moment or two, then Amy broke it.

"What do you think that person on the phone...Harry...said to make him so upset?" Amy queried as if Rory would know the answer "Also why do you think he would need to change his clothes?" She added as an afterthought.

"It's just as much a mystery to me as it is to you Amy" Rory replied.

About half an hour later, The Doctor re-entered the console room and started setting the controls. He was wearing a black suit and bowtie, his hair had been smoothed down in a formal fashion. You could tell he had been crying.

"Doctor are you alright?" Amy asked.

"Of course I'm not alright, how could I be alright!" He snapped and Amy took a step back "Sorry Amy, I didn't mean to snap, but something very bad has happened."

"It's alright, I know you didn't mean to." She said and left it at that, he obviously didn't want to talk about it.

A minute later they landed, with considerably less turbulence. They stepped out onto a hill, a church just in front of them. A man stepped forward to greet them

"Hello Doctor"

"Hello Harry, I just wish we could have met again under better circumstances"

"Me too Doctor, Me too"

When they entered the church Amy and Rory felt underdressed. Suddenly they both understood why The Doctor had been upset, they were at a funeral. They watched as the Doctor walked up to the casket at the front.

"My Sarah-Jane, I thought this day would never come. I'm not good at goodbyes you know that, especially funerals. But for you I came, always for you." Tears were running freely down his face now.

"I suppose I never really apologised, did I? I'm sorry for leaving you behind all those years, it took me this long to realise how big a fool I was, and I should never have left you. I wish I hadn't. Goodbye, my Sarah-Jane"

The ceremony proceeded and the casket was lowered into the ground. The Doctor placed a long multi-coloured scarf on top of it. Others added more and when they were done she was buried. The mourners dispersed until the only people left were The Doctor, Amy, Rory, Harry and Luke.

"I am glad you came Doctor, this is the first time I have f...Felt loss, and I do not understand it." Luke stuttered

"I would have done anything for Sarah, I still would. Also loss is an emotion you feel when you are sad that someone, or something has gone and you know you will not see them again" The Doctor replied

"Thank you"

"Goodbye Luke, Harry. Goodbye Sarah-Jane Smith"

"Bye" Luke and Harry answered

They got in the TARDIS and left. Inside The Doctor said

"I will miss her sourly, I would have liked for you to meet her, she was a great woman"

"I'm sure she was Doctor and I agree with you, I would have liked to meet her." Amy said.