A request by anonymous for a Doctor Who fic centering around the theme of forgiveness on my tumblr, gallifyres.
Especially in light of recent attacks against religion, love, race, and politics, I felt that the Twelfth Doctor's anti-war speech means more now than ever.
Yes, Clara's still alive here. Sue me. Also, contents may include vague Whouffaldi fluff.
Takes place present day.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
"Do we have a telly?"
"Do we have a what?"
"A telly, Doctor. I want to see the news. Haven't been caught up with the real world for a bit."
"Ah. Um… Clara, are you sure? There might be something that could, I don't know, upset you."
When his companion resolutely nodded, he gave in. "Give me your phone, then."
A hesitant Clara Oswald reached into her pocket and slowly handed her mobile to the Doctor, who reached into his pocket and pulled out his sonic sunglasses. Pressing the button, he looked towards Clara's phone, and with a few beep and a stubborn sounding pulse, he handed Clara's phone back to her.
"There. I've upgraded it to Superphone status. You can make calls to and from anywhere in the universe, throughout all of time and space. Benefit if you travel with me. It's even got unlimited Internet!" he said enthusiastically.
"Thanks, Doctor," Clara responded, smiling gently as she looked down and began scrolling through her phone."
"What is it that you humans do all day, with those small little devices?" the Doctor wondered out loud. "Do you mindlessly wander through all of… Internet, and search up meaningless videos of… cats? Not that I've got anything against cats, in fact, when I was younger, I went to this planet where the nurses were cats. Even travelled in a vehicle driven by a cat with lots of kitties."
"Please shut up, Doctor- I'm trying to read. And who are you to talk negatively about human technology? You with your… TARDIS and sonic screwdriver and sunglasses and it's bigger on the inside and Time Lord science and travels…" Clara's voice dropped off as she stared at her phone.
The Doctor knew what she read. "Clara? What is it?"
"Is it true, Doctor?"
"What?" he asked, biding for time, praying that she hadn't read it.
Of course she had.
"Paris, France? 137 people killed, 368 injured?" She frantically scrolled through her phone.
"San Bernadino, California? 14 killed, 22 hurt?" She went faster, thumbs flying as her eyes swiveled, taking in the information that was too much too painful too much like the Time War.
"Brussels, Belgium? 35 dead, 340 hurt?" Clara's voice had begun to take a horribly flat, dead tone, with questions coming out as statements- disbelief simply remaining as cold fact.
"Orlando, Florida. 49 gunned down dead, 53 maimed."
Silence fell for a good ten minutes, giving the Doctor good time to think about a painfully reminiscent conversation he had with a particular Zygon.
The only way anyone can live in peace is if they're prepared to forgive.
It's always the same.
When you fire that first shot, no matter how right you feel, you have no idea who's going to die.
He saw the Gallifreyans, begging him to save them.
You don't know whose children are going to scream and burn.
2.47 billion children looked up at him, eyes filled with the one things the adults didn't have- the one thing he couldn't give them until it was too late- hope.
How many hearts will be broken. How many lives… shattered. How much blood will spill.
Drip, drop, went the blood from his knuckles as the Doctor punched the floor of the TARDIS in utter frustration.
You think they'll let me go after what I've done?
"Look at me, I'm unforgivable." Well, here's the unforeseeable- I forgive you. After all you've done. I forgive you.
You don't understand. You will never understand.
Me? Of course I understand. I mean, do you call this a war, this funny little thing? This is not a war.
I fought in a bigger war than you will ever know.
I did worse things than you could ever imagine, and when I close my eyes…
I hear more screams than anyone could ever be able to count."
'Doctor, Doctor, help us! Save us! Please, we beg of you!'
And do you know what you do with all that pain? Shall I tell you where you put it?
The Doctor rose from his spot on the floor of the TARDIS and walked to Clara, who had her head in her arms, rocking back and forth as she sobbed at the news.
You hold it tight… till it burns your hand.
He took her hands into his own, entwining his fingers into hers as gently as possible.
And you say this- no one else will ever have to live like this.
No one else will ever have to feel this pain.
Clara stood up, and for a long moment, the two embraced, holding each other like there was no tomorrow.
Not on my watch.
"Doctor, please, there's got to be something that we can do," Clara begged into his shoulder, dotting his coat with tears as she cried.
"Shh, I know, I know."
"We've got to do something. I can't just… stand here while all of this happens," she whispered, holding him tighter.
"Sh, I know, I know."
The Time Lord gently released himself from Clara's embrace and took her hands, a second time.
"Do you remember what I told Bonnie, during the Zygon War? Do you remember, Clara? I told her that the only way anyone can live in peace is if they're prepared to forgive."
After fiddling around with the panel of the TARDIS, the Doctor led his companion to the space-time throttle.
"Together?" he asked her.
She put her hand on the handle, giving him a watery smile as he put his hand on hers.
"Doctor… where are we going?"
He smiled sadly back to her as they pulled the handle down, together- always together.
"We're going to forgive. Because nothing like the Time War will happen again. Not while the Doctor and Clara Oswald are still alive."
Not on our watch.
Thank you for reading! Please drop a review, it helps me to become a better writer!