Title: Pass On Through
Author: tromana
Rating: T
Characters: Three/Jo, Romana/Leela, Four/Sarah, Six/Peri, Eight/Charley, Ten/Rose
Spoilers: The Green Death, Gallifrey Audios, the Hand of Fear, The Time Warrior, Planet of the Spiders, mild SJA The Last Sontaran Pt 2.
Summary: A human/Time Lord relationship really doesn't work, sometimes.
Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who. I do however, have four cats. And a headache.
Notes: I am never going to complain about not having inspiration again.
Lyrics are from 'Peachy' by Missy Higgins.
Pass On Through
Its no-ones fault, it's nobody's fault that I fell on you and you on me
That's what humans do as they pass on through but I think we can't, don't you?
1.
"The Doctor," Jo's voice wobbled somewhat as she addressed Cliff, "where is he, I didn't see him leave!"
"Neither did I, love," Cliff responded. "I'm sure he'll be fine."
"Oh but you don't understand him like I do," Jo tried to hold back the tears but was failing dismally. "He'll be so lonely now!"
"You daft goat," Cliff grinned, stroking his new fiancée's face. "He'll have all of UNIT to keep him company."
"Yes," Jo sighed. "I suppose you're right. But I just wanted to say goodbye."
"I should think he didn't want to make a fuss."
Driving back to UNIT headquarters, and the Doctor was treating Bessie quite a bit more roughly than he should, knowing sooner or later he'd regret it somewhat. The car, after all, was only a mere piece of a human technology, prone to failure and she was old, even in this time. These cars were becoming increasingly hard to obtain parts for.
Humans. They always left in the end. Liz, leaving due to sheer boredom. He should have expected it really. A brilliant mind like Dr. Shaw's was hardly challenged when he was around. No wonder she hadn't wanted to be an assistant, she needed pushing, mentally. At least he'd opened her eyes, shown her the Universe was wider than she could ever have imagined before. She was probably being brilliant elsewhere.
And now Jo. Dear, sweet Josephine Grant. He thought she'd stay forever. Or at least, in what humans refer to as forever, meaning she'd wither and die beside him. She burned so brightly but now she was gone. To add insult to injury, to someone who reminded her of him but was just that little bit more human.
He should really stop adopting these humans, especially now he could travel again.
2.
"So, Leela Sevateem?"
"Leela of the Sevateem."
"Right. Yes. Firstly, is your...thing-"
"He is not a thing! He is K9. And he is not mine. He is Romana's," Leela spat.
"Fine, is 'K9' alright outside?"
"He is fine. He can defend himself."
The young typist scrutinised Leela. "I don't understand why you require my services."
"I wish to record my memories."
"Your memoirs?"
"My what?"
"Your memoirs," she repeated, patiently. "Your autobiography." Leela's face remained blank. "An account of what you have lived."
"Yes."
"Well please, take a seat."
Leela felt warily for somewhere suitable to sit. She hated new environments; she always managed to make a fool of herself. To think, a week ago she used to be able to move through halls without aid, despite her... inabilities. Now, stranded on Earth, she relied on K9 for everything. Feeling the edge of the desk, she roughly cleared the papers from it and perched as she had done so many times in the past in Romana's office. The costs were easily covered by the money she'd been sent away from Gallifrey with. Still, she heard the typist clear her throat before sighing heavily before taking a seat beside her and organised her papers.
"Well, in your own time, then."
"What do you want me to say?"
"Start anywhere," she observed Leela. She was obviously uncomfortable and there was something that made her seem fairly out of place. "Anything that comes to mind."
"I was travelling. With a man who called himself the Doctor. He had a scarf as long as this room and," Leela broke off with a smile. "He ate babies. 'Jelly' babies. I left him when we went to his home on Gallifrey-"
The typist cut her off. "Is that in Ireland?"
"I think so," Leela paused, off track. Her typist encouraged her to continue and she nodded, thinking carefully. "I fell in love with Andred. He was a Time Lord and that was obvious. He was weak, but stronger in my presence."
"Hang on, a Time Lord?"
"Yes."
"But what's a Time Lord?"
"An alien."
"Are you sure this is your memoirs – memories, or a fairy story."
Leela's hand twitched to her waist, reassuringly feeling the sheathed knife she had carefully concealed.
"I paid you to write for me."
"Yes, correct. I apologise. Please continue."
"We married, Andred and me, but then he died, and then he wasn't dead and then he was killed by Romana. Romana is the President of the Time Lords, and was one of the only ones I trusted. But then she leaves me here," Leela roared, "I should be with her, she needs me!"
"But, she killed your husband?" Her eyes remained on her employer. "And can you clarify what you meant by 'he died and then he wasn't dead'?"
"He regenerated. That's what Time Lords do to stop themselves from dying. In most cases, it keeps their soul intact and deep down they are still them. I think that it is sometimes more like mixing herbs to make a potion, only sometimes it is more like poison. Andred's regeneration was more like poison. We were going to try to save our marriage, but then the war came.."
"And Romana killed him?" The typist boggled at Leela. Her second job and she was working for a fantasist. Leela obviously seemed to believe every word she said was true. "Yet you want to be by her side?"
"I am her bodyguard. I can still do that, whilst blind, I can still look after her. She is in grave danger, the Daleks..."
"Daleks?"
"They are evil. They are coming to Gallifrey," Leela stopped, pausing for breath. "And Romana, we.. I loved, love her."
"Despite the fact she killed your husband?"
"That was not her fault! She was possessed. But then, she healed, slowly and Gallifrey's people deposed her. Braxiatel said she was the most intelligent Time Lord that ever was. I agree with him, except there is also the Doctor. Time Lords were becoming poisoned..."
"Through their... regeneration?" she queried, trying not to laugh at the concept.
"Yes, but she and Braxiatel and Narvin and K9, they managed to solve it. And then Gallifrey was rebuilt. And now, there's another war,"
Leela contemplated where to take it, now. It was strange, telling one's life story to someone so obviously cynical. She was just relieved that she knew K9 was safely outside, guarding the room and she had her knife in case anything went wrong. This 'typist' wouldn't know she knew how to fight, even in these uncomfortable clothes. She was also seriously considering telling K9 off for recommending it in the first place; he should have been able to deal with her dictation. He was able to deal with Romana's, after all.
"Four weeks ago, before stranding me here, she took me to Paris. She said it was an 'absolutely marvellous' place and that even being blind I would enjoy it." Leela stopped for a now rare smile, "and it was marvellous. But I think it was because she wanted one last trip away from Gallifrey before the Daleks invaded."
"Right..."
Leela snorted. "Time Lords, they're as traitorous as each other. Even her. She shouldn't have left me here!"
"Right, I'm sorry Leela. Same time next week?"
Resigned, Leela nodded and joined K9 outside. She didn't have anything to do, and it was going to be a long week. Once the door clicked shut, she realised she hadn't told her the 'problem' she had since leaving Gallifrey. Romana had been right about the effect the presence of Time Lords had on her metabolism, after all.
The young typist found herself a week later waiting impatiently for her fantastical, slightly delusional client. When Leela walked through the door, being guided carefully by 'K9', looking almost a decade older, she dropped her pen to the floor and couldn't help but stare.
3.
Luckily, she had had some British money on her, just enough to scrape together enough for a train fare back to Croydon and a cheese and pickle sandwich. The train had rattled, with all its own noises, none as reassuring as those that the TARDIS made. It was also horribly packed, making the unreliable time and space machine seem like heaven.
And it was, really. Despite the hypnotism, the slime, the aching thighs and not knowing whether you were coming or going, it was certainly life changing. Illuminating. Fantastic. She saw sights that no one would ever believe unless they'd seen it themselves, which was impossible. One of the most important things she learned was that alien life was contacting them all the time. Some needed helping, some needed defending against. UNIT wasn't exactly… efficient.
Most of all, she'd miss the Doctor. The man with multiple faces, a thousand personalities and the key to all of her 'travels'. He was the main reason she was so thankful she had trespassed into UNIT to find out what was going on. He was childlike one minute, a force of nature the next. Always someone to fiercely admire and love, even. Maybe one day, she'd see him again. She wondered if he'd have changed again. After all, when she met him, he had silver hair and dressed in dashing smoking jackets but he soon traded it all in for teeth, curls and a very long scarf. At least the radiation poisoning hadn't killed him, even if he had had to go to drastic measures to save himself.
Sarah Jane Smith looked to the sky and the stars seemed to twinkle cheekily back at her. It was strange how one planet could suddenly feel far too small.
4.
I watched from the sidelines, Perper-something, Peri, was positively cowering as 'the Doctor' laid into her. Something about wandering off, again. But who was I to judge? I'd just met them, running from the... No, let's not think of that.
"You, my dear, should really know that this behaviour leads to trouble!"
"But, Doctor, I-"
"No 'buts' about it Perpugilliam Brown. Running off like that always leads to trouble!"
"Yes, but you said I should stay there!"
They rarely seemed to stop shouting at each other. It was a wonder that they could get anything done in their roundabout fashion. But still, if it wasn't for them, it wouldn't be safe here. Despite everything that had happened, I should be grateful to that strange pair for that.
I was thoroughly relieved to wave them off in that just as strange blue box of theirs. How was I to know that as easily as they started an argument, there'd be peace between them again?
5.
He should kill her; he needed to. What was the life of one human when it came to the whole Universe being at stake? The tears splashed down Charley's face as she looked at the tormented Doctor. Licking her lips, she could taste the salt from them. It was bittersweet, in a way. She should have died and she hadn't. Any self-respecting Time Lord would believe that she should die but she'd won over their President. At least, she thought she had. Romana was quite a mystery in herself.
But now, it was time to take matters into her own hands. These last six months or so had been wonderful. Charlotte Elspeth Pollard, Edwardian adventuress, in the TARDIS with the Doctor, whom she loved entirely. Everything she'd seen and done was beyond her wildest dreams. After all, who could imagine such creatures as Daleks, living houses, amphibian gondoliers, Nimon, Cybermen? She thought it would never end.
Truth be told, she still didn't want it to.
When the Doctor disappeared into his TARDIS, that magical blue box, she let out a silent prayer that he would find a solution. He hadn't failed her yet. That he and Romana too, she supposed, would survive. She didn't matter; she was living on borrowed time, after all.
6.
The gap to the parallel world closed. Too soon, far too soon. He should have known it was about to happen; the readouts from the TARDIS had told him exactly how long he had to say goodbye to Rose. He briefly remembered how heartbroken Romana was at sending Leela away before the Time War. At least then, they'd had each other to fall back on then. Now, he was entirely alone again. He didn't even have Romana, or a K9, now.
He should really stop adopting these humans; it caused far too much pain for all concerned.