THIS IS BASED ON AN AU FROM TUMBLR. Cosmo-gyral.
"AU in which the Doctor is a very sick little boy lying in a hospital bed in a coma and his universe is just a dream. Each of his companions represent the kids in the beds next to him and when they die or leave the ward, they die or leave in his head. Regenerations represent times he nearly woke up or nearly died and the TARDIS represents his life support machine."
"Mum, what's wrong with John?" Ruby asked.
"Nothing is wrong with him? Why?"
"Because he's laying on the floor."
Ruby's mother turned from her, slightly confused, and rushed to John's bedroom. She found him on the floor, noticing bruising on his pale skin. She knew something was wrong, and she picked him up gently. John whimpered, and Ruby looked scared.
"Ruby, get John's blanket and get you jacket. Come on now, hurry"
Ruby was eight years old, John was six. She had taken to protecting John from anything she could. It was harder than she thought. She ran to get her jacket on and she grabbed John's favourite blanket and even stopped to grab his favourite plushy. She followed her mother out to the car, and got in. She put the blanket over John and gave him his toy. Ruby buckled herself in as her mom started the car.
"Mummy, whats wrong?"
"I don't know sweetheart. We're going to find out."
She drove to the emergency room, luckily it wasn't very busy. A doctor came out and brought them to the examination room within ten minutes.
"Hi, I'm Doctor Stewart. And this is...John?"
"Yes, my son." Ruby watched as her mother set John on the hospital bed. She climbed into a nearby chair.
"Right, can you explain why you've brought him?" The man held the clipboard, and didn't seem to even look at John.
"Um, well. My daughter, Ruby, brought attention to the fact he seemed weak, and then I noticed bruising on him and his skin, it's much too pale."
"Right, we'll do some blood work, a few tests, and we'll see what's going on."
For about an hour, Ruby watched as John was poked and prodded with needles. She wouldn't leave his side though, she was supposed to be watching him! She wasn't supposed to let anything happen to him!
"Right, it'll take a few days for lab reports to come in. I suggest you take John home and watch him closely." Doctor Stewart said. "I'll call you when they come in, Mrs. Smith."
They nodded, and Ruby's mother picked John up once more, Ruby quickly grabbed the stuffed toy they'd brought in with them.
Back at home, Ruby noticed her mother was nervous. Usually she was strong, but it seemed she was weak at this point.
"Mummy, we should make soup. Soup helps." She smiled up at her mother, who smiled back down at her. Children didn't understand the depth of certain things, but she agreed and they made some chicken noodle soup. She let Ruby carry it over to John, and Ruby went so far as to help John eat it. Maybe they'd be alright. Maybe it was just a small sickness that would fade away.
Four days later, the phone rang. Ruby picked it up.
"Hello?" She answered.
"Hello there, is your mother home?"
"Yes, I'll be right back." Ruby carried the cell phone to her mother.
"Hello, is this Jenna Smith?"
"Yes, it is. May I ask who this is?"
"Hello Mrs. Smith, I'm Doctor Stewart. The tests are in..."He seemed hesitant, and she grew worried. "Your son has leukemia. And it's progressing quickly."
"Are there treatments? Anything?"
"There are, but Mrs. Smith, there aren't perfect results. But bring him in, we've decided, for him, it'd be best for him to stay in the pediatric wing for a while."
"Alright. Do I bring him now?"
"Get some stuff packed. His favourite toys, favourite movies, blankets, pillows. Maybe even a few pictures. Then come."
They hung up and Ruby was confused why her mother began to rush around.
"Ruby, sweetie, can you get John's favourite things? Toys, movies. Those, and bring them here. We're going to put them into a bag."
Ruby didn't ask questions, and began grabbing anything that was John's favourite. She had six toys, five movies, and she grabbed a pillow that John slept with every night, and his baby blanket. She put them next to the bag, and saw that there was his pillow and a soft blanket.
"Go get some of your clothes and put them in your backpack. Grab a few books okay?"
Ruby went once again to gather stuff, and brought them back in her blue backpack. She looked at her mother who asked her to wheel the medium, dark blue suitcase out to the car. She did so, looking back as her mother carried John back out to the car. Arriving at the hospital, they took John to a room, with about six beds. The room was huge, but no child stirred. They put John on one of the beds, and told Ruby to stay there with him. A girl across the room sat up weakly, and smiled. Ruby waved, and walked over.
"Hi, I'm Ruby" She introduced. "What's your name?"
"I'm Donna." The girl answered. "You're not sick, are you?" Ruby shook her head, and looked back at her brother.
"No, but my brother John is." She replied.
"Are you staying?"
"What do you mean?"
"I don't get to talk to other kids much..I was wondering if you'd stay."
"I might."
With that Ruby looked around and noticed the other kids had sat up, and they smiled a little. One by one they said their names faintly. Donna, Martha, Rory, Rose, and Amelia. John smiled a little, and said his name too. By the time the doctor walked in, every child in that room was smiling, and some even laughing. He grinned as he saw the one who sat near the window read from a book.