A/N - My first "update" in forever is in the form of a new one-shot. I'm trying to get back into the swing of writing, so this may not be as good as I hoped. It certainly is...more depressing then anything I've ever written before. I don't even know where this came from. It's just a random songfic set to sometime after the Doctor learns of his song ending.
Disclaimer - I do not own Doctor Who or David Tennant/the Tenth Doctor. Nor do I own the song Real World, which belongs to the All-American Rejects.
Real World
I woke up on this side
I thought it was a dream
At first we learned to walk
Then learned to scream
The Doctor jerked awake. He never even realized that he had fallen asleep. He shook himself before standing up with a sigh. He had hoped fervently that it had all been a horrible, horrible dream.
But it wasn't. His song was ending. His life was ending. Regeneration or no, it was the death of this body, this mind, this soul.
The Doctor wanted to scream.
You can't understand
When you're fed from a tv screen
You can't see the things that I can see
To make matters worse, he was all alone. No human, even his amazing companions, could ever understand. Not a single other life-form in the universe could see things the way he does. To know what he knows.
But I forget
That you thank God and pray
Some things just never stay
And we all just slip away
The Doctor decided to take a walk around London, early 21st century. As he moved through the town, things were decidedly boring. At first he wondered why, but he soon found his answer as many people made their way out of a nearby church.
He had forgotten about humans and their fondness for religion and prayer. At least, in this time. Just like everything else, that changes in the future as the human race ventures into the universe. It's just another thing that doesn't stay the same.
Just like him. With his thoughts back on how this life was quickly slipping through his fingers, The Doctor started making his way back to the TARDIS.
This can't be the real world now
I don't believe it
When I can't see the truth
Welcome to the real world now
The old are carried in only to poison youth
Am I
The only one who thinks it's tragic
Cuz I know
This can't be the real world now
Uh-no; Uh-no
As the Doctor walked back, he thought in disbelief of how little had changed in light of recent events. It wasn't too terribly long ago that the Earth had been moved to the Medusa Cascade. And yet, it was like nothing had happened.
Taking a detour through a local park, he heard some children playing a game involving aliens and a moved Earth. Just as a smile started to make its way onto his face, one of the children's grandfathers went over and scolded him for playing nonsense.
Shaking his head, the Doctor continued to walk, thinking how tragic this world seemed to be.
I look for some hope
In every face there's a vacant stare
The shadows come
But no one seems to care
The TARDIS had appeared in the Doctor's line of sight, but he didn't really feel like going back to being completely alone. So instead, he found an empty bench a few streets over and sat down to people-watch. As numerous faces passed by, he tried hard to find just one person who wasn't completely dragged down by life's problems.
But he couldn't find any. So many things had almost occurred to this planet, narrowly avoided with his help, and yet no one seemed to care about anything more than getting here or there or who said what.
The darkness floods
Every light that could promise change
The sheep are sound asleep when the blood is stain
But blood is pain
The Doctor continued thinking back while absentmindedly watching the humans move about. Every single time he saved this planet, someone or something would keep these people from changing how they view the world, the universe.
Half the time, these innocent people went completely unknowing of the events taking place above their heads or even in their midst. They would never know just how much innocent blood had been shed through those struggles.
But he knew. He knew, so very well, of every drop of blood given. It stained his hands. It made every heartbeat, every breath, so very painful.
Somewhere I know
That I'm not all alone
With this bated breath I hold
My lungs want to explode
The Doctor knew he wasn't completely alone. He could visit Martha, Mickey, Sarah Jane, or Jack, to name a few people. They would give him their sympathy while trying to understand the pain he continuously suffered. He even should visit them.
But he couldn't. He wanted to so bad, but he just couldn't. The need to go and the need to stay were enough to make him feel like he was going to explode.
This can't be the real world now
I don't believe it
When I can't see the truth
Welcome to the real world now
The old are carried in only to poison youth
Am I
The only one who thinks it's tragic
Cuz I know
This can't be the real world now
Uh-no; Uh-no
This can't be the real world now
Uh-no; Uh-no
Sick of watching all those people go on with their normal, everyday human lives, the Doctor got up and, with a sigh, started to once again make his way back to the TARDIS. All the while thinking that there had to be someone else who thought the way this world was right now was a tragedy.
Just as soon as we see
Every flaw and every need
We'll understand
If for the first time
While walking slowly through town, The Doctor's thoughts stayed on track for once. If only these humans could see their own flaws and each other's needs. Maybe then they would finally understand. Maybe then they would see things the way he does.
A child to a man
Says only pure words that he can
But he's too late
The man, he knows it
He said
With all emotions set aside
In a whisper, say "goodbye"
The Doctor was nearing where he had left the TARDIS when a small boy approached him. The lad couldn't be older than six and his face was bright red with tears flowing down his cheeks. In a wavering voice, the child asked the man to help him as his dog was hurt. Unable to turn down such a young, vulnerable boy, he agreed.
When the two reached the animal, the Doctor immediately kneeled down to see what was wrong only to solemnly stand back up. He was too late. He knew it; the boy knew it. He watched the lad kneel down and softly speak kind, loving words to the dog.
Overcome with the need to get back to the safe solitude of the TARDIS, the Doctor whispered a 'goodbye' emotionlessly to the boy before taking off in a run.
This can't be the real world now
I don't believe it
When I can't see the truth
Welcome to the real world now
The old are carried in now just to poison youth
Am I
The only one who thinks it's tragic
Cuz I know
This can't be the real world now
Uh-no; Uh-no
This can't be the real world now
Uh-no; Uh-no
The Doctor slammed the door shut before hurrying to slip into the vortex. Once that was done, he slid down to the floor and put his head in his hands and wept.
This can't be the real world
This can't be the real world
This can't be the real world now
Uh-no; Uh-no