Chapter Two.
The TARDIS was gone, sucked away into nothingness with two worlds, condemned by Rose Tyler. The Doctor curled up on the ground and cried. He lost all sense of time as he lay there, anguish pouring from him in burning rivulets. He was so sick and tired of surviving, time and time again. He wanted to cut his wrists. He'd seen humans do it plenty of times, and maybe it took away the pain. He shrugged that thought away fairly quickly, deeming it pointless. Where would it get him anyway? Bloodstains on his favourite suit. No, he couldn't have that.
Hold on, what was that? The Doctor sat up, sniffing and wiping the tears from his face. He could hear footsteps and he didn't want anyone seeing him, the Last of the Time Lords, like this. He got to his feet and glanced around.
"Who's there?" he called, hoping his voice didn't betray the recent tears. "Come on, show yourself!"
It was disconcerting, having been flung to a far off planet which was completely uninhabited, yet hearing footsteps in the dark. It was cold, dusty, and more like a moon than a planet but nevertheless… what was out there?
"Hello?" he tried again. "Look, I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here by accident; I was thrown here through the force of two worlds collapsing. I dunno how or why I survived, but I was the only one, so please. Come out and I promise not to hurt you."
Whatever it was clearly hadn't been convinced as it still didn't show, yet he heard it shuffling about in the dusty darkness.
"C'mon, don't be afraid. I'm alone here too."
Still nothing. The Doctor sighed wearily and threw up his hands in a gesture of defeat. He sat down on a dusty white rock and began to hum. After several minutes of humming he realised there was a soft giggle coming from the shadows. Whatever the thing was, it was clearly amused by his humming.
"I'll have you know," the Doctor called out, "that in my younger days I did a duet with Louis Armstrong. The crowd were absolutely screaming."
The thing sniggered.
"Fine," the Doctor grumbled. "So they were screaming for me to shut up, but still. At least I tried."
Time passed, and they sat in silence. The Doctor continued humming and 'The Thing', as he'd now named it, sat quietly. The Doctor sighed; he was quite content for The Thing to remain hidden as he'd realised it wasn't trying to kill him, but he'd rather like to chat. Just for the pure sake of distraction from his thoughts.
"So, Thing," he said conversationally. "Come here often?"
No answer.
"If I still had my ship I'd ask you out for a coffee, but I'm kinda stuck here."
Silence.
"Fine, let me tell you a story," the Doctor said from his position on the rock. "It all started several years ago when I was having some trouble with the Nestene Consciousness. Heard of it? Nah, didn't think so. Anyway, thought it'd be easy. Blow up a building, that's it. Then this stupid ape girl got in the way…"
He talked, and he talked, finding it easier with each word he spoke. It was good to get all of this out, and The Thing was a great listener. It was somehow reassuring to talk to the darkness, knowing something friendly (or so he was assuming) was sitting there in the shadows. The Doctor told The Thing all about the different adventures and predicaments he and Rose had gotten into together, and The Thing sat patiently when tears took over. The Doctor had never enjoyed crying when he wasn't alone, but he felt comfortable in the presence of The Thing.
Soon he was talking about the day he lost Rose, and he sobbed his hearts out before finishing the story. He talked about how he burnt up a sun to say goodbye, how he spent every night crying until he had no energy left and literally collapsed. And finally, he said it. Spoke the words he'd never said to Rose, but could say it to The Thing.
"I loved her. Still do. All those times I should've told her and I… I just didn't. I'm a fool."
The Doctor sighed. "So Thing, what am I supposed to do? Live out my days here, on this rock, with something silent and invisible for company? Glamorous end for the last Time Lord, eh? It seems all legends die miserable. Casanova, the world's greatest lover apart from me, died alone in a cold castle's library. Some thanks we get for being fantastic."
Still silence from The Thing, so the Doctor kept talking.
"I dunno Thing, sometimes I wonder what the point of life is. The point of existence. Why? Why do we exist? Tell me Thing… 'Cause I don't know anymore."
And for the first time The Thing broke the silence. Slightly muffled ragged breathing, as though The Thing were trying not to cry…
"Thing? You alright?" The Doctor peered into the shadows, concern in his voice.
And with a strangled sob 'The Thing' emerged from the darkness and the Doctor nearly fainted.
A/N: Who, or what, do you reckon The Thing is?? Any guesses? A big hug to anyone who guesses it correctly, so please review!