Disclaimer: I don't own the Doctor, or any of the other mentioned characters with the exception of Deeara and 'the creature'. :P They all belong to the BBC.

Davros' harsh, rasping laugh echoes through the darkness.

The Doctor.

The winds from the void tear at the Doctor. He stares in horror at Rose as her grip loosens, then as she is ripped away; his scream torn away by the winds that tear Rose from him.

The man who keeps running.

Martha looks at him with her haunted, accusing eyes. She turns and walks out of the TARDIS, closing the door behind her.

Never looking back.

Donna. Donna's haunted eyes fill with tears as she realizes what he is going to do. "No," she whispers, shaking her head. "Please, no!"

He places her hands on her temples, and he reaches inside her mind.

Because he dare not out of shame.

Davros' laugh.

His laugh echoes through the dark, the nothing, the void in the Doctor's hearts.

His laugh lingers like the haunting looks in his companions', in his friends' eyes. The looks that will never go away, that sear themselves into his mind like a painful and permanent brand.

Rose stands on the beach and buries her face in her hands.

Martha walks away.

Donna lies on her bed, her hands folded on her chest and her eyes closed.

How many more? Just think. How many have died in your name, Doctor?

Just stop. Please. Stop. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry.

Sarah Jane. Her sad eyes looking up at him, asking why he had left her.

The Curse.

Adric. Romana. Tegan. Peri.

Jamie. Zoe. Who had to leave so much like Donna.

The names flashed through his head, flying like the fleeting time he'd had with them.

The Curse of the Time Lords.

Gallifrey. Gallifrey burning, burning.

"Sir? Sir, can you hear me?"

The flames. Burn. Please. Burn me. Take me with you.

"Sir."

The darkness started to lift. The Doctor shrank back. Please. Just take me. End me. I've lived too long. Lost too much.

"Sir!"

The Doctor opened his eyes. A tall creature blinked down at him with its four pairs of eyes. Its double mouths stretched in what the Doctor assumed was a smile. "There. You'll be fine in a little bit, sir."

The creature moved away and a young woman with red hair stepped next to the Doctor's bedside. "Oh, I'm so glad you're alright! You had me so worried!"

The Doctor blinked, the last of the dark fog around his vision clearing. "What... what happened?"

The woman cringed. "You went out into the mountains' atmosphere without protection."

The Doctor realized what had happed. "And it gave me hallucinations."

The woman nodded, her red hair falling across her shoulders. Ginger. Same color as Donna's. The Doctor realized that probably had triggered the first hallucination.

That combined with the guilt.

"You should be fine soon," the woman said. "The doctors said you should be able to leave the hospital in a few hours. They'll give you the shot that will negate the affects of the atmosphere if you still want to go out to the mountains."

The Doctor nodded. He glanced down and noticed that he lay in a hospital bed, like the first time he'd met Martha. He looked back up at the woman. "How did I get here?"

The woman smiled slightly. "I suppose that'd be me. You started having hallucinations, and then you passed out. I ran to get the security guard, who brought you here."

"Thank you," the Doctor said. He gave her the closest he could to a genuine smile.

She smiled back. "I'm Deeara."

"The Doctor."

"Doctor who?"

"Just the Doctor," he replied, looking down at his clasped hands. Everyone asked that question. Everyone he met. And... they all suffered because they dared to know him.

"Fair 'nuff." Deeara smiled again. Her smile was contagious. "Say, I was wondering. Since you passed out, no, don't apologize, it's fine. But I didn't really get to see the mountains. I was planning on going back out later, and was wondering if you wanted to go back out with me."

He hesitated. You don't want to go anywhere with me. I'll destroy you.

She rushed on, "It's not a date or anything." She smiled. "I'm already taken. But I thought it would be nice to go with someone."

The Doctor smiled back. No. Don't. "I'd love to."

Deeara beamed. "Great." She started to walk away.

"Deeara?"

"Hm?" She turned back around.

Let her go. Just let her go. Then get into your TARDIS and leave. The Doctor looked back down at his lap. "Um. Do you have anywhere you need to be now?"

She shook her head. "Not really. Why?"

Don't. Really. Don't. "I..." The Doctor realized his voice was trembling and he cleared his throat. "Would you... would you mind staying here with me, for a little while? I... don't have anyone, and... I don't want to be... alone." His voice caught on the last word, it coming out in a whisper.

Deeara walked back to the bedside and sat down on a nearby chair. Her grey eyes looked sympathetic. "Sure."

"Thank you," the Doctor whispered, not looking at her. Selfish Time Lord.

"Not a problem."

They said next to nothing for the next hour. Nothing needed to be said. The Doctor felt exhausted, completely drained, like he had on only a few occasions. He wanted to sleep, but was afraid... afraid they would return.

He felt like a child. A simpering little child who was afraid of the dark, and afraid of the nightmares that came when he tried to sleep. Most nightmares have a grain of truth in them, which is what terrified the Doctor most.

Having someone sit beside him, even a complete stranger, somehow comforted him. He kicked himself mentally over and over again, telling himself to turn to Deeara and smile, thank her and tell her she could leave.

But the terrified child couldn't let go.

Finally, one of the creatures (the Doctor couldn't tell if it was the same one from before or not), came back and checked the Doctor over. He declared he was fine, and asked if he would like a shot so he could go out to see the mountains.

The Doctor hesitated. Say no. Apologize to Deeara, tell her you have somewhere else you need to go.

He nodded.

The creature gave him a shot, his suit was returned and he changed out of the hospital gown. He walked down the hall towards the main foyer where Deeara had said she would wait for him.

Don't go. Don't. It's not too late for her. Go out the other door and head for the TARDIS.

He spotted Deeara and waved. She waved back and came over to him, smiling as usual. "Hello, Doctor. You doing alright?"

No. Not alright at all. Physically, yes. The Doctor nodded. "Think so." He smiled. "Ready to see those mountains?"

Deeara grinned and nodded. "Definitely."

Her grin and excitement sent another pang into the Doctor's hearts. That was how Donna would have responded. He managed to keep his smile on his face, and he offered his arm to Deeara, who accepted it and the two walked out of the hospital and into Felspoon's atmosphere.

"So, Deeara, I know this question will sound daft, but bear with me," The Doctor said. "What is the date?"

Deeara looked at him curiously. "The 5th of July. You were only out for a couple of hours if that's what you're asking."

"Uh, no, not quite." The Doctor scratched the back of his neck. "What year is it?"

Deeara looked confused. "3050."

"Ah, right, thanks. 3050. Great year. Let's see... you from Earth, or a colony?"

"From Earth." Deeara raised an eyebrow. "What exactly are you talking about? Why didn't you know the year?"

The Doctor tipped his head to the side. "Well," he said, drawing the word out. "I guess you could say I'm a traveller. Lose track of the time sometimes."

"Are you a time traveller?" Deeara raised both eyebrows.

The Doctor grinned. "I didn't say that."

"But you are!" Deeara's eyes widened and her grin grew larger. "What is it like?"

"Travelling through time?" The Doctor shrugged. "Adventures that never end."

They could see the observation platform now. Deeara beamed up at him, then looked to the mountains. "Adventures," she whispered. "I've always dreamed about having adventures."

You could come with me. No. Don't. Please, just leave her alone.

They reached the platform, and unlinked arms. The Doctor leaned out against the railing and stared at the mountains. He knew he would be safe from the hallucinations.

But he knew he couldn't hide from the guilt, or the dreams to come later.

Deeara also leaned against the railing, watching the mountains sway. The Doctor looked over at her. Her curiosity and fascination with the mountains stirred him. He opened his mouth. Come with me. Travel with me. I'll show you the stars, worlds never before seen, times long past, new civilizations and old races. Anything in time and space. The whole of creation is open to you.

"Alrin says he doesn't really care for adventures," Deeara said, still staring at the mountains.

The Doctor closed his mouth. He swallowed. "Alrin?"

"My husband." She smiled. "Still, I love him all the same. He agreed to travel to Felspoon for our honeymoon."

"You're married?"

She smiled and held up her left hand, where a gold band glinted in Felspoon's double suns. "Just last week."

"Where is he now?"

"At the hotel." She shrugged. "Like I said, he's not too fond of travelling. But he agreed to come here for our honeymoon."

"Sounds like he cares for you a lot."

She looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

"He came here for you, even though he probably would have rather stayed home." The Doctor looked down at the ground. "When someone would do anything for you, then you know they're a keeper." He looked up and tried to grin. "Don't let him get away from you."

Deeara grinned back. "I won't."

They watched the mountains for a while in silence. Finally, Deera spoke up. "Do you think they ever get lonely?"

The Doctor glanced over at her. "What do you mean?"

She bit her lip, looking like she was trying to find the right words to say. "The travel brochure said that once they're planted, they can never move, not even to mate. The winds pollinate for them. For all of their lives, thousands or even millions of years, they're alone."

The Doctor looked back at the mountains, how they were firmly rock-solid, yet even the smallest breeze moved them. Another long moment of silence. Then, "Yes."

"Hm?" Deeara looked over at him.

"I think they do get lonely," the Doctor whispered. "And... sometimes... sometimes I feel like the mountains. They're made of stone, and they should be invincible, yet even the smallest breeze makes them sway. They're tall and reaching and forever... and alone." His voice broke. "So alone."

Deeara placed a hand on the Doctor's arm, looking up at him with concern, but saying nothing. The Doctor made the mistake of looking over at her. Her grey eyes filled with compassion, her ginger colored hair hanging loose around her shoulders. For a minute, he thought the hallucinations had returned and he was looking at Donna again.

The Doctor swallowed, tried to hold back the tears, but couldn't. I'm sorry. Donna Noble, I am so, so sorry.

Deeara said nothing, but pulled him into a tight hug. The Doctor hugged her back, squeezing his eyes closed, the tears still managing to sneak out and trickle down his cheeks into Deeara's hair.

After a while, the Doctor inhaled deeply, and pulled back. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

Deeara shook her head. "Don't be." She tried to smile, but her eyes still filled with concern and sadness.

The Doctor took another breath and looked back at the mountains. "One thing's different about them though. They're stuck in the same place their whole lives. Me, I fly around. Never stopping. Always running." His voice dropped to below a whisper. "Never looking back."

Deeara took the Doctor's hand and squeezed it. He looked over at her. She swallowed. "Doctor, I don't claim to understand all you're talking about. But... I know you've lost a lot." She paused, her eyes filling with sympathetic tears. "But if you've shown anyone else what you've shown me in just this short amount of time, then I can tell you that none of them regret meeting you."

The Doctor said nothing for a moment. "Thank you," he whispered.

Deeara nodded, and hugged him once more. "I'd better get back to the hotel," she said. "Alrin's probably waiting."

The Doctor nodded. He smiled. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Deeara," he said. "Thank you... for everything."

Deeara smiled back, gave a little wave and walked away.

The Doctor looked up and gazed at the mountains one last time, the mountains that swayed. He closed his eyes. For you, Donna. And I promise I will never forget you.

He straightened up and turned. He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked back to the TARDIS... alone.