He was tired. They were gone, now, they were all gone. His TARDIS was empty once more. Now it was just him, a madman in a blue box, and the universe. He couldn't see it. He couldn't see the wonder.
He sighed, and leaned against the console. The old girl groaned on response. She was getting old, as was he.
"What now?" He whispered, his cheek pressed against the cool surface of the TARDIS. "What happens now?"
He got up, and did what he always did. He flipped some switches, set it to RANDOM, and ran away. Ran from it all.
When the TARDIS stopped, the Doctor didn't look to see what was outside. He didn't care, not without anybody to wonder with. Rose would ask him to open the door, or she would be opening it herself. She would've gone through the wardrobe already, and chosen something perfect for the place or time they had arrived in. Of course, she would've looked perfect, beautiful-
No. He had to stop this, forget. He had to stop being the Doctor who remembered and become the one who forgot. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and opened the door.
It was cold outside. The weather was grey, and lonely. The Doctor smiled bitterly. It reflected his mood at the moment.
He seemed to have landed on a pier in Haggard, Ireland. The time was probably 2017. Something sparked in his mind. Valkyrie, it said. Valkyrie's still here.
Valkyrie refused, twice, He argued. And she's probably gone by now, anyways.
No, the spark reminded him. It's only been a year or so. Besides, she still has centuries of life ahead of her.
He sighed (he seemed to be doing that a lot, lately), and slowly began to explore the small town. He hadn't been able to look around much last time; he was too busy being dragged around by the enigma that was Valkyrie Cain.
He shook his head violently. He had to forget not only his companions, but the girl who refused him as well. He just needed to see her one more time, to tell her goodbye, before he went as far away from this small planet as possible.
He wrapped the coat around him a little closer, acting as if that would protect him from the emotional turmoil he was going through. He felt old, so full of grief like his previous incarnation. He thought that he had gotten over all of this. He should've known that it would never change.
A couple passed by him. He would've ignored them- they would only serve to remind him of what he had lost- but something felt familiar about the girl walking with the tall man.
He spun around quickly, and forced his body to run after them.
"Valkyrie Cain!"
The girl stopped abruptly, and the man briefly looked over his shoulder at him.
She turned around hesitantly, and his chest felt tight when he recognized that same intense look and the long dark brown hair. But something was different. The first time, she had looked at him with disbelief and sympathy. The second time, she looked torn but decisive. This time... This time, she was sad. He could see some hatred and relief in there as well.
She looked at him like she was never going to see him again and was trying to remember every little detail while she still could. Then she pulled on the man's arm and continued to walk away.
He knew that she recognized him. He knew that she didn't want to leave; her fingernails were digging into her palms and she continuously had to keep her head looking forward.
He didn't go after her. He couldn't. It was stupid to think that it would be any different this time around. She had refused him twice, and now a third time.
The Doctor trudged back to the TARDIS, his hands shoved into his pockets.
Alone.
He hadn't gotten very far, when Valkyrie sprinted after him and grabbed his coat. He turned. Valkyrie was standing there, tears spilling down her cheeks, though she didn't seem to be aware of it. Her face was slightly flushed from running, just like it had been a year ago.
"Doctor," she breathed, then hugged him. She held him tightly, banishing any of the cold that might've snuck past his coat. He could hear her sniffling quietly. He eventually wrapped his arms around her as well. She was so tall, so fragile, so strong. Her slender form shook slightly; whether it was from the cold or her tears he couldn't tell. They stood there for what felt like an eternity; the Doctor welcoming the human warmth that he had missed for so long.
Eventually, she let go. The man was standing a little ways behind her, observing the whole thing. The Doctor didn't care. He had seen Valkyrie, and now it would be all right. He opened his mouth to tell her everything...
She hit him. Valkyrie slapped him as hard as she could, and he involuntarily stepped back. He whole cheek burned a bright red, and his mouth fell open in an 'O'.
"Three whole years!" She screamed.
He blinked, not quite understanding what she was saying.
"Three whole years, Doctor. Three whole years since I last saw you. It's been four years since I first met you, and ever since then I've been an emotional wreck. Always wondering what would've happened if I just went with you, always wishing I'd gone. But I knew that I wouldn't, knew that I'd stay here."
The Doctor stared at the angry girl- no, woman- in front of him. He never thought that she felt that way, never thought about it all, really.
"Valkyrie, I'm so-" he began.
"Sorry won't help now! Did you even think about me, all these years? I suppose it was just a day since you saw me last, but for me it was four whole years! And where's Rose? Did you ever find her? Is she back at the TARDIS, waiting for her Doctor?!"
The Doctor stopped protesting. Valkyrie stopped yelling, and waited.
"You're right. I didn't think about you, just tried to forget like I always do. I ran away, Valkyrie, and I'm sorry. It was a year for me since I saw you last, but it felt like a day. But you're wrong about Rose. She's gone, now, somewhere where I can't reach her. And this time, it's for sure." He didn't elaborate on that, it still hurt too much to think about it.
Valkyrie nodded.
"I understand, but I don't want to see you right now. I'm all mixed up, and nothing makes sense right now. So leave me alone, Doctor, just stay away."
The Doctor couldn't do anything as she walked away, the tall man following. He wasn't sure how he felt either.
But this time, he stayed.
