Chapter 9: The Doctor is Dying
Music blared louder than our protagonist really cared for as she worked her way across the bar to where Jack was sitting at the counter taking a sip from his drink. "Oi, Captain what's wrong?" Alexandra questioned as she sat down. Just as she sat the bartender walked up to them and handed Jack a drink and a note.
"From the man over there." The Barman says, Jack nods his head in acknowledgement. His name is Alonso. Her eyes glanced across the room and saw her Doctor standing far back in the corner.
"Jack, I'm going to go." Alexandra patted him on the shoulder before quickly making her way over to the Doctor.
"You're regenerating." She stated knowingly, he looked down at her with a very strained smile.
"Oh, Alexandra." The Doctor pulled her into his arms; Alexandra was quick to wrap her arms around him. When he let go over her she kissed his cheek then pulled him into the TARDIS.
The dark haired girl walked over to the console before typing in coordinates. He walked over to her to try and see what she was doing, but she shooed him away with her hands. "No, you can when she's landed." Alexandra thinks back to the note she had in her pocket, a note she was given a long time ago.
Alexandra stared at the peculiar woman with great interest, but nodded her head at the woman accepting her request. "When the Doctor regenerates from the coat to the bow tie it will be the most excruciating regeneration he has faced in such a long time. He's going to need hope. Do everything on that list accordingly. Oh it will be somewhat backwards for you." She tells Alexandra before walking off quickly.
Alexandra opens the note carefully, she looks at the note with surprise. Then she smiles, yes this will work. What is scribbled down on the note in a neat script reads several extremely familiar names. Sarah-Jane and Luke, Jack, Verity , Martha/Mickey, Donna, and Rose.
They land outside a bookstore, all Alexandra tells him is the woman's name and the book she's written before she kicks him out of the TARDIS. When he returns there is a hint of a smile, and she hits in the next coordinates without looking at him.
"Martha and Mickey." She tells him quietly, while walking over to the door and peeking her head out.
"They might need a bit of help." Her voice is light as she walks back over to the console; he disappears out of the door.
She reads the next name and her hearts drops, oh Donna. Super Temp, wonderful Donna Noble. This was Alexandra's closest friend out of all of his companions. Alexandra already has the coordinates ready when the Doctor steps back into the TARDIS, she offers him a soft comforting smile as she pilots the TARDIS the Doctor walks over to her and stops her for a moment before kissing her forehead. "Thank you." Tears brim in her eyes but the Twenty-two year old has to hold it back.
The TARDIS stops, this time she hands the Doctor something. "You told me to hold on to this." It's an envelope from Donna's father. He nods his head in understanding because yes he remembers this. Of course she would as well.
"Are you going to come with me?" He questions, Alexandra shakes her head 'no' then looks away.
"I can't, this isn't for me." She tells him before he retreats out of the TARDIS, Alexandra's fists make a loud impact against the console as tears stream down her face. Her whole life had been about loss, and really just this once, just once she really would have not liked to be a part of this. Using her sleeves she cleared her face of tears before muttering a quick apology to the TARDIS, who only hummed in approval. Just one more, one last stop for her dying friend then he could go.
"It's done, she'll be happy." The Doctor speaks to her as he enters, Alexandra mutters a very quick I know before she took off.
"Who else?" He questions solemnly, Alexandra shakes her head looking at him with sympathy.
"You know who. And you know why." She responded before working quickly before he could ask any more questions. Alexandra cannot bare it any longer she has to look away, she can see his pain feel it radiating off of him and it's killing her. The TARDIS lands and she can't speak, her voice is caught in her throat and she knows this is going to be it.
Rose.
Alexandra's heart ached at the thought of the Doctor's lost love and her friend. That woman was right, her Doctor needed this and he needed to do it alone. She waited alone in the TARDIS for him to return. As the Doctor stumbled back in her hands started omitting a light glow, she pushed the sensation away so she could stay with him as long as it would let her.
"Doctor?" Alexandra questioned, ignoring the pain building in her body.
"I don't want to go." He cried in a small broken voice, Alexandra cringed at the pain of his tone but her grip on this time slipped, she was pulled back.
"It's started." She here's the Doctor say and she turns, to see him. Looking around the room she remembers this. It happened such a long time ago for her, she was younger.
"It's going to be okay." She speaks as she walks up to him and Wilfred. The Doctor looks at her with such sadness but she smiles. Smiles because she can't mourn this, not now, not yet. He needs her to be strong.
"Oh Alexandra." The Doctor mumbles as he pulls her close to him, she nuzzles her head in his chest some tears leaking but he can't see them. Don't let the Doctor know, never let him see the damage.
"Come on, you have something to do. Don't worry I'll be with you every step of the way." She grabs his hand and pulls him along.
"Don't worry, I can make it home." Wilfred tells her as she passes him and she smiles a small thank you before pushing the Doctor into the TARDIS.
"You're going to regenerate. Before you go you have to do something, you have to say goodbye." Alexandra tells him, not giving him a choice. He hated endings but he needed this, she saw that now. The Doctor nods his head, simply accepting her statement. Now he tries to help her pilot but she doesn't let him, he can see the determination in her eyes and the sorrow so he leaves her to it. As the TARDIS lands he sees the gold tinge in her skin and he watches her cringe.
"It's Sarah Jane and her son, then you have to go to that bar the one Jack and I go to all the time. The TARDIS will give you the right time." She told him quickly then kissed his cheek.
"I'll be off soon, but don't worry I'll still be with you, just earlier in this timeline. Doctor, I love you. Always know that, you are my very best friend in this whole universe. I would be so lost without you." Alexandra is gone after those words.
….
She lands in the middle of the TARDIS, she recognizes the interior before she sees the Doctor in his bow tie. Tears are flooding her face and she makes eyes contact with the Doctor who was spinning around the console showing off. As he notices her he stops in his tracts, Amy and Rory both look over confused but when they notice her both their expressions change. "Oh no, Alexandra come here. Shh.." The Doctor pulls the girl close and she cries.
"Oh, Theta. I'm so sorry... I should have warned you, I should have stayed…" The soothed his hand over her head.
"Hey calm down, it's going to be okay. Alexandra, look at me. What gotten into you?" He questioned. Alexandra looked up, then he noticed what she was wearing. The Doctor took in every article of clothing she had on and he remembered the last time he saw this outfit and he cringed and pulled his conqueror closer to him.
"Oh Alexandra, it's okay. I'm not mad at you, I could never be mad at you." He told her, Amy and Rory gave him a concerned look but he gave them a reassuring look. After a moment the sniffling and tears ceased and Alexandra looked back at him. Her face was red and puffy from crying but she offered him a very soft smile.
"I'm so sorry. I wish I could have told you." She spoke quietly; the Doctor nodded his head in understanding before he replied.
"It wouldn't have changed anything. What happened wasn't even your fault." He tried to reassure her. She only nodded her head stiffly.
"Why don't we make some tea, then you can help us decide where to go next." Amy spoke, Alexandra smiled at her mom.
"I think I'll just stay aboard ol' girl. I not up to an adventure right now, more along the lines of a nap for me but you have fun." Alexandra responded light heartedly, she really was tired. She hadn't been sleeping well again. Amy gave her a really concerned look, but she brushed it aside.
"Do you want us to stay with you?" Rory asked, Alexandra nodded her head in a no fashion before offering him a small smile.
"No , I'll be alright. Beside I haven't had any alone time with ol' girl in a long time. We have much to catch up on." She told them while running her fingers through her hair.
"You know how to reach me if you need anything?" The Doctor asked her to make sure it was okay for them to leave.
"Ol' girl will link me directly to you telepathically like she always does when I stay on board." Alexandra replied instantly with a slight roll of her eyes.
"Alright then. Come along Ponds." The Doctor left the kitchenette with both Rory and Amy following after him.
Alexandra stayed seated for a while longer, her tea had long since gone cold by the time she left. From the kitchen she headed to her closet, which was a room separate from her bedroom. Inside her closet she stripped of the outfit that smelled of tears and regeneration before putting on a fresh pair of dark jeans. She walked around the closet for a few minutes before she found the shirt she was looking for, it was in the back next to the dress that River had bought her. Slipping the baby blue T-shirt over her head she walked out of the closet while jumping to put on her boots.
She walked around aimlessly for about an hour when she found herself in the library. Before continuing in her journey she made sure that the pool wasn't just anywhere. It's not in here currently. The TARDIS spoke to her, and she smiled.
"Thank you ol' girl. I'm glad you understand how much I dislike falling in." She spoke to the ship before wondering over to the section where she stored her research.
"Initialize TARDIS voice interface, show me Idris." Alexandra spoke out loud, her command made the voice interface materialize sitting on her table.
"TARDIS voice interface confirmed, Idris." The voice of the TARDIS spoke through the interface, Alexandra rolled her eyes.
"Just because you want cooperate for him gives you know reason to be difficult for me. Ol' girl show me all information regarding the Time-War.
XOXOX
Howdy! Hope everyone's summer holidays are lovely! Hope this installment is satisfactory for you all. Please leave me a review to let me know what you think! Seriously I want to hear from you guys, it helps me write and post faster! Well allons-y's! Have a great day/evening! : )
La'Rae