"Are you sure we should do it?" Darra looked at Steve as she sat in the passenger's seat while he drove his black Ford Cortina away from Aperture, "I mean, with us working overtime on Her, perhaps we should just wait."
"I think we couldn't have picked a better time, luv," Steve smiled at Darra for a moment before looking back at the road, "this is a huge time of great success for the company, but my greatest success is getting you to say 'yes.' Even Doug says it's a huge accomplishment."
"What exactly is that supposed to mean?"
"Just that, uh... Um... Well, we... We both notice that you tend to push people away, especially after Caroline," Steve pulled the car over and parked it on the side of the road and turned himself to face his fiancee, "I know you feel like she's gone, but she really isn't. She'll live forever now."
"No she won't," Darra sighed, "she's gone forever and it's my fault."
"It's not your fault, luv," Steve gently stroked the side of her face, "and she'll be back. Someday soon, we'll get all of the pieces put together and then we'll wake her up, and it'll be like nothing happened."
"You really think that's what's going to happen?"
"I know it'll happen."
"Steve, there's something I need to tell you."
The Doctor stumbled backwards a few steps before falling onto a couch, all he could manage to do was stare at the core in front of him. After a few minutes, he finally broke the awkward silence.
"You mean to tell me she's back there," the Doctor's hands shook, "and I can't be there until it's too late?"
"Well, no, not exactly," Wheatley answered, "she's back there. You asked where she is and I told you where I last saw her. I didn't say anything about you coming in late."
"You never saw me, though, and the last time you saw her was on that day. Of all days, it has to be that day."
This was all he could take, knowing what the pain that day would bring, what it would put her through, and there was nothing he could do to save her from it. The pain of loneliness, the heartache of watching loved ones die before you, the torture of being unable to save them, and the agony of knowing you are directly responsible for it. He knew it all and wouldn't wish it on anyone, not even a Dalek. All he could do was make it easier by being there to catch her fall, something he did not have himself until that fateful day when he found Rose Tyler.
"You alright, mate?" The core inquired as the Doctor began to weep.
"No, I'm not alright."
Steve stared at Darra in disbelief.
"You're a time traveler?" Steve finally asked, his voice squeaking a bit.
"Yes," Darra hesitantly answered, preparing for the worst.
"A time traveling alien?"
"Yes."
"Whoa," Steve unbuckled himself and stumbled out of the car. He closed the door and leaned against the car as he breathed, letting the news sink in. As he thought it over, suddenly everything made sense. The look she gave everyone from time to time, a look of detest when they seemed to have done nothing to deserve it. The times she cried over Caroline while everyone else rejoiced at their success. Not to mention all the times he got up and looked out his window in the middle of the night to find her strolling down the street – and then she was still more awake than the people guzzling down coffee in the break room. He turned around at the sound of the passenger door closing and stared at Darra as she walked around the car towards him. The longer he stared, the less he saw an alien before him. He saw a lonely, confused, and hurt woman. He didn't see a green skinned monster out to dissect him to gain more knowledge of the human anatomy. He just saw Darra, his fiancée, who needed him now more than ever.
"If you want to call it off," Darra leaned against the car in attempts to hide just how shaky and scared she was at that moment, "I completely understand." Her words put daggers in his heart as he watched her.
"No," Steve took a hold of her left hand and looked over the engagement ring before looking at her, "I don't want to, luv."
"But you'll," Darra pulled her hand away from him as she turned her back to him, "you'll die. You won't live a full life, you'll be killed by Her. You shouldn't stay with me," Darra pulled the ring off her finger, "you should run away from here and never look back, that way you'll live longer." She turned back around and handed the ring back to him.
"I don't want to, though," Steve's eyes watered as he held the ring, "I'd rather live a short life with you, then a hundred years without you. So," Steve knelt down on one knee and held the ring out towards her, his eyes begging her to take it back, "will you, Darra the Time-Traveling-Alien, do me the huge honor of becoming my bride?"
"Are you sure this is what you want?"
"Absolutely."
Darra stood there for a few moments before she fell to her knees, hugged him tightly, and began to cry.
"I'd love to."
"It's alright, luv," Steve smiled and hugged her back, holding the Time Lady tight while gently rubbing her back, "I'm here, just let it out."
Chell sighed as she sat on the couch, drinking her morning coffee. It had been three months since GLaDOS let her go, but she still felt trapped. Everything brought her back to that horrible place. White walls made her think of test chambers, the radio brought her back to GLaDOS' mocking voice being everywhere and nowhere at the same time, and the smell of last night's burnt masterpiece returning her to the Aperture Science Emergency Incinerator.
The lonely girl jumped at the sound of a knock on the door.
"Chell," a familiar voice called from outside, "please open the door."
Chell's eyes widened as she stared at the door.
"Mom?"
"I do have one question, though," Steve spoke as he parked the car in front of Darra's apartment complex.
"Yes?" Darra unbuckled her seat belt.
"If, you know, if we do have children," Steve cleared his throat.
"Go on?" Darra gave Steve an encouraging smile.
"Would they have green skin and yellow eyes?"
Dara blinked and then began to laugh, holding the chair to prevent herself from hitting the dashboard in her fit of laughter.
"What? I'm serious."
"No," Darra breathed in attempts to calm herself down, "they'd look like any other child. They might have two hearts, but on the outside they'd look just like us."
"Oh good," Steve relaxed for only a moment before realizing something, "wait, you have two hearts?"
"Yes."
"Anything else you have two of? Er... Besides the, uh..."
Darra chuckled and kissed his cheek.
"Good night," She climbed out of the car and closed the door.
"Night," Steve smiled as he watched her go inside the apartment before driving off to his own home.
