Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who

A Second Chance

Chapter One – Bad Dream

Hope wandered through a meadow, not quite able to remember how she got there, but content nonetheless. There was something missing; or rather, someone. At the sound of someone calling her name, she beamed and turned to see her handsome husband and Connection, Anthony. They ran towards each other, smiling widely…but then the sky grew dark and stormy, and before Hope could reach Anthony, he fell with an agonised to the ground.

"Anthony!" Hope screamed out in horror, seeing a Dalek had struck him down. Where had the Dalek even come from? "Get away from him!" she sobbed, sprinting over to Anthony's prone form and throwing herself down beside him. Anthony groaned and opened his eyes, staring up at her. "Hope…" he gasped out. "I'm here, I'm here. Anthony, don't die, please don't die!" Hope cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. She didn't understand why the Dalek wasn't exterminating her.

"Hope…you…need to…" Anthony gasped with great difficulty. Hope put her ear to his lips as he breathed his last words. "Wake up".

Hope jerked awake, eyes wide and red with tears. She was in bed with Anthony, who was very much alive and looking at her in abject concern. "Love, it's okay. It's just a bad dream" he told her, pulling her into his arms. Hope felt herself starting to relax as she felt the double thud of his hearts. She raised her head to give him a kiss, only to jerk backwards with a shriek of horror and alarm.

When moments before he'd been young and healthy, now Anthony was a frail old man, wrinkled and white haired. Hope scrambled away from him, her hearts beating nineteen to the dozen. Anthony reached out a trembling gnarled hand, and murmured, "Hope…Hope, sweetheart, come back to bed". Tearful, confused, Hope reached out to touch his cheek…only for his papery skin to turn to dust beneath her fingers.

Faced with the sight of a skeleton in a pile of dust, Hope burst into helpless tears, and tried to run from the room; but something was holding her back, something invisible and strong; she fought against it with all her strength, clawing and kicking, until she heard a familiar voice echoing in her head. Hope! Hope! Theana, please wake up!

With a shuddering gasp, Hope's eyes flew open. She was shaking like an aspen leaf, the covers rumpled from her frantic attempts to escape Anthony's tight embrace. Now she fell back against him, relieved to have him close, and at the same time terrified of what she'd see when she turned round. "Love, it's okay. It was just a bad dream" murmured Anthony, and Hope stiffened. That was almost exactly what he'd said in her nightmare before he became aged and worn.

With a deep breath, Hope wriggled out of Anthony's grasp and turned to face him. His youthful face gazed back at her, eyes filled with love and worry. Hope closed her eyes and counted to ten; with a deep breath, she opened them, and found Anthony was still young, still worried, and now just a little bit confused. "Oh thank goodness" she gasped, before kissing him desperately.

When her hearts had stopped racing and she'd managed to calm down, Hope described the dream to Anthony. She was on the verge of breaking down in tears the entire time, and he held her close, soothing her with shushes and strokes of her beautiful blond hair. "I told you once, I wouldn't cope if you died when we were together. I'm a mess after a nightmare, imagine what I'll be like if it really happens" she sniffled.

Anthony cupped her cheek in his hand, stroking it with his thumb. "Hope, look at me. You know, my dad died all the time when he travelled with your parents, and he came back every time. You see, for us Williamses, things like 'death' are minor inconveniences at best" he informed her with mock smugness, making Hope giggle in spite of herself. "Now I can't promise nothing bad will ever happen to me…but I can promise that if it does, I will fight tooth and nail to stay by your side".

"I know…I'll fight just as hard to keep you with me" Hope promised in return. Anthony gave her one more kiss, and gently suggested that they go back to sleep. Yawning, Hope realised just how tired she was; the moment her eyes slipped closed, her head pillowed on Anthony's chest, she fell into a deep slumber.

A few hours later, Hope awoke once more, feeling well rested. She spent about fifteen minutes just gazing at Anthony's face, memorising every inch of it. He'd spoken to her in her mind, she realised. They'd only been Connected for one night and he was already starting to get the hang of speaking telepathically to her…then again, she had been asleep at the time, her barriers not so strong (not that she'd block him out on purpose).

Her mind returned to her nightmare. It still frightened her, because Anthony could be killed by a Dalek, or by any of the myriad other aliens out there. He would grow old, not for a very long time, but he would…and she'd just keep going, for centuries, maybe even millennia. She didn't know how her father had coped for so long…Juni gave a gentle hum, as if reminding her pilot that she'd still be around whenever Hope needed her.

Hope smiled, and tried to sleep again; but although her body was heavy, her mind couldn't settle. Then her body decided to get in on the action as well; with a moan, Hope slipped out of bed and pulled on her dressing gown, heading to the bathroom. When she returned, Anthony was awake and smiling at her. Hope gave him an apologetic look. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you".

"It's okay. Can't you sleep?" he asked. Hope lay back down and stared up at the canopy of their bed, trying to get her whirling thoughts in order. After a while, she looked over at Anthony. "I keep thinking about the dream, how the first part could happen, how the second part will happen".

"Perhaps, but not for a very long time" Anthony reminded her. Hope sighed and said, "I know, it's just…if you'd never become part Time Lord- let's just say you're part Time Lord for now…and then there's all the other people who don't have the opportunities we do…Ant? I know it sounds crazy, but what if…what if we found a way to give humans the ability to regenerate?"

Anthony frowned, but in thought rather than anger or disappointment. "Is that even possible?" he asked. "I have no idea, but just imagine it! If we could make humans able to regenerate, think of all the people who wouldn't die young! All the stuff they could accomplish! Wouldn't that be wonderful?" Hope smiled eagerly at her husband, who let out a slow breath.

"It would be wonderful" he agreed, "and I have no doubt you could make it happen. You're the most determined person I've ever known…but, sometimes you can be a little too determined. What I'm saying is, can we start on your plan to reshape all humanity after we've spent a fortnight on Barcelona? You did say you'd relax on our honeymoon" Anthony reminded Hope, who pulled a face and flopped back onto the covers.

She curled up next to him and grumbled, "Fine, I'll try and enjoy spending two weeks alone with the man of my dreams". Anthony caught her eye and they both giggled; then Hope gave Anthony a kiss on the lips…and the cheek…and the neck… "I'm getting the impression you don't want to go back to sleep" he murmured in amusement.

/

Sometime later, Anthony dragged himself from the warmth of bed to take care of his own ablutions, and also to get some breakfast in bed. "Maybe we should forget Barcelona, and just spend the fortnight here in bed" Hope suggested between bites of strawberry jam smeared toast. "Sounds tempting, but I tried staying in bed for a week once…I gave up after two days. It's just too dull" replied Anthony.

Hope smirked. Clearly that's because you didn't have me to entertain you she said telepathically, before taking a sip of tea; only to nearly do a spit-take when he answered in a rather seductive voice, Oh, is that what we're calling it now?

Shut up! Hope laughed. "I'm surprised you got the hang of telepathy so quickly" she said aloud. Anthony gave a modest shrug. "I didn't think it would be so easy" he admitted, "I just picture the little me in your head telling you what I want to tell you when I want to tell you something". Hope smiled and stretched. "Maybe we ought to get up soon, and land at the villa my parents reserved for us. Then we can get straight down to planning"-

She cut herself off when Anthony gave her a pointed look. "No planning, right" Hope nodded, blushing, and Anthony chuckled. "This is really important to you, isn't it?" he asked. Hope shrugged. "When a Time Lord or Lady chooses a title, they also make a promise. I didn't choose a title, I kept the name Hope because I want to give it to others; hope, that is" she explained. "It's part of who I am".

Anthony nodded in understanding. "Come on, love, let's get up. We've got the present to enjoy, let the future take care of itself" he advised her. Hope sighed and shifted the breakfast tray to the bedside table. "Alright…I love you, Anthony"

"I love you, Theana".

/

A/N: Well, this is the end of Connection. I had a very enjoyable time writing this, and I hope you had a very enjoyable time reading it! There should be a sequel coming soon, fingers crossed, called A Second Chance.

Vworp on, everybody!