Chapter Twenty Four
She blinked against the thing she was viewing. The Schism…the tear in the universe that every Galifreyan must see.. She was staring into the abyss of time, and time stared back. She and another boy stood on the rim of their world, looking into the portal of possibilities. Out of fear she grabbed his hand, in which he jumped. The eight year old boy looked over to her, smiling reassuringly. His eyes were bright, his smile wide. After they moved back from their initiation, they both walked back silently down the dark path they had been lead, in order to think about how life effects them and the universe that they could effect in return. Slowly she asked the young boy next to her what he wanted from what they had been offered, and in return..he gave her the answer that made her believe in him from the very beginning. He stopped slowly, he cocked his head to the side. "I want to be something smashing… something clever, and I am so very clever…" Jokingly she chirped back, a small joke of what he should be considering illness was almost but non existent upon their planet. "Eha! Maybe a doctor.. or a pilot perhaps?" Skipping down the path, the girl only heard what the boy half said to himself. But she knew from then on he would keep the name he chose…
"A Doctor..yes… that's what they'll call me, the Doctor.."
…..
"Dawn…Dawn.. Elecion.." Slowly the woman opened her eyes as she heard her name being called. It had been almost two hundred years since anyone had called her by that name…and inside she knew it would probably be the last. Dawn stared up at the faces around her, seeing but not seeing at the same time. Donna was laying on the floor near her, Gazora's tender care supporting her as Martha tended to Jack. As she spoke, her voice felt alien and hoarse. "Is it over.." Slowly the Doctor nodded, his mouth flattening out in a thin line. "Gwen is trapped in that dimension, isn't she?" Jerkily, Dawn nodded. One casualty that had been left behind to live her life in a new world.. one day maybe they would..but no. Shaking her head as she sat up, Dawn leaned upon the Doctor. He supported her gently, but she quickly recovered, moving down the ramp. The Tardis' door moved open for its current and past master, revealing the control room of Torchwood. Harkness and Martha followed closely behind, as Gazora supported Donna beneath the arms. The other woman was still passed out, and the Doctor turned to help. Dawn watched as the procession of exhausted humans moved together. A small amount of moisture passed into her eyes, but she wiped it away by blinking roughly. The Doctor was smiling…he was smiling as his friends embraced him..
Stepping forwards, Dawn clasped her hands behind her back. "Jack, Martha.. you will need to take care of getting Donna back to her flat before she wakes..we can't have her remembering the Doctor in the universe.. her mind doesn't have the paradox bubble shielding it.." Slowly the smile faded away from the Doctor's lips, his right hand brushing Donna's hair back. He would have to say good bye..all over again. Standing up quickly from his crouched position over her, he walked back to where Dawn was standing. Gazora did the same, her clear eyes looking rather tired and worn from what she knew would happen next. Jack stood up partially, his hair damp and cloths tattered. "Where are you all going.." The Doctor gave his friend a grim look. "We have something to take care of.." With that all three timelords disappeared into the Tardis. As the blue box faded from view, the group was left with their tasks and a few questions.
….
"What to do with you…"
Balfus looked upwards as the Doctor entered the chamber, his handsome face stern and carved. Dawn stood by the doorway, her eyes fixated upon the man in the cell. He was rocking back and forth, clutching the amulet that he wore. Gazora stepped in close to the barrier that held the man there, and leaned down. Pressing her fingers against it, she took a deep breath. Suddenly she stood, whirling back. Blurting out her thought, even as she sounded terrified, the woman spoke before she changed her own mind. "Doctor… I loved your brother..let me do this to atone for his memory..do you still have the reliquary that had Elecion's essence stored within it?" Slowly the Doctor nodded, then shook his head. "I can't let you do that, Gazora..it isn't your fault.." As he spoke, he withdrew the silver pocket watch, gently letting his thumb glide over the top. Closing her hand over his, Gazora looked up at her former brother in law tearfully, the liquid beginning to slide down her cheeks. "I have no home..I was the one who calibrated the first time stream rip.. I cannot go back.. give me a new life, Doctor. Let me take care of him, let me be a human… a human that would not know of her past transgressions as a timelord…let me live as a creature you love..and forgive. It would be punishment and a blessing."
Even as she spoke, the Doctor began to tremble, the sweat upon his brow visible. They were the last..the very last, and she was asking him to damn her to die. All be it would be a slow death.. but he could not see her again, he would still be alone.. Slowly he moved his hands, the Tardis lowering the shielding that held Balfus in his invisible cage. Dawn slowly lifted the man from the floor, snapping off the amulet from his next and stuffing it in her pocket. Balfus shook as he took his steps, knowing what Gazora had asked for. Shaking his head as he trembled, the man nearly begged for himself. "Please..Doctor..Don't make me into one of them.." Even as the Doctor extended his arm to open the reliquary, Balfus sobbed, and Gazora smiled. Golden energy swirled from them both, sinking into the watch… Everything was white…
…
Closing the door to the Tardis, the Doctor turned upon his left heel. The Americas was a good choice..they could set up a pioneer camp with the Mayflower having landed and all.. Looking up at the woman leaning over the controls, the Doctor felt hope rise in him. She was still here.. Elecion..Dawn..whatever name she wished to go by. Stepping up next to her, he ran his hand across the controls. "A nice adventure we just had now..Dawny Smith..or would you rather.." Cutting him off by a shake of the head, Dawn straightened up. "Dawn will be just fine..reminds me of new beginnings..sunrise and all that.. my old name cannot be spoken now..it's tied into the lock..as is your mind. Only person I can share my name again with will be my cosmic bond…" Slowly the he blinked at the woman before him. She was clever..so clever.. her eyes locked onto his, and he could feel something stir. Jumping up, he dashed to the other side of the console, flipping various switches. "Alrighty then, Dawn! Shall we go? Anywhere..any time.. I say we should go to Pandora..Hear they have blue people there..or perhaps Tarkan 8? Crabs that mew..adorable…and delicious.." As he dashed back and forth, Dawn stood still, watching him. Slowly he halted, staring back. He was her Doctor, and she his Executioner..and Executioner that had stayed her hand. And now she was looking at him like the entirety of Time was beginning to tear her apart. A sudden, searing pain shot through his temples. Her palm was felt across them…
She was in his arms as he gasped from the pain… something was happening, and he had seen it before. Only it had happened to someone else.. Flashes of the memories of other people burned into his eyes, calling of strangers in his ears… Shakily Dawn shipered as she placed her forehead upon his. "The lock..I said it was in your mind. You already have Donna's time energy in your mind..you cannot take anymore.." Tear were glimmering at Dawn's violet eyes as the information struck home. The time lock was tied to her..and if she was in his mind and the other dimension.. he would burn..his mind would fall apart..and he would burn. "Gwen said the universe would burn…she somehow knew that if I stayed with you..this would happen..I..you'll have to forget me.." The words struck hope through the pain, and the Doctor shook his head. Wrapping his hands about her wrists, her violently shook his head. "I can't..I…I can't be alone..don't leave..you can't.." Running her fingertips to brush his hair away from his forehead, Dawn's lips trembled. "You'll die..the world is a bigger place than this.. you are meant to be alone for now..and I am meant to be…forever….I loved you, you know it? She never said you would be this brilliant.." As he took her hand, the Doctor shook. She leaned forwards, her lips brushing against his.. The kiss felt like fire, then ice. He had been married, a lover… but this was a kiss that could set a solar system on fire.. And slowly he could feel his memories slipping away… They went in flashes as he tried to clutch her closer to him, his fire matching her own. They were the last… he..he was the last..she..Dawn…
As he fell to the floor, Dawn burst into a sob. The Tardis slowly flickered her lights, making her former owner halt. Even as the tears streamed across her pale cheeks, the woman began to navigate the controls. "Take us to the day, old girl… you know which one.."
END
A/N
There will be an epilogue so don't clock off yet! The thing up here is similar to what the Doctor did to Donna at the end of season four.. there will be a sequel to this, and there is a spoiler poster I made upon my page!
And yes..for those of you who saw the kiss..she does love him, but differently than what Rose or Martha would have. Dawn or should I say Elecion has seen the Doctor from childhood..where as he never really saw her… and yes the SHE I keep referring to will be answered in the epilogue..sort of….lol!
Happy Reading,
Angie