A/n. I had some magical words written to say to you all, it was heartfelt, and beautiful, and then the server went down. /sigh
I'm kidding. It wasn't beautiful, but it was pretty heartfelt. :)
This is the last chapter, but since it turned out longer than I expected, the epilogue will be a separate entry. That one will be in a few days.
Thanks for reading this story y'all, it has been so much fun to write. I appreciate the time it takes for people to read, let alone write a nice review.
For anyone that might be interested, I am pretty sure this story has a part two, I just have to figure it all out. Love you guys!
Chapter Twenty Nine
"Alice?"
It was Donna, I felt her sit next to me. She laid a hand on my back, and then gently pulled me toward her.
I let her put her arms around me, and hold me there on the floor.
"Alice we don't have to do this." The Doctor crouched in front of me. "And even if we did, you don't have to go."
"Yes I do."
"No Alice, Donna and I..."
Donna didn't let him finish, "she's made her decision Doctor, now get us out of here." She said it gently, but firmly, making it clear he wasn't to argue anymore.
I heard him climb the stairs, and then I heard the Tardis start up to take us to the past.
I cleaned myself up while we traveled. Donna sat next to me as I pulled my hair back into a ponytail, and tied the back of Dean's black t-shirt in a knot so it would fit me better.
"It's his I'm guessing." She motioned to the shirt as I tied it.
I nodded, and snuffled my nose a bit. "It's the one piece of him I get to keep."
"Are you going to find him again? After all this is over, I mean."
I shrugged, "I don't know. He has a lot of things to take care of. I don't want to be a distraction. Maybe I'll wait a year or two, and then see where life takes us."
She nodded, and stood next to me. "This is a brave decision you've made."
I shook my head. "There wasn't a decision, it's about doing what's right."
"We're here." The Doctor called from the other room.
I gave Donna a small smile, and we headed out.
We exited in front of the house, it was the same, but totally different at the same time.
I looked up at it, and couldn't help but think of how strange it was that my entire future was about to change, with a decision made in the nineteen forties. Time travel was a bitch sometimes.
It didn't take long to convince Sarah. When the words, "of course time travel can take you home, it brought you here didn't it?", were spoken, she really didn't have an argument.
The Doctor sometimes had trouble with timing, but fortunately he nailed it this time. We landed in the basement seconds after Sarah's confrontation with the angel, capturing it in the same way the Doctor did the first time, as well as returning Sarah to where she belonged.
When she went to walk up the stairs she stopped. "What do I tell him?" She looked down at her nineteen forties dress, and back up at us.
The Doctor shrugged, "anything you want Sarah. Tell him the truth, or tell him nothing. Your only five years older, he'll never notice the difference."
She nodded, and her eyes got teary, "thank you." And then she turned and ran up the stairs calling Sy's name.
I cried again, this time from relief. I knew I had made the right choice, I just had to learn to live with it now.
Eight months later...
I had managed to track down the boys twice. The first time, I missed them by a few days. But the second time, I got there soon enough to catch a glimpse of them.
I didn't talk to them though. I just watched. It was good to see them still doing well, and working.
The Doctor was constantly checking on me. I never told him that I was following the boys, but I think he knew anyway.
My grandfather died not long after everything, and the Doctor insisted on taking me away for a while. I let him, and when I got back, my grandmother died not long after. It made me happy that they were together again, she hadn't done well without him.
When I went looking for the boys the third time, well that's when everything had changed. I followed all the strange things that had been happening, and when I finally narrowed down where they might be, I was surprised to find Sam there alone.
He was in a bar. Sam. In a bar, alone? That made no sense. I watched him for a while, as he drank, and drank, and drank. Something was definitely wrong. I decided to see if I could find out.
"Hi." I sat casually on the stool next to him. My heart pounded in my chest so loud, I was sure he could hear it.
He barely glanced at me. "Hi." He took another shot of whatever the drink was the bartender kept putting in front of him, and then tapped on the bar. "Another."
The bartender looked at me with a raised eyebrow, and then back at Sam. "Are you sure buddy? You've had quite a bit already."
Sam said nothing, he just glared at the guy until he relented and filled the glass again.
My hands shook on either side of the soda I had been nursing for the hour I had been watching. "Are you...alright?" I reached out a hand to place on his arm, but thought better of it and snatched it back before he noticed.
"Nope." He slammed the drink, and put the shot glass back down. And then he turned to face me.
My heart broke, it was written all over his face. Loss. I should know, I've seen it on my own face a million times.
His eyes were swollen, his long hair an unkempt mess. "Would you like to talk about it? I've been told I'm a pretty good listener."
He reached out and put hand on my arm, "how about we get out of here, go to my hotel room, and NOT talk about it."
I snatched my arm from his grasp. "You're not thinking clearly. You've had too much to drink Sam."
I realized my mistake immediately, he frowned at me. "How did you know my name?"
Shit Alice, nice work. "Um, you told me. When I sat down, don't you remember?"
He looked confused for a second, and then recovered. "Oh yeah, what did you say your name was again?"
I sighed in relief, I was fortunate he was as drunk as he was. "Alice, my name is Alice."
He nodded, "oh yeah, that's right. Anyway Alice, it's been a pretty shitty week for me. Did I mention THAT when you sat down?"
"No, but I kind of gathered that things weren't going well." I motioned to the empty glass in front of him. "What happened?"
He tapped the bar again, and the bartender filled the glass without argument this time. He held the glass tightly, instead of downing it immediately. "I lost my brother."
I inhaled, and held it. I fought tears, and closed my eyes, suddenly feeling like I was going to throw up. "I'm sorry." I whispered. I cleared my throat, "how did it happen?"
He chuckled, and looked sideways at me. "You wouldn't believe me, even if I did tell you." He swallowed the drink, and got to his feet, swaying dangerously to one side as he did so.
"Whoa, Sam." I grabbed his arm, keeping him on his feet. "I think it's time for you to get some sleep."
He snorted, "hmph, sleep. I might not ever do that again."
"Give me your keys Sam, I'm taking you to your hotel." I turned to the bartender, "excuse me, what does my friend owe you?"
He handed me a bar tab, and I paid it, leaving him a big tip. "Thanks." He muttered, as he took my cash without expression. "Make sure he doesn't drive."
I nodded, "I will, thank you." I turned back to Sam, still gripping his arm with my free hand. "C'mon Sam, let's get out of here."
He muttered something, but didn't argue, as I ducked under his arm and walked him slowly outside to the impala. I fished into his jacket, and pulled out the keys. "Get in." I opened the passenger side door, and was relieved when he didn't argue with me.
"Where are you staying?" He grumbled again, and pulled a key from his pocket with a hotel key chain on it.
I closed his door, and went around to the drivers side door, and stopped for a moment. I heaved a sob, and swallowed it as quickly as I could. I needed to get him safely to his hotel, it's what Dean would want.
I wiped my teary eyes as I climbed in and started the car. I checked the address of the hotel, and looked at a nearby street sign. We weren't too far away it seemed, so I headed in what I was pretty sure was the right direction.
I thought he had passed out, and it startled me when he spoke. "My brother would kill me if he knew I let you drive his car."
I chuckled, "he might not mind as much as you think Sam."
We drove in silence for a few minutes. "Your brother? Can you tell me what happened?" It was the question I didn't want to keep asking, but I had to know.
He scoffed, "well that depends, how much do you know about hellhounds?"
The overwhelming nausea took over again, I actually knew more than I wanted to about them. I had been doing a lot of studying since I had been back. "More than you think actually." Was the response I gave him.
I pulled up in front of the hotel and found a parking space. He stayed quiet as I helped him to his room. I opened the door and took him inside, letting him drop on the bed.
I pulled the blanket over him, and pulled off his shoes. I looked down at him, my heart absolutely broken. "Do you need anything Sam? What can I do to help?"
He opened his eyes. "No one can help. He traded his soul for my life, and now he is trapped in hell and there isn't a damn thing I can do about it."
I let the tears roll down my face, and turned for the door. I had to get out of here, I had to be free of this whole situation.
"Alice?" He called to my back, I stopped but didn't turn back. "I don't know who you are, or why you care, but thank you."
"He wouldn't want this Sam." I said, still not facing him. "He'd want you to be strong, and fight back. Maybe saving him isn't an option, but there are people out there who need your help. Don't give up Sammy, you're stronger than you think."
I dropped the impala's keys on the table by the door, and left.
When I got outside, I reached for my cell to call a cab to come and get me, and then I changed my mind, and I pulled my other cell out instead. He answered almost immediately.
"Alice? Are you okay?"
I sobbed into the phone, "please come and get me. I can't stay here any longer."
I didn't finish the sentence, before I heard the Tardis landing behind me.
I ran to his open arms, and let myself break again.
It was a couple of days before I confronted him about the fact that I was sure there was something wrong. He was alone, which I hated, and acting incredibly strangely.
"Tell me."
"Tell you what?" He said as he walked beside me through an outdoor market on a planet whose name I couldn't even remember.
"Whatever it is you aren't telling me."
We walked a bit more, he stayed quiet, but took my hand. Finally when we reached the end of the street, he stopped. I saw the resolve on his face, he had decided to tell me.
He turned me to face him, "things are changing Alice. I'll be changing soon, and I need you to be prepared for it. I am sorry that this is happening now, I know the timing is more than terrible, but I don't have much time left."
"Are you talking about regenerating? Are you dying? Is that what you're telling me?" I wobbled a bit on my feet, my stomach turning inside out yet again. Frankly, I was unsure if I could face my life without him.
He took me in his arms, "it's just my face Alice. And maybe a few quirks in my personality. I'll never leave you. I promise, and I keep my promises, don't forget that."
I reached up and put my hands on his cheeks. "But I LOVE this face. I NEED this face. And what about this hair?!" I ran my hands through his crazy hair.
He chuckled, and then looked sad. "I will miss this face." He said, running a hand over his chin.
I looped my arm through his, "me too." We walked a bit further, to a quiet spot, and we sat and watched the sunset.
I needed to be at peace with this, I was grateful he warned me it might be happening. And I believed him when he said he wouldn't forget, or leave me.
I leaned on his shoulder, and offered him my hand.
"Are you scared?" I asked softly.
"Terrified." He answered, taking hold of my hand and squeezing it tightly.
