Thanks to ice-angel-doll, gwencarson126 for following/faving my story.
The Time Lord Oracle: haven't decided if I'll include the S4 specials or not.
NicoleR85: thanks!
Alyssa stepped out of the TARDIS and closed the door. "Sexy could you do me a favour? Keep this door locked until I get back", she said to the box.
Of course sweetie.
"Thanks" Alyssa didn't particularly trust that the Doctor wouldn't try to follow her even though he promised that he wouldn't. After all, he wasn't really that happy that she wanted to talk to some stranger from her past on her own. Alyssa walked through the headstones towards her grandmother's one. As she walked she tried to think of things that she could say to the stranger. But she was drawing a blank. After all, how would you ask someone why your appearance is identical to a person who lived in Pompeii many, many years ago? She supposed she could outright ask him, to hell with how crazy it was going to sound.
As she neared her grandmother's grave, she heard her own voice talking. Alyssa hung back by a tree and watched as her slightly younger self spoke to the piece of carved granite. After a minute or two she stopped talking and just sat there staring at the headstone. Alyssa turned her head when she heard a noise of someone walking and saw the Scottish stranger. She stayed quiet as the man approached past-Ali knowing that she couldn't talk to him until after he and past-Ali had spoken.
While the two talked, Alyssa sensed something that took her breath away. It was the exact same thing that she felt every time she was around the Doctor. "Oh my god…he's a future Doctor", she whispered. She wondered which number he was as she knew her Doctor was number 10. Alyssa also wondered if that Doctor came before or after the one who burst into her bedroom all those months ago. Another thought came into her head I wonder if I'm still with him? It would be a comfort to know she was still with him in the future. However, she was very aware that she wouldn't be able to stay with him forever seeing as that she was human.
Alyssa was brought out of her thoughts when the future Doctor walked away. She followed him and when they far enough away from past-Ali, she called out to him. "Doctor" the Time Lord stopped and turned around.
"Hello Ali", the twelfth Doctor took in her outfit before stating "I see you met Caecilius".
Alyssa nodded "yes. Just come from there" she took several steps forward raised her hand and placed it gently on his cheek. The Doctor closed his eyes, leaning into her touch like he'd done so many times before.
"I must look like an old man in your eyes", he said quietly, the words very similar to what she said to him on the Titanic after he'd told her how old he was.
"No, you don't", Alyssa said softly "You look like the Doctor to me" the Doctor opened his eyes to see that she was smiling at him. The Doctor closed his eyes, leaning into her touch like he'd done so many times before. When he opened his eyes, he saw that she was giving him a very familiar look. It was the same one he'd given her many times through his tenth and eleventh selves. It was love. He shouldn't have been surprised by this younger Alyssa's answer as she'd never looked at him any differently after the Master had aged him on the Valiant.
Alyssa removed her hand from his cheek. "I better go. Don't want your younger self worrying", she said.
"That would be a good idea", the Doctor agreed knowing full well how his tenth self could be when it came to her safety. "Isn't there something else you want to ask me?" he asked her when she turned away.
Alyssa turned back "I can't think of anything", she lied. She really wanted to ask if she was in his future but didn't know if she was allowed to.
"Don't you want to know if you're still with me?" the Doctor asked.
"I do but I didn't know if I was allowed to, seeing as you'd be telling me something about my personal future", Alyssa said.
"You're right. I'm not supposed to tell you about your future. But I will tell you this one thing just to reassure you. Yes, you are still with me", the Doctor said.
"Thank you for telling me", Alyssa said relieved to hear that they were still together through more than one regeneration. Speaking of… "There's something else I'm wondering. That is if you're allowed to tell me".
"Ask away", the Doctor said.
"What regeneration are you on?" Alyssa asked.
"12", the Doctor replied.
Alyssa nodded "ok. Now I really better go before your tenth self tries to break down the TARDIS door", she said.
Twelve laughed "See you later, my brilliant Ali", he said using her usual saying when it came to farewells.
"See you later, Spaceman", Alyssa said pressing a light kiss to his cheek. She turned and started to head off when she suddenly faltered, pressing a hand to her head. The Doctor was quick to steady her. "Sorry, just got lightheaded for a second", she said apologetically.
"It's ok, you don't need to apologise", the Time Lord assured her. He already knew what was going on but of course he couldn't tell her about it nor could he mention what else her future held. As much as it pained him, he had to let it play out the way it was supposed to.
The next day Alyssa went to the British Museum to drop off the painting the she'd finally finished repairing. She would've gotten it done sooner if a certain Time Lord hadn't been distracting her. The said Time Lord was in a bit of a mood that morning as she'd refused point blank to tell him what happened when she spoke to his future self. Donna seemed to be more understanding when she'd explained why she couldn't really tell them.
Note to self: get the Doctor a banana muffin when I'm done she thought as she lugged the painting towards the conversation room that should cheer him up a little. It would have to now she thought about it, as she hadn't taken the Doctor off the kissing ban yet. She swiped her card on the reader next to the door and pushed open the door. Alyssa then carried the painting inside. The red head did have to put it down quickly as she got dizzy spell, much like she did the day before. "That was weird", she muttered. Maybe she wasn't eating enough? Or perhaps she needed to hydrate more? Whatever the case, she'd have to focus on that after she finished restoring the painting.
Alyssa picked up the painting and took it over to an empty easel, setting it down. She then headed to the computer to fill out the proper forms and the drop Jenna an email stating that she'd dropped the painting off. When she reached the desk she was surprised to see a blue envelope sitting on the keyboard. It was addressed to her.
She opened it and pulled out a folded piece of paper. When she unfolded it, she saw that it was a short letter.
Dear Ali
I have a question for you, it may sound a little strange but it's something I have to know.
Would you still love me if I was a woman?
Please write your answer on the page and leave the letter on the keyboard when you go.
Doctor
XX
Alyssa stared at the page "would you still love me if I love me if I was a woman?" she murmured. That was a rather strange question for the Doctor to be asking her. He had shown her his past regenerations, all of whom were male but all looked differently. Could she love him if he turned into a woman? She had loved a girl but that was Ellie and it was only in a best friend/sisterly way. Alyssa sighed, it was a hard question to answer. On one hand, no she couldn't love him if he became a woman as she wasn't gay herself. On the other hand, if she could accept and love him for the two hearted, 903 year old alien that he is, then it shouldn't matter if he changed into a woman.
Just be honest Ali she thought. She got a pen from the pot beside the computer and wrote her answer. Once she'd done that, she moved onto filling out the forms for the painting that she'd repaired. It didn't take long to do those, roughly ten minutes. After the forms where completed, Alyssa dropped a brief email to Jenna to let her know that she'd brought back the painting and filled out the corresponding forms.
Alyssa was just heading to the door when all of a sudden there was a loud noise behind her which of course made her jump. She spun around and stared at the person who was standing there. It was the floppy haired Doctor she'd briefly met before, when he burst into her room several months ago. He looked a bit different from last time as he now had a red fez on his head. "Sorry for just dropping in like this. I hope I didn't startle you", he said apologetically.
"Oh you did, just a little", Alyssa informed him feeling her heart start to get back to its normal rhythm after hearing that noise which signalled the arrival of the Doctor, whichever number he was.
"Sorry. Before you go asking me questions, I can't really say anything and in all honesty I don't really have time" the Doctor said "I came here to ask you for a favour".
"What kind of favour?" Alyssa asked.
The Doctor pulled out a pamphlet for the British Museum and a yellow sticky note "I need you to write something on both of these", he replied handing them to her.
Alyssa went to the desk and picked a black pen "no, it needs to be a red pen". The red haired woman put the black pen back and selected a red pen.
"What do you want me to write?" Alyssa asked. The Doctor told her what to write 'Come along Pond' on the back of the pamphlet and Alyssa did so. On the post-it she wrote 'Stick around Pond'. "Is there anything else you want me to write?"
"No. That's it", the Doctor replied removing the fez and sticking it on Alyssa's head "thanks Ali. I'll see you later", he added giving her a wink. He then vanished in a flash of light taking the pamphlet and post-it note with him.
He appeared again a mere second later "actually I'm gonna take this back", he said taking the fez and plonking it back on his head "and you were right by the way, fezzes are cool".
"Please tell me there's an 'I told you so moment'", Alyssa said rather hoping that there would be.
"Hasn't happened yet but it's very likely", the Doctor said.
"I'm looking forward to it", Alyssa said with a smile pleased that a future Doctor agreed with her opinion on the fez. The Doctor returned the smile and vanished again.
Alyssa hadn't managed to take one step towards the door when the Time Lord appeared again. This time he did something that took her by surprise, he kissed her on the cheek, his hand settling on her stomach "I love you", he said softly looking into her green eyes as he spoke. The Doctor stepped back and vanished for the third time after touching something on his wrist. Alyssa touched the cheek he kissed and a small smile crept onto her face.
The way he said 'I love you' made her seriously consider taking Ten off the ban as she wanted to go back to the TARDIS and give him a proper kiss and tell him how much she loved him. Alyssa stayed there a couple of minutes just in case the future Doctor came back. When he didn't come back, she left the room making sure that it was secure.
Not long after she left, a blonde haired woman stepped out of the supply cupboard. She walked over to the desk with the computer on it and picked up the blue envelope. She took out the letter and unfolded it. A smile appeared on her face as she read Alyssa's words on the bottom of the page.