Title:Your Shining Dream

Author: Spaci Ireth

Rating: PG – it's pretty harmless but I put it up for an abundance of depressing stuff.

Summary:At the end of the Doctor's last life, a companion says goodbye.

Notes: So, I thought that hope, love, life and liberty were very Doctor-esque ideals, so I thought I would write a songfic to Requiem For A Soldier, the theme song from the TV series, Band of Brothers. I left out a couple of verses that weren't quite relevant, and this is what I came up with. Oh, and btw, Ciara is the Welsh (I think) version of Kirra, so it's pronounced that way. :).

Your Shining Dream

You never lived to see
What you gave to me
One shining dream of hope and love
Life and liberty

Ciara leant up against the wall, resting her head on her knees, letting the tears flow. So many dead, so few left standing…

Why did the aliens she and the Doctor encountered always have to be ruthless and bent on conquering the universe? The two of them were always escaping by the skin of their teeth, and this time… this time, the Doctor had not even been that lucky.

'Ciara?'

Ciara looked up to see Armand, a French boy about her own age, his hand outstretched towards her. She took it and he helped her to stand up, putting his arm around her.

Together, they slowly walked across the silent battlefield to join the other survivors.

With a host of brave unknown soldiers
For your company
You will live forever
Here in our memory

There were so many people that Ciara and the Doctor had only just met on this, their last adventure together, that were now ling still in their final resting places. She had been hoping to get to know them better, but now there was no chance of that. Ciara felt the tears welling up again, but made no effort to stop them flowing down her cheeks.

As they passed the Doctor, Ciara put her hand on Armand's shoulder to stop him walking.

'I have to say goodbye,' she said. Armand nodded understandingly, and took his arm from around her waist.

Ciara knelt down beside the Doctor's lifeless body, feeling more than a little strange in the process.

'Doctor,' she whispered, 'I want you to know how much you've changed me. I'm no longer that scared little girl who walked into the TARDIS back in 1977. I've grown up so much since then, Doctor. You've changed my life and I want to say thank you.'

She could just hear the Doctor's modest reply in her head, accompanied by the lopsided grin she had come to know so well over the past months… years; it was hard to tell.

She pushed a curl of his auburn hair off his forehead, wiping her eyes, bent over and kissed him goodbye.

'I'll never forget you Doctor.'

She stood up and went back to Armand. Together they joined the larger group of survivors.

We are all one great band of brothers
And one day you'll see
We can live together
When all the world is free

Nicholas, one of the leaders in the initial attack on the invaders, was talking again. Telling them how they must all work together now to rebuild the future.

Not many of the group felt like listening at that point. Almost everyone had lost someone in the battle and they were still in shock, holding onto each other and crying.

Finally, Nicholas held out his hands to the rest of the group. "We won't get through this on our own,' he said, 'we have to be there for each other; support and encourage each other. Who's with me?'

His wife, Mary, immediately took his hand and in turn offered hers to someone else. Slowly, like a Mexican wave, everyone joined hands with the people around them. When Armand held his hand out for Ciara she took it firmly and without hesitation. She would do her best for the newfound friends; she wanted the Doctor to be proud of her.

The group began walking together. As they passed the TARDIS, Ciara stopped and looked up at the funny old blue box that had become her home while she travelled with the Doctor. She couldn't feel it buzzing with life as much as it usually did… perhaps even the TARDIS could sense that the Doctor wasn't coming home.

Realising she was going to be left behind if she didn't leave now, Ciara gave the TARDIS a final pat.

'Good luck, old girl,' she said, and then ran to catch up with Armand and the others.

Together they walked towards that better future that was waiting for all of them, thanks to the help of the Doctor.

When all the world is free…

A/N: Well, that was highly depressing, wasn't it? Love it? Hate it? Think it was okay? Please tell me what you think. Flames are not particularly welcome, but constructive criticism is.