Mending Time
Her hand dropped away from his and he felt as if a part of him had dropped with it.
"Goodbye."
He remembered those words so well. They taunted him as he tried to forget it.
It was night time in the TARDIS. The Doctor circled the console, remembering.
He bit his lip. He knew he shouldn't. The Time Lord Council would spit chips.
But he couldn't go on like this. With the knowledge of what could have been.
He looked down the hallway into the inner part of his ship. Peri was asleep. He guided the TARDIS to that fateful time on an overcast English day…
"Goodbye."
He couldn't say anything. He just stood there and took her hand as she offered it. Stared at her retreating figure. Suddenly, his feet moved and he was chasing after her;
"No! No, don't leave, not like this"
"I must! I'm sorry"
He didn't know how long he stood there, the emptiness warehouse taunting him; reminding him of his loneliness.
It felt like hours.
"It's strange." Barely a whisper. Where had his voice gone? Empty. As if he was watching the scene detached from reality. Companions had left before; many of them. Even his own granddaughter. Why did it feel as though his hearts were bleeding?
"I left Gallifrey for similar reasons." speaking to stop his thoughts. "I'd grown tired of the lifestyle. It seems I must… mend my ways"
He looked back at Turlough who was staring in the direction Tegan had gone in.
"C'mon."
As he turned to go to his ship - the prospect of it lifeless without Tegan - he saw a figure move in the shadows. He started as the shadow moved forward. Turlough behind him tensed up, ready to fight or run.
The man walked into the vicinity. The first thought that struck the Doctor was that - even though he looked slightly grumpy - he didn't look dangerous. The second was that he had an appalling sense of dress. A loud jacket accompanying a pair of stripy pants and a mop of curly, sandy blonde hair… wait. That jacket looked familiar.
Oh, great.
"Hello Doctor." The man in front of him greeted him sternly. "I need to talk to you"
"It can wait." the Doctor said sadly at his future incarnation. "I need some time alone"
"No. You. Don't." the future Doctor said in a low, threatening voice. He suddenly pushed forward and roughly sets him against the wood of the TARDIS.
"Let… Me… Go." the Doctor croaked. He was released.
Turlough turned to the man in the strange clothes. "I assume your one of him, then?" he pointed at his friend who was regaining his breath on his knees, not helping.
"Yes. And I've lived with the mistake that was made by him not two minutes ago for a long time."
"Why, though?" the Doctor's voice was slightly strangled, but he got to his feet. "Why go after her? She made it abundantly clear she wanted to go"
"Because," the future Doctor looked into his own eyes, trying to make him understand. "If you don't, you will regret it forever"
"But it's not about me!" the Doctor shoved the rough, strong hand off his shoulder and pushed him away. "It's about her! I would do anything to make her happy. And this is what she wants." his voice trailed off.
Without a word, Turlough pushed past both Doctors and entered the TARDIS. He figured the Doctors needed to sort things out.
The Sixth Doctor looked at himself, amazed. He had thought that all the man would need was a little encouragement before he would go to find her.
"You are impossible." he sneered. "I was right. I didn't deserve her." He breathed in deeply to try and calm himself. Damn his newfound short temper. "Can't you see what you could have?" he implored.
The younger man stood there, silent.
"Well," he continued, stalking away, "If you won't help yourself, I will."
The Doctor fairly stormed through the warehouse, his brightly coloured coat billowing behind him. He was so angry with… well, himself. And that is what made it so irritating.
He broke into a jog. He had a feeling that the other Doctor wouldn't be going anywhere soon. He hoped the other Doctor wouldn't be going anywhere soon.
He almost didn't see her, pressed up against a concrete wall, fists bunched and head bowed as she cried. It was the quiet sobs that gave her away.
He turned quickly and saw Tegan sobbing, leaning against the wall. She started to see a stranger there in an abandoned warehouse. A frightened expression crossed her countenance.
He smiled - in what he hoped was a warm way - and her expression softened. The tears still slipped down her face.
"Are you okay?" he asked softly.
"I've lost my best friend." she replied, sounding like a small child.
The Doctor wanted nothing more than to reach out and embrace her, but he knew he couldn't.
"Well," he sighed, stepping closer, "I don't think I can help you." he looked into her eyes, wondering if she'd know. "But I believe the one who can is waiting for you."
Tegan looked back into his eyes. He could see that she saw something familiar in them. Eyes full of sorrow and regret, but she wouldn't know why.
"Thank you." she whispered and, to his surprise, lent up and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. "Braveheart." she said quietly, smiling softly. A whisper of encouragement.
The Doctor watched her go, his expression pained. He stood there alone for a few more minutes. After a moment, there was the sound of the TARDIS dematerialising. He somehow had no doubt that she made it.
Suddenly, there was a warm feeling in his hand and he looked down to see Peri standing next to him, her hand in his.
"Doctor?" she asked, concerned.
He smiled faintly. "Let's go, Peri."