Title: Run
Author: Gillian Taylor
Rating: PG
Characters: Ninth Doctor (with just a bit of Ten)
Summary: It began with a word.
Spoilers: DW Season One, Children in Need episode
Disclaimer: Don't own them. I just like playing with them...a lot.
Archive: Sure, just let me know.
A/N: Thanks, as always, to my lovely betas NNWest and WMR for both their encouragement and suggestions.
"Run"
by Gillian Taylor
It started with a word.
Run.
The word became a definition.
Life.
The word had significance.
Rose.
It became his protection. His defence. His shield. Run away. Run as fast, as far, as quickly as he could from his past.
Gallifrey.
Then it changed. The word meant something else, something far more powerful than fleeing the past. It meant the future. It became the future. Not running from something, running to something.
Love.
It started slowly.
They held hands.
It grew.
Better with two.
It was tested.
In fire. By a Dalek's taunts. By a Slitheen's threats. By a Gelth invasion. By any number of deadly dangers that they had faced. Yet there was more to it than that. More to it than the fire.
It was faced because of one word. Just one.
Together.
Then it changed again. Once, another had joined them, but he was not the best. This one, though. This one was one of the best.
Two became three.
It started slowly.
Suspicious looks gave way to easy camaraderie. Teasing. Laughter. Joy.
TheDoctorandRoseandJack. Together.
Better with three.
It changed.
The fire returned. Only this time it was different. This time they were not strong enough to survive. He was not strong enough to survive. They were not strong enough to survive. This time, there was only one choice.
Run.
Not him. Not Jack. But Rose.
Run.
It became a word of protection once more. Only protection for those he cared about, those he loved, those he promised to keep safe. Three became two. Two could fight. Two could carry on knowing that she was safe.
Run.
The big bad wolf was coming.
Run.
The big bad wolf was here.
Stop.
No more running. Face the past. Face the present. Protect the future. No choice. No choice at all.
Two became one.
The fire had won.
No choice, until she came.
The Bad Wolf was here. The real Bad Wolf. Not the Daleks, not their scheme, but Rose.
One became two.
But she burned. Engulfed in the flames of her power. Engulfed in the flames of her beauty. She burned.
She ended it all. The choice that was his became hers. The end of the last Great Time War.
They won.
Together.
But not without sacrifice. Three had become two.
But she burned.
No choice. The only choice he could make. For her.
A kiss.
He burned.
For her.
With her.
For Rose.
His Rose.
He burned.
And it changed. One last time, it changed again, only it came full circle. It began with a word.
Run.
It always would.
FIN