A/N: I have written this story as a literary exercise and because I'm stuck with my other one. I've rediscovered my fondness for the classic Doctor Who series so I wanted to give it a try and actually write something. I hope I succeeded in making it at least plausable.
Even though I still haven't seen the Resurrection of the Daleks, I have a general idea what happened. Also I'm familiar with Tegan's condition in this fic but I left its explanation deliberately vague.
Anyway if you find any kind of mistake please tell me so I can correct it.
And since I'm still a learner when it comes to writing in this fandom, constructive criticism would be much appreciated. Thank you for reading.
Characters: The Doctor (5th), Tegan Jovanka, The Doctor (8th), OC
Spoilers: AU, 20 years after the events of the Resurrection of Daleks.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Doctor Who series. All rights reserved. No copyright infringement intended.
Summary: It's hard to forget when your life hangs in balance.
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"Remember that happiness is a way of travel -- not a destination" -Anonymous
---- Chapter 1 ----
"Is she…" The girl's voice asked wearily from behind him. The man wearing a white coat sighed and masked his face. Sometimes it was hard to remain emotionally detached in situations like these but that was the requirement of his job and had to be done.
He turned around from looking at the patient's chart and with a mask firmly in place, replayed, "She is…out of the woods," he stated solemnly and added very quickly, "For now."
"But what about—"The girl started but was answered quickly before finishing her question.
"It appears to be in remission but for how long it is unknown. Though I have to warn you, Miss Kendall, the regression might hit her very soon."
She sighed and sniffled but raised her eyes to the doctor's determinately. Something told him that the girl got that trait from her mother.
"But it is possible," she sighed and glanced at the sleeping, pale form of her mother and continued, "She might…survive this?"
The doctor looked at his hands and then back up at the young woman and answered with some hesitation. "It is…possible but the odds are very low. I'm sorry."
He hung his head and placed the chart back on the bed.
"I'll have the nurse check on her in an hour." The doctor couldn't refrain from patting the girl's shoulder in comfort.
He nodded at her word of thanks and left for his rounds.
She sat back down in the uncomfortable hospital chair and grasped her mother's hand like it was a life line. A few stray tears had escaped from her tired eyes to fall on the white sheet and quickly disappear in the soft material. She sniffled and slowly lowered her head to meet her mother's on the pillow.
---
The first thing she felt when she woke up was light-headedness and nausea. She breathed in deeply to regulate her breathing and blinked as her eyes adjusted to the lights in the sterile white room.
For some time she had a hard time remembering where she was but when she heard the soft breathing on her left she did and sighed.
The curly brown hair of her daughter was tickling her face but she didn't mind. It was something to make her forget her fate if only for just a while. She was always close with her only daughter, ever since she was born those 19 years ago and that connection never broke, not even when her husband left her. Not even then.
Leaving her would be a very hard thing to do. Ever since she was diagnosed, she was determined to fight this…illness but these past few days it has become an almost impossible thing to do.
She was weak and pretty much exhausted. The treatment she was subjected to and the medication she was given didn't help. And she could feel her doctor losing hope in her ever getting better.
She said once that she was indestructible and at the time she really believed that but now…
…Now she knew…she understood.
Life was one big bloody irony…she thought.
Twenty or so years ago nothing would have surprised her. She had befriended aliens, visited new worlds, planets…was possessed at least two times by an alien entity and fought against most horrible evils not known to any other human before her. But in the end she had survived…all of that. Not even a scratch on her.
And now the irony dictates that she was to die…but not from the hands of an evil alien entity but from something equally sinister.
Bloody cancer.
---
She wasn't quite sure what made her wake up the next time but as she opened her eyes she was met with a pair of steely blue ones staring gently at her.
She blinked to clear her blurry vision and then opened them again as the equally gentle voice sounded in the quietness of the depressing room atmosphere.
"Tegan,"
It was just one word. Just her name. But it was voiced with so much determination and such familiarity that she gasped in surprise.
"Doc…" her voice sounded hoarse and weak. These days' speaking was almost painful.
"You…are here." She stated.
"I am." He answered simply, as he removed his hat and placed it in his pocket.
"Why?"
It felt so uncharacteristic and yet so right to feel his hand slip into hers.
"Tegan…" He started but trailed off.
"Yes that is my name," The trace of sarcasm in her voice, so familiar to her persona, almost made him lose his bearings. And yet when they were travelling together, all those years ago, there were a few times when she would succeed and make him forget his alien background. Forget that he was Gallifreyan, a Time Lord.
This simple human.
This stubborn woman, whom he knew as a companion once and now possibly a very close friend…he always knew that she was to be his undoing.
"How do you…feel?" He finally asked.
Fighting the urge to roll her eyes and comment on the stupidity of the question, she sighed.
"I have seen better days." She retorted.
"Yes," He said and looked down at their joined hands as if suddenly shy. "That…you have."
"So," She gave him that unique 'Tegan look' and asked, "Why are you here?"
She suddenly felt very old in front of him. A funny idea considering his age.
He looked up at her and said, "Like that human saying goes 'I was in the neighbourhood'…"
She removed her hand from his and placed it stubbornly in her lap.
"Cripes, Doc, truth would be more appropriate right now. Don't you think?"
"She seems taken with you," He said quietly.
It took her a couple of seconds to realize who he was talking about and that it was his way of changing the subject.
She looked down at the sleeping form next to her. "She's my daughter,"
"Yes, you are very alike." He crossed his arms on his knees, as he stared at her daughter.
She was growing impatient and it reminded her of so many other times, when she wasn't this restrained.
"Why are you really here, Doc? Have you come here to tell me how lucky I am?"
"I have seen the future—"
She interrupted with, "Typical, Doctor. Always playing the good medium—"
"Tegan," He admonished her with a look.
"Alright," She raised her hands in surrender, "For old times' sake…Pray continue. What does the crystal ball say?"
He sighed softly and for some reason appeared very uncomfortable to her.
"I have come to help you as you…helped me."
"Well," She frowned in confusion and continued, "that is very nice of you, Doc but I don't see how—"
The cold hand pressed against her temple stopped her from further questioning.
----
"Has there been any kind of change?" The girl asked the doctor who was just about to enter her mother's room.
The doctor sighed and was about answer when they heard a voice coming from inside.
"Doc…"
"Mum?" The young woman hurried worriedly inside, followed closely by the doctor.
"You…are here."
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tbc