New Horizons
This one is definately for Fallen, the guy is simply amazing when it comes to relieving Writers Block. Fallen you should charge!
Big thank yous to all who have reviewed so far. Hope you like this one... the plot thickens...

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Whilst Earth was getting ready to panic on a global scale, or at least those in the know were, the Doctor was waiting on second technician Romana to call him back.
You'd have thought, he mused, you'd have thought that being so sophisticated and everything, the Time Lords would have invented the equivalent of BT's Call Waiting, by now.
Finally he decided he was going to try again, maybe a different wavelength... his hand reached out to the activation control, and he jumped when a voice came over the speaker.
"The High Council has spoken. You may not cross over. I am terminating this - "
"WAIT! Your universe is in the gravest of danger! I demand to speak to the High Council in person!" He shouted, desperate to maintain the contact.
As he kept her talking his fingers worked the control... he couldn't bring the TARDIS through not without the Time Lord's assistance - but maybe, just maybe he could...

His long finger jabbed a control and that was the last thought he had for a while.

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When he woke, it was to a disapproving expression, on a very familiar face.
"Hello Romana." He greeted, as he was pulled roughly to his feet. Looking around at the guards now in the room, of what he presumed was the Capitol's communications bay, he felt an uneasiness stirring inside him. Why were they all so young? On his Gallifrey, you had to be at least over 200 years old before even being considered such a posting. These were barely over 100, some even less!
"Excuse me, this may sound really rude, but how old are you Romana?" He asked.
"Excuse me!" She retorted tartly.

Another warning bell. Since when did the Time Lords let emotions dictate action? Why not as cold blooded as Daleks, or logical as Cybermen, the Time Lords had always maintained an air of calm and superiority - much to the Doctor's continued annoyance.
"Okay. I know this is a different universe, I know that things are bound to be different. " He surmised, standing up and putting his hands in his pockets.
"But one of you explain what's happed to the adults here right now." He looked Romana straight in the eye as he spoke.

Romana was the first to look away.
"What makes you think we have no adults here?" She hedged
"You're a senior technician, and what barely 110? 120? And your Castellan is not much older either. Not one of you are over 200 years old, am I right? Course I'm right, I'm the Doctor." He said.
"You said you were an advanced Human." Protested Romana.
"Yeah, and you bought that too. An advanced human knowing about CVE's and alternative universes and voids.. and Daleks?" He said. That drew a reaction from everyone present in the room.
The Doctor felt a chill spreading throughout his body. Surely not...? Was he too late then?

"Tell me everything, Romana. Listen to me"
"We do not discuss Gallifreyan matters of state with Outsiders.." She started to protest.
"I AM NOT AN OUTSIDER! I AM A TIME LORD OF THE FIRST RANK, AND YOU WILL TELL ME WHAT HAS HAPPENED HERE!" He yelled, raising his voice and having the desired effect on the group.
"They're gone. All of them. Dead." Whispered Romana, looking at him with fear in her eyes. Her first honest reaction to his prescence.
The Doctor's expression softened, and he took her hand in his.
"Oh, Romana... what happened here?" He asked her again, more quietly.
He had a feeling he wouldn't like the answer.

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Two hours later, the Doctor sat alone in the Presidential Quarters of the Capitol, turning over in his head what he had just learned.
After getting over their initial fear and distrust of him, Romana and the Castellan had explained what had happened to the adults in all too painful detail.
The Time Lords in this Universe had no Doctor of their own, and so had gone to destroy the Daleks at their creation themselves and incurred terrible consequences. Not only had it failed miserably, as had every other attempt since then, but the Daleks had retaliated using captured Time Lords to biologically engineer a virus. The drawback was it only affected the adults - leaving the younger generation to cope with the fallout. A few Dalek attacks here and there had forced them to withdraw, and so far the Daleks had not returned. That had happened over 50 years ago, their time.
Much had been forgotten, although the old ways were still preserved here at the Capitol. The rest of the population - Shobogans and Gallifreyans had not been told the fate of the Time Lords - in their eyes life was as it always was. Noone saw the High Council anymore, because there was no High Council to be seen.
In turn, the Doctor had explained his own origins, omitting certain details, and they had asked that he - temporarily at the very least - take over things for a while. Being the oldest Time Lord on the planet and all that.
He had tried to decline, but the hope in their eyes had persuaded him differently. So here he was.
Sitting alone in the Presidential Quarters of the Capitol.

Of course, his original plan was now scuppered. Not only was he without a TARDIS, the people he was going to ask for help in defeating the Daleks and saving Earth were in no position to fight a Sontaran, let alone Daleks. They were just kids, in the Doctor's eyes, and you couldn't take kids into battle.
Not that it would be a battle, more like a slaughter thought the Doctor to himself ruefully.
So what now? Defeat the Daleks, restore the Time Lords and save the Universe all by himself... again? God that was getting old.
He found himself thinking of Rose then, wondering what she was doing right now, whether she had moved on finally and left him behind forever. Even though the Universe no longer seperated them, the Doctor had never felt the distance between them to be so vast.

"Umm.. Doctor?" A knock at the door followed the tentative voice, snapping the Time Lord out of his reverie.
"Doors open!" He called back.
Romana entered the room, bearing a platter of food and wine.
"I er.. I thought you might require refreshment." She said, by way of explaining her prescence.
"No thanks... too much thinking to do." He said, dismissively.
Non plussed she set the platter onto the nearby table.
"Then have it later. I wondered.. if you wouldn't mind..." She paused, unsure of what she was asking "You want me to tell you about the Time Lords?" He surmised. She nodded.
"I know they are from your universe, but as you say - there are only slight differences - and I just... I miss them so much!" She blurted out.
Now we come to it... the domestic part you're always avoiding.. Mocked a little voice in the Doctor's head, but he ignored it and moved to where she stood - taking her hand.

All the while he had to keep telling himself, this was not his Romana, not his wife, but another person entirely. His wife was dead, so was his entire family, and he couldn't simply replace them with her because of who she happened to look like, But her hand, her hand felt just as Romana's did - silky smooth with a tingle of life that he so loved to feel. He took a deep breath, then made himself let go of it, looking up into her eyes instead.

"It only happened a short time ago Romana, and I'll bet with all this happening ..." He waved a hand in the air. " With all of this happening, you've not had time to grieve properly either. There is a tradition, after war, where every sentinent being on the planet are brought together and they sing, not just with their voices but with their emotions.. and the Song... it's impossible to describe. One Time Lord is chosen to channel it, and the whole planet celebrates the lives of those passed on. Everyone has their chance to say goodbye." He finished, his hand dropping down.
"Perhaps when all this is over, we will revive that tradition." He mused.
She sensed the disquiet in him, maybe even the guilt.

"Why do you look at me in that way?" She asked suddenly.
His head snapped up and he looked at her in confusion.
"Sorry.. what way is that then?" He asked her back.
Romana bit back a smile.
"That way.. like you know things about me that nobody else does. That you know me somehow, more deeply then you should for one who has never met me"
That was what he had told her, when she had asked earlier about her own counterpart in his Universe. That he'd never met a Romana, let alone travelled with one. Another lie.
"I don't know what you mean, honestly." He affected a yawn, and she took the hint.
"You are tired, and in need of sleep." She surmised and turned to leave.
"Goodnight Romana." Called the Doctor.
"Goodnight Doctor. Sleep well." She replied and was gone.

Deciding he didnt need sleep just yet, the Doctor toyed with the idea of eating something instead. But he found his hearts weren't in that either, so he sauntered over to the balcony and stared up at the Gallifreyan night sky.
Thoughts of Rose returned to him and he wondered just how he was ever going to explain this to her - always assuming he'd find his way to Earth in time to save them from the Daleks.
You'll find a way, Doctor, you always find your way. The little voice reminded him, and he couldn't help but smile at that.

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On Earth, following a lengthy teleconference call in which she had had to convince senior officials that the Dalek threat was real and imminent, a tired Rose Tyler crossed her office and peered out at the night outside.
Wherever you are, whatever Universe, be safe. Goodnight my Doctor.

Goodnight Rose.