Last of Their Kind

by ThyWanderer

Worn down from years of strife as the last of her kind, Madison once believed happiness was far from reach. Everything begins to change when she meets a man called the Doctor. As secrets and sorrows are shared between them, the pair finds comfort together amidst the stars. Madison can only hope that this time things will be different, even if the universe has other plans for her.

12. Chapter 12

Thanks again for everyone's support. I'm so happy that you're all enjoying this story.

A bit of a short chapter this time around, but I hope it's still good.

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Chapter12

Gazing at him . . . it was hard for her to look away. He even wore the same outfit as he had during their picture taking. The only difference was the maroon bandana that he had around his lower face. His pale brown hair was a bit long, reaching almost to his shoulders. It was the longest he had ever grown it that she remembered. His weary, yet kind hazel-brown eyes stared at her as he slowly froze in place. His silver revolver still pointed straight at her. She had been right. Seeing him again, after so long . . . it was excruciating. Especially with how he stared at her. It was not out of love and care as he normally would gaze at her. This time, it was out of distrust and anger. Like looking into the eyes of a stranger.

"What sort of questions?" the Doctor wondered aloud, gazing at the two men in front of them steadily as his eyes were trained on their every movement. She could tell that the Doctor was ready for them to become violent. She knew she should be as well. But . . . her heart was still breaking as she sat there. A single tear escaped her and rolled down her face. David narrowed his eyes at her, yanking down his bandana so she could see the gruff face of his. His face was lightly dusted with facial hair as he scowled.

"For one thing . . . why the hell do you look like my Abibale?" David asked, voice harsh as he glared heatedly at her. She was frozen. Unable to do or say anything. All she could do was sit there in the saddle, drinking in the sight of him and memorising every detail. She didn't even care that he was giving her such an angered expression. She was just simply so glad to see him again. Even if it was breaking her heart little by little.

". . . Ah," the Doctor uttered, appearing at a loss of what to say or do. In the corner of her eye, she could see him give her a worried glance before gazing back at David. "Listen, if you keep calm, we can-."

"Why do you look like her?" David demanded, still simmering in anger at her presence.

". . . David," she breathed, unable to keep silent any longer.

David's heated stare grew hard as her voice appeared to upset him. "How do you know my name? Who are you?"

"I . . . I am Abigale," she spoke quietly, keeping her voice soft.

Jaw tightening, he appeared to be gritting his teeth for a moment before he relaxed somewhat. There were his eyes searching as he stared her up and down again. ". . . Prove it."

Slowly, she got down from her horse, keeping her eyes on him as she walked over to him. She could hear Rose make a sound of worry and the Doctor saying something for her to stop. But she kept staring at her past as she walked toward him. Carefully, she let the barrel of his revolver press into her forehead. She then smiled lightly at him. "If you're going to hold a gun to my head, at least buy me a drink first." She watched as his eyes went wide in shock. His hand yanked the gun away from her head as he just stared at her. "Hey there, cowboy," she whispered softly.

David holstered his weapon, tearing his eyes away from hers as he stared at the ground in thought. With a sigh, he hopped down from the horse he rode on. "William, get back to camp. Tell them I've got things covered and Abigale's still in Goldenford."

"But . . . she's right there. How can she-," William began to argue, yanking down his own bandana to gaze at her in utter confusion.

"Just do it. Forget you ever saw her here. Got it?" David ordered gruffly, narrowing his eyes at the other man. William grunted and nodded before turning his horse around and galloping away. After William was a pretty good distance away from them, David finally looked at her again. Madison swallowed heavily, averting her eyes now as it still hurt to look at him. "So . . . who are you two, then?" she heard David ask.

"I'm Rose and this is the Doctor," said Rose when the Doctor didn't speak up. Madison raised her eyes, glancing at the Doctor to see him still staring at her. It was hard reading what he was thinking at the moment. There was a mixture of emotions swirling in his eyes. Something told her he was more concerned than anything.

"And . . . does anyone care to explain to me why you're Abigale, when I know for a fact my Abigale is in another county over?" David questioned, sounding a mixture of hurt, confused, and agitated. Feeling conflicted, Madison wanted to tell him. She hated seeing him hurt like this. But . . . She glanced towards the Doctor again, wanting his thoughts on the matter. If he felt it wasn't the right choice . . .

Seeing the Doctor frown briefly before giving a small nod, she looked at David and said hesitantly, "I'm . . . from the future. I've travelled through time with my friends . . . We ended up here by mistake."

David blinked as he stared at her, looked at the Doctor and Rose, then back to her again. "You're . . . from the future?"

She nodded slowly. "Yes."

He was quiet, thinking it over in the way she remembered. His eyes stared down at the ground as his brow crinkled. Kicking at the ground, he gazed back up at her. "Alright. I . . . suppose I can wrap my brain 'round that." He stared at her, appearing to be finally taking her in. Everything that she was, he was studying her. Then, he seemed to melt as his shoulders slumped and he gazed sadly at her. "You . . . You're older. I can tell."

"Yeah. I'm . . . three hundred now."

"Three hundred . . . Means I've been gone a long time for you."

A small sigh escaped her as she looked away. She couldn't stand to look at him any longer. She was going to break. "A very long time." She could feel eyes on her. It felt like everyone was staring at her.

"Um . . . we need help getting back to Whisperbend, if you can," she heard Rose speaking up. It was obvious the girl wanted to break the uneasy tension.

"There's a Sheriff Matthews sort of after us," the Doctor added, sounding ready to get to the point and get going. "I understand if you want to talk, but we can do that while we're moving."

"Sheriff Matthews?" David chuckled and she glanced at him to see him shaking his head. "Figures you come back to the past to get yourself in trouble." He was then grinning at her and Madison felt her shoulders lessen in their tension. She couldn't help but smile weakly, glad that he was trying to make her feel easier about their situation. David went over to his horse then, climbing up the saddle and grabbing the reins. "Come on. I'll lead you back to town, then."

Madison climbed back onto her horse, lightly holding her own reins as the horse just followed along with the rest. The Doctor and Rose were in between her and David as they rode along. No one spoke at first until eventually David's curiosity seemed to have peaked.

"So, where are ya'll from then?" David asked them curiously.

"I'm from London," Rose told him, smiling politely.

"Sorry, I meant what year," David corrected himself, smiling lightly.

"Oh. 2005," Rose answered.

David gave a low whistle. "2005 . . . that's a long ways from now. So, have things changed much?"

"We can't answer that," the Doctor spoke up, giving Rose a stern stare. The girl frowned and pouted as he looked back at David. "Too much foreknowledge isn't good."

"Don't ask. Got it," David mumbled, nodding as he stared ahead briefly before he glanced around to stare at Madison. She tried averting her eyes but seeing how he gazed at her softly, she melted again. He looked like he wanted to ask her more about herself, but he seemed to rethink it as he gazed ahead, keeping his eyes locked on the desert in front of them.

"So you're a part of that gang Madison used to be in, right?" Rose suddenly questioned, appearing curious now. "How did you know to come this way to find us?" Seeing David give her a surprised glance, he then nodded as he met her eye. He was surprised by her new name, she could tell. But he already knew about her changing her name quite frequently. With her explaining the years she had lived, she had also told him about changing locations and names every ten years. Though after she joined his gang . . . there had been a change in that.

David then answered Rose's question. "Winnie came back to camp and sent the alarm. Said Charlotte was in trouble and that Abigale came to put a stop to it. Thought maybe Winnie was drunk again about that last bit, but I knew she wasn't lying about Charlotte. Came out this way to find her. Is she safe?"

"Charlotte went to get some lawmen to stop the Wilkins' boys. She'll most likely be heading back home later tonight," Madison told him, seeing him nod and appearing glad by this news.

"That's good," he said quietly. "I hope she's smart enough to stay in town until tomorrow, though. Night isn't the best place to be 'round these parts." He glanced up towards the sky, frowning as he saw the sun lowering towards the horizon. It was evening by now and night would be falling soon. It was never a good thing to be out in the dark in the desert. Not just because of the colder temperature that would fall upon them, either.

"We should get going. It's gonna be night soon," David said, nodding to them before kicking his horse lightly and getting the animal to speed up.

It was a silent ride back to Whisperbend. Madison stared down at the reins in her hands as she rode on with the others. There were some questions Rose had for David. About the time period he lived in and such. He answered all of her questions, a bit amused by them. She only half paid attention. Again, she felt her heart breaking in hearing his voice and seeing him so close. A part of her wanted to break down, run away from him so she could avoid the heartache. Another part of her wanted to jump into the saddle with him and beg for them to ride off into the distance and never look back. It was a conflicting feeling, to be perfectly honest. She knew the last part of her being silly. She could never do that. Especially not now. She glanced toward the Doctor, surprised to see he was gazing at her. Still carefully watching her. She tried giving him a smile, but she felt it falter. She just couldn't muster up the energy to pretend to be doing okay with all of this. Subtly, the Doctor held out a hand towards her. Gratefully, she took it. She felt him brush against her mind gently. Not trying to connect their minds, but simply giving her comfort in knowing he understood how she was feeling and that he was there for her. She sighed, nodding in thanks.

When they finally saw Whisperbend coming up in the distance in front of them, the sun was low to the horizon and they could see the people of the town beginning to settle in for the coming night. David pulled his horse to a stop, glancing at them all now. There was conflict seen clearly in him as he gazed at them all.

"Am I able to ask how you all got here in the past?" he asked them. "Is it some kind of waggon, or . . . maybe a train?"

"It's a spaceship that can travel through all of time and space," the Doctor answered briskly, surprising Madison as she had not expected him to answer so openly. She could see the way he stared at David as if judging the man's reaction.

"Welp . . . that's somethin'," David mumbled, shaking his head as he chuckled. "Time travel and 'spaceship'. Two words I don't think I'll ever hear again in a passing conversation." He gave a slight grin to them, just leaning forward in his saddle, resting his arms on the saddle horn as he did.

"You're taking all of this well," the Doctor commented, still studying the man.

"Well . . . can't say I'm not confused by everything that's happened. But in a life like this," he shrugged lightly, "you learn to pony up with what you got and just ride with it."

His gaze met Madison's again and once more he appeared torn to say something to her. She was unable to tear her gaze away from his hazel eyes, wanting to talk to him as well. But . . . She glanced toward the Doctor, nervous to speak with someone from her past with him around. Would he become offended by her wanting to spend time with someone she had once been together with? She didn't want to insult him by speaking with David out of term, but . . . Steeling herself, she cleared her throat to get the Doctor and Rose's attention.

"I'll meet you both back at the TARDIS. I think David and I need to have a talk. Just for a small while," she told them. She could see Rose's small frown of concern by this but did not say anything, only glancing towards the Doctor. Seeing how the Doctor kept his expression devoid of any sign of conflict or worry, only made Madison more nervous. Especially with how he just gazed at her, his eyes boring into her.

"Sure?" he asked quietly, his soft voice surprising her as she half expected him to sound upset with her for even making the suggestion.

"Yeah," she replied back calmly, trying her best to convey with a nod that she needed to do this. If she just left David like this . . . with no real answers to give, leaving him in the dark as to what she was doing here and why she would hate herself for all of time. He deserved better than to be simply left in the dark. He deserved better from her. Always.

The Doctor nodded, kicking his horse to get going. "One hour. That's all you'll get."

"That's all I'll need." She watched the Doctor and Rose leave them behind. The girl threw another worried look over her shoulder and Madison nodded that she would be fine. Everything would be. Once the two were far enough away, she looked to David again. There he was, still staring at her in that conflicted demeanour.

"Sure it's a good idea . . . to talk to me? I'm your past. What does it matter if you talk to me or not," he finally said.

"Just because you're my past . . . doesn't mean you don't deserve the right to speak with me," she whispered, letting the soft breeze that whisked around them carry her words. She looked away, unable to keep staring at him. "If you don't want to speak with me, then I understand. I'll gladly leave right now if you so wish it," she said, speaking a bit louder now.

"Don't. I . . . don't want you to leave." David sighed, staring down at the ground in thought. He looked up then, seeing a hill over the way from Whisperbend. He nodded to it. "Over there. That's where we'll talk." He made his horse move, galloping over to the rocky hill that faced towards the west. She followed along after him, going at a slower pace. She wasn't in a rush to begin speaking. There was still her trying to contemplate what exactly she wanted to talk to him about. There were so many things. All of which she wasn't certain if it should be said aloud or not.

Eventually, she guided her horse to the top of the hill where David was. He was already off his horse and was sitting down on a couple of large rocks. His back was to her and she could see how rigid he was. Which was not unusual for him. He was always on defence, ready to run at a moment's notice. It had been the one thing she always tried to help him with, to relax and find peace in small moments. She came over beside him after getting off her horse, gingerly sitting down. She made certain there was a good amount of space between them. She did not want to cause him to be uncomfortable.

"You . . . travel a lot? Through time and . . . space, I mean?" he asked her then, finally breaking the silence and turning towards her.

"Just recently, actually. It's still relatively new to me," she answered truthfully.

David nodded, humming as he leaned forward a bit, resting his arms on his legs. "And your friends, they seem . . . interesting." He gave her a glance, seeming unsure of what to say. Finally, he sighed heavily. "Ah, I hate this. Pretending like you're not upset seeing me again."

There was no reply from her to this statement. Instead, she only turned her head away, gazing off towards the horizon. The sun was starting to set, casting long shadows across the dusty landscape. The sky glowed orange and red, creating a beautiful sight. The town ahead looked small in comparison to the vast land around them all, making she herself feel so tiny in the grand scheme of things. She inhaled the desert air deeply. "I'd forgotten . . . how much I miss the desert."

"Even if the heat never agreed with you?" he asked thoughtfully.

"Well . . . I could always do without the heat," she agreed, laughing lightly. She glanced towards him again, seeing how he gave her this look of pity. She sighed heavily. "You're right. It does hurt seeing you again." Hesitating for a moment, she finally reached over to him.

He grabbed her hand immediately, holding it carefully. "I couldn't even imagine what it must be like, seeing someone again who's been dead for so long."

Again, she didn't reply to his statement. She gazed down at his hand, feeling the calluses on his fingers as he began rubbing soothing circles on her skin. Sucking in a breath, she spoke in a rush, "There's so much I want to say to you, but I don't know how to say it all."

He grinned slightly. "Speak your mind while you got the chance now. You might not ever get the chance again."

She laughed, shaking her head as she smiled at him. "I forgot you used to say that." Her smile falling away as she gazed at him, she finally sighed heavily. "There are things I've never told you . . . things that I should have. But, even now, I'm frightened of what you'll think of me if I tell you."

"You mean that deep secret you and your brother and sister always keep from me?" He smiled softly as she gave him a look of shock. "Yeah, I know there's a secret you won't tell me. I've known for a while. Even after you told me that you live longer than me, I know there's still something you haven't told me."

"Yet you never asked me what it was?"

"It was your secret to tell. Not really my place to bother you in askin'."

On seeing his warm smile, her heart swelled with happiness. It was with this that she was reminded of why she fell in love with this man in the first place. She stared back down at their entwined hands, placing her other one on top as she held his hand gently. "Then . . . I believe it's time I tell you that secret. Because, after I lost you, it was the one thing I regretted most in never telling you." Lifting her eyes, she gazed firmly at him. "But you must never tell the Abigale that you know of this. This must now be your own secret. Never to be shared."

David frowned, appearing conflicted by this, but nodded at the same. "Alright. You have your reasons. I won't breathe a word of it." He then chuckled lightly. "Not that you would ever believe me that I met you from the future. I can hardly believe it myself."

She laughed quietly, nodding in agreement. "I would have believed you lost your mind. Though, I'd still probably love you for it." Closing her eyes then, she slowly breathed in as she steadied herself. She opened her eyes once again, keeping them steady on him. "Right. First thing you need to know . . . Lucile and Arthur aren't my brother and sister. They're my parents." She watched as David blinked. Then blinked again.

"Well . . . that's . . . something." Blinking once more, he slowly shook his head. "That sure does explain a lot. No wonder Lucile keeps giving me a death glare when I try flirting with you."

Madison laughed, nodding as she remembered. Her mother had always disapproved of her daughter being openly flirted with. So it was always fun seeing just how much the two of them could get away with it. Soon, though, Madison's laughter died off as she now grew anxious of what she was about to say next. She worried about his reaction. Of him revolting against her. Of her ruining the relationship her past self had with him. The Doctor said time was always changing. Would she be changing time in telling him this now? Or was this something that had already happened such as the train crashing? She only wanted to get this burden off her chest by telling David her most treasured secret. To be finally able to tell him . . . it might just help her be set free in knowing that she had shared a piece of her with the one she loved. To know if he accepted her or not. And so, carefully, she spoke.

"David . . . the reason why I live so long . . . it's not for any ordinary reasons," she began explaining, removing her hands from his as she gripped the material of her pants on top of her legs.

"I already sort of assumed that," David said lightly, frowning slightly as he stared at her. "I always thought that maybe you and your, ah, parents, had found the fountain of youth or somethin'."

"No, it's . . . more than that." Lifting her eyes towards his, seeing how warm they were, so inviting, they gave her a sense of comfort to speak. "I'm not human. I'm Mer. I'm another species that has lived on this earth alongside humans. In fact, what humans call my species . . . is a Mermaid."

"'Mermaid'?" David blinked, taken back by this greatly. He looked her up and down, frowning heavily in confusion. "But you got legs?"

She laughed quietly, shaking her head in amusement. "Yes, on land. In the water, I have a tail. It's the reason why my parents and I have to always be near water. We can't survive without it. Remember how once a month I go away for a day? It's because I'm going to the water to be a Mer for a day. I have to. It's necessary for our survival." Watching him carefully, she saw how he just kept frowning and staring down at the ground in thought. This made her anxious, fearing what he was thinking. "Please . . . don't be angry with me. I wanted to tell you. I've wanted to tell you for so long. But I . . . I was so afraid of what you would think. I was terrified you would . . . think of me as some sort of monster."

"Why the heck would I think that?" he asked in shock, looking back at her now. "Abigale . . . Madison," he corrected himself, turning to her fully and taking her hands, "I don't care if you got a tail or green skin or even two heads. I love you to pieces. Don't matter to me what you look like or what you are."

She cried. She cried hard. Sobbing and hiccupping as relief flooded through her. It was similar to the Doctor accepting her. It felt overwhelmingly wonderful. Joy filled her, swelling in her heart, her very being, as she cried. It was different, though, in finding acceptance with David. With the Doctor . . . it was like finding a piece of herself that she was always missing. With David, here and now, it was as though she were finally finishing a chapter of her life that had been incomplete. She leaned against him as he gathered her up into his arms. She breathed in his scent, the dusty smell of earth and the smoky tang of a campfire. His broad chest was warm against her as she leaned into him. She closed her eyes, sighing as she listened to his heart beating.

"I still love you. I want you to know that. I will never stop loving you." Her voice broke at the end there. She felt her throat closing up as tears bubbled up more. Some leaked down her face, mixing with the rest that had already fallen.

"And I'll always love you," he kissed into the shell of her ear. He rubbed at her arms, soothing her gently. "But . . . it's time you moved on, cowgirl." When she pulled away, staring at him in confusion, he gave her a warm smile. "I know you. You'll worry about forgetting me and making my ghost upset with loving someone else, or something like that." His expression turned serious as he cupped her face softly. "But I don't want that. I don't want you to become some widow who's always waiting for her man to come back from war. You need to keep going forward onto the next horizon. Alright?" He thumbed her cheek, gazing deeply into her green eyes as they welled up with unushered tears. "Promise me you'll move on?"

Madison nodded, sniffling as she recalled a very similar promise she had made him on his deathbed. He had made her swear that she wouldn't give up on life. He wanted her to keep on living, to keep finding ways to be happy. Forever and always. And so, she spoke the same words that her past self would on the day he passed. "I promise," she breathed, trying her best to give him a smile, even though it was wavering. "I promise to keep trying to live. For you, I'll live on."

He gave a firm nod, appearing satisfied by her answer. He sat back from her a bit, letting her go. Instead, he simply held her hand while smiling. "You can start with that doctor fellow of yours." Seeing her stunned expression, he laughed. "Don't try to deny it. Now I may be a bit of a half-wit sometimes, I can still pick up a thing or two just by glancin'. I saw you two holding hands. And the way he kept looking at you . . . That's the look of a man who was ready to protect his lady at all costs."

She blushed heavily, glancing away. "It's . . . not like that."

"Not yet, maybe." He grinned at her. "But you're blushin'. I know what that means."

"Shut up," she groaned, pushing at him as he laughed. Then, she was gazing at him curiously. "You're not upset? Seeing me with another man?"

David let out a puff of air, thinking with a frown. "Well . . . I do feel a tad bit jealous. But then I have to remind myself that you're not my Abigale. Not really." Lifting up his hat slightly to scratch his head, he was then smiling softly again. "It is nice, knowing that you'll find yourself someone else once I'm long gone. If I'm honest, that was somethin' that's been on my mind lately. I'm forty-five. I ain't gettin' any younger."

"I didn't realise . . . You never told me that worried you," she said softly, reaching out to hold his hand again.

He gave her hand a light squeeze, sighing heavily. "There's a lot of things I don't tell you. Things that worry me." There was a pregnant pause as he stared at the ground in thought. Slowly, he lifted his eyes to hers. A well of worry cascaded over him. "Things have been changing. I don't think . . . we'll be able to keep living a life like this much longer. Gangs are disbanding, lawmen are getting rougher, and more and more towns are turning into ghosts of themselves. Feels like the west is dying out."

As she gazed at him, seeing the turmoil he was going through, she remembered then of this year. It would only be two years later and their family would have to depart, taking their separate ways as things would become too hard to stick together. Especially after . . . after the Holloway incident. She winced, nodding as she tried not to show him her worry. Instead, she simply held his hand and gave him her smile. "Just follow what your gut says is right and know that things will turn out okay."

"Is this you just trying to keep me calm, or is this you telling me what to look forward to in the future?"

"A bit of both, actually."

With a hum, he nodded firmly, understanding. "Alright, then. Looks like I got some things to think about." He looked away from her, staring off towards the sunset then.

The sun was halfway past the horizon now, casting beautiful waves of orange and red across the sky. It was a breathtaking sight. One that Madison had forgotten in just how much she missed it. She leaned over to David, resting her head against his shoulder as she continued to watch the sunset. She felt his hand, which still held hers, gently thumb her skin. The silence between them was comfortable. A welcomed moment for them both. It had always been rare they had quiet moments like these. It made her grateful to have one more with him. For the last time, she could enjoy a sunset beside the man who she first loved. Eventually, he moved, making her scoot away as he looked at her. Seeing his solemn expression, she knew it was time. She did not say anything, only nodded that she knew what he meant. They stood up together, walking back to their horses who had been resting. Climbing into the saddle again, she held her reins tightly as she wished the moment could have lasted longer. But, as time does, it moves on without her say, passing by in a blink when it came to moments she wished to treasure.

David allowed her to lead the way back to town as she knew where she needed to be. Soon, they were both stopping a few yards away from the TARDIS. The police box was exactly where it had been parked, in between two homes, nestled comfortably out of the way from everything else. She could see the light emanating from the ship through the windows and of the light fixture on top. She wondered if the Doctor and Rose were still in the console room waiting for her.

"I suppose . . . that there is your ship?" David questioned curiously. Seeing her nod, he hummed thoughtfully. "Funny lookin' thing. Not at all what I thought a 'spaceship' would be."

"Trust me, it's much different on the inside," she told him, climbing down off her horse then. She tied the reins around his saddle horn, knowing he could always do with a new horse for the family. She backed away then, slowly inching back to the TARDIS. "This . . . this is where we must depart from one another."

David hopped down from his horse, walking over to her. "Not yet. Please . . . there's so much more I want to talk about."

She paused, allowing him to grab both of her hands and hold them carefully. "Such as?"

"I don't know. I'm still thinking." He smiled half-heartedly, just giving her a saddened expression now.

Smiling softly, she shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry. You know I can't stay. I'm out of my own time. I have to return." Seeing how sad he appeared, she reached up and cupped his face. "Please don't be sad. You still have me. It just . . . won't be the this me. It'll be a younger Abigale. An Abigale who will follow you to the ends of the Earth and back. Always."

"I know. And I'll do anything for her. Forever." He held her hand that was touching his face, breathing deeply as he appeared to gather himself. He was then smiling a bit brighter now, nodding farewell. "Thank you, for finally telling me your secret. I promise to always keep it safe. It'll be something I'll keep in my heart till the end of my days."

"Thank you," she breathed, feeling her eyes well up. Sucking in a breath, she tried to gather herself as she gave him a shaky smile. "Farewell, cowboy."

"See you around, cowgirl," he whispered. As she made to step back, he swiftly grabbed her hand, pulling her closer to him. He yanked off the bandana around his neck, placing it in her hand tightly. He then closed his eyes as he pulled her hand up, kissing it so tenderly. He smiled as he pulled away, nodding to her. "Something to remember me by."

She held it close, nodding as again she felt her eyes heating up as she tried to hold back tears. She chuckled, shaking her head at him. "You always this sentimental?" she teased him quietly.

"Only for you, cowgirl," he replied smoothly, giving her a wink. He then tipped his hat to her, turning back around to get back onto his horse. He gave her one last fleeting smile before kicking the horse in the side and making it ride off into the night.

Madison didn't dare wait to watch him depart. She knew she would crumble if she did. So, she marched quickly back to the TARDIS, pulling out her key from under her shirt and swiftly opened the door. Once inside, she leaned against the door after it closed, quivering as she felt ready to break down. But she held herself firm, not wanting to be so weak. She would rather allow herself to fall apart in private than out in the open. Glancing up towards the console, she was glad that she held firm as there was the Doctor and Rose, both of them staring at her. Rose was by the stairs, appearing ready to run down and give a hug if needed. The Doctor was by the console, lightly thumbing the bits of controls. He gazed at her with a furrowed brow. His eyes studied her up and down as though waiting to see if she was going to break. She averted her eyes from his, not wanting him to see her as so pathetic at the moment.

"You all right?" Rose questioned her, walking over to check up on her.

"Yeah," Madison said, her voice sounding thick with a heavy heart. She cleared her throat hastily. Again, not wanting to show weakness to them. Not right now. Not when she was so vulnerable. "I, um . . . I ha-had a good talk. We . . . said our goodbyes to each other."

"I don't mean to ask a stupid question . . . but were you two . . .?" Rose asked her, seeming uncertain to voice it aloud.

"Once upon a time, yes. We were together," Madison said quietly, lowering her gaze. "But that's . . . all in the past now."

Rose bit her lip, glancing back towards the Doctor and then to Madison again. "Sorry. That must have been hard talking to him again. I couldn't even imagine . . ."

It was then that it hit Madison just how exhausted she was from the day. All at once, her body felt sore and mentally she felt ready to crumble apart. So, mustering up a smile, she walked over to Rose, checking the girl up and down. "You're doing okay? No serious scrapes or bruises?" She looked at the girl's face, seeing there was a purple bruise forming there from the harsh hit. She frowned in concern. "Oh, that's going to look nasty."

"It's all right. I've had worse," Rose replied, smiling away like it was nothing.

"Well, as long as you're all right." Madison walked past her, still avoiding the Doctor's gaze. "I don't know about you two, but I'm rather tired. I think I'll call it a night for now. So . . . good night."

The TARDIS seemed to know that she needed an escape for her door was ready for her around the first bend of the corridor. She patted the wall next to her in thanks, glad to have the ship around. She went into her room, locking the door behind her before going over to her bed and sitting down on the edge, throwing off the Stetson on her head as she did. A long sigh left her as she sagged where she sat, slowly allowing herself to lay back down on the soft cushion of the mattress. It was then she realised she had never actually used the bed since being onboard the TARDIS. It was heavenly. So soft, just the way she liked it. She always loved beds that felt like sleeping on nothing but weightlessness, reminding her of what it was like sleeping underwater. Turning over to her side, she wrapped the red cover over herself, staring blankly at the 'window' in her room. She forgot to ask the Doctor how the window worked. She knew it wasn't a real window. She wondered if it was some sort of moving image of some kind. It seemed the TARDIS changed the time of the image as now it was night in the window with a silvery moon shining down to the rippling water of the lake. She stared at the window for a while before turning her back to it. Seeing the lake from her childhood home was not something she needed to be staring at.

Instead, she lifted the bandana that she still had grasped in her hand. The maroon colour was a bit faded from use and there was gold trimming around the edges. It took her a moment but then she recognised it. This was the same bandana she had once gifted to David. It was one of the first things she had ever given him as a small gesture of her love for him. She remembered now how she had questioned him on its absence. He told her that he had lost it while riding through the night back to camp. It had saddened her, at the time, that it had been lost. To think, all this time, it was him giving it to her to remember him by. In thinking of this, her eyes burned and the tears began to flow. She tried holding it in, but they just cascaded down her face. Then, she let go, beginning to sob as she allowed herself to break apart. She held the bandana close to her heart, clutching at it as her body shook in her tears.

There came a knock at her door. It was firm yet soft at the same time. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she sat up in the bed and faced the door. She quickly rubbed at her face, trying to wipe away the signs of turmoil.

"Come in," she said. Regrettably, her voice betrayed her as it was thick from the tears and sobs she shed. She winced, hoping that it would go unnoticed. When she saw it was the Doctor stepping into her room, she felt somewhat nervous in his presence. Again, she worried about what he had thought of the whole encounter. Especially with knowing more about her past and whom she had once been together with. But his expression was the same as before. Nothing like the reproachful she expected. Just concerned, instead.

"You okay?" he asked, his voice subdued as he walked over and sat next to her on the bed. She wanted to lie. To reassure him that everything was okay. But she couldn't muster the energy to even begin to lie to him. So she sighed, shaking her head.

"No, but I will be," she answered truthfully. The bed shifted around her as the Doctor sat beside her. She watched as he carefully grabbed one of her hands, holding it softly in his. He thumbed the skin on top of her hand, drawing soothing circles with his thumb. The circles were like a pattern, almost. As though he were making a certain design on her hand. She noted the difference between his hand and David's. While David's was larger, wider and callused, the Doctor's was a bit slimmer and skin was smooth and soft.

"I know how hard it is, running into someone from your past," he whispered, making her lift her eyes to stare at him. "It's even worse if it's someone who you watched die."

She didn't know how he realised she had seen David die. Maybe it was something her expression gave away. All she could do was nod as he said this, averting her gaze to stare at the floor. "I thought I would never see him again. I . . . didn't realise just how much I'd missed him. How much it would hurt if I did see him again."

"I'm sorry. There was nothing I could have done to prevent this. It was a moment in time that was meant to happen."

"I know. It's okay." She took in a breath, making herself feel calmer before looking at him again and smiling weakly. "I think it was something I needed, in the end. I was able to find closure at last."

He nodded slowly. "That's good. Finding closure."

She gazed at him now, somewhat worried to ask him. But she needed to if she was ever going to get it off her mind. "Are . . . you upset about what happened?"

The Doctor gave her a puzzled look then, frowning a bit. "No. Why? Should I be?"

"Nothing, it's just . . . You got to know a side of me that I don't really like. And you also . . . saw someone whom I loved . . ." She shook her head, correcting herself. "Who I love dearly. Doesn't that upset you somehow?"

"Not really, no." He gave her a kind smile, still drawing circles on her hand with his thumb. "I liked being able to see another side to you and get to know what sort of person you were in the past. A wild west cowgirl. I would have never thought of that one. You talk all proper sometimes."

She laughed lightly, shaking her head. "Right. Mother always said my 'proper side' comes out sometimes when I'm upset."

The Doctor chuckled under his breath, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he smiled. Then, his smile slowly fell as a sombre expression crossed his face. "You saw a side of me that I don't like, yet you stuck around. What made you think I wouldn't want to stay with you?"

"I don't know. I suppose I overthink things sometimes."

"Only sometimes?" he asked as he raised a brow.

"Hush," she shushed him, smiling as he chortled. She leaned her head against his shoulder, letting out a small sigh as she relaxed. Being in his presence was comforting and she was starting to feel better. Neither of them talked. Merely, they enjoyed the quiet moment between the two of them. Instead, the amenity of it was welcomed. At least, that was how Madison felt. She was not certain if the Doctor liked the quiet that much. Though he seemed to be enjoying it for the time being as he was still drawing circles on her skin. She even felt his head resting against hers as he sat there.

"I'm glad you were able to get some closure. Sometimes . . . it's all we really need in the end to be able to move on," he finally spoke up, his voice as subdued as before. There was a hint of something there in his tone, but Madison couldn't tell what it was. It sounded almost like . . . pain. She refused to move though, feeling as though if she did it would make the Doctor not speak anymore. Instead, she held his hand a little tighter.

"Were you able to get closure when you lost your home?" she asked softly, anxious in asking him something like this. Immediately she felt idiotic of questioning this and she winced as she felt it was callous of her to ask that. She opened her mouth to apologise.

"No. I haven't. And I don't think I ever will. Not with what I had to do," he answered, his tone even and hard. Though there was, again, a hint of something else there. A turmoil, just grating at the surface of his voice. He paused in drawing circles around her skin. His grip tightened slightly on her hand. "You . . . never asked me if it was true."

"If what was true?" she questioned him, her voice quiet as she dare not speak too loudly.

"If I had really destroyed my planet. My people." When she pulled away slowly to stare at him, he refused to look away from her. His eyes were that mixture of emotions again. The swell of an incoming tide that was about to cascade over him. But he was clearly holding it all back, afraid of what was to come if he faltered.

"I didn't want to hurt you by asking," she breathed, holding perfectly still as she did not wish to cause him pain by saying or doing the wrong thing.

He let out a breath, closing his eyes as he seemed to sink into the bed. "It hurts more the fact that you're not screaming at me. Or hating me."

She frowned, shaking her head. "Is that what you want for yourself, or is that what you really think I should be doing?" He didn't answer her, so she knew the former was correct. He hated himself more than anything and expected as much from others. She tightened her hand on his in reassurance. "I don't hate you. Never can bring myself to hate. Angry, yes. But hate? Never." She paused, gathering her words. "When I realised what had happened, what you had done, I wanted to hear you say it and tell me what happened, but in your own time. I didn't want to rush you. I also didn't want to form judgement until . . . until you had explained it to me."

The Doctor's jaw tightened as he glared now towards the bedroom wall, letting go of her hand as his hands tightened into fists. "What's there to explain? I committed genocide. The worst act anyone could ever do and I've done it."

"But you wouldn't have done it without reason." Hesitating, she eventually reached over, holding onto his arm gently. She could feel how tense he was under her touch.

"Reason or not . . . I still ended an entire race of people. My entire race of people. My own planet." He gazed at her again, his eyes finally showing the utter despair, remorse, and grief that swept through him. "You should find me absolutely despicable."

"Do you want me to?"

"No. But you should." They remained silent. Merely staring at one another now. The Doctor, pressing his lips together into a tight line, appeared to refuse for a moment to even breathe. Finally, his posture slumped and he let out a long breath before he turned away from her and stared at the wall once more. "The war . . . it was hell, but it became so much worse at the end. So many monsters were born, created in the war for the only purpose to destroy. Countless planets had been turned into wastelands. Numerous civilizations were wiped away like they were never there. I'd lost count of just how many species were gone by the end of it . . . In the thick of it all, it was my people against the Daleks. Two of the most powerful races in existence, fighting over the entirety of creation itself.

"My people, being led by a madman, turned desperate during the last lengths of the war. They knew time was running short. Most of our planet was laid to waste and the last holdout of the Citadel was the only thing standing between the complete ruin of creation. So . . . they decided to enact the Final Sanction. Create a paradox, a spatial-temporal rupture, so terrible that it would rip apart the Time Vortex. All of the universe would tear into pieces. Killing everyone and everything . . . while they lived on as pure consciousness." The Doctor remained silent after finishing his story. He swallowed thickly, still gazing at the wall, his eyes, still showing a mess of emotions. Finally, he turned to look at her. "I found out their plan, during the last days of the war, and I stopped them before they could do it. I had to make a choice . . . and I chose."

"So . . . it was a choice between your people's survival or the whole universe?" she asked, voice barely above a whisper as she felt breathless at the very notion. Seeing his grim expression, she let out a shaky breath. "That's . . . a horrible decision to have to make. I . . . don't even know how to begin to understand what that burden must have been like for you. What it must still be . . ." She didn't know what else to say. She was at a loss for words as she laid a hand on his, seeing how his eyes wavered as he stared at her. Gathering what to say, she pulled him in for a hug, holding him close as she felt him simply slump against her. "It's not your fault. What happened . . . it isn't your fault. You had no choice."

"There was always a choice . . . It was just the only one I could think of at the time. The only one . . ." He clung to her then, shaking with his head buried into her shoulder. "There was so much more I could have done. There were countless innocent Time Lords on Gallifrey that day. Two point four-seven billion children . . . died by my hands. They weren't the ones going to enact the Final Sanction. Only the High Council was. I could have just stopped them. I could have . . . I should have . . ."

"There's probably a million 'what ifs' you can think of now. It won't change what choice you had to make during that moment." She felt him shiver at her last word, but she pressed on, kissing the side of his head softly. "Whatever you think of yourself, whatever you had to do . . . Just know that there are billions of more children you have saved."

"You don't understand." He spoke more harshly now, yanking away from her as his expression grew dark, his eyes growing a storm in them. "You can't even begin to understand. I destroyed my people for everyone else. You don't understand what that feels like. What sort of pain that . . ." He stood up then abruptly, turning to face her. "When I took my name, my title, it was to be a healer. To protect people. What I did . . . that was not me. That was not in the name of 'The Doctor'. What I did that day, it goes against everything that I have lived by. And you can never even begin to understand that."

"You're right. I can't." She stood up, not going to him as she felt touching him would only upset him. But she remained firm, standing her ground as she faced him evenly. "It doesn't mean that I can't try. It doesn't mean that I can't be here for you now and try to help you learn to find yourself again. To be what your name stands for. To be a 'Doctor'. Because I think you're right there, on the verge of becoming that man again. You just need someone there to help you through the storm and find the light." Her expression grew grave then, keeping her eyes steady on him. "But I've also seen you on the verge of something else. Of you becoming a man that won't be able to turn back and be a healer like you want to be. There's a split between the healer and the destroyer, and I don't think even you know how to keep the balance between the two."

He stood there, just staring at her. Again, there was that upheaval she could see in him. That confliction, torn between two sides that he didn't know how to grasp onto. She sighed as she walked over to him, reaching up carefully to cup his face, making certain he wouldn't look away from her. "No matter what you think of yourself . . . No matter what you think of how I should feel about your decision . . . Just know that I don't think any less of you, and I won't leave because of it, either. I will stay, and I will be here for as long as you need me to be." She let go of his face then, taking a step back to give him space. She watched as he seemed to try to say something, but it was as though he didn't know what to say. Finally, he closed his mouth tightly shut and merely nodded. His gaze fell away from her as he stared hard at the floor. She could tell that he did not know how to end their talk on a decent note, so she made the decision for him.

"It's been a long day. I think both of us need to take a breather and get some rest," she said quietly. She reached for him without thinking, going to take his hand. But she stopped herself and brought back her hand, afraid to keep bothering him by touching him all the time. She found that it was becoming somewhat of a habit of hers, always wanting to hold his hand or touch him in some way or another. It wasn't like her to be so affectionate with someone so openly and often. She had never even been that way with David.

The Doctor nodded, seeming to agree as he slowly turned around and began to leave the room. He paused by the open doorway, holding onto the frame of the door. Slowly, he looked back at her. "Madison . . . thank you," he whispered.

"For what?" she asked curiously. "I don't feel as though I've done anything to be thanked for."

"No . . .you've done more than you've realised. So . . . thank you. Really." He then mustered up a smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Good night."

"Good night," she said gently.

He went to leave again, but paused and looked back once more. This time, he appeared back to his curious, causal self as he stared at her in interest. "I guess 'Madison' and 'Abigale' aren't your real names, right?"

"Correct. I've had to change my name every ten years as I've moved," she explained.

"What's your real name then?"

She smiled tightly, feeling a twinge of grief. "Good night, Doctor." She turned and went into her bathroom, shutting the door sharply behind her.

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I hope it was good! Please let me know in a review on you thoughts, and I will see you all again soon.

Later!