Title: Running
Author: tromana
Rating: T
Characters: Ten/Romana II
Disclaimer: Not mine
Summary: The Doctor needs a reason to stop running.
Spoilers: The End of Time
Notes: Prompts: Police, and Merry Xmas (War Is Over)
Running
He woke, sweat beading his brow.
Another day and he's still alive, if only just.
"You'll survive, Doctor. If only just… you'll still survive."
He can't place the voice, it's distant and thready yet oh so familiar. If only he could grasp onto it, put a face to the dulcet tones. Put the memories together, back in order again, as they had been when he was younger, when he was…
Gallifrey.
That's who the voice belonged to. A Gallifreyan.
Which, he couldn't be certain yet. But it's an improvement, better than yesterday. He has more information now. He's certainly on the right track, as it is.
But he's known so many female Time Lords. His precious granddaughter, a whole line of Presidents, the Rani, the Inquisitor… and one more. Who is it?
He has a feeling that if he can put a name to that face, then maybe the dreams will stop. Maybe he'll get some peace at night.
But also, he may just stop running and he'll face his responsibilities instead of falling into marriages, falling out of bars and nightclubs and all these other silly things he's been doing to avoid the inevitable.. A new man will fill his shoes.
"The war is over… if you want it."
"I know. You'll die."
"Me or the Universe?" she muses. "Surely that's a sacrifice worth making?"
Another night. More memories.
Blonde hair. A wry smile. Frayed Presidential robes.
But still, no name.
More running. Catching up with Jenny and the young human she's dragging around time and space. Another Presidency, this time of a galaxy. Walk-on parts in as many crime procedurals in the 21st century as feasibly possible. People won't notice that he's the guy under the sheet in NCIS, second police officer from the left in the Mentalist and the janitor in CSI: Miami. It's just a bit of fun and the genre has always entertained him, ever since Rose forced him to watch…
A shake of the head. Still no name though.
"You're dead."
"I am," she agrees.
"Did it hurt?"
She shrugs.
"And the war? It is over, isn't it?"
"You haven't heard the end of it."
"Why, Romana? Why did you have to die and not me?"
"You'll work it out, one day."
Romana.
Romana with her determination and arrogance and naiveté and hope.
Romana with her plans and intelligence and way with words.
Even she couldn't stop the Time War.
And she says it's coming again. So do the Ood.
Maybe it's time to stop running now…
end