No!! screamed the voice of the TARDIS, the one who had been in contact with Michelle all along. The one who can speak to me is gone! Not death! Not loss! There's been too much! I keep your essence, I gather you in my arms! He needs you...I need you... I will not fly until you have grown again.

A strange blue glow floated aimlessly in the air. It seemed like it was ready to drift away, as they often did...until a bolt of electricity snagged the blueish cloud, and yanked it sharply backwards. There was a *snap*, as the energy was drawn into the ceiling of the TARDIS and vanished. If you blinked, you would have missed it.

***
It had been a long while since anyone had died in the TARDIS. With each regeneration, the blue box usually stayed calm, knowing that its God was still there, albeit slightly differently. But in this case, like the Doctor, the TARDIS seemed to be shaken to its core. It landed on the planet of Rode Vlaktes, which was nothing but plains of red soil with a few rocks here and there, and refused to go anywhere else.

The Doctor was stuck, alone with his thoughts. So he decided to walk. For miles, walking was all he did, hands in his pockets. He felt numb and achy. Random "what-ifs" criss-crossed his mind. He knew he should have placed the Jewel in its own protective container from the very beginning, something with shielding that would not have been detected as easily as the Kedron had. If only he'd refused to bring her along, if he'd sent her home and taken the Jewel away...

But that was not what happened, and that's not how I travel. I'm not supposed to travel alone. The TARDIS is built for six people or more. So here it is, and now I'm on my own again. Never more. No more companions. Not ever again.

The flat red plains became even rockier the farther he walked, and he came to a sheer drop-off ahead. Immense heat could be felt emanating from the canyon. He stopped at the edge, and noticed the free flowing lava bed at the very bottom.

Absentmindedly, the Doctor reached up and unzipped his coat. It was revealed underneath the coat that he had the mint blanket wrapped around his shoulders. Between thumb and forefinger, he rubbed the worn satin. It still smelled of sweat and spicy oranges.

He spoke mournfully, "You had it right, you know, Michelle. My 'theme song'. But you didn't get the deeper meaning. I'm sick of fighting, even though I know I should."

Shielding his eyes, the Doctor glanced at the sun. "It's burning up on this planet, but still, the cold is biting through each and every nerve and fiber...my broken spirit is frozen to the core..."

He pulled the blanket free. "And 'I don't want to be here no more.' Thank you for your words, Mr. Kershaw." The Doctor held the blanket out in front of him, and released it. He did not stay to watch as it drifted slowly downward, and burned up in the lava bed.

The Motels - Only the Lonely

We walked the loneliest mile
We smiled without any style
We kiss altogether wrong
No intention

We lied about each others' dreams
We lived without each other thinkin'
What anyone would do
Without me and you

It's like I told you
Only the lonely can play

So hold on here we go
Hold on to nothin' we know
I feel so lonely way up here

You mention the time we were together
So long ago, well I don't remember
All I know is that it makes me feel good now

It's like I told you
Only the lonely can play
Only the lonely
Only the lonely can play

Only the lonely
Only the lonely can play
It's like I told you
Only the lonely can play
Only the lonely
Only the lonely can play

***

"Look, I'm ready to be off, okay? We've been here for at least three Earth days now! You've got your pick of any star system or time/space zone that you want! Isn't it time to quit moping?" The Doctor paced on the TARDIS deck in frustration.

In protest, the TARDIS shuddered.

"What do you mean, 'bloody moody incarnation'? And I'm not bothered, I'm fine!"

He tried to act as though he was happy. "Why don't you take me somewhere that's in a holiday mood? It'll be Christmas soon, after all. Cheer you up, jingle bells and all that."

And then something very strange happened. The TARDIS momentarily spoke in English.

I'll "cheer up" when you stop bitching about Rose Tyler.

There was a distinctly nasal and female quality to the voice, which was overriding its usual tone. A burst of static came forth, showing a familiar face on the videoscreen.

The Doctor's jaw dropped. "Oh...well then..."