Chapter One
Once River had sat the Doctor down (quite an accomplishment), and while the name – THE ONE NAME – echoed in the Doctor's mind, River began explaining.
"I was doing another rendez-vous round with one of my archaeological contacts on the more … bizarre planets. They found this floating in the stormy galaxy."
She held out the crystal-looking object the size of a fist to the Doctor. Every few seconds it sent out a faint light and it hard archaic markings covering the outside. The Doctor's heart sank; his mind reeled.
Amy, who had been silent witness to such curious events, finally spoke up, interrupting the increasingly intimate conversation. "What is that thing? It looks ridiculous."
The Doctor rasped his answer in a cool and detached tone. "This is a time key. It opens a time lock. This is a specially designed lock – to unlock the time lock surrounding the Time War. Gallifrey."
The River added more quietly, "This could enable the Doctor to change the events of the Time War, the outcomes… to save the lives of his people."
River turned to look at the Doctor, looking awfully concerned. "I'm sorry, but I had to tell you. I know it's hard for you."
The Doctor was struggling to comprehend. Gallifrey, he thought longingly. And for one of the few times of his long life, the Doctor became uncomprehending.
"Thank you, River" the Doctor managed eventually. River and Amy had been waiting anxiously for a sign of life from the Doctor and were relived to hear this from him after a few minutes. On the verge of tears, River leaned into the Doctor and whispered, "All that you've done, all the lives you saved, all the catastrophes you've solved, you owe it to yourself, your future ... to go back."
The Doctor made up his mind and began setting the coordinates of ten-zero-eleven-zero-zero by zero-two from galactic zero centre. But the Doctor knew full well that he would not only be going back to Gallifrey, but also to a part of himself deep and long buried that he had never dared gone to before.