Chapter One
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, or any of the Characters in this story
Call it chance, destiny, fate, coincidence - in one moment lives can collide, and change forever.
The whirl of the TARDIS engines brings Amy back from the world she had immersed herself in her book. She moves from her seat to the console where the doctor is standing staring intently at the screen,
"What are you reading?" he asks glancing down at the book still in her hands, before staring back up at the screen.
"Lord of the rings actually" she replies tapping a orange varnished nail on the cover "not a bad book"
"Bit dry if you ask me Amelia" he smiles before heading for the door "well the TARDIS wants us here so might as well have a look around!" the Doctor holds the door open, flicking his hair out of his eyes and giving her a boyish smile, "well come along Pond"
With a giggle she throws her book onto a seat and follows after the Doctor, "So where are we?" she glances around the market place they have landed in, it reminds her of what she imagines the market place in ancient Rome would have looked like, well you know minus the blue people.
"Little planet in the Jaggit Brocade, Crespallion. The people here really are very nice" The Doctor is immediately distracted by some stall selling some gadget or another, so Amy does what she does best, wanders off. She finds herself in the middle of the square, people bustling around her, many giving her strange looks for her white, pale skin. She heard a mutter near her that caught her attention.
"Second one I have seen today" a woman muttered to her husband "Humans I think, that other woman? The one with the big hair and the gun! Ha! She is in the prison I believe after the stunt she pulled!"
Amy tried to follow them, to hear more but she was swept away into the crowd. But it couldn't be River could it? It had been a long time since she had seen her daughter but it would be a very big coincidence if her daughter was on the same planet, at the same time. Deciding she was going to find out for herself, she spun around and grabbed the arm of a local, flicking her red hair over her shoulder.
"Excuse me?" she asked "would you be able to direct me to the prison?" she decided it would be best to just get to the point, it's not like she was ever going to see these people again.
The woman gave her a strange look, but gave her general directions none the less.
Half an hour later Amy found herself outside of a grim looking building in a little side street. She pushed open the door and made her way to the counter. The man behind the desk looked at her, raising a questioning eyebrow, "yes?" he asked
"Um hi, I'm looking for a River Song?"
The man grunted and looked at some papers, "Yes we have a River Song here, why do you want to know?"
"She's my daughter" Amy responded brusquely. She got a surprised look from the man before he got up and led her through a side door into a little corridor, Amy followed him down the door lined corridors until the man stopped, unlocked a door and gestured her inside,
"Ring if you need me" he then turned and left. Amy stuck her head around the door to find River lounging in a chair behind a desk, smirking at her.
"Why hello mother, what a surprise!" she smiled and gestured to the chair across from hers, Amy sat down looking questioningly at her daughter,
"So what did you do this time?"
The Doctor spun around, shoving his purchase into his pocket, "Pond?" she was nowhere to be seen, he searched the crowd for her flame red hair, but it was not to be found. With a resigned sigh he went in search of her. He looked back to the salesman who had just sold him his newest gadget, "Excuse me, but have you seen a human girl around here recently?"
The man looked at The Doctor, "why do you ask?" he said smirking.
"I'm looking for my friend"
"I never normally do, but I 'ave seen two today, some strange yellow girl, looking for her friend actually, and a red head, she was off to the prison"
"the red head, why was she going to prison?!" he whirled around again, looking for any clues.
"not sure, looking for someone I think, but you're a lot like the guy the other one was looking for actually" he looked the doctor up and down, nodding to himself
"What other one?!"
"Some yellow haired girl, seemed rather confused was looking for a man, with hair like yours, said he had old eyes and a blue box" The Doctor looked back at the man, trying desperately to work it out.
"What did she say his name was? What was her name?" he stumbled over the words, hearts fluttering ever so slightly I tiny ray of light, but also worry and guilt.
"she didn't say"
The Doctor smiled slightly turning to leave but then glancing back, "what did she say her name was?"
"Didn't tell me" he replied, shaking his head, a bewildered look on his face. The Doctor turned and ran, through the streets, down every ally. If she has here then god damn it he was going to find her. Thoughts of how or why were pushed out of his mind as he raced along streets, almost knocking people down in his flight. His hearts where pumping heard, his head swimming and his eyes searching the crown for a blond head.
Amy laughed as she collapsed onto the grassy hill, pulling River down with her.
"You see mother, it really was just a misunderstanding" River smirked, winked and put her gun back in its holder.
"If it was a misunderstanding then why was I just being chased by a few angry guards?"
"Oh you know dear, life of a time traveler" she smiled and looked up and the sky, the sun would set soon. "So where is the Doctor?"
Amy's lips parted slightly but she didn't say anything, she smirked a bit before replying "I um I'm not sure to be honest… I just sort of-"
"Ran off?" River finished for her.
"Yeah" Amy laughed. River pulled a communicator out of a pocket, "you go that way, she pointed to the market down the hill, "and I'll go that way" she pointed toward the residential streets on the other side of the hill, "and let me know if you find anything"
Amy nodded, before getting up and walking back to the market place. As she finds herself again in the middle of the square she is approached by a woman, "excuse me?" she asks in her London accent "I'm a bit lost, could you help me out?" Amy glances at the Woman before looking around the square,
"Sorry but so am I"
The blond woman places a hand on Amy's shoulder, "are you from earth?"
"um yeah I'm here with my friend, but I just sort of… wondered off now I can't find him"
Amy looked properly at the woman in front of her. She had blond hair falling around her face and wore a simple red button t shirt and jeans. Amy also noticed a vortex manipulator, like rivers, on her wrist.
The woman laughed, a warm and friendly laugh "you sound just like me, I'm looking for my friend to. I.. I lost him, but I'm looking for him" she gave Amy a sad smile "good luck finding your friend" the woman turned to leave, but Amy grabbed her arm.
"Hey good luck to you to" she said quickly, the woman smiled and looked at her.
"what's your name?"
"Amy, what's yours?"
River eventually found the Doctor standing outside a little residential hat shop trying on a strange and colorful number. Smiling, river almost out of habit pulled out her gun and shot it clean off his head, much to the shock of the people around her.
"Hello sweetie" she smiled and walked up to him. He looked astonished and still had a hand on his hat, after it had just been rudely blown off his head.
"River?! What are you doing here?"
"Looking for you Doctor" she pulled her communicator out of her pocket and sent Amy a message of where to find her. "What are you doing here Doctor?"
"I was looking for a, a friend of mine. But I can't find her" he looked around sadly and then back at River.
"You mean Amy?" River asked
"No, no someone else. But yes have you seen Amy?" River nodded and the Doctor gave a relived sigh "good, good. No the girl I was looking for… it's probably not even her. This woman, a blond woman. Old friend of mine, I lost her…"
"Funny I was just talking to someone like that" came a shout from behind the Doctor. He turned to see Amy walking towards him.
"Really?" The Doctors hearts skipped a beat, "what did she look like?"
"Uh blond?"
"Did she say what her name was?" Amy ignored his question and continued talking,
"She was looking for a friend, said she had lost him. She had a vortex manipulator like yours Melody-" River smiled; sometimes her mother slipped and called her by her real name.
The doctor cut her off again, "Amelia!" she stopped talking and looked at him.
"Doctor?"
"What was her name?!"
"Rose"
The Doctor ran wildly through streets, knowing River and Amy where behind him somewhere. His head was spinning. It was Rose, HIS Rose. But how? She couldn't be here… its impossible for her to be here…
He Ran everywhere, until his hearts were pounding in his chest and his breathing ragged. He had lost Amy and River long ago but at the moment that was the last thing on his mind. The Doctor took a deep breath. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of a blond head, a very familiar blond head standing on the edge of the square, doing something to the vortex manipulator on her wrist. She looked up, but her eyes passed right over the Doctor. He realized she was crying.
Without another thought he ran. He ran to her as fast and as hard as he could. A few meters from her, he shouted her name, she looked up, and her eyes met his as she disappeared in a flash of light.
He stood, staring at the spot where she had stood not seconds ago. It was Rose, his Rose, here. He felt a single tear escape his eyes. His hearts jumped at a shout of 'Doctor' behind him. Turning he saw River and Amy running towards him. They both stopped when they saw his devastated expression and the tears in his eyes. They both Ran to him, hugging him.
River just looked into his eyes, with a knowing expression. She sighed "it was Rose wasn't it Doctor?"
The Doctors eyes widened, he nodded before replying "how do you know her?"
"Spoilers"
The Doctor shook his head, and without another word, made his way back to the TARDIS.
He had found her but lost her again. How could she even be here? It's the wrong universe. Glancing sideways at River, who was walking through the streets, talking quietly to Amy? She was probably telling her about Rose Tyler. How did River know her? And how much does she know? River is his wife, he loves her, but he also…
He sighed out loud at the thoughts spinning through his head. His mind was raging, thinking of theory after theory. He felt more lost than ever, further away from reality then usual as he opened The TARDIS doors and walked inside. He automatically walked straight to the console computer. Retracing the steps he takes every day, after every adventure. But this time it was different. There had been no danger, no fight for their lives, and some miraculous idea that saved them in the end. Today he had found something thought long lost, and Damn him if he was going to let it slip through his fingers.
"But why Doctor? Who is she?" Amy had an almost pleading look in her eyes as he returned her back to her home, back to Rory. She had been of on a little… break? She decided married life was getting to her… so yes she maybe have snuck of in the night with the Doctor… again.
She had found Rory on the Doorstep when she got back, his face confused. She had only been missing 6 hours; it had been 4 days for her.
The Doctor sighed as he stood in the doorway of the ponds house, both of them giving him questioning looks. "An old friend… I have to find her Amy, Is important to me" Amy just nodded, resigned she wouldn't be coming along for this adventure. From what River had told her this Rose was a very important person to the Doctor. She knew he needed to do this, but that doesn't mean he was happy about it. With I final hug the Doctor left and returned to the TARDIS.
But now standing at the TARDIS console, he didn't know where to start.
Rose found herself standing once again, on some alien planet, in the middle of a market place, searching every street corner for that little blue box. She knew she was getting closer, getting better at following the trails to The Doctor. She had finally seen him, just a flash of a boyish face before she had disappeared. She kept wishing she hadn't decided to leave at that moment, wished she had clicked the button a few moments later, so that she would have stopped herself. Today had been her worse day. After that she had returned to the one place that was sort of her home in this universe, Torchwood. She had found Jack easily, and hoped he would help lead her to the Doctor. All he knew was that he had regenerated nothing else.
On the bad days Rose went back to him, he was a comfort, a stable thing in Roses constantly shifting life.
Today had been bad, so now she went back to Torchwood, to take comfort in Jacks Company.
Rose decided she would instead just go straight to Jacks apartment; it was easier than having to face anyone else. She arrived in a flash of light right in front of Jack as he entered his apartment. Jack took one look at her tear stained face and her shaking hands and wrapped his arms around her.
"Oh Rosie…" he stroked his hand over her hair as she sobbed quietly into his shoulder, her body shaking, threatening to fall apart. He led her over to a couch and sat down next to her, he put and arm around her and muttered quiet soothing words, telling her it was okay, that everything would be alright.
Eventually rose stopped crying and looked at her hands in her lap, covered in the smudged mascara she had wiped off her face.
"Today was bad Jack" she whispered quietly, her hands fidgeting, head bowed. Jack knew better than to push her, he let her work through everything in her head. Eventually she spoke.
"I went to this, this planet today; I was there for a long time. I heard a rumor… a rumor of that red head girl I have seen before. So I went looking and… and I found him Jack. I saw the Doctor, but then I left" she let out a quiet sob, her hands shaking as she cried.
"I had given up on finding him, thought he wasn't there, I had just programed it, when I heard my name, and there he was. He looks so different Jack. So young, but his eyes… are still the same"
The image Rose saw of the doctor, a single tear running down his cheek, one had half raised, reaching out to her, calling her name. She wonders if he is looking for her now, or if he has someone else. She wonders what happened to Donna.
"But how did he regenerate Jack? What happened to Donna? Last time I saw him… on that beach…" she trailed off, lost in thought.
Jack stood and got her a glass of water and some tissues. She accepted both gratefully, still sobbing occasionally. She had been searching for him for so long now; it had been 3 years since she first returned to this universe. Her universe. The other no longer held anything for her, so with the help of many she ended up back here once again, back to the beginning.
She had lived happily with her doctor, for a while. They had tentatively started a relationship, gotten to know even more about each other, and become closer. They were living together, Rose had a new baby brother and everything was happy, especially when The Doctor, who in this universe was John Smith, proposed. Rose had always thought that when this moment came she would say yes, it was all she had ever wanted after all. But when he had asked all she had said was "I need to think". She then left, ran away. He didn't see her for a week and when she came back they were left on shaky ground. John was angry; he was still slightly the man he was when he was created, fiery, angry. He wanted the happily ever after and so did Rose. Rose wanted nothing more than to have her happily ever after with her Doctor. But he wasn't her Doctor anymore. She had grown with the Doctor; he had shaped her as she shaped him.
So now faced with this man, this man who was not the Doctor, but John Smith, she was lost. So badly Rose wanted to say yes, but she couldn't decide whether she was in love John, or with the idea of being married to the Doctor. They had fought, thrown petty insults, and he had walked out. Eventually they talked again and things went almost back to normal. Rose convinced herself that this is what she wanted so she told him yes, and they were married. But it was after that day that things once again went downhill. Neither of them coped well with being tied down, and so the question of a family came up. They tried and tried, but it wouldn't happen. They knew it wasn't John's fault so that left Rose. She soon found out she couldn't have children.
That was just the trigger they both needed for everything to blow up. John walked out again, for good this time and Rose sought out friends from Torchwood to help her get back home. So now she found herself, three years later feeling more lost and confused than before, questioning everything.
"Rose? Rose?" Jack was standing in front of her looking concerned. She realized she had just been sitting here, tears pouring silently down her cheeks. She sniffed at wiped the tears away.
"Right sorry jack" her voice was shaky, her smile wobbled "what where you saying?"
"Did you want something for dinner?" he looked concerned, and he was, he was so so worried for Rose.
"Oh no thanks, I'm just gonna go to bed" Rose muttered a goodnight and went to bed.
She found herself lying in bed, so tired but unable to sleep. Her thoughts wouldn't stop swirling through her mind. What would this Doctor be like? Would he be the same man? Or would she find herself once again trying to make herself love someone who was not her Doctor? Rose took a deep breath as she tried to clear her mind, and eventually drifted off into a troubled sleep.
Jack found himself as usual, sitting up at night just staring at the sky. He wondered where the Doctor was now, if he would see him again. Rose needed him, and Jack knew it. She was falling apart without anyone by her side. She had him, but Jack was her best friend, he could ever fill the void left by the Doctor. He had become a huge part of her life, and without it she couldn't cope. Jack closed his eyes and wished for the Doctor.
Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it, please leave a review!