When You Only Have One Lifetime
Part Two
by
Sabrina Lonewalker
Rose looked up from where she had been talking with her mother and nodded, "Sure, let me throw something on and I'll be right back." He nodded and walked over to the bay window. Jackie came over, "You all right, luv?" He nodded. Jackie looked at him. "Ok, what is it?" He smiled, there were times when Mrs Tyler hit the nail on the head, as they said. "There are things I need to tell Rose and I want to do it in private." Jackie nodded, "Ok, I get that. Be good to her." Darick turned and smiled, "Oh yeah, I will, that I promise you."
Rose came flying down the stairs in jeans, tee shirt and jacket, just like the old days. They got in the car and Rose took them to a small cafe where they found a corner booth. After ordering coffee, he first told her, with shy pride, about the name he had chosen. The grin on her face widened. "So, I can call you something besides 'Hey you' now?" He grinned, "Yes, you can." She cocked her head to one side and said, softly, "Darick." His heart caught at the way it sounded coming from her. He loved the sound of her voice.
She reached across the small table and took his hand in hers. His eyes were smiling but, sad at the same time. Then, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly, steadying himself. He looked into Rose's clear green eyes and slowly, haltingly began. "I met Grace Holloway just as my eighth incarnation was beginning, in fact," here, he chuckled, "She was part of the reason I regenerated." His smile turned wistful. "After I revived, I had the usual spate of reassembling my memories. She was a great help then, The Master showed up."
Rose nodded, this part he had told her. Darick continued, "He turned Grace against me, just long enought to set up his plan. I was within the first fifteen hours of my regeneration cycle and the Master was going to use that to steal my remaining lives. He took over her mind, forced her to knock me out then..." His voice caught and Rose saw this was painful but, she let him go on. "He made her put the restraining device on me, that would not let me close my eyes during the transference. Then, just after he released her from his control...he...he kissed her. He had seen earlier, when we were in the park, he had seen me kiss her and he laughed."
Rose watched him, it was obvious how he had felt about Grace and she could tell, this hurt. "Grace, brave woman she was, ran back to the control room when I told her to and managed to re route the power to the TARDIS and sent us into temporal orbit, stopping the Master's plan. Then...she came running back, to me," His smile was wistful. "She undid one of the restraints, telling me we were in temporal orbit. Then, the Master, angry, vengeful, charged in our direction. Before I could move, get fully free, he grabbed Grace and threw over the balcony." His voice stopped.
Rose squeezed his hand, "Go ahead, Darick, I'm here." he flashed a grateful smile at her and continued, "I heard her neck crack, Rose. He killed her. I ran to her, calling her name but, she was gone then, the Master attacked me. I managed to get away, turn one of the lights into his eyes when he leaped at me and he was sucked into the Eye of Harmony." He voice stopped, his eyes haunted, remembering. "I tried to save him, Rose but, he wouldn't take my hand." He was quiet.
End Part Two