Chapter 3
"Hurry. Please," the message played on the TARDIS view screen again as the Doctor ran his hands over his face.
"River Song, what are you doing?" He mumbled as the screen froze on her face. He'd only ever met her once. The time she'd given her life for him. The library.
* "Time can be rewritten!" The Doctor pleaded, pulling at the hand held fast to the pole.
"Not those times. Not one line. Don't you dare," she said. The look on her face made it clear. *
It was the same look she wore now on his view screen. She loved this man. More than life itself. And at some point in his life, he'd return that love. He knew he would. He could already feel it bubbling up in the darkest pits of his hearts. But what she was doing now was stupid. If it was his time to go, to die eternal death, she shouldn't stop it. The TARDIS hummed particularly louder for a moment and the Doctor shook his head.
"No. You know I can't go. Now I want a list of everyone in the universe who's seen this message," he says, moving around the console quickly. He flips a switch, pulls a lever, then carefully turns a dial as the list begins to form on his view screen. He sighs as he reads it over. The usual suspects of course.
Torchwood. Jack's already forming a plan undoubtedly.
UNIT. Probably called in the best freelance agents they knew, Mickey and Martha Smith.
13 Bannerman Road. Sarah Jane's super computer, Mr. Smith, working overtime for sure.
Some house in Leadworth. Funny. He didn't know anyone there. Not yet at least.
The list goes on and on. From planet to planet. Race to race. The doctor sighs.
"I'll never be able to stop this many people," he says to himself, looking around the TARDIS for a moment. He rapidly begins to pilot the time machine, hurling through the vortex. When it lands, he picks up the mobile Martha'd left behind and quickly calls the only contact in it as he leaves the TARDIS.
"Doctor? What have you done? Are you alright?" Martha asks quickly, her voice filled with concern. The Doctor smiles.
"Of course. I'm always alright. Why do you ask?" He asks, playing stupid as he walked up to the large building.
"UNIT received a communication. Some woman, River Song, says you're dying and need help," she says. He laughs and shakes his head.
"I'm fine. Not me at all. Probably just a future regeneration," he says. Martha's silent and the Doctor stops walking. "Martha, don't do it. You can't try and save him. You don't know him."
"He's you, Doctor. We have to try," she says, her determination clear. He sighs and runs his hand over his face.
"No! You cannot. If I'm meant to die in the far off future, then I am meant to die. Don't go," he pleads into the phone. Martha's quiet for a long moment. "Martha," he says, waiting as he continues walking inside. He gets on the elevator and goes down. "Martha!" He says louder.
"What?" She asks. He frowns when he hears she's crying.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell," he says softer. The phone changes hands and Mickey comes on quickly.
"What did you say to her?" Mickey asks. The Doctor frowns as he walks off the elevator.
"Mickey, you can't go. You'll just be putting yourself AND Martha in danger. Is that what you want? You're trying to have kids aren't you? Do you want to jeopardize that?" He asks. There's a long pause on the other end. The Doctor rounds a corner and frowns when he hears the message playing. "Jack, shut that off," he says. Jack Harkness spins around and smiles widely.
"You're still alive!" He says. The Doctor rolls his eyes.
"Of course I am. Mickey? Still there?" He asks. Mickey sighs.
"I'll do what I can to talk her out of it," he says before hanging up quickly. The Doctor sighs, relieved. One down. Too many to go. He closes the phone and pockets it quickly before crossing his arms. Jack does the same and leans against a table.
"Captain," he starts. Jack shakes his head.
"Is it you?" He asks. The Doctor shrugs.
"Not at the moment. I think it's a future regeneration," he says.
"And this River Song? You know her?" Jack questions, pointing to the playing video. The Doctor looks over and nods. "Trust her?" He asks, watching the Doctor. He frowns and looks down.
"With my life," he says quietly. Jack stares at him for a moment. He hadn't seen him like this before.
"So if this woman you trust with your life says that you're dying and need help, why are we not supposed to act?" Jack asks. The Doctor looks up at him.
"Everyone dies, Jack. Even me. At some point I have to be done. We all have to move on. Me, you, Martha, River...it's part of life," he says. Jack watches him then shakes his head.
"I don't believe you," he says. The Doctor nods and looks around. He reaches into his pocket and slowly pulls out his sonic screwdriver. Jack frowns slightly. "What are you doing?" He asks. The Doctor looks at him then aims directly at the computer in the center of the room. Jack's eyes widen. "No!" He screams, lunging at the Doctor. But it's too late. The Doctor sonics the computer and sparks fly from it as it crashes. He puts the screwdriver back into his coat pocket.
"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry," he says, turning to leave. Jack frowns and runs to the computer.
"Gwen!" He yells out as the Doctor gets back on the elevator. He leaves the building slowly and runs his hands over his face again. When he looks up, he frowns at the slight figure leaned against his TARDIS. He walks over slowly but can't help but smile at his old friend. She stands up and hugs him tight when he reaches her.
"What are you doing here?" He asks. Sarah Jane lets him go and looks him dead in the eye.
"I was in the neighborhood. Mr. Smith relayed a message to me. Then told me he'd picked up the TARDIS landing near my location," she says. The Doctor frowns and looks down.
"Sarah Jane. Not even you can come to my rescue," he says. She laughs and crosses her arms.
"Since when?" She asks. He smiles a little and shakes his head. "The way the woman talked. Doesn't sound like you'll be regenerating," she says. He shrugs.
"Well..." He starts but doesn't finish his thought.
"It scares you," she says plainly. "Dying and not coming back as someone new." He frowns and shrugs. "But at the same time...you love it. Cause you finally feel human. Knowing there's a definite end someday," she says, watching him. He looks at her. She knows him too well.
"Sarah Jane Smith, I believe it's time you returned home to your son and dog," he says. She smiles and shakes her head slightly. He smiles and pulls her into a tight hug. She hugs him back and they hold each other for a long moment. "Don't go," he pleads with her quietly. She nods slightly and lets him go. "This world will keep spinning long after I'm gone," he says. She shakes her head as she steps away from him.
"I have a feeling it won't spin quite the same," she says. He unlocks the TARDIS door and looks back at her.
"See you around," he tells her as he walks on. She smiles and stands a few feet back. The TARDIS slowly begins to dematerialize and she turns to walk away. She stops and smiles.
"Captain Jack Harkness," she says. He smiles at her and nods.
"Ms. Sarah Jane Smith," he says. "He tell you to leave it alone?" He asks. She nods.
"You?" She asks. He frowns.
"Destroyed my computer so I couldn't get the coordinates," he says. Sarah Jane smiles and pulls her mobile out.
"Lucky I've got them on my phone," she says. Jack smiles widely then pulls his mobile out. He quickly dials a number and holds it to his ear.
"Mickey? Jack. Are you..." He stops then laughs. "I didn't figure she'd let you. I've got Sarah Jane. You bring your wife and the four of us'll show him."
"Five," a voice says, stepping out of an alley. Jack looks over and frowns when he sees a hooded figure. He steps in front of Sarah Jane and pulls out his gun, aiming it at the strange person.
"Who are you?!" He asks, watching their every movement closely. The person slowly reaches up and drops the hood that was hiding their face. Jack's eyes widen and he drops his arm to his side. "But...you can't be here," he says quietly.
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