Stargazing
The Doctor lay smiling up at the stars, his fingers entangled with Rose's as he pointed with the other.
"So assuming that everything is more or less the same in this universe, if you went that way, well I say that way I mean in that general direction, well I say that general direction I—"
"Doctor."
He cleared his throat, ignoring the red that was rushing towards his cheeks, "right sorry. What I mean is that if you went that way for a couple thousand light years and then some, you'll reach Manussa. Now if you change directions." He pointed to another spot. "Go a couple hundred light years and make a quick right, you'll end up on New Earth."
Rose smiled, "that was our first date, well after you regenerated I mean."
He snorted, "Crazy cat people and diseased zombies, some first date."
"Eh it was fine," she hugged his arm. "Have anymore?"
He bit his lip staring and trying to focus his brain, regroup the thoughts and knowledge that had slowly started to dwindle, "Well I think that if you went that way you'd reach the Ood Sphere, you remember the Ood right?"
Rose nodded, "they were quiet ood indeed."
He smiled, "ya well I went to their home world once, well twice, but the first time Donna and I we—"He froze and gulped, his body becoming numb, before he shook his head and continued. "Sorry Donna and I we saved the whole lot of them, it was quiet the adventure."
"Sounds exciting."
"It was."
They fell into comfortable silence until Rose asked, "what about your world? Where would that be?"
Immediately he tensed, his body becoming ridged, before he yanked his hand away from Rose's and sat up gasping, clutching his head as memories through themselves against his walls.
Too many memories, memories of Daleks, Daleks that brought destruction, and death, as he watched helpless Time Lords regenerate left and right, most of them never making it to their next body.
"Doctor? Doctor?!" Rose was yelling at him, but it was all rushing back and he couldn't stop them, it was like the elevator all over again, but worse. Oh so much worse.
Full of hatred and loathing, all for himself and the Daleks, but mostly for himself and he just wanted to die. To lay himself down and sleep forever, and he almost did, he almost refused to regenerate, almost let go. He only held on for Her, his TARDIS, his one contestant, he couldn't leave her alone.
"Doctor, oh gosh, I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking, I was just excited and, I'm so sorry. Please."
Her crying brought him back and he gasped as he tried to sort out his thoughts and memories, "its fine. I'm fine. You just, you just caught me off guard."
"No, no it's not fine, I shouldn't have said anything. I'm so sorry."
He looked at her and slowly, carefully, he pried her fingers away from his arms and held her hand up to the sky.
"There," he choked, pointing towards the stars. "Go that way and traveling for what seems like forever, and once you do you'll reach the constellation Kasterborous, inside it is Gallifrey." He smiled, getting a faraway look in his eye. "Oh you should've seen it, Rose," he told her wistfully. "The sun was burnt orange as it rose in the south and the leaves were silver and they glittered in the light. It was like the whole forest had caught fire and the flames were dancing before our eyes."
"It sounds amazing," Rose breathed and the Doctor nodded.
"It was, most beautiful thing I've ever laid eyes on," He cast his eyes down. "Never really realized that when it was before, but it was. No place like home I suppose."
She squeezed his arm, "maybe it's still there, you know, in this world."
The Doctor shook his head, "I hope not, while my planet was beautiful, my people were not." His eyes hardened, "they'd become corrupt and deadly, they needed more power and so I did what I did, and there was no going back."
Rose blinked, "just like that."
He nodded, "it was my people, my planet, or the universe," he paused gazing at the stars. "I chose the universe."
She nodded and hugged his arm, "I'm happy you did, otherwise I never would've meant you."
He smiled down at her, "ya I suppose it wasn't that bad a choice."
Here's an update, I'll also be updating with a Christmas special on well Christmas
So Merry Christmas everyone :D
As Always Prompts and Suggestions are Welcomed with Open Arms