My Aug-kissed 2024 contribution for the prompt : Hand Kiss.
I'm sorry for the mistakes, English is not my native language. I hope you like it.
Disclaimer : Doctor Who belongs to the BBC.
To See You One Last Time
The Doctor and Clara headed for the TARDIS. They had just prevented a Sontarans invasion. The Doctor thought they would not make it, but fortunately the worst had been avoided and the Earth and its inhabitants had been saved. They turned a corner of a street, when the Doctor heard someone calling him :
"John !"
The Doctor froze. He recognized that voice. Even if he had not heard it for centuries, he knew who had just called him. Even though John Smith was the name he gave when he needed it, only one person called him that in this form. Clara looked at him worriedly.
"Doctor ? Are you all right ?"
"I'm fine. I'll meet you at the TARDIS."
Clara nodded. She could see that something was wrong. But if the Doctor did not want to talk to her, she was not going to force him. She kept going on her way to the TARDIS, leaving the Doctor alone. He took a deep breath and turned round. He grinned from ear to ear, but he hoped his eyes did not express the sadness he could feel at that moment.
"Rose Tyler !" He said happily. "My favorite student !"
A long time ago, he had become a tutor and he had helped Rose with her homework when she had started high school. He had tried to spend as much time with her as possible, but he knew it could not last. So one day, he had told her he had to go abroad for a long time and he had walked out of her life. For him, it had happened centuries ago. For Rose, it had been barely two years.
"How long have you been back ?" she asked.
She had a huge smile on her lips, happy to see him again after all this time.
"Not long ago," the Doctor answered quickly. "I'm just passing through, I have to leave again."
Rose looked both disappointed and sad. The Doctor had always hated seeing her like this. He changed the subject. He wanted to know where he was in her timeline. Had she met him, or should he say, had she met one of his previous regeneration ?
"Tell me, what are you up to ? I want to know everything."
She looked away slightly, embarrassed.
"Actually, shortly after you left, I dropped out of high school."
She did not want to see the disappointment on his face. He kept telling her how smart she was and the first thing she did after he left, was to get together with Jimmy Stone and to drop out of high school. The Doctor took her face in his hands and looked her straight in the eye.
"Rose, don't forget what I said. You're smart and fantastic. Never doubt that."
A huge smile lit up Rose's face.
"What ?" the Doctor asked.
"It's just that when you said I was fantastic, it reminded me of my new friend."
"Really ?" He asked, smiling.
Rose nodded.
"I met him..."
She stopped talking for a few seconds, searching for the right words.
"At work," she finally said. "We've been traveling together for a short time."
"Really ?" The Doctor repeated, smiling more and more.
Rose could not help laughing.
"Really."
The Doctor knew where he was in Rose's timeline. They had just met, when he had big ears and he was wearing a leather jacket.
"I'm proud of you, Rose Tyler. I know you'll do amazing things."
"I feel like you're saying goodbye to me."
He took her hand and he raised it to his lips, kissing her knuckles.
"Everything will be okay, Rose. I promise."
He closed his eyes, trying to enjoy these last moments with her.
"I have to go, and I'm sure your friend is waiting for you."
"Will we see each other again ?"
"Maybe."
He was lying to her. He could not see her again, or he might change something. Yet, it would be so easy for him to change everything so Rose would stay with him. Forever. But he should not. He kissed her hand one last time and let it go. He stepped back slowly.
"Goodbye, Rose Tyler."
"Goodbye John."
The Doctor walked away. He restrained himself with all his might from turning around and asking Rose to leave with him. He looked into the distance and saw his previous regeneration. The Ninth Doctor was looking at him, surprised. He had recognized him. The Doctor remembered it. He winked at him and he kept going on his way to the TARDIS. He had to keep moving forward without ever stopping, as he had always done. And he had another mystery to solve. Discover who Clara was. He entered the TARDIS and programmed a new destination for himself and the Impossible Girl.
The end