prompt 3
I had always known this day would come. She did too. Deep down inside. Even if she never wanted to admit it.
It didn't make it any easier when it finally got there.
The sun was setting and a cool wind was blowing down Market Street. "Come on, Mike," Catherine said, tugging on my hand. "We need to get a move on before the fire department arrives. We really can't explain what an Auton is properly. It's best to just leave them to it."
"Catherine..." My feet were rooted to the sidewalk. I bet it was the weight of my heart holding them down. "I'm... I'm not coming with you."
She stared at me and the hurt in her eyes almost made me change my mind. Almost. "Mike... Mike, stop being stupid, come on. The TARDIS is just around the corner, we need to get out of here."
I squeezed her hand. "I'm not coming. It's time, Catherine. I'm sorry."
"Mike, please..."
"No. Catherine. We talked about this."
Right there on the street in front of God and everybody, she just... she just started crying. I pulled her into a hug. "I never thought you would actually go through with it," she sobbed into my shoulder. "You can't. Mike. I love you. Stay with me."
I held onto her as tight as I could. "I know. I love you too. I'm gonna love you for the rest of my life. That's the thing though. Right? We talked about this." I made myself look down into her tear-filled eyes. "My life's not the same as yours. I'm gonna get old and die long before you. I can't do that to you."
"I don't care."
"I know you don't. But that's not all and you know it." I wiped the tears from her face. "You've both been so good to me. You, like, let me share in your life. I'm always gonna be grateful for that. You and me, we love each other. But you and him... you guys were made for each other. Go on. Have a good life together. For me."
"Mike... I can't. I can't do it." She shook her head at me. "We had eight years here in this city. What is it, now, five more? Something like that. Having you with us. I can't let you walk away."
I kissed her forehead. "You have to. I'm home. I always promised myself I was gonna come back here. I have to take the chance now that I have it. What if I leave and something happens and I never make it back here?"
"But... Mike... Thete..."
"We've already said our goodbyes. Me and him. Me and Turlough. Now... now it's me and you."
I heard sirens in the distance. "Catherine. You need to go. I just want you to know, I wouldn't change a thing. I'm never gonna forget you, as long as I live. I love you." I kissed her one last time.
"Oh, God... Mike..." She clung to me. "I love you, too. I'm going to miss you so much..."
I squeezed her one more time and then pushed her gently in the direction she needed to go. "I'm gonna miss you, too. Now go, sweetheart."
She went. She stopped to look back and smile one last time and then she was gone. Hearing the TARDIS dematerializing just about broke my heart. When the sound faded I turned and started to walk quickly up the street so I wouldn't get caught standing around the flaming remains of an Auton.
That was the first time, since the age of twenty, that I lived without Catherine.