Story: Third Time’s A Charm…
Author: femme_slash_fan AKA Roz.
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 555
Author's Summary: Can Twelve fix all of Eight’s mistakes. Be warned, it will make you cry but it has a soppy ending.
Characters/Pairings: Eight, Grace, Twelve.
Warnings: mentions of surgery, blood and rape. Might be a wee bit triggery although not overly explicit.
Twelve smiled softly as the woman approached. She looked surprised, maybe even a little shaken but happy enough. Of course, Grace had probably not expected her to come back… they had parted once, then again. Now she was back.
Grace’s voice was soft, almost heartbreakingly so.
“Doctor?”
A smile, fleeting.
“Yes Grace.”
Grace had walked forward, one step, then two, collapsing into The Doctor’s arms, allowing the woman to pull her closer, the warmth of her arms and the beating of two hearts under her ear calmed her.
“Don’t leave me.”
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Eight had bid goodbye to Grace once, only the once, and left her behind. When, years later to him and only weeks to her, he had returned she had been angry, all but shouting at him for even leaving her. She had known he would but she had expected his rescue when she was cornered.
“YOU LEFT ME TO DIE YOU….”
“Grace…”
His voice was just as warm as she remembered it and she faltered, glowering at him for a long time before the tears came, tears full of pain and anger, her voice softer now but still angry.
“He nearly killed me Doctor…”
“I… am sorry Grace.”
She had looked at him then, her voice soft.
“Too late.”
He had walked away then, leaving her behind again, unaware he was leaving her to danger.
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“He came back… one last time…”
“Grace.”
Grace had pulled back, looking up at The Doctor.
“You broke me… you left me behind, broken… how could you?”
“You didn’t need me… not really.”
“I did… I still do.”
Grace had stepped back slowly, her voice hardening.
“Or did you forget that night you came back to find me…”
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“DOCTOR…”
He had arrived too late, hearing her screams seconds too late to rescue her. All he could do was take her to her work and pray she survived. He had, at least, stayed with her. Her warm, familiar, Doctor.
She had survived, a miracle, then she had refused to see him. He understood why but it did hurt, it hurt a lot.
“Grace…”
He had stayed at the doorway, his voice soft, sad.
“Go away.”
She had turned from him, ignoring him.
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“Why did you leave me Doctor, at that party… I know… I know you’d changed even then but…”
“My entire planet was killed in a war Grace… I couldn’t stand to see how much you had changed… not then, I just… wasn’t ready.”
“And now?”
“Now… now I think I owe it to you.”
“Why?”
“I wasn’t there when you were mugged, I wasn’t there when your ex tried, yet again, to harm you… leaving you bloodied and still… I was a fool Grace.”
“You did your best.”
“No…”
The Doctor’s voice was soft, surprising them both with the next words.
“That’s not true… I could have been there Grace, I could have helped you move on…”
“You still can…”
A hint of the old Grace shone through then in the woman’s smile and The Doctor found herself responding with an equally warm smile, their lips meeting just the once, Twelve’s hand covering Grace’s ribcage gently, a small burst of light shining through Grace’s clothes, healing broken ribs and a body so battered it had not yet held a child to term.
“Come with me?”
“Yes…”