The Curse of the Time Lords
Title: Curse of the Time Lords
Rating: All ages
Author: Lizzie aka sierrazen
Pairing: 10/OC
Spoilers: None
Summary: The biggest reason the Doctor listens to his head and not his hearts.
Author notes: Inspired by both School Reunion and Journey’s End.
Disclaimer: Totally fake, I do not own the Doctor.
Emily wasn’t sure where she was. The room was unfamiliar, its grey walls so completely characterless that she couldn’t even tell what era she was in. Rain splattered against the window, the darkness and the wet totally obscuring the view beyond. She glanced around the room, taking in her surroundings. Apart from the single bed she was sitting on - its mattress hard and unfriendly - the only other object in the room was a chest of drawers, the white paint peeling in the corners. She started to get frightened; everything was so alien and had a hostile feel to it. Why was she here? More importantly, where was she?
At that moment the door to the room opened and in stepped the Doctor, wearing his blue suit and tan duster. Her Doctor. But immediately Emily realised something was wrong. Her Doctor was not wearing his usual mischievous grin, the brilliant glint in his eye nonexistent. Instead, he seemed drawn, his beautiful features pulled into a frown. Her Doctor was in pain and she wanted to go to him, to find out what was wrong and make it better, but she couldn’t make herself move.
"Doctor, what’s wrong? What is it?" Emily asked.
"I’m sorry," was all he said in reply, not moving from the doorway. "I’m so sorry." And with that, he turned to leave.
Emily went to call after him, raising her arm to reach out to him. That’s when she noticed. Her hands. She looked down at her hands, covered in wrinkles and age spots, the skin paper thin with veins bulging.
Emily was woken by her own screaming and for a few frightening moments couldn’t comprehend where she was. But then the light came on and she saw she was in her bedroom in the TARDIS, its glowing yellow walls a reassuring symbol of home. The Doctor was crouching over her, holding her face in his hands. His close proximity, warm touch and familiar smell were overwhelming and Emily started to cry uncontrollably.
"Shh, it was only a nightmare," he whispered, rubbing her back while she shuddered. They had been through a lot together - seen a lot of terrible things together - but this was the first time the Doctor had seen Emily break down and it frightened him. He tried desperately to console her while she clung to him like a child but her tears seemed unstoppable.
"What was it?" the Doctor asked once her sobs were no longer shuddering gasps.
"I was old," Emily whispered into his shoulder, his suit wet from her tears.
"Is that all?" he replied, somewhat relieved. He had been expecting so much worse. "It was just a dream."
"No, it wasn’t Doctor. I was old and you left me. It might’ve been a dream for now, but one day it’s going to happen. I am going to age and wither and you will stay as you are. And then, when I am old and useless you will leave and I will die alone."
That’s when the Doctor understood. Emily had seen what he knew was coming, the reason he had been reluctant to act on his feelings for her. The reason that for so long he had refused to become involved with any of his companions. He was hoping realisation wouldn’t dawn on her so soon - the fact that he was a Time Lord and she was a human meant his life span was so much longer than hers. Part of him was glad he was no longer alone in this knowledge, this fear that ate at him almost constantly. But as she sat there in his arms, her eyes large and wet and fearful, he knew he had to protect her.
"I will never leave you," he said, wiping a tear from her cheek. "You may not be able to stay with me forever, but I will stay with you." It was little consolation, but it was the best he could do - mortality was one thing he could not fight.
"I promise."
Rating: All ages
Author: Lizzie aka sierrazen
Pairing: 10/OC
Spoilers: None
Summary: The biggest reason the Doctor listens to his head and not his hearts.
Author notes: Inspired by both School Reunion and Journey’s End.
Disclaimer: Totally fake, I do not own the Doctor.
Emily wasn’t sure where she was. The room was unfamiliar, its grey walls so completely characterless that she couldn’t even tell what era she was in. Rain splattered against the window, the darkness and the wet totally obscuring the view beyond. She glanced around the room, taking in her surroundings. Apart from the single bed she was sitting on - its mattress hard and unfriendly - the only other object in the room was a chest of drawers, the white paint peeling in the corners. She started to get frightened; everything was so alien and had a hostile feel to it. Why was she here? More importantly, where was she?
At that moment the door to the room opened and in stepped the Doctor, wearing his blue suit and tan duster. Her Doctor. But immediately Emily realised something was wrong. Her Doctor was not wearing his usual mischievous grin, the brilliant glint in his eye nonexistent. Instead, he seemed drawn, his beautiful features pulled into a frown. Her Doctor was in pain and she wanted to go to him, to find out what was wrong and make it better, but she couldn’t make herself move.
"Doctor, what’s wrong? What is it?" Emily asked.
"I’m sorry," was all he said in reply, not moving from the doorway. "I’m so sorry." And with that, he turned to leave.
Emily went to call after him, raising her arm to reach out to him. That’s when she noticed. Her hands. She looked down at her hands, covered in wrinkles and age spots, the skin paper thin with veins bulging.
Emily was woken by her own screaming and for a few frightening moments couldn’t comprehend where she was. But then the light came on and she saw she was in her bedroom in the TARDIS, its glowing yellow walls a reassuring symbol of home. The Doctor was crouching over her, holding her face in his hands. His close proximity, warm touch and familiar smell were overwhelming and Emily started to cry uncontrollably.
"Shh, it was only a nightmare," he whispered, rubbing her back while she shuddered. They had been through a lot together - seen a lot of terrible things together - but this was the first time the Doctor had seen Emily break down and it frightened him. He tried desperately to console her while she clung to him like a child but her tears seemed unstoppable.
"What was it?" the Doctor asked once her sobs were no longer shuddering gasps.
"I was old," Emily whispered into his shoulder, his suit wet from her tears.
"Is that all?" he replied, somewhat relieved. He had been expecting so much worse. "It was just a dream."
"No, it wasn’t Doctor. I was old and you left me. It might’ve been a dream for now, but one day it’s going to happen. I am going to age and wither and you will stay as you are. And then, when I am old and useless you will leave and I will die alone."
That’s when the Doctor understood. Emily had seen what he knew was coming, the reason he had been reluctant to act on his feelings for her. The reason that for so long he had refused to become involved with any of his companions. He was hoping realisation wouldn’t dawn on her so soon - the fact that he was a Time Lord and she was a human meant his life span was so much longer than hers. Part of him was glad he was no longer alone in this knowledge, this fear that ate at him almost constantly. But as she sat there in his arms, her eyes large and wet and fearful, he knew he had to protect her.
"I will never leave you," he said, wiping a tear from her cheek. "You may not be able to stay with me forever, but I will stay with you." It was little consolation, but it was the best he could do - mortality was one thing he could not fight.
"I promise."