Doctor Who fic: Ten Goodbyes and One Hello (9/11)
Title: Ten Goodbyes and One Hello (9/11)
Fandom: Doctor Who
Characters: The Brigadier, The Tenth Doctor
Rating: PG
Summary: All of the current incarnations come to say their farewells to a dear friend in their own way.
A/N: This one went through a lot of revisions, and I’m still not sure about the outcome. In the end, I think it serves as more of a bridge between the last chapter and what will be the next chapter. Also, the whole nursing home thing kind of ruins the continuity of my previous chapters. Since I’m too lazy to go back and edit, just think of it all as ‘wibbly wobbly, timey wimey.’
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who.
Dedicated to Nicholas Courtney (1929-2011)
Previous:
Chapter 1: Two's Goodbye
Chapter 2: Three's Goodbye
Chapter 3: Four's Goodbye
Chapter 4: Five's Goodbye
Chapter 5: Six's Goodbye
Chapter 6: Seven's Goodbye
Chapter 7: Eight's Goodbye
Chapter 8: Nine's Goodbye
There was a knock at the door. “Brigadier,” said the fair-haired nurse, smiling cheerfully. “It’s a nice day today. Why are you hiding yourself away in the dark?” She made her way across the room to open the blinds of the large window.
“Oh?” said the Brigadier, rearranging himself as he made an effort to sit up in his bed. He had returned to his room shortly after lunch and just wanted a lie down. “Well, some fresh air might be nice.” He was silent for a moment before asking, “No visitors today, Charlotte?”
The nurse turned away from the window and tried her best at a stern expression. “What do you mean?” she said to him. “You know very well that your wife comes to visit you everyday; you saw her just this morning.”
“You know very well what I mean,” he retorted. They went through this practically every day and by now had become part of their routine. “The man I’ve told you about, the Doctor.”
“Oh yes,” said Nurse Charlotte. “The strange man who somehow has a doctorate without even having a name. No, he hasn’t been here.”
“Not even a strange man skulking around the premises?” offered the Brigadier.
“Of course not,” scoffed Charlotte. “And what kind of friend is he if you can’t even tell me what he looks like?”
“He tends to change a lot,” said the Brigadier with a huff of annoyance.
“Don’t we all,” said the nurse, lightly tidying the place.
“Well, I was hoping...” said the Brigadier, sighing heavily at his unfinished thought.
Suddenly, there was a noise in the distance, and both the Brigadier and Nurse Charlotte turned there heads. “That’ll be him,” said the Brigadier, unable to hide his grin. Charlotte turned back and stared at him strangely before hurrying out of the room.
A few minutes later, there was another knock at his door, this one much less confident than the one that came earlier. “Brigadier?” said Nurse Charlotte, her voice an octave lower than usual. “You have a visitor.”
“Well, please show them in, Charlotte,” said the Brigadier.
The nurse stepped aside to reveal a fairly tall man in a suit, with his hands tucked into the pockets of his trench coat, standing in the doorway. “Hello, Brigadier,” he said.
The Brigadier smiled, and said, “I knew I’d see you again, Doctor.” He then beckoned his old friend into the room. “They moved me into this nursing home only recently, you know. Doris, bless her heart, was having trouble taking care of me by herself. It’s for the best; they’re taking good care of me.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” said the Doctor, moving to sit down next to him.
“I see you’ve met Nurse Charlotte,” he said, indicating the woman still standing quietly by the door.
“Oh yes,” said the Doctor. “She came and brought me straight over to you. Mentioned you were expecting me?”
“In a way,” said the Brigadier.
“I’ll just leave you two to business,” said Charlotte, closing the door gently, feeling as though she was intruding. And, anyway, she’d just ask the Brigadier all about it later.
“I was wondering when you’d finally show up,” the Brigadier said to the Doctor.
“I know,” said the Doctor. “I’m sorry.”
“What for?” said the Brigadier. “I’ve come to expect it from you.”
“To be honest,” said the Doctor. “I hadn’t really made any plans to come here.”
“Oh?”
“Things have gotten a little out of hand lately,” he said, leaning a bit closer and resting his arms in his lap. “But I’ve come here to make amends; there’s something I need to tell you.”
“What is it?” asked the Brigadier.
“It’s not just you I’ve come to visit, but all of my old friends,” the Doctor began to explain. “I wanted to see them all before I died.”
“Died?” repeated the Brigadier, the word distasteful on his tongue.
“That’s right,” said the Doctor. “And it looks to be for real this time: no regeneration, no last minute rescue plan, no way out of it.”
“I refuse to believe it,” said the Brigadier.
“Everybody has to die sometime,” said the Doctor, a hint of spite in his voice. “You of all people should understand that.”
They sat in heavy silence for a few brief moments until the Brigadier said in a quiet tone, “I know. It’s just so strange having to accept it.”
“You’re the only one I’ve told,” said the Doctor, already feeling regret at his unjust tone from just a moment ago.
“Pardon?”
“A saw the others, but I was too afraid to speak to them,” he explained. “I didn’t want them remembering me in this way.”
“But I’m different?” asked the Brigadier.
“Actually,” said the Doctor. “I almost skipped you entirely. I didn’t want to visit you for the longest time because I was afraid of what you’d think of me.”
“What rot!” exclaimed the Brigadier. “You’ve never cared before.”
At that, the Doctor burst out a short laugh. “That’s very untrue, Brigadier,” he said. “No matter any of the nasty things I've said to you over the years, even if I meant them, I really didn't. I never normally revisited old companions, but for you, I've always made an exception... Because you are an exceptional man.
“Brigadier,” he continued. “I'm going to tell you something that I would never admit to anyone ever under any other circumstances.”
“Well, Doctor?”
“I'm scared,” he said.
“Then I’ll share a secret, too,” he said.
“Yes?” said the Doctor.
“Me, too.”
The Doctor nodded, but said nothing. He suddenly rose from his seat. “I better get going,” he finally said. “Goodbye, Brigadier.” They grasped each other’s hands, the Doctor’s grip naturally much firmer than his ailing friend’s.
“Impossible things always happen when you’re involved, Doctor,” said the Brigadier. “Don’t give up. There’s still life in us both.”
“That’s right, Brigadier,” he said sadly; though, deep inside, he knew he finally had to accept his fate.
“Goodbye, Doctor,” said the Brigadier, hiding his grief, anguish, and regret towards the man he never imagined could ever leave this world for good. But there was still hope, and the Brigadier would never forsake it until his last breath would leave him.