This is the end, beautiful friend. This is the end; my only friend the end, of our elaborate plans the end. Of everything that stands the end. No safety or surprise the end. I'll never look into your eyes again. Tenth/Ninth Doctor. Set during The End of Time Part 2.
A/N: In case you get a bit confused (I know I did) whenever I refer to "The Doctor" that's the Tenth Doctor. Any other time when I refer to predecessor, previous incarnation, counterpart, other Doctor etc. I'm referring to the Ninth Doctor. Not quite sure what the point of this is. I just felt like writing a multi Doctor fic and making the Tenth Doctor go a bit hyper. Also bit of a farewell.
Disclaimer:I don't own The Doctor. Either Doctor. They, along with the TARDIS are the property of the BBC. Song lyrics and title take from The End by The Doors.
The Doctor made his way into the TARDIS. He could feel his control slipping away as he fought to delay the regeneration. He breathed in deeply fighting for control. He still had one more trip to make, one more companion he wanted to say goodbye to. He slumped over on the console as a spasm of pain went through his body. He stayed still for a few seconds, his breath quickening and his hearts pounding. He managed to fight back the pain for the moment and set the controls to The Powell Estate, New Years Day 2005. He wanted to see Rose one last time with these eyes before he turned into another man. He made his way to a pillar, leant against it and slid down until he was sitting on the floor and put his hands over his face, fighting to regain some control.
"Lying there moping won't get you to her". The Doctor jumped at the unexpected voice. He looked up to see a man wearing a leather jacket leaning casually against a railing. He groaned when he recognised him.
"Of course it'd be you wouldn't it" he laughed at the absurdity of the situation
"Don't take that tone with me, it's not my fault you're dying" said the Doctor's previous incarnation.
"Just you then is it? None of the others wanted to come and gloat?"
"Nope just me. They were all busy. Our fourth regeneration was occupied with a Sontaran, fifth said something about a super sonic chicken…"
"Are you really here?" The Doctor asked interrupting his counterpart "Or is this in all in my head?"
"Of course it's in your head. But that doesn't mean I'm not really here" he said with a grin on his face
"Now that's just infuriating" The Doctor groaned "How do I know this isn't just me hallucinating or my subconscious?"
"Well if you don't know I don't see how I should know. I am you after all."
"So is there any particular reason you've decided to appear before me or are you just here to laugh at me" The Doctor almost yelled, becoming more hysterical with each word
"Calm down, I'm not here to gloat. I think you need to sort out some things before you regenerate"
The Doctor just laughed. He seemed to have lost control, he wasn't really sure if he was laughing, crying or doing both at once. He doubled over in pain, still laughing madly
"If you keep going like this you'll regenerate before you see Rose. You need to control yourself, calm down a bit if you want a smooth regeneration." The last comment made the Doctor laugh even more
"When have we ever had a smooth regeneration? It's always been violent. Look at our eighth incarnation. He killed our entire planet then regenerated from the shock. And you. You absorbed the time vortex you mad bastard. I mean who the hell does that. We're always ready to sacrifice ourselves for someone else. Just once I would like to die from natural causes. Haven't done that since the first regeneration have we? His body wore out. I envy him. I mean radiation, that's just painful. Why is it always radiation? Sometimes I really think we shouldn't have left Gallifrey…" he continued to ramble on. His previous incarnation had remained silent through the rant. He reached out and touched The Doctor's shoulder. He immediately stopped talking, his hearts slowing. He looked into the calm blue eyes of the other Doctor.
"We've arrived. Powell Estate, 2005. Anyway, who you calling mad? I'm not the one who pissed off Queen Elizabeth. You daft sod." Shaking his head he stood up and held out a hand. The Doctor grabbed it and let his predecessor pull him into a standing position. He walked over to the TARDIS doors, grabbed The Doctor's overcoat from the pillar and threw it at him
"Now before I go. Enough moping, that was my job. Go out there say goodbye to her. Or should that be hello? Crossing timelines does tend to get a bit confusing doesn't it" the other Doctor shook his head "Anyway, I can't hang around here all day, got things to do. Regenerate and be happy. Have a fantastic life. Find a new companion and once in a while try to stop dwelling on the time war and what we did. I know" he said drowning out the Doctor's protests "You don't want to regenerate, but at this point you don't have much of a choice. It's either let the regeneration go ahead or die." This comment made the Doctor laugh again
"You think I want to die after all this?"
"But really" he continued as though he had never been interrupted "I know it was the toughest decision we've ever had to make, but it was the Time Lords or the entire universe. Rassilon would have destroyed everything just to scrape a victory." Dark eyes met blue. "Time heals all wounds. You can learn to live with the burden. Keep the memories of the Time Lords alive. Remember Romana? She was brilliant wasn't she? Remember Borusa, Drax, Andred and Susan. Even The Master had his moments. Borusa was a bit questionable towards the end, but still. Don't forget them. Now go out there, keep living your life, and be fantastic. Ok?"
The Doctor took a deep breath and exhaled. "Thanks" he mumbled
"Yeah well, it seems the only person who can talk sense into you is yourself"
The two Doctor's clasped hands. Then his predecessor grasped his shoulders and led him to the doorway.
"Tell the new guy I say hello. I hope he's up to it. And our fashion tastes improve. Anything has got to be better than that horrible coat we used to wear" The Doctor laughed
"Nothing is as horrible as that. It was like the 1980's personified in coat form"
As he was about to step out the doorway The Doctor turned to his predecessor, but found no one there. Muttering about idiots with northern accents he stepped out into the snow covered Powell Estate to say his last goodbye.