Into The Dark

The room was dark except for the few rays of defiant sun beams that escaped through the metal blinds and the soft green glow of the heart monitors. No sound except the gentle beeps and quiet breathing.

In the middle of the room was two hospital beds pushed as closed as they could get without disturbing the equipment. The two occupants clasping hands tightly. They where hooked up to life support machines and today was their last day in this universe.

They where both very old, even older than they looked. Once they where the kind of beauty that makes people look twice, but now time had finally caught up with them.

The door opened softly and their personal nurse Samantha came in holding a tray of the necessary pills.

She was new to the hospital and these two where her first patents. At first it was only the woman, Rose, who she was meant to care for. But when she took a turn for the worse, Theta her husband, started feeling ill and the next day was next to her in the same condition.

She placed the tray on the table in between them then checked their vitals. She smiled warmly when she noticed Theta's eyes open and a cheeky smile cross his face.

"Hello gorgeous." He said in a croaky voice, the grin growing wider when she pretended not to hear him.

"Good morning Mr Tyler, how are you feeling today?" She asked him her most business like voice. She watched as he squeezed Rose's hand, making her turn towards him and moan softly.

"As good as a dying man can." Samantha hated it when he talked like that, of course she knew they didn't have long left, but she had grown very close to them, thinking of them as the family she never really knew.

He ignored her flinch and turned back to Rose, smiling lovingly at his wife. "Could sleep through the end of the world my Rosie. Just moan and roll over." His voice gained the worshipping tone it always did whenever he talked of his wife.

Samantha had learned a lot listening to them like this. But today, she felt like she needed to know everything.

"Oh yeah? Some here never hear my alarm clock, late for nearly everything… How long have you two known each other?"

"Not long enough to show her every star. If you want to know anything about us, just ask Samantha. No need to be sneaky."

He did always have the strange ability to read her mind. But then again she had a face easily read.

Grabbing the chair near the door she went and sat next to him and waited for him to start.

"I first met her when she was eighteen years old. Nothing but a child really. Beautiful thing. So fiery and passionate. I'm a lot older than her, and when we met I was so angry at the world. My family was dead and it was all my fault. But she helped me, made me a new man. I loved her the second I saw her. Our age didn't matter. We've fought every second of our life together to prove that what we have is real. I should have married her long ago."

Samantha frowned and moved closer.

"But you're the same age. You're younger than her. You've been married for 40 years. It's all on your records." She said, fearing his mind had started to go. He just laughed.

"Its just paper. Look Sammy, don't freak, but we're not exactly… human. Far from it really. Rosie was once, her heart still is, but she hasn't technically been human for many, many years. I'm 1583, we met when I was 900. You're probably going to think I'm a crack pot old man that's quickly loosing his marbles, but I'm telling the truth, why should I lie. We where stranded here a while ago and our friend is high up in Torchwood. He gave us an identity, the full works. Thought it would be funny to make me younger than Rosie."

He looked to Rose with utter heartache burning in his eyes.

"I wanted to show her every star in the universe, but we ran out of time. She's going to die soon, and I will too. I love her more than anything in my life. And believe me 1583 years is a long time to find things to love. Without her, who knows what I'd have become."

Samantha smiled at him. For reasons unknown to her she believed him completely.

He reached towards a photo on his nightstand and passed it to her.

"This is us with our daughter, Jacquelyn. She's out there somewhere looking at every star and having adventures. She's a great grandmother already, at 209, imagine that. My little girl cant be a great grandmother. She married young."

Samantha giggled at the thought, she probably married in her hundreds, but to him that was young. She looked to the photo and was surprised how unchanged they looked. Just de-wrinkled and hair colour blonde and brunette.

"Wasn't I a dish? Rose has never lost her looks. Still as beautiful as the first day we met."

They where really cute. Theta was tall and thin with deep chocolate eyes and wild hair. His cheeky smile unchanged. Rose was all colour and innocence wide hazel eyes brimming with happiness, a mega watt smile to match her partners her blonde hair just touching her shoulders. In between them was a beautiful little girl, no older than two. A perfect mix of them both. Samantha stared at the little girl, knowing she'd seen her before.

"Quiet beautiful, so clearly isn't you."

He laughed loudly then looked to the still sleeping Rose. The heartache look came back into his eyes as he watched his companion. Tears slowly filling his eyes making them look like melted chocolate.

"I hope she doesn't go in her sleep. I want to say goodbye."

He reached across with his free hand and wiped away the silver hair that had fallen into her face. She smiled and slowly opened her eyes.

"Good morning." She whispered, he smiled sadly and ran his thumb across her cracked lips.

"Good 'afternoon' Rosie dear. Had a good sleep?"

She nodded and snuggled into his hand.

"Almost didn't wake up, but its not time yet is it? We have to hold on a little longer."

Tears filled his eyes again, but he wouldn't let them fall. Not yet.

"Yes my love. Just a little bit longer."

Rose looked around the room, her eyes landing on Samantha, whose eyes where full to the brim with unshed tears. She smiled at her like a mother does a daughter.

"Why so sad Sammy? This is simply another adventure for us. Our last adventure. There should be no tears, we have lived a much longer life than most. Its our time."

Samantha's lip quivered slightly. "I know. But your such wonderful people. Its too sad to say goodbye."

Rose smiled wider and reached her hand to Samantha who took it gently, Rose was so weak, her skin like paper.

"This isn't our goodbye Sam, we'll meet again. I know we will in fact. The second you leave this hospital you will see us."

Samantha looked at her with confusion. "I don't understand."

"We'll be waiting for you. As we look in this picture. Our past, your future."

"I travel with you? To the stars?"

Rose smiled and nodded. "Oh yes, and you my precious thing will do many brilliant things. You are an amazing thing."

Samantha smiled and let her tears fall. She would have to say goodbye before it began. At least she wouldn't have to worry about losing them since she already would have.

Standing up she went to Rose and kissed her forehead lovingly, then turned to Theta and did the same. "Goodbye, and thank you both so much. I guess this is goodbye for now then my friends."

And with that she walked out of the room and into her future.

Theta turned to Rose and smiled happily, she smiled wider before settling back into the pillows.

"Now its time. She was such a good child, now she'll know the truth."

"Our life was too dangerous Rosie, we had to. Now she will know her family like she should. Our sweet Jacquelyn."

Theta took the last of his strength to remove the tubes in his arms and walk to Rose's bed, she moved to the side to give him room.

They lay in each others arms for a few moments before Rose's eyes started to close. Tears filled the Doctor's as he watched her beautiful life disappear. He leaned forward and kissed her lips softly. His double heart beat was growing fainter with her own. She smiled and closed her eyes.

"It doesn't need saying does it?" She whispered brokenly. When he gave no reply she looked up, his eyes where closed, his heart beats stopped completely. She had out lived him.

"No my love, of course it doesn't, you know…" She said, her final words echoing in the room as she joined him.

They where together in wherever the afterlife is, they where together at last.

The End