Chapter Text
The only sound to be heard in the space next to the Powell Estate on Christmas Eve was the familiar wheezing noise of the TARDIS. It faded in and out until finally settling on the light dusting of snow on the ground. The front doors creaked open and Rose Tyler stepped out, smiling up at her home. This year, her mum Jackie was hosting a Christmas party on the actual holiday for everyone in their building and Rose had insisted on going.
“Are you sure you won’t pop in to say hello?” She turned around and asked the tall man still standing in the TARDIS.
The Doctor was leaning against the doorframe with his hands in his pockets, giving her an uninterested face. “Nah, I really have to get to Cardiff.”
“Can’t it wait five minutes? Mum would love it.”
It was hard to resist those big brown eyes of hers but the Doctor shook his head. “Can’t. Sorry.”
Rose accepted defeat. “But you’ll at least come to the party tomorrow?”
He grinned at her. “I promise.”
She smiled that brilliant smile of hers, but there was a sadness to it. It made the Doctor raise an eyebrow. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” She said. “Don’t be late.”
He nodded at her and left. The truth was that the TARDIS didn’t need charging. She was in perfect flying order. The only reason he was doing this was to put some distance between him and Rose. Recently he came to the realization that he actually couldn’t picture his life without her. That’s when he knew he had to put a stop to this. To them. He promised himself long before he even met Rose that he would never get attached to anyone. He lost so much during the war, he couldn’t bear to do it again. But here he was, crazy for this one human girl. It couldn’t last, if she didn’t die she would leave because she would finally want a normal life and not one where she was constantly risking and running for her life
And it would break his hearts to say goodbye to her.
The TARDIS groaned to a stop in Roald Dahl Plass and the Doctor parked her. He circled around the console a few times, wondering what to do while he waited. Maybe he’d read a book, or take a nap. He ultimately decided on wandering around Cardiff and enjoying some of the festive sights. He locked the TARDIS behind him and set off.
It ended up being a terrible experience. It started off fine, with the pretty twinkling lights and the snow, but it turned bitter when he noticed how many couples were around. Happy pairs and happy families walked past him, holding hands and arms and all together being in love and comfortable together. He felt his chest ache to have Rose next to him, to have her laughing and beaming up at him with that adorable smile of hers where she bit the tip of her tongue. He loved how perfectly her hand fit into his. He loved…
He saw a couple kissing under the mistletoe and the Doctor decided he had seen enough. He marched back to the TARDIS.
When he got there, the Doctor shut the front door to the TARDIS behind him and quietly looked around. It felt empty.
He got his legs moving and sat down in the two person seat next to the console. A book. He should go back to his original thought and read a book. He was trying to think of what book he should fly through, maybe an Agatha Christie, when he felt his eyelids droop. It occurred to him that he was starting to fall sideways onto the seat, fatigue rushing over him. This wasn’t right. He never got this tired.
“What?” Was the last thing he mumbled before he was completely unconscious.