Six minutes

In six minutes you can start a war, destroy an entire species and become known as a Destroyer of Worlds.

It only took six minutes for Gallifrey to be infested with the free time virus as it ran amok on the planet's surface. It took even less time for Gallifrey to be overrun with zombies after the infected Time Lords regenerated.

Gallifrey had been at war before but this was a conflict that could not be won by raising an army and heading into battle in the more conventional sense. There were too many fronts to fight in too many different ways and Gallifrey, to the horror of all, had fallen.

As the free time virus ravaged the planet, now over run by zombies, Braxiatel and Romana had fled the planet in search of a cure. They were doomed and they knew it, but both lamented how great Gallifrey had once been, but now this. They had been invaded by the Daleks who had slaughtered the Time Lords in the capital; their screams echoed across the universe for a saviour, their saviour: Rassilon. He had been the worst possible choice; he had killed hundreds of Time Lords, despite all of Gallifrey thinking he was their redeemer. After releasing his mind from the Dark Tower and providing him with a new form, he played with the lives of countless Gallifreyan's as though they were disposable toys simply there to meet his personal ends. As he spoke of the final sanction, Romana had spoken against him, a mistake that she paid for with her life.

Six minutes and Brax's world as he knew it came tumbling down before him and only one word was on his lips Romana.

Why her? Was he so blinded by his own vanity and lust for war-mongering that he could not see that the universe could not function without her in it? Why? Why someone so beautiful that the stars feared to shine in her direction as the light may detract from her great beauty?

The rage bubbling within Brax's broken soul, let alone his hearts, was insummountable. The 'Abomination' that he, Leela, Romana, Narvin and even K9 had decided to refer to Rassilon as after hearing another great Time Lord refer to him as it, was too powerful.

But was he powerful enough to endure the terrible anger and pain now brewing within Brax? He thought not.

Six minutes. That was all. Just a tiny space of time and six minutes ago she was there, alive, breathing, her beautiful hearts beating. She had been planning to get people out alive, she had the foresight the Abomonation who slayed her lacked.

The news had spread throughout the world and no doubt, throughout the quadrant that she was dead. People were, right now, just hearing, he imagined. They too were feeling the unbearable and gaping hole in their hearts too.

But not like him.

No, no-one could ever feel the acuteness of this boiling, burning agony like he did, because no-one loved her like he did.

It had only taken moments for Romana to die. It may have been quick but not painless. Brax had heard Romana's blood curdling screams as she was murdered. He had been too far away to help her. He should have stayed at her side! Now she was gone forever! Bitter, stinging regret jabbed with icy barbs at his gut and his breaking hearts. Why did he go? Why didn't he at least take her with him? He was only on an errand for her, he didn't have to be away.

Why? That was all that swirled around his mind as the white-hot pain spilled over, making him grip tightly at his chest as though his hearts where about to explode out of his chest.

"Brax" said a voice, far off on the periphery of his mind.

"What! Go away!" came his reply. He heard his voice say, but even speaking had managed to some how excel his pain. His eyes were tight shut and his back against the wall.

The familiar voice was closer now "Brax" it said again, in a sad but oddly soothing voice.

Brax opened his eyes, meeting those of his brothers.

"I just heard. An accident the High Council are trying to spin, but I know Romana, she's never had an accident in all the days I've known her"

Brax couldn't respond, his voice had gone and he didn't have the strength to try and use it.

"I know she means, I won't use the past tense. No. She means a lot to me, but you –" he sighed painfully, placing a hand on Brax's shoulder.

"She meant more".

"Go away Doctor" Brax managed, breathing hard to try and control himself.

"The end of the world is here, so we don't really need to use aliases. I've never really been able to acknowledge you have I?" said the Doctor sadly.

"Yes well" snapped Brax "that hardly matters now –"

"You're right Irving" said the Doctor "but right now, you need someone. I can't see what else we can do without Romana now. There is no hope, she had such plans..." his voice trailed off.

Brax let out a heavy, soul-wrenching sob, but before he could raise his hands to his face, his younger brother pulled him into a solid and warm embrace.

Brax wanted to pull away and chastise him, but then he didn't have the strength anymore.

He remembered being young, on Gallifrey, where he had grown up. He had been playing space balls an old Gallifrey game, with his little brother whilst his mother was inside. It was his turn to pitch the ball, but had thrown it too hard, hitting his younger brother solidly on the top of his head. He felt guilty for hurting him, although unintentionally, and awkwardly found himself holding the young, crying boy in his arms like his mother did, eventually stemming his tears.

Now he was the one crying uncontrollably into his little brothers arms, as his hearts broke into a million pieces with the loss of the most beautiful creature he had ever known... Romana