Travellers' Fate {The Wattys 2017}

Chapter 1

When all days are counted
And all deeds are done,
If a man has decided to hide what he's seen,
No pure heart to judge him will be.
But beware,
For what we are trying to hide
Often comes back to us
In more that one way.

It was around 5pm when the Doctor decided that the temperatures had cooled down enough for him to leave the Tardis to have a stroll around the busy streets of Cardiff. A light breeze was carrying away the heavy scents that were characteristic for the Town Square. It had almost been a nice day, until the Doctor turned around to say something to Clara, only to be reminded that they had bidden farewell the night before, after she hadn't been able to cope with him having regenerated.

'It's not because you look old!', she had insisted. It had been one of those rare times when the Doctor had wished that humans had been created good liers. 'It's just that... It's just that us humans, you know, we like our routine. Maybe it would be better for both of us if you could... You know.' 'No, I don't', the Doctor had replied to that in honesty. Clara's following words had hit him hard. 'Drop me off at home and then leave me alone', she had said. And he, and his stupid, cowardly self, he had done exactly that. Without another word, without asking a single question, without offering her to contact him if she ever made up her mind. And why? Because, the Doctor scolded himself, he was an idiot of a coward who was so afraid of hearing a 'no' that he'd rather let her break his hearts than even consider to ask for another chance, simply out of fear of rejection!

Heavy-heartedly, he decided on something he had been avoiding to do all the time, ever since he had been alone in the Tardis. Because there had been one person he hadn't caught up with yet, one puzzle piece missing to close with his past. One person he knew to be still alive, after all this time, whom he hadn't betrayed, hadn't lost yet. The Doctor was holding his breath as he typed in a few numbers into the console, pushed a button here and lifted a lever there. He leaned on the console as he felt the vibrations in Morse code that the Tardis was sending off to all directions.

-.-. .- -. / - .... . / .-.. .. --. .... - / ... - .. .-.. .-.. / -. --- - / ..-. .- -.. .

Can the light still not fade