Second Chances [Doctor Who Fanfic]

Second Chances [Doctor Who Fanfic] PT2

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Doctor Who. Or sadly, David Tennant.

PART 2  Finding Rose

SECOND CHANCES REWRITTEN

Switches, levers, and buttons. He hit them all. If they were going to successfully get into the interuniversal web, then it was going to take a lot of power and even more courage. Perhaps more than the Doctor had. How could he fly off into space knowing that while he'd be saving one person, he be executing another?

Claire seemed calm and quite easy-going as far as the plan went. They would fly into the web through the crack in the Medusa Cascade right as 23:59 hit. It was when the unverise formed a hairline fracture and created a current running into the web which was about when the Doctor estimated that he would change. Claire would transfer her energy to him and he would then continue on to search for the right universe.

And to make it all that much harder, it all had to be done in 60 seconds.

"Ready?" piped Claire. The Doctor looked at her and after a long, serious expression, he nodded.

"Alright. We're now flying right into the heart of Cascade. What time is it?" Claire glanced at her watch.

"Hmm...11:50, which would be...23:50. We've got about nine minutes," she said gladly with a grin. The Doctor sighed and continued to fly the TARDIS.

Several minutes had past, and soon they were at their destination, floating around a burning orange and pink nebula with stars speckling its vicinity. The Doctor flipped one last switch and then flopped backwards onto the seat. Claire joined him.

"You don't have to do this Claire," the Doctor murmured. Claire looked up swiftly and clenched her teeth, staring off into space.

"Don't have to. Never said I did. I want to, and you can't tell me I don't want to do this." She fought a fair fight, but it still didn't seem quite right just giving her up for his own selfish reasons. "I've been inside your head, Doctor. All the creatures, the battles, the losses. And just when you think you've seen it all, another tragedy just comes up and hits you in the face. It's not a life worth living." The Doctor's puzzled face returned.

"And when I say that, I mean on your own. No life like this deserves complete...independence," she said, trying to find the right word.

"But I've got you. You're quite brilliant, you know," the Doctor beamed with a smile. Claire frowned.

"But she's got no one. Well, she did, but now she's on her own. Don't you think that's a bit, I don't know, tragic?" The Doctor looked away. "Back home, I've got nothing. No one to go back to, not a single aspect worth living for. I'm dispensable."

"Don't say that. No one's dispensable." he cut in.

"Alright, not 'dispensable,' but I certainly can't do accomplish much else back home. It'd be a useless attempt." Every word was mulled over in silence and Claire carefully smoothed out her blouse as if everything was casual and dandy. "I'll be fine. Got some friends and family up there that I'm dying to see," she joked and then stood up.

"I won't forget you, Claire." The Doctor stood next to her and took her hand. She looked into his eyes and held back a tear.

"We're going on 23:58, Doctor," she said quietly. He nodded, ran to the console, and continued to flip switches, press buttons, and pull levers. As the time ticked, Claire came up to the Doctor and entwined her arm in his. What better way to die than with the superhero of the universe?

"Here we go!" shouted the Doctor, looking at Claire with a big grin. She smiled back, but not with quite the enthusiasm. "Alright, in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1,-"