Breathe // Doctor Who Fanfic

Prologue

'Please, you have to do something!' Exclaimed the frantic man. The Receptionist in the hospital took one look at the limp, weak-looking girl lying in his arms, barely breathing, and pressed the red button beside the computer screen in front of her.

Instantly, a signal was sent through the hospital. Three doctors appeared within seconds, two pushing a stretcher. The third ran up to the man carrying the girl, and took her from his arms. He had to let her go. The doctor laid her down on the stretcher. She barely moved, so they had to position her weak arms and legs straight and tie her to the stretcher. 'Stay here,' the doctor said to the man that had carried her in. He knew better than to argue. He knew he would see her soon, he had to.

Anyway, he had to give her details to Reception, to sign her in.

'She should be on the file,' he said to the Receptionist nervously.'Cassie Byrnes? Postcode BN43 5HG.'

The Receptionist typed the name into the computer, and then the postcode. 'Yeah, she's here. A broken ankle five years ago, when she was ten, migraines, a history of asthma...'

Yeah, that's her,' said the man. 'I'm Adam Byrnes, her father. When can I see her?'

'That's really something the doctors have to decide,' said the Receptionist. 'I can go see.'

'Thank you,' said Adam. The Receptionist disappeared for a few minutes, and then came back with one of the doctors.

'Hey, what's happened?' Said Adam, as soon as he saw the doctor.

'She's passed out from lack of oxygen, and she's hardly breathing,' said the doctor. 'It seems she's having trouble with it.'

'No shit!' Exclaimed Adam, finally losing it. 'Do you think I would've traveled this far for something I could've fixed with an asthma inhaler?'

'Sir, I understand you're upset -'

'Damn right, I'm upset!' Shouted Adam. 'What're you gonna do for her, hey? What's up with her? I want to see her!'

'Sir, we need to stabilise her condition, her vitals are haywire, and -'

'I don't care!' He shouted. 'Let me see her!'

'Sir -'

'Stop calling me 'sir'!'

'Okay, listen,' said the doctor. 'Her heart is beating at 159 BPM, yet her lungs are not functioning properly. Her blood contains less than half the oxygen needed, yet is flowing at an extensively fast rate. We have her attached to the oxygen machines, and we need to check her lungs. We are working as quickly as possible.'

'Well, slow her goddam heart down!' Said Adam impatiently.

'It isn't that simple,' said the doctor. 'We need to check her lungs, it's being done as we speak.'

'Doctor!' A nurse came running around the corner. 'We discovered water fluoridation in the lungs, and a tumour that must've been developing for at least a year, which is impossible, as signs say it only started growing yesterday.'

Adam wasn't stupid; he knew what this meant. 'Just say it, you prick,' he hissed, spitting venom into his every word.

'Say what?' Said the nurse.

'Say it. Say the words.'

'Okay,' said the nurse. Nobody wanted to be the bearer of this news but someone had to do it. 'She has cancer.'

Adam sat down and placed his head in his hands for a moment. Then, he stood up, and eyed the doctor and the nurse with a new-found hatred. 'Tell her I said goodbye,' he said, his voice strangely weak.

'She isn't going to die,' said the doctor, though he sounded unsure. 'Not today, at least.'

'I know,' said Adam. 'But I can't ever see her again.'

'I'm sorry, but are you not her father?' Said the doctor.

'Wha- no.' Said Adam. 'Tell her that I said goodbye, I can never see her again after this. Tell her that The Doctor said goodbye.'