Heir of the Stars (Doctor Who Fanfic)

Prologue

15/05/13
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"This could be our place. We can come when we want to meet up. Don't you think?" I said, the words coming easily.

I twirled around, letting my short blue dress fill with air as I did so. Loving the feel of the long, soft grass, I ran forward to a large tree with a thick trunk. My bright red, heels were digging little holes in the soil, making it slightly difficult to walk. It was sunny and there was no wind. The air was warm and the water in the enormous lake was calm, almost still. There was only a bit more land until I reached the river. The further you walked, the hillier the ground.

I looked back at him. He stood with one leg crossing over another and his hands in his pockets, leaning on his blue Telephone box. He wore a small, calm, cheeky smile on his face. He stood there, happily spending his time just watching me enjoy the landscape. I smiled widely as an idea struck me. I looked around for a sharp rock. Next to me on the ground, was a small but rather pointy rock. I picked it up. I held it in my hand like a pencil, and after thinking of the perfect word, I carved it in the bark of the thick tree. Under it, I drew a heart.

A big, warm hand rested on my shoulder. I jumped and flicked my head back. He stood behind me, smiling at the engraving I made. He seemed concentrated. I hoped to think that he found the meaning behind the word as unique and special as I do. I still do. I remember how long I stared at him. His green eyes focused but distant, his brown hair fitting around his face perfectly, his jaw clenched, and a smile tugging at his lips. It felt like an hour until he noticed my gaze on him. He slowly turned his head in my direction. His smile disappeared but there was something else. In his eyes. There was more. I didn't quite know what it was, but, for a moment, I thought he recognised me. To my embarrassment, I felt the heat rising to my cheeks.

I found a comfortable spot under the shade of the tree and sat on the hard ground.

Later on that evening, we sat on the bank of the river, looking up at the stars. We pointed out some constellations and talked about random things, and sometimes more personal stuff about ourselves.

"Doctor?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"Mm?" he said, turning his head to my direction. The sky was now a rich, dark blue colour and I kept my eyes on it.

"I-I was thinking. You know when one person gets in a lot of trouble constantly. Don't you ever get, I don't know...impatient around them? You never seem too. I couldn't do that. But you are always willing-no matter who they are or what they have done- to help them. Always. No matter if they are wasting your time or they've ignored a clear instruction. Why?"

He looked at the sky and took a deep breath.

"I feel responsible. I am always the adult. Always giving the instructions. No one listens, but that's not my fault." he said solemnly.

"They usually do though- listen I mean." Asking him questions like this allowed me to slowly peel away layers of his character.  Of his story. 

Then I got so lost in the thought and meaning of the word I wrote. All the memories. How much it means. To the both of us. Our memories. Almost as effective and secretive as an inside joke. But so much more. And as much as I would love to tell you that word, I can't.

But, as the Doctor says:

Spoilers

My name is Elizabeth Star. Of course that is not my real name. It is a stage name. Not as important as the Doctor's real name. But he can't ever find out who I really am. He might not even remember me. But here's a hint for you: We met once before. In the past, but in the future. I look different now, but my face stayed the same. You thought you saw the last of me. But now I'm back.

This is the story, of how everything I loved became everything I lost, about who I am, and the adventures of what might happen when your head is really just in the stars.

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