Where Waves crash and Journeys end (Doctor Who/Broadchurch)

18

Deep silence had fallen between The Doctor and Alec, even Rose was reading her book again. Alec could still remember what he just had seen inside the fobwatch, but was too afraid to tell. If he did, he would just get another heart attack. That was the last thing he needed right now. 

For a moment, Alec had to close his eyes. He felt tired, but didn't know what would await him if he would fall asleep. So much had happened, things he couldn't tell where they had come from. Things he couldn't explain to his stupid mind, still rattling with no stopping. 

His nightmares were one of them. 

"Do you feel better?", The Doctor asked with a little smile. He had settled down on a chair, next to the console of the TARDIS. Alec nodded, but couldn't resist. So many questions, so many answers...he just wanted to know the truth. Now. 

"Yeah, thanks. Uhm...why is this watch so important to you? And what did Rose mean with that I'm special? How special? Why do I have these bad dreams every night? Do you know something about my past? What are those creatures I've seen? Who are you?" 

His voice was getting louder, but Alec didn't care. As long as he wouldn't get what he wanted to know, nobody could tell him to shut up. 

The Doctor sighed and turned to Rose, telling her to leave them alone for a while. Grabbing her book, she stood up and walked out of the giant room, searching for another, more comfortable place to read. 

Silence fell once again between the two men, not knowing where to start. 

After a while, The Doctor cleared his throat. As he finally began to explain, his smile had been replaced with a look Alec got shivers from. It wasn't angry or sad, it was like...fear. 

How could such a brave man have feelings like that? 

"I'm not a typical Immortal, Alec!", he mumbled, his legs outstretched on the chair. He sighed again, it was clearly to see that he was afraid of something. Afraid of telling something he just wanted to forget. 

But what?

"I'm a Timelord from a planet called Gallifrey. It once was destroyed in The Time War against an evil race, the Daleks. Robotic creatures born hating, killing everybody in their way. Many people lost their lifes. That's what you've seen in the watch."

Alecs head was spinning as he listened to The Doctor. This place called Gallifrey - the watch had told him about it. Maybe it was a giant store full of his memories, kept safe in a mysterious object like this. But why had it showed him the Time War? From all memories it could have chosen, why this? He could still hear the screams, feel the heat of the flames...

Luckily, his thoughts were interrupted as The Doctor continued: 

"You see, I'm still alive. Lucky me, you think. But my friends and family - they're all dead. Killed by my worst enemies, buried somewhere far away. Everybody on Gallifrey died that day, wiped out forever. I'm the Last of the Timelords. Well, I thought I was...until I met you!"

Alec frowned. Could it possibly be that - no. But it was all so clear now, no one couldn't deny. The fobwatch had been right. It had to be. 

And then, the truth struck him like a car. 

"You were born on Gallifrey, Alec. You're a Timelord!"