• There were a few things he liked about her: the way she would smile lightly, as if knowing something no one else knew; the way she’d pout and huff when she was embarrassed; the look in her eyes went she looked at him at times, like she wasn’t scared, like she didn’t think he was a monster for what happened during the Time War. He liked the fact she stayed despite not needing to. He liked that when he fell into his occasional depressed states she’d sit with him and hold him, as if knowing all he needed was affection, to have someone willing to listen and understand.

    But what he loved about her was her voice when she sang.

    “Heart beats fast
    Colors and promises
    How to be brave?
    How can I love when I'm afraid to fall
    But watching you stand alone?
    All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow…”


    She usually only did so when she was sure she was alone, when he’d be off in another part of the Tardis, working on something or sleeping or reading in the library or something, anything from being near her. And sometimes she was right but mostly she was wrong; he’d hear her anyway and sneak quietly out to listen to her voice.

    It was a soft thing, sweet and gentle like a breeze on a summer’s day; he knew she could sing louder, stronger, he’d heard her when she sang songs that rallied the soul, that pulled at the heart. He had no doubt she would sing songs that were strong and loud but mostly he heard her sing lightly, sweetly, like an angel, a black haired, red eyed angel.

    One step closer

    I have died everyday waiting for you
    Darling don't be afraid I have loved you
    For a thousand years
    I'll love you for a thousand more


    He noticed that, after a year of traveling, her preferred song had changed; originally she sang of a moon, of beauty found in those who couldn’t see it in themselves, of shadows and night; a rather pretty song but this was different. This was a song of love, pure and sweet; it was something light like a feather yet all-encompassing like a warm blanket. He wasn’t sure what drove it and at first he didn’t have much interest in the words. He’d sometimes listen and enjoy, smiling lightly, just finding peace in moments of not having to fight to save the world, of always needing to be somewhere. There was peace and only the sounds of the Tardis whirring, always seeming quieter during those times, and her voice, echoing in the control room and making him feel like he didn’t need to worry about anything for a few moments in time.

    Time stands still
    Beauty in all she is
    I will be brave
    I will not let anything take away
    What's standing in front of me
    Every breath
    Every hour has come to this


    He knew she couldn’t always sing though, and he knew her songs were never for him; they’d always have to go somewhere at some point and sometimes where they went others would be who she would willingly sing to right to. The sad, the pained, those who lost everyone they cared for, those who just wished to hear a song; for them she didn’t mind opening up and singing songs of kindness, songs of joy, any song. Yet when he asked she always looked at him strangely, like he was insane. She’d rubbed her head, mutter something, and tell him she wouldn’t. Maybe she didn’t like him or something; not surprising since he had taken her from her home after destroying it, given her the choice of rebuilding or escaping for a bit; she never truly opened up to him and it seemed in that year she’d actually gotten a bit more introverted instead of just getting more friendly with him. Might just be how she was after all but still, seeing her sing so willingly to them and never for him, it sort of hurt deep down. It hurt his two hearts.

    One step closer

    I have died everyday waiting for you
    Darling don't be afraid I have loved you
    For a thousand years
    I'll love you for a thousand more


    That day they were the only two in the Tardis; she’d gone with him to hear the prophecy and though she overheard he saw no reaction on her face, like she didn’t care or something. He doubted that of course, but still as they walked back to the Tardis, made their way to Earth, to Cardiff, to find the one who never stayed dead, she simply sat down at her usual seat. He got them there fine, without a word; the air was heavy, tense, and he looked over at her but she never looked at him, simply stared at the console. When he left her alone she didn’t sing; she simply sat, she simply stared, and he knew something had to be wrong.

    And all along I believed I would find you
    Time has brought your heart to me
    I have loved you for a thousand years
    I'll love you for a thousand more


    He did wish Wilfred had more common sense. He wished he didn’t have that streak of goodness in him that refused to let him just let the old man die. And he wished, as the door closed behind him, locking him in the radiation chamber, about to kill him, to end this life, she wouldn’t look at him like she did, like she cared, like this was hurting her to see him in there. That she didn’t want him to die.

    It didn’t help when she put her hands on the door, her face showing deep concern he was sure he was imagining, her voice muffled but calling out his name; he simply could smile before screaming, his body racked with pain as the radiation hit him, killing all his cells, killing him. He knew he’d regenerate but not until after he had to die such a painful death. He didn’t want to die though.

    One step closer


    Maybe a miracle let him live but he got out; he was limited though. He’d still die; his wounds healed and though she looked relieved, they both saw the regeneration process starting. So he grabbed her hand and ran. He ran out, he ran far, he ran to the tardis with her in tow and they went to say goodbye to his own companions. He wanted to say goodbye to them all so badly.

    One step closer


    Afterwards it was just them in the Tardis and they were both quiet. He felt the pain return, he was so close to changing; standing beside the console, he felt his hearts racing and he looked at her. He stared into her face, into her eyes, and he saw it. He saw her own pain, he saw her tears.

    “Doctor,” she spoke, her voice small and sad, so unlike her, unlike the girl who fought alongside him for so long.

    She stepped towards him and he bit his lip a bit; he felt tears too, because he didn’t want this. He knew he had to but he didn’t want to. Seeming those tears she reached out to him with both hands and gently wiped them away; she smiled but it was so full of pain and sadness it might as well be a frown.

    “I love you.” She said it and he felt his hearts both lift and drop all at once; he spoke and his words came out broken and sorrowful, “I don’t want to go…”

    “I know.” Finally it came; he screamed, the pain overpowering him. The energy from his regeneration blasted the console, setting the tardis ablaze; it hit her and sent her flying towards the door but he wouldn’t know until he regenerated fully.

    When he did she was gone.

    I have died everyday waiting for you
    Darling don't be afraid I have loved you
    For a thousand years
    I'll love you for a thousand more


    A whim brought the Doctor, Eleventh now, to Cardiff again; his two new companions, the Ponds Amy and Rory, walked behind him as they walked down the streets. The man rambled on as usual, speaking about something or other involving something or other; always something or other. Rory mostly tuned him out and Amy looked at the buildings as they walked; snow covered the ground and everything else too, turning the world a nice bright white. It was cold outside but not so much so that the Doctor stopped talking. No, something else stopped him and it took the two companions a minute to realize he had become quiet; Amy spoke to ask what was wrong but he didn’t respond. He heard something, soft and sweet, not too far away and recognization filled him. A smile crossed him. And without warning he ran off towards the source; confused but not about to let their “raggedy Doctor” go off on his own, they followed. And after a bit they heard it too.

    It was someone singing.

    “And all along I believed I would find you
    Time has brought your heart to me
    I have loved you for a thousand years…”

    They found him standing in the snow and a woman sat on the bench in front of him. She stared up at him with clear crimson eyes through her glasses, her song stopped for a moment as she looked at him. And he stared back, panting lightly from running, his hearts pounding again but he didn’t much care; a moment passed, another came, nothing happened until finally the Doctor leaned down and hugged her, just hugged her tight to him. She didn’t move for a moment then smiled and hugged him in return.

    “I found you,” he said to her, slightly muffled with his face buried in her hair.

    “Took you long enough.”

    “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”

    She chuckled, “I forgive you, Doctor, I can’t get mad at you. You’ve changed though.”

    He frowned and spoke lightly, “I know…”

    Trying to pull away she didn’t let him, holding him still. He looked at her, “Tsuki?...you can’t still…”

    “You changed but you’re still the same,” she told him, “Stupid Doctor, trying to tell me what I can and can’t do. It’s a wonder I still love you.”

    Those words hit him and for a moment he was still before smiling and hugging her once more, even tighter now. Smiling slightly in return, Tsuki turned her head and whispered to him,

    “I'll love you for a thousand more…”

    She had, from the very beginning, been singing that song only for him.