Thomas was stiff as he stood in the middle of the road. His boots were planted firmly in the dust while his elbows remained bent in a protective stance.
The old man in front of him didn’t move, glaring through cold, gray eyes under furrowed brows. His lips were thin and mostly obscured by his moustache and beard, but they were bent in a seemingly permanent frown.
“What is yer business here?” Thomas spoke sternly. His hand hovered near his belt, but his empty pistol was no longer there.
“My business is no concern of yours.” The man’s voice returned, gruff and bitter.
“As the Mayor of Westfall—”
“I don’t care who you are.” The man interrupted him. “This planet was supposed to be uninhabited.”
Thomas’s scowl deepened. “You’re a few days early.”
“Am I? And how would you know?” The man nonchalantly brought a hand to his coat and gave the collar a tug.
“That’s no concern of yours,” Thomas sneered.
The old man paused his movements. “Clever boy.” He spoke, scanning the rest of the group with his eyes. They fell upon a woman with brown hair and glasses, narrowed, and then turned away. “I suppose I’ll return after you all leave, then.”
Gemini grabbed The Doctor’s arm, a look of urgency in her eyes.
The Doctor stepped out beside Thomas. “Doctor!” He called.
The old man froze in place. He wavered on his feet, his dusty frock coat drifting back and forth around his legs from his sudden halt. “...That is not my name,” the man scarcely spoke loud enough to be heard from behind.
The Doctor narrowed his eyes. “I know,” he replied. “I gave it up after what I did in the Time War.”
The Warrior turned his head. “You.” He turned the rest of the way, mouth agape. “Of all places across the universe—I had to run into you! Let me guess,” the man started towards them, “you popped up here to give me some sort of lashing for what I’ve done,” he taunted, “what you’ve done.”
“I’m here on unrelated business,” The Doctor stepped forward, ignoring the man’s jab. “You’re the one who’s shown up unannounced.”
“I came here to live out the rest of my days in solitude.” The Warrior was now face to face with The Doctor. “I was not expecting to run into myself in the process.”
Carla glanced at Gemini, “Did he just say—”
“Neither was I,” The Doctor remained firm.
“So, what’s going on here,” The Warrior spread out his hands toward them, meeting the gazes of Thomas, Carla, Hudson, and Gemini in the process. “Here to make yourself feel better by rescuing these people from a dying planet?” He paused, a smile cracking on his face. “That’s exactly what you’re here for, isn’t it.” He broke into a laugh. “Can’t handle the guilt, eh? Trying to fill in the hole by saving lives instead of ending them?”
Gemini scowled, feeling his pain all too well.
Hudson noticed her shrink back, and he offered his hand on her back for support.
Her face unclenched. His simple act had sparked an idea.
“How far removed are you from the war—and you’re still wallowing in self-pity? My word; have I got a lovely future to look forward to!”
The Doctor’s eyes were dark beneath his brows. “I’m glad you find this amusing.”
“Doctor, who is this??” Thomas hissed at the Time Lord.
“Doctor,” the Warrior returned before The Doctor could speak, “that name alone suggests you moved past this enough to accept your name again.” He waved him off as he turned away. “Have fun being the hero,” he spat bitterly.
Gemini bit her lip. “Wait!”
She darted from the group and ran forward, but The Doctor grabbed her arm. “Gemini!”
The Warrior turned and narrowed his already piercing eyes. His expression had shifted to that of confusion as he gazed upon the woman beside The Doctor. He was met with a look of sympathy, her brows furrowed in concern as she remained in The Doctor’s grasp.
“I know what you’re going through,” she tried.
His expression dulled. “Like I would listen to some girl from this God-forsaken planet,” he sneered, looking her over.
Gemini pulled away from the Doctor and grabbed the old man’s hand. She placed it upon her chest.
The Warrior appeared to be breathing with some difficulty. “No,” he murmured, immediately pulling away. He had felt her two heartbeats. “How is it you’re still alive?” his eyes darted across her, “I... I killed them all... how did you survive??”
“I wasn’t on Gallifrey.” She said.
His eyes were still wide, the smallest spark of hope burning in his cold eyes. “How did you escape? Did others??”
“Do you remember Rovenna?” The Doctor asked, returning to her side.
He bent forward. “How could I not?”
“She and Hydra escaped from Gallifrey during the war.” The Doctor watched his younger self carefully. “Rovenna was caught up with an organization—ORBIT—and they tricked her and used her to manipulate the work of the Time Lords across the universe. She tried to escape by regenerating into Gemini, but they found her as well.”
“She is full-blooded.” The Warrior’s eyes gazed upon Gemini’s face.
“She is, now,” The Doctor glanced at her, “thanks to ORBIT merging them.”
“A human’s mind in a Time Lord’s body,” the old man frowned almost sadly. “Gemini,” he breathed her name as if it were beginning to spark a long-lost memory. His expression, however, soured. He turned away and briskly took his leave.
“Wait!” Gemini raced after.
“Stop following me.”
“No.”
“No??” He spun around.
She held her ground. “I need to talk to you.”
“You will not.”
She scowled and darted in front of him as he tried to leave again.
“Stubborn little thing, aren’t you?”
“I know what you’re going through.”
The Warrior took in a deep breath. “How?”
“I’ve ended a lot of lives, too.”
Her words, at last, unclenched his knitted brows and softened the anger of his battle-worn face. “What I did, I did without choice,” his words grew sour, “in the name of peace and sanity!”
She was unfazed by his bristling form. “So did I.” She replied calmly. “I had determined it was the only way I could escape with my life. I killed every one of them—even those who’d never known me.”
The Warrior scowled weakly, unable to find words to reply. But he could see the embers of pain in her eyes, and he was unable to turn away.
“I regret what I did. Even now,” her eyes drifted away. “But if there’s anything I learned on this planet, it’s that you should never be alone.”
He puffed air through his lips. “Let me guess, these fine people—myself included—talked you down from the ledge?”
“In a way. They taught me how to better fill that hole left behind,” she paused to regain eye contact. “To find true peace and sanity.”
He again stiffened at her words. “That’s all fantastic for you,” he offered caustically.
“I saw hope in your eyes when you knew I was a Time Lord.”
“What of it?”
“Don’t you want to keep it?”
“You will so easily sway me from my vow of solitude?”
“I can tell you solitude doesn’t work.” She crossed her arms. “Your future self can also attest to that one.”
He glanced over her shoulder at The Doctor, still standing where he had been left, out in front of a concerned group of townspeople. He let out a slow breath. “What are you proposing?” His eyes locked back onto hers.
“Stay with us until we leave.” She said simply. “Then you can decide if you need to stay after.”
He rolled his eyes. “That’s ridiculous. This is all ridiculous!” He balked, and he turned away for the last time.
“Gem,” The Doctor scooted closer before she had a chance to follow. He shook his head as she turned back to him. “Let him go,” he whispered.
Pouting, she obeyed and returned to The Doctor’s side. He wrapped her into his arms and held her tight as he watched The Warrior continue toward the woods.
Hudson glanced among the group as the silence lingered. “Gosh, I’m mighty confused,” he spoke for most of them.
Thomas stepped up beside them, his eyes also glued on the man. “Who was that?”
“That was me,” The Doctor frowned. “A very lost me.”
“How?”
“Time-travel. All of time and space, and I still manage to run into myself.”
“I thought I could get through to him,” Gemini laid her head on The Doctor’s shoulder. “I know what he’s feeling; I know how much it hurts.”
Thomas was still shaking his head in disbelief. “If that was you, why didn’t he look like yeh?”
“Time Lords change their appearance over the years,” The Doctor gave a subtle explanation. “I tried so hard to forget this one; I don’t remember any of this.” He looked down at Gemini. “But you were very kind to try. You still may have made an impression. Your life has always been burned onto my hearts, you know.”
“Should we worry about him and the beasts?” Carla slipped into the conversation.
Gemini sighed and stood straight to give one last glance toward the woods. “I’d follow him, but I don’t think he’d appreciate it.”
“I can follow him,” Hudson suggested.
“He’ll be all right.” The Doctor crossed his arms, idly turning away. “Let’s just... do what we came to do.”
The group, despite being shaken, gradually followed behind him into the chapel. Soon, as the preparations began, residual concerns faded and the joy of the upcoming occasion filled in its place.
That is, until Gemini caught a glimpse of an old man pass by the chapel’s stone steps.
She glanced around the room, finding Thomas attempting to help Carla tie the ribbons, and The Doctor discussing bible passages with Hudson. She set down the stack of hymnals and darted around the pews to slip outside.
She was unable to find him at first, squinting through the blue light of evening and using the warm glow of the chapel behind her to light the street. A crunching through the dry grass near the cemetery gate, however, alerted her of his presence. She started into the grass after him.
“I can’t get rid of you, can I.” The Warrior didn’t bother to turn around as he stood among the darkening tombstones.
She slowed and tried to smile. “Not today.”
He offered a sigh, but did little else. “Tell me: what have you done here? What is it about this town that’s so incredible?”
She stepped beside him, arms crossed against the cold air. She followed his focus to the pair of gravestones in front of them: the graves of William and Elizabeth Bauer.
“Well, it’s not the town so much as the people in it,” her eyes traced the letters. “I had no intention of ending up here. I crashed after escaping from ORBIT, and I was stuck without a way off. I stayed pretty angry for a long time, and I fought against the weight of what I’d done for even longer. But, despite that, every single person I came in contact with treated me with respect, with friendship, and with love.”
He offered the smallest of glances in her direction.
“They showed me they cared about me, they talked me through my grief and guilt, they introduced me to God and his mercy and forgiveness,” she trailed off, meeting his gaze. “They loved me when I couldn’t love myself. They cared for me when I couldn’t. They were always here for me, even if I ignored them in my sorry attempts at isolating myself.” Her lips were pulled into a smile. “Despite everything, they’re my family.”
He didn’t respond audibly. He simply looked upon her with a befuddled expression clouding his gray eyes and tugging at the deep creases of his face.
At last, with a deep exhale, he turned away. “And you expect this will happen to me?”
“Absolutely.”
He puffed air from his nose. “Sounds like some fairytale nonsense.”
“It’s taken me a long time to realize it myself,” she looked to him, “but it’s true.”
His form began slouching.
She grabbed onto his arm as he staggered away from her. “Doctor!”
He grunted a growl. “That’s not my name!!” He struggled to regain his footing, all but shoving her aside. “Get away from me!” He barked at her.
She remained where she had been pushed, catching a wisp of golden energy trailing behind his sleeve. Her eyes widened as she glanced up. “Wait—you—you’re—”
But the man had already returned through the gate and was limping down the street. She overtook him at the edge of town, rushing to him as he fell to his knees on the broken pavement.
He huffed painfully, attempting to use his knee to return to his feet. Gemini ducked under his arm and looped her arm around his back. She winced and lifted him up the rest of the way, bearing the brunt of his weight on her back. She could see the TARDIS glowing faintly in the darkness of the forest, and she shuffled her way towards it with the heaving Warrior on her back.
“I don’t understand why you’re helping me,” The Warrior grumbled breathlessly as he managed to stand on his own at the door of the TARDIS.
“Because that’s what I do—especially when it’s you.”
He glanced up at her.
“Whether you’re a man in a very long scarf hovering over Abbey Road in a TARDIS,” she smirked, “or one who thinks bowties are cool and runs across the universe.”
“Long scarf,” the man repeated.
She could almost see a smile hinted upon his lips.
He shook his head. “Still,” he replied after a moment, “I must make my own decisions. I must do what I must do.”
“I understand. Just... just don’t forget,” she put a hand upon his weathered back for support, “there’s someone out here in the universe who cares about you.”
His jaw clenched. His lips frowned, holding tight to prevent them from puckering. His eyelids narrowed and he huffed out a breath as he turned away. He took a few staggering steps toward the TARDIS before wavering and falling aside.
She rushed forward and caught him, redirecting his shaking steps until he had reached the door.
“Let go of me,” his voice wavered.
“Not until I know you’re okay.”
He shot her a piercing glance, quickly dulled as his footing again gave out and he fell against the doorframe.
She watched him use his other hand to push open the TARDIS doors.
An orange-tone room was revealed before her, built like a giant dome with a pattern of circles up and down the walls. Metal grates formed the floor, hiding the wiring that ran under and into the central console. The console itself glowed with a teal-green hue, casting its light on the organic columns that lined the room.
The Warrior’s breathing grew raspy as he brought up his hand, energy seeping from his coat sleeve. “Oh,” he panted. “I’ve—I’ve got to get out of here.”
“Here,” Gemini ushered him forward and helped him reach the control panel. He leaned heavily upon it to stand on his own, but she stayed close as his eyes remained downcast. He flexed his fingers as they glowed with light.
“I suppose I’m wearing a bit thin,” his voice had weakened considerably. He turned his gray eyes to her as the light rose from his neck. “But at least, in these final moments,” he breathed through a smile, “I don’t feel so alone.”
She broke into a smile herself. “You’re never alone,” she paused, “Doctor.”
He shut his eyes as she kissed his cheek. When she drew back, the golden energy rising from his neck curled in her wake. “Thank you, Gemini. Now, go,” he warned.
“I will. Take care.”
She paced across the room as the walls began to reflect the yellow glow of his oncoming regeneration. She glanced behind when she reached the doorway.
“I hope the ears are a bit less conspicuous this time,” he commented offhandedly, looking up to the ceiling as his body filled with light.
She turned away and closed the door. The TARDIS began to dematerialize moments later.
“Gem!” The Doctor and Hudson noticed her from the road, and they ran toward her as Carla and Thomas started down the chapel’s steps. The Doctor slowed when he saw, and heard, the TARDIS disappear behind her.
She smiled at him when he refocused his gaze. “You’re gonna be okay.”
He gave her a relieved smile and grasped her into a hug. “You went back and talked to him after all, eh?”
“In my defense, he started talking to me first,” she spoke over his shoulder. “He was starting to regenerate.”
He grabbed her arms and held her back to make eye-contact. “What??”
“So, I helped him back inside, and I stayed with him even though he tried to push me away. I learned that from somebody; and even though it may not seem like it, I know it’s very effective.”
Hudson smiled and glanced down.
The Doctor cocked his head, a curious smile on his own face. “You gave him peace in his final moments.” He shook his head. “You really are a gem,” he whispered softly. “My Gem.”
Carla had teared up, her hands on her cheeks. “You are such a sweet couple,” she whimpered.
Thomas glanced at her. “Are... are you all right?”
“I don’t know why I’m so choked up,” she pulled herself into his arms.
“There’s a lot happenin’ right now,” Hudson offered, scooting to her side, “what, with the weddin’ and the movin’ and... runnin’ into other versions of yourself?” He trailed off in bemusement.
“Everything’s set, though,” Thomas nodded to Gemini as Carla sniffled into his vest. “Did’ya wanna take a look?”
She fingered her chin. “Actually, I’ll wait,” she smiled at them, ending her scan of their faces with The Doctor. “I’ll be extra surprised tomorrow morning.”
- - -
Gemini couldn’t breathe. The reflection that peered back at her in the tall, oval mirror could not have been her—and yet, it was.
She wore an off-white dress with a corset top and thin lace that covered her chest and tied behind her neck. Ruffles of lace adorned her shoulders, along the bottom of the corset at her hips, and along the bottom of her dress that gently brushed across the ground at her back.
“Oh my word,” Carla spoke through tears—crying for the third time that morning. “You look so beautiful, Gemini.”
“This doesn’t seem real.” The woman spoke, twisting her body from side to side in view of the mirror.
“But after all these years, you’re getting your day,” Lillith clutched her shoulders and peeked into the mirror with her. “I’m so excited for you!”
The two women were assisting Gemini in the small meeting house beside the chapel. They helped her into her dress, handmade specifically for her by three of the women in town, and fixed her hair up in a looped ponytail that fell into soft waves at her neck.
Carla had found herself unable to fit in her more vibrant engagement dress, but Lillith had lent her one in dusty blue—perfectly matching the ribbons she had used to tie off Gemini’s bouquet and contrasting her tanned skin. Lillith had also helped braid her brown hair back into a bun and even included a sprig of white flowers around one side.
Lillith wore a black blouse with a rusty orange skirt that complemented the chestnut hue of her skin, and her black curls were tied back in an orange scarf. A string of pearls shimmered against the collar of her blouse.
“Now, before we head over,” Lillith waved a hand as she scooted toward the table on the other side of the room, “we have to recite the traditional Westfall wedding rhyme.”
Gemini turned her head. “The what, now?”
“Oh!” Carla instantly returned to her lighthearted self and also leapt across the room to the table.
“Should I be worried?” Gemini started over, though she became distracted by the way the folds of off-white fabric ruffled across the floor behind her. She grinned wide and turned back to them, only to be met with their own jovial grins. “I’m serious—should I be worried?”
“There are four things a bride must have to ensure her wedding day goes off without a hitch,” Lillith’s hands were behind her back.
“Or is it with a hitch?” Carla shot her a smirk.
“Ooh, good point,” Lillith laughed before clearing her throat and nodding to Carla. “So, Ms. Gemini, may we present something old...”
Carla brought her hands out from behind her back, revealing an old lace garter with a white ribbon tied in a bow around it. “This was my momma’s,” she announced, “so you know it’s old.”
Gemini laughed as Carla knelt down, and she pulled up the side of her dress for her bridesmaid to slip it up to her thigh. “Doctor Smith gets to take it off,” she winked at her, causing Gemini to stifle an embarrassed laugh behind her fingers.
“Something new,” Lillith continued, bringing out a sprig of fresh white flowers to slip into Gemini’s hair.
“Aw,” Gemini took a quick glance in the mirror behind her to find them tucked in her brown waves.
“Something borrowed,” Lillith reached behind her neck and removed the string of pearls to fasten around Gemini’s neck.
“What!” Gemini tried to oppose, but the woman refused.
“I just need them back; those are my grandmother’s pearls,” she grinned. “Even older than Carla’s momma’s garter.”
“And something blue!” Carla finished the rhyme, holding out the worn blue cloth bracelet Hudson had made for Gemini years prior.
Her hearts were pricked as Carla added it to her wrist. “Hudson’s going to cry,” she smiled at the bracelet.
“He’s already going to cry,” Lillith patted her shoulder, only to glance at Carla. “Although Mrs. Hiller may have him beat today. Are you sure you’re feeling all right?”
“I’m just... so happy!” She wailed.
Lillith and Gemini exchanged glances before sighing and smirking, respectively.
“Well,” the woman in the orange skirt set her hands on her hips. “Are you ready, Ms. Gemini?”
Her hearts fluttered within her chest. “Yes,” she spoke confidently.
Carla wiped her eyes and gathered her basket of flower petals as Lillith opened the door to ensure everyone was inside the chapel. When the coast was clear, she waved them out. Gemini gathered the end of her dress and her bouquet into her hand as she stepped across the dusty road behind Lillith. She held back with Carla on the steps as Lillith peeked inside to ensure they were ready, and she waved them to the door.
The entire town of Westfall had filled the chapel, leaving just enough space for Lillith to slide in next to Carla’s parents after her wrangling was complete.
“Go on,” she urged Carla. “You’re first!”
Carla smiled at Gemini as she remained hidden beside the door, and with her excitement scarcely contained, she started inside with her basket.
Gemini peeked around the corner, watching Carla spread the petals across the wooden floor of the chapel. Everyone was still seated, watching the young woman step down the aisle before she took her place at the left of Hudson.
Lillith took her hand. “It’s your turn.”
When Gemini stepped around the corner, Hudson gestured to the room to rise. Soon, everyone was standing and looking to her, bathed the light from the sun behind her.
The preacher was beaming at the center of the altar in a gray coat and a blue dress shirt. Lillith had pinned a flower to his lapel, and he looked almost as excited as Carla beside him.
Her breath caught in her chest when her eyes fell upon The Doctor standing to the right of Hudson. His hair was combed and parted as usual, and he was wearing a gray tweed vest over an off-white shirt. Aside from the flower pinned on his own lapel, there wasn’t much different about his appearance.
And yet, looking at him now, smiling at her with a grin that threatened to break into a joyful laugh, everything seemed different.
Thomas gave The Doctor a hearty pat on his back from his place as his groomsman. “There she is.” He whispered.
The man shook his head in disbelief. “Oh, yes,” he muttered, chewing on his lips as he rocked on his heels.
Lillith gently urged Gemini inside and down the aisle. She had opted to walk alone, knowing that William would have been the only one to have taken that place. She pretended that he was at her side, knowing his presence would be felt by more than just her as she stepped across the flower petals on the chapel’s wooden floor.
When she reached the end of the aisle, Hudson was already tearing up, his usual warm smile filled with pride. He nodded to The Doctor to step forward, and once Gemini had passed off her bouquet to Carla, the couple took each others’ hands.
As if in a dream, the two looked into each others’ eyes in disbelief and in love. They listened to the preacher’s words and wisdom, they recited their vows, they exchanged rings, and they sang a hymn with their extended family in the pews behind them.
As they turned to face the town of Westfall as husband and wife, the words Hudson had read echoed in their heads.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.
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Chapter Notes