“Get out of here!”

   The shout came from a burly man, his eyes bloodshot, as if he hadn’t been sleeping. Similar shouts echoed from out of the surrounding crowd.

    “We don’t want you here!”

    “Go away!”

    “Just beat it!”

    This last one had come from a small boy, perhaps ten years old. The Doctor’s eyes scanned the crowd, looking for one, just one, who would stand with him. One person who wouldn’t shout at him, who would believe him. But it seemed in vain, as he met each pair of eyes, each accusing him. The firelight flickered, reflecting in their eyes, and making them look even more menacing.

   The sound had faded as he searched the crowd, but with a single shout, he was brought back to the present. “You killed her!”

   The Doctor’s eyes searched for the one who had shouted the accusation. Finally, they landed on a young man in his early twenties. Tears streamed down the young man’s cheeks, streaking his face.

   The young man met his eyes, and he shook his head. “How could you?” His eyes left the Doctor’s and went to a woman on the ground.

   The Doctor’s eyes followed after a moment’s hesitation. Now it was his turn to shake his head. No.

   On the ground lay a woman, her hair spread out in a fan behind her head, her eyes open and staring at the bleak sky above. Still shaking his head, the Doctor backed away, slowly at first, but it soon became a run and he was running through the woods. The trees, tall and thin, seemed almost to mock him as he ran, ran from the crowd, from... her.

====================

Gasping, he burst through a door and collapsed in the TARDIS’s hall. Shaking, he put his head in his hands and closed his eyes, trying to escape the memory of her death. Why that one? Why that memory? Slowly, he stood up and stretched a trembling hand to the door, closing it.

   He stood there for a moment, leaning his forehead against the door. Eventually his breathing returned to normal, and he turned to the next door. Unsure of what memory would await him, he hesitated before pulling it open and stepping inside.

====================

He sat on a hill, green grass flowing around him as a breeze passed through. It was night, the stars shining brightly above, the three moons - one red, one blue, and one a brilliant shade of purple - aligned perfectly in a triangle. He knew, before he turned, whom he would see beside him. Knew which memory this was.

   He’d only taken one person to Darillium. His eyes met hers, and she smiled. She’d left her hair down that night, her curls bouncing everywhere, shining flaxen under the light of the moons.

   “It’s beautiful,” she said, and he smiled. A gust of wind blew through, and a melody suddenly floated through the air.

   “The Singing Towers of Darillium,” he heard himself say, and his head turned to look at the two tall structures before them. The towers were covered in flowering vines, the stones sparkling beneath the flowers. “Amazing, aren’t they?”

   He gestured to the many carved holes in the sides of the towers. “Almost like flutes. When the wind blows...” He stopped talking as another gust blew through the towers, sending another melody through the valley.

   River smiled again. “It’s wonderful.” She looked at him then. “Romantic.” She leaned forward and pulled him into a kiss.

   After a moment, he pulled away, reaching into his jacket pocket. “I, um... I have something for you,” he said, pulling his sonic screwdriver out. He looked up at her confused face and smiled. “Just in case.”

   She frowned, but took it. “Are you sure...?” She stopped as he nodded. “But-” She began to protest again.

   He cut her off. “I’m sure. Just take it, all right?”

   Still frowning, she nodded. “All right.”

   He smiled and pulled her close to him as the towers continued to sing. He had done what he could; she wouldn’t die. But he would never see her again.

====================

As he stepped out into the hall again, wiping away the tears that streamed down his cheeks, he thought of how his last thought had been wrong. He had seen her again. Looking at the next door in the lineup, he found himself hoping he didn’t stumble across that memory.

   Slowly, he walked to the next door, his thoughts in turmoil. What memory would he step into this time?

====================

He stood beside a young woman, his sonic in hand as he scanned her body. She was dressed in soldier’s garb, her long black hair tied back in a simple braid. Her eyes were closed, her long lashes resting against her cheekbones as she breathed shallowly.

   Running a hand down his face in frustration at the reading his sonic gave him - that she was dying - he knelt beside her. Before he could say anything, her eyes fluttered open.

   “Hey. Hello,” he said softly.

   “Doctor!” she said, sounding surprised. A small smile spread across her face.

   He smiled back. “You helped my friends. Thank you.”

   “I met you once. In the Gamma Forests.” Her smile faltered a bit when he said nothing. “You don’t remember me.”

   She was right, of course. He didn’t. The thought saddened him, and he rushed to reassure her. “Hey, of course I remember!” He took her face between his hands, looking her straight in the eyes. “I remember everyone.” Another lie. He lightened his face with a smile. “Hey, we ran, you and me! Didn’t we run, Lorna?”

   He never got a response. Swallowing hard, he turned to Vastra. “Who was she?”

   The lizard woman hesitated before answering. “I do not know, but she was very brave.”

   Of course she was. “They’re always brave,” he said. Then, softer, “They’re always brave.”

=====================

Stepping out of the memory, he wondered about her. Lorna. Girl of the Gamma Forests. It was odd, he thought, that he could remember the forest fine, but he couldn’t recall her.

   He could remember the tall trees, so large it would take ten men to reach around their trunks; he could remember the incredible flowers as large as his head, their blinding colors; he could even recall the dew sparkling on the grass when he first arrived. But he couldn’t remember one girl. How many others had he forgotten?

   Lifting his eyes to the next door, he wondered if he was about to find out.

====================

He stood on the porch of a house, banging on the door, trying to get in. A scream emanated from inside.

   “Temmy!” he cried out, and suddenly the door swung open. He dashed in, leaving Jaiden standing outside.

    Rounding a corner, he saw Temmy lying on the ground, her face almost as white as her hair.   

   Beside her was Ben, looking forlorn and lost. No.

   He rushed to her side, scanning her with his sonic screwdriver. He shook his head; she was dead. Suddenly anger drifted in, crowding out his grief. He stood and rounded on Ben.

   “You promised me. You promised me you’d protect her.”

    Ben shook his head. “I tried, Doctor. Th-There was nothing I could do.”

   The anger rose up. “Get out,” he said, staring Ben right in the eyes. Ben’s eyebrows knit together in confusion. “Get out! I don’t want to see your face again.”

    “What? Doctor-” he said, green eyes filled with loss and confusion. But the Doctor didn’t care.

   “I said, get out!” he roared. Slowly, hesitantly, Ben nodded. Then, with a snap of his fingers, he was gone.

   The Doctor turned back to Temmy’s lifeless form, a tear rolling down his cheek. The grief drowned out his anger, overwhelming him like a tidal wave. She was gone. He couldn’t get there in time to save her; his daughter. Then the flood came, and everything else was lost in his sobs.

====================

In the hallway once more, he wiped away the tears. It seemed the TARDIS was intent on showing him everyone he had lost. He looked at the next door, scared of what might be behind it.

   Slowly, he walked towards it and pulled it open. The sight that met his eyes, however, had him stumbling back away from it.

   Blue skies, not a cloud in sight; tall lavender grass, waving in the soft breeze; trees in a bright shade of cerulean, the leaves fluttering lightly. But as he watched, the sky turned gray, clouds covering it. The grass wilted, turning dry and brown. And the trees began to die, their leaves falling and crumbling.

   It was Kalana. He shook his head; there was no power in the universe that could make him step into that memory. Not after the last one.

   Quickly, he shut the door and turned away, walking down the hall to the next one. Briefly, he allowed himself to hope that whatever was behind this one would be better. Closing his eyes, he opened it and took a step.

====================

He was running this time. His breath came fast and heavy. Glancing over his shoulder, he could see Daleks floating just off the ground, chasing him. Just ahead of them, however, was a young woman.

   Her blonde hair was short and disheveled, looking as if she had just come out of a fight. Her arms pumped, her breathing hard and irregular, as she strained to keep up with the Doctor’s long legs.

   “Come on, Emilie!” he shouted, reaching his arm back for her. The Daleks cries of ‘Exterminate’ nearly drowned out the sound of his voice, but she still heard.

   She reached forward, but her reach wasn’t long enough, her hand hovering just six inches away from his. In that brief moment of distraction, as she tried to grab his hand, she stumbled, falling to the ground.

   “Emilie!” he yelled, slowing slightly. He looked at the TARDIS, just a few yards away, and then back to Emilie as she struggled to get back on her feet. She looked up at him, her eyes scared. He took a step towards her.

   “Exterminate!”

    Emilie’s body jerked as the shot struck her in the back, her figure lit up in a display of sickly green light.

   “No!”

====================

He collapsed in the hallway yet again, tears streaming down his face once more. Emilie... he hadn’t thought about her in a long time. He’d promised to take her away from it all, to show her the stars. She’d been so clever, so bright, so adventurous... and to witness that brilliant life being snuffed out... His thoughts trailed off as he shook his head. It wasn’t right. It wasn’t fair. He should have saved her. Why couldn’t he save anyone?

   He looked up at the next door, dreading going inside. For a moment he almost decided just to stay where he was, but then something inside him made him get up. He stopped for a moment in front of it, then stepped inside.

====================

“Heat levels critical,” a computer voice said. “Heat levels critical.”

   The Doctor turned to look at Jabe before timing his run to get past the second fan. He was worried about her; she was made of wood, and yet she’d insisted on being the one to hold down the lever. If he didn’t hurry... He glanced back again.

   “Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising.”

    Jabe started to combust then, first her arms, then traveling across her body, the flames eating her up. Her hands let go of the lever, and the fans sped up to twice the speed they’d been at before.

    “Planet explodes in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five...”

   He didn’t have time to think about her sacrifice. Closing his eyes, he stepped forward, hoping against hope he would make it through.

    “Four.”

====================

Another door. Another step. Another memory.

====================

“Mister Capricorn,” came a voice, and the Doctor turned, seeing Astrid sitting in a forklift. “I resign.” And with that, she started driving towards Capricorn.

   “Astrid, don’t!” the Doctor cried, but she didn’t stop. Sliding the forks under Capricorn’s life support, she began an attempt to lift him. Capricorn looked enraged and scared, battling back with his own machine.

   One of the Hosts, a golden angel, took off it’s halo, throwing it at the cab. It bounced off, seemingly harmless, but the Doctor knew better.

   “He’s cut the brake line!” he said, almost more to himself than anyone else.

   The world seemed to move almost in slow motion as Astrid managed to lift Capricorn off the ground, and revved the engine, sending them both forward through the guardrail. They disappeared over the side the next moment, falling down into the engines.

   “Astrid!” the Doctor cried out, and the Host that had been holding him back released him. He dashed to the rail, looking over the edge just in time to catch one last glimpse of her as she fell.

   She fell gracefully; if he hadn’t known better, he almost would have thought she would fly right back out. Her face was scared, but almost at peace, as her momentum sent wind rushing through her curls. Then she was gone.

====================   

He shook his head as a tear rolled down his cheek. Another loss. He stepped through the next door.

====================

“No!” came a cry, and then a gunshot.

   Jenny had jumped in front of the Doctor, taking the bullet the man had obviously meant for him. Shocked, he slowly lowered her to the ground.

   “Jenny? Jenny. Talk to me, Jenny,” he said anxiously.

   Behind him, Donna turned to Martha. “Is she going to be all right?” The Doctor refused to turn and see her response, knowing he wouldn’t like it.

   “A new world. It’s beautiful,” Jenny said, her voice sounding weaker.

   “Jenny, be strong now. You need to hold on, do you hear me? We've got things to do, you and me, hey? Hey? We can go anywhere. Everywhere. You choose.” She couldn’t die. Not now.

   Jenny smiled. “That sounds good.”

   “You're my daughter, and we've only just got started. You're going to be great. You're going to be more than great. You're going to be amazing. You hear me? Jenny?” He was rambling now, but he didn’t care. She was his daughter, and she was dying in his arms.

   She never responded. Her body was limp, unmoving; she was dead. Refusing to believe it, he continued to hold her close. “Two hearts. Two hearts. She’s like me, if we wait... if we just wait...”

   “There’s no sign, Doctor,” Martha said carefully. “There is no regeneration. She’s like you, but maybe not enough.”

   “No,” he said. “Too much. That’s the truth of it. She was too much like me.” Finally, gently, he laid her on the ground and kissed her lightly on the forehead.

   He stood up and walked over to the man who had shot her; Cobb. The other soldiers were restraining him, making him kneel, arms behind his back. The Doctor leaned over and picked up the pistol, pointing it at Cobb’s head. He held it there for a long moment, almost tempted to pull that trigger. To kill the man who had killed her. But he didn’t.

   He clicked the safety back on and lowered the gun. “I never would. Have you got that? I never would,” he said, angrily. “When you start this new world, this world of Human and Hath, remember that. Make the foundation of this society a man who never would.”

    The gun clattered to the ground, and he walked away.

====================

A man who never would. He shook his head; how far he had come. Holding back the tears of anger and grief, he stepped forward once again.

====================

He was standing in the console room, watching Donna run around it.

   “Nah, never mind Felspoon. Know who I'd like to meet? Charlie Chaplin! I bet he's great, Charlie Chaplin. Shall we do that? Shall we go and see Charlie Chaplin? Shall we? Charlie Chaplin? Charlie Chester, Charlie Brown, no, he's fiction, friction, fiction, fixing, mixing, Rickston, Brixton...” She gasped, leaning against the console. “Oh my god!”

   “Do you know what’s happening?” he asked quietly.

   Her answer was louder, almost defiant. “Yeah.”

   “There’s never been a human Timelord metacrisis before. And you know why.”

   “Because there can’t be.” She turned away, still unwilling to accept what was happening. “I want to stay.”

   “Look at me Donna. Look at me.”

   Reluctantly, she turned to look at him. Her voice trembled. “I was gonna be with you. Forever.”

   “I know,” he said gently.

   “Rest of my life,” she said wistfully. “Travelling. In the TARDIS. The DoctorDonna.”

   He just watched her, saying nothing. Inside, he was breaking down. He would have to lose her. He had to lose her to save her.

   Suddenly she seemed to realize what was coming. “No! Oh my god... I can't go back. Don't make me go back. Doctor, please, please don't make me go back!”

   He looked into her eyes sadly. “Donna. Oh, Donna Noble. I am so sorry. But we had the best of times. The best.”

   Tears began streaming down her face. “Goodbye,” he whispered to her.

   “No, no, no, please!” she said desperately. He said nothing, placing his fingers on her temples and closing his eyes. “Please, no, no!”

   Memories of their adventures together flashed behind closed eyes.

    “No!” she said, one last time, before falling limp, unconscious, in his arms.

 ====================

This time there was no holding back the tears. He allowed them to stream freely down his face, feeling almost numb with the grief that coursed through him. Two more doors.

====================

“I just have to blink, right?”

   “No!” he said desperately.

   “It'll be fine. I know it will. I'll be with him, like I should be. Me and Rory together. Melody?” Amy said, still unblinking.

   “Stop it!” the Doctor pleaded. “Just, just stop it!”

   River walked forward, her eyes never leaving the angel. She took her mother’s hand, planting a kiss on it.

   “You look after him. You be a good girl, and you look after him,” Amy said, voice thick with emotion.

   “You’re creating fixed time. I will never be able to see you again,” he said, his eyes begging her to listen.

   “I’ll be fine. I’ll be with him.”

   “Amy, please, just come back into the TARDIS. Come along Pond, please!” he pleaded with her once more.

   “Raggedy man...” she said, turning around in a flash of red hair. “Good bye.” And then she was gone.

====================

One last door. One last memory. One last step.

====================

“I love you,” she said, crying.

   “Quite right, too,” he said. “And I suppose, if it’s my last chance to say it... Rose Tyler-”

   He’d never liked endings.

====================

Hey guys! Phew, cutting it close, aren't I? Anyway, this is my entry for Round 3 of Inside the Box. I was given the song 'Beat It', and I know it's not threaded through the story as well as it could be, but the first memory was based on the line "The fire's in their eyes, and their words are really clear, so beat it. Just beat it." Also, later (the memory with Ben and Temmy, if you care to know) was based on the previous line in that verse. "Don't wanna see your face, you better disappear." So, I'm hoping that's good enough to count xD Hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you think?