Chapter Thirty-One: The Second Letter

It was later that night when the knock came at her door. Rose and Mickey had already gone to bed, and Alex was trying to as well. There was something on her mind, though.

She knew the Doctor was safe—Rose had come in to tell her earlier. And obviously that was good, that was great, except... She was starting to doubt herself. She'd thought they were something, a real something. She'd even told her mother about them. And yet Reinette...

The door opened, and the Doctor stepped through. His eyes landed on her face, on her red-rimmed eyes, and he swallowed. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she lied. "You?"

"Yeah." He hesitated, then pulled out a letter. "Reinette wrote this for you."

She took it, broke the seal, opened it, but didn't read. She took a deep breath, like she was psyching herself up to deal with the contents. And then finally, finally, she began to read.

My dear child,

I have long agonised over my choice. I wondered whether I should have said 'yes', if I should have jumped at the chance to see those beautiful stars. Now, though, I believe I made the right decision. I have been lucky my whole life, to have the love of my own dear husband as well as the King's. I am content in my life as it has been. I was content to let the Doctor go.

I think you and I are more similar than either of us admits to ourselves. Our love empowers us, strengthens us, makes us better than we were. And we both have become far more than anyone ever expected us to. But still there are differences between us, and those differences mean everything.

There was a time when I would have run with the Doctor with no thought to the consequences. Now that I am older, I know that would be a mistake. I have seen his mind, child. I have seen the way he looks at you, the way he thinks of you, the way your name sounds in his head. I do not believe such a woman exists that could come between you.

I hope you are as happy with him as I was with my loves. I think you will light up the world together, and I think my own world is a little brighter for having had you in it. So good luck, my child, and remember:

One may tolerate a world of demons for the sake of an angel.

Your friend always,

Reinette.

Alex sighed, a tear spilling over. "Oh, Reinette..."

The Doctor made a face. "Er... should I go or...?"

"Come here," she told him, holding her hand out for his. He took it, and she pulled him onto the bed next to her, wrapping her arms around him tightly. "I thought that you and her..."

"Me and Reinette?" The Doctor snorted, brushing his hand through her hair.

She shrugged. "I thought you might prefer someone older."

His eyes widened. "I thought you might prefer someone younger."

"I want you." She met his eyes. "I just want you."

"And I want you," he replied. He hesitated. "I... Can I tell you something?"

She sat up properly, alert. "Tell me what?"

"My name."

Her eyes widened. "Jack told me... He said the name of a Time Lord is sacred, like a key to their soul. That telling someone your name was like..."

He nodded. "Like asking them to marry you. And I know it's so soon and you probably don't want to marry anyone but I'm saying... I'm saying I'm here for you and that I love you and that I want to stay with you forever."

"Doctor..."

He leaned toward her, felt her breath on his cheek, and whispered in her ear. "Kasai." When he pulled away again, she was beaming.

"It's beautiful." And then she was kissing him and it was full of happiness and excitement and passion and it was like the whole world had disappeared and it was them, only them, like the entire universe had stopped for them and her hands were cupping his face and his were on her back, slipping under her shirt and—

His hands froze on her skin. "Is this okay?" he mumbled against her lips.

She pulled back, beaming. "Yes. I want this." Her hand moved to cradle the back of his neck. "You were wrong, you know."

"I was?"

"Yeah." She kissed him again. "I would marry you... if you asked." She felt him smile against her lips, and pulled him down onto her sheets with her.

***

And by the morning, although very little had changed, she knew that nothing would ever be the same again. 

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