Mythical Creatures Scene 9: No Happy Endings
Letitia woke during the night, just as she had when they’d met so long ago. This time she looked at the Doctor for a moment before she walked away. He was lying face down, arms wrapped around the pillow. The covers only went halfway up his back. She wanted to touch him again, to stroke his shoulder and his cheek, but she decided not to risk to waking him.
When she left the bathroom, she went to the window to look at the stars. It was, after all, her excuse for being here instead of in the Tardis.
She had no way to recognize individual stars except by their positions, and of course, those were different. She tried to form new constellations in her mind; one configuration almost resembled a unicorn. That brought to mind the book she’d given the Doctor so long ago. In the intervening time, a movie had been made of it, with a new line that seemed very appropriate now: “There are no happy endings, because nothing ends.” This definitely wasn’t a happy ending for her, but she knew life would go on. And it would be better soon, for him.She shook her head; too much thought in that direction would have her in tears. She returned to her stargazing, wondering which one was hers.
“It’s that one,” the Doctor said, pointing.She hadn’t even noticed him getting up. “You’re telepathy is stronger than you claim,” she laughed, turning to look at his face.
“No, that’s just what everyone thinks, the first time they see the stars from a different planet. Look.”She followed his aim out into the sky, and there was a star like any other, just slightly more yellow than those around it. Not too bright, and not too dim; just average. But at least it existed.
“You were wrong about one thing,” he said, letting his arm fall. “I haven’t given you anything except what I wanted for myself. That’s twice now that I found you by chance and you gave me exactly what I needed. I needed to face my grief, I needed someone to travel with me, and I needed last night. Physically needed it, and I’m almost never like that.”
“So, what are you saying?” she asked. “That you feel guilty for giving me what I wanted, just because you wanted it, too? Doctor, that’s how life is.” Then she laughed. “You’re twenty times my age, and I’m telling you how life is? That can’t be right.”
“But it is.” He took her hand in his. “We don’t just learn with age; we also forget.”
She glanced at him again. He hadn’t covered up when he got out of bed.
“Let me look at you,” she said, stepping back. He faced her, palms forward like in an anatomy book. On the outside, he was almost completely human. Even the one visible difference was within the realm of human possibility. Not that she wouldn’t have tried regardless. “Do you need it now?” she asked.
“What?” he laughed. “No. Only if I’ve gotten started and didn’t finish.”
“Then you’ll have no reason to feel guilty about this.” She pressed her body against his and kissed him. He let her have her way.
* * * * *
“Are you sure about this?” he asked, opening the door onto Church Street.
“Yes,” she sighed. “I wish I weren’t, because I’d give anything to be with you, but yes. If you’re with me, you’ll never find her, and I refuse to stand in your way.”
“Then there’s something I need you to do,” he said.
“What’s that?”
“Remember when I said you were going to change? Well, you have. You’re going to live a long and healthy life, Letitia Green. What I want you to do is enjoy it.”
“I will,” she agreed. “You were my second love; I guess I’ll just have to find a third. And we’ll always have Cassiopeia.”
“Yes, we will.” Then he laughed. “That sounds like a great title for your next book!”
“It does, doesn’t it?” she grinned. “And my hero doesn’t even have to be an alien, just a telepath.”
“Your heroine should be psychic, too, because she always knew exactly what he needed.”
“But then how would she not know that he didn’t love her?”
“I don’t know. Blind spot?” He shrugged. “I guess you’ll need to work out the details for yourself.”
She nodded, then looked out at her own world. Her home. It was not the stars that had drawn her away; for her, it was enough to know those worlds existed. She didn’t need to see them. She didn’t need to walk on alien ground and pet alien horses; there was only one alien who meant anything to her. As she stepped through the door, tears welled up in her eyes.
“If I’m wrong,” she said, turning back, “if you don’t find the one…”
“I know,” he nodded. “You’ll still be here if I need you. Even when you find your third love.” He touched her face, and she threw her arms around him one last time. And somehow she knew it would be the last.
* * * * *
The Doctor knew exactly where he had to go, and exactly when he had to get there. He even knew, as he dashed around the control panel flipping switches and pulling levers, that it was going to work. The Tardis understood.
When it stopped, he opened the door, leaned out into the alley by the council estate, and said, “By the way, did I mention it also travels in time?”
Scene Selection
1. The Earth Line 6. Three Days 2. Based on a True Story 7. Cassiopeia 3. Tempus Vivat 8. Connection 4. Green Light 9. No Happy Endings 5. Reunion Commentary