NOT THE ONLY ONE

Beta read by sunnykisses

Disclaimer I don't own

Please review

Romana was aware of someone touching her. She started fighting them before her eyes opened. Braxiatel went immediately to her side, gently waking her up and gently soothing her.

"It's all right, Romana, you were having a nightmare," Brax said quietly, perching on the edge of the bed beside her.

"It felt so real," she mumbled. He instantly pulled her into his arms. Her body shook; she let it all out, sobbing against his shoulders.

"It's all right; everything's going to be all right. He spoke softly and calmly."

"Don't leave me, Brax, please, don't leave me" She pleaded. Her hands gripped tightly to his arm.

"I will never, ever leave you. Once I realised you were alive I came to find you."

She looked up at him. "You did?"

"I love you, Romana. I love you so much; my life is pointless without you in it. I just want to love you, to take care of you and never let you go." He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

The sound of the TARDIS sent Amy darting out of her front door, Rory following behind slowly. The Doctor stood there in his usual tweet jacket, and bow tie.

Amy was the first to speak.

"Did you find her, because you promised? You've had all summer." Amy called to the Doctor, and he stepped forward with a wacky grin. He started to walk towards her, but hesitated.

"Permission to hug?" The Doctor asked Rory with cheeky seriousness.

"Granted." Rory stuffed his hands in his pockets, nodding.

The Doctor wrapped his arms around Amy. "You know who she grows up to be, so you know I will." He whispered close to her ear. They were interrupted by the sound of Brax's ship landing. Kaatje ran straight out and the Doctor let go of Amy.

"Daddy, Daddy!" She squealed. The Doctor beamed at Kaatje and ruffled her hair. When he noticed Romana, his smile faded.

"I'm sorry," he looked at Romana. "I thought I was doing what was best."

"She understands. Don't you, Romana?" Braxiatel came into view.

"You abandoned my daughter and I." Romana growled. "Kaatje, go into your father's TARDIS." She waited until Brax and her daughter departed before continuing to berate the Doctor.

"She needs a full-time father, not someone dropping in and out of her life."

"You know that I am committed to the both of you." Now, it was Romana the Doctor took into his arms, holding her close.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled into her hair. He gently took her hand and led her back into the TARDIS.

"You belong here, with me."

Braxiatel watched them sadly, knowing he could never be picked over the Doctor and quietly slipped away towards his room. It was time for him to leave. He packed up his few belongings.

"You are leaving?" Romana was standing in the doorway.

"Everything has to end sometime," he remarked quietly.

"I need you."

"You will be okay," he put an arm around her. She sat down on his bed. "If you ever need me, I am only a call away." He placed the Telecom device in her hands.

Romana shook her head. She knew she was far too damaged to be okay. Irving was her best friend and they had gone through far too much for her to let him slip out of her life.

"Am I going mad to think that Rory is a Time Lord?" Romana asked quietly.

"You aren't going mad. I sensed something as well. Romana, you need to stay calm. This is when you make mistakes, when you go charging into something. He obviously has a inking about you. I saw the way he was looking at you. He could be any Time Lord."

"Oh Rassilon! What if it's the Master? Or worse, Rassilon himself." She started shaking. "I am a weapon," she whispered. "I don't get afraid. I don't-" she could not breathe. She struggled to breathe, with each second passing by, the worse she got.

"Romana, take a deep breath. Come on, you can do this." Brax's comforting voice was there, helping her as he took her hands in his. She took a few deep breaths and, finally, her breathing returned to normal, before she started crying against him.

"Shhh, it's all right. Everything is going to be fine. How long have you had the panic attacks?" He asked gently stroked her cheek. "Romana, what's going on? Why won't you tell me?"

"I'm scared, Brax."

"I can stay if you need me."

She shook her head. "I will be fine. Don't stay gone for long."

"Of course not, my Lady." He said quietly, leaning in and kissing her forehead.

Rory was reflecting on all that had happened losing Melody and how they had lost everything when, suddenly, Romana came into the room and pointed a gun at him.

"No more games, Rory, where is it?"

"I don't know what you mean." Rory gasped.

"You know what I am talking about. The fob watch."

"I haven't got it."

"Romana, please, we can talk about this, surely."

"Fob watch. Now."

"What's going on?" The Doctor came in. He glanced at the scene before him. "I thought I said 'no guns', Romana."

"Oh yes, the great Doctor who never carries weapons because he's so good. Well he doesn't carry weapons because he's too busy making his companions into weapons!" Romana shouted.

"He's a fob watched Time Lord," she announced.

"No, Romana." The Doctor attempted to reason with her, stepping forward he held out his hand for the gun.

"Then what about his family? Why don't they exist? I did a check. Rory Williams does not exist. There are no records, no data, nothing on him. So, tell me, who are you?" She turned to Rory.

"Romana, get out, now." The Doctor ordered. He gently took the gun from her "I can take care of this but you need to trust me."

She nodded and left the room.

She walked towards the swimming pool and to the spa, dressing into her bathing suit. She climbed in, trying to wash away the terrible memories to think of something pleasant.

She remembered the previous night in the Spa with Brax and how he had made her forget her troubles.

Brax sat behind her in the spa, rubbing her shoulders. "Relax," he said in that smooth voice, kissing her shoulders softly. "You are so beautiful." He pushed her hair away and nibbled softly against her neck.

"Brax," she let the back of her head rest against him.

"Why are you so tense?" He asked as she began to tremble. "You're shaking, what's wrong? It's all right," he stroked her soft hair and held her. "I won't hurt you, you can trust me Romana." He had tried to ignore the deep scars on her back. He knew her own people did it to her, or maybe it was the clerics. He now knew the abuse she had gone through and even regeneration had not healed them.

"I am damaged," she whispered. She didn't know how Brax could bear to look at her; her back was covered in bruises and deep scars that would never heal. She wouldn't even let the Doctor see them. He gently traced his fingers against her back, kissing each mark softly.

"I don't care what they did, you are still beautiful. I don't just love your beauty but your strength. You are stronger than you think."

He had always said the sweetest things to her. He had being a source of strength and she had relied on him, she didn't know how she would have managed without him on Gallifrey.

Suddenly, she felt her hair yanked from behind and dragged down into the water, the rushing water filling her lungs and felt her head hitting the side. Romana pushed with all her strength and came face to face with Kaatje.

"Kaatje!" She exclaimed. For someone so young, she was incredible strong. Kaatje's hands held Romana's head under the water. Romana attempted to hold her breath but felt herself getting weaker and everything went black.

Kaatje held her down for a few more minutes and then let Romana's lifeless body sink at the bottom.

"Oh, dear, Mummy's had a little accident."

Back                         Home                              Doctor Who Main Page                          Next