THE BRAXIATEL COLLECTION

Beta read by The ones that waited

Disclaimer I dont own anything

The Final Resting Place of Romana mentions of Brax/Romana and Doctor/Romana

The story begins with a Time Lord and a Time Lady. They fall in love. Then, for reasons only known to them, they fall out of love, then fall in love again. Then one of them is lost, Romana. Lost in a pocket universe known as E-space.

Of course, everyone knows the relationship between the Doctor and Romana was going to be complicated, and even when it came to an end it was never truly going to be over for long. Even Gallifrey could not keep either of them apart. True love on Gallifrey was rare, but it happened. A marriage according to the high council was about strengthening the houses, or at least it should be. The Time Lords had frowned upon the Doctor and Romana's relationship just like they had frowned at Leela's and Andred's marriage.

Braxiatel glanced at his President, her face displaying a range of emotions.

"Why Brax, every time I attempt to live my life the High Council is determined to make my life, and indeed, my presidency, as difficult as they possibly can." She let out a deep sigh as her stomach twisted into knots. Her whole body stiffened.

He put his hands on her shoulders. "I don't stand with the High Council. I never will, I am on your side."

"It hardly seems to matter. They will win as always."

"Do you love him, Romana?"

"Yes"

"Then doesn't it seem worth fighting for?"

"Don't you think we have done enough fighting?" a small curve reached the ends of her mouth. It was not a full smile, but a smile nevertheless.

"Inquisitor Darkel sees this as my biggest mistake, my relationship with the Doctor. As the end of the world. She could not contain herself from telling me earlier that the high council has a little surprise in store for me."

"Oh." Braxiatel's face suddenly dropped.

"Braxiatel?" Romana gave him a you better tell me now look.

"Do not worry, My Lady," Braxiatel replied a little too quickly.

"I think you had better tell me." Romana replied calmly.

"They have suggested that, as you are young and the Doctor has somewhat seduced you, an arranged marriage might be somewhat-"

"They said what!" Romana's voice was now raised.

"This suggestion came from the CIA."

"Oh did it? Let me guess, this was Narvin's idea."

Braxiatel pursed his lips together. "Yes, My Lady."

"I am going to kill him! Slowly and painfully. He is going to wish he never came back to Gallifrey once I am done with him."

Romana and the Doctor were not exactly logical, they did not follow the crowd. but Romana had to put Gallifrey first. It was a losing battle that made her feel sick as the High Council was determined to have their way. Suggesting that the Doctor seduced her! That she was young too young to understand what love was! Romana was strong, he thought that everyone heard the fight that day.

"Absolutely not! I may be President and serve Gallifrey but you do not own the part of me that decides whom I love and marry. "

He had remembered hearing how they had torn them apart and Romana deciding that Gallifrey meant too much to her to give up. Stupid Time Lords, stupid High Council, thought the Doctor to himself. He wanted to crush them under his feet, their hatefulness, their cruel and downright controlling nature.

Why do I even come back? he thought to himself, but he knew why. Romana. She was worth it. But the high council had made it impossible for them to be together and in the end he had been forced to walk away from her. Or at least that's how it looked they were like a modern day version of Romeo and Juliet. Sneaking around like a couple of students could only continue for so long.

"I am getting married," Romana said the last time he visited her, when he had tried to convince her to run from Gallifrey. "An arranged marriage," she confirmed. "You know I have no power here. I am the one with the least amount of power. I may be President, but it's just a fancy title."

"Surely you can say no," said the Doctor, pushing a strand of hair from her face.

"If only it were that simple, my presidency is hanging by a thread already. The High Council only needs to make one cut. They gave me an ultimatum: give up my presidency or marry."

"Who are you expected to marry?"

"The Castellan."

The Doctor took Romana's hand "You can't!"

She grabbed him, kissing him fiercely. He kissed her back without hesitation, wrapping his arms tightly around her, not wanting it to end, but finally pulling away.

"This is crazy! We love each other, we shouldn't have to hide it," he said, planting a trail of kisses all over her face and meeting her lips once more. He kissed her again as she pulled closer to him, resting her head against his shoulder.

The Castellan was a fierce, hot-headed, cruel man that even the Doctor despised. He could not stand the thought of him been anywhere near Romana.

"Seems my fate is sealed," she replied with a dismayed look in her eyes.

The mere thought of the Castellan with his hands over Romana sickened the Doctor.

But then came the war, and Romana lost the Presidency. Even then she had refused to come with him, wanting to help her people.

He left once again.

He had heard of the relationship between Braxiatel and Romana despite how he still felt. He knew Braxiatel would never hurt her. He was totally devoted to her, hardly left her side. After she had been murdered Braxiatel had never been the same again, confirming to him that Romana and Braxiatel's relationship had been as strong as their's once was. But she had meant more to Braxiatel.

The Doctor came here once a year to pay remembrance this is where he buried Romana her final resting place she would of liked the place he chose he was sure of it.

It was hard, every day, living without her. The Time War took her, destroyed her, leaving him devastated.

He had arrived far too late to save Romana. If only, he mused to himself, he had left her in E-space or on some far away planet letting her live. Or if he had spent more time on Gallifrey with her, being there when it really mattered instead of leaping and running, leaving everything behind.

He tried to be strong for her, to live for her. It would have been Romana's last wish for him not to wallow in her death, to celebrate her life no matter how short it was.

He had known the love Braxiatel and Romana had had for each other. Braxiatel had given her what the Doctor couldn't, or what he should have. He never begrudged her the happiness she deserved. She wouldn't leave Gallifrey, she was like a mother to her planet. She cared, she nourished, she loved them, and the worse thing: in the end it wasn't the Daleks who murdered her, it was Gallifrey. The Time Lords turned against her, tore her apart, annulling a large part of her Presidency, discrediting her, trying to erase all knowledge of her. As if she had never been there.

They said her death would have been quick but not painless. His brother was dead now too, the two people he cared for most. He wasn't sure why Brax died, or how. Some said he was assassinated; others that he just could not carry on, that he died of broken hearts. Maybe that was true. Maybe it was fitting that he should be buried next to her, as much as the Doctor wished it were he that were dead instead. But one day he, too, would be reunited with Romana. The only one he had truly loved.

Until then he would live for her as if she was watching over him and, maybe, in some way she was.

And she was proud of him.

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