THE GALLIFREY CHRONICLES, THE FALL OF GALLIFREY

It had all been so exciting at first, sneaking around Gallifrey, but now their relationship was out in the open. Romana and Narvin had lost that excitement in their relationship and now as a result Narvin could not sleep. Since the relationship between him and Romana had fallen apart he had been like a bear with a sore head, snapping at everyone.

He still wanted her. He loved her. But Romana would not give him another chance and he was angry with himself. She had told him in no uncertain terms that she didn't want him or require his presence at her home tonight and he couldn't blame her. He had betrayed her..

He got up, pulling his robes on, and headed towards the Presidential offices. He opened the door and his gaze took in the sight of Romana and Awen. They were sitting before an open fire, and Romana was talking quietly to her and they seemed to be bonding. It seemed she was finally accepting her child, which he reasoned had to be a huge thing. Not wishing to intrude, he quietly left.

Romana put an arm around Awen. "You are my daughter. You were taken from me and now I want you to stay here."

"What of my father?" she questioned.

"I loved him very much. Once he was everything to me; my first love. After I left him I exiled myself to a pocket universe known as E-space because I didn't want to come back here." She gently ran her hands through her daughter's soft hair. "I had seen all that out in the universe. How could I spend the rest of my life back on Gallifrey after all that? It was all so wonderful out there but sometimes," she paused.

"What? " she asked

"I used to think the universe was one big adventure, but then you see things that make you see how dark it really is." She took a deep breath. "I spent twenty years as a slave to the Daleks. It changed the way I saw things."

"Am I supposed to feel sorry for you?" Awen spat. She had not meant to be harsh but if this was the same boring fairy tale about what happened for Romana to lose her she did not want to hear it. She had heard it too many times from her, from Narvin and various others.

Narvin had told her to give Romana a chance and here she was sprouting the same story and she had no interest in hearing it or making it easy. She had always been told she was her worst enemy.

"Awen, please I don't want us to fight. I love you, you are my child," Romana pleaded.

"I am not a child," she replied quietly.

"Awen, I want to get to know you."

"Then choose," she paused before delivering her ultimatum, "me or Narvin. You cant have us both."

"Awen, that's not fair. It was the worse day of my life losing you. I am so sorry for what happened to you but you cant make me choose."

"Then there is nothing left to say." How could her mother choose Narvin over her. This wasn't the answer Awen had wanted, for Romana hadn't chosen at all.

"Don't you dare offer me an ultimatum. You say you are not a child but you are acting like a spoilt one."

It had become second nature for Romana to haul insults at this child knowing she had obviously been through so much herself. Realizing this, she knew she had to apologize for what she'd said.

"I'm sorry," Romana whispered. "The time I spent with your father before he eventually brought me back home had been wonderful. I don't regret a moment with him because of you."

"So why Narvin?" She frowned at the mere thought of her mother with the co-ordinator. It disgusted her. Such things should not be done and she was determined to split them up, whatever it took. He was not right for her, surely Romana needed to see that she needed to be with the father of her unborn child.

"Sometimes we cant help who we fall in love with, Awen."

"And Braxiatel?" she asked.

"He is in the past. We were not right for each other."

Awen scoffed. She could see the way Romana and Braxiatel looked at each other, despite his seemingly earlier treatment of her, and she was determined that Romana needed to be with someone who deserved her and that did not include Narvin.

Braxiatel had not been expecting to see Romana wandering the capital so late at night, especially with no body guard. She was just walking. He had called out her name, but she neither looked over at him or seemed to have heard. He managed to catch up to her. She was only wearing a very thin night dress. He took her shoulders, forcing her to look at him, but her eyes darted anywhere but him.

Realising that she was sleep walking, he took off the extra gown he was wearing and wrapped it around her. He lifted her into his arms and carried her towards the Presidential offices. Once there, he placed her softly in her bed and watched as she closed her eyes.

"Braxiatel," she mumbled his name in her sleep. Her eyes immediately opened, seeing Braxiatel standing by her bed.

Was it a dream, him been there? She wished he would turn up and take her for himself, but she knew Braxiatel didn't see her like that. Yet here he was.

"Braxiatel, what are you doing here?" she asked.

"You were outside and were sleep walking so I brought you home."

"I was?" whispered Romana.

Braxiatel smiled softly at her. "Do not worry my lady," he said, placing a kiss to her forehead. "Get some rest now. I will see you in the morning, Romana."

He quietly left the room as both her hearts sank in her chest. The last thing she did was whisper Braxiatel's name before she sunk into sleep.

Braxiatel sighed as he left the presidency quarters. This had not been the first time Braxiatel had felt concern for his President but the last time he reasoned he would simply let the chancellor guards sleep on the job while his President wandered through the capital, anything could happen.

She had never been known for sleep walking before so he didn't know if there was some underlying problem or she was just stressed. He had tried to speak to the hard headed co-ordinator but he neither seemed like he was concerned or even cared. He started wondering if Narvin had been responsible for the increased stress Romana was clearly dealing with.

He had grown used to Romana's emotions being all over the place, her moods changing with no warning whatsoever.

He knew her moods quite well, even when recently they had increased he had learned how to deal with her. He had gotten used to her tears, to seeing her tearful for no logical reason. He was used to seeing her in floods of tears, usually when he walked in on her. Other times she - or some concerned member of her household on her behalf - would call him in much the same state. Those were the times when all she would do is sit and cry, not letting anyone console her, and tell him she was fine when it was clear to him she was anything but.

He was used to Romana being strong, not like she was now. He had spent many a sleepless night thinking of this Time Lady, devoting himself to her so his president got what she needed no matter what it was. He didn't care for Narvin's comments that Romana wanted him to tend to everything and maybe she did but that wasn't his to question.

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