Title: One of the Living
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Tenth Doctor/Ten.5
Fandom: Doctor Who
Rating: PG-13
Table: 6, 50ficlets
Prompt: 15, Living
Author's Note: Continuation of Have Faith.
Author's Note: The inspiration for this story arc was provided by the lovely fortisgreen. The muses and I all thank her for suggesting a storyline and letting us run with it!
Warnings: Character death.
Author's Note: The human version of the Doctor is being referred to as John Smith in this fic, since it's the Doctor's human alias and his clone needed a name.
Author's Note: Spoilers for Journey's End, somewhat. This is an completely alternate take on the ending of Season Four.
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my own imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the Tenth Doctor, or his human clone. Please do not sue.

***

The Doctor tried to brace himself for the flood of sensation he knew would hit him; being in the Chameleon Arch was painful at best, excruciating at worst. But he couldn't move; he had to be here with Jamie, to hold his lover's body upright.

When the feeling did hit him, it was far worse than it had been when he had made himself human and trapped his Time Lord essence in a pocket watch to hide from the Family of Blood. The pain seemed to run directly through his body, spreading to every nerve and fiber.

But he wasn't going to relinquish his hold on Jamie; whatever he went through would be more than worth it if his lover was brought back to him. The Doctor gritted his teeth, trying not to scream aloud, clinging to Jamie was though his own life depended on holding the other man.

The pain intensified, growing exponentially the longer that the two of them were in the Arch. A thin, high scream finally broke from the Doctor's throat; once it had started, he couldn't hold it back, and another one followed on its heels, louder than the last.

Still, he didn't let go of Jamie. His hold on the other man became tighter; he refused to give in to his need to escape the pain that was being inflicted on him. He had to hold on to his love, to be here with Jamie through whatever might happen to them.

Was living worth this kind of pain? Yes, he told himself, that inner voice faint and unsteady even as he heard it reverberating in his mind. It was worth anything he had to do for Jamie to be brought back to the land of the living, no matter what the risk was to himself.

The pain spiraled upwards, wringing another scream from his throat. Jamie's body was still limp in his arms; he had no idea if the Chameleon Arch was working as the Tardis seemed to think it would, or if what it was doing had no effect whatsoever.

All he could do was try to hang on as best he could, and hope that this machine didn't suck out his own Time Lord essence and leave it dissipated in the air. Though if it didn't bring Jamie back, it wouldn't really matter what happened to him, would it?

Would the two of them go on living as they had before, if this worked? That was the thought that the Doctor focused on to try and override the pain that seemed to be taking him over, seeping into his body with an insistence that he hadn't expected.

Or would everything be different for them? Would this experience change them to the point where their relationship was no longer the same? He didn't want to think about that; he didn't want to believe that this could make them love each other any less.

Was it his imagination, or was the pain starting to lessen now? Was this coming to an end -- and, more importantly, had it worked? Was Jamie now restored to him -- or was his lover still lifeless in his arms, as far away from the Doctor as he could possibly be?

The Doctor reached out to push the lever on the Chameleon Arch back down, his muscles almost refusing to obey him. His arm was trembling so badly that he could barely summon the strength to move, but he managed to press the lever -- with startling results.

He and Jamie were thrown from the Chameleon Arch, the device seeming to loosen its grip on Jamie's head the moment it was turned off. The two of them tumbled to the floor; the Doctor lay there, panting, his thin body sprawled on top of Jamie's, his lover still clasped in his arms.

Slowly, cautiously, the Time Lord placed hi hand on Jamie's chest. He closed his eyes, praying that he would feel what he so needed to discern -- a heartbeat, however faint, beating there under his searching palm. Some sign that Jamie was once again one of the living.

Long, agonizing moments passed -- and then, there was a deep, gasping breath from Jamie's throat. One hand moved, jerking spasmodically, and the Doctor could feel the lurch of a heartbeat under his fingers. A heartbeat that stuttered at first, then settled into a rhythm.

He moved slowly, lowering his head to press his ear to Jamie's chest. He wanted to be sure that he heard what he thought he did -- because if he was indeed hearing that heartbeat correctly, then a miracle might have just occurred right here in front of his eyes.

***

Next story in series - Unexpected Miracle.