Title: So Many Choices
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: gen
Fandom: Doctor Who
Rating: PG
Table: 1, 50ficlets
Prompt: 38, Universe
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my own imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the Tenth Doctor. Please do not sue.

***

There was a whole universe out there that he could explore, the Doctor mused to himself, leaning back in his chair with his feet up on the console of his ship. Where would he choose to go? After all, there were any number of places.

Was there anywhere that he hadn't been that he'd always wanted to see? He almost snorted aloud at the question. Of course there was. There were several; in fact, too many for him to gather them all into his mind at the moment.

Earth alone boasted too many times and places he'd never been, events that he'd always wanted to be in the middle of. Well .... as long as he didn't get caught up in those events and get himself into trouble that he couldn't easily escape from.

And as for people he'd always wanted to meet -- there were certainly enough of those, as well. Too many to name.

He'd met several people who he'd always admired. WIlliam Shakespeare, for one. Agatha Christie. Others from different time periods, people who had shaped the history of Earth. People who had added to the richness of the diversity that made up the planet.

Why was he sitting here contemplating where he should go? Why didn't he just decide on a place, a time, and go there? He'd done it often enough before -- just jumping in feet first, without looking at where he was going and what it could be like.

That had gotten him into trouble too many times, he cautioned himself with a frown. He really didn't want to go running into something again, without at least having an idea of what he could he heading for. He'd learned the folly of that.

But then, what was the fun in going somewhere if he knew just what would happen? He made a face at his own indecision; he really should get his feet off the console, stand up, press a few buttons and make a decision.

Still .... he sighed, closing his eyes and thinking back to some of the problems he'd run into when he'd run blindly into a time without considering what might be going on. There had been some narrow escapes, ones that he didn't want to repeat.

And there had been events that had broken his hearts .... though he really didn't want to remember those. They were best left in the past.

That was the problem with being a time traveler, he told himself, sighing again and crossing his arms behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling of the Tardis. There were too many choices. Having too much was just as bad as not having enough.

It was such a big universe, even if he only stuck to one time period. And with all of eternity to choose from, either going forward in time or going into the past, he had such a choice in front of him that it was hard to decide which way to turn.

So, of course, he just sat here on the Tardis, contemplating everything around him and not doing anything, not going anywhere, not making any choices at all, he told himself wryly, wishing that he could convince himself to move from his comfortable position.

But why should he move? Why should he hurry off to any place in particular? a little voice in the back of his mind piped up. He had nowhere that he had to be. He could do whatever he chose; he should take a bit of time for himself, for a change.

He almost wanted to laugh at himself for that line of reasoning. That wasn't what being a Time Lord was about, was it? He had responsibilities; he couldn't just do what he wanted. He'd feel too guilty, even though he did take time to enjoy himself when he chose to.

Being a Time Lord wasn't always about saving the world, that little voice continued. He couldn't expect himself to concentrate on nothing but that. All work and no play, and all that.

No one had called him on the psychic paper. He hadn't had some premonitory feeling that he was needed anywhere. He really had nothing to do at the moment, and he should enjoy that time to himself and do whatever he wanted.

Which would be much easier if he knew what he wanted to do. And where he wanted to go. With so much to choose from, he'd have to work at narrowing it down to a place that he really wanted to see.

Or maybe he could just ask the Tardis. Surely she would take him somewhere interesting, to a place that he'd always wanted to go and had never seemed to have the time to take in before. She knew him well -- she'd be able to divine where he should go.

The Doctor opened his eyes, smiling up at the ceiling. He had a feeling that the Tardis already knew what he was thinking -- and that she was already on her way to whatever place she'd picked out for him to go. It would be interesting to find just where that turned out to be.

***

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