Title: Have Faith
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Tenth Doctor/Ten.5
Fandom: Doctor Who
Rating: PG-13
Table: 6, 50ficlets
Prompt: 28, Faith
Author's Note: Continuation of Flood of Tears.
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.

***

How had this happened? The Doctor didn't know, and at the moment, he didn't care. All that he could focus on was the fact that the man he loved was gone, his short human life snuffed out like a candle flame. And that life had been taken his own ship.

"How could you do this?" he moaned, rocking back and forth with Jamie's lifeless body clutched in his arms. He desperately wanted to feel that single heart beating in Jamie's chest, to realize that he'd made a mistake and that his love was still alive, still here with him.

But there was no mistake. Jamie had no pulse, no heartbeat. His body was already cooling; there was no spark of warmth, nothing to convince the Doctor that he could be brought back. The love of his life was gone, cruelly ripped from him with no warning whatsoever.

It took him a few moments to raise his head again, to look at the ship with anger in his eyes. The Doctor opened his mouth to speak -- but was silenced at the sight of the Chameleon Arch descending from the ceiling, a pulsating glow around the machinery.

Why was the Chameleon Arch there? He knew that he hadn't released the mechanism that would lower the machinery to its current position -- had it had something to do with why Jamie was dead in his arms? Had the Chameleon Arch caused this?

The lights around the Arch dimmed, as though the Tardis was trying to tell him something. The Doctor closed his eyes, trying to focus on the bond between himself and his ship, though at the moment that bond was more strained than it had ever been.

Something seemed to be circling around the edges of his fogged brain, trying to cut through the layers of grief and loss that were enveloping him. There was some knowledge that was trying to make it way in, desperately needing to make itself known to him.

That knowledge burst upon the Doctor in a flash, making his eyes widen and his hearts beat faster with renewed hope. Getting to his feet, he gently lifted Jamie's inert body from the ground and stumbled towards the Chameleon Arch with his lover in his arms.

Was this what the Tardis meant for him to do? The Chameleon Arch might be able to bring him back -- after all, it could take the essence of a Time Lord and transfer it to a hiding place, as well as rendering that Time Lord's body human. It might have other abilities, as well.

He had never thought that the Arch could bring someone back from the dead -- but then, he'd never needed to contemplate that possibility before. If there was any chance that it could restore Jamie to him, then he would take any risk that might be involved.

Wrapping one arm around Jamie's slender waist, he managed to get the machinery settled onto the other man's head, adjusting it as best he could. The Tardis' walls glowed, the light dimming and brightening again, as though she approved of what he was doing.

Finally, he was ready. The Doctor slid his free arm around Jamie's waist, pulling his lover close against him before he reached out to pull the lever that would set the Chameleon Arch in motion. He had no idea what it would do to him, but he had to be here to hold Jamie's body upright.

He had to have faith that this would work, he told himself, his inner voice sounding hesitant and fearful in his mind. He had to believe that the Arch could restore Jamie, had to believe that no harm would come to either of them. That hope was all he had left.

That faith would have to carry him through whatever happened -- though if Jamie wasn't restored to his former self, the Doctor didn't much care what happened to him. Without Jamie, there was no reason for him to go on. The center of his life would be gone, his world in pieces.

The Doctor closed his eyes, wishing that he could send a prayer out to any deity -- though he didn't particularly believe in one. He needed some kind of help to get him through this, something that he could hold on to as tightly as he was holding Jamie close to him.

Reaching out a trembling hand, he curled his fingers around the lever, taking a deep breath and sending out a prayer to any deity that might hear him. It was all in fate's hands now -- and he could only hope that she would decide to smile on both of them.

***

Next story in series - One of the Living.