Chapter 5

John fell against the old blue wooden door that opened under his weight. Catching him self before he fell to the floor from the added weight that he carried, he walked further into the TARDIS while dragging a limp and wounded Doctor in with him. The Doctor was currently being supported by both John and Sherlock, Sherlock shuffling in behind them on The Doctor's other side, and an arm was slung across both of the men's shoulders as he was dragged into the machine, up the stairs and laid flat on his back across the platform.

"I'll go get the first aid," John informed in a rushed mutter as he jumped up from the floor to turn and run to his room.

"No don't, there's nothing you can do John," The Doctor yelled as he tried to turn over to face the man he was speaking to, but at that moment he was hit by another wave of pain, and he laid flat on the against the floor once more.

"John, don't bother, you have nothing that can help him. We just need to wait," Sherlock began to explain.

Sherlock had seen this happen to The Doctor, "Regeneration" as he called it, only one other time. Sherlock knew what to expect from the outcome of the attack that The Doctor had suffered from and knew how to prepare for what was going to take place in only a matter of minutes. Sherlock had at first been concerned that he hadn't been there for The Doctor during his last change, had been concerned when The Doctor had come back to save him from the fall in a new form, as a slightly different man. But, thankfully, The Doctor seemed to have made it through the early days of his regeneration just fine, hopefully with some help along the way. But the change Sherlock had seen take place in person could only be described as impossible, mystical, and beautiful, and it was something that Sherlock would never be able to explain to anyone or himself in full. Sherlock hated using the phrase, but he can only say that the Regeneration happens, "Simply because Time Lords can regenerate", and he has absolutely no explanation as to how or why it happens.

So Sherlock, knowing what was about to take place, jumped up from his kneeling position on the floor beside The Doctor and moved to stand beside John, intending to explain everything as best as he could to his clueless flatmate before the change so he would be somewhat prepared, but was cut off by his friend's outburst.

"Wait?! He's dying, Sherlock, we have to help him. There must be something that we can do," John tried to reason.

Over the past several months, after all the work the three men did together and after all of the time traveling, adventures, living together and saving multiple worlds and countless lives together, John had grown rather attached to The Doctor and liked to consider them close friends. John blamed himself for The Doctor getting hurt, though of course there was no reason for him to as The Doctor was attacked by an alien that was native to the planet that they were currently visiting. But of course John would take responsibility for the attack and be completely convinced that there was something that he could have done to prevent it. So, being the medical man that John was, and The Doctor's friend, he would do anything he could to save him.

"No John, there is nothing you can do to help me, it's too late," The Doctor forcefully answered as he rolled to his front and pulled himself up to a standing position to lean against the controls. "I'm afraid. No one. Can help me. I'm dying. You see. And it's time. For my body. To repair," The Doctor continued to explain through gasps of air and another shot of pain.

"I don't understand, what do you mean repair," John asked, looking confused as he glanced between the two men in front of him, hoping that one of them would answer.

Sherlock grabbed John gently by the shoulder and moved him closer to the railing of the platform and further away from The Doctor as to give him room for when he changed. Then Sherlock began trying to explain to John what was about to take place in front of them.

"John, The Doctor is a Time Lord. Two hearts, with knowledge of the universe, and highly intelligent whenever it suits him to be. He's a completely different species from us and he also has a completely different life cycle than we have. When his body gets injured, when a Time Lord's body becomes unusable or unlivable, either from over use or over a long period of time, when a Time Lord dies, its body repairs itself. Time Lords have the ability to repair themselves or come back to life completely renewed. They have the ability to repair themselves a total of twelve times and The Doctor is about to change into his Twelfth form."

"Ok. Is that supposed to explain everything to me then? What do you mean he changes and renews himself? How is that possible," John asked again, confused and frustrated, wishing someone would just give him a straight answer. One of his friends was dying in front of him and the other was trying to very poorly give him lessons on the life cycle and biology of Time Lords which of course in John's current situation he couldn't and didn't want to understand. John just simply wanted a straight answer as to what was going to happen so he could prepare himself and help in any way he could, if there was anything that could be done, before it was too late.

"It means, John, to put it simply," The Doctor cut into the middle of their side conversation. Sherlock and John each turned to look towards The Doctor at the sound of his voice, giving him their full attention, and waited anxiously for him to continue.

The Doctor was panting slightly, but now he had a smile on his face as he met the pairs gaze and pushed off of the controls to stand on his own. He took a few steps, moving away from the controls, stumbling only slightly, and lifted his right hand up to his face and his smile grew. Sherlock and John followed his gaze and looked on in awe as they saw that The Doctor's hand began to glow a bright golden color. "Sherlock, John, it's been a pleasure, it truly has. Thank you so much, the both of you, you truly made it worthwhile."

"Doctor, please tell me, what is going to happen to you," John asked again, pleading for an answer.

"I'm changing John. I have changed many times throughout the fifteen hundred odd years I've been alive and now it's time to change again," The Doctor replied with a smaller smile, it had changed slightly and now it was almost sad. As he talked his other hand began to glow and the light became stronger, brighter. "Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, please, remember me and help him."

"Of course Doctor," Sherlock answered with the same, sad smile, but the look in his eyes told John that he knew more. There was something else, something that wasn't as sad. Sherlock wasn't saying goodbye to a close friend. No the look in his eyes held the truth to the secret that the two were either keeping from John or that they both just couldn't completely explain, or maybe John just didn't want to understand until he saw something happen for himself.

Sherlock wasn't saying, 'goodbye', but he was saying, 'I'll be here when you get back'.

The Doctor looked them both in the eyes, each in turn for the last time with the face that he was currently wearing, and then he faced forward, looking straight ahead with his head held high. Speaking clearly with his current voice for the last time, he whispered, "Thank you."

And with that The Doctor threw his head back and bright blinding golden light consumed his face and hands. It broke through with a fierce and final blast to signal that the change was going into full effect and it continued to pour from his face and wrists in a seemingly endless stream. The Doctor stood before Sherlock and John spread eagle as his body completely repaired itself and he began to change. The two stood still and watched in silent awe for several excruciatingly long seconds until the light flashed and then quickly, almost instantaneously faded.

And just like that a different man stood in place of The Doctor. This man looked much older and grayer. He had a slightly harder face with striking facial features, but Sherlock and John looked into his eyes and instantly recognized the man standing in front of them. This strange man who changed his face so quickly and easily was The Doctor. TheDoctor. Their Doctor.

The small group of men stood in silence watching each other, waiting for someone to make a move.

Then, Sherlock and John whispered in quiet, nervous, cautious unison, "Doctor?"

"Kidneys!" The Doctor exclaimed abruptly, then he began to move around the TARDIS and speak in short and clipped utter nonsense for several seconds, as if he was having a conversation with himself. Then he stopped abruptly and turned to look at Sherlock and John and, as if he was seeing them for the first time, he asked in an only slightly panicked tone of voice, "Just one question. Does anyone know how to fly this thing?"

"What?" John asked in a deadpan tone as his face fell flat of expression, not expecting a reply. Then he looked to Sherlock.

Sherlock was again wearing a smile on his face, a dangerous smile, and he simply mused to himself aloud, "Here we go again."

Author's Notes: Well I'm going to end this story here. Thank you to all that followed/favorited my story. I'm sorry this last chapter took me so long to post, but school/band started and is taking up all my time. So thanks again and remember to leave a review to let me know what you thought of my story. If you have any interest at all, please take a look at my other stories as well, if you liked this one you may just like them all. Again, I really hope you enjoyed my story and thanks again!