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The Doctor found himself currently sitting with the Glorious Ponds.
“Doctor, were you at the First Olympics?” Amy asked, out of the blue.
“As a matter of fact, yes I was. Why do you ask?”
“It’s just, the Olympics next year is in London and all that, I was just wondering…”
“It’s that next year for you?”
“Yes, it is. Why?” Amy looked at him knowing something was up. He suddenly arose looking disturbed. “Doctor… Do you mind sharing?”
“I need to go…”
“Where?”
“I just… need to go. I have got a torch to carry.”
“And then what? Are going to pretend you are a footballer or something?” Amy looked at Rory. “Rory, do something.”
“Can’t, he is a grown up.” He said, not moving from his spot on the couch.
“You are useless, stupid face.” She threw a cushion at her husband. “Doctor…”
He was already inside the TARDIS, but before leaving he asked. “Is ‘Matt Smith’ too close to ‘John Smith’? I need to disguise myself,” he asked.
“I Think…” she started saying, but the door was already closed and the TARDIS had started its dematerialization noises.
After changing his clothes and thinking ‘uniforms are cool’, the Doctor ran on the street of London he had run oh-so-many years ago. He ran up to the athlete and caught the torch before his previous self and ran as fast as he could.
He wobbled a little; these legs weren’t the best he’d had. As he lit the pyre he did his best to put his two thumbs up and smile. No one had ever had the experience to light the pyre twice.
The Nation was so confused no one stopped him in order to find out who he was. As he was almost back in his TARDIS, he spotted himself.
“Why did it have to be you and not me?” Ten said while the Eleventh Doctor smiled at the slight petulant attitude he carried with his prior self.
“In my past you were the one who carried the torch.”
“And I bet you can’t tell me… I hate meeting future-selves, they are always so smug.”
“Yes, that’s me, Doctor smug, but don’t be afraid, the future is cool.” They shared a long look before the Eleventh continued talking. “Cherish Rose, as you know, they always leave one day.”
“Is this about her?” he sounded scared.
Eleventh’s hand flew to where his bowtie should be. “Need the bowtie to look cool, I don’t like that…. And no, it’s not about Rose. I need to leave my own timeline, so if you please.” He motioned for the other Doctor to move. The Tenth Doctor didn’t move.
“Tell me.”
“Oh, no. I won’t ruin such wonderful, brilliant surprise… But when you meet her…. When you meet her… Apologize. I remember you were very keen on saying you were sorry, so do it at least once for me.” His eyes were shinning with tears.
“Will I have to do this every time from now on?”
“Oh yes, don’t want that death on my name…” He got into his TARDIS before Rose appeared.
The Future was indeed cool; Teselectas, Big Bangs and Fairytales. But there was no Donna.
He stroked the TARDIS console as the memories flooded him, memories of days he didn’t know her; they all looked shallow now.
Paradoxes were cool, because they meant somewhere she was still alive.