The Doctor opened his eyes and looked up into the concerned face of Brigadier Kowlard.

‘You’re alive?’

The Doctor coughed. He wiped the dribbles of blood from his mouth. ‘Just barely.’

‘We need to get your back to the infirmary.’

The Doctor shook his head. ‘No. I have to find Alf.’ With great effort the Doctor lifted himself to his feet. He looked over at Nick’s head. It seemed so peaceful, and for a moment the Doctor almost believed Nick had died naturally. Until his foot brushed against the decapitated body. ‘Brad, Falex, Nick.’ He sighed. ‘No more.’

Without a glance back the Doctor stumbled his way through the worship hall and out of the old church to find Alf.

Kowlard shook his head, amazed at the Doctor’s strength of will. He looked down to the unconscious body before the stage. ‘Right, let’s get this kid to the infirmary then,’ he ordered Lance Corporal Ashton, completely unaware of what the body contained.

The bell tower rocked around her, as Alf looked out from a hole in the wall. The wind continued to rage, buffeting the tower from side to side. If she were thinking straight Alf may have likened it to being on a fairground ride, if she were thinking straight - but she was not.

The wind hit her face, causing tiny pinpricks of pain, but she did not notice. Her eyes were shut, her wet hair being blown about her head. While the storm continued to rage outside, within Alf was undergoing her own storm.

Emotions vied for control. She could see herself swinging the sword and slicing the head clean off, decapitating the body of her husband.

The creaking of wood alerted her to danger. Alf’s eyes sprang open and she spun around. The tower rocked again and beams of wood became loose. She ducked as a plank detached itself from the wall and flew past her into the air outside.

Shit, she thought, what the hell am I doing? I’m gonna get myself killed.

A stab of pain hit her heart. It hurt much more than anything physical could. The pain came from the knowledge that she would have to live on without Nick! After all they had been through, after the rough ride they had taken to become one in marriage. To have it all taken away just like that!

‘Alf!’ a voice called out.

She glanced down at the hatch. Someone was climbing the ladder to reach her. She knew just who it was.

‘Go away!’ she yelled back.

The hatch flipped open and the large form of the Doctor squeezed through the gap. Alf could not help but notice the large blood stain on his white shirt. Once he was on his feet he looked around the interior of the tower as, bit by bit, it was being torn apart by the storm. His eyes alighted on Alf. Alf was not sure if his face was wet from the rain or from tears.

‘Alf, you have to come with me!’ the Doctor shouted, trying to make himself heard above the howling wind.

‘No way! I ain’t going with you again! If Nick and I had never gone with you he’d still be alive! Why did you have to come back? We would have been happy on Alpha Centauri. We would have coped after your death. But you came back!’ Alf stepped forward. ‘Why?’ she yelled at the top of her lungs.

The Doctor shook his head but no words came. The tower shook, throwing them both together. The Doctor wrapped his arms around Alf.

‘Alf, come with me now. We can talk about this later!’

Alf pushed herself away. ‘No bloody way! Never again!’ She swung her fist and caught the Doctor clean in the face. ‘It’s your fault!’

The Doctor rubbed his bloody nose, but he did not back away. Instead he shook his head sadly. ‘I’m so sorry, Alf. I loved Nick, you must believe me!’

‘Shut up!’ she yelled and pushed him back. ‘Just shut up and leave me alone!’

‘No, Alf, I can’t do that.’

The Doctor suddenly let out a gasp of pain and gripped his chest. Blood seeped through his fingers. He looked back up at Alf as the colour drained from his face. His mouth opened and blood dribbled out. ‘Not now,’ he said and turned away and began to move towards the open hatch. His steps were shaky.

Alf just stood and watched as he staggered forward.

The tower lurched sideways as one of the support struts gave way, flinging the Doctor into the far wall. The wooden planks collapsed beneath his dead weight and his body toppled out of the tower. The sound of the wind was so loud that it blotted out any indication of when the Doctor’s body hit the ground thirty feet below.

Bracing herself against what was left of the wooden wall, Alf edged her way around the inside of the tower until she was able to peer through the gaping hole to the ground below. It was dark outside, but she could just about make out the unmoving shape at the bottom of the tower.

‘Oh god, what have I done?’ she whispered.

The Doctor’s eyes fluttered open and closed again. With much effort he forced them open and looked up at the shaking tower. He wanted to move, to rush back up the tower and to drag Alf from out of there, but he could not. Not only had the drop opened up the wound even more, but the angle at which he had landed had broken almost every bone in his body. All he could do was look up at the hole.

Lightning flashed, silhouetting the small figure that began to move away from the hole.

The Doctor’s eyes widened in alarm as a bolt of lightning hit another of the support struts, inches from his head. The wood erupted into flame and was quickly put out by the heavy rain. It was too late. The struts could no longer take the weight of the tower.

As the tower cascaded down on top of him the Doctor’s last thoughts were not of himself, but of his friend stuck in the tower.

‘Alf…’