And on that day, the Doctor learned that the laws of the universe could be bent and even broken, but not without repercussions. For the first time in his life, he lost someone he never had a hope of saving.

When I read books, I tend to develop the characters (extensively) in my head. So, here is what I think Halt O'Carrick looks like. Minor spoilers for all books.

Halt, younger and (not really much) kinder, finds a stranger badly wounded on his doorstep. She's shrouded in mystery, covered in dirt and blood, and possibly ruder than Halt himself. The next day, she's gone. How will he react seeing her again, thirteen years later? What's more, she remembers nothing of him or the Ranger Corps. AU for the whole story. Spoilers. Rating may change.