Memories of You
The Doctor's memory was lost and found in 'Restoration', but even then he admitted he didn't remember everything. There are still memories, reasonably recent ones, he has expected to return, which haven't yet. In his quest to fill in the gaps, he will have to trust someone who's been untrustworthy through the years and will have to face some hard truths. A trip down memory lane will not be all fun and games...
From Episode One:
Inside the TARDIS, the Doctor was busily searching through the memory files in the TARDIS databanks, looking for a particularly recent event. The TARDIS was capable of many things when it was fully functional. Even now, in its oft rebuilt and occasionally ramshackle condition, most of the basic functions still operated. One of these was the recording function. Every TARDIS since the Type Six Mark I model, developed just after the Time Lord policy of non interference took effect, records the events that occur around a traveling Time Lord for input into the Matrix, a massive network of information created and hidden by the Time Lords. Not so long ago, the Doctor had temporarily lost his memory after regenerating. While his memory eventually returned, bits and pieces of things were lost to him, most important of which were the circumstances surrounding his regeneration. It had suddenly occurred to him to watch the replay of the event and hope that it stirred up memories. Since he was having no success in his attempts to pilot the TARDIS back to 'real time' from the Nexus of Possibilities, he decided it would be a good thing if he could accomplish something. The problem he was encountering was that he couldn't find that for which he was searching.
Slowly and steadily, a crease formed in his forehead. Difficulties like this tended to cause this change in his expression, especially if there was no one around to talk with, as was the case of the moment. He was not afraid to talk aloud to himself, but he was trying to kick the habit. His companion, Julie, had laughed at him too much recently. So, instead of talking, he frowned. Were Julie to enter the console room and see him frowning, she would ask what the problem was and then he could go from there. Instead of being a source of humour, perhaps he could get some sympathy. He could dream anyway.
It irritated him that the TARDIS was proving to be so stubborn. His inability to find the correct file made him feel that the file was being hidden from him, almost as if the TARDIS had taken the file and tucked it away so that even he couldn't find it. That was unlike her; usually the TARDIS did her best to lend a hand.
The folder entitled 'Regenerations' seemed to be a file short. 'Regen1to2', 'Regen2to3', 'Regen3to4', etc. were all there but 'Regen7to8', which he expected to find, was noticeable by its absence. His frown grew stronger as he tapped buttons and forced the databank to show more files, digging deeper into other folders. Buried, tucked away in a folder entitled 'Keep Away!' was a file called 'Regen7to8'.
"About time," slipped past his lips as he moved to open the file and start playing the memory sequence. The machine beeped at him and asked for a password.
He grunted angrily. Why was the file password encoded? What had he experienced that was so awful, not only would he forget it, but bury it away in the hopes he'd never find it and then lock it up in the event he did find it? Not knowing what had happened to him bothered him. The fact that it must have been a highly unpleasant experience for him to lock it away bothered him as well. He needed to know, wanted to know, but also realized he probably wouldn't like knowing. Emotionally drained,he closed up all the open folders and sat down in the soft chair he'd dragged into the console room some time ago. He began to brood.
