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[neverginger]

[A device clicks on, and a face appears on the network: a thin one with a large nose and brown messy hair. And glasses. Needs the glasses to see, you know. He grins, all teeth.]

Alright, then, this is neat, isn't it!

[He's not really saying that to anyone in particular. Don't worry, happens all the time. You'll know if he's speaking to you directly. Most likely.]

Never seen this before. Well, seen things like it, but nothing's ever quite the same in two places, yeah? Bit rubbish that everything in here's made of wood, makes my screwdriver a bit obsolete, but still...

[He laughs, and steps back from the device, standing with his hands on his hips. He's in his suite in the Wood Sector. Pretty nice place, if you ignore the lack of sonic-ing abilities.]

Right. So. I'm the Doctor, just the Doctor, thank you, and I suppose I was brought here, same as all of you. Now who's got something interesting to tell me about their time here?

[A pause, and time to ruminate over a question that's been in his mind since he got here.]

And does anyone know what this planet's base is? Doesn't seem like most other ones. A bit harder, strange in places. What's it made from?

Comments

[neverginger]

[... He looks at her for a moment, listening, comprehending, and he opens his mouth to say something, but what is there to say? She's just another companion of the Doctor, sucked into time and space and used up and left to rot. Or pulled into an alternate universe. Or--

He'd like to think by the time his next regeneration comes around, he'd change. He'd learn his lesson and stop asking too much of people, expecting too much. But he knows he won't.]

I am so sorry.

[And he is. He means it, probably more than he'll ever mean anything else.]

[parallels]

It's fine.

I'm alright.

[She sees his face. She can feel his guilt and it makes her feel guilty. So she has to cut this off as soon as possible.]

[neverginger]

[No, no his guilt shouldn't make her feel guilty. That's not how it works. He's the guilty one, not her.

But he also would like to avoid all that uncomfortable-ness.]

Right. 'Course you are.

[parallels]

Oh.

Don't do the sad eyes. I hate the sad eyes.

[neverginger]

Can't just turn them off, I'm not a light-switch, thank you very much.

[But her comment did make him smile, at least. Fine, fine, he'll stop being sad.]

So you ended up here, then? How long ago?

[parallels]

Could do you some good to get it installed.

[She smiles back, a little sadly. She's able to make her way but she misses home, especially her Doctor and the children she looks after.]

Only a few weeks.

[neverginger]

[He scoffs at that. He's not a robot, thank you!]

Alien, not Cyberman, it's different, thank you.

[And damn, he's made her sad. He does have that effect doesn't he?]

I see.

[parallels]

I only said it would be useful. Not that it would be possible.

[She shakes her head with a tired grin.]

It's fine, really. I mean except for the whole between between life and death thing. Definitely prefer a solid answer on being alive.

[neverginger]

People tend to prefer that, yeah.

[Just something he's noticed. People always wanting to know if they're alive. Where's the fun in that?]

Is it enough that you're at least alive here?

[parallels]

No.

I have a life to get back to. A job to do. People to see.

I want nothing more to do with dying.

[neverginger]

S'not really how it works, I'm sorry to say.

[And he is sorry for it, just like he's sorry for every other pain he's caused her, however inadvertently.]

Are you sorry, then? That you helped me? Do you regret it?

[parallels]

Not even for a second.

You're my friend. My... my best friend.

[Welp. That's the first time she's ever admitted that aloud.]

[neverginger]

[Ah, and there's that loyalty he's used to from just about everyone he meets. But he does feel a certain amount of guilt that he doesn't even recognize her.]

Well, I'm sure you've got a good reason for that. Impeccable taste, of course.