bit_impossible

[curfew's just ending and where is he? in his suite like an obedient passenger, except he's not chomping on his bit to leave as usual, no, not today. when the sphere turns on, he's standing in the bathroom, the door closed, and wearing only just a pair of pyjama bottoms as he hangs his head over the sink. his face remains hidden from view as water droplets slide down his hair and trickle down the tip of his poor swollen nose. wet hands clutch white-knuckled at the edges of the sink while goose pimples run up bare arms and down his naked torso as he just stands there for a moment longer, oblivious to the transmission.

with his back still to the sphere, he reaches for a towel, gripping it awkwardly with his thumb and tries pinning the material between it and the glove-like cast on his left hand. after fumbling with it for a moment, he shifts his body and grabs at it with his good hand, muttering something under his breath as he throws the towel over his head. it's right then, however, as he's drying his hair that he catches the sphere in the mirror's reflection--and how he can tell that it's on when it looks like a miniature sun, well, it's probably best not to ask. probably wouldn't give a straight answer anyway.

and whether he'll admit if he's been to the curious window on Level 23 or not is anybody's guess.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[is struggling to understand and feeling more unsettled the more he thinks about it] I just...I thought you did it for the TARDIS, but...it wasn't just that, was it?

Of course it was for the TARDIS! But...even I'm not completely unselfish, Oliver...

No. And that smudge-window thing knew that.

I...don't think it's sentient, Oliver. I think it was showing us something of what we wanted to see. Or at least me. [softly] I just didn't think I'd wanted to see back that far...

So we were the ones who programmed it, in a sense.

But somebody set it up to do that. I mean, from what you're saying, it was set up to make people look at it long enough to get nightmares--even after they know that's going to happen. It showed you something you couldn't look away from...right?

Well, like I said, I haven't spoken to everyone about this. There's every possibility that some people haven't--or they saw something that didn't completely make them want to remain there. I only stayed because I wanted to and because I had to in order get the nightmares like the old girl has.

We could always test that... [his worry and curiosity are starting to get the better of him]

Absolutely not. No more testing. I don't want your nightmares getting even worse, Oliver.

You could come with me--make sure I only look for a minute.

[shakes his head] No. Because if I let you near there and I get caught up in it again too, I won't be able to get you away. It's best we both avoid it altogether.

[sighs] You're right...

Just be careful, Doctor. Don't you go near there again.

I don't plan on going near it again. [not unless he has to.]

[sips more of his tea.]

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