θ 33

[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.]

Comments

Re: filter;

[bit_impossible]

To figure out some kind of technique I could use to shut them out. Well, short of putting myself into a self-induced coma and even then, I'm not certain that would work either.

Re: filter;

[oliverplus]

Did you try what you did with me? That drug?

Re: filter;

[bit_impossible]

That? Yes. Only put me out for twenty minutes though, Time Lord metabolism and all that.

Re: filter;

[oliverplus]

So no good for the TARDIS either... [sighs; now they're both in trouble, and he hates feeling like there's nothing he can do]

Re: filter;

[bit_impossible]

Nope. Probably would work even less for her. Her body's slightly different than mine, being a replica in a sense.

[puts on a smile] But don't worry about it, Ollie. I'll be fine--so will the TARDIS. We've been through far, far worse than this.

Re: filter;

[oliverplus]

[makes a face, absently taking a sip of tea while he tries to think of something else he can do; nearly chokes on the strong tea, however, coughing]

Re: filter;

[bit_impossible]

You know you're supposed to drink it, not inhale your tea, right?

Re: filter;

[oliverplus]

[coughs] Just...didn't realize you'd made it that strong.

Re: filter;

[bit_impossible]

Yeah...forgot about it for a little too long. [frowns] Put some sugar in it or something to take the edge off.

Re: filter;

[oliverplus]

Yeah, good idea. [goes to get the sugar bowl]

Re: filter;

[bit_impossible]

[watches him do that for a moment, sipping his tea.] I'm sorry Ollie. I know you came over to try to help, but there isn't anything you can do.

Re: filter;

[oliverplus]

[puts sugar into his tea, stirring it] Don't say that, Doctor. You're not getting rid of me that easy.

Re: filter;

[bit_impossible]

I could if I physically tossed you out, but you're in luck; I'm not feeling up to that. [smiles wryly]

Re: filter;

[oliverplus]

[grins at him, then frowns thoughtfully as he tries his tea again. glances up at the Doctor, not quite sure if he should ask this] Did the nightmare show your home, too? Was it like what you saw in the Holo-suite?

Re: filter;

[bit_impossible]

My nightmare? No. [thinks about that for a second.] Well...it sort of...changed places. It was on Gallifrey, it was on Earth, across the entire universe. [and on Gondovan.]

Re: filter;

[oliverplus]

And the smudge was just your home? Before you'd ever left it? [hesitantly] Is it showing terrible things, too?

Re: filter;

[bit_impossible]

Well, it was mostly of home, but it changed near the end. I kept watching because I wanted it to change back, but it never did.

Re: filter;

[oliverplus]

[frowns] But you knew what watching it would do.

Re: filter;

[bit_impossible]

It was my decision, yes, if that's what you're trying to say.

Re: filter;

[oliverplus]

[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?

Re: filter;

[bit_impossible]

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

Re: filter;

[oliverplus]

No. And that smudge-window thing knew that.

Re: filter;

[bit_impossible]

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.

Re: filter;

[oliverplus]

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?

Re: filter;

[bit_impossible]

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.