Pre-θ 8 - Forgiveness

[bit_impossible]

[ooc: Before the Recursive Mind plot.]

[his shoulder twinges slightly, making him wince every now and then from the pain emanating from the wound every time he moves his arm in any single way. he really wishes it would just hurry up and heal; he rather likes having full range of motion for both arms. after checking the bar, he figured that it's either the library or the kitchen that he should check next but he decides to be contrary to such thoughts on the off-chance that Oliver didn't go there and headed to the forest instead. and that's where he is now, dodging branches and listening to the river burbling softly off in the distance.

well...he's listening for anything, really: the rustle of leaves, the crunching of twigs underfoot, anything.

and on the off-chance that anything making those noises hears him in any way, he decides to speak while he keeps an eye out for any movement. his voice is in its normal timbre but with a touch of gentleness in its tone.]

Ollie, if you can hear me--and I really hope you do otherwise this would sound incredibly silly and ridiculous--I need you to listen. I mean, it's not like I don't talk out loud to myself half the time anyway, but it's always nice that someone's on the receiving end of things I've got to say. Like now, for instance.

Hopefully just from the sound of my voice and my being here is enough. I'm all right, just like I said I'd be. But the one thing I didn't check before I left was how well you were. I need you to see that everything is all right--and that you can come home. That's why I'm here, speaking to the trees and flowers and the river nearby, and if you're not here, I'll go entertain an entire library of books next. Maybe I ought to have gone there first, but I kind of had a feeling you might not have gone there for any particular long length of time, not after those creatures had invaded.

I want you to come home, Ollie.

Comments

[bit_impossible]

What, doing something drastic and dangerous? Really, Ollie, I thought you knew me better. [but he says so with a slight smile]

And if that robot hadn't stopped, I would have dropped from the Plane before it came to that. I still had time--and I trusted you. Even then, I could tell you were coming out of it.

[oliverplus]

[sighs] I mean you shouldn't've had to go so far.

[blinks. he hadn't thought of that. nods] That's good. I thought... [shakes his head]

[bit_impossible]

I do what has to be done. The method isn't always nice or harmless; often it's far from that. And in this case, I'd rather it be me that got hurt than you.

[stands and reaches across the table, putting a hand on Oliver's shoulder]

[oliverplus]

You wouldn't've stabbed me like that!

[he's surprised by the gesture, but he gives the Doctor a grateful look] I'm just glad you're okay, Doctor...

[bit_impossible]

No. No, I wouldn't have done. But! You could have stabbed yourself on accident. Or if I tried to disarm you, you could have fought against me and got hurt that way.

And I'm glad you are--well, with the exceptions of a few scraps, anyway. [looks meaningfully at the mark on Oliver's head as he sits back down]

[oliverplus]

That still would've been better! It wouldn't've been a bad injury...

[ignores that look and turns his head in an attempt to hide the welt from the Doctor's gaze. he's just looking at something in the corner of the room, really, Doctor!]

[bit_impossible]

Oh no? If you haven't noticed, you've got quite the odd sort of luck--and when I say 'odd', I mean that someone somewhere must have it out for you. Well, that and you haven't had the best of luck in fights either, so you very well could have accidentally stabbed yourself fatally or tripped and fallen on your knife like Dido her sword. I do believe I made that comparison back in the maze, actually. But that's the sort of chance I couldn't take. I'm not going to see you die.

[he frowns at that.] And I am interested to know how you got that welt in particular.

[oliverplus]

[frowns, fidgeting uncomfortably] I wasn't going to die.

[shrugs evasively and takes another sip of tea, his gaze squarely focused on the teacup] I bumped my head.

[bit_impossible]

Again, I couldn't take that chance, not when it was a very plausible outcome. Your protection, your safety, matters the most. Yours and Harriet's and thankfully, she can't come here. [it's one less person to look out for]

Oh yeah? [leans forward] Funny, it doesn't seem door-shaped.

[oliverplus]

[snaps] What about you!?

[pulls back, not looking at him. quietly:] I think it was a gear.

[bit_impossible]

[dismissively, casually] Doesn't matter. [he says right before he goes to grab his cup with his right arms and winces]

That was quite some gear. [so doesn't buy a word of that]

[oliverplus]

[it's Oliver's turn to give the Doctor a Look!] 'Course it does!

[but it probably was a gear! he just doesn't want to admit he was propelled into it by an explosion because he knows the Doctor will want to see his burns. he shrugs again in a vain attempt to make it seem like No Big Deal] I hit it sorta hard.

[bit_impossible]

[gives him a Look right back]

Lucky you didn't crack your skull open--but then again, you have got a pretty thick head.

[oliverplus]

[dodges that Look by looking down at his tea again, not saying anything]

[bit_impossible]

[and with the subject of his own safety in the face of danger sufficiently dodged...]

At least it doesn't look too bad. [pulls out his sonic screwdriver and scans Oliver] Nope, not bad at all but then again, it has had time to heal. [a short pause] ...Why are there residual traces of an explosive substance near that wound?

[oliverplus]

[mutters] Toldja.

[winces. oh, so not what he wanted the Doctor to notice] There were these...metal bug things. They blew up.

[bit_impossible]

[ignores that 'toldja, his eyebrows rising in surprise] The insects did that? Blimey, good thing they didn't when I stopped Box...

[oliverplus]

[is surprised by that] They didn't? Well, that's good. [clearly the Doctor is better at stopping people in time than Oliver is] They were just little explosions. There were just...sort of a lot.

[bit_impossible]

Good thing they were. You always do seem to find the explosions, don't you?

[oliverplus]

[pouts] It wasn't on purpose.

...are we going to Lun soon?

[bit_impossible]

[casually] Soon--

--once you've realised that none of this has been your fault. [eyes him]

[oliverplus]

[sighs and looks down, not meeting that gaze. he's starting to get the feeling he could be here forever--or until he stops running away] It's not that easy, Doctor...

[he pauses for a moment. then, nervously and still without looking up:] You mentioned...what we said. In the bar.

[bit_impossible]

[right on the nose!] Oh, I know. [softly, a distant look in his eye] I know that very well.

[that look leaves his eyes] But yes, I had. [leaves it open for Oliver to broach the subject]

[oliverplus]

[glances at him uncertainly, but he doesn't press]

[for a moment, he hopes the Doctor will bring it up so he doesn't have to. but after an awkward pause, he finally forces himself to stop running] I know you were testing me, but you... [pauses, looking the Doctor in the eyes and trying not to sound as afraid as he feels] You meant it, didn't you? About me ending up on another Gondovan. It's what I'm headed for.

[bit_impossible]

[he's relieved to hear that Oliver knows he was testing him, but any sign of that is not in his expression now]

If you continue on the path that you were on, then yes. You could create another Gonodovan. Not with me, mind, but with Harriet or anyone else who finds their way here. But right now, you stand on the top of a hill. Go one way, and you'll end up in New Gondovan. But! Go the other way or meander in any other direction, and you'll end up some place new. However, you're the only one who can choose which way and how you walk down that hill.