Many happy? returns

[not_the_question]

It has been some time since the Doctor has been here. He was off facing yet another battlefield. It was meant to be his last. He has no idea how he ended up here, of all places.

He clothes are in a tattered mess and covered in soot. His body, is surprisingly unscathed. Well, now it is. 'State of grace'. It can happen with regeneration. When one is refusing or debating the entire process.

He turns to face the TARDIS. "Why have you brought me here?" When his beloved ship didn't answer him he sighs and starts to walk away from her. "Fine. But I'm not leaving. I'm staying and if this is where I die, so be it."

He walks along, not really wanting to sit. If he sits it might happen and he's not going to do that again. He's muttering to himself. "I can't keep on being somebody else. Why isn't it ever anybody else's turn? Why can't I just rest? Just once?"



[ooc: available in post-Doctor Falls and Twice Upon a Time flavours, depending if you want spoilers or not.]

Comments

[sweetcandygirl]

Honestly, this is a little worrying for Harley. She watches as The Doctor paces and mutters to himself for a moment.

"Who says you can't?"

[not_the_question]

If he weren't so wrapped up in himself right now, he might be grateful for the concern. He just gives her a look.

"The universe."

It sounds like a simple answer, but it's so much bigger than that.

[sweetcandygirl]

"Huh..."

"Can I help? Somehow?"

[not_the_question]

"I don't know." He pauses in thought. "How are you with philosophical conversations?"

[sweetcandygirl]

"My philosophical beliefs are often a little chaotic for others to handle. But I am willing to give it a shot. For you."

[not_the_question]

He nods at her then gestures to the cafe. "We'll start with tea, but it might take something stronger."

He offers her his arm, though, she might find he's more using her to support him than the other way around.

[sweetcandygirl]

Harley takes his offered arm. It worries her a little when she notices that he is leaning on her for support.

Once they get to the café, Harley orders herself a tea, and a rum cake, drizzled in chocolate sauce.

"What can you tell me?"

[not_the_question]

The Doctor only has tea for now. He might get something stronger in a bit.

"I died a few hours ago."

It's said no different than saying 'the sky is blue.' With about that level of casualness to.

"Time Lords have this way of healing ourselves. But I know I was too injured to regenerate. And yet, I'm here."

[sweetcandygirl]

Harley sips at her tea. Thinking for a moment. "I have heard of other people who died in their world, and came here. To the Nexus."

"I know it is different for you. But maybe there is a reason?"

( twice upon a time is fine by me, loved it. )

[delphicbooksandbaubles]

Ash tilted her head slightly at the sound. She'd been investigating in her German shepherd glamour at the moment. Wearing her StoryBrooke K-9 vest she padded over towards the rather familiar looking blue box and the greyhaired gentleman who seemed to now occupy it and was experiencing a dark night of the soul. From what she could gather from the muttering.

She put on her best doggy smile and carefully trotted over, "erm, Ello? Are you in need of assistance?" She asks warmly and concerned. "Sounds like you could use.. aah, break or sabbatical." She remarks gently but simply.

Yay. (Also possible spoilers in this thread.)

[not_the_question]

The Doctor hears a voice and looks around for a moment or two before noticing the canine. "Well, look at that a talking dog."

And one who was philosophical at that. Good. He needs a bit of that. He sits on the ground with his back against the TARDIS.

"That would be the understatement of a lifetime. And I'm about to get it, in one way or another."

Just as soon as he decides which. Which he can't. It's all rather annoying.

Re: Yay. (Also possible spoilers in this thread.)

[delphicbooksandbaubles]

(Indeedy XD, so many feelings )

****
She wiggles her ears slightly, and beams at him. "Yup. " at the moment anyway. Course being a famous traveler.. if he was who she was 90% certain he was. He'd seen weirder than a shifter in his time.

She gently pads over and sits beside him and offers her left paw to shake. Some folks found this side of her comforting and more easy to talk to anyway. And he was clearly in some sort of distress. Course then how often was one of the Doctor's not? Let alone any she knew of.

She hums sympathetically in the back of her throat. "Ah I see, .. are.. are you in any pain?" She asks gently. Her eyes soft and full of concern and a fondness. After all she met and knew a tall , lanky doctor with a long coat and sticky uppy hair back home. But this fellow smelled a mite different.

She'd like to help him feel comfortable.. however ahem it turned out. No one should be alone at such times.

[not_the_question]

"And polite too."

He shakes the proffered hand once and lets it go. And being a touch telepath who doesn't have a lot of control of his abilities at the moment, he can sense things he'd normally block himself from knowing.

"Ah. Not canine. Well, not just that."

At least he can't tell she knows another him just yet? Makes the conversation less awkward for him in a lot of ways. He considers her question.

"Not at the moment. But ask again in a minute or two and the answer might be different. Dodgy process, this."

[delphicbooksandbaubles]

"Course, " well she did her best to be civil so long as no one gave reason not to be. She tilts her head slightly and tries to send him a little warmth and feeling of welcome back.

"Aye, well ahem. " She softly murmurs and clears her throat and edges slightly closer. But not too much in his personal space unless he shows some sign that he might like to pet her fur or something. It made her friends and other folks feel better some times. Though not everyone was a dog person or comfortable with certain things. "Yes, ya seem the trust worthy sort.. not everyone.. likes folks like me. " She murmurs softly and gently offers the top of her head near his hand.

"Ah, right right will do..is there.. anything ya might like I can fetch ya?" She asks warmly, with a slight smirk. Some folks liked comfort items or just talking. " She looks him over worriedly with big blue eyes. Turning an ear toward where one of his hearts should be, she listens to time it. Going into taking vital stats mode.

[not_the_question]

He interprets her invitation more as a request and so he starts to run his hands through her fur. It is soothing.

"Anyone is trustworthy up to a point. I just try to make sure that point is far away."

That sounded better in his head. He tries to always be trustworthy - except when he can't be.

"No. Thank you." He knocks on the TARDIS panel with his free hand. "I've got everything I need right here."

He frowns as he thinks about what she said. "Wait, you mean here people don't trust you because you're a shape-shifter? Why?"

Because he's the Doctor so he Doctors. He's pretty bad at accepting help.

[delphicbooksandbaubles]

She wags her tail a little, happily. And leans into the pets. It was always nice to feel helpful and appreciated.
She nods in agreement, "naturally, ya probably have more patience then I usually do.. " She murmurs eyeing him slightly after all. Even with the time stopping or slowing curse her and the others back in Storybrooke for twenty eight years. He was older then her.


"Ah. " She murmurs and nods, she looks at the blue box fondly almost wistful. She missed being able to travel the nexus was the farthest from Storybrooke she'd been in years. "Ahem, she's a lovely shade of blue too. " She murmurs warmly.

She nearly blinks and shrugs one shouldered, "depends, some have had bad experiences with either.. canines or magic.. or those gifted with certain abilities.. so I'm have to be careful whom I spring things on. You got the scent of a traveler about ya.. your probably seen some things huh?" She half asks half states simply.

[not_the_question]

"I'm not sure patience has anything to do with it. But I'm over two thousand years old and have billions of years of experience. You learn to be patient when that is your life."

Except he's tired. He just wants to rest and he's not sure he'll get it here in the Nexus or not. 'State of Grace' indeed. More like 'state of hell'. He offers a half-smile at the reference to the colour of the TARDIS.

"Yes. Yes she is. Normally good at keeping me on the straight and narrow, too."

Except when he's being wilful. Like now.

"I've seen a great deal of things. What I've seen would shatter anyone if they tried to see into it."

More of a reference to the Testimony than anything. But it works in general. It's why he never gets overly attached to his friends any more. He might break them. Not just lead them to their deaths, but actually break them.

No Preference

[brother_alone]

"You know, you could always just choose to do that. Just don't go back."

If you don't ever go back to your world, you never have to face the consequences of your actions. So far it's been serving Joshua Washington pretty damn well. He's not afraid to recommend it with two years trouble free under his belt.

Possible spoilers, this thread :)

[not_the_question]

A whole two years? Don't tell the Doctor, he's got billions of years on him.

"I eventually have to choose. I'm not sure even the power of this place can prevent what I can hardly hold off any longer."

Though, strangely, the energy doesn't feel as strong as it did a few moments ago.

[brother_alone]

"That's what I'm saying though. You don't have to do anything. Unless whatever or whoever it is is gonna follow you here to the Nexus. Just kick back and enjoy the scenery, bro."

Josh gestures around them. There's doors tucked in every nook and cranny of this place. Ornate, shoddy, portals, hatches. So many doors. So many universes.

"Even if you get bored here you can always duck into another random world if you want."

[not_the_question]

The Doctor has to will himself to not facepalm at those words.

"You don't get it, so let me put it in very simple terms any pudding-brain can understand. I'm dying. Currently and actively. In fact, I already died once and was somehow brought back. So now I'm dying again."

Or regenerating. He still needs to decide. He's not even sure if regeneration will work after such a death and being brought back. Maybe the energy is all an illusion. Which he might be okay with. Since he doesn't really want to change again.

[brother_alone]

"O-oh."

Well, that does change things somewhat. Josh pulls a face and drops his gaze to the ground. He really hadn't understood at all.

"So...you need to decide where you're gonna die or? Who you want to see first? There's no way to stop it, I'm guessing."

[not_the_question]

It's okay, Josh, most people don't and the Doctor doesn't have high expectations of people understanding.

"Die or change, pretty much sums it up."

And it really does sum it up. Isn't that how it works for everyone metaphorically? It just happens to be literal for him.

"No idea if it can be stopped or not and I'm not sure what you mean by who I want to see first?"

[brother_alone]

"Wh..I mean like. Saying goodbye to your loved ones and shit like that."

The 'or change' part isn't something Josh quite understands, but he understands 'terminal' pretty damn well. The guy looks fine but who even knows what sort of case he's dealing with? If it was a blood clot or something like that there'd be no way of knowing when it would go.

"That's rough, bro."

[not_the_question]

"Oh. That sort of 'see first'. I've done all that already."

A small shrug. He hasn't entirely. There are always people he'd want to see.

"Not my first time. I'm just debating if I've already had my last time or not."