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hh_mirror2006-04-21 06:35 pm
ninth-doctor.livejournal.com) wrote in hh_mirror2006-04-21 06:35 pm
Entry tags:
Ninth Doctor/Rose RP
Takes place after the masquerade (yes, I know it's a tad late...). Rose leaves, and the Doctor wishes to apologize (or get an apology) after this fiasco.
-----
Tired...Rose blinked as the room briefly swam out of focus from her seat not far from the karaoke machine. She'd taken a few opportunities to knock out a mad variety of songs, and she'd then nursed her dry throat with another round of drinks - not jet fuel infused, but definitely alcoholic. Someone had spiked the punch.
But it was late, and most people had left, though not, she'd noticed, the Doctor. Hmph. Oh well. She was tired, it was time to go, she'd had a good time in any case. Setting her glass down carefully, she stood and smoothed her costume, headed out the door.
Well, that had been...an interesting night. He at the very least tried to make the best of it. In retrospect, the Doctor realized that he probably should've given it all a chance instead of dismiss it, but 20/20 hindsight and all.
There were a few things, really, that he could have done differently, right from the start. But at least he'd met a few interesting fellows, danced around a little, mingled and learned more about this place. That Teatime character was still a bit dodgy. He had stayed this whole time, of course, not only to mingle, but to keep an eye out on Rose as well. And her gown caught said eye, heading for the massive doors that lead out. The party was over.
He slipped between tired groups of friends and out, not far behind her, following a bit before deciding to get her attention. Nobody else was around, not now, anyway. "Oi, Rose!"
Her shoulders straightened a little when she heard her voice called, and she took a moment to school her features into polite interest before turning her head back toward the Doctor. "Oh, there you are. Did you have a good time?" There's a bit of sarcasm coloring her voice, but she does manage to sound polite, if a bit reserved.
He stopped short in an awkward way, looking uncertain. His eyes looked away, expression falling back into place, if a bit guilty-looking. "Good enough, I suppose. It looked like you did, though. You did, right?"
"Hmm." She sounded doubtful at his restrained response, but started walking again, returning her attention to where she was headed instead of his guilty expression, not wanting to trip and crack her head open thanks to a slightly-drunken misstep.
"I did. Was kind of nice to be around so many people again. It was an almost normal party. For here," she added.
He followed at an even pace behind, making sure not to get too close, but still close enough to catch her if she should fall. "Looks like someone had a good time with the drinks, too," he commented almost bitterly, instantly berrating himself for saying that. He wanted to apologize, after all--or get her to apologize. Not start a fight.
"You have a problem with that? I am legal to drink, y'know. This is apparently still Britain, even if it's a magical weird storybook one," she shot back.
"I just would rather see you not accidentally have something happen to you because you're a bit tipsy is all." Well, better get on with it, or he never was going to. "Look, Rose, whatever I said that you took wrong earlier, I didn't mean it in the way you thought I did."
She stopped, the desire to make eye contact overwhelming the need to keep walking. Her eyes met his with a frown creasing her face with a sort of resigned sadness. "Then how did you mean it?"
At least that got her attention. Good. He sighed. "I meant that I didn't want to be the reason you didn't go out and have a good time like you wanted. I thought that maybe you felt that since I was there, you needed to spend most of the night with me or that I wouldn't approve of you going off and dancing around with others or something like that. Which wouldn't've been the case at all. I was just trying to say that I didn't want to ruin your night is all. I don't know how you took it, but apparently not that way."
"I don't exactly need your approval. Not looking for it, either. I know that you can take care of yourself, too." She said it firmly, perhaps to convince herself more than him. "I just thought you didn't want me around, getting in the way. Fine with me, and all, just felt stupid."
"You, get in the way? Nah, that was only the first time we met. And a bit with that Dalek. And, oh yeah, there was that time with your father." He meant it to be joking, that start of a grin on his face, too. "You were just hanging around me, and I didn't want to be the reason you didn't go hang around others. Guess we need to work a little on communicating."
Her return smile is faint, but it's there, softened by an unusually forthright response out of him. "Honestly, it's just...I don't think you can understand it. I want to 'hang around' you. I've missed you. Thought you...he...you...whatever, I thought I'd been left here. And when you come back, and it's you, it's just so strange. I'm not even worried about leaving, hell, this place is fun, learning magic, come on, but it's still better with two, y'know."
Now he had that full set of teeth showing, laughing to himself. "Yeah! Better with two! You an' me, to the end of the world and back. To the end of my life and back, I guess." He approached, a bounce in his step now and feeling no need to keep a certain distance. "I'm really glad you know it's me. Me, that is, and not any other me. You know I wouldn't leave you behind anywhere! This other persona of mine must've been quite a different person to do that. But it looks like you've done well for yourself since I wasn't here."
She laughed a little at the "end of my life" joke, though it was a bit tight to be proper amusement. "Oh, don't be hard on him, he was a right mess afterward, thought he was dead a time or two...wait, why am I defending you to yourself?" She blinked a bit, trying to wrap her mind around the situation before continuing on. "But yeah, I've done alright, but it's not the same without you." Without being even very conscious of it, just settling into old patterns, she reached for his hand.
He was certainly conscious of it and gladly took it, giving it a squeeze. "You're just saying that, I bet. You could replace me with Ricky or Jack or someone and you wouldn't complain. Wait, of course you would, because then you couldn't travel the universe. Nevermind, then, you're right, life isn't the same without this old man dragging you around."
His expression grew soft, looking down at her fondly. "You really miss me, though? Honestly, I didn't think anything had happened, just gone a few days or weeks or...well, I don't know quite how long you were gone for, but apparently a lot did."
"Mickey could never replace you...but Jack might well do," she teased lightly. "He could take me time travelling...if I knew where he was." She faltered. "Or if he was even alive. He...you...weren't very clear on that. But if you're here, I have to hope, right?" She rubbed her eyes and offered a wan smile. "You're right, a lot has happened. And it wasn't all very nice. So I'm sorry if I'm coming off all emotional on you. It's been hard. And this place distracted me for a bit, how couldn't it, yeah? But even with magic, I've still got too much time to think about it, even if it is just my thinking, which isn't much, I know."
The Doctor's face fell, confusion setting in. "What d'you mean if he's even alive? I just assumed Jack went off and got himself lost or something somewhere else kind of like what I thought happened with you. He's dead?"
"I don't know!" Her expression was miserable. "You...he said he wasn't, but he was hardly making sense at the time."
"Then he's probably still alive. I wouldn't have a reason to lie to you, would I?"
"Reason, no. I guess not." She doesn't look particularly convinced, though. Her voice lowers almost to a self-directed mumble. "That was between the insanity and the passing out and the crashing TARDIS though..." She cuts off suddenly, thinking maybe she oughtn't have said that.
He pretended not to hear that, or at least think it not of any consequence. "Exactly. And besides...what with all these times and places seemingly converging in one area, he's bound to show up alive and well, ready to spin us another one of his stories."
"Hope so. Miss having him around. Mostly just worry that he's not alright, but I'm sure he is. Very resourceful conman, Jack." A smile.
He nodded in return. "He's probably been through much worse than whatever could've happened. You never know--he could even be in here somewhere, hitched a ride with someone passing by. So no more worrying, got it?"
"I think I can manage. Knew you would say that, in any case." She smiled still, ambling back through twisting hallways toward the Gryffindor Tower. "He might end up here. Wouldn't put it past 'im. Just a bit tired, is all. Prone to think broody things."
"A bit tired and a bit tipsy," he added, though not in a negative way as he had before. "Try not to think too much or you'll end up with a nasty little headache to go along with it. Broody is not the way to be after a party, after all!"
"You're here, I can't not think." A some what wry expression passes over her face. "Not an' keep up. But I'll try to think so much I hurt something. Or trip over my own feet, at least."
"Then I'm going to follow right beside you so you don't do exactly that. Wouldn't want you scuffing up your shoes, or worse, that dress, now, would we?" he joked, doing exactly as he said, walking to her left. "You never did tell me where you got that thing from anyway."
"Borrowed," she replied easily, giving his hand a squeeze, not having let go. "There's all kinds of interesting things you'll find around this place. But this was in a closet of one of the empty rooms. Shoes are magicked, straight through." She glanced down to admire her work briefly. "It's funny, to be able to do that."
"I'm sure it is. I'll need to remember to sign up for classes. Been reading up on a few of them. Charms sounds just charming. And transfiguration might help with the chameleon circut problem, though I rather like the blue box look..." Whistfully, he wrapped his other arm around her waist and began waltzing down the corridor. "Can't help myself. Hear that? Must still be partying in that Great Hall there. A classic. I think the waltz went something like this..."
She laughed and willingly let herself be whirled down the hall. "Ahh, you do dance, I remember. Kind of you to remind me. Gotten better at it, or I'm just more forgivin' after a few drinks? And I should probably actually attend a class or two myself. I tend to mess things up more than I actually get it right."
"Gotten better?" he scoffed, mocking offense. "I certainly don't think I've lost my touch after a few hours. Rather like to think I deserve another one with you. And, now, this is why I don't want you pointing that wand at me. Makes me more nervous than facing down the Cybermen." The song was fading as they advanced, and he let go. "Never thought you'd be a witch, did you? And without the problem of being burned at a stake, too."
"Such things are more entertainin' after a bit of a drink. Or after a near death experience, remember?" She spun out of his arms at the end of the dance, barely keeping hold of his fingers before settling back to a sedate walk. "Never thought I'd travel through time. See my Dad or the end of the world. Bein' a witch isn't much to that, really."
"Yeah, but all that I showed you was scientific. Space and time, paradoxes, things that were always going to happen, just a matter of when. Now magic, there's something different. Never actually heard of the real deal existing until now." He almost couldn't contain himself; it was an exciting idea! He'd have to study this, of course, to make sure that it wasn't in fact some trick. "Isn't it fantastic? Sort of like a vacation, I suppose."
She snorted laughter and made a face at a witch giving her a disdainful look from a painting nearby. "A vacation...yeah right. Magic as vacation..." She hesitated, but turned to him after a moment with a curious frown. "But isn't, well, comin' back to life after dyin' magic?" It comes out reluctantly, but she had to ask.
His step faltered, not turning to her for a full minute at least. After that time, he at least turned his head so he could look at her while he answered. "Magic? Magic...huh...I never really thought about it that way. Supposedly, though, you can't bring back the dead, even with magic. It's always just one of those things a Time Lord can do. You can think of it as magic if you want; I just know it's a natural ability of mine. Unless you wanna think I'm magic, too."
A wistful smile played across her face. "Believe it? Not like I ever doubted it. I mean, c'mon. Alien, yeah, but you're more'n a little uncanny just in general."
"You haven't seen anything yet." The Doctor returned the smile. "Think you've seen the universe? Nah, only a tiny little part of it. There's things out there you wouldn't believe. Almost as 'uncanny' as I am."
"But not as much." She jumped right on that admission. "I know there's a lot more out there than I've ever seen. Or ever will. But you're special even amid that, Doctor. I know." She nodded rapidly, all innocent surety.
"Well, yeah, I'm special." He flashed her a grin. "Never doubted that one, right? Never met a guy like me on all your little world."
"You are so full of yourself! Even if it is true!"
"Sort of, yeah!"
She poked his side gently with her finger, leaning in so she can get her unheld hand between his ribs. "What an ego you have..."
"Hey...! Well, come on, I think you knew this from the start, didn't you?" He laughed. "I guess you didn't know what you were in for when you joined up with me."
"Didn't have an inkling," she agreed. "But seems you didn't know everything either. Not about magic, at least. Though maybe half of what you think is science is magic," she observed, raising an eyebrow and half turning, walking backwards, to meet his eyes.
"Oh, no, no, no, now you're just mucking with me. You'd think after 900 years I could get most of my facts straight, hm?" He slowly followed, sly smirk appearing on his features.
"You'd think. But you only just found out about magic in the first place. Took you 900 years to do that, so why shouldn't you maybe have a few other things incomplete?"
"I know I don't know everything there is to know about everything. I just don't let that on to others is all."
"Cept you just did!" Up both eyebrows in question.
"I meant besides you. You already figured that much out."
"Well, that's only because I'm so especially clever. You're rubbing off on me, must be."
"Obviously," he said with a shrug. "Who else do you know has one of me to show 'em whole other worlds, got a teacher like me to learn off of?"
"Maybe some of the other students here. Seems some witches and wizards can do things rather similar." She can't resist needling him a little.
"That alcohol must make you a bit more clever than usual," quipped the Doctor. "You just want to see me react, don't you? Well, I'm quite above acting all superior around everyone. Only around people that I know I'm superior to."
"Hmph. Think that's turned around. Wouldn't need to pad that already thick ego of yours around people you're all sure of your superiority over, yeah?" Yup, she certainly does just want to see him react.
"Clever girl indeed," he chuckled, nodding to something behind her. "Though you might want to watch out where you're going before you run into that suit of armour."
CLANK. "Ow." She bumps into the armour with her shoulder and spins, off-balance, hoping she didn't send it crashing to the ground. Thankfully, though perhaps more than a little unsettlingly, the armour suit just took a step and straightened itself with a vaguely offended air as Rose wobbled on her heels.
The Doctor ended up clinging to Rose to make sure she didn't fall over. "Now, see, what did I say? I think that's a bit much for tonight now, hm? Shall we go off to bed now so that perhaps we're all a little more sober?" He smiled at the suit of armour, shooting a small 'sorry' at it. Somehow, talking to objects that are (normally, but not here, apparently) inanimate wasn't so weird for him.
Sort of defeated-looking, she leaned against him to regain her feet. "Shit. Alright. Though I'm not that drunk. Just walking backwards." She glanced sideways at the suit of armour, somewhere between embarrassed and afraid.
"Or both," he chided. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Rather funny, though. Off we go--it's this way, right? Right... You're all right, though? Nearly took a nasty spill there."
"Honestly, not drunk," she insisted, straightening her dress gently. "And, um, yeah, we're headed right. Just there, I think. Past the picture of the wizard standing on his head." She chuckled a little, face still pink with embarrassment. "I'm fine. Totally fine. Stupid and clumsy, but fine. Bed would be nice. Miss m'room on the TARDIS, though. This place is a bit uncanny, but not quite as knowing as she was about what's needed."
"I think she'd be glad to hear she's missed. Like I said, this is more like a vacation. Not here for a living. It's a school, so it can't last forever. Learn a bit of useful magic, then pop out with the TARDIS, wherever she is." What he wouldn't give to see that blue box again. And even if he learned some transfiguration, there was no way he would ever change the look of it.
The portrait of the Fat Lady swung open when he breathed the password, it swinging shut again once they were safe within the commonroom, continuing his thought from there with, "It's home, after all. Can't just leave it behind and forget about it."
"So this is like...a resort, then?" Her grin was sudden. "A year abroad or something like. I'll take it. An' I know the TARDIS is around here somewhere. Honestly." She produced her key from a very thin chain around her neck. "It's all warm. Feels kind of alive. Like she's messing with us a bit. Would she do that?"
He smiled at it, like it was an old friend in and of itself. "Yeah, probably. But she probably also misses us as much as we miss her. We'll get back to her. Then back to watching history!" He stressed this last word in a triumphant-sounding, dramatic way, like he always did.
"Doesn't this qualify as history?" she asked, settling in a seat by the fire in the common room and tucking away her key. "Magic school and all."
"I meant history, like seeing the end of the world and all that. But sure. We could say this is history, if you want." He stood opposite her, leaning against the fireplace and crossing his legs in that way he always did when leaning.
"Don't just say that t'humor me." She pouted a little, turning sideways to lounge across the chair.
"Then what d'you want me to say?"
"What you're really thinking, of course." She blinked somewhat sleepily at him.
"I'm thinking a lot of things right now. You might have to be a bit more specific."
Sleepiness and spiked punch have made her determined, but she focuses on the "glass slipper" dangling off her toe. "About being here in the first place."
"I think it's fantastic," he replied into the fire. "I think it's somewhere new, a place where everyone, even me, can learn a thing or three. I don't have anything against the place itself, or even the people in it. It's magical." He looked back at her. "Was that what you were looking for?"
Her reply is a long time in coming, and she doesn't look up at him for a long moment. "I'm not sure. Sounds about right, though." She finally does look up, though her expression's more than a little distant. "I'm just...afraid here as much as I'm excited. Like things are way out of anyone's control, could be good, could be bad. I mean, more than they always do." A shrug. "That, and I'm just half asleep already."
He smiled warmly, as warm as the fire. "You know what? I think that, too. But maybe that's part of the fun of it." Maybe that's what he was looking for, another thrilling, exciting, frightening adventure. "And now I'm thinking it's time you went to bed. Up, up, off you go, get some rest, go on. Party time is over."
A smile pulled at the corner of her mouth briefly. "Not really over, is it?" She slipped out of the chair, and somewhat shyly, but not at all hesitant, she hugged him tightly. "Glad you're here. Get some sleep yourself, alright?" She pressed a quick kiss to his cheek and turned away, shoes held in one hand to navigate the stairs.
-----
Tired...Rose blinked as the room briefly swam out of focus from her seat not far from the karaoke machine. She'd taken a few opportunities to knock out a mad variety of songs, and she'd then nursed her dry throat with another round of drinks - not jet fuel infused, but definitely alcoholic. Someone had spiked the punch.
But it was late, and most people had left, though not, she'd noticed, the Doctor. Hmph. Oh well. She was tired, it was time to go, she'd had a good time in any case. Setting her glass down carefully, she stood and smoothed her costume, headed out the door.
Well, that had been...an interesting night. He at the very least tried to make the best of it. In retrospect, the Doctor realized that he probably should've given it all a chance instead of dismiss it, but 20/20 hindsight and all.
There were a few things, really, that he could have done differently, right from the start. But at least he'd met a few interesting fellows, danced around a little, mingled and learned more about this place. That Teatime character was still a bit dodgy. He had stayed this whole time, of course, not only to mingle, but to keep an eye out on Rose as well. And her gown caught said eye, heading for the massive doors that lead out. The party was over.
He slipped between tired groups of friends and out, not far behind her, following a bit before deciding to get her attention. Nobody else was around, not now, anyway. "Oi, Rose!"
Her shoulders straightened a little when she heard her voice called, and she took a moment to school her features into polite interest before turning her head back toward the Doctor. "Oh, there you are. Did you have a good time?" There's a bit of sarcasm coloring her voice, but she does manage to sound polite, if a bit reserved.
He stopped short in an awkward way, looking uncertain. His eyes looked away, expression falling back into place, if a bit guilty-looking. "Good enough, I suppose. It looked like you did, though. You did, right?"
"Hmm." She sounded doubtful at his restrained response, but started walking again, returning her attention to where she was headed instead of his guilty expression, not wanting to trip and crack her head open thanks to a slightly-drunken misstep.
"I did. Was kind of nice to be around so many people again. It was an almost normal party. For here," she added.
He followed at an even pace behind, making sure not to get too close, but still close enough to catch her if she should fall. "Looks like someone had a good time with the drinks, too," he commented almost bitterly, instantly berrating himself for saying that. He wanted to apologize, after all--or get her to apologize. Not start a fight.
"You have a problem with that? I am legal to drink, y'know. This is apparently still Britain, even if it's a magical weird storybook one," she shot back.
"I just would rather see you not accidentally have something happen to you because you're a bit tipsy is all." Well, better get on with it, or he never was going to. "Look, Rose, whatever I said that you took wrong earlier, I didn't mean it in the way you thought I did."
She stopped, the desire to make eye contact overwhelming the need to keep walking. Her eyes met his with a frown creasing her face with a sort of resigned sadness. "Then how did you mean it?"
At least that got her attention. Good. He sighed. "I meant that I didn't want to be the reason you didn't go out and have a good time like you wanted. I thought that maybe you felt that since I was there, you needed to spend most of the night with me or that I wouldn't approve of you going off and dancing around with others or something like that. Which wouldn't've been the case at all. I was just trying to say that I didn't want to ruin your night is all. I don't know how you took it, but apparently not that way."
"I don't exactly need your approval. Not looking for it, either. I know that you can take care of yourself, too." She said it firmly, perhaps to convince herself more than him. "I just thought you didn't want me around, getting in the way. Fine with me, and all, just felt stupid."
"You, get in the way? Nah, that was only the first time we met. And a bit with that Dalek. And, oh yeah, there was that time with your father." He meant it to be joking, that start of a grin on his face, too. "You were just hanging around me, and I didn't want to be the reason you didn't go hang around others. Guess we need to work a little on communicating."
Her return smile is faint, but it's there, softened by an unusually forthright response out of him. "Honestly, it's just...I don't think you can understand it. I want to 'hang around' you. I've missed you. Thought you...he...you...whatever, I thought I'd been left here. And when you come back, and it's you, it's just so strange. I'm not even worried about leaving, hell, this place is fun, learning magic, come on, but it's still better with two, y'know."
Now he had that full set of teeth showing, laughing to himself. "Yeah! Better with two! You an' me, to the end of the world and back. To the end of my life and back, I guess." He approached, a bounce in his step now and feeling no need to keep a certain distance. "I'm really glad you know it's me. Me, that is, and not any other me. You know I wouldn't leave you behind anywhere! This other persona of mine must've been quite a different person to do that. But it looks like you've done well for yourself since I wasn't here."
She laughed a little at the "end of my life" joke, though it was a bit tight to be proper amusement. "Oh, don't be hard on him, he was a right mess afterward, thought he was dead a time or two...wait, why am I defending you to yourself?" She blinked a bit, trying to wrap her mind around the situation before continuing on. "But yeah, I've done alright, but it's not the same without you." Without being even very conscious of it, just settling into old patterns, she reached for his hand.
He was certainly conscious of it and gladly took it, giving it a squeeze. "You're just saying that, I bet. You could replace me with Ricky or Jack or someone and you wouldn't complain. Wait, of course you would, because then you couldn't travel the universe. Nevermind, then, you're right, life isn't the same without this old man dragging you around."
His expression grew soft, looking down at her fondly. "You really miss me, though? Honestly, I didn't think anything had happened, just gone a few days or weeks or...well, I don't know quite how long you were gone for, but apparently a lot did."
"Mickey could never replace you...but Jack might well do," she teased lightly. "He could take me time travelling...if I knew where he was." She faltered. "Or if he was even alive. He...you...weren't very clear on that. But if you're here, I have to hope, right?" She rubbed her eyes and offered a wan smile. "You're right, a lot has happened. And it wasn't all very nice. So I'm sorry if I'm coming off all emotional on you. It's been hard. And this place distracted me for a bit, how couldn't it, yeah? But even with magic, I've still got too much time to think about it, even if it is just my thinking, which isn't much, I know."
The Doctor's face fell, confusion setting in. "What d'you mean if he's even alive? I just assumed Jack went off and got himself lost or something somewhere else kind of like what I thought happened with you. He's dead?"
"I don't know!" Her expression was miserable. "You...he said he wasn't, but he was hardly making sense at the time."
"Then he's probably still alive. I wouldn't have a reason to lie to you, would I?"
"Reason, no. I guess not." She doesn't look particularly convinced, though. Her voice lowers almost to a self-directed mumble. "That was between the insanity and the passing out and the crashing TARDIS though..." She cuts off suddenly, thinking maybe she oughtn't have said that.
He pretended not to hear that, or at least think it not of any consequence. "Exactly. And besides...what with all these times and places seemingly converging in one area, he's bound to show up alive and well, ready to spin us another one of his stories."
"Hope so. Miss having him around. Mostly just worry that he's not alright, but I'm sure he is. Very resourceful conman, Jack." A smile.
He nodded in return. "He's probably been through much worse than whatever could've happened. You never know--he could even be in here somewhere, hitched a ride with someone passing by. So no more worrying, got it?"
"I think I can manage. Knew you would say that, in any case." She smiled still, ambling back through twisting hallways toward the Gryffindor Tower. "He might end up here. Wouldn't put it past 'im. Just a bit tired, is all. Prone to think broody things."
"A bit tired and a bit tipsy," he added, though not in a negative way as he had before. "Try not to think too much or you'll end up with a nasty little headache to go along with it. Broody is not the way to be after a party, after all!"
"You're here, I can't not think." A some what wry expression passes over her face. "Not an' keep up. But I'll try to think so much I hurt something. Or trip over my own feet, at least."
"Then I'm going to follow right beside you so you don't do exactly that. Wouldn't want you scuffing up your shoes, or worse, that dress, now, would we?" he joked, doing exactly as he said, walking to her left. "You never did tell me where you got that thing from anyway."
"Borrowed," she replied easily, giving his hand a squeeze, not having let go. "There's all kinds of interesting things you'll find around this place. But this was in a closet of one of the empty rooms. Shoes are magicked, straight through." She glanced down to admire her work briefly. "It's funny, to be able to do that."
"I'm sure it is. I'll need to remember to sign up for classes. Been reading up on a few of them. Charms sounds just charming. And transfiguration might help with the chameleon circut problem, though I rather like the blue box look..." Whistfully, he wrapped his other arm around her waist and began waltzing down the corridor. "Can't help myself. Hear that? Must still be partying in that Great Hall there. A classic. I think the waltz went something like this..."
She laughed and willingly let herself be whirled down the hall. "Ahh, you do dance, I remember. Kind of you to remind me. Gotten better at it, or I'm just more forgivin' after a few drinks? And I should probably actually attend a class or two myself. I tend to mess things up more than I actually get it right."
"Gotten better?" he scoffed, mocking offense. "I certainly don't think I've lost my touch after a few hours. Rather like to think I deserve another one with you. And, now, this is why I don't want you pointing that wand at me. Makes me more nervous than facing down the Cybermen." The song was fading as they advanced, and he let go. "Never thought you'd be a witch, did you? And without the problem of being burned at a stake, too."
"Such things are more entertainin' after a bit of a drink. Or after a near death experience, remember?" She spun out of his arms at the end of the dance, barely keeping hold of his fingers before settling back to a sedate walk. "Never thought I'd travel through time. See my Dad or the end of the world. Bein' a witch isn't much to that, really."
"Yeah, but all that I showed you was scientific. Space and time, paradoxes, things that were always going to happen, just a matter of when. Now magic, there's something different. Never actually heard of the real deal existing until now." He almost couldn't contain himself; it was an exciting idea! He'd have to study this, of course, to make sure that it wasn't in fact some trick. "Isn't it fantastic? Sort of like a vacation, I suppose."
She snorted laughter and made a face at a witch giving her a disdainful look from a painting nearby. "A vacation...yeah right. Magic as vacation..." She hesitated, but turned to him after a moment with a curious frown. "But isn't, well, comin' back to life after dyin' magic?" It comes out reluctantly, but she had to ask.
His step faltered, not turning to her for a full minute at least. After that time, he at least turned his head so he could look at her while he answered. "Magic? Magic...huh...I never really thought about it that way. Supposedly, though, you can't bring back the dead, even with magic. It's always just one of those things a Time Lord can do. You can think of it as magic if you want; I just know it's a natural ability of mine. Unless you wanna think I'm magic, too."
A wistful smile played across her face. "Believe it? Not like I ever doubted it. I mean, c'mon. Alien, yeah, but you're more'n a little uncanny just in general."
"You haven't seen anything yet." The Doctor returned the smile. "Think you've seen the universe? Nah, only a tiny little part of it. There's things out there you wouldn't believe. Almost as 'uncanny' as I am."
"But not as much." She jumped right on that admission. "I know there's a lot more out there than I've ever seen. Or ever will. But you're special even amid that, Doctor. I know." She nodded rapidly, all innocent surety.
"Well, yeah, I'm special." He flashed her a grin. "Never doubted that one, right? Never met a guy like me on all your little world."
"You are so full of yourself! Even if it is true!"
"Sort of, yeah!"
She poked his side gently with her finger, leaning in so she can get her unheld hand between his ribs. "What an ego you have..."
"Hey...! Well, come on, I think you knew this from the start, didn't you?" He laughed. "I guess you didn't know what you were in for when you joined up with me."
"Didn't have an inkling," she agreed. "But seems you didn't know everything either. Not about magic, at least. Though maybe half of what you think is science is magic," she observed, raising an eyebrow and half turning, walking backwards, to meet his eyes.
"Oh, no, no, no, now you're just mucking with me. You'd think after 900 years I could get most of my facts straight, hm?" He slowly followed, sly smirk appearing on his features.
"You'd think. But you only just found out about magic in the first place. Took you 900 years to do that, so why shouldn't you maybe have a few other things incomplete?"
"I know I don't know everything there is to know about everything. I just don't let that on to others is all."
"Cept you just did!" Up both eyebrows in question.
"I meant besides you. You already figured that much out."
"Well, that's only because I'm so especially clever. You're rubbing off on me, must be."
"Obviously," he said with a shrug. "Who else do you know has one of me to show 'em whole other worlds, got a teacher like me to learn off of?"
"Maybe some of the other students here. Seems some witches and wizards can do things rather similar." She can't resist needling him a little.
"That alcohol must make you a bit more clever than usual," quipped the Doctor. "You just want to see me react, don't you? Well, I'm quite above acting all superior around everyone. Only around people that I know I'm superior to."
"Hmph. Think that's turned around. Wouldn't need to pad that already thick ego of yours around people you're all sure of your superiority over, yeah?" Yup, she certainly does just want to see him react.
"Clever girl indeed," he chuckled, nodding to something behind her. "Though you might want to watch out where you're going before you run into that suit of armour."
CLANK. "Ow." She bumps into the armour with her shoulder and spins, off-balance, hoping she didn't send it crashing to the ground. Thankfully, though perhaps more than a little unsettlingly, the armour suit just took a step and straightened itself with a vaguely offended air as Rose wobbled on her heels.
The Doctor ended up clinging to Rose to make sure she didn't fall over. "Now, see, what did I say? I think that's a bit much for tonight now, hm? Shall we go off to bed now so that perhaps we're all a little more sober?" He smiled at the suit of armour, shooting a small 'sorry' at it. Somehow, talking to objects that are (normally, but not here, apparently) inanimate wasn't so weird for him.
Sort of defeated-looking, she leaned against him to regain her feet. "Shit. Alright. Though I'm not that drunk. Just walking backwards." She glanced sideways at the suit of armour, somewhere between embarrassed and afraid.
"Or both," he chided. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Rather funny, though. Off we go--it's this way, right? Right... You're all right, though? Nearly took a nasty spill there."
"Honestly, not drunk," she insisted, straightening her dress gently. "And, um, yeah, we're headed right. Just there, I think. Past the picture of the wizard standing on his head." She chuckled a little, face still pink with embarrassment. "I'm fine. Totally fine. Stupid and clumsy, but fine. Bed would be nice. Miss m'room on the TARDIS, though. This place is a bit uncanny, but not quite as knowing as she was about what's needed."
"I think she'd be glad to hear she's missed. Like I said, this is more like a vacation. Not here for a living. It's a school, so it can't last forever. Learn a bit of useful magic, then pop out with the TARDIS, wherever she is." What he wouldn't give to see that blue box again. And even if he learned some transfiguration, there was no way he would ever change the look of it.
The portrait of the Fat Lady swung open when he breathed the password, it swinging shut again once they were safe within the commonroom, continuing his thought from there with, "It's home, after all. Can't just leave it behind and forget about it."
"So this is like...a resort, then?" Her grin was sudden. "A year abroad or something like. I'll take it. An' I know the TARDIS is around here somewhere. Honestly." She produced her key from a very thin chain around her neck. "It's all warm. Feels kind of alive. Like she's messing with us a bit. Would she do that?"
He smiled at it, like it was an old friend in and of itself. "Yeah, probably. But she probably also misses us as much as we miss her. We'll get back to her. Then back to watching history!" He stressed this last word in a triumphant-sounding, dramatic way, like he always did.
"Doesn't this qualify as history?" she asked, settling in a seat by the fire in the common room and tucking away her key. "Magic school and all."
"I meant history, like seeing the end of the world and all that. But sure. We could say this is history, if you want." He stood opposite her, leaning against the fireplace and crossing his legs in that way he always did when leaning.
"Don't just say that t'humor me." She pouted a little, turning sideways to lounge across the chair.
"Then what d'you want me to say?"
"What you're really thinking, of course." She blinked somewhat sleepily at him.
"I'm thinking a lot of things right now. You might have to be a bit more specific."
Sleepiness and spiked punch have made her determined, but she focuses on the "glass slipper" dangling off her toe. "About being here in the first place."
"I think it's fantastic," he replied into the fire. "I think it's somewhere new, a place where everyone, even me, can learn a thing or three. I don't have anything against the place itself, or even the people in it. It's magical." He looked back at her. "Was that what you were looking for?"
Her reply is a long time in coming, and she doesn't look up at him for a long moment. "I'm not sure. Sounds about right, though." She finally does look up, though her expression's more than a little distant. "I'm just...afraid here as much as I'm excited. Like things are way out of anyone's control, could be good, could be bad. I mean, more than they always do." A shrug. "That, and I'm just half asleep already."
He smiled warmly, as warm as the fire. "You know what? I think that, too. But maybe that's part of the fun of it." Maybe that's what he was looking for, another thrilling, exciting, frightening adventure. "And now I'm thinking it's time you went to bed. Up, up, off you go, get some rest, go on. Party time is over."
A smile pulled at the corner of her mouth briefly. "Not really over, is it?" She slipped out of the chair, and somewhat shyly, but not at all hesitant, she hugged him tightly. "Glad you're here. Get some sleep yourself, alright?" She pressed a quick kiss to his cheek and turned away, shoes held in one hand to navigate the stairs.