Tweak

InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Huh?"

The Doctor (fromgallifrey) wrote in mirage_rpg,
@ 2009-01-29 00:37:00

Entry tags:

astor bennett, complete, day 30, the doctor

Day 30 - evening
Who: The Doctor and Astor
When: Day 30, just around twilight
Where: Wandering the grounds of the resort
Status: Complete
Rating/Warning: None

The day had been as it was. He'd greeted someone new, played football with someone also new, and now he was back to searching the grounds of the resort for where the Planet had decided to stash his TARDIS. It was a rather large, blue box, sort of hard to misplace - yet, since he hadn't done the parking it was sort of hard to account for where she might be currently residing.

Taking high steps through the grass he was squinting into the tree-line trying to locate the tell-tale lights of the TARDIS' sign. No dice. Where did the damned planet stash his TARDIS? Oh, this was annoying, because there wasn't a force in the universe that was going to make him sleep in that room of his - no way, no how.

(Post a new comment)

miami_angel97
2009-01-28 11:49 pm UTC (link)

For lack of any real friends or anything better to do, Astor decided to go out and enjoy the newly warm weather. It didn't quite feel like a slice of home, yet, but it was close. Being in her room all alone was boring and, if she was honest, a bit too much like home. It just reminded her how much she missed Cody, with his empty bed and that stupid teddy bear she'd taken to sleeping with again.

She'd wandered out far from the resident buildings and deposited herself in the tall grass, picking petals off flowers and waiting for the sun to set. She'd never seen one from start to finish and figured she might as well.

"I'll go home...I won't go home..." she sing-songed with each petal she pulled, in place of the traditional 'he loves me, he loves me not' mantra.

Someone was coming, though; she could hear them coming near, but sitting where she was, even craning her neck, she couldn't see them. Maybe if she stayed quiet, she wouldn't bother them and she could just keep to herself. It was probably a grown up, anyway...

(Reply to this) (Thread)

fromgallifrey
2009-01-28 11:54 pm UTC (link)

He heard a high pitched sound, and at first he thought maybe it was a bit of a whir off the TARDIS. He paused, his steps stopping so that he might better figure out where it was coming from. Instead, more clearly now, he realized it was the sing-song of a child playing the game of "he loves me" with different words. It was heartbreaking, really.

The words paused shortly after his steps, but not so soon that the Doctor hadn't figured out the proper direction. Holding fast he squinted into the high grass.

"Hello, there," he said rather mindfully of not wanting to seem too imposing, kids generally favored him; but one might never be too careful.

"You haven't seen a big blue box about, have you?"

(Reply to this) (Parent)

miami_angel97
2009-01-28 11:58 pm UTC (link)

Astor craned her neck again and looked around until she spotted the person. "Hi," she said softly. "Sorry, am I in the way?" she asked. It was a grown up. Most of the ones she'd met so far had been at the snowball fight acting like a bunch of kids, but she didn't remember ever seeing this one around.

Without bothering to get up, because Astor was comfy, she plucked another petal off the flower and watched it flutter to the ground before looking back up at him when he asked if she'd seen a big blue box. She shook her head. "Uh uh. Did you lose it?" she asked.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

fromgallifrey
2009-01-29 12:02 am UTC (link)

"Noooo, don't be silly. I mean, you're there, but I don't think my box could hide behind you... It's very large, blue, and shaped like a phone booth..."

He was looking around again and still seeing not a hint of the yellow letters or blinking white top light. This game of hide and seek was starting to become frustrating.

"The planet moved it. It was parked up by the ski lift the other day, and it seemed when things changed around here the planet relocated it," he sighed, taking up a spot on the ground near by.

"Besides, I need my box if we're going to be getting anyone home," he said with a smile of sorts. Hope was something that could never be allowed to die, especially in a child.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

miami_angel97
2009-01-29 12:06 am UTC (link)

Astor shook her head again. "I haven't seen a phone booth..." she said softly, almost apologetically.

He went on to tell her that he hadn't lost it; the Planet had moved it. "Oh that sucks the big one," she sympathized. "This place is mean like that. Moving your phone booth...putting my brother's empty bed in my room with me..."

When he sat down, she looked over at him and her eyes widened just slightly when he mentioned getting people home. "Are you him?!" she asked, eyes sparkling with excitement and hope. "Are you the man who's trying to take everybody home?"

(Reply to this) (Thread)

fromgallifrey
2009-01-29 12:11 am UTC (link)

The Doctor sighed a little when she mentioned not having noticed his TARDIS. "It'll turn up, that I'm sure of," unless the planet's deported it...

Shaking his head sympathetically the doctor offered a knowing smile, "I know how you feel, let's just say the Planet's choice of accommodations for me was less than welcomed as well..."

Just as he was about to go on a mental journey of anguish and annoyance he saw a little flicker of life in the girl's eyes. "Him?" He asked at first, "Oh, I'm the Doctor," Grinning, of course was a prerequisite for this sort of introduction. "I'm going to take everyone home who wants to go, yes," he said happily tapping his shoes as if they had a life all their own.

The way she was looking at him he felt like Santa Claus. Wasn't often people gave him that look that weren't riding alongside him in the TARDIS.

"When I find my box, I'll give you an advance tour," he said with a grin.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

miami_angel97
2009-01-29 12:17 am UTC (link)

This was him. The guy who promised to give her a seat when he found a way for them to get off the Planet and go back home. He'd said he'd put her on the top of his list. Astor dropped the flower and beamed, leaning over and throwing her arms around him. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she gushed.

Then she pulled away quickly, realizing that, essentially, he was a stranger and she really shouldn't be hugging him. "Sorry," she said quickly, still looking at him with excitement. "My name is Astor. I talked to you in your journal and you promised me a seat and said you wouldn't forget me," she told him, hoping that he'd remember.

He told her that when he found the box, he'd give her a tour. Astor was too excited about the prospect of going home to process the fact that he was saying 'box' over and over. If she'd been paying attention properly, she'd have wondered how they'd manage it. "I could help you look for it," she offered eagerly.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

fromgallifrey
2009-01-29 12:23 am UTC (link)

It was one of the few, small victories that the Doctor had managed in the past three days: making a child happy. It was actually a pretty big victory, and the Doctor had to cling to it for that moment. His instruments and attempts at science had been failing one by one over the past few days. A circuit would blow, a frequency would waver, or a signal would just drop and the Doctor would be left back at square one again. The happiness of Astor here, however, this was a victory.

"Of course I wouldn't forget you. You knew where and when home is, right? The place, the time, the year? I'm sure you do. I can get you there," he said this with the confidence generally reserved for Timelords - the sort of certainty that goes beyond science and speculation of figures.

"You could..." He said tentatively, mulling the thought over. "Wouldn't you rather play, or something? I wouldn't want to keep you from all the fun that the Planet has planned for you..."

(Reply to this) (Parent)

miami_angel97
2009-01-29 12:27 am UTC (link)

Astor giggled. "'course I know where and when home is," she replied. "Miami, Florida, 2007," she said. If he wanted the date, she could probably muster that up, as well, but he didn't ask, so she didn't elaborate.

The next thing made her smile falter just a little. "There's nothing fun today," she replied. He was trying to distract her; Mom did it all the time when she didn't want Astor and Cody around. Her heart sank. "It's okay if you don't want my help, mister, I don't mind. I know I'm just a kid," she sighed, picking up the flower again and turning its stem between her fingers listelessly; she'd completely deflated again.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

fromgallifrey
2009-01-29 12:35 am UTC (link)

The nod came quickly as she rambled of a place and a year - it was a start. Surely she'd know something like the season at least. He'd navigate her home; he could do that, he is a Timelord, afterall.

"The planet hasn't done anything fun for me yet," he said, thinking more of it's seeming will to be noncompliant with his demands upon it - namely for communication and a method of leaving. He supposed he shouldn't fault it for the latter just yet as he hadn't yet obtained the former.

"Oh, it's not that I don't want your help!" He said this quickly and earnestly, "Kids are the most clever people out there, don't you know that? I'm clever, but there are so many things that get in the way sometimes like numbers and rules and proclamations... It's not really good you know, to have your mind all stuck up and limited and kids... well, you don't usually have that problem..." his mind still carried on, "Well, there are some adults who don't have that problem either, but usually they're the ones who get themselves in the most trouble..." He sighed.

"Well, if you think you can spare the time with that flower of yours, I'd welcome the help," he said , raising in a fluid gesture and extending a hand. "We're looking for a big blue box with a bright yellow sign that reads 'Police public call box' on the top," he wasn't at all patronizing about this at all as some adults might be want to do. Rather, he was matter of fact as if he were reciting the planets of the solar system in the midst of an exam.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

miami_angel97
2009-01-29 12:41 am UTC (link)

Astor couldn't quite get a read on the tone in the Doctor's voice when he said that the Planet hadn't done anything fun for him yet. She couldn't tell if he was sad or disinterested entirely.

He went on to tell her that he did want her help and Astor brightened just slightly. Hopefully, he really did and he wasn't just saying so because he felt bad that he'd made her sad. She smiled a little at the bit about her flower and she let it fall back to the ground when he held a hand out to her after standing. The smile brightened a little more when she took his hand and pulled herself back to her feet.

"Police public call box?" Astor asked, wanting to make sure she'd gotten it right. She was pretty sure, however, that she had, so before he answered, she nodded once to herself and made the mental note. "Blue box, yellow sign," she said aloud as she set that to memory as well. "Where are we looking?" she asked, looking up at him.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

fromgallifrey
2009-01-30 10:32 pm UTC (link)

"Well, we've already looked this way," he said, pointing forward, "Might as well try this direction next," He said this turning left - the lodge that was formerly at his back now parallel to his left side. Seemed logical to keep the lodge in the middle, it helped him keep his bearings.

"You've got it," he said with a firm nod as he started off with slow steps and squinty eyes.

"Can I ask you something?" He said rather hurriedly. "If you know the one thing in the whole universe that you ever wanted was here; yet by staying here you knew that the whole universe would probably be completely destroyed; would you stay to keep that thing or go back and keep saving everyone?"

Yes, he was asking a child, he knew that. The Doctor, however, was completely sure that in most cases children had the clearest vision of all.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

miami_angel97
2009-01-31 07:49 pm UTC (link)

Astor followed closely beside the Doctor, eyes peeled for the blue box with the yellow letters. "Okay," she agreed easily.

She smiled and nodded back to him when he confirmed that she'd gotten the description of the blue box right.

When he asked whether he could ask her something, Astor looked up at him. "Sure, mister," she replied with a smile. She'd been asking enough questions around here, lately; it might be nice to be able to answer one fully and honestly, for a change. She listened to his question and then looked away as she mulled it over.

Not sure how to answer, Astor tried to fit his question to something she'd understand. If Cody were here, but Mom and Dex were home and in trouble...would she stay with Cody, or go home to help Mom and Dex? Furrowing her brow, she looked back up at him. "I don't know...why can't I just take the one thing with me when I leave?" she asked. "Then I can have the thing and still go back to save people," she added. It seemed like a simple enough solution to her, anyway...

(Reply to this) (Thread)

fromgallifrey
2009-01-31 08:01 pm UTC (link)

"Think of that one thing like snow, and where you're going it's really hot... So, you really have to choose..."

It was getting darker and darker, and it seemed that the planet might actually aid his search. The darker it got the more likely it would be he'd spy the yellow letters.

'C'mon TARDIS,' he thought, clicking his tongue.

"No sign of it this way.... Do you see anything?"

(Reply to this) (Parent)

miami_angel97
2009-01-31 08:09 pm UTC (link)

Astor frowned. "Oh..." she said softly. She considered it again. If Dex and Mom had each other, they could help themselves...but if she left Cody, he'd be alone here like she was now. "I would stay, then," she said and looked up at him uncertainly, as if to ask him with her expression whether she'd answered the question correctly.

He clicked his tongue and said something she thought she'd probably heard wrong, because it didn't sound like any word she knew. And then, in the distance, over his shoulder and back in the woods, she saw something flash briefly. "Oh! I don't know," she said with a bit of excitement mixed with confusion. "I thought I saw a light over there," she said pointing toward the woods, "but it was quick, so I couldn't see if it said the police public call box thing," she replied.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

fromgallifrey
2009-01-31 08:22 pm UTC (link)

As the child spoke he couldn't help but think - Rose wasn't alone here. Not alone in the least. The situation was more clear, though, certainly a bit more painful.

Nodding with a moment of understanding the Doctor canted his head as she indicated that she had seen something off in another direction.

"Might as well check it out, right?" He said, turning a bit on the balls of his sneaker clad feet and scanned the treeline. "Well, better to look than not," through the tall grass and onto the threshold of the forest.

"You know, my blue box really likes trees, perhaps that's why the planet put it in here.."

(Reply to this) (Parent)

miami_angel97
2009-01-31 08:54 pm UTC (link)

Once again, Astor followed closely behind. He said that the blue box really liked trees and Astor was confused. "How can a box like anything? It's a box," she said slowly, wondering if maybe she'd just misunderstood him. "I don't understand," she finally admitted as she trotted along beside him to keep up.

The light flashed in the woods again. "There!" she squeaked, pointing again. "Did you see it that time? Is that it?" she asked.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

fromgallifrey
2009-01-31 09:06 pm UTC (link)

"You'll see," he said with a grin, an impish boyish grin. At the very least for her help he owed Astor a trip to the TARDIS, even if the TARDIS couldn't take her home yet.

There was a distinct flash of yellow light and the Doctor plucked his screwdriver from his pocket and blinked it in the general direction of the flash. A hearty flash came from not too far off, the TARDIS letting him know where she'd been hiding.

"There you are!" He said, tugging Astor along until they reached the box.

"Care for a look inside?" He asked this as he turned the key in the latch. He pushed the door open and stepped aside, letting the warm yellow glow come out from inside the imposing box.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

miami_angel97
2009-01-31 09:23 pm UTC (link)

The Doctor's grin was contagious and Astor grinned widely back, even as she chewed her bottom lip, eyeballing his gadget with curiosity when it made a strange sound as it blinked. She saw another flash and then the Doctor was tugging her along.

Astor looked up at the big blue box as the Doctor asked if she wanted a look inside. "Sure," she said, grinning, as he unlocked the door and went inside. She paused a moment, in case he wanted to have a second. She did, peek, though, and once she had, eyes wide with wonder, she could't stop herself from wandering inside behind him. "Ohhhh cool! This is awesome!" she squealed happily.

She noticed the console and her eyes widened more as she approached it tentatively, almost waiting for him to tell her 'no.' "Wow, there's like a million buttons," she observed in an awestruck whisper. "How do you keep them all straight?"

(Reply to this) (Thread)

fromgallifrey
2009-01-31 09:30 pm UTC (link)

Astor squealed with glee and the Doctor knew he'd done his good deed for the day. The door closed gently behind him as he followed behind her. He didn't think she'd touch too many buttons; but with the TARDIS inert for the moment, it would be difficult for her to do too much harm.

"Just listen for one second," he said, his attention fixed on the TARDIS' hum, "That's the sound of my TARDIS, and she's alive, and she likes trees," he said with a smile, hoping now she understood what he was saying earlier.

"Well, she's been my ship for a very long time, I've learned them all," he said rather matter of factly. "Sort of like how you learn the alphabet. Seems big at the start but eventually you get it down pact."

(Reply to this) (Parent)

miami_angel97
2009-01-31 09:36 pm UTC (link)

When he asked her to listen, Astor was quiet. She could hear the hum and she smiled, looking back at him. "Wow..." she breathed. "Is it like...can I pet her? Or doesn't it work like that?" she asked, a little confused as to how what looked like a machine could be alive.

Astor nodded when he explained how he'd gotten to know the buttons. There were levers, too, and cranks and just about everything, really. Her fingers were itching to touch something, but she didn't want to unless he said she could.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

fromgallifrey
2009-01-31 09:46 pm UTC (link)

"Oh, she knows if you're up against one of her columns, I'm sure," he said with a smile running a hand up and down one of the spindle like trunks. "She hears you, too," he said with a smile.

There was a red blinking light on the console. Another frequency had changed and he had to start all over again on his attempt at tuning in with the planet.

"Would you press that?" he asked, sidling up to the console as he depressed a lever.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

miami_angel97
2009-01-31 10:02 pm UTC (link)

"Oh," she said softly, watching as he seemed to stroke a column fondly. She smiled. "What's her name...?" she asked, unsure if the strange word he'd said before was a species or a name.

The Doctor asked her to press a button and Astor was admittedly taken aback. She noticed the red blinking light he was referring to. "Okay..." she said and reluctantly reached forward before pressing the button. Part of her wondered if he'd change his mind once she pressed it or blame her if something went wrong inexplicably.

Astor looked back at the Doctor expectantly, wondering what the button she was pressing was going to do, exactly...

(Reply to this) (Thread)

fromgallifrey
2009-02-01 09:05 pm UTC (link)

"Well, she's the TARDIS. I mean, that's what she is more than a name. She doesn't really have a proper name, come to think of it," he scratched his head while he waited for her to press the button and smiled as she did.

The column in the middle of the room started to surge a bit as the mechanism came to life with a delightful whir.

"You just recallibrated the sensors, thank you" he said with a smile.

"Hey Astor, I do have to ask one more favor from you - you can't tell anyone about my blue box, alright?"

(Reply to this) (Parent)

miami_angel97
2009-02-01 09:23 pm UTC (link)

Astor tipped her head to the side slightly. "You should name her," she replied with a small smile. "I've never heard of a TARDIS, what's that?"

The middle column surged a little and Astor's ears were filled with a whirring sound...somehow, that sound felt exciting and relaxing all at once. Like being home for the first time in ages, or something. She couldn't really explain it, but she knew she liked it. When the Doctor told her what her button pressing had done and blushed and tucked her hair behind her ears. "I don't really know what that means, but you're welcome," she giggled.

"She's a secret...?" Astor asked, finding that, when she looked down at her hand, she was stroking the metal, rounded edge of the console beneath where the button had been located. "I won't tell anybody," she added, since she hadnt answered his question when she'd asked her own.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

fromgallifrey
2009-02-01 09:36 pm UTC (link)

"T-A-R-D-I-S," He spelled, "Time and Relative Dimension in Space," he said this happily, more happily than he had for a while. Thinking of it, it'd been a while since he'd introduced anyone new to the TARDIS. He didn't think he'd really want to be introducing anyone else anytime soon, either. As much as he liked Andy, it was hard enough thinking that the man already had Rose - but, to give him the TARDIS, too? Admittedly, the Gallifreyan was being selfish - and in his mind it was his turn to be.

"She's a time machine, and there are a lot of people who would do experiments on her or worse... you never know who you can trust with her," he smiled a bit grimly, thinking of various species who'd take her apart and sell her for scrap given the opportunity. Somehow, that was even more hurtful than the idea of people using her for more nefarious purposes.

"Thank you," he said knocking around before taking a seat on one of the double wide chairs that hung off the side rails.

Listening a moment to the TARDIS humming, "You know, I think she likes you," he remarked, ignoring the slight pitch play with the harmony. It was like the TARDIS wanted to like her but was unsure; well, there was no reason not the like the child that he could tell, so he ignored it.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

miami_angel97
2009-02-01 09:53 pm UTC (link)

"T-A-R-D-I-S..." Astor whispered to herself as she commited it to memory. She was about to ask the Doctor what exactly 'Time and Relative Dimension in Space meant, but he'd gone on talking.

"Time machine? Like in the movies?" she asked, grinning. "You can go back and forth in time with her? That's so neat!"

She looked back at him sadly as he thanked her for keeping the TARDIS a secret - having said what could possibly happen to her if Astor told. "That's horrible," she sighed.

Astor had noticed that the Doctor had taken a seat and she moved over to drop down on the other side of the double wide seat, beside him. "I like her too," she said with a grin, looking up - way up - toward the ceiling, her eyes roaming over the center column as she looked up. "So pretty..." she breathed.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

fromgallifrey
2009-02-01 10:04 pm UTC (link)

"Well, I could, until this planet came along..." He breathed, propping his ankle up on his knee as he slouched down into the chair and mimicked the girl's pose looking up toward the TARDIS' ceiling, which seemed really too far off to see fully.

"She's a good ship, and she's taken pretty good care of me," he said happily, patting the seat.

"So, once I figure out how to talk with the Planet I'll hopefully be able to get everyone home who wants to go."

(Reply to this) (Parent)

miami_angel97
2009-02-01 10:10 pm UTC (link)

"When she makes that humming sound...is that how she talks?" Astor asked. "Can you understand what she says? Maybe she has an idea how to get off the Planet," she suggested, finally tearing her eyes away from the ceiling and looking back at the Doctor.

She drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around herself, resting her chin on her knees as she looked back at him. "The sooner I can get back to Cody, the better," she added gently as if to remind him just how important it was to her to go home.

Something then occurred to her. "What else is in here?" she asked. She'd seen a hallway, she'd thought, but she'd been distracted by how big it was on the inside and then the Doctor had asked her to press a button for him.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

fromgallifrey
2009-02-01 10:20 pm UTC (link)

"Sort of, though, not so much with words as feelings. All I can tell from her is that she wants to go," he said, not quite wanting to look away from the ceiling yet as his voice trailed off.

"Cody? Who's that?" It was hard for him not to follow things up with more questions, it was just his nature. It could be her brother, or a pet, or a teddy bear for all he knew. She'd finally managed to wrench his mind off from the ceiling and the TARDIS' humming.

She'd turned her attention to the hallway and the Doctor was up quickly as he pointed to an area just behind the console where a spiral staircase leading downward in addition to a hallway leading off to where his companion's rooms were - untouched each and every.

"Oh there are all sorts of rooms and things, I think there's still a pool back there somewhere, too... And the closet... Can't forget the ration station..."

(Reply to this) (Parent)

miami_angel97
2009-02-01 10:33 pm UTC (link)

"Oh," she said softly in response. Astor looked back up at the ceiling and listened to the humming of the TARDIS, closing her eyes. For the first time in as long as she could remember, the Inside Shadow was in such a deep sleep, Astor had nearly forgotten it was there at all.

Her eyes opened again and she looked back at the Doctor. "Cody's my little brother," she replied.

"Really?" Astor asked, awestruck, when he ticked off a list of things that were down that hall. She stood when the Doctor did and craned her neck to look.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

fromgallifrey
2009-02-02 02:10 pm UTC (link)

"Oh," he said, question answered.

"There's a ton of nooks and crannies in here, actually. This is just the control room. It's where the TARDIS can be piloted from."

He settled back into the seat and propped his ankle on his knee as he again resumed looking at the ceiling.

"Closest thing I have to home, my TARDIS," he said offhandedly, before offering a grin back to Astor. "What's your home like?"

(Reply to this) (Parent)

miami_angel97
2009-02-02 02:30 pm UTC (link)

"Where do you sleep?" Astor asked, not quite sure she could really wrap her head around the whole thing. What she couldn't see, for the time being, was certainly something she couldn't understand entirely.

She tipped her head to the side slightly. "I live with my mom and Cody in a little house in Miami. We have a backyard with a garden. I share a room with Cody..."

It wasn't much, not compared to the little bit of the TARDIS she'd seen...she didn't know what else, really, to say. "Don't you get lonely? Being here alone? I know I am..." she sighed, thinking of the empty extra bed in her room on the Planet.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

fromgallifrey
2009-02-02 02:40 pm UTC (link)

"Oh, I've got a room downstairs. Well, I've got a bunch of rooms. There's one with no gravity and no sound or color. There's the one with my bunk in it, too. Can't forget the cloisters, either..." His mind traced a mental map as he silently counted all the placed he'd actually fallen asleep in. "I've slept in here, too" he said with a grin.

"Sounds like a fantastic home. I always like a good garden..."

Well, then Astor went to a place the Doctor didn't much like going. "Well, you don't have to feel quite so alone now. I mean, you're always welcome to visit the TARDIS, you know."

(Reply to this) (Parent)

miami_angel97
2009-02-02 02:47 pm UTC (link)

"No gravity?" Astor asked. "But that means you'd be floating all over the place..." she pointed out. "What's cloisters?"

He complimented her home and Astor smiled sadly, looking down again and giving a non-commital shrug. "Mom's garden is vegetables more than flowers," she said softly.

When the Doctor told her she didn't have to feel so alone and that she could visit the TARDIS again, she brightened just slightly, looking back up at him. "Really?!" she asked. Part of her was positively itching to hug him again, but she wasn't sure he'd like that, so she didn't. "Thank you," she added.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

fromgallifrey
2009-02-02 03:00 pm UTC (link)

"Well the no gravity sort of promotes healing... It's good for you..."

Both feet firmly on the floor he was thinking about how best to describe the Cloisters. "Well, it's sort of deep down in the heart of the ship, where all the circuits and the coral, and everything come together. There's even a big bell that tolls from down there for when I'm in deep trouble. I go there mostly when I want to think; but, it's quiet and warm so it's hard not to fall asleep there, too."

"I like vegetables, squash and peas and peppers..." Oh now he knew he was just rambling.

"Of course you can come back and visit, both me and the TARDIS are going to be here; well, unless the planet decides to move her again..."

Taking a moment to look at his watch the Doctor couldn't help but scrunch his nose. "Hey, don't you have a bedtime around here?"

(Reply to this) (Parent)

miami_angel97
2009-02-02 03:10 pm UTC (link)

"I think that'd be fun," Astor replied with a small grin. "To float around like I was in outer space or something."

She listened as the Doctor explained the Cloisters and she wasn't entirely sure she really understood, but it all sounded interesting, in any case.

"If the Planet moves her again, I'll help you look for her again, if you want," Astor offered with a smile. "I'd like to come back for sure."

Then, he went all grown up on her and asked if she had a bedtime.

Astor shrugged. "No...no one to tell me to go to bed," she said softly. "I go to bed when I feel tired..."

(Reply to this) (Thread)

fromgallifrey
2009-02-02 03:17 pm UTC (link)

"It's actually very restful," he said, letting his brain wander off into sensory memory. All his cells felt certainly relaxed at the thought. Maybe he'd spend the night down there tonight, the Gallifreyan could certainly use a rest.

"I'd appreciate the help," he said with a grin.

"Come on," he said, standing and extending a hand, "I'll walk you back to your room. Besides, if you wait to go to sleep until you're exhausted to get some rest, it's too late."

He slowly closed the gap between his chair and the front doors, "Now, you knock just like this when you come back again so I know it's you," he bumped out a playful rhythm on the door frame. "One time I waited to go to sleep for so long I wound up sleeping for three days straight to make it up," he chose not to mention that he hadn't slept for almost three days straight, but that was beside the point.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

miami_angel97
2009-02-02 03:30 pm UTC (link)

Smiling a little, Astor watched as the Doctor seemed to go off into his own thoughts. "I bet," she giggled.

He stood and held a hand out to her, saying he'd take her back to her room. She took his hand and followed him as he headed toward the door. He was telling her it was time for bed. Heck, he was going to take her to bed. Without realizing it, she gave his hand a squeeze and walked closer to him. Now that he mentioned it, she was a little tired...

Astor listened when he tapped out a special secret knock on the front door and nodded. "Like this?" she asked, trying out the knock to make sure she had it right.

Then he told her about a time when he'd slept for three days straight after staying awake too long. Astor's eyes went wide. "I don't think I could ever sleep that long!" she gasped.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

fromgallifrey
2009-02-02 03:43 pm UTC (link)

"Perfect! You've got it," he said with a firm nod as they exited the TARDIS. The door was carefully shut behind him and with a practiced motion he turned the key in the lock.

"Oh, you'd be surprised the things you can do... besides, it's no fun sleeping through a few days, there's just so many things to miss."

They were back out in the grass again where the planet had turned a bit foggy on them as the mist rolled in off the lake. Fortunately for the pairing the lights of the lodge were quite bright and it was easy to navigate a path back to the dorms.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

miami_angel97
2009-02-02 04:07 pm UTC (link)

Astor watched him lock the TARDIS behind them and looked a little sad. It reminded her of the way Mom always locked up whenever they left the house back home. So the burglars couldn't get in and steal their things.

"That's true. I asked for people to wake me up but only one person said she would. I said I felt like I was missing things when I sleep too late in the morning," she replied, nodding.

The fog had rolled in a little in the new darkness and it looked a little creepy. Astor moved closer to the Doctor and rested her head on his arm the way she did with Dexter sometimes when they stayed out late at the beach and he was walking them back in the dark. Mom would do the same on Dex's other side and she'd carry Cody. The Doctor wasn't Dexter, but he'd do for now. She closed her eyes and yawned. "Thanks for taking me back, Doctor," she said quietly.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

fromgallifrey
2009-02-02 04:20 pm UTC (link)

"Maybe we'll have to ask the planet for an alarm clock for you. It'll help on those days when your friend forgets," he said this trying to be helpful, of course.

It'd been a long time since he'd been clung to by a child. It was always one of those surreal circumstances that made him feel just a bit more lonely in all the universe. If ever interrogated (and let's be honest, what're the odds of that?!) he'd probably admit that having someone so dependent on him reminded him of just how he didn't have all that much he could depend on.

"No thanks necessary," he said with a squeeze of her hand, he was just being himself, afterall.

Barracks reached he looked about, "Which way is your room?"

(Reply to this) (Parent)

miami_angel97
2009-02-02 04:26 pm UTC (link)

"Oh, somebody said that...I don't know how to work alarm clocks," Astor admitted. "My mom always woke me up."

Astor squeezed his hand back and followed quietly beside him the rest of the way. When they reached the area of the resident buildings, he asked which way her room was. "I'm in B, upstairs," she replied.

She hesitated then. "Are you coming up to take me to bed?" she asked, looking up at him.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

fromgallifrey
2009-02-02 06:55 pm UTC (link)

"Aw, well, we'll have to remedy that; I'm sure it'll make your mum very proud when you get back home," he said this with a happy nod.

"Well, the very least I can do is take you up to you room; make sure you get there safe and all," It wasn't that he didn't want to play Dad and tuck her in; it was more a matter of his being the Doctor and this not really being his expertise. Sure, he'd done it before with his own children easily enough - and that thought alone was actually rather painful as it flared in his mind.

"C'mon, lets get you up there."

(Reply to this) (Parent)

miami_angel97
2009-02-02 07:13 pm UTC (link)

Astor smiled at the Doctor. "You're gonna show me how?" she asked cheerfully.

Nodding at him, Astor yawned again and closed her eyes, letting him lead the way. "Mmmkay," she replied lazily. "You're right...I'm pretty tired, Doctor," she admitted.

She thought maybe she should feel a little strange, being so suddenly attached to someone she'd really just met, but then again, when her Mom started seing Dexter, Astor had taken to him pretty quickly as well. Her own father had been a horrible disappointment, to say the least, so whether or not it was intentional, Astor was always groping to replace him.

"214," she told him softly when they entered the building.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

fromgallifrey
2009-02-02 07:30 pm UTC (link)

"Sure, I'll show you. Not tonight, more important you get some rest, there's plenty of time for the alarm clock."

Thinking a moment he turned and found the stairs, taking his time as he climbed them up to the second level. The corridor was quiet - he presumed most of the adults were off doing other things with their time. He wondered why none of them had bothered to look after her. She is just a child, after all.

A few steps down the hallway and there they were right in front of 214.

"Looks like we've found it, Astor," he said knocking politely on the door. "Anybody else in there, Astor?"

(Reply to this) (Parent)

	miami_angel97 2009-02-02 07:42 pm UTC (link)
	"Okay," Astor agreed. "Another time." Astor followed the Doctor down the hall toward her room and opened her eyes when he said that they'd found it. "No, it's just me..." she said sadly and shoved a hand into her pocket to pull out the key to her room. "Thanks again, Doctor," she said with a small smile. "Maybe I'll come see you soon, if that's okay," she added. (Reply to this) (Thread)

fromgallifrey
2009-02-02 07:53 pm UTC (link)

"You get some rest, I'll see you again soon."

He waited for her to open the door as he took a spot leaning against the adjacent wall.

"Thank you for your help, I wouldn't have a place to sleep tonight if you hadn't come along," he said with a firm nod and genuine expression.

Once the door was open and she seemed ready to go off on her own he was back down the stairs and on his way back out to the TARDIS.

It turned out to be not such a non-productive day at all.

(Reply to this) (Parent)