InsaneJournal

The Doctor: Stress (and Hello!)
If the ship had landed a bit closer or the customers inside the café been a little less chatty, they might have heard the distinctive whirling-wheezing-grinding sound, warning them of Margate’s newest arrival. As it is, the thin man in the brown overcoat bursting into the café and stopping abruptly a few paces into the room comes as a surprise. The stranger glances around the space, eyes narrowing, adjusting to the change from the sunny seaside to the interior lighting.

"No..." he scoffs, heavy with skepticism, before turning around and jogging back out the door as quickly as his trainers will carry him.

Only moments pass before he re-enters the café.

"It can't be..." he murmurs and, squinting again, pulls a set of glasses from an inside suit pocket, puts them on, pushing them up the bridge of his nose with his index finger.

He wanders further into the café this time, roaming and examining the entryway, the counter, the tables. "Am I...?" he murmurs. He looks around and grabs a cup of coffee practically from the lips of the poor individual who happened to be closest to him. He sniffs the contents of the mug first, then sticks his fingertip into the beverage and licks the liquid off. He grimaces as he swallows, but the grimace quickly changes into a grin. "Oh, I am. I am in Margate again. Brilliant! Just brilliant! I had forgotten all about this place!"

He frowns suddenly and sinks into a chair, continuing his conversation with himself. "But how could I have forgotten...... it's like... it's like, like there's a perception filter on the whole town!" He snaps his fingers. "Yes, that’s exactly what it’s like! When you're here, you're aware of the place, and when you're not, you don't even think about it."

He runs a hand through his hair, musing, "But why would anyone put a perception filter on a Margate...? That would take so much energy... and what would the point be..." He trails off, hand midway through his hair, eyes widening, suddenly aware of the crowd of people sitting in the café.

A wide smile spreads across his face, which, in combination with his now bigger-than-ever hair results in a slightly-crazed look. "Oh, hello!!! Now, who do we have here? Who is present tonight?" He gets to his feet and begins circulating through the tables.

"Ahh, Caprica Six!" he calls out, walking over to the blonde. He winks and smiles, though the smile doesn’t quite extend to his eyes. "You're looking lovely as always!" He turns and his gaze comes to rest on a dark-haired man. "Alex Krycek!" he exclaims. "Ha! No one’s killed you yet! Amazing!"

He crosses the room, meandering among the tables. "And Professor McGonagall! Hello, there!" He smiles, fondly. "Oh, the mug you gave me -- now that I think about it, still have it! And I'll have you know -- it survived a trip to the end of the Earth."

"Survived a few different endings, actually, come to think of it," he murmurs, already walking away from her.

"And Ianto Jones!" He stares at Ianto for a moment, before saying quite seriously, "I have so much to catch up on with you."

"Say, is Holmes around…" he abruptly asks no one in particular. "Had another edition for him to sign…" he murmurs, looking around the crowd. "Ah-ha! There is he is! Hello!" He waves, then stands at the front of the room, surveying the group. "Look at all of you! A few new faces, but looks like the whole gang's here! It's like... a reunion! Well, a reunion for me... Unless, you've all left, too, and somehow we've all just happened to return, right now, this very day. Say, what day is it?" He grins, positively gleeful. "Do we still have topics to discuss? I loved those chats! Is there a discussion topic right now, hmm?"

"Ah, what’s that? Stress?" he asks as someone calls out from the back. "Ah, stress!" He grins with realization, commenting, "That's what we were talking about when I left! See! I told you I'd be back in ten minutes! Same as ever!"

"So, stress..." He thinks a moment, brow furrowed. "Well, a friend of mine claims I insult other species when I'm stressed. Oh, and I'm rude. Sometimes I get more rude when I'm stressed. Things like 'My, doesn't that dress just make her look like a Krillitane.' and 'Well, how stupid could they possibly be?' just sort of fall out of my mouth. I honestly don't mean to say them and I know, I know, it's probably not the best coping mechanism, it just sorta… happens…" he trails off, smile fading, finally noticing some blank stares and a few of the customers regarding him apprehensively.

"What?"

His expression melts into one of confusion and he repeats the question, more defensively this time. "What?"

His eyes widen and he shakes his head rapidly. "Oh! Oh, no, no, no! No, don't worry! Sorry for the confusion. Just got a new face," he says with a grin. "Bit of trouble with absorbing the time vortex. Well, my friend, Rose, had some trouble with the time vortex, then I..." he breaks off, face falling. "But she's gone..." He sighs, wearily. "It's a long story."

"But I promise, it's really me. I just regenerated recently."

"Still not ginger..." he muses. "Though I did just save a red-haired bride... Well, saved her and Christmas… and the Earth..." he adds off-handedly. "But look, even though I have changed, I'm still me."

He grins again, his tone gentler now, "I'm still just 'The Doctor.'"