John walked up the street in central London in companionable drunkenness, leaning heavily on Corwen's arm, trading tall tales of memorable drunken moments, or at least the ones that John could remember anyway. John laughed loudly,.. “..And then his tail fell off. Well, I know that's a startle response in his species, but still, damn rude if you ask me. Jack said..”
John suddenly coughed and looked down at his feet and the road beneath them, smile dropping from his face, immediately quiet. “Yes, well.. he always did like to exaggerate.” Corwen leant over, pausing, and lifted John's chin up. She looked down at him, meeting his gaze, even as his eyes danced trying to avoid doing so.
“John. I know you miss him, why don't you go and see him? We could be in Cardiff in a matter of hours, quicker if we cheat,“ she nodded towards John's wrist strap.
“Told you love, he doesn't need me. I remind him of too much pain right now. It's only been a Earth month. I've got to let him come to terms with that, and what he went through, without me jabbing the knife in by being there. He's got a good team behind him, what's left of 'em, poor sods. They love him, and would do anything for him. They're brave and strong, and they're exactly who he needs right now. Not me. Sometimes it's just better if I walk away. He knows how to reach me, if and when he's ready, on his own terms. He doesn't need me going in all guns blazing. So to speak.” He winced slightly at the unintentional double meaning.
Corwen nodded as she let go of his chin. “He calls, you go. Okay? No avoiding him.”
He nodded quietly in agreement, and sniffed loudly, “Yeah, guess so.”
“No guessing about it. I'll tan your hide if you don't go, short arse,” she teased gently. “He needed you and you were there when it mattered most. Don't go ruining that.”
John hunched his shoulders up tight, sticking his hands in his pockets. “Enough of this, where's this bar you were telling me about?”
She sighed dramatically. “Okay okay.. down that way,” she gestured over to their right. “Down that road there.”
They turned the corner, and stopped in shock, having gone instantly from dead of night to bright shining daylight. John blinked, then smiled broadly as he started to recognise the familiar surroundings, and the hotel that was now in front of them. “ Oh ho ho. Now birdy, you'll love this place.”
She looked quizzically at him. “What the hell?”
“Short version? Pocket universe hun, lots of different versions of people, mostly stunning by the way, psychically malleable atmosphere. Just what the Doctor ordered.” He started bouncing on his heels, suddenly excited, “Lots to explore, you'll love it.” He saw a figure approaching, and made to wave them over, not sure how much time, if any had passed since he'd been here last.