On the value of proper TARDIS maintenance

[alwayscoward]

When the TARDIS finally comes to a stop, the Doctor thinks that maybe Jack had a point about the TARDIS needing a tune-up after sitting in Cardiff for three months. Stupid of her, not to listen when he was just trying to keep an eye out for her, but nooo, she's the Doctor, she knows what she's doing

Comments

[dalekmade11]

The Doctor nods and has a look at the TARDIS. He can fix much of it, but he thinks it'd probably be better for the other version of himself to remember how to do it herself.

"Sounds like this trip might have been good for you then. Nothing like hanging out with former versions of yourself to jump start the memory of how to... do this. ... Not me, obviously, but Ten. He's well, us before the regeneration."

Not that he looks forward to explaining all of this, again, to Ten, but... This version of himself makes him very sad. For multiple reasons. If anything can help, well, maybe it'd be more painful to hang out with a former version of herself...themselves. But the idea of THREE Doctors in one TARDIS is mind boggling. Hasn't happened in ages. Bollox.

The Doctor smiles just slightly at her. "The fact that you are now... female might have a bit to do with that."

He leans against the console, presses a few other switches, and works on some basic maintenance.

"Take a day or so to get her up and running, again. Course with three of us... Could have it all finished in a few hours. Fancy a detour?"

[alwayscoward]

"Oi, shut up, you," she says, with a bit of a smile. Just a hint. A tiny one. But it's there.

And then she frowns, then tilts her head a little. This is starting to get a bit more confusing than she can follow.

"Wait... you're saying you travel with a previous regeneration? How do you manage to avoid a paradox?" It's almost intriguing enough to make her forget that she's miserable.

[dalekmade11]

He smiles a little more when she tells him to shut up. It's a good sign, apparently, even if it's just this continuous reminder of Rose right now. Once he can get the sense of the two separated. It should be easier, and at least, his Rose isn't dead.

"Remember the hand? Jack kept it in a jar for us and it was in the TARDIS since we got it back. I was regenerating, the hand tapped into the power of my regeneration and... a clone of our Tenth grew straight from it. So there were two of us. Much to everyone's surprise. Knowing myself... ourselves, he could never stay in one place for too long, it'd be the worst sort of life for him and we get along swimmingly so we've been traveling together ever since."

[alwayscoward]

The Doctor's eyebrows go up and she tilts her head a bit. "You... he... You know what, I'm just gonna go with that one." She rolls her shoulders a bit and glances around the console room with a sigh. "Right, I'll be here for weeks if I try it on my own. Let's... go get this clone of yours."

It will be extremely odd. But she will deal with it.

[dalekmade11]

"Yeah, it's... best to just do that. We're still working out the details of it ourselves and it's been this way for months now."

The Doctor watches her for a second, noting her hesitation. Not that he blames her. The other version of themselves is a constant reminder of the way things used to be. When he had companions. She doesn't, because they're... dead, much more painful reason.

He chooses not to. Not for long lengths of time, anyway. It's easier that way.

"You're sure? I can probably get it done for you in a couple days if you'd rather."

[alwayscoward]

"Yeah. No, it's... Might as well get her fixed up proper, yeah?" She attempts a smile.

It doesn't quite pan out the way it was intended.

"So... lead the way, I guess. After you." She'll lock up and they'll... do their thing. Or something.