They say you can catch it, but sometimes you're born with it

[calicoway]

Luke Roberts is pacing in the lobby of the Kashtta Tower. He has to respond to Arlin, but he doesn't know what to say to him yet. Luke believes him. Arlin seems sincere, and Luke really wants to get out. He doesn't want to have to be a bother to Torchwood or to put any of these people into danger. A hail of bullets and lion is what Gene said...

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[with_coffee]

Robin hesitates. He is not good at this even if he's better when it's with her and even if he's better when there's a certain amount of drugs running through his system. He doesn't like the way she shudders at saying it, but he wants to open it up for her to talk about. Companionship. People say talking does good. Wyatt says it though Robin has his doubts about how much the psychologists actually believes it.

"Dreams about what?

He doesn't comment any more about Dusty, because it is awkward for him to think of their relationship. Not to mention the fact that he can recognize that tone in her voice when she agreed with him. He's not sure how to convince someone that they're worth it- all of it, and he's even less sure that she'd believe him.

Robin opens his mouth, and then closes it in a small, thin line. He's supposed to be taking care of her. Not the other way around. He never knows quite how to react when people try anyway. "They don't have nice beds in jail," he says by way of explanation even though it's so much more than that.

He was in pain a lot of the time, worrying about her, suffering through withdrawal. Now he has residual drugs in his system that literally slow his body down to an exhausted state that keeps him from killing anyone or going into a rage. They all work together to create this mess that she's leaning against.

[changingtheodds]

It takes her a long time to answer that. She's not even sure how she can. "About..."

She scoots forward a bit, so she can lean back and rest her head against Robin's shoulder without cricking her neck. "Fire. Things burning. Whole... worlds full of people dying."

She bites her lip. "They're the Doctor's memories. Some of them. The Vesmier tried to suppress them, but. I guess it didn't work."

[with_coffee]

Robin closes his eyes when she says that. His jaw clenches tightly to keep his emotions locked down, specifically rage. She shouldn't have been near his mind or his memories. Not if that's what they consist of.

Luckily, he's exhausted and drugged up enough that it doesn't send him into a rage as it would have otherwise. There's nothing he can say to help so he pulls her closer and rests his head against hers, protectively.

It would help if he was capable of protecting her from her dreams, but he's not. "I wish I could help. Take them away somehow."

He's even thinking about discussing it with Wyatt even if he doesn't trust the man much. Robin doesn't want to set her on a path of addiction, but he wants her to be able to sleep, too.

[changingtheodds]

"Me too," she says. She almost falls asleep right there, while he's holding her. It would be so easy to just let go of consciousness and let him deal with whatever happens next. "Don't be mad at him. Please-- I know you can't just not be, but..."

She shifts and resettles to hug Robin around the chest. "He's lost so much."

[with_coffee]

Robin closes his eyes focusing on that numb, exhausted feeling, because it's the only thing that's going to stop him being mad at the Doctor.

"I won't be," he says, and he even manages to suppress the pain that the lie causes him.

He glances down at her and can tell how near sleep she is. If he can provide a venue for sleeping, well, that's better than anything else he's managed to do for her.

"You can sleep... you know. I don't mind." He'll probably fall asleep, too, but that's no reason not to.

[changingtheodds]

"I'm fine." Ruvin drags in a breath and opens her eyes, realizing how close to falling asleep right there she is herself. "Just glad you're back."

The last part is true, at least. She watches the movement in the hall for... she's not sure how long. Long enough to start dozing again. Her arms slip down to Robin's stomach, and she shivers, hearing the first dark scream somewhere in the haze collecting in her head. "Please don't leave," she says, or thinks she says. It's enough of a mumble that he might not be able to tell.

[with_coffee]

Robin hears it, because he pays far too much attention to every fucking word she says. He holds her closer.

"Not ever again," he says, pressing a kiss into her hair. No matter how hard it gets to stay. He won't leave, again.

God, he is exhausted. He leans his head back against the chair and closes his eyes. It's easier to relax when she's lying against him, close to him.

[changingtheodds]

It's easier for her to relax too, once he's said that. It hardly registers, sleepy as she is, but the impression of the words is enough. Ruvin shifts and resettles so the chair isn't digging into her side or hip. She hugs Robin a little tighter, maybe for reassurance and maybe a little possessively.

It's not much, maybe, to anyone else. But the words mean the world to her.

[with_coffee]

Robin doesn't let go of her even when he passes out leaned back against the chair. It's comfortable here.

She's safe in his arms, and even in sleep, he is aware of that, which is enough to send him into the deepest sleep he's had in a long time.

Now Ruvin can't leave without risking waking up Robin so clearly they must fall asleep together on this chair.

[changingtheodds]

Clearly.

Ruvin lays there for a while, eyes half-shut, listening to him breathe, to his heart thumping against her ear. It's soothing. Hypnotizing, really. And it's not long before she's dipping into proper sleep.

I'm here, says the heartbeat. It says, I'm real.

Ruvin lets go. Lets herself stop hanging on to that edge of consciousness that will let her wrestle free of a nightmare at a moment's notice, lets go of the need to hear people moving outside of her room or next to her under the covers.

I'm here. I'm real. I'm here.