[Unintentional video; Waters of Mars spam 1/4. Warning for spoilers.]

[timey_wimey]

[Hello community. The image you're getting this video from is... well, to put it bluntly, it's blue, as if it's being filmed through a filter, or a robot's eyestalk. The Doctor, same old same old, stands in the middle of a room with seven other people. It looks to be a space base of some sort, and all of them are talking. Or rather, interrogating

Comments

[torchwoodteaboy]

"Bowie Base One"? As in David Bowie? We name our first base on Mars after David Bowie?

[Ianto doesn't realize that the Doctor might not know that he's alive again, he isn't aware of any of the bitterness Jack's harboring towards the Time Lord either.]

[voice] 1/3

[timey_wimey]

And why not? People have named space bases after weirder things, might as well go with a glam rock star who sang a song about life on mar --

[timey_wimey]

[timey_wimey]

[It's true that the Doctor didn't know. Since the business with the 456, when he couldn't interfere, he's been avoiding the community as a whole, travelling about. Isolating himself. And seeing Ianto like this, alive again... it's a shock. But a welcome shock, and even right now, he can't help being amazed and relieved and joyful all at once. Trust the community and its members to find a way where he couldn't.]

Ianto Jones, you're alive!

[torchwoodteaboy]

[You can hear the smile in his voice, soft and warm]

Yeah, I... I guess I am. For. A little over two weeks, now. I. I guess you could say that I owe a certain pair of stubborn men quite a lot, right now.

[voice derp]

[timey_wimey]

Oh, but that's... this is brilliant. They're brilliant! How are you feeling? Well, you know, aside from the being resurrected thing - how did they manage to do that anyway, by the by?

[... yeah, someone's mind has been taken completely off the Mars base by now.]

[torchwoodteaboy]

They got some sort of an amulet. Magical, apparently, since it was from Merlin. [He brushes it where it's hanging around his neck, even though the Doctor wouldn't be able to see that] They haven't really told me all of the details about it...

And me? I'm... I'm alright. I've been better. Apparently being dead takes some time to recover from... [There's a note in his voice suggesting that things might be a little worse than he's making it sound, however]

[voice]

[timey_wimey]

Magical, eh? I suppose that makes sense, bring something in from another universe that isn't bound to the same laws as ours...

[his voice grows a little sharp, concerned.] Well, I'd expect so, considering that it's death, but... in what way?

[voice]

[torchwoodteaboy]

Yeah, it does. I mean. Like I said, they haven't really told me how exactly it worked. Apparently, it almost didn't, but. We happened to have a very quick-thinking doctor with us at the time, and he saved the day, and well. Here I am.

[Locked] [Because...maybe the Doctor would know something about this. He hasn't told Sulu or Jack, though, and he really doesn't want them finding out by accident]
I... I haven't really recovered from it. I mean. I. I don't really know that I've gotten any better in the last 2 weeks. It. [He struggles to find the right words] It feels like I just kicked off the flu, and I'm in that tired, weak, achy state of recovery, but. It's been like that the whole time, and I don't. I don't really know what to make of it, honestly. Or. What to tell Sulu or Jack about it, for that matter...

[voice]

[timey_wimey]

Yep, here you are. Blimey. Well, whatever it was, I'm glad it worked.

[Locked]
[he sucks in a breath, considering] Hmm... it sounds similar to a really long-lasting regeneration sickness, but since you haven't really regenerated your body, just ended up back in your old one, maybe not... I dunno, Ianto. Resurrection's a tricky thing in almost any universe. I mean, look at Jack, Rose tried to bring him back once and ended up bringing him back forever... in this case, much as I hate to say it, you might have to ask for advice somewhere else. But if I were you, I wouldn't keep it from them. They went to this much trouble to bring you back, I think they'd want to know if there were any problems they'd want to nip in the bud, yeah? I mean... between you and me, Ianto, I don't think Jack could take anything else happening to you. Not now.

[voice]

[torchwoodteaboy]

You and me both, Doctor. It's definitely good to be back.

[Locked]
I... Maybe I should. It's just. They did go through all this trouble of bringing me back, and. For it not to've worked properly, I. I don't want to have to tell them that there's a chance they might lose me all over again. You. You were around when that happened. You know what that would do to Sulu, and to Jack. I... [he takes in a shuddering breath] I can't do that to them, I can't.

John, he's. He's the doctor that was with us for this. He's doing some research for me. If he... He might be able to find something. And if he doesn't, maybe I can. It's just. I don't want to tell them this. Not yet. Not when there's a chance that I might be able to spare them from it.

[What Ianto doesn't know is that that virus that killed him is still in his system, slowly eating away at it, because the amulet brought him back, did what it was supposed to and no more. And eventually he will have to tell them. Just...not yet]

[voice]

[timey_wimey]

I can only imagine.

[Locked]
I know you don't want to tell them, and I can understand. Maybe better than you know, but... if you don't tell them something's wrong and there was a chance to fix it, you know they're gonna end up blaming themselves for not catching it.

Hmm. Well, at least someone's on the case... look, I'm a bit stuck for time right now or I'd start looking into this for you right now myself, it's the least I can do to make up for - well. You know what I mean. Anyway, as soon as I get away from here, I'll see what I can do on my end, but in the meantime... I dunno, can you remember anything, anything at all from since you came back or even just before that might have caused this?

Re: [voice]

[torchwoodteaboy]

Yes, well. There's a reason that people generally try to avoid dying, and all.

[Locked]
Yeah. I know. I'll... Look, I'll give it a few more weeks. If nothing gets better, or if it starts to get worse, then I'll tell them, I promise. I just. They're still trying to recover from the initial blow. I... I don't want to hit them with another quite so soon.

I know you're busy, Doctor. I'm sorry for bothering you with this. It's just that. I mean, nothing's 'caused' it. It's just that... After I was revived, things never really got any better. I woke up, it took me a while to...well, get a grip on everything, really. And then I slept for probably a full day, and it's been like this ever since.

[voice]

[timey_wimey]

Yeah, just a small one.

[Locked]
I know. But make sure you do, alright? Keep an eye on yourself, or two eyes, if you can manage it.

Oh, come on, don't be sorry. Better that someone else knows, after all, even if there's not much I can do about it while I'm stuck on Mars... could you ask whoever gave you that amulet how it's supposed to work? Could be a good start for picking up clues, at least.

[voice]

[torchwoodteaboy]

I suppose that there might be other reasons as well, y'know. That one might avoid death, and all.

[Locked]
I'll try. As I've had pointed out to me, I've got two strapping men keeping their eyes on me as well, so. If something happens, I know who I can turn to.

I don't think I could, really. They'd never used it before, and they told us all they had read about it, which wasn't really all that much, from what I gather.

[voice]

[timey_wimey]

Stuff to stick around for would be one of them.

[Locked]
As long as those strapping men are in a position to work their magic.

I see... well, for now, Ianto, I'm stumped. [And there's a shout from the background, Adelaide's voice calling the Doctor's name] ... Ah. Stumped and being badgered by a very stern blonde Captain, can I get back to you about this once I'm done here?