(Untitled)

[thedoctorwho]

The Doctor is sitting in a booth by the Window staring down into his teacup. He dropped Martha back at home to visit her family. He felt like he needed to be alone, but if that were true, why did he come here

Comments

[shoeless_ed]

A skinny child with wild red hair suddenly pops up beside the Doctor's table. "Look!" she declares. "Ed has a picture!"

[thedoctorwho]

He looks up, even manages a faint echo of a smile.

"Good for Ed!"

[shoeless_ed]

The picture, drawn in crayon, is very stylized but also very well-executed. It depicts a very small red dog, a medium-sized orange-and-white dog and a truly humongous black dog chasing a demon bunny. The title of the picture, written in Ed's trademark bad handwriting, is "The Three Muttsketeers."

"This one is Ed!" Ed says helpfully, pointing to the very small red dog. "Ed drew lots of pictures but cannot keep all of them so she is giving them as presents."

[thedoctorwho]

"I see. Very nice work. And who are the other two?"

[isaysimplewords]

In all the months he's been here, Cal has still not figured out how people can sit by the Window. It doesn't bother him anymore, but it will grab and hold his attention until he forcibly pulls himself away, if he lets it.

It's . . . kind of doing that now, actually.

He'll realize it and get hold of himself in a minute. Or two.

[thedoctorwho]

The Doctor notices the shadow falling across the table from someone approaching and looks up just enough to see.

He almost mistakes the man for Jack, but a second's thought makes that impossible. So, he just gives the other man a tight smile and leaves him to his staring.

[isaysimplewords]

The familiar doubletake at the edge of Cal's vision grabs just enough of his attention to disrupt his accidental focus on the Window. Cal shakes his head a little to break the Window's hold the rest of the way.

"Cal Chandler," he says by way of greeting, blinking hard. "Not Jack Harkness."

And if it's a bit more brusque than he'd intended it to be, maybe it's because of the Window.

Or maybe it's because it's been quite a while since Jack Harkness was a welcome topic with Cal. It's amazing, how quickly something like that can get old.

[thedoctorwho]

He nods. "I remember you, Cal. Still alive, I hope?"

[riversinger]

She's prepared for the sight of him this time, though she can't deny there is still an ache in her chest when she looks at him.

But Dr. Song is looking at the world through new eyes today. And his scent also echoes that ache. Inevitably, her curiosity gets the better of her.

"You look like someone who needs chocolate. Or at the very least, a fresh cup of tea." The wink is genuine, if a bit cheeky.

[thedoctorwho]

His head jerks up, surprised. He'd been lost in thought.

There's something familiar about the woman. He frowns, not able to quite place it.

He notices, apparently for the first time, how cold his tea has gotten. "Ah. Yes. It's definitely not worth drinking now."

[riversinger]

She can scent his confusion, and her heart falls a little. No matter.

"Shall I get you another -- ?"

There is a word missing, truncated from the end of the sentence. She swallows the habitual endearment, locks it away.

[thedoctorwho]

The Doctor considers for a moment, then shakes his head. "Don't trouble yourself. I probably won't drink that one either. I ordered it out of habit, but I don't think it's going to be much good this time."

[gavemea_45]

It's a night for sitting in booths and thinking, it seems.

Some flicker of motion in the crowd draws Sam's eye in his direction, and he watches the other guy for a second or two.

[thedoctorwho]

It's a little unnerving to some people how utterly still the Doctor can be when he's brooding.

He doesn't even seem to blink more than once every couple of minutes.

[gavemea_45]

Okay, that's just eerie.

"... you okay there, man?"

[thedoctorwho]

It's a bit like a statue coming to life when he looks up.

"What's that? Oh. Yes, I'm fine, thank you. Million miles away, I guess."

[nitro_is_ace]

Ace slides into the other side of the booth, but doesn't start a conversation.

Mostly because she isn't entirely sure who she's talking to.

If he's stuck in John Smith mode again, she might have to start taking measures. A Gallifreyan should have recovered from head injury by now.

[thedoctorwho]

He looks up at the sound of fabric sliding.

"Ace," he says with a nod. "Been staying out of trouble, I hope not?"

[nitro_is_ace]

Her grin is akin to a supernova.

"The day I stay out of trouble, Professor, is the day you should start worryin' that I've gone senile." She is beyond relieved. "Got sommat for you."

[thedoctorwho]

"Little chance of that. What've you got, then?"