(Untitled)

[charmandsmiles]

[Guess who's back

Comments

[borntostand]

[Kate has wandered past this spot several times a day, quite casually of course, since the Doctor died; she didn't know if he'd reappear there if he did at all, but it was, in a manner of speaking, her only lead

the shock makes her stumble when she finally sees him, and so many emotions flicker on her features

then she's striding towards, and stops so close, and just...]

I'm, um, not big on hugging. [she offers a smile as weak as her voice; she's dealt with so much, but never this]

[charmandsmiles]

[he blinks when he hears her voice, and glances up from his tea, his smile matching hers] Having you here's enough for me.

[borntostand]

[she's a bit taken aback by that, but then her smile widens a bit, and she drops down beside him] ...They gave you tea?

[charmandsmiles]

[he nods, sipping it again to figure out what flavour it is...he hasn't really been paying much attention] Raspberry Earl Grey, yep. Handed it to me when I...woke up? Came back? I dunno.

[borntostand]

You think it's really just tea? [yes, she's focusing on this, she needs to focus on something]

[charmandsmiles]

[shrugs] I think the drugs happened before the tea. Can't pick out anything that shouldn't be there, anyway.

[borntostand]

Still. [staring at the tea, as if she can magically divine its contents]

[charmandsmiles]

[and he sips it despite her suspicions. he gives her a concerned look] You alright, Kate?

[borntostand]

[after a moment, she meets his eyes; quite plainly] You died. I saw you lying there and I couldn't...

[a sharp, swift shake of her head] And now you're back. And that - I've had friends die before, Doctor, I'm not used to them coming back. ...Not really.

[charmandsmiles]

[softly] I'm sorry. I'm not used to coming back myself. Well. Not this way, anyway.

[borntostand]

Don't be. [pause, then] Actually? Do. That was stupid of you.

[charmandsmiles]

[winces] Didn't know he was gonna kill me until it happened, Kate.

[borntostand]

[:|] You knew he was unstable. You knew he wasn't some... some innocent damsel. You had to know he wouldn't like having his mind messed with, no matter what the reason was.

[shakes her head] You did it anyway. Which is brave, and kind, but also very fucking stupid.

[charmandsmiles]

What d'you want me to say? I couldn't take it back if I wanted to. [not that he'd want to, anyway]

[borntostand]

Tell me you won't do something that stupid again. [her voice is hard, firm, but there's a flash of vulnerability in her features]

[charmandsmiles]

[he hesitantly reaches out, squeezing her hand...trying to offer some sort of comfort] I can't promise anything, except that I'll try. I don't want to die again, Kate. I didn't even know I wasn't gonna regenerate until it didn't work...[he still remembers the intense fear, and his grip on Kate's hand tightens just a bit]