[01] there's a starman waiting in the sky.

[who_never_would]

The Doctor hadn't been intending to go anywhere after he'd seen off Rose. He'd staggered back into the TARDIS, and tried to some sort of peace about what was about to happen to him. He didn't want to go. There was such intense pain that it robbed him of breath. He knew he'd be someone completely different within a matter of moments, there wasn't

Comments

[pulled_across]

[She's not surprised by the sounds of the TARDIS coming from the journal...there are two around the castle, after all. It's the voice that surprises her. She hasn't heard it in almost two weeks.]

...Doctor?

[who_never_would]

There's a Rose in that book.

The Doctor's heard some really, really strange things in all of the years of his life, but the voice of one of his companions coming from the pages of a mysteriously materializing journal has got to be a new one. He looks up from the controls of the TARDIS, wandering to the journal. Pages shuffle as he flips through it, and some rummaging through his coat.

His screwdriver is gone.

The Doctor spends a few frantic moments patting himself down, looking over the console - three or four times - on the floor, underneath the floor panels, and just about everywhere he can think of. Oh - right, there's someone talking out of the book. He picks it up, continuing to flip through it, before staring down at the pages.

"... Rose?" the name comes out almost in a squeak. It can't be her. He made absolutely sure that it couldn't ever be her again.

[pulled_across]

The silence following her question stretches on long enough that she might doubt she heard anything at all if the proof wasn't sitting right in the journal in front of her. Well. Proof she's heard something, at least, if not which Doctor.

But it's definitely his voice when he speaks again. She almost stands up, then, but it's pointless without knowing what part of the castle he's in. She struggles a moment, to decide what to say, before finally settling on the most straight forward. "Where'd you just land? You're...y'just got here, yeah?" Alright, two of the most straight forward.

[who_never_would]

More flipping of pages, and he completely disregards her question as soon as he sees the print show up on the paper, "Rose! This thing's amazing it's some sort of recorder thing! It's recording everything we're saying, I mean, I know that's not exactly a big deal, lots of things do this all over, especially computers, but someone's gone to some really incredible lengths to make sure this looks and feels exactly like a plain paper journal, how incredible is that?"

Wait for it...

"How'd I get here? How'd you get here? I mean, you can't be here, that's not even possible... Um..."

He grabs the journal, leaving it open in one hand and walking out. Rose'll hear the TARDIS doors open as he sticks his head out.

"Looks like a garden, and yeah, just got here, less than a few minutes ago!"

[thirteenth]

[Another TARDIS? He doesn't have much to do with the Doctor's, not after the Third one left, but he knows that particular ship when he sees it.

Walking over to the sounds of confusion, he smiled sympathetically at the man's confusion and made sure to stop a good distance away to not startle him.]

I'm afraid you're not where you might believe, Doctor.

[who_never_would]

The Doctor turns around at the sound of the man's voice.

"Oh, I figured that much. Not in Kansas anymore, right?" he looks up at the sky, journal held open in his hand.

"And... how do you know my name?" That earns the other fellow a very curious look. The Doctor instinctively reaches for his pocket - and yeah, still no screwdriver. Where is that blasted thing?

[thirteenth]

[Kansas? Perhaps that had been where the Doctor had been before, he seemed to recall it was somewhere in the West.]

Aa. You've been here before, or a version of you has.

[who_never_would]

Actually, the Doctor doesn't think he's been to Kansas...

"Oh, well, this is good to know."

[queendramabitch]

[oh. Him. Lucy sits for a moment, trying to count how many times this makes him coming here, but when it doesn't come easily, she gets her pen and writes in her journal]

Welcome back, Doctor.

[who_never_would]

The Doctor digs around in his pockets, pulling out a pen. His handwriting is actually fairly good.

"Sorry, who's this? And I haven't been here before that I remember, though some long-haired fellow said I had been. Life sort of happens out of order for me sometimes."

[queendramabitch]

You can dictate if you want. Your journal records sounds.
This regeneration has been here a few times before, but you wouldn't remember it. No one remembers being here if they leave and come back.

[a pause]

This is Lucy Saxon.

[who_never_would]

[Oh. Oh, my. The Doctor stares down at the journal, capping the pen and swallowing a bit. The next time he speaks, it's considerably quieter.]

Hello.

[and after a moment, even quieter, almost fearful,]

Is your husband here as well?

[too_fairytale]

[nope, definitely not subtle. Amy recognizes it at once--she and Rory always keep at least one journal open so they can stay up to speed with what's going on in the castle--and drops what she's doing to investigate. She doesn't recognize the voice she hears muttering]

Oi! You with the TARDIS!

[who_never_would]

"Oi! Me with the TARDIS?" the Doctor squawks back as means of a reply. How do so many people know what he's flying, anyway?

[too_fairytale]

Yes, you! Are you the Doctor?

[who_never_would]

Um, yes. That'd be about right.

Who's this?

[kinky_stopwatch]

...

Doctor?

[who_never_would]

"That'd be me? How can I help?"

[kinky_stopwatch]

Do you remember me at all?

My name is Ianto Jones. A friend of Jack's from Torchwood. I spoke to you through the computer screen when the Earth was moved.

[who_never_would]

Iantooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! [Okay, that was loud.]

I remember you! 'Allo!