for magicalskeptic: A trip to the ocean

[rude_not_ginger]

"You wanted an ocean, have I got an ocean for you."

The Doctor darted around the console and scooped his jacket up from where it hung on one of the TARDIS pillars. He absolutely loved this bit. The first trip to an alien world with someone who didn't even believe in other worlds until now. Very little was more exciting.

"Now! We've got breathable atmosphere, low radiation, and a beautiful summer day. The waters of the Greeio Malgoon are purple in the summer, which is when they're the warmest and the safest. I'd have taken you to them in the winter when they're blue, but the water's acid content gets a bit high and ends up spewing out strange creatures with eyes that shoot lasers. Green lasers, they disintegrate you without much warning. Very technicolor world, the Greeo Malgoon."

He shrugged. "Still! In the summer, peak of tourist season, it's the most brilliant place for a visit."

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[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

He wants to ask her if she's sure she wants to go in there alone. But the turrets are down, the illusions have been destroyed. In all truth, it's probably perfectly safe.

And he doesn't understand human psychology. He knows this. She may need the moment, and he should let her have it.

"Of course," he says, taking the sonic. "I'll wait for you outside the building."

[magicalskeptic.livejournal.com]

Morgana leads the way, assuming the Doctor is following, but she's on a mission, so isn't paying as close attention as she usually would.

She does spare a moment to look about the city, and the creatures -- all looking like they were traveling towards the Doctor and Morgana's locations -- are slumped throughout the streets.

Once at the building, she gingerly reaches out to touch the door handle. She can't quite feel as confident after the shock earlier.

She still does not look at him when she pulls open the door. "I will just be a moment."

Morgana is, of course, assuming he's behind her.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

He is. Even though she doesn't look around, he nods.

"I'll be here."

He immediately begins to work on her sonic. Battery's gone low. He should've given her a more powerful one, but he didn't think about it. A little rifling through his pockets and he produces something with more power, replacing it for her. It'll last a little bit longer this time, and he'll teach her about recharging it on the console.

He looks up to the building. He hopes she's all right.

[magicalskeptic.livejournal.com]

Morgana intends to be quick. Once out of sight of the Doctor, she runs. Often, she doesn't indulge herself in such things, but she has excess energy from the battle, and it is a way to get it out.

The stairs have become stairs again. and the hallways are silent. There are not any voices, sirens, creatures, or odd precipitation.

Respectfully, she opens the door to the the little girl's room, and places the diary on the bed. She opens it to the last page. To keep it propped open, she takes one of the dolls to weigh it down.

There is little else she can do, but the thought of the little girl being lost, and the father unable to find her is distressing.

And it does not matter if things like this happen long ago. She knows as much as anyone, that time does not always make such things better.

Much longer than she intended, she gently shuts the door, and heads down the hallway towards the Doctor, lost in her thoughts.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"Everything all right?" he asks. He's been hopping on the heels of his feet since she went inside, and he's ready to go, ready to move, ready to run. Also, ready to get some sort of medical attention for his shoulder. It aches and, he imagines, her head injury probably feels about the same.

As she approaches, he offers her his arm.

[magicalskeptic.livejournal.com]

"Everything is fine," IT's a way of avoiding the answer. Morgana's feeling a little bereft, so she's not looking directly at him, until she composes herself.

She does though, see and take, the arm.

She spares a glance for the building. "That is a lot of carnage to keep people from seeing the ocean."

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"Something we've stopped from ever happening again," he says. He gives her a little smile. "It's good, isn't it? Saved a world. Well, made the world so it can be safe again, at least. Starting over. Rather think everyone should be able to."

He leads her away from the city, now silent and desolate. But not for long, he reminds himself. Soon it'll be full again. People will live here, happy.

[magicalskeptic.livejournal.com]

Now she looks at him. "We did." Morgana just wishes she could be as happy about that as he is.

"It is pleasant to think people will be able to return to their homes." She's thinking about hers, at the moment.

But she's trying to pull herself out of feeling maudlin. "Are you all right?" They're both a little worse for wear.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," he says. "We'll need to find a hospital, I think. All out of the nanogenes I kept in the TARDIS before."

As they leave the city, he nods over the horizon. Despite the warmth, the water this time is a bright wintery blue with icy white waves, stark against the black sky. It's almost like seeing a different ocean on a different world.

"Oh, I think I'm better than all right."

[magicalskeptic.livejournal.com]

The Doctor has explained about the difference between summer and winter, and the ocean is a sight to behold.

"You were slightly off on your estimate of the start of winter." She's not criticizing, just teasing. To prove that, she leans her head against his arm, for just a second.

And, because she worries, and hasn't realized he knows about her head, "You have a hole in your shoulder. Once that has healed, I will feel better about your current state."

That also might translate to, he'll have to deal with a little bit of fussing until that is done.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, and you're one to talk," he says, giving her a little smile. "I'll feel better about you when someone looks at your head, eh? A proper doctor."

He looks back towards the ocean, sparkling and new out there, despite everything they left. A fresh start.

"It's your first alien world, Morgana," he says. He reaches into his pocket and produces a handkerchief. He offers it to her. "Take something to remember it by."

[magicalskeptic.livejournal.com]

And because she can fuss, but is never one to want to appear weak, she pokes his arm and replies. "My head is much harder than any wall. People at home would attest to that."

The Doctor's suggestion though, produces nothing but a big, unrestrained smile. She takes the handkerchief, and steps back onto the white, crystalline sandy beach, and kneels down for a moment, taking a handful. Quickly, she ties the four corners of the handkerchief to keep it from escaping.

Standing back up, she brushes off the sand sticking to her now only slightly damp skirts.

She wants to say something, but can't think of anything. Instead, she stares at the Doctor for a moment, before slipping her arms under is, and hugging him.

It's a bit awkward, as it's something she's unaccustomed to, but it's the best idea she can come up with.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

He hugs her back, and places a gentle kiss to her head, avoiding where she's injured. It's not much, he thinks, but a hug on an alien beach is miles away from where they started.

And he rather likes it here, where they are right now.