01 - Introduction

[everybody-lives.livejournal.com]

[there is the sound of new footsteps on the Plane, deliberate and assured. A face used to stumbling into the unknown, and facing it down with a tilted smile.

The long white gown created for her when she arrived at the core traded for much more practical slacks, a long sleeve shirt and a sturdy pair of boots. A pack tossed over one shoulder.

Her hair is down]

And just when I think I've explored every corner of this place.

[the hands that trace over the bar explore it, looking for any
divits or messages worn into its surface. Something that was left behind]

Life never stops being full of surprises.

Even here.

Comments

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

[the Doctor is lounging in a chair and reading. Upon sight of this particular individual, he leaps out of the chair and it falls to the side]

River?

[everybody-lives.livejournal.com]

[and cue one smashing right hook. He might remember it actually. Then before he can even introduce himself to the floor]

What were you thinking?!

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

[there really are an outrageous amount of blasts from the pasts showing up lately. and it STILL doesn't get any less surprising.]

River?

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

[and watch as he stumbles backwards, falling quite soundly on his backside--'Hi floor!']

How did you get here? What? What?

[oldoldghost.livejournal.com]

[Watching curiously] You don't seem that surprised.

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

[completely ignoring River, the Master walks up behind the bar and starts making himself a White Ballistic]

[shatteredqueen.livejournal.com]

Mmm, another new one, then? A pleasure, I'm sure.

[everybody-lives.livejournal.com]

[smiles jauntily]

I'm not sure I would call it a pleasure yet. You don't know anything about me.

[everybody-lives.livejournal.com]

[watches him, amused]

You don't look like you have done anything to work up a sweat. This must be casual then.

[everybody-lives.livejournal.com]

[she turns, taking in the planes of another strange face]

I'm always surprised. Every day.

[shatteredqueen.livejournal.com]

Perhaps. [offers a tight smile] It never hurts to be polite though, now does it?

[everybody-lives.livejournal.com]

Well now, that depends. Do you ever learn anything from being polite?

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

I very much like the drink. First tried it out in the Siltra system. I'd say it was adate, but it was more of a 'I'm thirsty, let's go to that bar, oh look, invaders. Must we defeat them and save the native populace again?' situation.

[shatteredqueen.livejournal.com]

Oh, I've learned quite a lot through being polite, I assure you.

[everybody-lives.livejournal.com]

[she's standing over him now, speaking through her teeth with the fingers working in the fist she just made]

Believe me, I've sorted out by now that you had who knows how much time to deal with what was going to happen in the Library. I understand that. But did you ever one, just once, stop to consider the idea within that great big expanse of you head that this --- that living a virtual half life would ever be something I wanted?

Did you?

I made me choice.

[everybody-lives.livejournal.com]

[Two of them?]

Well we're just lining up for the throttling now.

[everybody-lives.livejournal.com]

River Song.

[she extends a hand. And then, pressing]

What did you learn?

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

...what?

[shatteredqueen.livejournal.com]

Lucy Saxon.

[takes it]

Your name, for one.

[brokenamethysts.livejournal.com]

[he needed a drink away from home, and he finds River instead! Tsuzuki notices her touching the bar and decides to pipe up]

Hey there. Looking for something?

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

[looks up at her, stunned at first, then equally furious]

And you'd have rather died? And then what? I get a lifetime knowing you died for me? I think not.

[everybody-lives.livejournal.com]

Do we need to go over the definition of choice?

You. You. You.

[she punctuates the air between them with each word]

I did it for us, Doctor. I did it for them.

Did you even know me?

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

And I didn't take that away from you! I just gave you something more afterwards!

[very, very irritated]

And no, I thought we established that!

[everybody-lives.livejournal.com]

A half life. In an artificial world. A world I'd just died to save everyone else from.

You're right. That wasn't about me at all. That was about you.

[more words tossed away]

Did it work? One less sleepless thought to fill up your sleepless nights?

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

A half life is better than no life! Would you have rather had nothing? Nothing at all?

[this is a look that hates her for knowing about his sleepless nights before he's shown them to her]

Would you care?