003 [Slightly Clandestine]

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

[Susan is sitting at a desk when she arrives on the Plane, frowning a little as she browses the books and documents spread out in front of her. There is a mug of tea on the table as well, but it is now cold (and largely obscured by paper).

If you get close enough to investigate, you'll see that she is looking into forging documents.

Why? Well, for a start, it would be nice to be able to help Astrid properly. Secondly, she and her grandfather seem to spend a lot of time on Earth. If they get into trouble, she wants to be able to get them out of it.]

Comments

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

The TARDIS should be a good resource. Still, you want to know how to do this if you're stuck somewhere I gather. You said you're traveling with Zoe too, yeah? She's clever. She would be a good help. Tell her it's recreational maybe. Can't really tell her about Astrid either, seeing as she doesn't know about this place. Unless I missed seeing her.

[beat]

I haven't, have I?

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

I don't intend to let us get stuck anywhere. The TARDIS is working now, most of the time. I hope I'll never have to use any of this.

No, you haven't. It'd be nice if she could come here, though. I'd like to introduce her to everyone. I'm sure it wouldn't be terribly hard to explain regeneration to her.

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

She's clever. She'll pick up on the idea of regeneration quickly enough I'm sure.

It would be brilliant if she could come. And Jamie, too. I wonder how that sort of thing works, picking and choosing who exactly ends up here.

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

Jamie? Oh, no! It's bad enough that I have to see him in the TARDIS.

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

Oh.

[a little sad at that]

Why is it such a bad thing?

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

I've been looking after my grandfather for a long time. I don't need him to come along and tell me that I'm not doing it properly!

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

[a little shocked] He did that?

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

Well, he didn't use those words. But he's always trying to push me out. I know he's from a strange century, and doesn't think that girls can do very much, but he doesn't need to ... cling to my grandfather. He's almost as bad as Vicki.

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

I think clinging might be a bit strong.

[pause]

You know that despite any appearance of clinging, your grandfather wouldn't let Jamie push you out, right? He wouldn't have let Vicki either, or any other future companions for that matter.

[he's trying not to imagine what Susan is going to think of Jo]

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

Oh, I know! But ... he gets so close to our companions. Sometimes I think he forgets that they're human.

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

Yeah, of course, that's important. Remembering that.

[a little awkward now, he leans an elbow on the desk and tries to focus on one of the books on the desk]

So forgery. Forgery. [testing the word out a bit, focus still on the book he's flipping through now, although he might spare a glance at Susan, a little uncertainly] Forgery.

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

[She looks a little worried.] Are you all right?

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

[looks up at her now and gives her a reassuring smile]

Yeah of course I'm all right. Always all right.

[looks around at all the scattered books and papers, and might be a little apologetic and sheepish here]

I don't know how good of a resource I am on forgery, though.

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

[She looks at him curiously, wishing she had the courage to ask once and for all who he actually was. In the end, she decides that changing the subject might be better.]

I don't mind. We can just talk. Time passes differently here, doesn't it? I'll have plenty of time to work on the forgery.

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

[he catches her looking at him, but he's still not entirely sure how he's meant to approach her, so he welcomes the subject change]

Oh yeah, I'd love that.

[he might've been a little too excited saying that and he will now be trying to force himself to cheer down]

Yeah, the time here is useful for things like that. Come here and time stops where you came from. You could be here for days and you go back home and it's like no time at all has passed.

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

I'll have to explore it properly one day. I've seen the forest, but I'm not sure what else there is. I still find it hard to think about, sometimes. It's just so strange.

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

Oh now, come on. You've seen your fair share of strange. Not completely new territory.

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

I've never seen people talking about demons, or multiple versions of the same person, or the TARDIS trying on hats.

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

Well, I thought she looked quite nice in a hat. But, I suppose I see your point. It is a bit odd, all things considered.

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

Oh, so did I! It was just very strange. I never expected to see anything like that!

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

It was a bit surreal, yeah. Still surreal can be fun. Get's a bit tiresome when everything falls into normal I think.

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

I don't think any part of my life could be considered 'normal'. I'm sure yours is the same.

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

[laughs]

Pretty much, yeah. And apart from that 'normal' is completely overrated.

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

You'd be bored, wouldn't you? Living a normal life?

[handysparehand.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Would you? If for whatever reason a normal life was given to you, would that be what you want?