♥ feast your eyes on my display

[newworldlover.livejournal.com]

[There's a strangely attractive woman taking over your library today, Plane. Sirkka is indulging herself. On the long study table beside her, there's a setting of Earl Grey for four and some delicious chocolate-dipped cookie treats— all things she took from the community kitchen, of course. Sirkka has her long legs crossed over another chair while she sips her tea. She's enjoying her book too much to care about manners, even laughing every once in a while. Must be a comedy right?

Nah, just Twilight.]

This really is like secondary school.

[If one is as empathic as she is, they might detect a sort of dark, lingering thought beneath all of this that she's trying to distract herself from.]

Comments

[bit_impossible]

More than likely I have done. I've got quite the extensive library in the TARDIS, you know.

[pulls a seat out from across her and sits] Expecting company, were you?

[newworldlover.livejournal.com]

Hmm. If you've got more lives than a cat, you ought to have quite the closet too, I imagine.

[She smiles and pushes the plate of sweet things toward him.] It's the Plane. I always run into pleasant conversation, and even if I hadn't, well, I'd still be able to eat a whole plate of these without a blink.

[bit_impossible]

[pouts a little bit] It's hardly a closet. It'd take a good few hours just to give you the tour!

[eyes the plate and plucks one of the biscuits off it] You'd eat them that fast? That's asking for quite the stomach upset later on. [pops it into his mouth] Never mind what it'd do to your figure.

[newworldlover.livejournal.com]

I'd still like to see it sometime.

[Sirkka sips her tea.] And that's why they're on your side of the table now. I do appreciate your concern about my figure, though.

[bit_impossible]

Really? Well... [rubs the back of his neck] If any of those mergers take place or anything, maybe you can eventually see it. Of course, I could always take photos as well, but that's really not as fun.

[he pulls a face and doesn't comment on that]

[newworldlover.livejournal.com]

[There's a little twitch in her expression when he mentions mergers, and she misses the opportunity to poke fun at him, instead looking somewhat concerned.]

... I've been wondering about that, actually. There's some odd things happening around Whitechapel lately.

[bit_impossible]

[frowns slightly] Has there? Like what exactly?

[newworldlover.livejournal.com]

First the sky turned pink. Turns out that's Oliver's sky.

But then... parts of Whitechapel started getting electricity, even though the solar power we set up is pretty limited. The power plant is a ways out. I wasn't sure it ever survived, and even if it has, it's been dormant for six years.

Until now.

[bit_impossible]

[cautiously] Really? You know...there is a building on 30 St Mary Axe. People call it "the Gherkin". By any chance, was that building destroyed or damaged at any point in your reality?

[newworldlover.livejournal.com]

... Oh... oh, no. It's completely wrecked.

[She bites her bottom lip, turns away from him. She won't let him see just what her face looks like when her worst fears are realized.]

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

[bit_impossible]

[reaches a hand across the table to touch her shoulder]

It's not your fault, Sirkka.

[newworldlover.livejournal.com]

[The touch is nice, and she's not expecting it.]

What if you aren't the only one to lose parts of Earth? What if another part of your London had been replaced, a neighborhood, a school...

All those people... would be dead because of me.

[bit_impossible]

You can't think that. You have no control over what's chosen--and besides, it might be the reverse next time! A building or a school could be back in one piece instead of being destroyed.

But you should know that when it happened, it was night, so no one was hurt there. I wouldn't have known exact detail that but my companion got word the moment it happened. [he smiles faintly] Quite handy having the PM as your mate.

[newworldlover.livejournal.com]

[She finally finds the strength to look at him.]

I'm glad no one was hurt, but... sharing even part of my world with someone is risky. I don't know what it's like outside of London.

At the same time, trying to distance myself from people in an attempt to undo it... wouldn't be worth it.

You'll tell me if anything else happens to your London, won't you?

[bit_impossible]

If you don't know, well, I think you've found yourself with your own version of Schrödinger's cat experiment. It could be all right outside of London--or it might not be. Only way you're going to know is if you open the proverbial box and see with your own eyes.

But in a place like this, we've got to stick together, no matter how painful things become. Things can and will get better. You've got electricity back, haven't you?

[he smiles a bit broader now] I will do.

[newworldlover.livejournal.com]

I suppose you're right. But we don't have time to send out an exploration party. Perhaps when all the refugees are settled, and the greenhouse is finished...

[She thinks for a minute, then yanks herself back to the present. Ten's cheer is infectious-- she smiles back, finally.]

You're right. They will get better. They always do.

Thank you, Doctor.

[She moves to give him a friendly kiss on the cheek.]

[bit_impossible]

If you ever need anything to finish those, you can ask me for help.

[he blinks at her] What's that for?

[newworldlover.livejournal.com]

Thank you. We've got an astounding amount of stuff just sitting around, though. It's better to reuse it.

[She folds her hands in her lap.]

That's for being remarkably sweet. You aren't allergic to humans, are you?

[bit_impossible]

My offer's still there in case you ever do need it.

Well, I don't know about "sweet", exactly. But I'm certainly not allergic to humans. Earth's one of--nay, my most favourite place to visit! Besides, I'm not likely to die from something simple as a cold, not like those creatures from War of the Worlds.