[023]

[oliverplus]

[Oliver arrives on the Plane in the middle of the night, floating slightly in the air. it seems he didn't want to bring whatever he was sitting on with him--possibly for good reason. there is, for an instant, the vestige of a golden glint in his eyes. perhaps it's the reflection of the sudden fire in his room that caused him to flee here, or perhaps it's something else entirely]

[still in a sitting position, Oliver sustains a short, but jarring, drop to the starry ground. his eyes are wide, his expression a mixture of startled, confused, and frightened. he's dressed in only plaid boxer shorts, for the first time revealing openly to the Plane the scars on his chest and back. and, from head to toe, he is completely and utterly drenched with water. it's running all over the floor of the Plane]

What...what just... [Oliver blinks around him in bleary-eyed confusion, too stunned to even wipe wet strands of hair out of his face]

Comments

[oliverplus]

[blinks] Huh? Well...uh...that's sort of how dreams work, isn't it? When you get woken up, whatever it is sort of shows up in the dream first while you do.

[bit_impossible]

Well, I'm no dream expert or anything, but dreamers tend to realise that they're in a dream and that something isn't real--and that's what wakes them up. You should know that. [gives him a knowing look]

[oliverplus]

[gives him a look back] Well, yeah, except when it's something outside the dream that wakes you up. Haven't you ever used an alarm?

[bit_impossible]

What do you think brought me to your room in the first place?

[oliverplus]

...oh. What, you were asleep?

[bit_impossible]

[shakes his head] Nah, I was on my way to the kitchen when I heard it. The TARDIS has loads of alarms, remember?

But never mind that. You mentioned a flash. Did you happen to see anything in that flash?

[oliverplus]

Um...my bureau was on fire?

[bit_impossible]

In your dream or was that what caught fire in your room in the TARDIS?

[oliverplus]

Oh, no, that was--well, something on it was on fire, anyway. I only saw it for an instant. [considers] I could go back and take a look. I mean, the sprinklers'll've put the fire out.

[bit_impossible]

[puts a hand out on Oliver's shoulder] Let's both go. After you!

[oliverplus]

[nods] Yeah, all right. [and he thinks of the TARDIS, bringing them back to his room. the sprinklers there are still pouring down water, but there's no sign of a fire--just smoke. and there is a paperback novel lying on the bureau that has obviously been burned--but no sign of any candles or matches that might have started the fire]

[bit_impossible]

[he heads right over to the wall next to the door in Oliver's room and opens up a panel. after flicking a switch, the sprinklers stop and a peculiar hum starts that will dry everything in the room nicely so things won't become all mouldy. granted, he doesn't mention a word of this to Oliver as he comes back to exam the novel]

There we are! Much better don't you think? Now...let's see what we've got here...

[he whips his glasses and sonic screwdriver out and begins to examine the burnt novel]

[oliverplus]

[Oliver thinks the benefit of a lack of sprinklers doesn't really require affirmation. he's more interested in the book--he already had a sinking feeling about how the fire might have started, and it's getting worse by the second as he watches the Doctor examine the burnt remains]

What's it say?

[bit_impossible]

[it's a moment before he answers,and when he does, he simply looks up at Oliver over the rim of his glasses]

Well, it's telling me that my copy of Centaurs in Space is burnt fifty-seven percent of the way through, though don't worry, that first half was absolute rubbish. Honestly, how hard is it to design a space suit that can function well for a creature with a man and a horse's body? It can be easily done. But anyway, I have a feeling that isn't exactly what you meant. Right?

[oliverplus]

[Oliver gives him a look. it was an interesting book, really! but he sighs, that sinking feeling turning into a full-fledged pit of dread in his stomach. he can tell from the Doctor's expression that he knows exactly what Oliver is thinking. still, he can't bring himself to say it. he asks instead]

How'd it catch on fire?

[bit_impossible]

[he takes his glasses off, tucking them away in his pocket as he says]

That's thing... There's no sign of a trigger of any kind that would have started the fire. It's like the book just spontaneously burst into flame.

[oliverplus]

[Oliver closes his eyes briefly, steeling himself. that's exactly what he was afraid of]

[softly] And I was dreaming about darkness.

[bit_impossible]

So naturally, you wanted to see and you lit something. [looks between the book and Oliver] You don't have a lighter on you, do you?

[oliverplus]

[shakes his head. despite the damp room, he licks dry lips]

[bit_impossible]

[a sigh escapes his lips. he's been wondering when the Plane would strike again; it's never a matter of "if". must be a Saturday.]

[gently] You can tell me. I'm not going to get upset with you.

[oliverplus]

But--but I really don't know! I was asleep. I don't remember doing anything! I wanted there to be light, but... [shakes his head, frustrated and frightened] I'm seeing the future in my dreams! Isn't that enough? Can I...can I set fires, too!? I didn't mean to!

[bit_impossible]

[starts to rub the back of his neck] Well, it's a possibility. And you never know when it comes to the Plane.

[pause] You didn't die again, did you? [he doubts it, but he feels it's warrants asking]

[oliverplus]

What!? No!

[pauses, hesitant, but he needs to know the truth] I could try to do it again...

[bit_impossible]

[misunderstands] Try to die again?! Have you gone completely barmy?

[oliverplus]

[blinks] Huh? No! Of course not! [he already thinks he's going to, after all]

I meant... [sighs] Well, if we went to the Plane, I could try to set a fire, and it wouldn't have anywhere to spread.