realityshifted

[in the library, Oliver is sitting in one of two large armchairs with a side table between them. he doesn't have a book in front of him, though--he's just holding his black datapad, furiously typing something into it. on the table next to him is a cup of tea and a plate of scones, although they're no longer as warm as they were when he first started. he appears to have taken exactly three bites out of one of the scones, but the cup of tea has been reduced to half-full. at least it's not going to waste]

[Oliver himself is completely oblivious to his surroundings. he's so focused on what he's doing that, most likely, he won't even hear anyone approaching. but he doesn't seem to mind that at the moment; his expression is one of concentration. he looks tired, too. it seems all of the events on the Plane recently are taking their toll on him]

[muttering to himself] Damnit, I can't remember. They're my friends! I should know all this...

[does anyone care to interrupt whatever he's working so hard on?]

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[Oliver fidgets] It happened a while ago. I shouldn't still be...you know, worried... [but he lets that train of thought trail off. obviously he is still worried--not to mention he's using the same arguments he did with Leela, and even she was adamant that he needed to do something about it]

[he pauses for a long moment, working up the courage to ask:] Doctor...you can look at memories, right?

[gives him a small, encouraging smile] You know that I can. I've done it before. But I'm not a hard drive or flash drive, or memory crystal. You can't store your memories in my mind.

[surprised] Oh, no. That's not what I meant. I... [he pauses, not sure how to say it. it's a rather long pause before he continues, his voice shaking a little] One of my memories got...changed. [he considers saying more but can't quite bring himself to. instead, he just watches the Doctor awkwardly for his reaction]

Changed? In what way? [turns in his seat] Who did it?

[he shakes his head, lowering his gaze so that he's no longer making eye contact] I don't know... I just know it's different.

[firmly] The candy did it.

I need more information than that, Oliver. How did the candy only change a single memory and not your entire mind? [thinks of Emil and what it did to him]

No, I didn't eat it! It was... [Oliver hesitates] It was a friend. It changed him, and he did it to--to scare me off. So I wouldn't try to help. Only now he's back to normal, so he can't change it back. [he fidgets uncomfortably, poking at his datapad even though it's off just to give his hands something to do]

[set his cup down, his voice gentle] If you're worried I'll be angry, don't be. I saw what that candy did to the others as well. They had no choice.

[Oliver shakes his head. he's worried the Doctor will be hurt to find out about his friends hurting each other--and worried because the Doctor will know as well as Oliver that Jamie still feels guilty about it. but Oliver can't say that] No, I know. It wasn't them. It's over now.

But I... [his voice catches] I-I don't know for sure what got changed, and he can't change it back, and...well, I think it's small, and it probably doesn't matter, but... [he trails off, still poking at the datapad discontentedly] [quietly] Could you take a look?

[keeps his voice calm] Yes, of course, I can--but I need to know what I'm looking for. Your mind, though human, still is pretty vast if I'm going to just wander on in and take a look see.

[Oliver tries to shrink into his chair, avoiding the Doctor's gaze at all costs] I...I used to have a merger, on Gondovan. It took me to Skara Brae. I met Jamie there once, and... [but he trails off, shaking his head] And it's wrong now, but I don't know what it's supposed to be.

[his face lights up for a moment] Skara Brae! Oh, lovely little place! But there's the problem in itself. It merged with Gondovan and we haven't been to Gondovan in ages, now have we? [but even as he says it, he can feel the wind leaving his sails very quickly] But that's not really it. Okay.

That should help. [he gets up and squats down in front of Oliver (much easier than adjusting the chair).] Are you ready?

[Oliver shakes his head] What I remember about what happened...it isn't what happened. I mean...I don't think it is. I don't know. It feels wrong. And...and I don't know if that's the only thing that's different, either...

[he nods, but he's still watching the Doctor fearfully. he'll never be comfortable with someone going into his head--not even when it's just the Doctor there to fix damage that has already been done. but he takes a deep breath and closes his eyes, hoping that will help him calm down]

[reassuringly] I'll find it. [gently presses his fingertips to Oliver's temples, then with all that he's been told, goes into Oliver's mind to find what is wrong or out of place. he immediately targets the Skara Brae memory, deeming it the easiest to go from and already, he can see signs of crude tampering. certainly no one with knowledge of how to access the mind has been there, but thankfully, this makes cleaning up and repairing the damage all that much easier since there would be no tricks or subtle changes that he'd have to be careful of.]

[honestly, it's barely a challenge in the grand scheme of things, but he's able to do it--though he does know for certain who is responsible. and yet he isn't angry, not at the person, anyway. nonetheless, he's done and soon leaves Oliver's mind, resting back on his haunches as soon as he's removed his hands.]

[Oliver spends the time while the Doctor is in his head concentrating very hard on breathing slowly and calmly. he sees snatches of memories flash before his eyes--very little that he can make sense of, but he sees Skara Brae, and Jamie. he sees how much fun they had together that day. it distracts him from his own worries; he hopes he can help Jamie to be that happy again even after everything that's happened]

[but then the Doctor is pulling back. Oliver opens his eyes uncertainly, about to ask if that means it's over--if his mind is all right again. but he stops himself and instead tries to remember. his eyes widen, and he breaks out in a relieved smile] A cheese sandwich! I remember now!

[he gapes, completely sidetracked from his unuttered enquiry into how Oliver was doing. when he find his tongue again, he can't help blurting out:] All that for a cheese sandwich?!

[Oliver's eyes widen] [flustered] Well, ah, I mean...I didn't know... Just, it was different, and... [he pauses, shaking his head. does it really matter, Doctor?] And it's better now! Thanks. [he smiles]

[takes him a moment to start smiling himself] You're really all right, then? Nothing else out of sync? I mean, I was careful fixing things, but... [trails off]

Yeah! Ah, I think so. I mean...as long as nothing else was different... [he watches the Doctor, hoping for reassurance. he feels like his memory is all right now, but he's too scared to just believe it based on the evidence of his own mind]

I didn't notice anything else out of place. [and at the rate he's going, he'll have the layout of Oliver's mind memorised at some point...]

[he stands, leaving the thermos of tea near Oliver's cup] I'll see you back in the TARDIS, hmm? [he smiles and pats Oliver's arm] I think I know where to bring you next!

[Oliver nods, relieved] Okay. Okay, good. [he smiles, truly grateful]

Huh? [he blinks at that] Where?

[025]

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