http://iwantyousafe.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] iwantyousafe.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] thelongnow_logs2010-09-23 07:57 pm

'cause when I'm standing here in the dark

Who: Rose Tyler and Metacrisis Ten/John/Handy
What: Rose hunts down her Time Lord
When: Thursday evening
Where: Second Floor and elsewhere
Status: COMPLETE!!
Warnings: None



Wednesday had been a bad day for Rose Tyler. She had not left her room at all. More disturbingly, she hadn't eaten, despite Buffy's protests. Rose never refused a meal- not even in her darkest times. Yes, Wednesday was a bad day, indeed.

Thursday morning was spent sleeping, and through Thursday afternoon, she made faces in the mirror. Happy, sad. Very sad. Thankful. Cross (that one bore a shocking resemblance to her mum). Betrayed, devastated, overjoyed. Any observer would have fancied her mad. Rose, however, found this ritual to be of utmost importance. She had seen The Doctor in her journal. She was going to find him, and when she did, she was going to give him such a look! ...She only had to choose one, and how did a person fit almost two years of conflicting emotions into a glance?

Happy, sad. Very sad.

The Thursday sun began to set. Rose armed herself with a shorter-than-usual skirt, and the eyeliner and lipstick that she'd stopped wearing weeks ago. She opened the door to her room. Her heart quickened. Her stomach grumbled, too, but the girl ignored this sudden hunger. There was an entire house to explore, and nothing could possibly be more satisfying than finding The Doctor. And slapping him. Or kissing him. Or... or something. She hadn't exactly planned it out, despite being unable to think of anything else for the past 48 hours.

Closing the door behind her, Rose looked down the hall. Nobody was there- only green carpet, wooden railings, and the fading daylight. Taking a deep breath, she cupped her hands about her mouth for volume. "DOCTOR!!" the faithful Companion cried. No response. Of course it wouldn't be that easy. She took off running down the corridor, yelling his name.

If she was running to find someone so dear, why did it feel more like being chased?

[identity profile] handyhandyhand.livejournal.com 2010-09-24 09:09 pm (UTC)(link)
"Seems like, doesn't it?"

It was odd to confront the past once more but at least he'd found her, it was better than being stuck here alone anyway. He smiled and rubbed the back of his neck, trying to think of something clever to say that would clear this whole mess up. Easier said than done. He was sorely lacking his originals mind set, having a Time Lord and Human side fight in his head made it a lot harder to think than it should.

"Wellll, in the spirit of clearing things up, I'm-- welll I guess I'm John. Doctor John Smith in fact," he grinned childishly and offered out a hand, all professional and everything. When in doubt, introductions are always best. "Like the name?"

Well, she should, she picked it! He wanted something cooler, apparent he just didn't fit all the brilliant and tough guy names he picked. He wasn't sure if he should be offend or amused by that as well.

[identity profile] handyhandyhand.livejournal.com 2010-09-24 09:37 pm (UTC)(link)
"Thats what I said! I said it was too ordinary now but you said-- Ooor, you know, you didn't say yet. You'll find out, I'm sure," Best not to give every single spoiler, sure he'd probably already ruined the time line but hey, he was trying here. It was hard and awkward but he was trying not to utterly ruin their future together.

The question didn't register at first, he simply smiled and nodded his head happily at nothingness. "You already know, I think you're brilliant. I already said it! You always make me happy and thats just-- oooh, feel, right. Just got that, sorry."

Now that made him stop. Not this again, he never was good at this. Last time it had been a human moment of his, trying to one up the man he couldn't be. Now, having her looking directly at him with no one else to fall back on... he suddenly felt much hotter. Oh, this was not good. He rubbed the back of his neck and offered a very awkward smile.

"You know, I-- ummm, well, you're-- Oooh, you know. You already know, don't you? You should!" Damn humans and their emotions, now he felt all sick. Was it normal to feel sick when discussing this kind of thing? And sweating! Why was he sweating? "How... err, how do you feel about me?"

[identity profile] handyhandyhand.livejournal.com 2010-09-25 01:45 am (UTC)(link)
He knew she was disappointed and he couldn't help but wince. Good job there, he really wasn't as smooth as he liked to think when it came down to this kind of stuff. Instead, he shoved his hands into his pocket and rocked backwards, forming a small 'O' in response to here.

Well, time lines and all, could he really tell for sure if he loved this Rose. Sure there was little difference but memories made the man... or women. Surely if she remember all they'd done then perhaps it would be easier.

Or perhaps he just wanted an excuse and that was the easiest one to pigback onto.

The words were there and he tried to get them out more than once but he found his human side was being drown out by the Time Lord side. When in doubt, fall back on his logical side. It was best not to say anything like that after all, he could be leaving soon and it was wrong to interfere with time!

"I know, I know, I've said it before... but I am sorry. I know you wanted him, I know you were probably expecting him. But if it counts, I bet he'll be back."

[identity profile] handyhandyhand.livejournal.com 2010-09-25 02:41 am (UTC)(link)
"Oi, I never said you were," John protested right off the bat, putting his hands up in a defensive manner. He'd gotten very used to being defensive these days, especially when Jackie blamed him for everything, even the weather. How was he meant to know that it was likely to rain? He couldn't of saved his washing if he tried!

Looking the hallway up then down, he tilted his head to the side and quirked a smile. "We could explore? Me and you. Haven't had a look around yet. I spoke to some people in the book and -- well, I fell asleep," he admitted with a small shrug. Only he could fall asleep right after being teleported to somewhere out of the blue.

In his defence the beds were lovely, he hadn't felt the needed to leave his room! A few days relaxing? What was wrong with that!

"I haven't actually had a look around but some of the people here have told me about it, time travel on every floor and the like, sounds brilliant, doesn't it?" Smiling bright, he offered his hand again, wriggling his fingers as if asking permission.

"Oooh! I met one of your friends as well... don't think he liked me much though."

[identity profile] handyhandyhand.livejournal.com 2010-09-25 03:24 am (UTC)(link)
Back by midnight for a meeting? Check! He'd even keep an eye on the time, knowing this stupid body, he'll probably want sleep again by then!

He guessed that it was just force of habit, he'd been in a sort-of-not-a-relationship-but-kinda-like-one with Rose for a while now and they just tended to hold hands, he wasn't sure why but he'd gotten used to it, he didn't even assume she'd find it odd. But then again, he never thought about these things. His mind focused on the bigger things, the little things got glossed right over. It was merely a friendly gestures of sorts. Well, in his own way!

"I think-- umm, yes! No, it might of been Tom... no, thats not right-- Simon... noooo, wrong again. Sam did you say? Sorry, not great with names any more but that one fits, I'm sure. Definitely a Sam," he finally decided, nodding his head to confirm his own thoughts. "He glares a lot, doesn't he? And apparently 'I don't deserve you' or something along those lines. Not sure I get what he means, if I'm honest but I suppose it just means he's fond of you?"

He had no idea what Sam had been getting at, he didn't seem to give it a second thought however. He just kept walking along, assuming still that this Sam bloke was just a little odd. Like most humans really.

[identity profile] handyhandyhand.livejournal.com 2010-09-25 03:56 pm (UTC)(link)
"Really? Must be me then, not the first time someones taken an instant disliking. You win some, you lose some, yeah?"

He wasn't really paying attention to their Sam discussion any more anyway, which was obvious by his mumbled response, he was much more taken in by the wonders of this place. Sure on the outside it was just a house but it was still a pretty nice one. And from what he heard, different time periods were on different levels, like that time travelling hotel he once stayed at in the Riskos Galaxy. Wonderful place but he never could keep track of where and when his room was meant to be.

"So six months here and no way out? I'm guessing the front door doesn't work then?" Well, that one was obvious or he doubted they'd be locked in for that long. He supposed he still assumed humans were a little bit slow, even if he was half of one himself. "Its odd though isn't, I mean what keeps it stabilised? This many time periods in one go, surely it goes against universal laws."

Course he could ramble on all day about his mistrust of this place but part of him wondered if he was just rehashing old thoughts out to Rose that someone before him may have known. Like the Doctor that had been here. He'd found a way out apparently and now he was determined to do the same!

Because he was just as good.... Right?

[identity profile] handyhandyhand.livejournal.com 2010-09-25 09:19 pm (UTC)(link)
"Ah yes, life among the gorillas," he joked before he very slowly realised how offensive that could be. He really needed to stop doing this, usually Rose was there to hit him when he said the wrong thing and now she was here but too far behind in the time line! Oooh well, he was sure she'd soon learn to love hitting him one when he was trampling all over humans and their customs by accident. "Right, sorry, forget that!"

He actually loved living with humans for the most part, it was bracing really. He was always amazed how such simple things, like who some celebrity was dating, could brighten up their day.

Frankly, he was less interested, perhaps thats why he got bored fast. "I wouldn't say I'm stuck-- Well, actually, rather am, aren't I? But its not exactly like I hate it."

[identity profile] handyhandyhand.livejournal.com 2010-09-26 03:57 pm (UTC)(link)
"Oh yes, brilliant company, couldn't get better," he agreed with a small smile, hurrying along after Rose so he could get a good look. His hand slipped free, digging into his pockets so he could locate the keys he'd grabbed, he wasn't quite sure why he had it but he supposed it was best to keep a hold of it. "Medical ward apparently, not sure if they actually thought I was a Doctor or not."

Either way, he wasn't about to pass up a chance to see it. Or the kitchen. What century would the kitchen be in, part of him was curious how food even appeared here, there must be a delivery or something like that for any of this to be possible!

"Jackie said I should train as a Doctor now-- Well, more like 'get off your lazy arse and get a job, didn't you say you were a Doctor?!'-- but same things," he dismissed, idly toying with the key in his hands. He wasn't going to get a job or a stupid bus pass! Frankly, this weird house detour was perfect, it saved him from having to put up with the mundane bored that was normal human activities.

No matter where he was stuck, he always seemed to find something out of the ordinary to do.

[identity profile] handyhandyhand.livejournal.com 2010-09-26 07:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Pulling a face of disgust at the very idea of getting a job, it was clear that he wouldn't go get one without a fight. He'd managed a month without even looking, he just hid in the Tylers basement, experimenting with different bits and bobs, popping into Torchwood on occasion to lecture them on how wrong they were. Even if they were right!

"Course I love museums, I love visiting them but I don't love working in them. It'd be boring and then I'd never be able to set foot in one without associating it with work," besides, he was 1000 years old and a universal genius, was he really going to waste his time dusting bones?

Getting a job was like giving in and admitting he was stuck on Earth, half human and doomed to a life of domesticity and servitude to the government. "I'll find a way to make money, I'm good at making money and if all else fails, I always have my sonic."

[identity profile] handyhandyhand.livejournal.com 2010-09-26 11:08 pm (UTC)(link)
"Your brother? Annoying, he keeps throwing his food at me and calling me Johno for some reason," Miscommunication were the death of him, he said his name wrong one time and the little brat never let it go, it was Rose fault for distracting him in the first place with cookies. Trying to speak around food was difficult whether your human or Time Lord. "We watch cartoons together every weekend morning 7 til 10, cereal is always at 8:26, when the break starts."

He was oddly rigid with his morning schedule these days but he needed a way to ground himself, mornings proved to be his only stable and consistent time of day and frankly, he was starting to love it. Plus human TV was always brilliant on the most part.

Pulling out his relatively busted up sonic, he pressed the buttons, its spluttered, made a crackling nose and sparked in his hand. Yelping, he dropped it and pulled a face at his burnt hand. "It broke when I left it in the washing machine by accident, haven't fixed it yet."

[identity profile] handyhandyhand.livejournal.com 2010-09-27 12:25 am (UTC)(link)
"Johnny. Prefer John personally. Actually! I prefer the Doctor but John'll do," After all, he knew as well as any that he couldn't exactly own the title, he had to let go and accept he'd changed. The Doctor wasn't his name but he was getting used to it. It was all down to getting used to things.

Giving Rose a small look, he rolled his eyes and snatched the screwdriver back almost defensively, he knew it wasn't originally his but he was the Doctor, sort of. Every Doctor needed a screwdriver. "I made it, exact replica, took some assistance from Torchwood but I've done it before and I'll do it again. Easy. Welll... not easy, not really. It just took longer than expected and I ran out of parts, have to improvised a bit. Torchwood never has what I wanted."

Well, it wasn't there fault, he was expecting more technology but he supposed them having less was more a blessing than anything. Humans with alien tech was always a bad idea.

"Fix it? Do we have tools here?"

If they did, he could fix it pretty easily. Grinning at Rose, he twirled the screwdriver around in his hand before giving it a closer look. Nothing a little tinkering wouldn't solve!

[identity profile] handyhandyhand.livejournal.com 2010-09-27 02:04 am (UTC)(link)
"I like John. John is good, don't you like it? Simple, human, doesn't draw attention, perfect to blend in," Which is still what he wished to do, he wasn't about to prowl around the neighbourhood showing off, he was happy enough to try and play it cool, not draw attention to himself.

Even if he often did unintentionally. But scaling your neighbours roof to amp their TV signal without permission probably wasn't the stealthy way he could of gone about introducing himself.

"Do you what? You can ask, the world won't implode on itself," he promised as they stepped into the kitchen. Raising an eyebrow, he looked around before frowning. How exactly did this even work.

"Where does the food come from?"

[identity profile] handyhandyhand.livejournal.com 2010-09-27 02:58 am (UTC)(link)
He had to pause as he slowly processed all the questions and broke them down so he could work out what part to answer first. So what if their time line fell apart? It probably already had. For all he knew, they were meant to meet to change the time line and if they didn't then that could end badly, badly like the end of the world! Then again, he could just be over-reacting and trying to justice to everything!

"You work for Torchwood, though I try to stop you, still don't trust them, I just like to steal their parts. Your father does inventing but I'm banned from watching him after I tinkered with his last one. Never been photographed, Tony has the average vocabulary of someone who recently turned 3 and I'm pretty sure the zepplins are as they've always been."

Taking a breath as he finished his explanation, he smiled before venturing into the kitchen to have a prod around.

If Rose had any more questions, he'd try and answer then.

[identity profile] handyhandyhand.livejournal.com 2010-09-27 11:48 am (UTC)(link)
"So food has been randomly appearing in the kitchen and no one ever thought of staking it out and keeping an eye on delivery? Or maybe trying to work out where it comes from or if its dangerous?" Perhaps he was overly cautious but he had his doubts, it was like his clothes following him here, it just made very little sense.

It was as if someone wanted to keep them here.

Sure he wanted to find out how it worked but not himself, he pulled a face at the very thought of it. Until he realised slowly that it could actually work. He could sit up, watch over the kitchen and work on the sonic at the same time! Grinning at his new found plan, he clapped his hands together and nodded.

"I'll watch it, tonight even. You have to go at midnight, I'll stay here, work on my sonic and keep an eye out. I'll let you know if I find anything, hows that?"

Sure sure <3

[identity profile] handyhandyhand.livejournal.com 2010-09-27 05:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Producing his sonic, he leaned over it and started to tug it apart, looking more in depth as he tinker with the inards.

"See, it'll be easy to fix it I can get the right kind of part that'll slow down the charge and cool it, preventing the energy from overheating and burning my hand but at the same time I can't cap the sonics power, especially here, so I'll have to up the power."

And he rambled on like that for as long as he kept watch, fiddling with bits and pieces until Rose left.