paradisalost | twenty-six;

Are you?

We all knew it was a possibility for each of us. None of this can last forever.

Where are you?

Ah... [looks around, spots a villager and walks up to them]

Pardon me, but, ah, where exactly is this? No, no, no, the name of the town. Lavender Town? Really? Well, it's an apt name, I suppose. Goes very well with the decor, actually. Yes, yes, that's it. Thank you.

Lavender Town, apparently.

So am I. Want to meet me somewhere?

Mm, yes. By the tower?

Alright.

[Nine is there a bit of a timeskip later, his Pokémon locked up in its ball in Nine's pocket somewhere. He's more than a bit relieved when he finds Eight, and gives his self a concerned look.]

Feel like some tea, Doctor?

[Eight returns the glance, then nods]

Well, you know I'd never say no to a cup of tea.

[Nine nods too, hesitating a moment before reaching out and squeezing his self's hand in an attempt to be reassuring.] There's a place over this way. [quietly leads him to a small tea shop nearby]

[Squeezes Nine's hand in return, and follows him into the tea shop, and finding a table near the window.]

[sits down and orders them both some tea, before simply watching Eight quietly. It's almost as if he thinks his self will disappear if he blinks.]

[notes the observation, disquieted]

...Doctor?

[a bit startled, shaken out of his thoughts] Hm?

Are you all right?

[glances down for a bit, before slowly shaking his head] Don't think so.

[their tea arrives, and Eight thanks the waitress, and takes a cup quietly] I'm not leaving, you know.

[takes a cup too, sipping his tea quietly for a moment, before replying] You can't know that.

No, maybe not. But then, I can't be sure you won't disappear, either. Or our Tenth, or Grace, or any of our companions.

[nods] Seems to be the nature of most fantastic things...they never last. [quiet pause] ...But we ought to make the most of it anyway, yeah?

[small smile] Of course we should.

[fishes a jelly baby out of his pocket, and hands it to Eight, before taking another sip of his tea] Come back to my room when we're done here?

[nods and smiles, taking a sip of his own tea, then eating the jellybaby and pulling a bag of them from his own pocket and offering it to Nine]

[chuckles a little, though he's not quite smiling yet himself, plucking a candy from the offered bag and munching on it] Where's your Eevee?

[chuckles and pulls out a pokeball, giving it a little toss and a rueful look]

I sort of feel bad about it, but he doesn't seem to mind.

[nods, taking out his own] Mine minds more than a bit, but I put him back as soon as...didn't want him feeding off of that.

Hey, you alright?

[pause] I'm not sure. I will be, though. We almost always are.

Sounds like a pretty hoopy...wait, we? [pause] ...You're not another Doctor, are you?

Yes, I am. You know a me?

I know a couple of you. I've met both your Tenth and Fifth selves, and spent quite a bit of time in the Fifth Doctor's TARDIS, with him and Turlough.

I see. [long pause while he debates whether or not to tell Ford]

That's a real beauty you've all got there, by the way. The TARDIS? She's brilliant. Haven't seen anything like her, and boy have I seen a lot of ships.

[chuckles quietly] Yes, she is at that. ...You're welcome to come and see her when you like.

She's just as hoopy as her pilots are. And thanks, I appreciate it. I've really only seen the inside of the Doc...Five's? Do I really have to use numbers? I mean, don't get me wrong, I like numbers, it just seems kind of impersonal.

No, no, you don't have to use numbers -- 'Doctor' is fine. And are TARDISes are... very different.

Suppose it makes sense, different TARDIS...what's the term? Desktop theme? [chuckles] Anyway, different looks for different Doctors. Least from what I've seen so far, you've got different quirks even if you're the same person.

I heard about Five. I'm sorry.

I-- thank you.

The loss is difficult.

They usually are.

I know Simon is better away from here. All the memories put back. I'm sorry for your loss though.

Doctor? What happened?

Nothing that I shouldn't have been expecting to happen, one day.

Doctor...

... Yeah. Fine.

You're sure?

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