[ Her smile begins to falter, just a bit. Uncertain.
She's not received many apologies of this sort; certainly, she hadn't expected one, and couldn't have held it against Skye for dismissing it all as a load of codswallop outright. This is a change. ]
[She isn't sure if it's supposed to be a secret, but it feels like it should be. Which is why she's making sure there's no one in earshot before speaking up.]
That you're from another planet and that she's witnessed you change.
[Skye definitely can't imagine getting used to someone literally changing into someone else, but she nods once in response instead of saying something along those lines out loud.]
Technically no.
[Thor was an alien, kind of. But she had never met him. She wishes she could. There's still a lot she doesn't know, and it's not like Skye doesn't have the time right now. She really needs the distraction, because being here is honestly depressing.]
Something shifts. She digs her hands into her pockets, as her gaze slides off somewhere to the left. Trying to play it off as casual, and hitting close to the mark, but there's a tension that wasn't there a moment ago, ]
Ohhh, I dunno. A whole planet's worth. I haven't done a headcount in a long time.
[ It's not a lie. She very deliberately hasn't had anything at all to do with Gallifrey, not since...
[Skye is pretty good at reading body language, so she does pick up on the subtle changes. That combined with how cagey of an answer the Doctor gives her leaves Skye feeling a little on edge. Why is she suddenly being so vague when up until a moment ago she couldnβt wait to give out info?]
But youβre the only one here? Well, technically.
[Because there was two of her here. Him? Do they even have a gender?]
[ Said with the ease of someone who's far too accustom to dealing with having multiple selves around.
...Also with the unearned confidence of someone who believes they'll "just know" if there are any other Time Lords about, and never actually does. ]
You probably won't see any others, if it's a concern. [ (And if it isn't, it maybe should be.) ] The powers that be here really seem to like humans best, anyway!
[Yeah. That's still very weird to hear her say, but, hopefully, she'll eventually find it less weird.]
I'm not sure how true that is.
[She knows of at least one superhero here. A question pops into her head, and maybe it could be seen as polite, but Skye is way too curious to not ask.]
How old are you exactly?
[Because she looks a lot younger compared to the other version of her.]
[Skye blinks slowly at the fact that, apparently, she's been young men. Just how many times has this happened?
It's really hard to judge based off appearance alone just how old she is. So she tries to trick her by coming up with the only history question she can think of.]
You say that like this isn't a big deal. You're over two thousand years old.
[Okay so maybe there was that one Asgardian who was centuries old, but this was still a big deal for her. It finally sinks in just how awesome this actually is.]
So you've seen a lot of things, right? Like. You've lived through the big stuff.
[Skye could easily listen to her adventure for hours, but she can imagine the Doctor wouldnβt want to talk for that long. Or maybe she would like that.]
But getting out of here Iβm guessing isnβt an option through, however it is you do it.
Oh. Wellβ [ Flatter, ] I'm working on it. But without my ship...
[ Cutting herself off; for the past several weeks, she's been working very very hard at not dwelling on just how completely and utterly separated she is from her TARDIS. Again. Because she can't afford to lose her composure, not when people need her help... again. ]
[This is still a lot, but at least now Skye believes it. Right?]
Would be really handy right now.
[Even if Skye is a little afraid to find out what might be waiting for her at home. More so, what might not be waiting for her. There could be nothing. She could be dead. That's a huge possibility.
...
Should probably stop thinking about that now.]
What if you could make one here? I mean, I have no idea how that works, but there's got to be someone around here who does. Maybe.
Maybe Bruce? He's smart.
[The last part is muttered to herself mostly, clearly trying to think of a solution. Even if it's pretty far fetched, and her thoughts are fuzzy right now thanks to the fever.]
[ She could try to explain that TARDISes are grown, not made, and she'll not find viable parts here to build one anyway, and even if she did, the power required alone...
but there are other ways to hop across dimensions. And besides, you should never say never.
[Skye still has a lot of questions, but her mind is all over the place and she can't pinpoint a specific question to ask her right now. Climbing into the 'bed', Skye doesn't realize just how badly she needed to be horizontal until now.]
Are you going to tuck me into bed and read me a bedtime story?
And settles down beside her, readying a story like she's done this a thousand times before. Dad skills: you never lose them. ]
I've got so many I could tell you... [ She glances round the medical tent, searching, perhaps, for inspiration... ]
Oh! How about that time I went undercover in hospital, 'cos I wanted to investigate some really weird readings I'd picked up, and ended up on the moon.
[ You're not hallucinating, it's just Doctor Who. ]
Definitely not. My friend wondered the same thing. She was working there as a medical student, you see, that's how we met. [ Fondly, if wistful, ] ...Good ol' Martha Jones.
[ Like this is the most natural thing anyone's ever said, ] But we could breathe 'cos the space rhinos who'd kidnapped the hospital put a force-field round the building to keep the air in. Air bubble on the moon. To their credit, it worked really well, right up till we ran out of oxygen...
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[She probably shouldn't be out right now, but she desperately needed fresh air.
Despite having spoken to Clara, this is still a lot to wrap her head around. Especially when she's standing right in front of the Doctor.]
Yeah. We met a couple of months ago. She, um, explained some things to me.
1/2
[ Surely Clara would've mentioned that, but you can never overstate it. ]
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[ Her smile begins to falter, just a bit. Uncertain.
She's not received many apologies of this sort; certainly, she hadn't expected one, and couldn't have held it against Skye for dismissing it all as a load of codswallop outright. This is a change. ]
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That you're from another planet and that she's witnessed you change.
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Right in front of her, once. It can be a bit of a shock, even if you know it's coming. But you get used to it.
Have you not met an alien before...? [ Brightly, ] Don't worry, I'm a nice one.
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Technically no.
[Thor was an alien, kind of. But she had never met him.
She wishes she could.There's still a lot she doesn't know, and it's not like Skye doesn't have the time right now. She really needs the distraction, because being here is honestly depressing.]How many other--?
[What was her species even called?]
How many are there in your species?
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Something shifts. She digs her hands into her pockets, as her gaze slides off somewhere to the left. Trying to play it off as casual, and hitting close to the mark, but there's a tension that wasn't there a moment ago, ]
Ohhh, I dunno. A whole planet's worth. I haven't done a headcount in a long time.
[ It's not a lie. She very deliberately hasn't had anything at all to do with Gallifrey, not since...
Clara. ]
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But youβre the only one here? Well, technically.
[Because there was two of her here. Him? Do they even have a gender?]
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Yep! Just me and me.
[ Said with the ease of someone who's far too accustom to dealing with having multiple selves around.
...Also with the unearned confidence of someone who believes they'll "just know" if there are any other Time Lords about, and never actually does. ]
You probably won't see any others, if it's a concern. [ (And if it isn't, it maybe should be.) ] The powers that be here really seem to like humans best, anyway!
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I'm not sure how true that is.
[She knows of at least one superhero here. A question pops into her head, and maybe it could be seen as polite, but Skye is way too curious to not ask.]
How old are you exactly?
[Because she looks a lot younger compared to the other version of her.]
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Impolite to ask a lady her age, Skye!
[ Never been able to use that line before. ]
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Oh, come on. You can't expect me not to ask that when I've literally seen you as an old man.
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Oh, never mind. She wobbles her head side-to-side, possibly internally debating how best to break the news (of her age.) ]
Tell ya what... how old d'you reckon I am?
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It's really hard to judge based off appearance alone just how old she is. So she tries to trick her by coming up with the only history question she can think of.]
When did the first world war end?
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Skye, dear. ]
The eleventh of November, 1918?
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I have no idea.
[Yeah. Skye is realizing that's a stupid question to ask, especially when she doesn't even really know the answer.]
A hundred and twenty?
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Close...!
Plus two thousand. Round about.
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[Over two thousand--?!]
Sorry. What?!
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Oh, well, too late to take it back, now. ]
Yeah. Something like thatβ I lost count a while back, honestly.
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You say that like this isn't a big deal. You're over two thousand years old.
[Okay so maybe there was that one Asgardian who was centuries old, but this was still a big deal for her. It finally sinks in just how awesome this actually is.]
So you've seen a lot of things, right? Like. You've lived through the big stuff.
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Oh, only everything!
You wouldn't believe the things I've seen... the places I've been! Across the whole universe.
[ With a quick glance round the camp, ] ...And then some.
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But getting out of here Iβm guessing isnβt an option through, however it is you do it.
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be careful what you wish for. ]
Oh. Wellβ [ Flatter, ] I'm working on it. But without my ship...
[ Cutting herself off; for the past several weeks, she's been working very very hard at not dwelling on just how completely and utterly separated she is from her TARDIS. Again. Because she can't afford to lose her composure, not when people need her help... again. ]
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[This is still a lot, but at least now Skye believes it. Right?]
Would be really handy right now.
[Even if Skye is a little afraid to find out what might be waiting for her at home. More so, what might not be waiting for her. There could be nothing. She could be dead. That's a huge possibility.
...
Should probably stop thinking about that now.]
What if you could make one here? I mean, I have no idea how that works, but there's got to be someone around here who does. Maybe.
Maybe Bruce? He's smart.
[The last part is muttered to herself mostly, clearly trying to think of a solution. Even if it's pretty far fetched, and her thoughts are fuzzy right now thanks to the fever.]
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but there are other ways to hop across dimensions. And besides, you should never say never.
She cocks her head curiously, ]
Who's Bruce?
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[That he's a super smart guy who also happens to turn into a literal monster? Yeah.]
Bruce Banner. He's a really smart scientist/doctor. If anyone could help you, it would be him.
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But first, c'mon! Back to bed with you.
[ She doesn't touch Skye, but gestures for her to follow along, into a tent. ]
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You take your name way too seriously.
[But she's following her. Happy?]
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[ Good girl! She pulls back the sheets of a bed for her, smiling encouragingly. Everyone loves quarantine tents, it's a great time in here. ]
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Are you going to tuck me into bed and read me a bedtime story?
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[ It's really hard to tell if she's offering seriously or not. ]
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Oh no. She doesn't get sarcasm. They totally can't be friends, sorry. Skye can't associate with people who don't get sarcasm.Okay, but, maybe she wouldn't mind company right now...]
Only if you're not busy.
[The Doctor has to have a lot of stories up her sleeve, right?]
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And settles down beside her, readying a story like she's done this a thousand times before. Dad skills: you never lose them. ]
I've got so many I could tell you... [ She glances round the medical tent, searching, perhaps, for inspiration... ]
Oh! How about that time I went undercover in hospital, 'cos I wanted to investigate some really weird readings I'd picked up, and ended up on the moon.
Me, and the whole hospital.
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[Her mind is a little scattered right now, so maybe she just misheard her.]
How do you end up on the moon? How did you not die? I mean, hospitals aren't airtight. Right?
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Definitely not. My friend wondered the same thing. She was working there as a medical student, you see, that's how we met. [ Fondly, if wistful, ] ...Good ol' Martha Jones.
[ Like this is the most natural thing anyone's ever said, ] But we could breathe 'cos the space rhinos who'd kidnapped the hospital put a force-field round the building to keep the air in. Air bubble on the moon. To their credit, it worked really well, right up till we ran out of oxygen...
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[What. The. Hell? Not that this place was that much less weird, what with the deer and everything.]
Why would they want to kidnap a hospital?