Mirrors - AU RP for alainn_aislinn

[thecricketer]

The Doctor is fairly certain he is going to crash.

He is, honestly, more worried about his ship than himself, and desperately tries to steady her as they rip through Time and Space and something else entirely, something he can't quite discern. Her distress pricks his mind like needles, and his fingers are going numb on the controls.

Eventually he realises that he's done all he can, and simply holds on.

When he opens his eyes he's still more or less upright, and those his swiftly beating hearts echo the state of the TARDIS, she is undamaged. With a quiet sight of relief he straightens, and crosses over to the doors.

He isn't sure where he is, and there's really only one way to find out.

Well. One proper way.

Comments

[alainn-aislinn.livejournal.com]

She slid in almost viciously, a dark wind not caring if she ripped through him, heedless of whether it hurt him or not. Her rage and pain and confusion were open and biting, because she couldn't hide and connect at the same time.

Another her. Another him. Another world and none of it made any sense and it hurt. Things weren't supposed to hurt like this, not anymore, not after everything she'd done to make it stop and then he just stepped through and went right for scars and ripped them open again and she might as well have been a girl screaming at her mother that it wasn't fair all over again.

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

He drew a sharp breath, wincing, but didn't struggle against her, letting her see, knowing how much pain it caused and hating himself for it.

The Doctor reached out again.

Tranquility, affectionate and understanding, swelled in his mind, brushing hers, trying to soothe, to quiet.

[alainn-aislinn.livejournal.com]

She pulled back just as sharply as she'd entered, tears in her eyes as she started to back away slowly, looking at him with something like terror in her eyes, though whether it was from the caring or what she had seen, it was hard to tell.

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

He wasn't sure if he preferred the ache in his mind or the one in his chest.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, and stopped himself before he stepped closer.

"I didn't...I didn't mean to hurt you."

[alainn-aislinn.livejournal.com]

"Who are you? Why are you here?" She wrapped her arms around herself tight, protectively, breathing quick and shallow.

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

He, in contrast, forced himself to relax, a calm mask sliding over his features, though his eyes were still concerned, and kind - and guilty.

"I don't know, honestly, my...my ship, she crashed here somehow. I think this is an alternate universe." One of his hands found the edge of the shape they'd grown so found up, and gripped it lightly.

"I'm the Doctor. Just...just a traveller."

[alainn-aislinn.livejournal.com]

"And you know me in this other universe, and B-Byron?" She was shivering now, fear still lacing her eyes.

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

He wanted to comfort her, desperately, but didn't know how she would react. He could scarcely imagine the effect Byron's death would have had on her and he...he was a stranger.

"Yes. I'm...quite fond of you both." He doesn't want to reveal more than she asks for, to give her information she wouldn't want.

[alainn-aislinn.livejournal.com]

"I gathered that," she said acidly, giving him a once over and backing a little further away.

"I don't know you."

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

He looked down, frowning at the ground, speaking softly to the grass.

"No. You don't."

[alainn-aislinn.livejournal.com]

"I'm not your Aislinn." She couldn't even think about her without feeling almost ill, letting it roll off of her in waves. Her, who got to keep Byron for centuries. Her with a Byron who couldn't die.

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

He closed his eyes for a moment, closing himself off. He couldn't help if he was caught up in her emotions.

Then he opened them, and met hers.

"No. You aren't. That doesn't mean I don't care. I never wished to cause you pain, and I won't leave until I can make up for it."

[alainn-aislinn.livejournal.com]

Her look turned confused again. "Why?"

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

His brow furrowed.

"Why wouldn't I? Even if I didn't care for you - another you, but still Aislinn - that doesn't mean I would just...open wounds and leave them to bleed."

[alainn-aislinn.livejournal.com]

Her lips twisted in a bitter smile.

"Why not?"

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

He'd been asked questions like that before, and they never failed to baffle him. The confusion was clear in his features.

"That...would be cruel. Do I need any other reason?"

[alainn-aislinn.livejournal.com]

"Life is cruel." Her voice dropped a few notes, eyeing him speculatively. "I am cruel. Why shouldn't you be?"

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

He met her gaze steadily.

"I can be. I try to avoid it. The universe doesn't need any more of it."

[alainn-aislinn.livejournal.com]

She nodded slightly, feeling the truth of the statement, but still watching him, before moving toward him, closing the distance.

"So you want to make it better? Because of her?"

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

He walked forward, meeting her.

"In part. I don't like seeing people in pain."

[alainn-aislinn.livejournal.com]

She looked up at him, soft, vulnerable.

"You can't take away my pain."

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

"...No." His voice was quiet, but his hatred of the fact rang louder than any mere words could.

"But I can offer comfort. Some...some modicum of understanding."

[alainn-aislinn.livejournal.com]

She reached a hand up, brushing her fingers up his neck and along the edges of his hair.

"Comfort?"

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

He stiffened slightly, eyes widening, but didn't pull away. They were getting somewhere, even if he wasn't sure where exactly, and he wouldn't risk ruining it.

"Yes. Any way I can." Almost any way I can, he added silently, almost nervously.

[alainn-aislinn.livejournal.com]

His reaction was interesting, and didn't fit with the emotions she'd perceived when she'd rampaged through his head. It confused her, made her frown.

"Really?"