± ten ±

[not_that_lockon]

[filtered to the Doctor;]

Hey, Doctor. Mind if we talk about something?

Comments

[not-that-lockon.livejournal.com]

Yeah, she's scared. But avoiding you doesn't show that she's learned any better, just that now she's also scared of what might happen if she runs into you.

[bit_impossible]

[frowns severely] Nothing would happen.

[not-that-lockon.livejournal.com]

She doesn't know that. [And in all honesty? Neither do I.]

[bit_impossible]

Nothing would happen. If you think I'm the kind of man who would harm little girls, then you clearly have the wrong impression of me.

[not-that-lockon.livejournal.com]

Then what did you say to her that has her so spooked?

[bit_impossible]

[he's been expecting this question for a while, so there's little hesitation with his answer.] I told her the situation was far more dangerous than she could even imagine. And I forbade her from killing anything...and that I didn't want to hear if she had.

[not-that-lockon.livejournal.com]

[Slight silence here while he processes that... putting two and two together with how much the Doctor seems to hate killing, he probably said it in a way that sounded threatening to her. Oh, what a bloody mess...]

[bit_impossible]

[waits; wondering if what he's said has finally gotten through.]

[not-that-lockon.livejournal.com]

[mutters under his breath]

Maybe you two just need to talk, then. Because whether you meant to or not, Doc, you've got her pretty scared of you.

[bit_impossible]

Scared of me? Or perhaps feeling so guilty, she can't bear to face me?

[not-that-lockon.livejournal.com]

I'm going with the former.

[bit_impossible]

[shakes his head] No, she'd have nothing to be afraid of if she didn't do what I fear she's done.

She's a lot smarter than any of you lot give her credit for. If she was treated like the teenager that she is and not some little child that needs to be coddled every time she scraps her knee, maybe she wouldn't be so scared of being told what she can't do!

[not-that-lockon.livejournal.com]

Being smart and having life experience aren't the same thing.

[bit_impossible]

You don't need either of those to know when you've done something wrong.

Besides, do you think this ship is the place for her to regain some of her lost childhood?

[not-that-lockon.livejournal.com]

If it's even possible for that to happen, I don't see why not. When else is she ever gonna get the chance? We don't even know what'll happen even if we do manage to stop that crazy captain.

[bit_impossible]

[he's not sure either, so he's not going to address that right now.] Many things are possible in this universe, Lyle. But once your childhood is gone, it can never be brought back. Only trying to do so will stunt the growth she needs right now as a teenager and not a child.

[smiles faintly for the first time this entire conversation.] But that doesn't mean you still can't have fun and play games.

[not-that-lockon.livejournal.com]

[sighs] Right...

You will talk to her though, right?

[bit_impossible]

[rubs the back of his neck] Well, not now if all she's going to do is turn tail and run away like I'm some kind of boogeyman.

However...I'll be here when she's ready. I'm not exactly going anywhere.

[not-that-lockon.livejournal.com]

I guess that'll do, then.