video

[fantastix]

[There are rather dark circles under this Doctor's eyes, but he carries on as if he's not exhausted. As always, he's leaning forward. At attention.]

First, I want to say that I'm quite proud of the efforts in Alfheim. You really pulled together as teams. Not only did you have excellent leadership, but everyone kept their heads. Pat yourselves on the back if you didn't blister it.

Second: I'm going to talk a bit about love and loss. Hot topics these days, seems like.

It hurts, and you know that. Someone who made you feel you could be anything, someone you've been through hell and high water with, someone you couldn't imagine being without...they're gone. Forever, I suppose, with the whole business of memory erasure. Even if you find 'em again, they won't remember anything you've been through here. And if you leave, neither will you. You know, but you can't change a thing about the future.

And it hurts, doesn't it? It all starts to feel pointless. You want to slam the door shut and leave it all behind. Trust me, I've done quite enough of that for several lifetimes.

But when you realise that nothing, absolutely nothing can last forever, you can see it for what it is. For just a while, things shined a little brighter. And as long as you're here, you can carry that with you. Lend a hand to others here and there. And maybe, if you let yourself remember what they were pushing you for, what they believed you could be?

You can be fantastic.

...and in case anyone who knows us hasn't quite figured it out, yes, that means Rose is gone. No, I'm not being stupid about it this time.

Comments

[video]

[ex_outofcontrol435]

That... is such bullshit.

[You just lost your cool Doctor cred, Nine.]

[video]

[fantastix]

There was a time I thought so too.

[video; private]

[daddyissues]

[ Connor looks exhausted; he slept the whole ride back from Alfheim and hasn't been doing much since they got back to Asgard, either, he's so drained. He hasn't checked in on Pyro again since finding out about the power swap that went on back in the city, but while he's still rumpled and tired he can't ignore this kind of response... ]

...what happened?

video

[sadandsingle]

[Hey! It's the Doctor she recognises from back home! She's met some of the others now, of course, but she hasn't seen this one yet - though, to be fair, Tosh has been keeping to herself a lot since her arrival in Asgard nearly three weeks ago. She's had her own problems, her own losses to recuperate from, and so she regards him with a sad, solemn look.]

You're right. [Even if things hadn't exactly been the same way between her and Owen, even if he'd never exactly reciprocated her feelings.] The person I l- cared for isn't here, and I don't know if he'll ever arrive, but- thank you for reminding me of that. I've spent far too long hiding away because of it. And- I know it's a little at odds with your entire message, but I'm sorry for your loss.

video

[fantastix]

[Oh, he remembers her! He nods.]]

Whoever they were, they thought the world of you. You can let that out, you know?

And...have we met? Over a mismatched pig corpse?

[Action]

[faceofbeau]

[Oh. Oh hell. That's- fuck. When he sees the post, Jack doesn't bother to flip on the bracelet to answer back. Instead he sets out to search for the Doctor in person. When he finds him, he- well, he's not entirely sure what to do at first. With anyone else he cared about, he'd gather them up for a hug, offer some reassurance that it'll be alright, maybe a kiss on the forehead, depending. But this isn't anyone else. And so, rather than try and play the older, almost parental, figure, as he does with loved ones sometimes, he regards the other man with a sad, understanding gaze.

He knows what Rose means to the Doctor, can understand what he's going through. He's loved Rose himself for a long time now, remembers losing both she and the Doctor in one fell swoop all those centuries ago. Remembers again 'losing' her, like a fresh wound, when she'd been listed among the dead at Canary Wharf. And, far too recently, he's gone through his own emotional issues with Ianto, visions of his death, learning the truth about his second death, the fear of losing him here, of everything the Doctor had hit on in his speech. And now the Doctor's actually lost Rose.

And- he still doesn't know exactly how to try and fix this. But he has to try. He loves the other man far too much not to.]

You'll see her again. If you ever leave, she'll be waiting for you.

[The words are quiet. Small consolation for what the other man has lost, but he has to try.]

[Action]

[fantastix]

For a moment or two.

[He just barely lifts his head, a subtle nod]

We'll swap around saving each other a fair few times, each unwilling to let the other die. But then I've got to die, 'cause I can regenerate.

[He laughs lowly, humorlessly]

She told me how it's all going to end. I know it's about to. But even if I could change that...I never would.

Might consider not leaving you behind, though. If I could change anything.

voice;

[servesthehuman]

I suppose a welcome back would be inappropriate, considering the circumstances. [aka Rose leaving.]

But, I suppose you're right. I wouldn't know about love, of course, but I must admit, I've been missing a friend from home for a while. [of course, Owen & Xanatos is a whole different cup of tea than the Doctor & Rose, but what can he say, he's a bit nostalgic.]

voice;

[fantastix]

I appreciate it all the same.

She's not the only person I would miss, you know. You lot are still worth having a go at the giants for.

video.

[livedtwice]

... I'm sorry for your loss.

[He's not mentioning the letters bit again. There's no need. But he does feel the need to at least be somewhat sympathetic.]

video.

[fantastix]

Thanks.

And...thank you. I'm still writing to her, and maybe a hundred more.

Private - Audio

[samantha_grey]

[there's a bit of a rasp to her voice as she speaks to 9. They've chatted in the past, but she sometimes gets he and 8 a little confused. Ok, she gets them all confused. It's odd. However, the statement does hit home for her just a bit.]

That... isn't the problem that I have, but the problem's just as severe I suppose.

All the same, you're right. I intend to enjoy what little time I have with them. For as long as I can. ...and cause as little collateral damage as possible in the process. [Trolls were weird.]

Sorry for your loss.

Private - Audio

[fantastix]

What problem is it that you have, then?

Sounds serious.

[Video]

[madcuriosity]

I'm sorry Miss Rose is gone, again, Doctor. It seems a lot have gone missing.

[Video]

[fantastix]

Could be worse, I suppose. We could have no chance of meeting again.

But I know we're going to have a moment.

[voice]

[allpurposescarf]

Yes, it hurts. It always will, regardless of however many times one sees it.

[He doesn't know who this Rose is - they'd never spoken - but it's all too easy to imagine his own separation from Sarah Jane. He hadn't wanted to leave her behind, but it had been what he'd needed to do. Better to leave her behind then to risk something worse.

Honestly, he doesn't even know that Nine is a future of himself. But his voice ought to be relatively familiar, if nothing else.]

I'm afraid it can't be changed, either, as much as one might want to.

[voice]

[fantastix]

Over the years it's become clearer and clearer how true that is.

[He pauses---it's trickier, recognising a voice from the outside, but it's there.]

But you'll always find something to rely on.

[Video]

[bonnypiperlad]

[He wasn't sure he wanted to say anything to anyone at all, not after this morning, but as he's going through the lists on the bracelet - again - he winds up spotting this. And it's not long after that he replies, looking unhappy and a maybe a little worried at the same time.]

Not her, too?

[Video]

[fantastix]

Yup.

Looks like all our luck was used on that battle back there.

video

[windbreak]

... Whoa, you did have a girlfriend?

video

[fantastix]

Not a girlfriend. A partner.

[same...thing, Doc]

[becauseichooseto]

...'Stupid about it'? [He's glad that he's not but what does that mean?]

[fantastix]

No explosives involved this time.

video;

[companioning]

[Inara's silent for a few moments, thinking over what he's said. Too many people she's known and cared for have been sent back home, and while it might be a good thing, it doesn't mean she likes it one bit.

Finally, she nods her head.]

I'm truly sorry to hear about Rose. I quite liked her.

video;

[fantastix]

She's difficult not to like.

But know this: she's special, our Rose. She's going on to save the world.

[whatsleft]

Doesn't this sound familiar...

((...W-Wait it's running, NO. Uh. This is embarrassing, sorry stranger.)) Er, sorry about your friend, also.

[fantastix]

Thanks.

And...that's life, isn't it? Nothing lasts forever, so we cherish what we can when we can.

video; private

[exiling]

[ Oh, Doctor. He was kind to her that first day. ]

I am sorry that your friend was taken from you, Doctor. [ There are quite a few people here from her own world that she would rather not be here with, but at least two that she remains conflicted about. A short pause. ] Was she a warrior, your Rose?

: video; private

[fantastix]

Yup.

Wasn't when we first met...but she's always had the spirit. And she grew up those years we were apart.

So she'll pull through.

video;

[madeforwalking]

( puss doesn't mean to do: a) listen to this stranger, b) actually pay attention to his words and c)

well option c) would be to respond. Life is full of surprises, ain't it? The end of this message too, he should have seen that coming. )

Hey. ( okay that probably came out a bit hoarse, retry. ) You basically just said all of that to make yourself feel better, didn't you.

video;

[fantastix]

...yes, but it's all true.

I've just had to force myself to remember after the first dozen times.

video;

[torchwoodteaboy]

[Ianto knows that Jack has disappeared when he saw this message and he knows exactly where he was headed, after he watches it himself. Ianto frowns slightly. He's no stranger to loss himself, but it never gets easier. He was just getting to know Rose, just becoming friends with her, just starting to understand the friendship she had with Jack and the history they had together, and never mind his jealousy, he had liked her. And coming off of the tail-end of a rather intimate argument and follow-up conversation about losses with Jack, this loss hits rather hard for both of them, he knows.]

I'm sorry for your loss, Doctor. I. I know that it might not help at the moment, but. At least you had the time that you did. You should be grateful about that, yeah? [He's certainly grateful for the borrowed time he's been granted, himself.]

video;

[fantastix]

Yup.

[He glances down at his hands, where a little glowing white orb sits.]

So many things that would've been impossible with the time we were given. She showed me things I thought impossible.

[ video ]

[pratentious]

[ Gone again, is she? How many times does that make this by now? Still, though - ]

Well said. She's a stubborn one, Rose. I've long stopped believing it impossible for her to return, she doesn't quite know how to keep her head out of trouble long enough for it.

[ Said only fondly. Rose was one of his first friends in the city. ]

You do well by her in her absence.

[ video ]

[fantastix]

One of the first things I learned about her. We were made for each other, I reckon.

And I will. You look out for yourself too.

[Video]

[riverrunswild]

... I am sorry to hear about Rose, Doctor.

[She has not had the pleasure to meet her properly, but she knows how important she is to the Doctor, always was and always will be. Especially to this version.]

If there is anything I can do or if you just want to talk sometime, tell me. I'll be there.

[Her smile reappears, albeit laced with sadness.]

Thank you for your uplifting words. They mean a lot.

[Video]

[fantastix]

I already know the spoilers this time. They're a help.

But...thanks. I could probably stop in for tea time now and then.