Friday at the Perkolator. Again.

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

[The Doctor stands outside the Perkolator. Though he has reservations about patronising the coffee shop since the owner threw Death out, Beka had suggested meeting there. Therefore, that's where he was meeting her.

If she ever showed up.]


((For the sake of not having the Doctor be in the same place as CJ 24/7, and for the sake of new interaction, we're going to say that this is NOT occurring at the same time as either the Shane/Maia conversation or the CJ/Methos and Shane/CJ texting conversations. If this is a problem, I apologise. This conversation is accessible to valentine_tart and any Perk employees.))

Comments

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

Beka arrives, cheerful and somewhat out of breath from dashing across town. "Doctor!"

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

Hello, Ms Valentine. [He smiles at her.] Busy day?

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"Like you probably wouldn't believe." She offers a warm smile. "Not-campaigning for Homecoming Queen, campaigning for Academic Affairs, juggling classes and a love life and, apparently a relationship counseling service. It was easier when everyone was terrified of me."

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

Juggling more than one love life, is what I hear. [He opens the door and gestures for her to go inside.] And relationship counselling...imagine that. Do you tell them to just duel it out with a brace of pistols?

How does one 'not-campaign'? I've never attempted it.

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

Beka laughs. "More than one sex life, Doctor. For now anyhow, just one love life. Not campaigning is easy. At every opportunity, I tell people to vote for someone else." Her walk has all of its usual predatory grace, but her good humor has given it a bit of a sassy bounce.

Over her shoulder, she tsks him. "As for the counseling... Come, Doctor. If you really believed that about me, I doubt we'd be having coffee."

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

I'm denoting the subtle difference, Ms Valentine. [He raises an eyebrow and orders a machiatto. and is totally not watching her ass for a second there--only a second] Want anything to eat?

And if that's not how you do counseling, then it should be. [grin] Might work better, given some of the relationships around here.

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"It's not that subtle, Doctor. In my world, sex is something you do to stay alive, to get what you want, or because it's one of the few really pleasant things to do. Love is something else entirely." She checks out the board and smirks at the effect her sexual openness has on the Doctor orders a large French Roast, black. "Thanks, but I'll pass. Refined sugars don't agree with my system. No access to them in my world."

Orders filled, she gestures to a table by the window where she can see outside, watch the door, and the room. "I'd sooner encourage them to fight together in a den of pitsnakes. They'd have a better chance of surviving." The last sounds bitter, but it's not directed at him.

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

What world exactly would that be?
[Then he looks up, startled at her tone, after adding a small sandwich to his order.] Pitsnakes?

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"Pitsnakes," she confirmed. "Deadly, made-up no-cannon futuristic venomous snakes known to congregate in groups of several hundred in mining pits. Far safer for Rory and Logan than either of them holding a pistol. Trust me."

Beka holds the coffee, letting the warmth seep through her hands. "I'm not ignoring your question about my world, Doctor. It's a complicated question. And not exactly pleasant."

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

Those two definitely...need some help. Somehow. And they're not the only ones.

[He leans towards her.] And as for your home...try me.

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"No. They're not the only ones."

When she drops her gaze, her bangs get in her eyes. She blows them back, then shrugs. "3500 years from now, give or take a hundred. I'm not sure whether it's this universe or a parallel one, even. Humans are not at the top of the food chain, and the things we fight make zombies look like poodles in pink skirts." It's not everything, but it's a beginning.

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a bloody lot of fun. [sips some of his drink] I don't think I've been to that timeline. Yet.

Do you miss it?

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

(([kicks LJ, which ate her comment]))

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

((Nice job, as it reappeared directly upon the kicking, Fonzie. *snerk*))

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

Most of those are appealing, but only in the most abstract sense. [He stretches, trying to snap out of it.] Maybe the drunk part, some other time. But not at the same time as the flying. and I'm a firm believer in sex in love, for the most part, and monogamy. pity.

Maybe I do need to talk about it. I just don't know where to begin.

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

Beka hides a smile. "Of course, Doctor." Mmm-hmm. Perhaps so. But I'm not entirely convinced. *wink*

"Was it a very long time ago?" she asks, hoping to give him an entry point.

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

And that wouldn't solve any of my problems, regardless. you think I'm sexy?!

[sip] It wasn't that long ago, subjectively. That is, in terms of my life. Not much more than a year or two. [His lip curls.] I had to do it, there wasn't any other choice, not really. And if I hadn't, eventually the Daleks would have killed Gallifrey, too. But there's no way I can say that I don't regret it.

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

In a smart and older sort of way. Sure. Why not?

"I'm not going to pretend I understood most of what you said, but I do understand how you feel. If you had to do it again, would you do it differently?"

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

'cause some of us don't fancy everyone in the universe.

[He thinks about this for a long time.] I don't know. [Then he looks up from his drink, and there are tears in his eyes.] I don't know.

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

I don't fancy everyone in the universe, Doctor. Just the ones that touch my mind...or my kink.

Uh-oh. Teary teachers. She reaches out for his hand. "Hey. I understand. I don't know whether I should try to change my timeline or not. I might make it worse. It's a hard choice, especially for someone with as much responsibility as you seem to have. I'm sure you made the best choice you could..."

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

[He realises that he's crying in public, and sniffles back the rest of his tears.] Maybe. But I'm of the mindset that the choice that involves more death is usually the poor one.

I thought I didn't need my people, my home past. I was wrong, Beka.

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

The Doctor's grief distresses Beka. It's not something she can shoot, and he doesn't seem to want the kind of comfort she's best at.

Beka stands and walks around the table to the Doctor's side, and crouches beside him with her hand on his arm. Her voice is soft and quiet. Not inappropriately intimate, but more of one friend to another than a student to a teacher. "Doctor, I don't believe you made the wrong choice. I think it was just a very painful choice."

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

[He doesn't reject it, though he is slightly startled.] You know what?

Deep down, I think so too. I just hate to admit it...makes me seem like a killer.

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

Men are tricky, Beka decides. Women are easier. If he was a woman, she'd just hug him and deal with the consequences later.

A different tactic perhaps. "Doctor." There's a sharpness in her voice. One she's been very careful not to show at this school since the incident with Shep in Diplomacy. "You. Are. Not. A. Killer. Got me? Maybe some people died. Maybe a whole hell of a lot of people died. Did you enjoy it? Did you?"

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

[He looks up, slightly startled, but not much.] Of course not.