fracturedrp | Jack's Smashing Party!

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Jack's Smashing Party!

The Doctor was asked to help do the greeting of Jack's guests, he's standing there trying to keep his hands from walking over towards a pile of pizza boxes. The Time Lord sways on his feet and he goes to walk towards the ball room doors that the party is going to be held in. "I was really hoping for the beach party." He even had an outfit lined up for that one that wasn't his tuxedo and bow tie.

With the doors open, he's there to lend out a hand and he was kind enough to help transport people to New York. "Well, welcome to Jack's party, if you were expecting a meal for a king...well if you're the King of the Pizza people this is it for you lot." That Lombardo's Pizza is tempting and he's trying to keep his Meta-Crisis from helping himself before everyone arrives.

The band consists of a few random street musicians who were willing to play on demand. "Ah, that's lovely. The sounds of New York City are happening right here!"

OOC: This is a typical social gathering thread. There's no pose order but please be mindful of the other players involved. It will continue so long as people tag to it, make sure to track this one!

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Romana smiled warmly. After all, she was impressed. They were both here, he hadn't spoken harshly to the Meta and both seemed fairly relaxed.

"Sometimes, trying is all it takes," she responded. She would know. The stories she could tell. "But, this is a party! We should talk about something more fun."

Andrew tried not to show his relief at Romana's desire to talk about a different topic.

"How have you been?" he asked, picking the first topic that came to mind. The Meta-Meta, of course, was welcome to give his input, but as usual he didn't.

"Good. I've been good. Been working with Wee... seeing if she can get me back to E-Space or not." Because she knows she doesn't belong here. She smiles sadly, "And doing what I can for the Time Tot."

His brow furrowed unhappily at that. Whatever conversations they've had, he assumed Romana wouldn't want to try to leave again so soon.

"You're trying to go back to E-Space?"

Romana looked thoughtful and a bit sad, "Well, none of us really belong here, do we? Sure we're all making ourselves at home. However, the timelines are becoming more erratic and the stability... well, it's not stable is it?"

That was true enough, but that didn't mean Handy had to like it. He couldn't help but feel that she was abandoning him a second time - and it wasn't as if he had anywhere he could go, himself.

"Some of us don't belong anywhere," he pointed out. "Romana...you don't have to go. Not so soon."

The Meta-Meta slowed and stopped eating as he listened in on the conversation, looking stricken at the thought of Romana leaving. He shook his head at her, upset. "Don't," he said.

Oh their expressions tug at her hearts. "But, what if we're causing the instability? One person more or less could make all the difference in this universe..."

She looks from one to the other including both of them in the conversation, "You could always.... Come with me...."

[Irrationally, Andrew wants to have it both ways - he wants to both stay on Earth with his friends and go with Romana. Rationally, though, he knows that leaving with Romana would probably mean never coming back.]

We'd destabilize the timeline just as badly by going with you. Not that the damage isn't already done....

[Romana swallows thickly at the lump already in the throat. Suddenly, she speaks too brightly.]

Well, enough of that. This is a party. We should be dancing.

[She holds her hand out to the Meta-meta.]

Care to join me?

[He regrets saying it - if the timeline is already damaged, how much more harm could it do to go with her? He still isn't decided on what he actually wants to do, either.

At her words, he forces himself to smile.]

Yeah...this isn't the time for all that.

[The Meta-Meta looks at her hand, blinks, then looks at her face as if asking if she really means it. His eyes start to flicker in the direction of the Doctor-thing, but for once he doesn't follow through on the impulse to verify things with his other half before proceeding.

Hesitantly, but willingly, he takes her hand.]

[She smiles warmly. And wiggles her fingers in 'goodbye' to Handy. She slowly walks the Meta-meta over to the dance floor, making sure to keep to an area that they will be more or less alone, so that he doesn't get spooked. Luckily, then song that had just started was a slow one.]

You want me to stay... what would you have me do if I remained?

[Once they're there, the Meta-Meta can't help just one little glance back at the Doctor-thing. Andrew, however, has remained where he is - in fact, after taking the plate from the Meta-Meta so he could go with Romana, he's moved off toward the snack bar to lounge against the table and watch them.

Then he looks back at Romana, then down at their hands, wondering where his are supposed to go. He feels as if he ought to be good at this, but at times like this, calling up certain specific memories and skills he should have is like wading through a swamp in the fog. Waiting for things to come to him often works better, but that doesn't always happen at the right time.]

Stay with us? [His brow furrows - there's the conversation to track as well. It's fortunate that he won't be required to dance to anything with a fast tempo, or he'd already be overwhelmed.]

[Romana is quite understanding about the situation. She gently guides his hands into place and gently guides him to the rhythm. She hasn't noticed the wrist cuff yet. They're not actually dancing, more swaying from side to side.]

[She catches his glance to Andrew and nods. She turns thoughtful at his question.]

But why do you want me to stay? Haven't I caused enough harm here?

[She's starting to think she's done more harm than good with the two of them.]

[She makes it all seem so easy. They all do - all these people who go around talking to each other, dancing, laughing, working - and it frustrates him to no end when he's in a mood to engage with them and he finds that he can't really, not on the same level they do and that he can sometimes remember being able to do in a past life. It's easier to simply disconnect and let conversations sort of slide by him instead of trying to sort out all the jumbled input, though at least now he's learning that there are a few people who can understand him and who will be patient enough to make themselves understood to him. Romana is one of them.

He shakes his head in strong disagreement, though he doesn't know why she would say that to begin with.] You never hurt anyone.

[Romana smiles, but she's getting teary-eyed. Her words come out sounding strange to her ears.]

Oh, I wish that were true.

[For there are plenty of people she's hurt, even if it was unknowingly. She gives him a gentle squeeze as she takes a breath.]

If I were to stay for anyone, I think I would stay for you...

[She's unknowingly stopped moving, which will probably make it easier for him to focus.]

[He frowns at her, unaware of anything she should be feeling self-recrimination for. His memories of her from the Doctor are muddled up with his memories of everything else from all the people who make up his mind, so if there's information there it's not helping him.]

You could stay. You didn't hurt anyone - you helped us.

[He doesn't really notice that they've stopped dancing (insofar as they ever started), but it does make it easier to concentrate.]

[She gently rests her hand on the side of his face.]

I helped you. There are others that I haven't helped... That I couldn't help.

Besides... Something is coming... I don't know what, but I think it best if I weren't here for it.

[He doesn't want to be comforted and told why she's not as good as he thinks she is. He just wants her to stay.]

You helped us. [And that's good enough for him. He allows the extra physical contact only for a moment or two, then pulls his head away, refusing to look at her.]

[She returns her hand to his shoulder when he pulled away.]

You're right I did help you.

[She tries to meet his eyes.]

Don't you think I should got help others?

Others?

[He's still avoiding eye contact, but at least now his gaze is turned back in her general direction. Something is bubbling to the surface of his memories: scraps of memory telling him why Romana left the Doctor in the first place. He still doesn't like it.]

What about us?

[Romana smiles softly as his focus returns to her a bit.]

Yes, other people who might need my help like you did....

[She pauses when he asks about them.]

I will still care a great deal about you... And perhaps, we will meet again. Being apart doesn't mean that I stop caring about you.

[She rests one hand on his chest.]

You can carry a part of me with you... here, in your heart.

You're going away. You won't come back. We won't ever see you again. [This time he doesn't move away from the contact, but lifts a hand, hesitates, then places it on her wrist. He really is sure that if she leaves now, he'll never see her again.

He's really not any better at letting go than Andrew is. He's visibly upset now, and the light touch of his hand turns into a firm grip on her wrist.]

[Her eyes widen in shock as his grip tightens, but she will not draw attention to them until he harms her.]

And what are you going to do with me?

[She's hoping the shock of making him come up with a plan will get him to ease up.]

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