Open Classroom: Quantum Physics

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

[Against his better judgement, the Doctor decides to hold open classroom hours all Saturday morning ((FST)). He's never done parent-teacher conferences before--at least not on this side of the table. That and the fact that there's another version of him running about makes him appear slightly on edge. He's trying to read, but can't seem to get past one page.

The sense of something being wrong is running very, very high this morning.

His door is open. And there is food and coffee and tea for those who visit, provided he doesn't compulsively eat it all.]


((Assume that if the door is closed, the discussion is NFB. However, anyone can see who enters and exits the room. This scene will be played until 3 PM EST, at which point things go to slowplay. The mun's trying to start shooting on a film project...god knows what will happen.))

Comments

[nine-and-ears.livejournal.com]

*Enters the class-room and shuts the door behind him*

Hello. *he smiles, but he is obviously displeased*

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

[Ten looks up from his book, pretending nonchalance. His voice is slightly cold.] Hello, Doctor. Or is it John Smith this trip?

[nine-and-ears.livejournal.com]

Just the Doctor, as always. *he is still smiling when he sits down, across from Ten*

How are things? Seems like things are a regular mauve-alert all the time around here. Vampires, Zombies, and Mimes, oh my!

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

All the bloody time, I assure you. More concentrated than what would seem possible. [His eyes meet Nine's, and he gets the strange feeling of looking into a mirror gone off. His voice is quiet.] What do you want? Besides to make my life just a bit more mauve than usual?

[nine-and-ears.livejournal.com]

Right now, I want an explanation.

You told me that Jack didn't know anything... but he does. And you're the one who told him. You're the one who told him that he dies a hero, something I just learned last night, thank you very much.

Well, go on... explain yourself.

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

[His eyes grow colder.] The situation changed. I told him what he needed to know in order to understand just why Rose and I reacted the way we did to his presence here. Which is to say, we were completely and utterly bewildered.

I can't tell you anything more than that. [His voice softens.] You'll know when you get there.

Paradox? Maybe. But his being here is a paradox in and of itself, Doctor. As is yours. As is a lot of this place. I don't even know if that's our Jack You looked at his records not too long ago, after London. You know that they don't account for his time here. Nor does this place exist anywhere in the TARDIS' computers.

And for that matter, I don't remember ever being here before. If you're me, what does that mean?

[nine-and-ears.livejournal.com]

So, just because things seem a bit off-kilter, we chuck the laws of time out the window, eh? And don't even think about pointing out my presence here as a violation, cause we know that this isn't the first, nor will it be the last time we've done it.

As for what this means, it only means I'm concerned. Paradoxes are lining up like little fractal ducks all in a giant mess. You'd think time was about ready to implode in on itself, what with all of the different people from different times and universes. Sure, it looks like it's a barrel of laughs, but there's something that feels off about it all.

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

[harder and more angrily] Oh, like we don't throw the laws of EVERYTHING into the rubbish bin every other day of our life? Must I remind you of the fact that we should, by all rights, not exist?

Don't give me that holier-than-thou shite, Doctor, because you're not living my life here and now, and I've lived yours. Believe me, I know that this place is trouble condensed into a little pocket of what may or may not be spacetime, and I'm doing the best I can.

Or do you have any suggestions besides holing up in the TARDIS and getting the bloody hell out of Dodge?

[nine-and-ears.livejournal.com]

Oh, that was low and you know it.

I'm talking about you shattering poor Jack's mind, that's what I'm talking about. You should've seen the look on his face. Poor kid's all broken up inside because he's been told his own future... 'cause you were stupid enough to tell him. Now, Rose I could've expected this from, but me? What were you thinking?

"I needed to explain why we reacted so oddly"? Pull the other one, cause that's not going to cut it. You wanted to tell him.

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

As low as what you pulled yesterday evening, isn't it?

[as if he's been hit in the face] You don't understand. You can't understand. And maybe I bloody screwed up. But you would do the same thing.

[nine-and-ears.livejournal.com]

...Yeah, I know I would. That's how I know you wanted to tell him, see?

*takes a deep breath and sighs, then narrows his eyes*

What d'you mean, "As low as what I pulled yesterday"?

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

Oh, come on. You think I don't talk to my own girlfriend?

[nine-and-ears.livejournal.com]

Come on what? I'd like to know what exactly is being accused to being low, here. I'm sure you and Miss Cregg are very intimate, but that doesn't mean I can interpret what exactly she's said I've done, now, does it?

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

[snorts] 'Gallifrey does have a grave. In my hearts.' Come ON, Doctor, that's not very kosher, now, even if it is the truth. Emotional manipulation, at the very least.

[nine-and-ears.livejournal.com]

You want to tell me what I was supposed to do? I was hoping I could get her to sympathize. She seemed all hot to be up my nostrils about everything, so I tried to settle her down a bit. Emotional manipulation, maybe, but it wasn't like I was trying to hurt her. I was just trying to connect, me. *starts twiddling his thumbs, frustratedly*

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

[His eyebrows go up, and he almost smiles.] When CJ doesn't like someone, she decides almost immediately. And from that point on, she can be...interesting.

I can't believe you hit on her. Well, wait, maybe I can.

[nine-and-ears.livejournal.com]

She thinks I was hitting on her? *and now his eyebrows go up*

She wants to interpret my compliments as anything beyond flattery, that's her own lookout. Me, I was just being polite and corteous. Wanted to make sure she knew I was as friendly as you.

*pause*

Gosh, she really thought I was hitting on her?

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm certain you had only the best of intentions. [rolls his eyes] 'As friendly as me.' Right.

[nine-and-ears.livejournal.com]

Right, well, now that we're back to just being cheeky to each other, I'm gonna nip out and track down Beka Valentine. Promised to be her guardian, and I might as well meet the girl.

*stands up, walks away, and then turns in the doorframe after having opened the door*

You know I'm not here to mess things up for you, right?

[ten-and-chips.livejournal.com]

[rubs his forehead] Oh, dear god, Beka. God help us all.

[He pauses for a moment and then looks up.] I know you don't mean to. But you know the cliché about the road to hell as well as I do.

[nine-and-ears.livejournal.com]

I do, in fact. *nods*

Well, I'm sure I'll be seeing you later. *wiggles his fingers in a wave, and walks out the door.