moooore wonderland au

[makingsouffles]

[Oswin's not really sure how long she's been here. Days at least, because she quite clearly remembers stretching out on a ground softer than any bed she'd ever encountered to sleep under the stars when she absolutely had to, with the Doctor by her side. But then again, she's not really sure she cares how long it's been. This place is absolutely perfect, beautiful and lush and ever-changing. What could be out there that's better than in here?

She and the Doctor spend their days exploring Wonderland, this world that the TARDIS has created all for him. Maybe she thinks they can't stay forever, but Oswin's not too sure. She'd like to, definitely, to spend the rest of her life exploring this land with the Doctor, without having to worry about anything besides where they're going next.

But, they can't. And it's the TARDIS that knows this best. The universe needs the Doctor, and the Doctor needs his companion. And both of them need to leave at some point.

But, the Doctor needs his memories back first, which is why she leads him and Oswin to a darker part of Wonderland, the Tulgey Wood. As they stand before it, Oswin squeezes the Doctor's hand tightly, her gaze involuntarily raising to the sky, which has begun to cloud.]

...Onward, then? [Not that they have much of a choice, if those clouds are anything to go by.]

Comments

[makingsouffles]

[Oswin shakes her head. Whoever the hell this he is, the Doctor has one thing he doesn't. Her.

Inwardly, her mind is racing. Why the hell would the TARDIS allow anything that wanted to hurt the Doctor in here, anything that could make him this scared? Was it something that had gotten in? Something from the outside world, taking advantage of the Doctor's weakened mindset. It does make sense.

She pulls him along, racing through the forest and away from the path. It's safer in the deeper woods, where no one can find them.]

[mrcool]

[The Doctor needs to face his fears, and the TARDIS is trying to get him to do so. He can't really be hurt by something here, not when most everything is literally a projection of his own imagination, not emotionally, anyway.

He stays close, but when he glances behind, it's to shapes following them.]

Oswin...

[makingsouffles]

[She turns, and it finally hits her that it's too late now. Skidding to a halt, she grabs a fallen branch, brandishing it threateningly towards whatever's coming.]

Keep back! [Maybe she doesn't exactly look intimidating by anyone's standards, but at least it's something to keep Oswin from feeling completely helpless.]

wow i meant "physically" not "emotionally" in that last tag

[mrcool]

[The Doctor swallows as a figure steps out of the shadows and where they can see him. It's an exact replica of the Doctor, completely alike physically but for the metal implanted across half his face, streaking in circuit-like patterns across his skin. The real Doctor steps forward, protecting Oswin, and the metal one speaks.]

Well well, we've been wondering when you'd have the courage to face us. [He speaks in a cold, sneering voice, and behind him, tin soldiers near overgrown with ivy step out into view.]

shhh you're good

[makingsouffles]

[Her eyes widen briefly, but Oswin regains herself easily enough and even manages to look somewhat put off as the Doctor steps forward to shield her.

She peers around him, watching this other Doctor with a wary eye and bristling. Because if there's one thing Oswin does when she's backed into a corner, it's bite.] Who the hell're you supposed to be, his evil twin? [She gives the air of being singly unimpressed, but on the inside, her heart is hammering.]

[mrcool]

[The Doctor says nothing, biting his lip and looking down. The other Doctor, however, laughs, coldly and mirthlessly, at Oswin's comment.]

I see you have another pet. All bark and not much bite. [He fixes his cold stare on Oswin.] I am him, silly human. Only better. You can call me Mister Clever.

[makingsouffles]

[She sneers.] I'll show you bite. [Oswin still has her branch and she'd be tempted to take a swing at him if the Doctor still wasn't in the way.

Her eyebrows raise as he gives his name.] Really? That's what we're going for, Mister Clever? Think you might've been a little more subtle there, dear.

[mrcool]

[Mr. Clever doesn't seem to like that and gives her a hard glare, before gesturing for the tin soldiers to surround them.] The Red King will want to see you, I'm sure.

[The Doctor doesn't argue. He glances back at Oswin and gives a tiny shrug of his shoulders, hoping that will get her to stop putting up so much of a fight.]

[makingsouffles]

[She just smirks insolently back in his face, but it fades after a moment as the soldiers surround them. Oh. Not good.

The shrug makes her raise an eyebrow in the Doctor's direction as Oswin wonders why he's not putting up a fight. She's a survivor at heart, it's her nature to fight back against anything put in her path. It's how she lasted as long as she did in the asylum.

Stepping out from behind her and to his side, Oswin keeps a grip on her branch, the only weapon she's got.] Bit of a shame we're not all that interested in seeing him, then.

[mrcool]

[A good look into the Doctor's eyes will give Oswin the answer as to why he's not fighting. He's afraid. Horribly afraid. He knows who Mr. Clever is, knows who the Red King is, even the tin soldiers make him cringe internally. He wants to run away but there's nowhere he could go that they wouldn't find him.

And his souffle girl needs protecting.

Gently, he tugs at her branch, trying to indicate for her to put it down, to stop fighting.]

Aren't you a proper Alice, protecting your mad little Hatter? You can't win without him.

[makingsouffles]

S'winning now, is it? [Oswin shoots the Doctor a brief glare. That's her weapon, she's not going to be helpless again, not ever.

And back.] Always did like a challenge.

[mrcool]

[The Doctor's getting uncomfortable with how snarky Oswin is being, and leans in to murmur in her ear.]

She won't let us get hurt.

[makingsouffles]

[When Oswin looks back at the Doctor, her gaze is hard. She sets her jaw and narrows her eyes, still bristling. Letting people or anything walk all over her's just not in her nature, she retaliates, she bites.

But the Doctor's scared. And what she's doing is probably just making it worse. So, she drops her branch, straightening and fixing her glare on Mr. Clever instead.]

Go on, then. Show us this Red King.

[mrcool]

[The Doctor calms a little at her reaction, reaching for her hand and holding onto it tightly. Mr. Clever sneers, and the soldiers fall into line, escorting them through the wood.

It's a fairly quiet walk, and after some distance, the trees thin and eventually break to reveal an enormous castle.]

[makingsouffles]

[Oswin can't help but sneer in return, lest he think this was her completely giving up. Her fingers entwine with the Doctor's and she holds her head high as they walk side by side.

A prisoner she might be, but she's sure as hell not about to give right up because of it.

The castle is impressive, but Oswin lets little of it show on her face. She's got way too much pride for that.]

[mrcool]

[As they draw closer, what might have originally been mistaken as a decorative wooden fence comes into focus. What appeared to be baubles are actually human heads, mounted on wooden spikes and remarkably well preserved.]

No...

[The Doctor has gone completely white, eyes wide and horrified as he stares at the head of what must have been a particularly fetching redheaded woman in her day.]

Amy...

[makingsouffles]

[It almost cracks Oswin's resolved, that pained whisper. And as she allows her gaze to travel to what the Doctor's seeing she gets another jolt.

She recognizes her. The Scottish woman that had been with the Doctor, the one who'd been fighting off the nanogenes. Amy Pond, Nina's wife, the Doctor's companion...

Her fingers tighten around his.] Don't let them see. [She hisses, glancing furtively at Mr. Clever ahead of them. They'll make it hurt even worse if they see the Doctor like this, and Oswin will definitely end up doing something regretful.] It's not real.

[mrcool]

[Next to Amy is another familiar face, and the Doctor whimpers out Rory's name, starting to shake. One by one, he names every single one of the heads mounted on the gate. Jack, Donna, Adric, Jaime, Charley, Rose...

He's shaking, too pale and squeezing Oswin's hand too hard, but it's all he can do just to keep from falling apart. He blinks and fat tears roll down his cheeks. It almost surprises him to discover that he's crying.]

I couldn't save them. [His voice is a broken whisper.] I tried, I tried...

[makingsouffles]

Shh. [Oswin's voice is as soothing and gentle as she can make it, given the circumstances. Given that there's enemies all around them now, and she's just waiting for Mr. Clever to turn and start taunting them.

As discretely as possible, she reaches up with her free hand to wipe the tears from his cheeks, her thumb rubbing over his knuckles.] Shh, they're not real. [None of this is, not properly.]

[mrcool]

It is, it is. [He's having trouble breathing again, the weight pressing down on his chest.] I killed them. A-all of them...

[makingsouffles]

[Oh god, it's happening now. Oswin digs her nails into the Doctor's hand, gripping his hand just as tightly as he is with hers. She can't do anything, not with the soldiers surrounding them.]

...Not me. [But she's nothing. Just a tiny little blip to someone like the Doctor, but she is one life he's managed to get back. For the first time, Oswin wishes he did remember, if only that.]

[mrcool]

N-not...? [He looks to her almost desperately, afraid and confused and needing some kind of comfort. He still walks, stumbling along, but it's unsteady and his breathing is loud.]

[makingsouffles]

[She shakes her head.] Still here, aren't I?

[With one last glance ahead, Oswin presses up closer to the Doctor, unable to do much else to comfort besides with her presence.]

[mrcool]

Yes. [His voice is very quiet, and he seems to struggle with himself for a few moments before calming. It's not exactly a calm so much as...forgetting temporarily. Now isn't a good time or place. Those faces will undoubtedly come back to haunt him later.

As it turns out, the Red King is overseeing another execution, and Oswin and the Doctor are thrown into a dingy cell for the night.]

[makingsouffles]

[They've got the night. More than enough time alone for Oswin to do some proper comforting without the soldiers or Clever overseeing. It's a relief to be out from underneath someone's watch, to be able to relax and let the reality of the situation sink in.

Once they're alone, Oswin pulls the Doctor into her arms, holding onto him tightly. He'll remember soon, that's what those faces were there for. If this is the last bit of time she's got, she's going to use it properly.]