givesherflower | backdated to 12-28 | text | locked to friends and castmates

[ avoiding the notice of the A-LAWS was practically child's play, but he took some pleasure in it anyway as he flew the ship between worlds and towards the co-ordinates Feldt had given him. oh, but he was looking forward to this.

as he drew close to the ship, he opened a line of communication again, something playful entering his tone. ]

Requesting permission to board, ma'am?

[Amid the fidgeting, as soon as she heard the Doctor's voice, her communicator spun out of her hands. Courtesy of the weak gravity, it floated where she could quickly grab it and excitedly give him an answer.]

Permission granted!

[All systems were go as she opened up the docking bay door. Now all that was left to do was wait for him to fly in. Then she could close up the docking bay and float out to meet him. She could hardly stand to wait another minute.]

[ fly in he did, bringing the ship he'd fixed up in this very place in to a careful landing. well, certainly a lot more careful than his usual landings, anyway. after making sure that all non-essential systems were safely turned off, he swung himself out of the cockpit and made his way to the ship's door. as soon as the docking bay was safely sealed off once again, the door was opened and he pushed himself out, taking advantage of the weak gravity to float downwards as he kept an eye out for Feldt.

needless to say, as soon as he spotted her, his arms were already open as wide as his grin. come here, not!daughter. you need a hug. ]

[She didn't need prompting. As soon as he was out of that ship of his, she was making her way over to him. As soon as she was within arm's reach, she was wrapping her arms around him in a hug.

Oh, how she had missed him! Even though it made her feel better to have him here and hugging her, it only played fickle with her emotions as tears welled up in her eyes. With her face buried into his shoulder, she found she wouldn't care if she devolved to full-on sobbing.]

I'm so glad you're back, Papa.

[The p-word is out of her mouth and it hasn't even hit her that she said it.]

[ Papa? well. goodness, well, it'd been a while since he'd heard that one. but he gave no sign of it; not one that she could see, anyway, with her face hidden away tucked against him like that. he just held her closer in a very enthusiastic hug, but gentler than usual. it seemed like she might need it, a little. ]

Good to be back. [ he gave her one last squeeze before drawing back a bit to get a good look at her, a smile on his face. and if his eyes were a little moist, well, he would deny everything till he was blue in the face. ] I see none of you have managed to burn anything down while I've been gone.

We've been careful. [Even though she's smiling, she reaches a hand up to her face to wipe away a few tears. They drift off lazily through the low gravity, shining slightly under the docking bay's lights.]

Did you want to settle in your room? Or maybe visit with some of the others first? Or are you hungry?

[ he shrugged slightly. ]

Oh, I don't mind. Suppose I am a bit peckish. [ guess who can't remember the last time he ate... ] Are they still doing the space food the same as ever?

[Gosh Doctor. 8| She'd lecture you, but then she'd be a hypocrite. ~~Like father, like daughter, hm?~~ Still, she giggles a little.] Same meal of nutritionally-balanced food blocks. Unless we're within the Earth's gravity.

[ hey, in his defence his metabolism runs on a completely different track to yours, gosh! 8| ]

Oh, lovely, it's been a while since I had a nutritionally-balanced food block. [ is he genuinely excited, or just trolling? or a bit of both? it's hard to tell. ]

[Gosh not!dad stop being so hard to read. But she's smiling still anyway. Something about just having him there, walking along with her... it makes her so happy.]

Then you'll be getting your fill for the duration of your stay.

Glad to hear it.

How is everyone, anyway? I do try to keep in touch but it's more difficult than you'd think with me swanning off over several universes and you lot doing... [ he waves his hand vaguely ] well, whatever important thing it is you're all doing now.

Everyone's fine here. It's just... that time of the year. We can't help but remember everything as if it just happened recently. Even with our missions against A-LAWS.

[ he nods. the end of the year is a difficult time for a lot of them, for many reasons. and you never really forget the people you've lost. ]

It'll get better with time, I promise. I'm not saying there won't always be a part of it that hurts, but it gets easier.

[ it's not easy all the time, of course. but having people to fall back on helps. ]

[She absentmindedly touches some of the hair that falls on one side of her face. A silent tribute to her comrade and the closest thing she had to a best friend and an older sister. The Doctor's words seemed to ring true in her heart. As much as it did hurt to remember them all, it didn't hurt as much as the year before or any year before that. Certainly not as much as the fresh and raw pain that came with the very day she wouldn't see or hear from any of them again. And as much as she wanted the pain to go away forever, she was pretty sure that would mean forgetting all about them, and that was not something she could allow herself to do.

Her reply comes as a silent nod as she crosses her arms over her chest so her hands can grip the opposite arm. Her feet drift closer until she was nearly leaning against his arm. Newly nineteen and still silently asking for hugs. Who needs words anyway? Fuck that noise. Literally.]

[ he wraps an arm around her, just as quietly pulling her against him. Feldt is strong; he's know this for a long time. but for all her strength and her brilliance, she's still only human, and he knows that she hurts for the friends she's lost.

besides. he's over 900 years old and he still needs a hug sometimes. there isn't any shame in a nineteen year old asking for one, silently or otherwise. ]

[In the span of a few seconds, her arm winds around him. Funny how while she feels better, she just feels like crying some more. The safety that family-- bound by blood or not-- provides, slowly overriding her desire to not cry more. Such conflicting emotions. Happiness with what she's gained, sadness for what she'd lost.... All of it getting jumbled in a heap. Gosh emotions are tricky.

She kept telling herself to focus on the then and now, but it was hard when her thoughts kept straying to the past.

--Oh hey, they're a few yards outside the mess hall now.]

[ he gives her a little nudge, motioning his head towards the mess hall door. ]

I think we got here.

--Hm? Oh, yes. Right.

[She pulls away slowly, reluctantly, and opens the door for him.]

After you.

Why thank you, ma'am.

[ he gives her a little mock-bow before gliding through. ]

[She walks in after him and heads off to get some food for them both. So sit your butt down Doctor and let her be a good host.]

[ he takes a seat almost carelessly, settling his hands on the table in front of him. ... and maybe twiddling his thumbs a little. he never was the most patient of people. ]

[And that's just fine by her! She's used to his behavior patterns by this point. After a few minutes, she returns with two trays loaded with freeze-dried, nutritionally-balanced food blocks, cutlery, and a drink each. Enjoy~]

[ awwww yis space food. fiddling a bit with trying to get a piece of food block on his fork, he says conversationally: ]

So, when did I make it to "Papa"?

[ whoops shoulda realised he wouldn't have let that one go. ]

[You had to bring it up as she was chewing on some of her vegetable block, didn't you? Her eyes widened in surprise, and no answer came until she swallowed down what was in her mouth.]

I-I called you that? I didn't realize... oh how embarrassing.... [She buries her slowly-reddening face in her hands for a few seconds. When Feldt resurfaces, the color on her cheeks clashes with her hair.]

I guess... oh, I don't know. You've been there for me for the last four years, even back when I had only known you for a few months. Ian and Dr. Moreno helped raise me when I was little, Linda too. Before I knew it you were there for me a lot. Giving me advice, making sure I was okay, even after I left without a word, being so understanding... after a while, it felt like you were another father figure in my life. Sometimes... I wondered if that's why it hurt so much after you left in your new ship for the first time.

[ he chuckles a little at her embarrassment, chewing his own food block. actually, he doesn't think it's embarrassing. surprising, yes, endearing definitely. touching? oh yeah, it's most certainly that as well. and he's much better equipped to deal with the honour than he was four, five years ago, too.

even if he's not sure he deserves it.

he listens to her, and nods. smiles strangely, eyes crinkling at the corners. ]

Well, whatever the reason, I'm honoured. Flabbergasted, yeah, but honoured. [ pause. when he next speaks, it's with warmth, but bashful all the same. ] I'd be proud if you were my daughter.

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