Gathering: Halloween Gala

[concierge]

A large, decorative sign situated prominantly in the lobby reads:

The Nexus Hotel
proudly presents its
ANNUAL HALLOWEEN GALA

Formal Reception
Nexus Dining Hall
6 PM - Midnight

Monster Mixer
Nexus Basement
8 PM - 2 AM

Masquerade attire recommended for all guests

Most of the chairs have been removed from the Dining Hall to allow for ballroom-style dancing to the orchestra set up on the far end of the room. A polished cherry wood open bar is aligned along one wall. The adjacent Bistro is open for the duration of the formal reception, serving gourmet hors d'oeuvres.

Downstairs, the basement's largest storeroom has been converted into a spooky nightclub, complete with DJ, dance floor and cocktails.

Comments

[themadmanwithabox]

"We were all young once," he tries to wave it away with a twirl of his hand and the expectation that everyone has done wild things in their youth that they're not particularly proud of. It's hardly the Doctor's fault that his youth happens to stretch for so long of a period. "And at the end of the day, we remained friends, so it's a happy ending! You see, and you never know when you need a friend to convert carbon dioxide to oxygen for you and I've got someone tucked away in the likely event."

[legendthatwas]

Holding up her hand, Martha tried to call a timeout. "Wait, am I hearing this right? You keep your ex-spouse plant hanging out in the TARDIS...the one you married when you got stoned on brightly coloured punch?"

Also, the Doctor being properly young was next to impossible to imagine.

[themadmanwithabox]

"Sometimes, I visit," he defends himself, but the truth is that he doesn't like to leave things behind if he can't help it and he's been truly awful at leaving people behind a great deal of the time and once in a while, he vows to be better. He's ashamed to admit that it doesn't always last. "You can visit sometime if you like, it loves a good visit."

[legendthatwas]

"What, did you ruin the plant's reputation and therefore...it couldn't remain among their people, and had to come with you?" Martha was digging for the most Doctor-like explanation here, because Occam had never seemed to have had a bloody shave when it came down to him. "Doctor!"

[themadmanwithabox]

"I haven't ruined anyone's reputations via marriage!" he protests, but he does have to pause to think about it for just a moment, one troublesome moment in which he actually tallies all his previous marriages (intended or accidental). "At least, within my memory of them," he adds for good measure, just in case he has. "And not through marriage, at least."

[legendthatwas]

Martha crossed her arms over her chest, giving him the I don't know if I'm buying this tale, mister expression she was so good at. "But you just took the plant ex-spouse along for the hell of it."

[themadmanwithabox]

The Doctor opens his mouth, closes it, and then opens it again, all the while processing the best response that won't get him smacked or glared at or glowered at, he does hate the glowering. "She gives me oxygen, I water her, it's a mutually beneficial divorce."

[legendthatwas]

Martha did not glower, she merely looked sceptical as hell. Which was pretty classic Martha Jones, and the Doctor really should have anticipated as such. "I thought you didn't need that much oxygen," she said, and by now she was just teasing the hell out of him.

[themadmanwithabox]

"The next time I get an oxygen-breathing companion, I'll be sure to let them know your opinion on my caring for the environment," he retorts with too much pomp and circumstance, which is the sign he's teasing right back.

[legendthatwas]

Martha considered making a teasing comment about how he picked up those like ordinary people picked up the Metro on the Tube, but decided, before she said it, that it was too cruel. "I'm sure they won't mind when they hear about your appalling treatment of your plant spouse," she said instead, with a wink and a clear silly drawl on appalling that made it clear she wasn't appalled at all.