support group one: no one left behind

[hearnospeakno]

When: Friday 6:00 p.m.
Where: Attic Observatory
What: Community Support Group

As Nick promised on his open advertisements, there are chairs and coffee in the Attic Observatory. There's even a table laden with what food products Nick and co could round up.

The process of setting up for a group meeting felt enough like Boulder that Nick took a short break to lean, palms first, against a wall. It was a short, easily displaced moment, and he has no intention of lingering on it.

This is about everyone, one way or another. For all the people stuck here, and everyone new, and all those in-between. Nick left the purpose of the group intentionally vague. In the future, he assumes it'll have to be narrowed down and split up for the sake of different needs, but for this first coming together of the displaced in any non-official capacity he wants it to be open for everyone. It wouldn't be right, otherwise.

So all newcomers will find Nick by the attic observatory door, nursing a cup of black coffee next to a clearly printed sign:

Hi, I'm Nick. Welcome to the first Nexus Hotel Support Group. Whatever your problem, we'll listen. Help yourself to coffee and food.

Underneath the words, Nick has drawn and crossed out a mouth and ear, leaving an arrow pointed at himself. His pad of paper and pen are obvious on his lap.

Comments

[legendthatwas]

"We're in a hotel if you two need a room," Martha said, gently teasing, after a moment of the Doctor cooing over the TARDIS and giving her pats, mostly because he'd go on for hours if you let him. She had, once, and it had seemed at the end like even the TARDIS herself was sick of it, considering they'd then crashlanded on Io and pissed off some locals.

"But yeah, I know the drill," she echoed, but found her mind completely blank as to when and where. Not that they'd be guaranteed to end up there, either. "How about somewhere tropical? Tropical and friendly but without problematic all-inclusive resorts."

[vampire_shield]

"No, he's not here," Bella said. "And no amount of searching has found me a way to return back to them even though some seem to be able to do just that. I'm trying not to think about my family thinking I've disappeared and looking for me, but it's not easy. I have to sort of lock it away in my mind and not dwell on it. If I did, I'd probably a miserable mass, rocking in a corner somewhere."

She grinned, but she was only partially kidding.

[legendthatwas]

"As a doctor who's done a psych rotation," said Martha, "I shouldn't advocate that kind of detachment." She leaned in a little, and whispered, conspiratorially, with a wry smirk, "But it's always worked for me, I'll have you know." More often than one would think, to be honest.

[vampire_shield]

Bella's mouth twisted in a wry smile of her own. "Trust me when I say that's the best coping mechanism for me. I have a history of not reacting well to sudden separation. The first few days I was here, I expected to have the same system shutdown that I had once before, but it's looking like my brain has changed in ways I never really expected and I'm better able to handle things than I ever was before."

[digyourman]

"No," Larry was quick to reply as he startled out of his daze and motioned to the empty seat beside him. "Have at it. People are supposed to talk to each other at these things, right?"

Not knowing what to say seemed like a flimsy excuse at best, even to Larry. If nothing else, he was good at listening even if he was shit at giving advice.

"I'm Larry," he offered, and wondered if Nick had forgotten those obnoxious 'Hello, my name is' tags on purpose.

[digyourman]

There was a tick of hesitation, more about Larry assessing the tense set of Nick's jaw and shoulders than any real apprehension. Head tilted, Larry briefly narrowed his eyes, watching the slender boy beside him, and then slowly nodded.

"Yeah, sure," he said, and then leaned forward with a little two-fingered wave, not sure if he still had Nick's attention.

"Hey, you wanna get out of here for a minute, take a breather?"

[themadmanwithabox]

"I have an infinite dimension of rooms if I want a room," is his wry and arch reply, though he's running his palm soothingly over the railings as if to assuage the TARDIS that they would never actually need a room when they had their console room and all its' trappings. "Tropical and friendly," he mulls over aloud, giving her a bright flash of a grin before he starts to work his way around the controls.

"Ibiza? No, too commonplace. The fourth moon of New Sweden dislocated from the Norse Galaxy," he says, but shakes his head immediately. "I forget," he says. "Are the Azores good or bad to go to in your time period? Because," he admits, scratching his fingers through his hair, "I've seen them when they're lovely and I've seen them when they're a fiery disaster of..." he winces and mouths 'burning lava disaster' to Martha. "And, of course, there's always the floating resort space stations, populated by helpful Ood?"

[legendthatwas]

Martha blinked at the shutdown part--it sounded rather codependent to her, but what did she know about marriage? It wasn't like her parents were a great example of how to get on, even now that they were back together.

"Around here, it's not like you've got many other options, for that matter. Glad you're here, though, and okay..." She paused for a second, looking sheepish, and said, "I'm Martha, by the way. It's nice to meet you."

[legendthatwas]

"So they say. I've never really done one before, just seen them on telly." Martha shrugged, considering this, and added with a furrowed brow, "I've got to wonder just how accurate that is, to be honest." And if she was being more honest, she'd never thought she'd ever turn up to a 'support group' of any variety, even as much as she may have needed one at certain points in her life. Nick sort of made it different, though, in ways she couldn't articulate.

"Martha," she said in response to his introduction, and shook his hand with a smile. "Lovely to meet you, Larry. Under odd circumstances, but still."

[legendthatwas]

"You can't have a room IN the TARDIS be that kind of room for you AND the TARDIS," Martha retorted, "that makes no sense whatsoever..." But she trailed off anyway, figuring he'd probably tell her she was thinking too three-dimensionally, and also because he'd moved on too. "The Azores are good--what do you mean, burning lava disaster--and I'd really prefer to skip the Ood, if that's all okay with you."

[vampire_shield]

Bella matched her expression, even shrugging a little with it. "Apparently I'm not only having adjustment issues, I've completely lost all my manners. It's nice to meet you, Martha. I'm Bella."

[legendthatwas]

The name spurred something vague in the back of Martha's mind, but she couldn't place it. She simply said, "So've I, so don't worry about it. I think we're allowed to be a bit awkward. Lovely to meet you, Bella."

[vampire_shield]

"You might be onto something there," Bella laughed. "I suppose being stuck in a hotel that's stuck in space kind of makes everything else sort of trivial, huh?"

[themadmanwithabox]

"It does require twisting the Eye of Harmony just enough so that it bends and says 'ow', so maybe not today," he idly remarks, turning to regard Martha and thinks of where he ought to bring them. "I know," he says. "Amy and I went there a long time ago, but that was technically in a timeline that's been overwritten, so I don't know if that means I've never been. Space Florida!" he says delightedly. "Sand in whatever colour you like, customized sand," he boasts. "They sell a mean lobster roll there, too."

[legendthatwas]

"Maybe just a bit," Martha agreed, laughing. She took a long slurp from her rapidly cooling coffee (oh well, wasn't like she hadn't made loads) and winked at Bella.

[legendthatwas]

"I don't wanna know," said Martha, with regards to the Eye of Harmony saying ow. She added, "Amy?" though she wasn't sure she wanted to know who Amy was, either. What was with the Doctor and women? And how had he gone there a long time ago with someone who he hadn't met yet when they'd...it was maybe a little scary, how far ahead this Doctor could be from her.

"Customised sand? Would they do silver?" she continued, so that he might forget she'd asked.

[themadmanwithabox]

"Little Amelia Pond," the Doctor says fondly, in the way that one does when speaking of the first face his new face saw. "I crash landed into her shed while she was praying to Santa. Or the police. I'm afraid she got a Doctor instead. Good news," he says, slamming on the accelerator to bring them onwards to Space Florida, "I learned that custard and fish fingers are possibly the very best thing a man can eat," he says with a delighted smile. "Silver sand! Silver sand for Doctor Jones," he says, beaming away. "I am right in the title? It is Doctor Jones now, of course," he remarks, as though it's a foregone conclusion.

[legendthatwas]

Martha recognised the expression and found herself automatically reacting to it with vague irritation. She brushed it off as best she could, looking completely bewildered by the custard and fish fingers part. She clung to the console as the Doctor upped the TARDIS' speed.

"It is Dr Jones," she concurred. "I'm thinking...Doctor? I'm thinking we're a bit skewed, time-wise. Though I suppose you're probably rather used to that."

[themadmanwithabox]

"Yes," he replies gently, given that they do seem to be in the midst of a gap of time. "However, as a friend of mine always sees fit to tell me. Spoilers," he says warningly. "I'm happy to tell you about the gaps between us, but that could prove dangerous to the fabric of the time and space continuum. I can, however, sum up. It likely won't be as interesting as yours, though," he says, jamming on the brakes and basking in the landing sound of the TARDIS. "What do you say?" he asks, awkwardly jamming his elbow lightly against her side. "I buy you a drink and you catch me up on the goings on of your life. Silver sand, mai-tais, and Martha Jones. What more could an alien ask for!"

[legendthatwas]

The Doctor, it seemed, regardless of any Amy, was far more keen to hear about her than she'd ever quite imagined him being. It was rather flattering, to be honest, and she could feel her cheeks heat.

"It sounds like a plan," she said, "though I've not got anything to wear." The TARDIS would at least solve that problem, and maybe if Martha was nice to her, she'd solve some of the wardrobe issues that came with being randomly popped into a hotel. "And don't worry, I'm not going to ask about anything out of joint."

Like whomever Mickey was.

[themadmanwithabox]

"You're free to roam through the wardrobe, all you like," the Doctor assures with an easy smile. He, however, is already wearing his finest of beach wear, though he does think a smattering of sunscreen on his nose might be helpful. "Tell me, have you been free to come here and go there with the Nexus? Or has it kept you trapped in place?" he wonders, gesturing to where the wardrobe has relocated in the latest refurbishment. "Data is very important, of course, research," he says, tapping his temple.

[legendthatwas]

"Excellent," said Martha, who then thought a moment, frowning. "Wait, is it just there?"

She was heading towards the back--much more airy and open, these days, like him--when she heard his next question, and since she was fairly certain she was going to be out of earshot for a bit if she went looking for things in the wardrobe, turned around. "I got sent back home once," she said. "When I was fretting about it quite a bit. Got dropped back just shortly after I'd left, even though I'd been here for a few days, like...like the hotel knew I was worrying. This time, well, I haven't been looking so hard. I've heard about people who have, y'know, been able to move about."

[themadmanwithabox]

"It's not far!" the Doctor calls after her, tweaking some of the wiring that he'd found sitting exposed and there and calling to him and absolutely messing with his mind because he wanted to fix it. Sonic screwdriver in hand and a determined look on his face, he fiddled as they spoke. "I've been able to move about freely, for the most part, but considering I had just been trapped in another hotel with a minotaur after us, I do prefer the luxury sort."

Absently, he looks up to the screen above him, displaying a date and a time that he's been trying to ignore for the most part -- one he's been running from. It takes a push of a button and a tilt of the screen for the Doctor to forget Lake Silencio ... for now. "And how's your family? The lovely Mrs. Jones? Your sister?" he prompts.

[legendthatwas]

Martha made it to the wardrobe--again, much more open, this TARDIS space, she rather liked it--and began rummaging around for something to wear to the beach. A maxi dress, perhaps, that would be suitable, and some sandals, and a wrap because knowing the Doctor, things would probably end up not being what was expected.

"I'm glad you're not stuck," she called back. "Wait, a minotaur? Was this some sort of misguided metaphor for Crete, or...or are you not able to tell me because of spoilers?" That was going to get a bit awkward. "My parents're fine. Still back together, shockingly, though they do occasionally have huge blowouts. And Tris is doing well, just started a contract with the BBC."

[digyourman]

"What, you mean you don't go to support groups for people stuck in alternate dimensions everyday?" Larry replied, his smile playful as he watched Martha settle. She was beautiful in a way that begged acknowledgment, the sort that couldn't be faked with makeup or plastic surgery and let you know she'd be turning heads even when she was much older. L.A. had been swimming with girls like that, astonishing beauty of all stripes converging in one spot, but Martha's smile was warmer, more honest, and her eyes more keen.

"I doubt I'd be here if my buddy wasn't running it," he admitted with a motion Nick's way. "Probably way overdue for one, though."