The Search for Freya (Part 2)

[beforethewar]

Who:The Doctor Who cast and Hel
What: The Doctors and their friends reach Niflheim
When: Night of Day 278 through Day 280
Where: Niflheim, the land of the dead
Rating: PG-13 at the most


So, maybe leaving after lunch was a bad idea. The gloom of the craggy, shadowed land of the dead was only made worse by arriving in the dead of night. It seemed like the further they went, the darkness of night only got darker, and there was a distinct feeling of being watched all around.

And not a single sign of Freya in sight. Only whispers, and unseen eyes on them.

Still, it would be all the more exciting, right?

Comments

[bonnypiperlad]

"Oh, aye, I know," Jamie replies with a small chuckle, an answering grin sent Nine's way. "But I also know that none of ye will give up until you've actually managed to track her down. Stubborn, the lot of ye."

It's said fondly, though, because he doesn't mind that stubbornness one bit. But he's awake enough now that he catches what looks like a bit of tiredness in that grin, and possibly misinterprets it just a little.

"Hey, do ye want me to move over so ye can have a wee bit of a lie-down? Wherever we're going, we're likely not going to get there until morning."

[fantastix]

Nine reluctantly concedes, but he masks this by giving Jamie a playful shove. "Move over. I've still got some ground to guard, me. Right before we round her up."

[bonnypiperlad]

"All right, all right. There's no need to push!"

It's said with a bit of a laugh, though, and he obligingly moves over, his coat (which he was using as a blanket) slipping off his shoulder as he does so. He catches it before it gets too far, but then seems to reconsider something and offers it out to the Doctor instead.

"Here, did ye want to borrow this?"

[fantastix]

"You keep it, Jamie." He'll be fine. He's got a jacket, even one as ill-fitting and garish as the one he has now.

"'Sides, don't you have a fine bonny lass to be offering it to?"

[bonnypiperlad]

With a shrug, Jamie settles the coat back over his front, opting for going back to using it as a makeshift blanket rather putting it on properly. But he can't help the snort at the Doctor's question.

"Ye keep asking me about that, Doctor. No, I've still not got a bonny lass to offer it to. And most of the ones around here seem to be a wee bit taken."

Or interested in Doctors in general, and he gives Nine a meaningful sort of look.

"Since when are ye interested in if I have anyone or not, anyway? You're not thinking of playing matchmaker on me, are ye?"

[fantastix]

"No time for domestics," he insisted with a wave of his hand. "Wouldn't willingly bring more of that into my life. I'm just having a go."

He's smiling and looking Jamie over, though it's faint. Really, he just wants his Jamie to be happy. Where's Victoria when you need her.

[bonnypiperlad]

"Oh, aye, I should've known," he remarks, rather dryly, before shaking his head. Well, he supposes it's all right, really, and it does get Nine to smile - something Jamie realizes he hasn't seen all too much on this particular Doctor.

He's happy enough to see that, though. And, truth be told, not thinking much about Victoria at the moment. She's better where she is. Safer. And they'll just have to manage things here to make sure she stays that way.

"Well, it's just as well. I'm not even able to talk to people on the bracelet thing half the time without Eleven showing up." It's said fondly, though, even as he nods over in the other Doctor's general direction. "Could ye imagine what would happen if I fancied a lassie?"

[fantastix]

"What? Is he worried you'll wander off?" he teases softly folding his hands behind his head. "You lot tend to do that, but I don't remember you being worse than anyone else."

At that last statement, he shakes his head. "A cluster of a mess that I want nothing to do with, that's what."

[bonnypiperlad]

"Och, I don't know. Maybe it's something to do with the fact he'd not seen me for centuries. But you've not either and you're not like that."

There's a faint shrug from him before he settles nearby, adopting a similar position to Nine's. It did make for more comfortable talking.

"I suppose he had a point that time who he found out who my roommate in the Welcome Halls was, though. And that did mean I got to stay with ye again. Well, him." He pauses for a moment, then adds with a bit of a smile, "Don't worry, though. If for some reason I do wind up finding a lassie, I'll be sure to let ye know so ye can stay far away from it."

And maybe a little bit so the Doctor would know he was happy, too.

[fantastix]

"What kind of roommate is so terrible he had to spare you?"

...well, any of them. He shakes his head a little, then turns to regard Jamie more seriously.

"But it's not that I didn't miss you, Jamie. I did. But I suppose I hadn't thought about my old friends for a while before all this. I...didn't think you'd want to see me."

[bonnypiperlad]

"A dangerous one," he said, with a tug of his mouth. In this case, though, it wasn't that he disagreed - rather that he agreed all too much with that sentiment, especially after Calliope's bracelet had sent that SOS.

But the thought of Caliborn was quickly forgotten at the Doctor's statement, Jamie's brows furrowing in consternation. How could the Doctor even think that Jamie wouldn't want to see him?

"But why wouldn't I want to see ye, Doctor? You're my best friend, no matter what face ye wear. Aye, it's not the one I'm used to, but even if I hadn't known ye could change, I'd have figured it out."

[fantastix]

"It's not my face changing---I've heard enough about the ears, mind," he joked, rubbing them self-consciously. "I changed too. In ways that are dangerous."

And that set him on the path of staring in the distance again, mulling over regrets.

[bonnypiperlad]

Well, Jamie wasn't going to mention the ears - this time - but the opportunity to joke about them slipped away quickly enough, leaving him watching the Doctor staring off into the distance and wondering what it was that had changed. He didn't remember the Doctor ever really staring off into the distance again. Or at least not in that way.

After a little while of seeing him like that, though, Jamie found that he couldn't just leave him be. Whatever it was that was troubling him, he didn't know. But maybe if he could convince the Doctor that he was going to still be there it might help a little. So he leaned in a little, nudging Nine with his elbow.

"Doctor. Hey, Doctor, come back."

[fantastix]

It takes a moment before he turns to look at Jamie again, blinking away the haze that had settled over hie eyes. He shrugged, shaking his head.

"Haven't gone anywhere. Just changed."

[bonnypiperlad]

"Aye, I see that." His tone was mild, though, and a little quieter than normal. While it could possibly be argued that maybe for once Jamie was keeping his voice down so as not to disturb the others, the truth was that he could maybe see where the Doctor was right, just a little.

But it was still the Doctor, and still his best friend, so he reached over, placing a hand on the Doctor's arm to try and get his point across.

"Look, Doctor, I'll not ask ye what happened now, but ye do know that I'm still here if ye need me, right? I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."

[fantastix]

"Jamie..."

He looks like he has no idea how to respond to that, eyes wide and jaw hanging a little. Soon, though, he nods heavily.

"I know. You never gave up."

[bonnypiperlad]

"Aye, and I'll not do so now."

He patted the Doctor's arm with a small smile, then yawned widely before shifting into a more comfortable position.

"Come on, Doctor, let's try and get some sleep, eh? Morning'll be here soon enough as it is."

[fantastix]

"Can't come fast enough," he agreed, but soon enough he was reluctantly curling up on the floor.

"Kick me if you need me, yeah?"

[bonnypiperlad]

Jamie's reply was nothing more than a light snore, the short time it took Nine to curl up more than enough for him to drift back off again. But it was a pretty good bet that if in fact Jamie did need the Doctor again, he'd have no qualms about doing what he needed to to get him up and awake in short order. For now, though, he slept on.