The square fountain with the skeletonfish. I was saying hello.

[By the time he makes it to her, the nanomites are no longer attacking the ship. Whatever has happened has been dealt with, and the TARDIS is no longer panicked. But the Doctor doesn't feel any better, about himself or anything.]

He has his hands jammed in his pockets, and he ends up hesitating when he sees Arkady and mostly watching the fish instead.]

[She sees him and has to fight the urge to glomp. She has a mental image of it scaring him off in her head, so she merely leans in his direction and peers up at him worriedly.]

I don't think much I'd have to say would be fully adequate. But...if you wish to talk, I will listen...or we can just sit.

[He frowns like he's thinking, and then just steps up to her and gives her a hug. Leans the side of his face against hers and puts his hand on the back of her smooth head, dislodging his hat with the closeness.

He doesn't stop frowning. He just hugs her.]

[She hugs him back immediately, and trembles a bit, her eyes brimming over. It wasn't pity; she thought too highly of him. But of all the people to be hurt by this, he was one of the ones where it bothered her the most.]

[She sniffled and leaned against him, and his shoulder got a little damp, though she was quiet about it.]

[He's not really aware how much is for him and how much isn't, but he holds her tighter, gives her temple a nuzzle, and shuts his eyes tightly.

Damn all the not touchy feely Time Lord ways. He needs a hug right now, and he shies away from it far less than others. He suspects she needs it, too.]

[She snuggles against him, resting her chin on his shoulder, and holds him for as long as, honestly, they both need. She can't feel the warmth of his mind right now, but as she sniffles and shakes a little and then slowly calms down she can remember it. Imagine it. That makes things a little better.]

[He finally pulls back after a bit, and puts his hands on the side of her face. He looks a bit heartssick, to say the least. All the anger, all the betrayal. It's just breaking him.]

I wish I had gotten to know you sooner. Perhaps I wouldn't be where I'm at now.

I'm here now. I'm not going anywhere. I wish I could have come sooner but I'll see what I can do now that we've met finally. I hate seeing you this unhappy. [She sniffs, but her cheeks are starting to dry.]

No I-

[He hesitates.]

I've told you about regeneration, haven't I?

I...

...no?

[She peers up at him, worried.]

Why do you ask, Doctor?

When we die, all of our memories are transferred into a new form. Our core ideals and our identity. Sometimes, as in the case of my brother, we can control the regeneration so that there's hardly a difference.

If it's under traumatic circumstances, however, we practically become another person. The Doctor with the scarf? He used to be me. I came here as I was about to regenerate.

[He's just straightened everything out for her. Maybe he- well, maybe he shouldn't talk about it. Not for his benefit, for hers.] You know, I believe I'd like a drink.

[She focuses on what he seems to be venturing at and her eyes go wide with worry.] Doctor...we go through something somewhat similar when we die. Except we don't change outwardly. Instead our bodies heal and our powers grow stronger.

But we still have to avoid it because...it disrupts things. Upsets people. It's not so wonderful for us mentally, especially if we make a big change like that in the middle of having to handle some nastiness.

[She blinks at the suggestion but...he has a point. This is heavy and scary and would be supported best with some tequila.] All right then.

It's... it's a very long story.

[One involving terrible acts, things that his older selves did that he desperately wants to escape. His entire reason for being here. He wants to be his own man, to be separate from what he'll become.

But is it so much a part of him that he can't escape it?

He offers his arm.] I'd like to learn more about what happens to yours, anyway.

All right. I'm just a little worried, but I won't be too terribly nosy about it.

[She takes his arm after a moment's hesitation.]

When we die our minds project into the future and we visit with our Ascended Selves. The people we are going to be when we perfect our power and our insight. They teach us something and we come back with more of the Package unwrapped.

[He focuses on what she's talking about. It's easier.] Ascension? That's something that my people are capable of.

[Something he's almost done.]

How close are you?

I...

[She chews her lip again.] I'm closer than the others but I think I need to die a few more times first. It is a little like reincarnation but we do it all in one body.

I don't want to go too fast if there's any other way of helping Britain. I would like to stay and teach people. If I become my Higher Self I can only reach back to the me I am now. I can't act easily on my own.