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[braveheart_clara]

[Clara woke up badly. She hadn't even meant to fall asleep when she had, but when she did wake up, it was... bad. really bad. She couldn't breath and that scared her, badly. Leaving her room she tried to chill out, came to sit on the front steps of the main hall of the library, leaning back to stare at the stars above.]

[She had intended to talk on her bookmark when she and Casey were exploring, but she got interrupted. So here, now, she brings it up. Not video. No. Not like this. Voice only.]

Hello fellow Library assistants. Not that we're really assistants or anything like that, but we're all here assisting in cleaning the place up, right? Right. Okay. A few things is all. One... the Market place is great. Renaissance and old and amazing. I've seen things from that era before and I just... I'm always in awe of it. Everything is dark and gray and depressing and yet strangely beautiful.

Just some warnings though, and I don't know how these translate over into the Library or if they do at all, but if I have it right this era is one to be careful of. While exploring I noticed there is a good amount of Plague Doctors doing some work. They seem to just be that, real plague doctors, so that's good, but not.

It means we need to be careful while there. Or... I think we do? The Black Death was pretty bad in that era. For anyone who doesn't know it, it's a plague that hit Europe and Asia, of Earth, and was devastating. Carried around by rats at first, fleas on them, actually. It was spread around pretty easy there for a while. Taking over kingdoms. It's... gross. A bacteria, I believe, or virus, I can't remember. I'm sure there is a book on it here.

Okay, so my POINT is, if you go in, take care. Come back and clean up. I'm sure things in the Market should be fine, but I'd double check clothing if you buy any, and food.

Oh, gosh, history lesson over. My apologies. With that I am also curious, has anyone else noticed the things from the dark seem to come closer? What do you think is causing that? Is there something we can do to clean it up and push that back again? Also... cold spots.

Tell me I'm not the only one noticing this.

[She doesn't mention the dreams. She's still trying to get over her own. It was bad and her heart had been racing. She had never wanted the Doctor here more than now.]

[So Clara sits here, holding her bookmark and talking to who ever, staring at the stars above and wondering if the Doctor is out there somewhere. Anyone who wants to come sit with her, or talk, she might actually just stay here for a while. So please, come talk if you want.]

Comments

[braveheart_clara]

[she gave a sad forced smile at that, a tiny nod to follow.]

Mm, yeah. Nodded off earlier when I didn't mean to. So, yes, a Nightmare. Nothing too bad. I'm alright. [Other than a possible fracture in her ribs, bruising around her ribs and the marks around her neck, she seemed okay? Not that she had noticed the marks yet.]

[wanna_bash_heads]

Try again, maybe I'll believe it this time.

[Ok, that might be a bit gruffer than he meant.]

You're bruised around your neck, Clara. What happened?

[braveheart_clara]

[She gave him a look that said she wasn't going to fall for that kind of bait. That she would stick with it. But as he pointed out the bruised neck she moved to sit up again, on just one arm, wincing as she did, but bringing a hand up to her neck, touching it carefully.]

[She looked confused for a moment, than sad.]

I guess it got to me more than I thought it had. [She lowered the hand to rest at her ribs, frowning sharper.] I ran into someone, in the dream. That's all. They wouldn't let go.

[wanna_bash_heads]

[Well, Ok. He's not going to pry too much into the hows and whos just yet.]

Should we find you someone to check you out? What'd they do?

[Hell, he was lucky all he'd gotten off with was a nasty bruise from a nasty sucker-punch, and some aches. Splinter was a ninja-master, and could do a LOT more damage if Casey hadn't woken up when he had. Never mind any of the guys.]

Do you think it'd help if we all bunked in a group?

[braveheart_clara]

No. I should be fine. I've had worse before. [She said and gave him a smile, laying back down again and letting out a breath as she did.]

I'm not sure. I was... in a cemetery and I found someone important to me. The hug was just a bit too tight is all. [Danny had switched, went wrong. Her fears coming true. He tried to kill her, but Doctor grabbed her, saved her, they ran. Only things went sour with the Doctor as well. That was about when she managed to force herself awake, struggling to breath. Her voice still had a bit of a rasp to it, but only for those who really paid attention, it was so slight.]

I don't know if that would help. It might, but I think it's the sleeping part that's the problem. You don't have a... brain freeze headache, do you? Like eating ice cream too fast?

[wanna_bash_heads]

[A head shake in the negative, Casey moving to lean against the steps too.]

Although some ice would actually feel pretty good on some of the aches. That...was...the other part of my nightmare. I got sucker-punched, then backed into a wall. After a fight with evil Robo-ninjas, but that one I won. I woke up before more could happen though, once I got backed in a corner.

[Hard to admit all that. Casey had a lot of pride, and it had started as a great dream. Truthfully, even though physical wounds from dreams were serious, he was more bothered by the emotional parts. The rejection of Splinter casting him out of the group. The guys, especially Raphael, being ready to abandon him... That hurt a lot worse, and Casey tried to tell himself it wouldn't happen--not after all they'd been through.]

[braveheart_clara]

[She paid attention to what he said and frowned, laying there on the steps and watching the stars. She can understand the pain of rejection from nightmares, actually.]

The floor is cool. It helps. [She said in return to the ice part.] Has that happened before? Your dream. Was it like a memory twisted, or something completely fabricated?

[wanna_bash_heads]

[Oh please don't let it be something that COULD happen. Visions of the future he did NOT need, not that one anyways.]

Pretty sure it was just like a normal dream type-nightmare thing. I mean, aside from the whole actually being bruised and achy bit.

[What did fabricated mean? Context helped, but that word was making him go huh?]

[braveheart_clara]

That's good. I mean, that what ever you dreamed about wasn't something you've been through before.

[English Teacher, sorry! He did well though.]

[wanna_bash_heads]

Man I hope I NEVER go through it in real life.

[Ok, he might've said that aloud and not realized it. Even if it was under his breath. Then he realizes he probably did. Crap.]

Ok, I mean, not the part with the evil robo ninjas. Casey Jones has done that, no problem. Lots of times.

[Just ignore the bravado and need to return to some of it. It's a coping mechanism.]

[braveheart_clara]

[Her head was tilted on the step, so she could look over at him.]

You've battled evil robo-ninjas before, but there was more there to the dream, huh. Something that hit you at the heart. [Because that's how it was for her.]

[wanna_bash_heads]

[Nope, not answering. Not dealing with it. Instead, Casey is ignoring the aches and everything, and getting to his feet. Stretching, before twirling the hockey-stick up, and bringing it to his shoulders.]

Too much staying still is just gonna make me fall asleep Impossible Girl.

[braveheart_clara]

[She watched him get up and felt it. She poked the wrong button.]

Mm, maybe it as just me then. [She said more under her voice, moving to sit up and winced as she did. Curling her legs under her on the lower step. She let out a huff and looked up at him and his hockey-stick.]

Mm, sorry I'm so boring that I'll put you out. [She said, and held her hand out, as if asking him to help her stand up.]

[wanna_bash_heads]

[There's a familiar grin, glad she's letting it go.]

Nah, you're not boring. I'm just not a sit-still kind of guy.

[Easily moving to lend her a hand up.]

Besides, if real books were as interesting as this bookmark thing, I might enjoy school more.

[braveheart_clara]

[She wont poke in things that are that painful and it showed. She knows how that is. She can still see the Doctors eyes burn brightly in her dream as she lost he breath, or the anger in Danny's face as he tried to break her. She gets how tender some subjects can be.]

You've just had bad teachers. School can be a lot of fun if you have the right teacher, you know. [She said and took his help up, holding her other arm around her and biting back a hiss.]

In truth, I haven't managed to get off the steps yet, which is the only reason I'm still here. I came out here to catch my breath and take in the stars. I ended up not wanting to move after.

[wanna_bash_heads]

[Don't mind the frown, as he's studying her again. Didn't mean he wasn't listening, it's more he's concerned with that hiss of pain. Once she's up, he's bending to grab the puck, tucking it in a different pocket than his bookmark.

He'd have to be careful not to get them mixed up.]

You don't have to move just because I am, Teach.

[braveheart_clara]

[She gave a single shoulder shrug to that.]

Lets be honest. I'm glad for the help up. If I laid here much longer I might start to nod off again. But... [She tipped her head up, nodding to the glass ceiling and the stars above.] The reason I said you should come out. Those up there. You don't see anything special about them?

[wanna_bash_heads]

[Ok, he'll tip his head up and watch. Face relaxing a bit, as it was kind of neat. Alien, unfamiliar--awe inspiring, in a way.

Kind of terrifying too, since he knew some of what was out there was actively hostile to Earth.]

You don't see stars much in New York.

[braveheart_clara]

You can't see them this well in London either. Too many lights, too much haze. But that up there, for me? That's become a bit more of a home then anything on Earth. [Especially now that she's lost Danny as her connection to Earth.]

So when I said they feel amazing, I just meant how they make me feel. It helps. There are... a million bad things out there. More than that, really. But watching these, even if I don't think they are the ones I know, it feels better.

[she peeked over at him, after that, giving him a soft smile] They might be made of heat and gas, but the things that circle around each of them are wonderful.

[wanna_bash_heads]

[He's still looking up at those stars, but he kind of gets it now. At least listening to her talk about it, and he's glad they make her feel better.]

Kind of terrifying and amazing all at once, right?

[At least that was how he could view it. But...he understood what she meant. A home that wasn't 'home'.]

[braveheart_clara]

Exactly. [She said strongly, moving to cross her arms under her chest and just standing there a moment longer, looking up again.] It's an unknown. It's adventure and danger and beautiful sunsets and breath taking sunrises. It's races I've never even imagined and planets with pink skies. It's a mystery every new stop, and some of it is... has almost brought us down. Have almost brought earth to it's knees more than a few times. It's almost brought me to my knees a few times. But that makes it better. Every single time something bad happens we over come it. The people of Earth get stronger. I get stronger. I know he's out there somewhere, so I know it'll be all right, no matter what's going on here.

[She let out a sight at that, a sad smile] What ever is going on here, I'm pretty sure we can get past it. Be stronger for it. Though...

I'm starting to worry this is all still the Dream Crabs and this is all still in my head...

[wanna_bash_heads]

[Despite the serious moment, Casey grins and laughs a bit.]

Honestly not sure which sounds sillier, when I know we're both deadly serious. Dream Beavers or Dream Crabs.

[Holding out the Hockey stick for her to take, before Casey's turned around and crouched. She's in pain, so she isn't walking. Never mind he's also in pain--he's in less pain.]

[braveheart_clara]

[She blinked, then chuckled at his comment, grinning more now as he said it.]

You make a good point. I think they both sound pretty silly, actually.

[She blinked though, looking at the hockey stick he held out for her to take, her hand taking it carefully, looking at him quizzically. A clear question of 'what's this for?']

[wanna_bash_heads]

Piggy-back. Not letting you walk, since you got banged up in more ways than just your neck.

[Isn't it obvious? Just because he's a teen doesn't mean he can't do it. He's tougher than he looks.]

[braveheart_clara]

[She walked over to him and reached down to... sorry Casey, to fluff his hair a bit.] You're too cute. And I'm not that broken. Come on. Where do you want to go. I can walk it.