Open Log

[lightbranded]

 Who: Will Stanton and Anyone
Where: The Fifth Doctor's Room
What: Will failed in his attempt to drive the Mara away, and was trapped within a nightmare.  Now he needs someone to wake him up.
When: Shortly after the Mara's defeat

For days Will had lain on the floor of the Doctor's room, trapped within the nightmare the Mara had wrapped around his mind.  Occasionally he stirs, fighting against the darkness of his dreams.  But he never quite manages to wake.

Comments

[im_the_doctor]

Entering the room he's been sharing with his younger self, (well, technically they haven't been sharing the room but the TARDIS that is parked in the room), the Doctor's mind is preoccupied. His thoughts are on his younger self and on the Mara that has possessed him. Try as he might, the Doctor can't seem to focus his memory enough to get the vital piece of information he needs.

With the key in his hand, he almost trips on the body before he realizes it's lying there on the floor.

Kneeling down beside the boy, he gently taps him on the cheek. "Uh...?" He suddenly realizes that while he knows this boy, he never did get his name. "Hey! Uh... Hey there, you okay?"

[lightbranded]

The boy doesn't react. The nightmare trap woven around his mind was too strong for a simple touch to break.

[im_the_doctor]

The Doctor frowns. He doesn't want to hit the boy harder or start to shake him. It's strange the way he's here on the floor to begin with.

Normally he would ask before trying to establish a mental link but it seems clear to him that something is very wrong. With everything that's been going on and knowing that the boy has special abilities he's not willing to wait. Especially on pleasantries that may never come.

Taking a breath, the Doctor puts his hand along the boy's face and concentrates.

[lightbranded]

At first, Will hears nothing. He had become weakened and numb, trapped as he was within a nightmare city that was the opposite of everything he was. Multiple escape attempts had worn him down, until all he could do was survive with as much strength as he could protect.

But the touch of another mind to his on was not something he could miss. He would not allow that thing that had taken over his friend to touch his mind again. And so Will blindly lashes out with his mind at the new presence.

[im_the_doctor]

Backing off slightly at the lash out, the Doctor tries another approach. Less waltzing in and more announcing his arrival.

'ello...? he calls out from his mind to the one he's connected to. I come in peace!

Well now, that's original! But it was the first thing he thought of.

[lightbranded]

There is a long moment of silence, and then Will answers faintly back.

Peace? You are not with the Mara?

The touch of his mind is wearied almost to the point of a whisper.

[tylendel]

Nightmares were something Tylendel understood. He waited at the door to the Doctor's room, unsure if he was welcome. After watching the small form in the bed, he cleared his throat:

"I won't lie and say I'm a Mind Healer, but I am a Mage who has dealt with nightmares before."

Horrific ones that left him damaged both physically and mentally.

"If there is some way I can help...?"

A Few Hours Later....

[lightbranded]

It had taken some effort, but Will had found his way out of the Mara's trap. He was awake now, although worn down from his ordeal. He almost found himself hoping for some visitors.

Assume somehow he found out where Will was-

[radiantwingedone]

"... Should have noticed."

Sorry Will, he kinda manages to forget that there is another room to his room sometimes.

Re: Assume somehow he found out where Will was-

[lightbranded]

"Duke."

Will was tired, but he still found the strength to smile.

"Don't worry. Everything worked out."

[radiantwingedone]

"... That sounds like I ought to worry."

On the other hand, Will sounded more or less fine. However, it wouldn't surprise him if the boy was hiding things by sounding fine.

"Do you need anything?"

[lightbranded]

"...Maybe. But everything is over now. There's really no point in dwelling on things."

Will was just tired now. Really. He just wanted to move on.

"Some tea would be nice."

[wizard_redfive]

Dairine had wanted to stop in, after all the ruckus from the Mara was over. Make sure the Doctor didn't arrive to any nasty surprises. However, she hadn't expected to see Will there.

"Will?" she says as she walks into the room. "What are you doing here?"

[lightbranded]

Will's response is careful.

"I came here to visit the Doctor. But it wasn't him."

[wizard_redfive]

"Oh, right. It hasn't been him for a while, unfortunately. But that should be over now."

Thank goodness, too. Otherwise, she might have accidentally hurt the Doctor in her rage against the Mara. Plus that Power, whatever name or minion It was using at the time, was better off far away from her.

[lightbranded]

"Is he okay?"

But that was very good news. Will begins to feel some hope, that he hadn't failed completely after all.

A few hours later.

[toobravehearted]

The Doctor is still rushed. Worried. It feels like he's been running around without stopping ever since he was back in control. Making his way to the third floor, he uses the journal to begin with to make a message to Will.

"Will? Will, are you there? Are you all right? Where are you?"

And it's his voice. His real voice, breathless a little, concerned a lot.

[lightbranded]

[Will stares at his journal for a long moment. At last he takes out a pencil and writes one short question.]

Who are you?

[toobravehearted]

There's only one way he can answer that question and he's aware he can be disbelieved either way. Making himself calm is no easy task, but he has to.

"It's me, Will. The Mara is gone."

He pauses a moment before going on. "I know what it did." Does he ever. "Please, at least tell me that you're all right."

[lightbranded]

"Well enough, considering."

Will is speaking now, but he still has a high degree of caution in his voice. He remembered how he had been tricked before.

"May we speak in person?"

Later, at Will's room

[inafadingcrown]

It isn't exactly unusual for Galadriel to go a day or two without hearing from Will. He was an independent child (if you could even call him a child) and they did not speak constantly. After a few days of hearing nothing from him, however, she had begun to worry enough to check in on him.

She knocks softly at his door, calling out his name and waiting for a reply. "Will?"

[lightbranded]

Will was still exhausted from the experiences of the last few days. It takes him a long moment to realize that someone was really knocking on the door. He slowly makes his way to the door and opens it.

He blinks slowly at the sight of his friend.

[inafadingcrown]

She looks him over carefully with the eye of a healer, nothing his exhaustion, but seeing little else to alarm her.

"You are not well. Or you have not been." She says nothing more, but the worry in her tone speaks for her.

[lightbranded]

"No, I have not been."

He is silent for a moment.

"Is the Doctor himself again?"

[inafadingcrown]

She sighs a little. So that was what this was about. Something had happened...

"He is." A hand goes out to touch the side of Will's face. "The Mara harmed you?"