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

[wizard_redfive]

"For certain definitions of okay. He's himself again, at least."

She walks over. "How about you?"

[lightbranded]

"Well enough, I suppose."

Will smiles weakly.

"It was rather a hard week all around, I think."

[wizard_redfive]

Dairine peers at his face, concern not so well hidden behind her frown.

"You sure? You don't look so good yourself."

She huffs a little before leaning on the side of the TARDIS. "Make that a hard month. I hope the rest of year won't be like this."

[lightbranded]

"Perhaps I am not."

Will winces as he feels his headache threatening to come back.

"The Mara... It was not pleased with me, I don't think."

[wizard_redfive]

"So you did meet the Mara? How long have you been in here?" It must have been at least an hour, if he had met the Mara.

"I doubt it was pleased with anyone, really."

It certainly wasn't please with her, but no version of the Lone One was. Not until It had been redeemed.

[lightbranded]

"A few days, I think. It as difficult to keep track of the hours,"

[wizard_redfive]

Dairine double takes. "Hold on — days?! You've been in this room for days? What happened?"

Because clearly it must have been serious if he had been kept here so long.

[lightbranded]

"I fought the Mara. I failed and I was lost."

[wizard_redfive]

"Oh." She winces, feeling sympathy and understanding for his position. Although she wouldn't easily admit it, the same thing pretty much happened to her too. Dairine moves to sit down next to Will.

"Did he put you to sleep too?"

[lightbranded]

"He trapped me within a nightmare."

A nightmare made out of everything that was opposite to Will's nature. Will did not want to speak too much of it.

[wizard_redfive]

"Wait, seriously? I didn't dream at all."

The experience had been its own kind of nightmare, but the sleep hadn't all that bad comparatively. Not nightmares, no restless thoughts, just deep sleep. Though she still hated how the sleep had been forced on her, from the sound of it she had gotten off lightly.

[lightbranded]

"That was why it took me s long to wake up. It was created by him, and I could not find the way out on my own."

[wizard_redfive]

Her brow furrows in concern. "You could have called out with your mind. I know a number of people would have answered it."

[lightbranded]

"I was asleep," Will says carefully. "I could not reach out like that."

[wizard_redfive]

"Really? Never stopped me and my sister before." She pauses for a moment, remembering her own forced sleep and reconsiders. "Unless... did the Mara's power keep you from reaching out?"

Then something else occurs to her. Something of significantly more importance.

"Wait. If you've been sleeping here all this time, when did you last eat?"

[lightbranded]

He shakes his head.

"Not since before, really. I managed to find some crackers, but that's all I've had since waking up."

[wizard_redfive]

Dairine looks horrified.

"That's it?! How are you still breathing? Nevermind--" It's not important. What's important is getting him some food, stat. "Let's get you something else to eat. Any preferences?"

[lightbranded]

He shakes his head.

"You really don't need to go to any bother. I didn't want to worry anyone."

[wizard_redfive]

She gives him a hard stare.

"Look, you don't want to worry anyone? Then you need to eat."

"Now, what will it be?"

[lightbranded]

"A sandwich?" he suggests hesitantly.

[wizard_redfive]

Dairine looks at him. Way to be specific here, Will.

"What kind of sandwich?"

[lightbranded]

"Any sort? Anything would be alright with me."

[wizard_redfive]

"You sure? I don't want to pick the one sandwich which is your least favorite."

[lightbranded]

"It really doesn't matter to me."