[048]
[yesterday, Oliver was finally able to banish his nightmare and sleep properly again, but one good night's sleep couldn't make up for all that deprivation, and he decides to take a nap the next afternoon, too tired to wait for nightfall. he takes the Doctor's suggestion, curling up on a padded bench on level 15, and falls into a peaceful sleep--completely peaceful, without any of the nightmares that have plagued him since long before he came on board the Crucible. in fact, he dreams of travelling with the Doctor again--the Doctor as he is now--and saving a few planets before they take a holiday in Birmingham]
[when he wakes up, Oliver stands, finally feeling refreshed. as he does, he stops abruptly, watching as the ship around him seems to ripple and begin to fade out. he soon finds himself in the doorway of the bedroom of a flat--a room that may be familiar to some passengers. it's almost the same as it was when he set it up in the holo-suite simulation, except that this time, his side of the room is neat, orderly, and clean. his possessions are still there, but they look as though they haven't been used in a while]
[Chloe is sitting at her desk, her head bent over a book with her hands on her laptop keyboard, probably in the middle of writing a paper. she stops, as though startled by something, and turns toward the doorway, her eyes widening in shock]
Ollie...?
[Oliver takes a step forward, too shocked to speak, even as Chloe practically knocks her chair over in her hurry to get up. she laughs, running forward and throwing her arms around him. the minute she touches him, he knows this must be some kind of dream. he can hardly feel her in his arms, and his happy surprise slips, just for an instant]
[but she looks up at him, starting to cry, and as she reaches up one hand to touch his face, he can feel just a ghost of contact] It's you! You came back!
[he smiles for her, feeling tears beginning to form in his own eyes] 'Course I did. I said I would, didn't I?
But your e-mail...I thought...
Shhh. [he puts a finger to her lips, then hugs her tightly to him, trying to feel her as best he can] Doesn't matter if you believe it. I'm home. I really am.
Ollie... [she starts to sob softly as she clings to him, and Oliver feels real tears beginning to slip down his own cheeks]
Chloe, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I left you. It must've been awful...
[she doesn't reply, and for a long moment, they just hold each other. then, finally, Chloe pulls back, shaking her head at him] Don't. It's okay. You came home. [she smiles tearfully] I missed you.
[he tries to swallow the lump in his throat] I missed you so much... [he reaches forward, brushing stray strands of blond hair from her face, wanting to touch her as much as he can]
[she smiles wryly] Even travelling all of time and space?
[Oliver returns the smile, understanding exactly what she's telling him by joking about his insane e-mail] Yeah, even then. Not even all of time and space could compare to you, Chloe Elliot.
[she laughs, then leans forward, tilting her head up]
[he takes the hint and kisses her, feeling only the lightest brush of sensation, but...it's enough. when he pulls back, he smiles at her sadly] I'll do this for real one day, Chloe. I promise.
[Chloe frowns, confused] What do you mean, Ollie? This is real.
[he sighs, taking a few steps backward, and sits on their bed, pulling her down to sit beside him] Just stay with me for a little while, okay?
[she leans her head against his shoulder] 'Course I will. You're home!
[he smiles for her, reaching out to take her hand, massaging it in his] Yeah. I'm home.
[when he wakes up, Oliver stands, finally feeling refreshed. as he does, he stops abruptly, watching as the ship around him seems to ripple and begin to fade out. he soon finds himself in the doorway of the bedroom of a flat--a room that may be familiar to some passengers. it's almost the same as it was when he set it up in the holo-suite simulation, except that this time, his side of the room is neat, orderly, and clean. his possessions are still there, but they look as though they haven't been used in a while]
[Chloe is sitting at her desk, her head bent over a book with her hands on her laptop keyboard, probably in the middle of writing a paper. she stops, as though startled by something, and turns toward the doorway, her eyes widening in shock]
Ollie...?
[Oliver takes a step forward, too shocked to speak, even as Chloe practically knocks her chair over in her hurry to get up. she laughs, running forward and throwing her arms around him. the minute she touches him, he knows this must be some kind of dream. he can hardly feel her in his arms, and his happy surprise slips, just for an instant]
[but she looks up at him, starting to cry, and as she reaches up one hand to touch his face, he can feel just a ghost of contact] It's you! You came back!
[he smiles for her, feeling tears beginning to form in his own eyes] 'Course I did. I said I would, didn't I?
But your e-mail...I thought...
Shhh. [he puts a finger to her lips, then hugs her tightly to him, trying to feel her as best he can] Doesn't matter if you believe it. I'm home. I really am.
Ollie... [she starts to sob softly as she clings to him, and Oliver feels real tears beginning to slip down his own cheeks]
Chloe, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I left you. It must've been awful...
[she doesn't reply, and for a long moment, they just hold each other. then, finally, Chloe pulls back, shaking her head at him] Don't. It's okay. You came home. [she smiles tearfully] I missed you.
[he tries to swallow the lump in his throat] I missed you so much... [he reaches forward, brushing stray strands of blond hair from her face, wanting to touch her as much as he can]
[she smiles wryly] Even travelling all of time and space?
[Oliver returns the smile, understanding exactly what she's telling him by joking about his insane e-mail] Yeah, even then. Not even all of time and space could compare to you, Chloe Elliot.
[she laughs, then leans forward, tilting her head up]
[he takes the hint and kisses her, feeling only the lightest brush of sensation, but...it's enough. when he pulls back, he smiles at her sadly] I'll do this for real one day, Chloe. I promise.
[Chloe frowns, confused] What do you mean, Ollie? This is real.
[he sighs, taking a few steps backward, and sits on their bed, pulling her down to sit beside him] Just stay with me for a little while, okay?
[she leans her head against his shoulder] 'Course I will. You're home!
[he smiles for her, reaching out to take her hand, massaging it in his] Yeah. I'm home.