[closed] If I apologised, it wouldn't make it all unhappen

[brink]

It's funny how time passes when you have responsibilities you can turn to.

It's been nearly a month since he visited Gabriel's dreams and set him free from Romac's cells. And that wasn't even the worst thing that happened that week, just the final cruel cherry on top of the sundea of suck, to put it mildly.

Since then, he's not really seen anyone he didn't have to, neither awake nor dreaming. He's just dived into his work. He had a lot to make up for after calling in quite a few favours, after all, but mostly it was a distraction. A way to keep from confronting everything. And at least his work is interesting, and challenging, and everything it should be. But it's become much more difficult to take any joy from it.

And it's pretty difficult to distract yourself when you're pretty much conscious 24/7, regardless of whether you're awake or asleep. He's gotten very little sleep, because it either means sitting alone in his head with nothing to do, or visiting other people's minds, neither of which has been that appealing. It's a miracle he hasn't cracked completely (yet).

It's only a matter of time though, so now he's walking up to one of the few people that he still trusts, who's still here, and who (hopefully) doesn't hate him. It's become a pretty short list.

"Hello," he says to the TARDIS once she comes into view around the rocks and trees. "I'm not here for the Doctor, I'm here for you," he tells the box, in case she calls for him. The Doctor's still on that list as well (though Topher hasn't seen him in ages either), but he doesn't exactly inspire Topher to open up about his problems.

"I brought you something," he adds, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a bag of chocolates and toffees, since the Doctor had informed him she likes sweets. It may be a bribe so that she'll be patient with him.

The People We'd Rather Forget [closed]

[bluesuit_handy]

Today is a day like any other day, apart from Andrew and James having run out of both tea and coffee at home. This is a matter of much greater concern to Andrew than it is to James; even in his current human form, the former android hasn't given in to the allure of a raging caffeine addiction. Andrew, on the other hand, can feel his eyelids drooping and his head threatening to ache at the mere thought of a day without.

He'll need to go shopping to prevent this from happening again tomorrow, but for today there's a quicker solution. He's picked up a newspaper somewhere and ensconced himself in a corner armchair at a coffee shop, and can now be found dunking biscotti in his drink while he tries to balance the paper on one raised knee so he can read it at the same time. Reading glasses perch on his crooked nose, a scarf lays balled up and discarded in his lap, and he's even shed his outermost coat, though multiple layers still shield him from the chill. He's aware, peripherally, of the gentle press of the leather collar around his neck. He resists the urge to reach up and fiddle with it, knowing he triple checked to make sure it was hidden before he left the flat. Today isn't the first day he's agreed (or asked, actually) for James to leave it on him, but wearing it in public is still new enough to make him a little nervous when he thinks about it.

[OPEN] Green Means Go

[beastisbeauty]

Bruce is slowly acquainting himself with this version of New York City. He tries to spend as much time as he can in his labs, but there is only so much that can be done in a day. Sometimes, science requires patience, sitting back and letting things happen.

Also, there is the very real possibility that he will spend the rest of his life here. Bruce doesn't intend to spend it alone, isolated from the people of this world. He's had enough of that in his life. As difficult as it is for him, Bruce knows he has to make connections and find people who are willing to accept both him and the Hulk.

He needs the Hulk to learn how to quickly tell friend from foe.

Unfortunately, Bruce's deep thoughts mean he is not paying enough attention to his surroundings. He crosses the road at the last moments before the crossing light changes from "walk" to "don't walk." Unfortunately, a car also speeds towards him, barely pausing at a stop sign.

The result is Bruce getting hit in the side by the car and going flying over the hood.

This wakes the Hulk up.

Hulk ignores the driver, who gets out of the car to help Bruce and then flees, when he sees the Hulk. Instead, the Hulk focuses on the man's car, pummeling it angrily and tearing it into pieces. This only takes a few moments, then Hulk stops and looks around the street. People are screaming and running, but, so far, no one is trying to hurt Hulk or shooting stupid bullets.