And They Bravely Ran Away, Away [closed for now]

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

[[Post "All Together Now" PM if you want to join]]

She sucked in a deep breath as she closed the Meddler's TARDIS doors behind her, resting against the wood for a moment to close her eyes and gather her thoughts, gather her emotions to try and calm herself down.

The sight of her father had left her murderous. And the sound of the Specialist words still rang in her head, they frightened her. How could one being expect to have so much power over whole civilisations? Over the universe? It was not up to anyone to rule in such way over others, it always left to misery.

It occurred to her, that perhaps the Specialist and the universe would have been better off had they left the Time War as it was and never opened it. But no, she was not allowed to think in such ways.

Instead, she walked over to the console, closest point to the actual gestalt of the TARDIS, the only being she felt trust and comfort in like she felt in the Meddler. Sitting down under it, something she had never done before, she pressed her back against the glass panel. The closest she could get to the gestalt without actually going into it. She drew her legs up to her chest and pressed her head against it, closing her eyes. The gestalt's presence enveloped her like a golden blanket and she snuggled up into it's comfort the best she could.

"Perhaps this means it's time for the young bird to leave the nest" She mumbled quietly, sighing softly. She didn't want to go, but if what the Specialist said was true, what would be done to renegades, she couldn't expect Robin to follow with her. He loved that woman before her after all, and she couldn't expect him to keep away from his own race. It had become painfully obvious to herself that she wasn't like the other Time Lords, perhaps it was her Sidhe base. The second line of the Escheat rang clear in her ears and through her veins.

The Right to Dream unhindered by our presence. No meddling in the creative process.

She called herself the Dreamweaver for that reason. She would inspire that creative process, not hinder it.

As a Sidhe, she could not break that rule and thus she had turned her back to the Specialist's plan, suppressing the urge to want to smother the idea at it's core. She was alone, it would have been futile.

The thought of having to go on on her own dreaded her, but she pushed away the feeling for now. She just wanted to sit here in the comfort of the gestalt's presence. Forgetting everything around her.

[The Meddler]

The Meddler closed the ballroom door behind him, feeling as if he were tearing himself in half as he did. On the other side of the door stood almost everything he'd dreamed of, everything he thought he'd wanted, since the Doctor had ended the Time War. A reborn Gallifrey, ready to take an active role in the Spiral Politic. The Specialist - a woman with the same deep connection to time he had. The first Time Lady to look at him without flinching.

"We will make sure that hiccups in their society are handled. In the sense of, say a Trans-interdimensional ship is formed, by a human in this realm... A device that they are not supposed to have for ages to come... we need to remove that item - so they advance at the pace that is normal within their time stream."

The woman in whose memory he'd destroyed a world, and for whom he had entered Hell.

"Understand that if any of you, try to rise above and rule the universe, my guard will hunt you down and eradicate you. I would like to rule with love and compassion, something the council didn't understand. But if I have to be a hard woman at times, I will do so."

And it hurt, hurt more than he had expected, to turn his back and close the door. But the memory of dancing green eyes, and copper hair, and a mischievous smile that so frequently echoed his own made it easier than he thought.

She slipped from his arm, giving him an apologetic look over her shoulder as the door closed behind her.

The old panic welled up. The dread that she, too, would someday see him the way the rest had seen him. See him with the eyes of a Time Lord, and turn away in disgust. Turn away, and leave him alone again. He looked frantically up and down the hallway, unable to see any trace of where she might have gone.

He took a deep breath, calming his mind, stilling the panic. Think, man! Where would she have gone?

He closed his eyes, drawing a second deep breath. The TARDIS. Even if she was planning on leaving, she would return there first.

He spun and raced down the hall, heedless of the looks he was given by the staff and the other guests.

---

He fumbled with the lock to room 267 - a little joke of the TARDIS, the age he'd been when he'd left Gallifrey for a life of adventure. Also a life of getting marooned in various backwaters and of far more danger than he'd expected, but that was probably part of 'adventure'.

The silver arrowhead of the key turned the magnetic card reader in a way that it shouldn't have been able to turn, and he stepped through into the cool, hexagonally-tiled control room. She was already there, curled up under the console, her back against the central support pillar, communing with the mind of the TARDIS.

The tension and fear drained from him at the sight of her. He crossed the room, kneeling to take her hands. "Dreamweaver," he said softly. "My Sisilaya." There was a hushed, almost reverent quality to the way he said her name.

For a moment he simply knelt there, looking at her. Then he grinned his mad grin. "If I may be so bold, my Lady the Dreamweaver, will you do me the honor of accompanying me into a life of danger and exile?"

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

She was shocked to see him back so soon, she really was. She wouldn't go without saying a word, so she would have waited up on him to finish the 'meeting'. Yet, she had been inside his TARDIS for 10 minutes tops when he came through those doors and her green eyes widened in surprise.

"Robin..?" She said as he walked towards her, quickly coming down to her level. She searched his eyes, not understanding why he was here so soon. He took her hands, brown eyes looking at her, into her. It was one of the few moments she could actually see how old the Meddler really was. Even though his face was youthful, his eyes showed the centuries.

She didn't know what to say, her hands tightened on his slightly as he held her gaze. The way he said her name made something warm spread in her. She had a sudden violent urge to kiss him, thoroughly.

Then, that familiar grin came to his face and without her realising it her mouth twitched up into a smile. She drew closer to him, her back leaving the support pillar.

"If I may be so bold, my Lady the Dreamweaver, will you do me the honor of accompanying me into a life of danger and exile?"

She stilled, looking at him. Really looking at him as her face turned into an expression of utter surprise, her lips parting a bit. She then laughed softly and closed her eyes, shaking her head slightly.

"Is that a proposal, my Meddler?" She teased and winked, then drew closer to him. "You should know by now I'd follow you to the ends of time, if only you'd let me."

[The Meddler]

He asked her to travel with him - to continue to travel with him - and her response surprised him.

She stilled, looking at him. Really looking at him as her face turned into an expression of utter surprise, her lips parting a bit. She then laughed softly and closed her eyes, shaking her head slightly.

"Is that a proposal, my Meddler?" She teased and winked, then drew closer to him. "You should know by now I'd follow you to the ends of time, if only you'd let me."

"Well, of course it is," he started to say. He had proposed that she continue to travel with him. Hadn't that been obvious? But something about the way she'd said it stilled his voice.

The Meddler was nowhere near as slow on the uptake as he seemed, at times. But he was from an alien culture, and sometimes even centuries of experience failed to bridge the gulf.

Thoughts flickering like lightning, he analyzed what he'd said and how she was reacting. And he realized that what he'd said could be taken in a way he hadn't intended...

And then he smiled, both at her and at himself. He had meant it that way, he realized. Even if he was too afraid - consciously - of asking it.

All of that occupied the space between the beat of his dexter and his sinsiter hearts.

"It is," he said, the mad grin fading into a smile of joy and wonder. "It is."

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

It was fascinating to see the Meddler still, her answer had thrown him off balance, that much was clear to see. His mind was analysing, his eyes flickering between her and some still point in space. When she saw his face slowly turn into a smile her eyebrows started to rise up in surprise.

"It is," he said, the mad grin fading into a smile of joy and wonder. "It is."

She had expected him to sputter, apologise, and she would have teased him for it a good few days. But no, he had actually affirmed what he had said. Saying that, indeed he was asking for her.. hand? She felt something bubble up.

And that bubble was her laughter, escaping her with merry musical sound that echo's through the TARDIS, her eyes softly aglow. She grabbed Robin by the lapels of his jacket and pulled him in for a kiss, a sign of gratitude and joy. Never, never had she expected this from him. And that's why she loved this man, because life with him was full of surprises. Be them good or bad.

"And here I was sure you were not the marrying kind, you Puck." She said with a grin against his lips.

[The Meddler]

Obviously, it had been the right thing to say. Because, anything that made her laugh like that, and then kiss him like that, had to have been the right thing to say. And he returned the kiss enthusiastically.

"And here I was sure you were not the marrying kind, you Puck." She said with a grin against his lips.

"Why?" he grinned back. "Just because it took me almost a thousand years to find the perfect woman?" And then he kissed her again, because it seemed the thing to do. And also because, really, kiss the woman you love (and who has just agreed to marry you) again never sounds like a bad idea.

Several thoughts struck him simultaneously. He stood up, pulling the Dreamweaver to her feet as he did. "Tonks!" he yelled.

"Yes, my Lord Robin?" said the fae from behind him.

"How did you get behind me..?" he asked, turning. And then he stopped, surprised.

Tonks had changed. His nut-brown skin had paled and faded, turning the color of the stone that comprised the walls of the TARDIS and his rough tunic had been replaced with a scale replica of the Meddler's grey suit. His breathing synchronized with the distant rumble of the engines.

"That's a new look, Tonks."

"It seemed more appropriate to my new station, my Lord Robin."

"Really? That's, uh, well, nice." He rallied. "Anyway, there are a few things we need to get done. First: all of those systems we reinstalled for my lady the Specialist? Uninstall them. Disassemble them. Spread the parts out among the storerooms. We are going back to silent running."

Tonks nodded.

"Second: reset my lady the Specialist's chambers to ground state. Also, pack up any of her property, so we can have it returned to her."

"She will not be returning to the Hall of the Wind of Change, then?"

The Meddler glanced at the Dreamweaver. "No. I don't believe so."

"Very well."

"Third: let the rest of the crew know that the Dreamweaver and I are engaged."

Tonks smiled at that. "May I speak freely, my lord Robin?"

"Yeah, of course."

"It is about time, my lord." He paused. "And congratulations." With that, he left the room.

The Meddler stared after him, shaking his head. Then he turned and looked at the Dreamweaver. "The ends of time, you say?" His voice was serious, now. "That reminds me. There is something I want to show you."

He began setting the controls, working from memory. With a final flick of the wrist, the Time Rotor roared to life. "It'll take about eighteen hours to get there, TARDIS time." He turned back to face her, leaning against the console, the serious expression on his face slowly turning back to one of wonder and joy. "What would you like to do, to celebrate?"

---

A goblin in ill-fitting leather and scraps of tin and copper dashed through the halls of the hotel, a scroll clutched in it's clawed hands. Frantically, it rounded a corner. In the distance, it saw the room number it was looking for: 267.

It could hear the faint roaring of the engines of the Hall, and it accelerated, hoping. With a final, desperate motion, it hurled itself at the door as the roaring died away. The door to room 267 burst open under the impact.

A Japanese businessman stared in shock at the small, green thing that was now in his room. It was swearing and stamping angrily on its hat. Finally, it made an obscene gesture at him and vanished.

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

"Why?" he grinned back. "Just because it took me almost a thousand years to find the perfect woman?"

"Oh you smooth talker, you." She murmured against his lips, smiling into the kiss he bestowed upon her again. His presence made her happy, inspired her and made her itch for the new and the unknown. Eventually, they both parted for air and the Meddler pulled her up to her feet, shouting for audience of the brownie that had become almost like a butler to the Meddler.

Only to find he was already there.

"How did you get behind me..?"

She laughed "He's a brownie love, it's what they do" She gave Tonks a smile, she too was very grateful of his presence. She had had a few good conversations with the Brownie before, usually during mundane things, she still enjoyed doing such things. Tonks apparently also was a skilful cook and they ended up cooking muffin's as a midnight snack.

"Anyway, there are a few things we need to get done. First: all of those systems we reinstalled for my lady the Specialist? Uninstall them. Disassemble them. Spread the parts out among the storerooms. We are going back to silent running."

Tonks nodded.

"Second: reset my lady the Specialist's chambers to ground state. Also, pack up any of her property, so we can have it returned to her."

"She will not be returning to the Hall of the Wind of Change, then?"

The Meddler glanced at the Dreamweaver. "No. I don't believe so."

Her gaze met the Meddler as he glanced at her and she took a step back to his side, placing her hand on his elbow. "Are you certain you wish to completely banish her from the TARDIS like this? You don't have to do it for me you know, I trust you." She said quietly for him to hear.

Even though the Specialist words still rang eerily clear in her ears, she could not expel the feeling of worry, certainly for her two children. But she couldn't support the plans she had just so her two children had some support. Sometimes the majority needed the higher responsibility.

"Third: let the rest of the crew know that the Dreamweaver and I are engaged."

Tonks smiled at that. "May I speak freely, my lord Robin?"

"Yeah, of course."

"It is about time, my lord." He paused. "And congratulations." With that, he left the room.

She smiled at the Brownie, a slight blush on her cheeks. The feeling was new, but certainly not unwelcome. She blinked when the Brownie was gone.

"What is custom to Time Lord weddings anyway?" She had never found anything about it in the library, at least not yet. She was still trying to get the hang of High Gallifreyan. She would at least appreciate a handbinding ritual like what was custom to the Sidhe.

Then he turned and looked at the Dreamweaver. "The ends of time, you say?" His voice was serious, now. "That reminds me. There is something I want to show you."

He began setting the controls, working from memory. With a final flick of the wrist, the Time Rotor roared to life. "It'll take about eighteen hours to get there, TARDIS time."

She was curious to where they were going, peeking over his shoulder to see if she would recognise the coordinates. Alas no, thus it would remain a surprise. It had to be quite far, a TARDIS usually did not take that long to get somewhere, that and Robin usually never had such a serious look on her face. It made her worry when he did so.

She was relieved when it return to the grin she had gotten so accustomed to.

"What would you like to do, to celebrate?"

"Why don't you surprise me, Robin. I always love your surprises" She said with a gleam in her eyes.

[The Meddler]

"Oh you smooth talker, you." She murmured against his lips, smiling into the kiss he bestowed upon her again.

"I've been working on it," he said as they parted again. "It seemed like a good idea at the time."

He summoned Tonks and began laying out his orders.

Her gaze met the Meddler as he glanced at her and she took a step back to his side, placing her hand on his elbow. "Are you certain you wish to completely banish her from the TARDIS like this? You don't have to do it for me you know, I trust you." She said quietly for him to hear.

"I'm..." he licked his lips, which suddenly felt quite dry. "I'm not certain if I trust myself. Not right now." He took her in his arms, holding her close. "I don't want to tell you this - particularly not now, not when you've made me happier than I ever expected to be." He paused, and closed his eyes. "I do still have feelings for her. And centuries of practice and mental discipline aren't making them go away."

He held her tight for a moment. "I would - will - never do anything to hurt you, or to betray you. And as long as you can stand me, I'm yours." He sighed. "But it's hard - harder than I would have believed - to let go."

Tonks waited without speaking. The Meddler looked at him. "Tonks?"

"Yes, lord Robin?"

"Amend that order. Seal her chambers, and present my Lady the Dreamweaver with the keys." He held her tight again, and kissed her hair. "Hold them for me, until I can trust myself."

Tonks nodded, accepted the rest of the instructions, offered his congratulations, and left.

"What is custom to Time Lord weddings anyway?"

"I have no idea," he said, shrugging. "Oh, and have I ever mentioned that you're cute when you blush? If I haven't, I should have."

A pause. "As to our wedding customs? I have no idea." He smiled a small, embarrassed smile, and shrugged. "None whatsoever. I've never been to one. I think my Creche Aunts and Uncle were married, but you just didn't pry into personal affairs like that, back in the day. And the only couple I can think of that might have invited me to a wedding... well, they broke up." He frowned. "Were broken up." The frown faded, to be replaced by a smile. "So I guess we just get to make it up, unless something turns up in the library."

He set the controls, listened to the time rotor roar to life, and asked what she wanted to do to celebrate their engagement.

"Why don't you surprise me, Robin. I always love your surprises" She said with a gleam in her eyes.

"Well," he began with a matching gleam in his eye, "we could..."

A chiming sound came from the console, and his face turned both surprised and serious. "What..?"

He turned, moving around the console to a different station, and tapped the controls. "This can't be right. There's another TARDIS, one she doesn't recognize, on an approach vector. And it's hailing us..."

A flip of a switch, and a masculine voice was heard. "Unidentified TARDIS crew: by order of the Lord President and the High Council of Gallifrey, you are ordered to hold fast and submit to Law. You have charged with dereliction of your Duty to your Houses, your Families, and to the Protocols of History."

(OOC: They can be sappy again in a little while. For now, meta-plot!)

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

"I'm..." he licked his lips, which suddenly felt quite dry. "I'm not certain if I trust myself. Not right now." He took her in his arms, holding her close. "I don't want to tell you this - particularly not now, not when you've made me happier than I ever expected to be." He paused, and closed his eyes. "I do still have feelings for her. And centuries of practice and mental discipline aren't making them go away."

He held her tight for a moment. "I would - will - never do anything to hurt you, or to betray you. And as long as you can stand me, I'm yours." He sighed. "But it's hard - harder than I would have believed - to let go."

Robin's arms around her were comforting, warm and safe. She had placed her hand over his own, leaning her head back to rest against his shoulder, feeling his breath fan out over her cheek. She too, closed her eyes and let his words sink in. She took a moment, mulling over his words before she answered, slowly and tentatively.

"Even though I'm for the most part a Sidhe now, I have noticed I do not completely have their way of thinking. I'm still think I'm monogamous, even though I haven't tested that theory and am in no hurry to do so. For so long I believed most part of me to be human, that I would start growing old in five years and I would eventually die in perhaps another fifty to sixty years if I was lucky. I understand your feelings for her cannot be simply turned off and I understand that, even after centuries of practice. I'm not asking you to completely shut off contact with her if that isn't what you desire, but know I cannot stomach sharing you in this way." She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "I'm too selfish when it comes to your love. I want it all to myself" She said with a bit of a laugh, it sounded ridiculous but it's the way she felt. "I know we can both live for centuries to come, but if problems then arrive we will deal with them when the time comes. Let's just focus on this for now and not worry what the future may hold for us."

She gave him a kiss on the cheek after he amended his order and had the Specialist chambers sealed. She wasn't sure what she would do with that key, part of her wanted to throw it in one of the storage rooms and forget about it, but she knew that being selfish wasn't always the right thing.

"I'll keep it safe till you are sure."

So, the went on to weddings and she was honestly surprised that Robin had no idea at all on how the customs on Gallifrey were. But perhaps for the better, right now she wasn't sure she wanted anything to do with Gallifreyan society. No, she had a better idea

"Then, perhaps a simple Fae hand fastening will do. Nothing too grand. I loved ma's stories of when she married da in secrecy" She paused for a moment, the memory had gotten bitter with Xandaviers influence. But no matter, she gave Robin a smile.

Then, they were taken out of their happy bubble when a loud gong chimed through the TARDIS. The Cloister bell. Together with Robin her face blanched, she too immediately knew this was bad. Robin had taught her how to fly to a more advanced level by now.

"This can't be right. There's another TARDIS, one she doesn't recognize, on an approach vector. And it's hailing us..."

She took her place on the other side of the console naturally like they had done many times before, her eyes glowed for a moment as she connected to the gestalt itself. Her head tilted slightly.

"She doesn't recognise the TARDIS, it's not any of the others. It's a much newer model than the ones piloted by the current Time Lords we know. And it's fast."

Just then, a masculine voice came over the intercom.

"Unidentified TARDIS crew: by order of the Lord President and the High Council of Gallifrey, you are ordered to hold fast and submit to Law. You have charged with dereliction of your Duty to your Houses, your Families, and to the Protocols of History."

She looked straight over to Robin, the shock clear on her face.

"I thought you sealed off the Time War when you left. That or the Specialist is very effective in her methods. Want me to distract them?"

She was a Sidhe. She didn't need to be in the TARDIS anymore to travel through the Vortex. Not in her pure form anyway.

A slow smile spread on her face.

[The Meddler]

He held her close, listening as she spoke about the romances of the Sidhe and her own feelings.

"I'm not asking you to completely shut off contact with her if that isn't what you desire, but know I cannot stomach sharing you in this way." She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "I'm too selfish when it comes to your love. I want it all to myself" She said with a bit of a laugh, it sounded ridiculous but it's the way she felt.

"You have it," he murmured. "For as long as you want it."

"I know we can both live for centuries to come, but if problems then arrive we will deal with them when the time comes. Let's just focus on this for now and not worry what the future may hold for us."

He held her without speaking for another moment. Then he smiled his mad little smile. "Difficult to see," he said in a faux-old man's voice. "Always in motion is the future."

And then he kissed her with a resounding smack on the forehead, and then a little more seriously on the lips. "And if we don't like what the future may hold? Why then, my Dreamweaver, we can change it!"

Slowly, the conversation turned to wedding customs. She looked surprised when he mentioned that he knew nothing about his own civilization's ceremonies.

"Then, perhaps a simple Fae hand fastening will do. Nothing too grand. I loved ma's stories of when she married da in secrecy" She paused for a moment, the memory had gotten bitter with Xandaviers influence. But no matter, she gave Robin a smile.

"That could work. But we should probably not tell King Midhir until after the ceremony, then. Based on how excited he was to see us at our last visit, he'd probably want to turn it into a multi-Court event."

And then, the Cloister Bell activated. He raced to the console, and she took her place on the other side. Her eyes glowed for a moment as she connected to the gestalt itself. Her head tilted slightly.

"She doesn't recognise the TARDIS, it's not any of the others. It's a much newer model than the ones piloted by the current Time Lords we know. And it's fast."

He consulted the readouts. "Yeah. About 40% more acceleration than our TARDIS." He paused. "40% more acceleration than the recommended maximum for our TARDIS, anyway." Then he looked up, met her glowing eyes. "It bothers me that she doesn't recognize it, though. I updated her recognition database less than a month before the War ended."

He considered, then placed the palm of his left hand on the psionic circuits of the console. There was a brief sense of disorientation, and he found himself connected to the gestalt. Weakly - the throughput was slow - but he could sense the TARDIS mind and the Dreamweaver both in the gestalt, could join in creating a composite being that was greater than the sum of their individual parts.

::It is an unknown breed of sister:: the TARDIS stated.

::Arpexian design, though.:: the Meddler countered.

::What's going on, here?:: asked Éibhleann. Then there was a sense impression of realization. ::Oh, a Sharing.::

::No TARDIS of that type was ever bred/build/made,:: the TARDIS argued back.

::I know. It worries me/us,:: the gestalt as a whole said.

A voice came over the intercom, demanding their surrender.

She looked straight over to Robin, the shock clear on her face.

"I thought you sealed off the Time War when you left."

"I did!" the Meddler insisted. "Whatever that is, it's not from the Time War. Nothing like that was ever built - the 100-series and up were bigger and slower, and way more powerful." He looked at the screen again. "Not tiny city-sized speedsters."

"That or the Specialist is very effective in her methods."

He shook his head. "No. Even if they had the temporal signature of something from our future, no. They wouldn't look like that. They always reflect the breeditect House and pattern." He paused. "Even if they try to emulate the Arpexian designs, they won't look like that."

"Want me to distract them?"

He started to refuse, but both the TARDIS and Éibhleann immediately chided him in the gestalt. He sighed. "What do you have in mind?"

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

Sisi was taken back for a moment by how easily the Meddler connected to the gestalt this time. Her glowing green eyes looked up, her pupils hidden by the light, a look of surprise on her face. His kisses were still on her face, her lips slightly swollen and she slight blush still on her cheeks.

When his mind joined that of hers and the TARDIS fully she felt a jolt go through her, like a new component had been added into the mix. Robin's energy was nothing new to her but feeling him like this without the noise of the grandfather paradox was something new. She was taken back by how elder he actually felt, beneath the mischief and humour and arrogance was a man who had lived through centuries and had seen things that most could not even imagine to see.

But as always, she instinctively greeted him with love, just like the TARDIS did.

::What's going on, here?:: asked Éibhleann. Then there was a sense impression of realization. ::Oh, a Sharing.::

Sisi stilled, her face growing pale. She knew Robin talked to her mother through the ring, but never had she herself heard the woman again since that fateful day so many years ago. Perhaps it never occurred to her that it was that same voice that she still heard in her dreams, that voice which she had longed, even cried to hear when she was a teenager. She had just thought it was more a way of non verbal speaking, not actual language. She sucked in a shaking breath, tears gathering at her eyes.

::.. Ma..?::

She asked quietly, the question mirroring on her lips.

[[OOC: Let's have this short moment of of Sisi finally hearing her ma again before we race on to Sisi distracting the other TARDIS ]]

[The Meddler]

"Unidentified TARDIS crew: by order of the Lord President and the High Council of Gallifrey, you are ordered to hold fast and submit to Law. You have charged with dereliction of your Duty to your Houses, your Families, and to the Protocols of History."

Tonks hesitated for a moment, looking to the Lord and Lady of the Hall to learn their will. But they were in communion with the Goddess of the Hall, and such sacred meditations were not to be interrupted by angry words. But he was the majordomo of the Hall. Naturally, therefore, it fell to him to attend to the tasks that their Highnesses had neither time nor inclination for.

His stature had increased with his new position and duties and, by standing on his toes, he could reach the controls for the communications equipment. He worked a toggle, allowing for a response.

"Good sirs," he said, "I fear that Their Majesties the King and Queen of the Hall of the Wind of Change have not yet decided whether they will honor you by granting you an audience. It falls to me, therefore, to ask your names and ranks, and in whose name you speak, and by what right that entity claims the privilege of uttering threatening words against the Hall of the Wind of Change."

There was silence for a moment. Then the same voice came back over the communications equipment. "Who is this? What are you driveling on about?"

Tonks assumed an exaggerated air of wounded dignity. "I am Tonks, majordomo of the Hall. Now, I must insist on your name and your errand, before I trouble Their Majesties."

The voice on the other end sounded irritated. "Enough of this nonsense! Your vessel is ordered to hold fast and submit to Law, by the authority of the Lord President and the High Council of Gallifrey!"

Tonks ignored the demand for a solid minute. Then he toggled the switch. "Your request has been heard, and I shall convey it to Their Majesties at their earliest convenience. May I ask you to wait until such time as they deign to make their pleasure known?"

With that, he muted the incoming signal. No need to listen to them rant.

[The Meddler]

It was like coming home.

He'd really never understood that human saying before. But now, as his mind merged into the gestalt (slowly, but without searing agony), he got it. It was a return to something long lost, long forgotten, long sought after.

He felt the TARDIS mind wrap around his, a presence old as the stars, welcoming and comfortable, loving and rejoicing that her Meddler had returned to her. For a brief, timeless instant, he was overcome by her, unable to do more than feel her consciousness permeate his as the gestalt flowed together. He heard her say his name, and wept as he said hers.

And at the same instant he felt a second presence, young and quick and shining like lightning, reaching to him in wonder and surprise. He flinched as the golden flames of her mind danced around the periphery of his thoughts, afraid and ashamed of what he was and what she would see. But all he felt from her was love and acceptance, and the realization left him awestruck.

And at the same instant he felt a third presence, faint and confused, cool silver and moonlight and a sense of dim loss that faded into questions. ::What's going on, here?:: asked Éibhleann. Then there was a sense impression of realization. ::Oh, a Sharing.::

He could feel the Dreamweaver's (Sisilaya's) shock through the gestalt as she heard her mother's voice, and his eyes went wide as he realized/felt what he'd done to her, as he felt the confused mix of shock and grief and gladness (and yes, anger) emanating from her. He'd never had parents, only a Creche Uncle and two Creche Aunts, and he'd never realized how different the bond was until now.

Worse, he realized, he'd never told her that her mother was conscious within the ring. He'd hoped to spare her that thought, until he could find a way to free Éibhleann.

::.. Ma..?::

He could see the tears forming in her eyes. "Sisilaya," he whispered, "I didn't mean..."

::Hush, Robin,:: Éibhleann scolded gently. ::Hush for now.::

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

He could see the tears forming in her eyes. "Sisilaya," he whispered, "I didn't mean..."

But the Dreamweaver had no ears for his words, her presence completely focused on that of the energy Matrix that had joined the Gestalt with the meddler. Tears gathered in glowing eyes, tears as bright as silver as moonlight on her golden shining face. She sucked in a breath.

::Hush, Robin,:: Éibhleann scolded gently. ::Hush for now.::

Her mother.

The sound of her voice again made her body snap free of the shock and her being lunged itself into the presence that was her mother. She clung to the other woman like a lifeline, her own energy mingling with that of her mothers, Éibhleann coming to wrap around her daughter.

And for the first time in years, she openly allowed herself to weep as she was held by her mother. The pent up sorrow and frustration from the past years since her death coming out.

Eventually her energy changed, calmed and she looked, felt at the energy pattern that was her mother.

:: ..mama..:: She whispered softly.

Then, she finally looked at Robin, at first a mixture of hurt, then realisation and when she looked back at her mother she sighed and gave a soft smile.

She knew she would have torn the ring from his finger had she known that her mother was consciously in there and then they still would have been nowhere. With her looking in the Schism had come more then just intelligence, there came insight. She chuckled softly and kissed her mother on the cheek, closing her eyes as she filled her senses with the woman practically surrounding her. Then, she slyly looked over to Robin with a smile on her face.

::Mama, meet your future son in law. I believe you two have met ::

And she laughed.

[The Meddler]

She knew she would have torn the ring from his finger had she known that her mother was consciously in there and then they still would have been nowhere. With her looking in the Schism had come more then just intelligence, there came insight. She chuckled softly and kissed her mother on the cheek, closing her eyes as she filled her senses with the woman practically surrounding her. Then, she slyly looked over to Robin with a smile on her face.

::Mama, meet your future son in law. I believe you two have met ::

And she laughed.

Éibhleann's psychic presence gave the impression of looking from her daughter to the Meddler and back, and then of grinning slyly. ::Oh, a few times,:: she agreed. ::Four times,:: she added. The impression of a sly grin became almost predatory. ::Well, on four occasions.::

The Meddler's face flushed, orangish-red, almost pumpkin colored, and then flushed even darker as Éibhleann's merry laughter rang through the gestalt.

"Right," he said, stoically ignoring the laughter. "Dreamweaver? (Sisilaya? his mind echoed in the gestalt.) What did you have in mind to distract the other TARDIS?"