Lying in bed, Benny really, really wanted to sleep. But the nap earlier had been too long, and she was already feeling lonely again. The bed in her dark room seemed empty now. Every time she got close to nodding off, Bernice was shocked awake by anxiety that it all would end. It wasn't the breakdowns anymore, at least. But that wasn't to say that the interruptions were at all pleasant either. Dependency may just have been worse than pushing him away.
But she'd be seeing her son soon. Her universe would finally be back in her life, in some form or another. That was one thing to look forward to, to push through it all until the day finally came. Whether they'd go to Legion, or he'd let himself settle down at the Collection again was yet to be determined. She greatly hoped for the latter, but there was no judgement in the event that it wasn't.
She just kept thinking, trying to keep herself occupied- maybe get to a topic so dull that anything would be preferable. But then her communicator vibrated. Nothing else to do, she picked it up off the bedside table. Still drowsy and weak, Bernice narrowly avoided dropping it on her face. Accepting the call as audio-only so her situation of messy hair, slightly bruising face and eyebags wouldn't be broadcasted to the world for everyone to see, Benny yawned and stared off.
"...Yeah?" she mumbled.
A quiet, shy, and slightly high-pitched voice came up the receiver. "Pro-professor Summerfield? I- got your number from the website. Was it okay to call? It's Nikhedonia- Nix!" they shouted.
It took a minute for her to recognize the name, but when Bernice did, she couldn't help sighing slightly happily, despite her mild grumpiness. "Oh, you. I'm still so tired, that trip really took it out of me. But it's fine. Can't sleep."
They seemed embarrassed to be calling her like this- which was understandable to anyone with manners, at least. "Oh, oh- it's okay. I can call you later-" they stuttered.
Bernice rolled over and stretched a sore spot on her back. "You're already here. Might as well do it now."
"Are you back from your archaeology trip?" they asked, slightly concerned about her earlier answer.
Voice low, Benny clicked her tongue. "Yup. It went... decent enough. Not everything went as planned, but y'know. The finds were nice." She hummed quietly.
"A-amazing!" Nikhedonia squealed.
She huffed. "You could say so, I think. The... date was quite nice too... but I did get kidnapped briefly." She shifted in the bed and crinkled the sheets. There was still a lot to think over, really. Someone she once liked to call a friend betraying her, again. The best soup in her life. Martians. People. A rodent of unusual size. Attempted but failed scamming. Breaches of privacy. Interesting things happening in said privacy. None even remotely in that order. But still. It had been one hell of a trip, cut short or no.
"Are you ok?!" they squeaked.
Bernice brushed it off. All the madness was just her life, though, wasn't it? "Nah... It happens a lot. Don't worry about me."
"Oh, good!"
"I'm assuming this call is about your invitation?" she yawned again.
They got past their stammer and answered with real enthusiasm. "Uh huh, yeah. I- I do wanna come if I can, Professor Summerfield!"
"You're in luck, Nix. I'm... looking into the proper channels to get one for you, on academic grounds. Is there any information you need to give me?" Taking a datapad off of the table too, Bernice started scrolling through various forms and documents, before finding the right one.
"Um... that's a good question? Do you need my name and guardian? Maybe?" The concern and curiosity was... pleasant. They were definitely a nice kid, there was no question. Even in this haze, Benny could determine that much.
"If you're not a minor you don't need your guardian I don't think." She couldn't be positive, her mind was still foggy. Maybe tonight she would've been better off with a stiff drink. They were cheering her up though. "I...I'll send you the form directly."
In just seconds and a flick of the finger, all that information flew down the datalink at inconceivable speeds that were faster than light. It was almost too simple, not that she was complaining that things were easy when she was just barely conscious. It just... gave her thoughts about the skill actually required, or if it was just mindless paperwork.
They seemed uncertain about one part of things. "Oh, thanks. Is this it? The form thing? I'm... uh- eighty? But in Time Lord years. So, sixteen or seventeen to humans I think?
That she actually knew their species for sure now didn't even seem to sink in. But they'd need their guardian if they weren't of legal age, then. That was easy to answer, at least. "That's... good enough for now. Just- write their name on the consent stuff."
"Okay, I will. Thank you, Professor Summerfield!"
In what seemed like only seconds, but was probably actually several minutes with how murky her sense of time currently was, there was a ping back on her datapad. Picking it up, it was all the forms signed for already. Except for guardian consent, which could be given after these. Looking it over, everything else seemed to be in order.
Groaning into the communicator, Benny explained, "That's probably good enough. Get... whoever, this guy... Koschei's signature and that should mark you as eligible."
"Eeeeee! I- I can't wait!"
That made her smile faintly, fondness for children- technically older than her or not, overcoming her desire to get violently knocked out and finally enjoy the darkness for once. An idea crossed her mind. Not necessarily an easy idea, given their age being below eighteen in human years, but she offered it anyway. "Hmm... Do you just want to visit- or would you like to apply for the university?"
"There's a university?! I- I mean uh, I've always been home-schooled."
"Yes, when I'm not out and about, I teach there," she elaborated. There was something charming about them, she couldn't tell what. But whatever that thing was, it was drawing her like a moth to a flame. She still had most of her recommendation slots open. If she wanted a student who could meet the terms- she was getting that student. It wasn't a question.
"But if Kos- if the Master says I can, then yes! I would love to?! That would be so cool. Like- like a boarding school?"
"Uh huh. Like a boarding school." Still very drowsy and particularly intrigued, the name 'the Master' went straight through one ear and right back out the other. "There's a very limited number of spots, but next semester is coming up..." Bernice trailed off, taking a bit of time to stretch.
"Yes, yes- okay..."
She explained it to them the best that could be done at this hour. "You could live there or be part-time. We're very flexible, provided ya got the... y'know. Transport. But you said TARDIS last time. Think that'll cover it."
"...Lemme ask him. Sooo cool. I really wanna apply now."
While Nikhedonia couldn't see it, what she offered was a soft smile. Nostalgic, perhaps. Her first major pick as a professor at the Braxiatel Collection for well over fifteen years. Her first pick, not the other Benny's. It was her home, and it was her work, and it was her hobby. For so long the Collection had been her life. It wasn't those nearly as much anymore, but perhaps this was a chance to rebuild all that. One piece at a time.
"What can you learn? Is it all archaeology? Are there other teachers?" they chattered excitedly, a bit loud for the moment. But Benny wasn't one to damper enthusiasm. That already happened enough with... everything else.
But it did get a little attention. She didn't really know most of the current teachers. Their profiles were something she looked at, briefly- but that was it. "There's plenty of biology, engineering, historical, cultural, language, music, theatre, and art-related courses... Might have missed some there. There's quite a few other teachers and most are different types of aliens, so you'd get to meet all sorts," she listed.
"Ohhh-!" they fawned.
"I hope you at least get to visit. You seem like a lovely person to meet," she just beamed.
"I really hope so! I promise I'll behave."
Benny laughed at the idea. Really, it was quite difficult to be considered a problem here. Law was different, with it being a privately owned celestial body- so the rules were either simpler or more complicated, depending on who you were. And for students, suffice to say, it usually was the latter. "As long as you don't kill someone or steal anything, by our standards you're behaving. Things get interesting here," she joked.
They seemed shocked at the suggestion. "I would never!"
"Good." Bernice yawned. Scrolling through, she tapped away and sent all the other application forms for student entry. They'd have to come in quick- but with how fast Nikhedonia had been with the first one, she had complete faith that these could be taken to Braxiatel- likely within a week. "I... need to get some rest. Lesson planning, personal... stuff. Get those to me with your parent's permission and I'll- talk to Brax about your recommendation."
"Yeah, okay- bye!"
As soon as the call went dead, she violently landed on the pillow and immediately started snoring. It was going to be a long night, one way or another.
A notification hit Irving Braxiatel's inbox first thing in the morning- right as his office hours were starting, too. Whatever it was, it must have been sat on for a while to arrive precisely at the turn of the hour. Talk of a university application and form submissions for a research ticket by the looks of things, something someone must have already personally signed off on for it to come straight up to him. Scanning it over, he realized who and what exactly it was about. Eyes widening, a hand went up to his face partway through and he shook his head.
"Koschei? -Bernice, that is very much a bad idea..." he muttered to himself. Well, it wasn't her worst. Under his own rules, Brax couldn't just turn anyone down because of their parentage. That wasn't to say he wouldn't bend them, ever so slightly. He'd write terms, make it a little difficult, even with her push. Adding his own thoughts on the subject, that would need to be spoken about later. "If you're really so set on it, Benny..."
Braxiatel sighed.
This was going to be complicated.
An eerie wind blew, and whispers followed on the breeze. A sharp pain stabbed at his temples.
'Braxiatel... Brax-' but he cut the voices off.
"Not again. Not now!" he shouted, pounding a fist on the desk. The hidden stress of the last few days was becoming too much to bear, and finally making his mind buckle under the pressure.
This was the worst time to be vulnerable. It seemed like there was peace here, but that was always calm before the storm. Brax knew better than that. This Brax knew that.
He glanced at his exposed left wrist and ran a finger down it. There had been a long scar there, once upon a time. Braxiatel had decided to keep it- in the other world. As a reminder. As a lesson. To tell himself he'd moved on. To manipulate and garner sympathy. For himself. For the Collection. Just because it wasn't there anymore didn't mean he didn't feel it ghosting at him some days. The days when she was louder.
He wasn't that Braxiatel, was he? Was he?
Whether it really was him or not, nightmares still recounted the torture. The days without rest, without respite, without hope. His forced vulnerability, and the response of shutting everyone out or harming them so as to not seem fallible ever again. What it did to everyone and everything. It was all his fault.
He despised himself. He was a monster. Cruel and manipulative. A traitor. A murderer. And all that regret, and pain, and anger- was distilled inside the person he loved most. Some days she was a beacon of light. Others she was a reminder of what he did, was doing, or would do.
'You know you'll hurt her. It's not a question of if.' The voice was clear, and had perfect diction. She had the power today. He hadn't won.
"I will protect Bernice Summerfield from everyone. If it has to be done, that includes even myself!" he shouted at the air.
But he couldn't do that, could he? They were making each other codependent. If she did, indeed, actually love him, and that wasn't some horrible joke. Somehow. The lies that were piling up would kill him again one day. It was going to start over, eventually.
Bernice couldn't know how deep it really ran. Possibly ever.
'Lord Cardinal Irving Braxiatel- the world will fall down. You'll lose it all. Because of Bernice.'
"You can't tell the future. That is the one part of her you aren't. Inform me of the parts of the past I wish to bury in my waking moments again and I won't hesitate to tighten your chains," he threatened.
'You just aren't strong enough today. You had Benny all to yourself one time. Of all the things that could've started weakening you, I honestly didn't anticipate emotionally charged sex to be on that list. It's rather amusing, really.' It made something that resembled a laugh.
"I'm not weakening, creature. I never weaken. Not anymore." His eyes narrowed. Also, he'd be making a note of the other bit, even though it was most likely a lie.
While Brax was sitting here quite frequently, it was beginning to get odd why she would always be louder when he was at his desk. Intrigued at the thought, and trying to force his mind from her whispering to her bonds, he moved over to a different chair.
She was still there, but in tiny whispers. He furrowed his brow.
And when he came back, she was silent. Completely. The pain in his head was gone. And those memories seemed fainter now, more like the dreams they were supposed to be. The scars didn't ghost his body. The agony because of here and because of what he did was fading- being replaced by a certain melancholy. Homesickness. For Gallifrey. And for Legion, bizarrely enough. Immediately, he forgot about his thoughts on the desk.
But it was... a bit much.
The changes just happened sometimes. Not usually in mere minutes, but they occurred regularly enough. He thought back to the White Rabbit. Legion felt like only yesterday. Jack, and Ruth, and Peter, and Benny all being together. The two times he wound up dying there. Jana the Knife, Toothless Bob, the Brimstone Kid, land crows... The nostalgia was less of a wave and more of a violently hurled brick. Perhaps it was this talk of plans and people.
But most importantly, he finally felt that so many of those sins weren't his. Not really. Braxiatel learned from them, of course. But there was no reason to be wracked with guilt over something that never happened. All that effort had paid off.
And there was nothing wrong with accelerating the more innocent plans if it helped.
"I might as well..." he chuckled.
Moving one hand to the holocorder, he gave a half-smug, half-real grin.
It took little time at all for a self-described dashing and handsome Kadeptian to answer the phone. "Hello, Irving. Finally missed me enough to call me yourself, after all this time without each other?" He practically flirted. Not that it was anything other than teasing.
"No." Brax rolled his eyes.
But Jack cackled. "I'd be offended if I didn't know you were lying. You had a very good poker face once, you know. Learned from the best after all, didn't you?" he winked.
Brax pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine. Yes. I missed how annoying you were."
"It isn't half bad to see you myself, for my own reasons, see- I've been running this establishment myself without any compensa-" but Jack was immediately interrupted. Irving knew he was just trying to wind him up. It wasn't going to work this time.
"Hush. No, I'm not giving you back pay because you're currently the one with all of the White Rabbit's money. Jack, just be ready for one Roda to be coming to the pub on business. That is all. But- I suppose it was decent seeing you," he reluctantly replied.
"Alright. Farewell, Irving. We're busy and one of the bar droids is bust. Understaffed is a quite frankly rather generous statement," he quickly chattered.
Stopping the call from ending right away, Braxiatel raised an eyebrow. "Then why aren't you working?"
Jack seemed appalled at the very notion that he was lazy. Even though it was absolutely true. "Maybe because you called me?"
"I mean, you're in a- ...is that my room?" he stared indignantly. Where exactly Jack was finally clicked with him.
"Well, I couldn't just not give Diego one. So I just... shifted things," Jack admitted, pouting. His ears tilted down like a kitten's. That was really the only part of it that worked- on the 'cute' side of it, anyway.
Putting a hand to his face, Brax just waved him off. "Goodbye. I'll... be seeing you soon," he sighed as the holomeet ended.
Well, that certainly was one way to start the day.
