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[coppelganger]

[ Sarah is sprawled out on the couch in her apartment, holding onto a beer, and the communicator seems to be set up on the coffee table. She takes a drink before she says anything, closing her eyes briefly, and then looks askance at the camera. ]

So has anyone else been having bloody weird dreams the past couple days?

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[puppydoctor]

You talk about it like you were the worst teenager in the history of the world.

[coppelganger]

Not the worst, but I was pretty awful.

[puppydoctor]

[Okay, he isn't even going to pretend to deny that.]

... Would you have actually slept with a guy my age?

[coppelganger]

[ She shifts away from him a little bit, uncomfortable with the question, but... she did send him that email, a while back, right? ]

Yeah, if I thought I could get something out of it. Money or drugs... anything.

[puppydoctor]

[He senses her discomfort, and mentally kicks himself. His intention was curiosity, not judgment, but it was still thoughtless. Shifting a bit, he rubs her back.]

I hope you don't have to again. Ever.

[In a perfect life, he would assure her of it. He would promise to look out for her, for as long as he could. But they're in purgatory, and Sarah is like lightning. She would never stay with him that long, even if this place wasn't going to tear them apart eventually. He doesn't get to keep her and protect her. That other life will take her back, the life that's put all that pain in her eyes, and she'll forget that this dumb, sappy doctor ever wanted to give her the entire world.]

It's only ever been your circumstances that were bad, Sarah. Not you.

[coppelganger]

My circumstances weren't that terrible, you know. My mum's a good person. We always had everything we needed. I was just...

[ She sighs. There aren't really the words to explain how she felt growing up—like she didn't belong anywhere, with anyone. How it made her want to abandon everybody before they left first, how she still feels like that at times. Finally she settles on, ] Angry.

[puppydoctor]

A lot of kids are, growing up that way. It's not fair.

[He presses a kiss to her forehead.]

But you're loved by so many people, now.

[coppelganger]

Yeah, I know. [ She can't help but laugh a little bit. ] I started out an orphan and now I'm pretty sure I hold some sort of record for having the most siblings.

[puppydoctor]

After the North American Bullfrog, who has about twenty-four thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine.

[coppelganger]

Oh, right. Can't forget the North American Bullfrog.

[puppydoctor]

[He gasps dramatically.]

How dare!

[But then he leans in to kiss her again.]