[ He is and always has been selfish. When she needed him most, more than anyone else in this world, he turned from her. And it wasn't even because of her, not really, but his own pain and grief. He ran from her rather than running towards her, rather than thinking of her needs.
That she's here at all searching for him is far more than he deserves. To the Doctor, he's already forgiven her, if only because there's nothing to forgive. The distance between them should have been bridged long ago, but he'd hidden himself further and further away. He might have gone completely, become as fuzzy as a dream, erased from all thought and memory.
Why — after everything — does she care about him?
It's not him, though, it's the world. The world needs him, but she doesn't. She couldn't possibly want him or count on him for anything at all, not after what he's done. Removing all emotion from this, forgetting how much it all aches, he's here to serve and nothing more. He answers those who call to him and no matter his own bitterness at all of it, he can't continue to hide from his purpose and promise to the stars themselves far beyond. ]
A duty of care.
[ This is, apparently, as much as he's going to say in response at the moment to all that she's said. At least he's...acknowledging and indirectly agreeing to what she's said?
He has (has always had) a duty of care. There is a function to be carried out by his existence here. This, he can agree to, if not entirely out loud. ]
no subject
That she's here at all searching for him is far more than he deserves. To the Doctor, he's already forgiven her, if only because there's nothing to forgive. The distance between them should have been bridged long ago, but he'd hidden himself further and further away. He might have gone completely, become as fuzzy as a dream, erased from all thought and memory.
Why — after everything — does she care about him?
It's not him, though, it's the world. The world needs him, but she doesn't. She couldn't possibly want him or count on him for anything at all, not after what he's done. Removing all emotion from this, forgetting how much it all aches, he's here to serve and nothing more. He answers those who call to him and no matter his own bitterness at all of it, he can't continue to hide from his purpose and promise to the stars themselves far beyond. ]
A duty of care.
[ This is, apparently, as much as he's going to say in response at the moment to all that she's said. At least he's...acknowledging and indirectly agreeing to what she's said?
He has (has always had) a duty of care. There is a function to be carried out by his existence here. This, he can agree to, if not entirely out loud. ]