Sarah Jane looked up from her bowl.
Bob Brackman sat opposite her, delicately spooning the tomato soup into his mouth, his claws gripping the spoon with ease. The two of them were floundering in the painfully awkward silence, as they consumed their starters, with neither of them able to shake off Sarah Jane’s repulsive remarks. However, Sarah Jane had felt it necessary to cook dinner for Bob, to apologise, and to try and build bridges, after her previous actions.
Sarah Jane Smith was disgusted with herself. There was no hiding from that.
Everything she had prided herself on seemed to have gone out of the window, the minute Bob Brackman became involved. Everything the Doctor had taught her, those values of kindness that she had so treasured, had become futile. She had become hateful and prejudiced towards alien life. She had become the sort of person Sarah Jane had spent so many years trying to fight.
That was where the idea of the dinner had come from. Because she needed to fix herself, before she did anything else so despicable as the actions she had unleashed upon Bob Brackman.
“This isn’t me.”
Sarah Jane broke the awkward silence. It was a measly defence, but it was all she could think of. There was no defence for her actions towards Bob. She had behaved atrociously. “Not usually,” she added.
Bob sighed, and looked up from his soup. “It doesn’t matter, Sarah Jane”
Clearly, he was going to be very forgiving, and Sarah Jane was thankful for that. She did not deserve his forgiveness.
“I mean,” Bob continued. “It doesn’t matter whether it isn’t usually you.”
And suddenly, Sarah Jane felt gutted again. Rightfully so, too – she didn’t complain.
“Your hatred is a complex thing, and yet so simple,” Bob spoke again, and Sarah Jane was beginning to realise how wise Bob Brackman truly was. “You defend yourself, saying you are usually a good, kind person. When in fact, you are just defending yourself. Perhaps you are good and kind. But today you weren’t.”
Sarah Jane nodded. Perhaps Bob Brackman would teach her some important lessons. Perhaps, he would teach her young friends some important lessons too.
“Bob, I must ask you a favour.”
Bob looked at her, his big black eyes flickering as if to say that he owed her no favours. Sarah Jane continued, to reassure him.
“To make up for the failures of the past,” Sarah Jane wasn’t quite sure of the exact trajectory she was going – but she knew that this was important. “Teach us. Teach all of us.”
Bob smiled, then. He smiled a gleeful smile – finally, things were, perhaps, going to change.
“Well, Sarah Jane. It’s time for the revolution."
Bob Brackman sat opposite her, delicately spooning the tomato soup into his mouth, his claws gripping the spoon with ease. The two of them were floundering in the painfully awkward silence, as they consumed their starters, with neither of them able to shake off Sarah Jane’s repulsive remarks. However, Sarah Jane had felt it necessary to cook dinner for Bob, to apologise, and to try and build bridges, after her previous actions.
Sarah Jane Smith was disgusted with herself. There was no hiding from that.
Everything she had prided herself on seemed to have gone out of the window, the minute Bob Brackman became involved. Everything the Doctor had taught her, those values of kindness that she had so treasured, had become futile. She had become hateful and prejudiced towards alien life. She had become the sort of person Sarah Jane had spent so many years trying to fight.
That was where the idea of the dinner had come from. Because she needed to fix herself, before she did anything else so despicable as the actions she had unleashed upon Bob Brackman.
“This isn’t me.”
Sarah Jane broke the awkward silence. It was a measly defence, but it was all she could think of. There was no defence for her actions towards Bob. She had behaved atrociously. “Not usually,” she added.
Bob sighed, and looked up from his soup. “It doesn’t matter, Sarah Jane”
Clearly, he was going to be very forgiving, and Sarah Jane was thankful for that. She did not deserve his forgiveness.
“I mean,” Bob continued. “It doesn’t matter whether it isn’t usually you.”
And suddenly, Sarah Jane felt gutted again. Rightfully so, too – she didn’t complain.
“Your hatred is a complex thing, and yet so simple,” Bob spoke again, and Sarah Jane was beginning to realise how wise Bob Brackman truly was. “You defend yourself, saying you are usually a good, kind person. When in fact, you are just defending yourself. Perhaps you are good and kind. But today you weren’t.”
Sarah Jane nodded. Perhaps Bob Brackman would teach her some important lessons. Perhaps, he would teach her young friends some important lessons too.
“Bob, I must ask you a favour.”
Bob looked at her, his big black eyes flickering as if to say that he owed her no favours. Sarah Jane continued, to reassure him.
“To make up for the failures of the past,” Sarah Jane wasn’t quite sure of the exact trajectory she was going – but she knew that this was important. “Teach us. Teach all of us.”
Bob smiled, then. He smiled a gleeful smile – finally, things were, perhaps, going to change.
“Well, Sarah Jane. It’s time for the revolution."