Fic: Schrödinger’s Doctor (4/5)
Title: Schrödinger’s Doctor
Author: Gillian Taylor
Character/Pairing: Rose Tyler, Sarah Jane Smith, Jack Harkness, Tenth Doctor
Rating: PG
Summary: The Doctor’s real. He has to be. If he’s not, who’s out there facing the monsters?
Disclaimer: Don't own them. I just like playing with them...a lot.
A/N: Thanks, as always, to my fantastic beta wendymr. I apologise for the delay in getting this out. Taxes swallowed my soul for a few days. again. I'm going to try to get the last chapter posted on Monday at the latest.
Chapter 1: Missing | Chapter 2: Seeking Answers | Chapter 3: Entrapment
Chapter 4: Faith
Faith. It’s strong, it’s true and it never, ever falters. If there’s one thing and only one thing that she believes in, it’s him. The Doctor.
It occurs to her that everything that’s happened to her today - hard to believe it’s only been a day, when it feels like it’s been years - has had something to do with that faith. No. Not faith. Truth. She knew the Doctor existed. She knew Sarah Jane could help. Just as Sarah Jane and Jack knew they could trust and believe in her.
Oh, yes, knowing is a powerful thing, a living thing, and she knows that Skinner is lying. She can open the TARDIS. She’ll release the Doctor.
His death just isn’t an option.
“I don’t believe you,” she says firmly.
“Why would I lie?” he asks, twisting slightly in Jack’s grip so he can look at her. “I’m obviously at your mercy.” His lips stretch out into a grotesque parody of a smile, showcasing each and every one of his teeth.
“Why wouldn’t you lie?” Sarah Jane counters. “You don’t have anything to lose.”
“Then don’t open the TARDIS. Either way, I win,” Skinner says.
She grits her teeth and glances at the ceiling, trying to quell her annoyance. There’s a part of her - an admittedly large part - that wants nothing more than to wipe that look off Skinner’s face. Right. So he says that shutting off the machine and opening the TARDIS will kill the Doctor. Leaving the machine on and keeping the TARDIS there is as good as doing the same thing. He doesn’t exist now.
She wishes she knew how the planet has managed to survive without him. No. She doesn’t want to know. She’s better off not knowing. The universe she wants to know is the one that has him in it.
“What is that machine? What does it do? I know it’s taken ‘im out of time or somethin’, but how did it manage to rewrite history?” she asks.
Jack looks uncomfortable as he shifts his grip ever so slightly on Skinner’s neck. “Answer her,” Jack growls.
“No. Kill me if you like. It doesn’t matter to me.”
Her hands fist at her sides. Yes. It’s really, really tempting to do something particularly rash that involves her fist and the alien’s face.
“I only know what it might do,” Jack finally says, apparently deciding that Skinner isn’t going to talk.
“Better than nothing,” she responds.
“What do you know about Schrödinger’s cat?” Jack asks.
Oh, that’s familiar. Really familiar. They mentioned it on the telly once. Yes! She remembers now. “Isn’t that about the cat in a box that’s both alive an’ dead ‘cause you can’t see it?”
“Exactly. What Schrödinger was getting at is an aspect of quantum theory-”
“-which is why it’s called a Quantum Machine,” she finishes. “So, in this case, the cat’s the Doctor an’ the TARDIS is the box?”
“Sort of. What it means, or what I think it means, is that the universe doesn’t know the Doctor exists. He’s been removed from time and space. Opening the TARDIS will prove the Doctor’s existence. Right now, he both exists - because we believe he does - and doesn’t - because the universe and time don’t know him.”
Her head is really starting to hurt. “That doesn’t explain why Skinner’s insistin’ that opening the TARDIS is going to kill him.”
“According to Schrödinger, the cat’s life depends on whether a Geiger counter encounters a subatomic particle. If it does, the cat dies. If it doesn’t, the cat lives. The answer to that question cannot be found until the box is opened,” Sarah Jane says.
“So there’s some sort of subatomic particle in the TARDIS that might kill the Doctor?” She shakes her head and sighs. “No. That can’t be right. We can’t go on lettin’ this bloke make us second-guess ourselves. There’s nothing for it.”
Rose offers the others a half-smile as she moves away from them to stare at the Quantum Machine. “We’ve got to shut it down an’ open the TARDIS.”
There’s a part of him that wonders if they’re doing the right thing. Everything that he thinks about this machine is purely conjecture. Skinner hasn’t breathed a word for over half an hour now, no matter how much he tries to encourage the man to explain. Even aiming his Webley at the Yuridite - following a brief, yet futile attempt on the alien’s part to escape - failed to persuade a confession. Then again, Jack supposes that there’s only so far he can expect this whole situation to follow a cliché.
The villain doesn’t have to explain his entire plan, after all.
It just makes life a whole lot easier when he does.
He finally resorted to using a pair of handcuffs - “We can play with them later,” he told Rose and Sarah Jane when he first pulled them out. “Which of you ladies would like to go first?” - to tie Skinner to one of the work benches that line the wall once he made certain there was nothing there the Yuridite could use to escape. While he was busy dealing with Skinner, Sarah Jane relieved the goons of their weapons and managed to fashion a set of ropes from the men’s clothing to tie them securely to another work bench.
With the villain safely locked up, they turned to the machine. Rose is right. The only thing for it was to shut down the machine and open the TARDIS. It’s just that now, with time on his hands as he searches the mass of material for something that might resemble an ‘off’ button, he’s letting himself think too much.
There’ve been times, plenty of times, where he’s let himself wonder how his first reunion with the Doctor will go. Every time, they never seem to go well. There’s the one where the Doctor steps out of the TARDIS and he shoots him without even saying hello. In his darker moments, that’s a particular favourite. Or that one where the Doctor steps out of the TARDIS, he grabs him, they snog - and why is it that in his dreams, the Doctor’s always a fantastic kisser? - and then he kills him. Or that one where he sees the TARDIS and runs, not wanting to face the Doctor or his reaction to him.
Then there are his favourites. The ones that involve no killing. Instead, they involve apologies that start with ‘I didn’t know you were alive’. Or ‘If I’d known, I never would’ve left you.’ Or ‘I’m sorry.’ Then there’s snogging. And maybe more. He’s never been able to hold onto that particular dream long enough to get to the ‘more’ part of the story.
Rescuing him from a Yuridite’s desire to see quantum theory in action certainly isn’t one of those fantasies.
“I believe this is the shutoff switch,” Sarah Jane calls.
He shakes himself out of his musings to turn towards her. He can barely see her over the mass of metal and conduits that is the machine, but it does look like she’s found some sort of console.
“Go on, then,” Rose encourages from her position near the centre of the machine.
There’s a sound like a turbine cycling down to a stop. One by one the lights that dot the machine fade to darkness.
He joins Sarah Jane and Rose seconds later, helping them remove the thick bands of metal that secure the TARDIS in place. Once they’re gone, the ship looks as it always did. An anachronism that seems to strangely ‘fit’ no matter where it ends up.
However, the TARDIS seems strangely lifeless. No hum starts up as soon as the ship’s freed. Nothing to indicate that time has snapped back to normal.
“What now?” Rose asks, reaching out, yet not quite touching, towards the TARDIS. “’S not like we can just open her up an’ let the Doctor out.”
Right. No keys.
“There’s always a chance that he’s monitoring the situation and will be out presently,” Sarah Jane suggests.
Or there’s the chance Skinner was right. Realising that the bastard’s been suspiciously quiet during this entire affair, he moves away from the others to check on him. There’d been too much obstruction, not to mention too many distractions, to properly keep an eye on the bloke.
There. Skinner’s still trying to free himself, but it’s a good thing he pulled out his ‘special’ handcuffs. Deadlock seals are good for something, at least.
Reassured, he turns back around to find the TARDIS doors are swinging open. His breath catches in his throat and is it-?
The Doctor peers around the edge of the door and smiles. “Hello! Did you miss me?”
It’s him. Oh, god, it’s him and she can’t get her stupid feet to move like she wants them to. She can’t run to him, wrap her arms around him, and never, ever let him go. She’s rooted to this spot, simply drinking him in with her eyes and feeling like the weight of the world, the weight of remembering, has finally, finally lifted.
“Doctor,” she says. One word wrapped in desperate hope and longing and he’s opening his arms and somehow she materialises beside him and she’s wrapped in him.
His smell. The soft feel of fabric and him wrap around her in a soft echo of his hug. Those are his hands ghosting over her back in small circles as she clings to him desperately.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” he whispers, almost like it’s a joke.
And suddenly, remembering just where they are and how they got there, she pulls away and lets him have it. “What the hell did you think you were doing?” she asks, no, demands, as she pokes a finger into his chest. “Jus’ handing yourself over like that. My mum thought I was mad, Doctor! The only ones who even remembered you, let alone cared about what I said, were Sarah Jane an’ Jack and I didn’t even know Jack was alive until he appeared. “
He winces - winces! - and rubs the back of his neck. “Well, yes, erm… Sarah Jane! Lovely to see you again. And Jack! Wait…you said Jack was here?”
What?
She pulls back from his embrace and turns, realising that somehow Jack has disappeared. Oh, no. “Be right back,” she says and runs, trusting Sarah Jane to explain everything.
The door slams against the wall as she flings it open, desperately searching the semi-darkness for a hint of where Jack might’ve gone. “Jack!” she shouts.
Nothing. No answer. Surely he can’t have made it back to the ground floor. Deciding to err on the side of caution, she heads towards the stairwell and carefully descends. It’s a lot more difficult without the help of a torch, but her need to find Jack is stronger than any concern for her safety.
Why would he run, though? If that’s what this is, of course. It’s not like the Doctor’s not going to welcome him back with open arms. Or is it? Her memories flash back to the look on his face when he first saw her, the way he reacted when she mentioned she thought he was dead.
That’s got to be it. He blames the Doctor. And he doesn’t think he’d be welcome.
She hears the sound of his sonic blaster as soon as she reaches the ground floor. He’s letting himself out. If she doesn’t hurry, he’s going to lock her in and she’ll never be able to stop him.
“Jack!” She cries out his name, pushing open the door and running towards the building’s entrance.
His figure is cloaked in darkness, backlit by the streetlights outside. If only she could see his face.
“What’re you doing here, Rose?” he asks. “You should be back up there, with him.”
“Not without you,” she retorts. “Lost you once, didn’t I? Not gonna do it again.”
His laughter has a tinge of bitterness to it that breaks her heart. “How do you know? Seriously, Rose, how do you know what he’s going to do? He’s got you. That’s all he’s ever needed. He’s the one who lied to you, made you think I was dead. Hell, sometimes I wish he was right. But he’s also the one who left me behind. Had to. He brought me back, after all.”
“What?” He’s not even making sense. What the hell is he on about? Bringing him back - from what?
“I can’t die, Rose,” Jack says.
“Don’t be silly. Everyone dies,” she replies. “Even him.”
“Not me. Death just sort of passes me by. Dying and I are old friends, but not death.”
What? No, just, what? She shakes her head, taking a few steps forward so she can attempt to see his expression. Is he lying? No. What good would it do for him to lie? Why would he even bother? “That’s impossible.”
“That’s me. The impossible immortal,” Jack says and suddenly she can see him, lit up in the flash of lightning.
There’s no glint of humour in his face, no indication that he’s telling her anything other than the truth. “Oh, god, Jack. I-“
“Want to know how long I’ve been here? One hundred and forty years. Still lookin’ good, of course.” There’s a flash of his white teeth. “Enough about me. Go back, Rose. You don’t need me.”
What the hell is it with the men in her life assuming they know better than she does? First it’s the Doctor taking stupid chances and now it’s Jack. “Shouldn’t I be the one who decides that?” she asks. “You an’ the Doctor are always makin’ these decisions for me. Makin’ assumptions. I’ve had enough of that, got it? Now c’mon. We’re going back to talk to the Doctor.”
“Rose-“
She holds out her hand, praying that he’ll take it. “Please.”
He sighs and turns back towards the door. There’s another hum of energy and the door’s restored to its previous condition, with Jack firmly on the right side of the door. His fingers slip into hers and it’s strange how much it feels like a hollow victory.
Before they take one step, she tugs on his hand, pulling him closer so she can wrap her free arm around him in a half-hug. He returns her embrace, burying his face in her hair and releasing a shaky sigh.
Right. Best get moving. She pulls back slightly and murmurs, "Missed you, Jack."
"Me, too," he replies.
What if he’s right? What if the Doctor knew Jack was alive and made him this way? Immortal, he said. But how can he know what it’s like to die? It just doesn’t make sense. No. She can’t be the one who confronts the Doctor about this. That’s Jack’s right. All she has to do is be there to pick up the pieces after.
Whatever happens, she knows it won’t be pretty. Because, once Jack’s finished, it’ll be her turn.
The Doctor doesn’t like to admit to fear. Oh, he can feel it all right. There’s nothing like the handy burst of adrenaline that fear tends to bring as it’s entourage to add a bit of speed to your feet or a spring to your mental processes.
But right now? Oh, yes, that’s definitely fear that’s running through his veins. It’s actually rather tempting to pull a runner, but he’d be leaving Rose behind and he can’t and won’t do that. Not to her and most especially not with Sarah Jane watching.
He knew he’d have to face this particular sin at some time. But there’s a particularly whiny part of him that really would rather ‘some time’ happened a long time from now. Never would almost be preferred.
He runs his hand through his hair and sighs. Right. Nothing for it. He needs a distraction. Otherwise, he’s going to dwell and dwelling is never good. Well, he’ll admit that it’s also somewhat tempting to run after Rose, but that road leads to confrontation and he’d much rather be distracted.
So, distraction.
He turns towards Sarah Jane and gives her his best smile. “So-“ he starts, wanting to ask the inevitable ‘what happened’. Oh, he knows the salient points. Yuridites want to change the future and all that. But what he doesn’t know is how Rose managed to end up here with Sarah Jane and Jack in tow.
“What happened, Doctor? Skinner-“ She nods towards one of the walls and he finally notices that they do have company. Quite a bit of company, actually. And is that lot tied up with their clothes? “-told us that he lured you into the machine. I assume he threatened Rose?”
It’s a matter of reminding himself that he did want a diversion before he replies, “It was rather typical. Do this or the girl dies. Rather cliché now that I think about it. Very James Bond-ish, actually, without the fancy cars or a tuxedo.”
“Why did you trust him?”
He blinks. Oh, he expected something along the lines of ‘wasn’t there something else you could’ve tried?’ or maybe ‘did you try running away?’ But not that. “There was no choice,” he answers, though now he’s really starting to second-guess himself. Maybe there was another choice and he was too blinded by worry - fear, he corrects himself - to find it.
She leaves it at that and he’s rather grateful for the respite. “She’s quite clever, your Rose,” she says.
He opens his mouth to object and closes it a moment later. She is ‘his Rose’, after all. Just as Sarah Jane is ‘his Sarah Jane’. Or Jack…
He steers away from that thought immediately.
“Quite right, too,” he replies.
“Doctor,” someone says.
Strange. Sarah Jane’s lips never moved. So unless her voice has somehow deepened and she’s learned ventriloquism… oh. Oh, of course. He turns towards the source of that voice and what smile there was on his face immediately dissipates.
“Yuridite. Or, Skinner, as I hear.”
“Sk’nr,” the Yuridite corrects him, tugging at the handcuffs. Handcuffs? Ooh, he recognises the model. Deadlocked sealed. Must be a donation from one Captain Jack Harkness. “You should be dead.”
“Get that a lot, actually. You’d be amazed at how many times people just look at me and say ‘you should be dead’. I’d say I’m sorry to disappoint, but really I’m not.”
Sk’nr hisses. “The Quantum Machine failed. Why?”
“Sure you wouldn’t like to work that out on your own? Obvious this is a bit beyond you lot, after all. Yuridites aren’t well known for tampering with quantum laws,” he replies. “It’s possible you’re a genius, but I highly doubt it. You resorted to clichés to entrap me, after all. Cliches! Honestly, I’d expect better.”
“It worked, though.”
He waves his hand dismissively. “Lucky shot. Once in a lifetime, even. But now that little plot has failed, why don’t we discuss your future?”
“You cannot defeat me.”
“No?” He glances at Sarah Jane and winks. “Strange. Thought we just did. You’re the one chained to a work bench.”
“I have support.”
“They’re a bit tied up at the moment,” he says, looking at the men who were just beginning to stir from their positions secured to other work benches.
“Not them,” Sk’nr replies. “They’re only human.”
A shiver of unease runs down his spine. Sk’nr must’ve had help to build his Quantum Machine. It’s not unlikely that someone might come to assist him.
Right. Best to finish this up then.
Out of his peripheral vision, he sees Sarah Jane slip her hand into her bag and withdraw a mobile. “I’m contacting UNIT. They’ll sort this. Not to mention Torchwood for bringing him here.”
Well, that works too. Bit less messy that way as well. But Torchwood? Why is he familiar with that name?
It’s like trying to put together a puzzle full of mismatched pieces from different puzzle sets. The question he’s about to ask is masked over by a heavy rumbling noise. Like concrete dragging against concrete, almost.
The room is starting to shudder from the force of the sound. Bits and bobs crash to the floor in a cacophony of noise that’s only thickened by the ominous undertone that fills the air.
The door swings open, admitting Rose and Jack. Together, the two stagger closer and he has to hide a wince as every sense he has rebels at Jack’s nearness.
“An earthquake?” Rose asks.
“No,” he replies grimly. “Those are-“
“- The reverse thrusters on a spaceship,” Jack finishes.
Sk’nr’s backup has arrived.
***
Chapter 5: Backup
x-posted to: dark_aegis, better_with_3 & time_and_chips
Author: Gillian Taylor
Character/Pairing: Rose Tyler, Sarah Jane Smith, Jack Harkness, Tenth Doctor
Rating: PG
Summary: The Doctor’s real. He has to be. If he’s not, who’s out there facing the monsters?
Disclaimer: Don't own them. I just like playing with them...a lot.
A/N: Thanks, as always, to my fantastic beta wendymr. I apologise for the delay in getting this out. Taxes swallowed my soul for a few days. again. I'm going to try to get the last chapter posted on Monday at the latest.
Chapter 1: Missing | Chapter 2: Seeking Answers | Chapter 3: Entrapment
Chapter 4: Faith
Faith. It’s strong, it’s true and it never, ever falters. If there’s one thing and only one thing that she believes in, it’s him. The Doctor.
It occurs to her that everything that’s happened to her today - hard to believe it’s only been a day, when it feels like it’s been years - has had something to do with that faith. No. Not faith. Truth. She knew the Doctor existed. She knew Sarah Jane could help. Just as Sarah Jane and Jack knew they could trust and believe in her.
Oh, yes, knowing is a powerful thing, a living thing, and she knows that Skinner is lying. She can open the TARDIS. She’ll release the Doctor.
His death just isn’t an option.
“I don’t believe you,” she says firmly.
“Why would I lie?” he asks, twisting slightly in Jack’s grip so he can look at her. “I’m obviously at your mercy.” His lips stretch out into a grotesque parody of a smile, showcasing each and every one of his teeth.
“Why wouldn’t you lie?” Sarah Jane counters. “You don’t have anything to lose.”
“Then don’t open the TARDIS. Either way, I win,” Skinner says.
She grits her teeth and glances at the ceiling, trying to quell her annoyance. There’s a part of her - an admittedly large part - that wants nothing more than to wipe that look off Skinner’s face. Right. So he says that shutting off the machine and opening the TARDIS will kill the Doctor. Leaving the machine on and keeping the TARDIS there is as good as doing the same thing. He doesn’t exist now.
She wishes she knew how the planet has managed to survive without him. No. She doesn’t want to know. She’s better off not knowing. The universe she wants to know is the one that has him in it.
“What is that machine? What does it do? I know it’s taken ‘im out of time or somethin’, but how did it manage to rewrite history?” she asks.
Jack looks uncomfortable as he shifts his grip ever so slightly on Skinner’s neck. “Answer her,” Jack growls.
“No. Kill me if you like. It doesn’t matter to me.”
Her hands fist at her sides. Yes. It’s really, really tempting to do something particularly rash that involves her fist and the alien’s face.
“I only know what it might do,” Jack finally says, apparently deciding that Skinner isn’t going to talk.
“Better than nothing,” she responds.
“What do you know about Schrödinger’s cat?” Jack asks.
Oh, that’s familiar. Really familiar. They mentioned it on the telly once. Yes! She remembers now. “Isn’t that about the cat in a box that’s both alive an’ dead ‘cause you can’t see it?”
“Exactly. What Schrödinger was getting at is an aspect of quantum theory-”
“-which is why it’s called a Quantum Machine,” she finishes. “So, in this case, the cat’s the Doctor an’ the TARDIS is the box?”
“Sort of. What it means, or what I think it means, is that the universe doesn’t know the Doctor exists. He’s been removed from time and space. Opening the TARDIS will prove the Doctor’s existence. Right now, he both exists - because we believe he does - and doesn’t - because the universe and time don’t know him.”
Her head is really starting to hurt. “That doesn’t explain why Skinner’s insistin’ that opening the TARDIS is going to kill him.”
“According to Schrödinger, the cat’s life depends on whether a Geiger counter encounters a subatomic particle. If it does, the cat dies. If it doesn’t, the cat lives. The answer to that question cannot be found until the box is opened,” Sarah Jane says.
“So there’s some sort of subatomic particle in the TARDIS that might kill the Doctor?” She shakes her head and sighs. “No. That can’t be right. We can’t go on lettin’ this bloke make us second-guess ourselves. There’s nothing for it.”
Rose offers the others a half-smile as she moves away from them to stare at the Quantum Machine. “We’ve got to shut it down an’ open the TARDIS.”
There’s a part of him that wonders if they’re doing the right thing. Everything that he thinks about this machine is purely conjecture. Skinner hasn’t breathed a word for over half an hour now, no matter how much he tries to encourage the man to explain. Even aiming his Webley at the Yuridite - following a brief, yet futile attempt on the alien’s part to escape - failed to persuade a confession. Then again, Jack supposes that there’s only so far he can expect this whole situation to follow a cliché.
The villain doesn’t have to explain his entire plan, after all.
It just makes life a whole lot easier when he does.
He finally resorted to using a pair of handcuffs - “We can play with them later,” he told Rose and Sarah Jane when he first pulled them out. “Which of you ladies would like to go first?” - to tie Skinner to one of the work benches that line the wall once he made certain there was nothing there the Yuridite could use to escape. While he was busy dealing with Skinner, Sarah Jane relieved the goons of their weapons and managed to fashion a set of ropes from the men’s clothing to tie them securely to another work bench.
With the villain safely locked up, they turned to the machine. Rose is right. The only thing for it was to shut down the machine and open the TARDIS. It’s just that now, with time on his hands as he searches the mass of material for something that might resemble an ‘off’ button, he’s letting himself think too much.
There’ve been times, plenty of times, where he’s let himself wonder how his first reunion with the Doctor will go. Every time, they never seem to go well. There’s the one where the Doctor steps out of the TARDIS and he shoots him without even saying hello. In his darker moments, that’s a particular favourite. Or that one where the Doctor steps out of the TARDIS, he grabs him, they snog - and why is it that in his dreams, the Doctor’s always a fantastic kisser? - and then he kills him. Or that one where he sees the TARDIS and runs, not wanting to face the Doctor or his reaction to him.
Then there are his favourites. The ones that involve no killing. Instead, they involve apologies that start with ‘I didn’t know you were alive’. Or ‘If I’d known, I never would’ve left you.’ Or ‘I’m sorry.’ Then there’s snogging. And maybe more. He’s never been able to hold onto that particular dream long enough to get to the ‘more’ part of the story.
Rescuing him from a Yuridite’s desire to see quantum theory in action certainly isn’t one of those fantasies.
“I believe this is the shutoff switch,” Sarah Jane calls.
He shakes himself out of his musings to turn towards her. He can barely see her over the mass of metal and conduits that is the machine, but it does look like she’s found some sort of console.
“Go on, then,” Rose encourages from her position near the centre of the machine.
There’s a sound like a turbine cycling down to a stop. One by one the lights that dot the machine fade to darkness.
He joins Sarah Jane and Rose seconds later, helping them remove the thick bands of metal that secure the TARDIS in place. Once they’re gone, the ship looks as it always did. An anachronism that seems to strangely ‘fit’ no matter where it ends up.
However, the TARDIS seems strangely lifeless. No hum starts up as soon as the ship’s freed. Nothing to indicate that time has snapped back to normal.
“What now?” Rose asks, reaching out, yet not quite touching, towards the TARDIS. “’S not like we can just open her up an’ let the Doctor out.”
Right. No keys.
“There’s always a chance that he’s monitoring the situation and will be out presently,” Sarah Jane suggests.
Or there’s the chance Skinner was right. Realising that the bastard’s been suspiciously quiet during this entire affair, he moves away from the others to check on him. There’d been too much obstruction, not to mention too many distractions, to properly keep an eye on the bloke.
There. Skinner’s still trying to free himself, but it’s a good thing he pulled out his ‘special’ handcuffs. Deadlock seals are good for something, at least.
Reassured, he turns back around to find the TARDIS doors are swinging open. His breath catches in his throat and is it-?
The Doctor peers around the edge of the door and smiles. “Hello! Did you miss me?”
It’s him. Oh, god, it’s him and she can’t get her stupid feet to move like she wants them to. She can’t run to him, wrap her arms around him, and never, ever let him go. She’s rooted to this spot, simply drinking him in with her eyes and feeling like the weight of the world, the weight of remembering, has finally, finally lifted.
“Doctor,” she says. One word wrapped in desperate hope and longing and he’s opening his arms and somehow she materialises beside him and she’s wrapped in him.
His smell. The soft feel of fabric and him wrap around her in a soft echo of his hug. Those are his hands ghosting over her back in small circles as she clings to him desperately.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” he whispers, almost like it’s a joke.
And suddenly, remembering just where they are and how they got there, she pulls away and lets him have it. “What the hell did you think you were doing?” she asks, no, demands, as she pokes a finger into his chest. “Jus’ handing yourself over like that. My mum thought I was mad, Doctor! The only ones who even remembered you, let alone cared about what I said, were Sarah Jane an’ Jack and I didn’t even know Jack was alive until he appeared. “
He winces - winces! - and rubs the back of his neck. “Well, yes, erm… Sarah Jane! Lovely to see you again. And Jack! Wait…you said Jack was here?”
What?
She pulls back from his embrace and turns, realising that somehow Jack has disappeared. Oh, no. “Be right back,” she says and runs, trusting Sarah Jane to explain everything.
The door slams against the wall as she flings it open, desperately searching the semi-darkness for a hint of where Jack might’ve gone. “Jack!” she shouts.
Nothing. No answer. Surely he can’t have made it back to the ground floor. Deciding to err on the side of caution, she heads towards the stairwell and carefully descends. It’s a lot more difficult without the help of a torch, but her need to find Jack is stronger than any concern for her safety.
Why would he run, though? If that’s what this is, of course. It’s not like the Doctor’s not going to welcome him back with open arms. Or is it? Her memories flash back to the look on his face when he first saw her, the way he reacted when she mentioned she thought he was dead.
That’s got to be it. He blames the Doctor. And he doesn’t think he’d be welcome.
She hears the sound of his sonic blaster as soon as she reaches the ground floor. He’s letting himself out. If she doesn’t hurry, he’s going to lock her in and she’ll never be able to stop him.
“Jack!” She cries out his name, pushing open the door and running towards the building’s entrance.
His figure is cloaked in darkness, backlit by the streetlights outside. If only she could see his face.
“What’re you doing here, Rose?” he asks. “You should be back up there, with him.”
“Not without you,” she retorts. “Lost you once, didn’t I? Not gonna do it again.”
His laughter has a tinge of bitterness to it that breaks her heart. “How do you know? Seriously, Rose, how do you know what he’s going to do? He’s got you. That’s all he’s ever needed. He’s the one who lied to you, made you think I was dead. Hell, sometimes I wish he was right. But he’s also the one who left me behind. Had to. He brought me back, after all.”
“What?” He’s not even making sense. What the hell is he on about? Bringing him back - from what?
“I can’t die, Rose,” Jack says.
“Don’t be silly. Everyone dies,” she replies. “Even him.”
“Not me. Death just sort of passes me by. Dying and I are old friends, but not death.”
What? No, just, what? She shakes her head, taking a few steps forward so she can attempt to see his expression. Is he lying? No. What good would it do for him to lie? Why would he even bother? “That’s impossible.”
“That’s me. The impossible immortal,” Jack says and suddenly she can see him, lit up in the flash of lightning.
There’s no glint of humour in his face, no indication that he’s telling her anything other than the truth. “Oh, god, Jack. I-“
“Want to know how long I’ve been here? One hundred and forty years. Still lookin’ good, of course.” There’s a flash of his white teeth. “Enough about me. Go back, Rose. You don’t need me.”
What the hell is it with the men in her life assuming they know better than she does? First it’s the Doctor taking stupid chances and now it’s Jack. “Shouldn’t I be the one who decides that?” she asks. “You an’ the Doctor are always makin’ these decisions for me. Makin’ assumptions. I’ve had enough of that, got it? Now c’mon. We’re going back to talk to the Doctor.”
“Rose-“
She holds out her hand, praying that he’ll take it. “Please.”
He sighs and turns back towards the door. There’s another hum of energy and the door’s restored to its previous condition, with Jack firmly on the right side of the door. His fingers slip into hers and it’s strange how much it feels like a hollow victory.
Before they take one step, she tugs on his hand, pulling him closer so she can wrap her free arm around him in a half-hug. He returns her embrace, burying his face in her hair and releasing a shaky sigh.
Right. Best get moving. She pulls back slightly and murmurs, "Missed you, Jack."
"Me, too," he replies.
What if he’s right? What if the Doctor knew Jack was alive and made him this way? Immortal, he said. But how can he know what it’s like to die? It just doesn’t make sense. No. She can’t be the one who confronts the Doctor about this. That’s Jack’s right. All she has to do is be there to pick up the pieces after.
Whatever happens, she knows it won’t be pretty. Because, once Jack’s finished, it’ll be her turn.
The Doctor doesn’t like to admit to fear. Oh, he can feel it all right. There’s nothing like the handy burst of adrenaline that fear tends to bring as it’s entourage to add a bit of speed to your feet or a spring to your mental processes.
But right now? Oh, yes, that’s definitely fear that’s running through his veins. It’s actually rather tempting to pull a runner, but he’d be leaving Rose behind and he can’t and won’t do that. Not to her and most especially not with Sarah Jane watching.
He knew he’d have to face this particular sin at some time. But there’s a particularly whiny part of him that really would rather ‘some time’ happened a long time from now. Never would almost be preferred.
He runs his hand through his hair and sighs. Right. Nothing for it. He needs a distraction. Otherwise, he’s going to dwell and dwelling is never good. Well, he’ll admit that it’s also somewhat tempting to run after Rose, but that road leads to confrontation and he’d much rather be distracted.
So, distraction.
He turns towards Sarah Jane and gives her his best smile. “So-“ he starts, wanting to ask the inevitable ‘what happened’. Oh, he knows the salient points. Yuridites want to change the future and all that. But what he doesn’t know is how Rose managed to end up here with Sarah Jane and Jack in tow.
“What happened, Doctor? Skinner-“ She nods towards one of the walls and he finally notices that they do have company. Quite a bit of company, actually. And is that lot tied up with their clothes? “-told us that he lured you into the machine. I assume he threatened Rose?”
It’s a matter of reminding himself that he did want a diversion before he replies, “It was rather typical. Do this or the girl dies. Rather cliché now that I think about it. Very James Bond-ish, actually, without the fancy cars or a tuxedo.”
“Why did you trust him?”
He blinks. Oh, he expected something along the lines of ‘wasn’t there something else you could’ve tried?’ or maybe ‘did you try running away?’ But not that. “There was no choice,” he answers, though now he’s really starting to second-guess himself. Maybe there was another choice and he was too blinded by worry - fear, he corrects himself - to find it.
She leaves it at that and he’s rather grateful for the respite. “She’s quite clever, your Rose,” she says.
He opens his mouth to object and closes it a moment later. She is ‘his Rose’, after all. Just as Sarah Jane is ‘his Sarah Jane’. Or Jack…
He steers away from that thought immediately.
“Quite right, too,” he replies.
“Doctor,” someone says.
Strange. Sarah Jane’s lips never moved. So unless her voice has somehow deepened and she’s learned ventriloquism… oh. Oh, of course. He turns towards the source of that voice and what smile there was on his face immediately dissipates.
“Yuridite. Or, Skinner, as I hear.”
“Sk’nr,” the Yuridite corrects him, tugging at the handcuffs. Handcuffs? Ooh, he recognises the model. Deadlocked sealed. Must be a donation from one Captain Jack Harkness. “You should be dead.”
“Get that a lot, actually. You’d be amazed at how many times people just look at me and say ‘you should be dead’. I’d say I’m sorry to disappoint, but really I’m not.”
Sk’nr hisses. “The Quantum Machine failed. Why?”
“Sure you wouldn’t like to work that out on your own? Obvious this is a bit beyond you lot, after all. Yuridites aren’t well known for tampering with quantum laws,” he replies. “It’s possible you’re a genius, but I highly doubt it. You resorted to clichés to entrap me, after all. Cliches! Honestly, I’d expect better.”
“It worked, though.”
He waves his hand dismissively. “Lucky shot. Once in a lifetime, even. But now that little plot has failed, why don’t we discuss your future?”
“You cannot defeat me.”
“No?” He glances at Sarah Jane and winks. “Strange. Thought we just did. You’re the one chained to a work bench.”
“I have support.”
“They’re a bit tied up at the moment,” he says, looking at the men who were just beginning to stir from their positions secured to other work benches.
“Not them,” Sk’nr replies. “They’re only human.”
A shiver of unease runs down his spine. Sk’nr must’ve had help to build his Quantum Machine. It’s not unlikely that someone might come to assist him.
Right. Best to finish this up then.
Out of his peripheral vision, he sees Sarah Jane slip her hand into her bag and withdraw a mobile. “I’m contacting UNIT. They’ll sort this. Not to mention Torchwood for bringing him here.”
Well, that works too. Bit less messy that way as well. But Torchwood? Why is he familiar with that name?
It’s like trying to put together a puzzle full of mismatched pieces from different puzzle sets. The question he’s about to ask is masked over by a heavy rumbling noise. Like concrete dragging against concrete, almost.
The room is starting to shudder from the force of the sound. Bits and bobs crash to the floor in a cacophony of noise that’s only thickened by the ominous undertone that fills the air.
The door swings open, admitting Rose and Jack. Together, the two stagger closer and he has to hide a wince as every sense he has rebels at Jack’s nearness.
“An earthquake?” Rose asks.
“No,” he replies grimly. “Those are-“
“- The reverse thrusters on a spaceship,” Jack finishes.
Sk’nr’s backup has arrived.
***
Chapter 5: Backup
x-posted to: dark_aegis, better_with_3 & time_and_chips