Getting to Know You series Part Three
Third part in my series.
Takes place after Age of Steel. While Rose is at Jackie's, the Doctor decides to pay Jack another visit. The third in my Jack/Ten series.
Some Inconvenient Truths
It was already late in the evening when the TARDIS materialized in the storage room of Torchwood in Cardiff. Exhausted from their latest adventure in the parallel universe the Doctor sank back in the jump seat. He had wanted to get away from Jackie Tyler's inquiring questions as soon as possible and the only place he could think of was Cardiff. However, he didn't feel up to facing Captain Jack Harkness right now.
He ran his hand through his hair, making it stick up chaotically. Apart from their encounter with the Cybermen, the emotional issues during their stay in the other world had drained him. He hadn't been able to shield from Rose's pain at seeing her father alive while having to face her mother's death. What bothered him most was that Mickey had left them. He had to admit that he silently approved of the young man's decision, but now Rose was again alone with him on the TARDIS. His idea of giving her a companion didn't work out in the end and perhaps it had been bound to fail from the beginning. He knew that Mickey's accusations that the Doctor would always place Rose first had been correct. He couldn't deny his attachment to her and he hadn't been able to divide his attention between both of his companions. He should have done better if he really wanted to give the young man a reason to stay.
He sighed and took a deep breath, trying to regain some control on his emotions. Rose would need some time with Jackie to overcome the losses she had suffered in the parallel universe and he really needed a chat with a good friend. He was looking forward to meeting Jack. The Captain would just accept what he was willing to give and after the expectant eyes of Rose as well as the constant questioning of Jackie, the Doctor was looking forward to just sitting together with the other man.
Even the TARDIS seemed to have sensed his need and hadn't refused to land here. She still projected her disapproval but it was somehow muffled. Grateful for her cooperation, he stood up and stroked the console gently. Then he walked towards the door, briefly wondering why his friend hadn't made an appearance yet. He had thought that Jack's urge to see the TARDIS would drive him down instantly. However, somehow his friend hadn't come to greet him. Perhaps he was sensing that it wasn't what the Doctor wanted after the Time Lord had done everything to keep him away from the ship during his last two visits.
He opened the door and was met with the dark storage room. There was no trace of Jack, not even on the way upstairs. He took in the silent Hub. The lights were dimmed and still he couldn't sense the Captain being nearby. He briefly wondered if Jack was out hunting for aliens when he saw Owen Harper sitting at his computer with a frown on his face. He cleared his throat to announce his presence and made the medic jump slightly.
"Woah," Owen called out, "you could frighten a man to death with sneaking up on him like that, Doctor!" He pressed a button on his keyboard, apparently having finished with whatever he had been working on and stood up. "I shouldn't be surprised though. Jack did warn us that you might show up like that. I still don't understand how you're doing it but he claimed that your ship is able to land at any place in time and space you want it to."
The Doctor smiled to himself. He should have known that Jack would prepare his team for this. He walked over to the medic and shook his hand. "Well, I am sure he told you that I am a Time Lord and thus able to travel in time. The 'how' is a mystery for a reason. Can you imagine what would happen if other species found out how to do it? All that timey-wimey stuff happening. . . ."
Owen gave him a nod. "You don't work at Torchwood without gathering some knowledge about the dangers of time travel. Besides Jack seems to know a lot about it and gave us the rules."
The Doctor couldn't help feeling proud again. His former companion seemed to have done a good job in making this place secure.
The medic spoke up again, his tone all business. "Okay, let's get to it. It's been a week since you've been introduced to us and this was the last time we've seen you. As far as we are concerned there shouldn't be any disruption of your timeline."
The Doctor's eyes widened. Well, his friend had thought about everything then. He gave Owen a nod. "Thanks, that's quite a useful piece of information."
He saw a smile tugging at the corner of the medic's lips. "Yeah, Jack told us that it would be."
The Time Lord looked around. "Well, as much as I enjoy talking to you, would you mind telling me where the Captain is?"
He was surprised to see a shadow on Owen's face and suddenly he was anxious to see his friend. The other man looked toward Jack's office and swallowed briefly. "He's sleeping," he said and somehow the Doctor felt that there was more to it.
"Well, that's no reason for concern, is it?" he said and moved toward the office, assuming that the Captain would be found somewhere near it.
"It shouldn't be," Owen replied. "However, in his case it actually is. He's been sleeping a lot during the last few days and he seemed quite drained of energy. First I thought that he'd come down with the flu but his temperature is normal and there are no signs of any illness, just an unusual exhaustion."
The Doctor frowned, not able to answer to this. He didn't even know if the medic had an idea how special their leader actually was. He shouldn't even need much sleep with all the Artron energy inside him.
Owen's next words confirmed his suspicion that Jack hadn't shared the secret of his immortality with his team. "Look, we know little enough about him as it is. Sometimes as a medic I was wondering why he is able to keep on going and going without having to rest. I am sure that there is more to him than he wants us to be aware of. If my suspicion is right, you should know him a lot better. Perhaps you could have a look at the results of his blood analysis and work out what's wrong with him."
The Doctor followed Owen to his computer and tried to make sense of what the medic had told him. Jack hadn't explained to them why he was different, but how could he hide the fact that he was immortal? He really needed to ask his friend about it later. Well, that is if Jack would be up soon. He swallowed his uneasiness and concentrated on the screen. If something was wrong with the Captain, it would be his duty to help Owen figure it out.
"These," Owen opened a file and pointed a finger on the appearing numbers, "are the results of an older blood sample. You can see that they are above average. This is the blood of a very healthy thirty-year old male. Well, more than healthy really. He's practically bursting with energy. And here," he clicked on another file, "are the results of the sample I took yesterday. He refused to give me one, but as he was asleep most of the time, I had an opportunity. You see the difference? These are the average results of a much older man. I'd say this is the blood of a ninety-year old rather than Jack."
The Time Lord took a sharp breath and tried to contain his shock at what he was seeing. This had to do with the amount of Artron energy inside the Captain. The test results wouldn't show it, because it wasn't something that humans knew about but there was only one explanation for the change in Jack's blood. Something had drained him of his energy and his friend's body was beginning to shut down. The sharp pain he was sensing at the realization that Jack could be mortal surprised him. Shouldn't he be glad for his friend that his condition wasn't permanent? Hadn't he claimed that Jack's immortality was wrong? But now that he was faced with this loss, he realized he wasn't ready for it. Not after he had just been reunited with his friend, not after he had noticed how much he enjoyed the other's presence.
Jack slowly opened his eyes and tried to chase away the fog of sleep. It took him a few moments to realize that he was in his bed in the Hub. He was surprised that he seemed to have slept deeply, something he hadn't done since his resurrection on Satellite Five.
After what seemed like an eternity he was finally able to get up and he climbed the ladder to his office. He heard Owen talking and wondered who was with him. A brief glance toward his watch on the desk told him that it was deep in the night and the medic should be alone in the Hub. When he stepped out and saw the skinny man with his chaotic hair sitting at Owen's side, focusing on something on the computer screen, he felt his breath leaving him. 'The Doctor seems to make his visits a regular occurrence,' he thought to himself in awe.
The Time Lord seemed to contemplate something the medic had told him and Jack's heart went out to him at seeing the sadness in those big brown eyes. He coughed slightly to make his presence known and both men's heads jerked up at it. Instantly the Doctor jumped up and rushed over to him. To Jack's surprise the Time Lord didn't hesitate for a moment before hugging him tightly, almost crushing the air out of the Captain's lungs. What was wrong with his friend?
"You're all right," the Doctor whispered and the moment he let Jack go, he took out his sonic screwdriver. It was disconcerting to see the hectic scan the Time Lord performed on him and Jack frowned. Having finished his examination the Doctor gave him a satisfied smile. "In fact, you're more than all right. Everything back to normal." The brilliant smile on his friend's face was such a change to the worried look he had received before that Jack was anxious to know what had happened to make the Doctor behave in such an erratic way.
Owen was watching them with narrowed eyes as if not believing what he was seeing. Then he stood up and walked over to them. "You've been sleeping for eight hours," he said and Jack sensed the reproach in his words.
His medic had been worried too, and the Captain was shocked beyond measure at hearing how long he actually had been out. But before he could say something, the Doctor turned around and said, "Well, he is fine now. No need to worry any longer. Look at him, good old Jack, back to his energetic self." He grinned and looked toward the computer before continuing, "Would you mind making me a copy of those results? I'd really like to run them through the systems of my ship. Perhaps she will be able to shed some light onto what has happened to him."
Owen gave him a nod and moved back to his workplace and Jack raised his eyebrows when he realized that the medic must know something about his prolonged sleep beyond the obvious. He gave the Doctor an inquiring look and the Time Lord shook his head, indicating that he hadn't given any details about his condition. Relieved Jack moved to the couch in the Hub, feeling a bit dizzy from the things going on around here.
After Owen had given him a copy of his data, the Doctor walked over to Jack. He felt his friend's confusion and he had to admit that he himself was shaken from what had just happened. The realization that Jack was indeed vulnerable had hit him harder than it should and as always he was struggling when his emotions were stronger than his ability to think things through rationally.
"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" the Captain shook him out of his thoughts.
The Time Lord shifted uncomfortably. "I really don't know. I have to check it through with the TARDIS first."
Jack raised one eyebrow. "Well, then let's do it. Why are we still sitting here?"
The Doctor closed his eyes, trying to think of a suitable response. How should he explain that there was no way the TARDIS would let the Captain in? He didn't want to hurt him, but apparently there was no way of delaying this any longer. He opened his mouth to begin an explanation when he was saved from the loud beeping of the alarm sounding through the Hub.
Suddenly Owen and Jack were all business and the Time Lord couldn't help but admiring the Captain's ability to shove away his emotions to do his job. After a few moments the location of the disturbance was determined and Jack turned around to him. "It's a Weevil attack. I have to go and take it in," he said and his eyes showed his sorrow at not being able to stay.
The Doctor gave him a nod and his facial expression changed into anticipation. This was what he was comfortable with. A riddle to solve, the Earth to save. . . . He rushed at the Captain's side and said, "Well, I have no idea what exactly a Weevil is and what you need to do. But I am going with you."
Jack shook his head. "No, Doctor, I know what I am doing. This is nothing special, just the usual drill. I don't want you anywhere near it."
Was that protectiveness in Jack's eyes? He gave the Captain a snort and raised his eyebrows. "Protecting me, Captain? Well, you of all people should know that there is no way of stopping me if I have already decided what I'm going to do."
Jack gave him an exasperated look, but apparently he realized that he couldn't defy him because he nodded briefly in acceptance. The Doctor followed him to the platform of the invisible lift, glad that any awkward conversations would have to wait until the crisis was averted.
It wasn't difficult to find the Weevil and Jack was relieved about it. This one seemed to be especially aggressive and he didn't want to chase it through the streets of Cardiff. He presumed that the Doctor wouldn't approve of using retcon on the passers-by. Slowly he approached the creature, aware of the Time Lord being close behind him. He took out the sedative and just wanted to use it, when the Doctor's hand closed on his.
"What are you doing?" the Time Lord whispered and Jack rolled his eyes. He should have known that things wouldn't go as smoothly with his alien friend at his side.
"It's just a sedative to calm it down," he explained and was met with raised eyebrows.
"And after you have calmed it down? What then?"
"We take it into the Hub. It's not the first Weevil we keep there, Doctor. I know what I'm doing," he replied, his exasperation evident in his voice.
The disgusted expression on the Doctor's face showed exactly what the Time Lord was thinking about this plan. "You keep them locked up?" he asked incredulously. "How many of these poor creatures have you already collected?"
Jack was growing nervous. The Weevil was coming closer and he knew what it would do the moment it realized that they were near. "Listen, Doctor, we don't have time for this. This Weevil is a threat to the people in Cardiff and I won't waste time in trying to communicate with it."
This version of the Doctor was even more able to show his disapproval than the one Jack had met in 1941 and Jack cringed at the look full of determination he received from him. "Oh, I'm beginning to understand what Torchwood is doing here," the Time Lord said with an icy tone. "Fighting alien threats at all cost, defending the human race without regard to the invaders. Is that it?"
Jack was getting annoyed. "Don't get difficult, Doctor," he drew out through clenched teeth. "If you want to discuss Torchwood ethics, what about we'll do that after having disposed of the immediate threat. I won't do it any harm. We'll take it to the Hub and I am happy to let you try any form of communication you can think of after we are safe and sound."
In this moment the Weevil must have caught up on their scent and suddenly it began its attack. It wasn't interested in Jack though. In a sudden motion it sprang toward the Time Lord and drove him to the ground. Its teeth flashed in the light of the street lantern nearby and the Captain fought against the panic creeping up his spine. 'No, please,' he prayed and pressed the button on the spray with the sedative. It didn't work as it should and he desperately tried to draw away the Weevil's attention from the Time Lord.
"Hey," he shouted, not a moment too soon, as the Weevil was about to bite. His commanding voice had distracted it enough and the next moment its attention shifted toward Jack, who once again tried the spray. With a blow to his hand the Weevil disposed of it though and it made a leap forward shoving the Captain to the ground.
He prepared himself for another painful death while he struggled with it, glad that it would be him and not his friend. The Weevil was overpowering him fast and he saw its mouth opening. Closing his eyes he awaited the inevitable when the creature suddenly calmed down and let him loose. Bewildered he slowly got up and looked at the picture before him.
The Weevil was sitting on the ground, silently whimpering while the Doctor had his fingers on its temples. "Hush," the Time Lord was saying. "I got you. Just calm down." When the creature was looking up, its eyes were shimmering with grief and Jack swallowed against the lump forming in his throat at seeing the pain in them. Then the Doctor shifted to the Weevil's front, not letting his connection with it go.
"Now," he whispered. "I will help you. Just breathe slowly. I can't let you hurt my friend, you know. But you don't want to do that, do you?"
The Weevil was silent now and the Time Lord stood up taking its hand. Then he looked toward Jack. "It's agreed to come with us for now. Let's get back to the Hub."
The Captain couldn't believe his eyes. The creature stood at his friend's side, every trace of defiance disappeared from its eyes. Not ready to take any risk, he contemplated taking out the restrains but realized that the Doctor wouldn't let him use them. He gave a slow nod and led them toward the SUV. Discussions would have to wait until they got back to the Hub.
Back in the Hub Jack had briefly explained the situation to a bewildered Owen and then had led the Weevil and the Doctor down to the cells. After a heated discussion about Torchwood locking up aliens in a disgusting way, they had gone to work. The Doctor was trying to contain his anger and began to communicate with all the Weevils contained in the cells. As the creatures were connected through a telepathic field, he used his Weevil to accomplish that. After a few moments he had all the answers he needed and looked up at the Captain.
Jack was standing above them, his arms crossed over his chest and the Time Lord almost had to smile at the defiant posture. His fury had dissipated the moment the Weevils had shared with him what they had done to get attention. Jack hadn't done anything wrong. In their despair they had lashed out and attacked humans. Torchwood didn't have the means to communicate on a telepathic level and the only solution was to contain the aggressive Weevils. However, hidden behind the defiance in Jack's stance the Doctor could feel the Captain's insecurity and the desperate need to get the Time Lord's approval.
He stood up, reassuring the Weevils one more time. "Let's go upstairs," he said softly and Jack followed him without protest. When they arrived in his office, the Captain closed the doors after giving Owen a short order to alert him in case of an emergency.
The Doctor sat down at the desk, taking the TARDIS coral into his hand and caressing it gently.
"Well," Jack began, his tone still defiant.
The Time Lord looked up. "They are lost. They come through the Rift without knowing where they are and as they are very social beings they try to find other Weevils to connect with. They need the telepathic field to survive, and to maintain it they have to be together, which explains why they die eventually after you lock them up separated from each other."
Jack opened his mouth to protest, but the Doctor held up his hand to prevent him from doing so. "I know that you thought you didn't have a choice. I am not telling you that you did something wrong here. I just want to find a solution to help them. Obviously we can't get them back to their planet which leaves us with the problem of how to treat them here."
Jack frowned. "You could take them back, couldn't you? You've done it before."
The Doctor heaved a deep sigh. "I could do that, but I am not here all the time and there is a reason why they come into this world. Their planet seems to be contaminated. Fleeing through the Rift seems to be a solution for them to survive. They are refugees. We need to find a solution on Earth until I've found another planet for them to live on."
Jack's eyes went distant then he took a deep breath. "You mean they need to stay here for now and they have to be together. Can you guarantee that they won't pose a threat then?"
The Doctor smiled at the Captain's reaction. His assumption that the aggressive behavior he had witnessed before was due to the fact that Jack was craving his approval more than anything had been right. His friend couldn't stand the thought of disappointing him. He gave him a slow nod. "They need a place to stay. It should be an enclosed space as they will act aggressively the moment they feel another of their species alone out there. But if you keep them, let's say, on an island. They should be fine."
He saw the Captain flinch at that and asked himself what he had said to provoke such a reaction. Then Jack seemed to regain his composure. "I think I have a solution then. We need to prepare a few things but we could keep them in the basement locked together for the meantime. Is there any possibility that they will be able to sustain themselves? Or do I have to employ someone to feed them?"
The Time Lord briefly considered this. "I think a natural environment should be sufficient. I am sure they can live on their own until I've found another refuge for them."
"And what about the ones who come through the Rift. Am I still allowed to sedate them and bring them there?" Jack asked, his voice slightly sarcastic.
The Doctor couldn't blame him. He knew that he tended to react judgmental sometimes and in this case it had been unjustified. He just had problems occasionally to accept the fact that not everyone had the same means of communication as he had. How much easier would life be if humans could pick up on telepathic communications? Well, eventually they would. He was even sure that Jack had received some kind of mental training at the Time Agency, but now was not the time to discuss this.
"The sedative you're using is hurting them. That's the reason why they act the way they do. I am going to give you something more suitable. Then you can bring them wherever you're planning to keep them," he answered Jack's question, trying to sound neutral. He couldn't blame Torchwood for using what they had to their disposal.
Jack gave him a grateful nod. "Thanks Doctor, that will help us tremendously. Honestly, I didn't like locking them up like we did either. And. . . well, I expected you to make a bigger fuss about it."
The Time Lord thought about how arrogant he must have sounded back out there and somehow he felt bad about having reacted like he had. He really had to learn being more understanding of the limitations Jack was struggling with. "You do what you can do here, Jack," he said and his eyes softened. "I sometimes forget what is possible in this century."
Silence fell between them and the Doctor knew that his friend was taking in his almost apology. It didn't cease to amaze him to see how important his approval still was for the Captain. The other man had struggled through a whole century and more just to meet him again and instead of punishing the Doctor for his betrayal, he was trying to prove that he was a changed man at every step of the way. More so, he even claimed that it had been the encounter with the Tine Lord that had made him a better man. It was such a proof of loyalty that the Doctor felt humbled about it.
After the issue of the Weevils was solved, the Doctor had begun examining a few items in the storage room, babbling constantly about the carelessness of the Torchwood team. However, Jack noticed that the sharpness in his voice had vanished and was replaced by a slight humor. Somehow the Time Lord's attitude toward him had changed, instead of scolding him, he was trying to be supportive, offering solutions to keep him and his team from harm. It filled Jack with warmth and he began to enjoy going over the alien tech with his friend. It reminded him of the days he had spent with the Doctor's former self repairing the TARDIS and somehow he had the feeling that the Time Lord was enjoying it, too.
However, there were still uncomfortable issues to discuss. So, after an hour of going through stuff, the Captain sat down on a chair and looked toward his friend, who was scanning something with his sonic screwdriver. "Are you going to tell me what brought you here this time?" he asked, trying to hide his anxiety. He knew that the Time Lord didn't like to talk about his motives. But in the end that was the reason why he kept on visiting, wasn't it? Jack seemed to be the only one the Doctor was able to share his thoughts with.
The Time Lord stopped in his move and heaved a deep sigh. "Rose needs some time to get back on track. We lost Mickey on our last trip."
Jack inhaled sharply at that and was barely able to respond, "You mean. . . .?"
The Doctor looked up and his eyes widened. "No, no. We ended up in a parallel universe," he hurried to explain. "Don't ask me how that happened. It shouldn't be possible but suddenly the TARDIS crashed and we were in another world. A very similar world but definitely parallel. He decided to stay. He has lost his grandmother, you know. She was still alive over there and he was determined to stay with her."
Jack nodded in understanding. "He loved her and he always blamed himself that he hadn't spent more time with her. I understand why he would choose to remain in a world where she is still alive," he said with a sad voice.
The Doctor looked at him bewildered. "You knew? How?"
"Well, he told me," the Captain responded. "I can't believe you didn't know that. It was so important to him. He told me about it during our second conversation when he visited us in Cardiff."
The Time Lord walked over to Jack and sat down across from him. His glance was defeated and the Captain's heart went out to him. "Doctor?" he asked softly.
"I really need to talk more with my companions," the Time Lord said, his voice painfully quiet. Then he shook himself and looked up again. "Anyway, this trip was very exciting for all of us. You know, parallel world, gingerbread house. . . Rose met her father, who was still alive and very successful and Mickey, well as I said. . . Between all these emotions we had to fight the Cybermen. It was quite the adventure, I can tell you. In the end we succeeded. Well, at least for now. I am sure Mickey will do his part in eventually defeating them. We left and I took Rose home to see her mother, who had died in the parallel universe. She really needed to see that she was well. I didn't feel comfortable staying there and here I am. . . ."
Jack tried to take in the sheer amount of information the Doctor was dumping on him and he couldn't help but smile at the ramble. As always the essential information was hidden behind the babbling and with his brows raised, the Captain said, "So, it didn't work out then." At the Time Lord's questioning glance he elaborated, "You told me that you wanted Rose to have another human companion. That didn't work out it in the end, did it?"
The Doctor shook his head. "No, it didn't. Well, to be honest it was doomed to fail from the start. Not only because I didn't take the time to get to know Mickey, but also because she seemed to refuse his presence in the TARDIS. It had been different with you. She was eager to take you in. She loved your company as much as she loved mine."
Jack gave him a mischievous smile. "Well Doctor, could have told you that I am not that easily replaced." Then he grew serious again. "What are you going to do now?"
"No point in trying it again," the Doctor replied matter-of-factly. "I don't think she can bare another loss. Maybe. . . ." his voice trailed off and the Captain was holding his breath. He could have sworn that the Doctor was suggesting him to join them in the TARDIS, but after a short silence the moment was passed and his friend looked up with a forced smile on his face.
He shifted uncomfortably, knowing that the Time Lord wouldn't explain his hesitation. Trying to lighten the mood he moved on, "Well, Doctor, are you going to tell me what you hope to find in the results of my blood samples then?"
If he had thought that changing the subject would make his friend more comfortable, he had been wrong. The Time Lord almost paled at the question and shifted nervously on his chair. Then he took a deep breath before another faked smile appeared in his face. "I just want to make sure that you're okay, nothing more. Somehow you have been drained of energy over the last few days and I'd really like to know what has caused this."
Jack felt that the Doctor didn't want to share more and in any other case he would have accepted it without question but something in the Time Lord's voice told him that this was important. He couldn't let this pass. "You're talking about me, Doctor," he said, his tone unusually stern as far as his conversations with his friend were concerned. "Do you really except me to watch you leave with the results of my blood samples without having a clue what you're looking for?"
The Doctor raised his eyebrows. "There used to be a time when you would have trusted me enough without demanding an explanation." His voice was arrogant now and Jack knew that it was his way of hiding his uneasiness.
However, the words had stirred something in the Captain. He felt the deep hidden anger within himself bubbling to the surface and with a great amount of self-restraint he responded through clenched teeth, "That was before you left me on a forsaken Satellite to deal with a sudden case of immortality."
The Time Lord flinched at his tone. Then he heaved a deep sigh. "I deserved that. You have no reason anymore to put your trust in me." Jack was almost sorry when he saw the pain in the Doctor's big brown eyes. "To be honest, I thought that what happened with you might give me a clue as to how to help you with your request. If it is possible to drain you of the energy that keeps you alive, there could be a way for you to die. I don't want to let this pass without examination. The least I can do for you is to offer you a choice."
Now the Captain felt really bad, his anger having disappeared completely. He gave the Doctor a nod. "I'd like to help you with that," he said, trying to correct his mistake.
The Time Lord smiled sadly back at him. "I'd really love to accept your help but it just isn't possible, Jack," he responded and the Captain could see that he was struggling with his next words. "I didn't want to tell you before. You've been disappointed enough when it comes to me and I didn't want to add another painful truth to all of this. However, I'd really love to come back more often and it is bound to become awkward without you knowing this."
Jack held his breath, seeing the master of words fighting to form the next sentence was giving him shivers. What was it that the Time Lord was trying to say?
"To examine your results I need the TARDIS and she won't welcome you back, Jack. She even tries to prevent me from coming here. Her instincts are so much stronger than mine and from the moment Rose changed you, she ran away from you."
It hurt and Jack understood why the Doctor hadn't wanted him to know the truth. If there was one thing that the Captain had missed even more than his travels with the Doctor over the years it was this beautiful ship. He had always shared a special connection with her and he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You mean, it wasn't you who ran away but the TARDIS?" he asked, trying to swallow against the lump forming in his throat. Then he nodded in understanding, everything falling into place. "That's the reason why you didn't want me to travel with you. You've been trying to keep me away from here ever since you've landed here for the first time."
"I'm so sorry, Jack," the Time Lord said with his eyes full of compassion. "I know what she means to you and I would love to have you back with me and Rose. But she wouldn't allow it. I've even tried to argue with her about it and maybe someday she'll come around. She wants to see me happy, so perhaps that's the key to change her attitude toward you. But at the moment you can't enter her. So, you need to trust me with this. I promise to do what I can to find a solution for this." He inhaled once more, apparently relieved to have finally shared this. Then his expression changed again, the sadness disappeared. "Think about it. If I am able to find out what drained you, you would also know what to avoid to stay alive."
Jack gave him a bewildered glance. "Are you suggesting that you would prefer that?"
The Doctor looked toward the floor, avoiding Jack's eyes. "Well, to be honest I would really miss you. I would certainly accept your decision if you chose to die but somehow it's a relief to know that you are here, a fixed point, something constant. Someone who will be here even after everyone else is gone. . . ."
Even with the pain of the Time Lord's revelation about the TARDIS still fresh, Jack couldn't fight the bright smile at what he was hearing now. "Well, you should find out what would be able to kill me then. It wouldn't do for you to come back one day only to realize that I'm suddenly disappeared."
He was looking forward to having a choice but he knew that this choice had already been made the moment the Doctor had admitted how important Jack's presence had become for him.
The Doctor decided to stay for one more day and he helped the Torchwood team with even more of their alien tech they had stored. After the conversation in the storage room he avoided any more uncomfortable issues and he and Jack slipped into a comfortable companionship which soothed the Time Lord's mind. He helped Tosh with a few projects, carefully trying not to move Torchwood way ahead of their time but realizing that they needed some technology to protect themselves and Cardiff.
They spent the next evening sharing a bottle of single malt whiskey and the Time Lord began to relax more and more around the Captain. He talked about the adventures he had had since Satellite Five and was eager to learn more about the things Jack had seen since he had joined Torchwood. He had been surprised to hear that the Captain had been part of this organization for so long but looking at him now, it was the obvious thing to do. He would have been forced to change his employer quite often, had he not stayed with people who were able to accept his immortality even if they couldn't explain it. Additional to that Torchwood was lucky to have someone like Jack Harkness, who knew more about the universe than any other human in this century.
They laughed and made jokes and as the evening proceeded, the Doctor realized with bewilderment that he was slightly intoxicated, something that hadn't happened to him in years. He didn't mind though because he had to admit that for the first time since the Time War he felt relaxed enough to let go. For the first time he felt safe enough to just enjoy another's company without having to be on guard.
When it was time to leave the next morning he was almost sad to go and when he locked eyes with the Captain, he saw his feelings reflected in his friend's gaze. It was a relief that Jack understood the reason why the Doctor didn't ask him to join them now but at the same time it made both of them sad, knowing that the solution for the situation was out of their hands. They depended completely on the TARDIS and at this moment the Time Lord wished more than ever that his ship would come around soon.
When he took the Captain's hand in his, he smiled. "I owe you one more answer, Jack," he said.
His friend's eyes widened slightly and the Doctor knew that he had awaited this but hadn't dared to ask.
"I thought about your request a lot during our stay in the parallel universe and I came to the conclusion that I need to tell Rose the truth. I want you to have the opportunity to see her again. You both loved each other and it isn't my place to keep you apart just because I am too much of a coward to burden her with the knowledge of what she's done. She's been through so much since she has met me and she was always able to cope. I trust her to deal with this."
Jack gave him a brilliant smile and it made the Doctor happy to see the gratefulness in his friend's eyes. "Thank you, Doc," the Captain said.
The Time Lord grimaced at the nickname. "Oh, don't call me that," he said and shook his head.
Jack laughed out loud at his reaction. "You didn't mind yesterday, Doc," he replied with a wink.
He felt a blush on his face. "Well, I was a bit drunk yesterday. But I'd really prefer you to call me Doctor. That's my name, you know."
Jacks eyes took on a mischievous shimmer. "Sorry Doctor, but as far as I am concerned, I prefer Doc. At least sometimes. And we both know that Doctor is not your name as much as Jack Harkness isn't mine."
The Time Lord gave a mocking sigh of exasperation. "Well, I see that there's no way of stopping you. Just don't get too cheeky, Captain."
Jack moved a bit closer, carefully observing the Doctor's reaction. When he saw no flinch he gave his friend a chaste kiss on the cheek and smiled. "I promise, Doctor." He stepped back and chuckled at the incredulous expression on the Time Lord's face. "Time for you to go. There is an amazing blonde waiting for you. Go to her and show her the wonders of the universe in that beautiful blue box of yours."
The Doctor couldn't help but smile. "I will be back," he said and turned toward the stairs leading to the storage room where the TARDIS was parked. Then he looked back again. "Don't forget that mobile you gave me, Jack. I've seen what you're doing here and you shouldn't hesitate to ask me for help if you need it." Then he continued on his way, knowing that it was high time to go before he would stay another day.
Takes place after Age of Steel. While Rose is at Jackie's, the Doctor decides to pay Jack another visit. The third in my Jack/Ten series.
Some Inconvenient Truths
It was already late in the evening when the TARDIS materialized in the storage room of Torchwood in Cardiff. Exhausted from their latest adventure in the parallel universe the Doctor sank back in the jump seat. He had wanted to get away from Jackie Tyler's inquiring questions as soon as possible and the only place he could think of was Cardiff. However, he didn't feel up to facing Captain Jack Harkness right now.
He ran his hand through his hair, making it stick up chaotically. Apart from their encounter with the Cybermen, the emotional issues during their stay in the other world had drained him. He hadn't been able to shield from Rose's pain at seeing her father alive while having to face her mother's death. What bothered him most was that Mickey had left them. He had to admit that he silently approved of the young man's decision, but now Rose was again alone with him on the TARDIS. His idea of giving her a companion didn't work out in the end and perhaps it had been bound to fail from the beginning. He knew that Mickey's accusations that the Doctor would always place Rose first had been correct. He couldn't deny his attachment to her and he hadn't been able to divide his attention between both of his companions. He should have done better if he really wanted to give the young man a reason to stay.
He sighed and took a deep breath, trying to regain some control on his emotions. Rose would need some time with Jackie to overcome the losses she had suffered in the parallel universe and he really needed a chat with a good friend. He was looking forward to meeting Jack. The Captain would just accept what he was willing to give and after the expectant eyes of Rose as well as the constant questioning of Jackie, the Doctor was looking forward to just sitting together with the other man.
Even the TARDIS seemed to have sensed his need and hadn't refused to land here. She still projected her disapproval but it was somehow muffled. Grateful for her cooperation, he stood up and stroked the console gently. Then he walked towards the door, briefly wondering why his friend hadn't made an appearance yet. He had thought that Jack's urge to see the TARDIS would drive him down instantly. However, somehow his friend hadn't come to greet him. Perhaps he was sensing that it wasn't what the Doctor wanted after the Time Lord had done everything to keep him away from the ship during his last two visits.
He opened the door and was met with the dark storage room. There was no trace of Jack, not even on the way upstairs. He took in the silent Hub. The lights were dimmed and still he couldn't sense the Captain being nearby. He briefly wondered if Jack was out hunting for aliens when he saw Owen Harper sitting at his computer with a frown on his face. He cleared his throat to announce his presence and made the medic jump slightly.
"Woah," Owen called out, "you could frighten a man to death with sneaking up on him like that, Doctor!" He pressed a button on his keyboard, apparently having finished with whatever he had been working on and stood up. "I shouldn't be surprised though. Jack did warn us that you might show up like that. I still don't understand how you're doing it but he claimed that your ship is able to land at any place in time and space you want it to."
The Doctor smiled to himself. He should have known that Jack would prepare his team for this. He walked over to the medic and shook his hand. "Well, I am sure he told you that I am a Time Lord and thus able to travel in time. The 'how' is a mystery for a reason. Can you imagine what would happen if other species found out how to do it? All that timey-wimey stuff happening. . . ."
Owen gave him a nod. "You don't work at Torchwood without gathering some knowledge about the dangers of time travel. Besides Jack seems to know a lot about it and gave us the rules."
The Doctor couldn't help feeling proud again. His former companion seemed to have done a good job in making this place secure.
The medic spoke up again, his tone all business. "Okay, let's get to it. It's been a week since you've been introduced to us and this was the last time we've seen you. As far as we are concerned there shouldn't be any disruption of your timeline."
The Doctor's eyes widened. Well, his friend had thought about everything then. He gave Owen a nod. "Thanks, that's quite a useful piece of information."
He saw a smile tugging at the corner of the medic's lips. "Yeah, Jack told us that it would be."
The Time Lord looked around. "Well, as much as I enjoy talking to you, would you mind telling me where the Captain is?"
He was surprised to see a shadow on Owen's face and suddenly he was anxious to see his friend. The other man looked toward Jack's office and swallowed briefly. "He's sleeping," he said and somehow the Doctor felt that there was more to it.
"Well, that's no reason for concern, is it?" he said and moved toward the office, assuming that the Captain would be found somewhere near it.
"It shouldn't be," Owen replied. "However, in his case it actually is. He's been sleeping a lot during the last few days and he seemed quite drained of energy. First I thought that he'd come down with the flu but his temperature is normal and there are no signs of any illness, just an unusual exhaustion."
The Doctor frowned, not able to answer to this. He didn't even know if the medic had an idea how special their leader actually was. He shouldn't even need much sleep with all the Artron energy inside him.
Owen's next words confirmed his suspicion that Jack hadn't shared the secret of his immortality with his team. "Look, we know little enough about him as it is. Sometimes as a medic I was wondering why he is able to keep on going and going without having to rest. I am sure that there is more to him than he wants us to be aware of. If my suspicion is right, you should know him a lot better. Perhaps you could have a look at the results of his blood analysis and work out what's wrong with him."
The Doctor followed Owen to his computer and tried to make sense of what the medic had told him. Jack hadn't explained to them why he was different, but how could he hide the fact that he was immortal? He really needed to ask his friend about it later. Well, that is if Jack would be up soon. He swallowed his uneasiness and concentrated on the screen. If something was wrong with the Captain, it would be his duty to help Owen figure it out.
"These," Owen opened a file and pointed a finger on the appearing numbers, "are the results of an older blood sample. You can see that they are above average. This is the blood of a very healthy thirty-year old male. Well, more than healthy really. He's practically bursting with energy. And here," he clicked on another file, "are the results of the sample I took yesterday. He refused to give me one, but as he was asleep most of the time, I had an opportunity. You see the difference? These are the average results of a much older man. I'd say this is the blood of a ninety-year old rather than Jack."
The Time Lord took a sharp breath and tried to contain his shock at what he was seeing. This had to do with the amount of Artron energy inside the Captain. The test results wouldn't show it, because it wasn't something that humans knew about but there was only one explanation for the change in Jack's blood. Something had drained him of his energy and his friend's body was beginning to shut down. The sharp pain he was sensing at the realization that Jack could be mortal surprised him. Shouldn't he be glad for his friend that his condition wasn't permanent? Hadn't he claimed that Jack's immortality was wrong? But now that he was faced with this loss, he realized he wasn't ready for it. Not after he had just been reunited with his friend, not after he had noticed how much he enjoyed the other's presence.
Jack slowly opened his eyes and tried to chase away the fog of sleep. It took him a few moments to realize that he was in his bed in the Hub. He was surprised that he seemed to have slept deeply, something he hadn't done since his resurrection on Satellite Five.
After what seemed like an eternity he was finally able to get up and he climbed the ladder to his office. He heard Owen talking and wondered who was with him. A brief glance toward his watch on the desk told him that it was deep in the night and the medic should be alone in the Hub. When he stepped out and saw the skinny man with his chaotic hair sitting at Owen's side, focusing on something on the computer screen, he felt his breath leaving him. 'The Doctor seems to make his visits a regular occurrence,' he thought to himself in awe.
The Time Lord seemed to contemplate something the medic had told him and Jack's heart went out to him at seeing the sadness in those big brown eyes. He coughed slightly to make his presence known and both men's heads jerked up at it. Instantly the Doctor jumped up and rushed over to him. To Jack's surprise the Time Lord didn't hesitate for a moment before hugging him tightly, almost crushing the air out of the Captain's lungs. What was wrong with his friend?
"You're all right," the Doctor whispered and the moment he let Jack go, he took out his sonic screwdriver. It was disconcerting to see the hectic scan the Time Lord performed on him and Jack frowned. Having finished his examination the Doctor gave him a satisfied smile. "In fact, you're more than all right. Everything back to normal." The brilliant smile on his friend's face was such a change to the worried look he had received before that Jack was anxious to know what had happened to make the Doctor behave in such an erratic way.
Owen was watching them with narrowed eyes as if not believing what he was seeing. Then he stood up and walked over to them. "You've been sleeping for eight hours," he said and Jack sensed the reproach in his words.
His medic had been worried too, and the Captain was shocked beyond measure at hearing how long he actually had been out. But before he could say something, the Doctor turned around and said, "Well, he is fine now. No need to worry any longer. Look at him, good old Jack, back to his energetic self." He grinned and looked toward the computer before continuing, "Would you mind making me a copy of those results? I'd really like to run them through the systems of my ship. Perhaps she will be able to shed some light onto what has happened to him."
Owen gave him a nod and moved back to his workplace and Jack raised his eyebrows when he realized that the medic must know something about his prolonged sleep beyond the obvious. He gave the Doctor an inquiring look and the Time Lord shook his head, indicating that he hadn't given any details about his condition. Relieved Jack moved to the couch in the Hub, feeling a bit dizzy from the things going on around here.
After Owen had given him a copy of his data, the Doctor walked over to Jack. He felt his friend's confusion and he had to admit that he himself was shaken from what had just happened. The realization that Jack was indeed vulnerable had hit him harder than it should and as always he was struggling when his emotions were stronger than his ability to think things through rationally.
"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" the Captain shook him out of his thoughts.
The Time Lord shifted uncomfortably. "I really don't know. I have to check it through with the TARDIS first."
Jack raised one eyebrow. "Well, then let's do it. Why are we still sitting here?"
The Doctor closed his eyes, trying to think of a suitable response. How should he explain that there was no way the TARDIS would let the Captain in? He didn't want to hurt him, but apparently there was no way of delaying this any longer. He opened his mouth to begin an explanation when he was saved from the loud beeping of the alarm sounding through the Hub.
Suddenly Owen and Jack were all business and the Time Lord couldn't help but admiring the Captain's ability to shove away his emotions to do his job. After a few moments the location of the disturbance was determined and Jack turned around to him. "It's a Weevil attack. I have to go and take it in," he said and his eyes showed his sorrow at not being able to stay.
The Doctor gave him a nod and his facial expression changed into anticipation. This was what he was comfortable with. A riddle to solve, the Earth to save. . . . He rushed at the Captain's side and said, "Well, I have no idea what exactly a Weevil is and what you need to do. But I am going with you."
Jack shook his head. "No, Doctor, I know what I am doing. This is nothing special, just the usual drill. I don't want you anywhere near it."
Was that protectiveness in Jack's eyes? He gave the Captain a snort and raised his eyebrows. "Protecting me, Captain? Well, you of all people should know that there is no way of stopping me if I have already decided what I'm going to do."
Jack gave him an exasperated look, but apparently he realized that he couldn't defy him because he nodded briefly in acceptance. The Doctor followed him to the platform of the invisible lift, glad that any awkward conversations would have to wait until the crisis was averted.
It wasn't difficult to find the Weevil and Jack was relieved about it. This one seemed to be especially aggressive and he didn't want to chase it through the streets of Cardiff. He presumed that the Doctor wouldn't approve of using retcon on the passers-by. Slowly he approached the creature, aware of the Time Lord being close behind him. He took out the sedative and just wanted to use it, when the Doctor's hand closed on his.
"What are you doing?" the Time Lord whispered and Jack rolled his eyes. He should have known that things wouldn't go as smoothly with his alien friend at his side.
"It's just a sedative to calm it down," he explained and was met with raised eyebrows.
"And after you have calmed it down? What then?"
"We take it into the Hub. It's not the first Weevil we keep there, Doctor. I know what I'm doing," he replied, his exasperation evident in his voice.
The disgusted expression on the Doctor's face showed exactly what the Time Lord was thinking about this plan. "You keep them locked up?" he asked incredulously. "How many of these poor creatures have you already collected?"
Jack was growing nervous. The Weevil was coming closer and he knew what it would do the moment it realized that they were near. "Listen, Doctor, we don't have time for this. This Weevil is a threat to the people in Cardiff and I won't waste time in trying to communicate with it."
This version of the Doctor was even more able to show his disapproval than the one Jack had met in 1941 and Jack cringed at the look full of determination he received from him. "Oh, I'm beginning to understand what Torchwood is doing here," the Time Lord said with an icy tone. "Fighting alien threats at all cost, defending the human race without regard to the invaders. Is that it?"
Jack was getting annoyed. "Don't get difficult, Doctor," he drew out through clenched teeth. "If you want to discuss Torchwood ethics, what about we'll do that after having disposed of the immediate threat. I won't do it any harm. We'll take it to the Hub and I am happy to let you try any form of communication you can think of after we are safe and sound."
In this moment the Weevil must have caught up on their scent and suddenly it began its attack. It wasn't interested in Jack though. In a sudden motion it sprang toward the Time Lord and drove him to the ground. Its teeth flashed in the light of the street lantern nearby and the Captain fought against the panic creeping up his spine. 'No, please,' he prayed and pressed the button on the spray with the sedative. It didn't work as it should and he desperately tried to draw away the Weevil's attention from the Time Lord.
"Hey," he shouted, not a moment too soon, as the Weevil was about to bite. His commanding voice had distracted it enough and the next moment its attention shifted toward Jack, who once again tried the spray. With a blow to his hand the Weevil disposed of it though and it made a leap forward shoving the Captain to the ground.
He prepared himself for another painful death while he struggled with it, glad that it would be him and not his friend. The Weevil was overpowering him fast and he saw its mouth opening. Closing his eyes he awaited the inevitable when the creature suddenly calmed down and let him loose. Bewildered he slowly got up and looked at the picture before him.
The Weevil was sitting on the ground, silently whimpering while the Doctor had his fingers on its temples. "Hush," the Time Lord was saying. "I got you. Just calm down." When the creature was looking up, its eyes were shimmering with grief and Jack swallowed against the lump forming in his throat at seeing the pain in them. Then the Doctor shifted to the Weevil's front, not letting his connection with it go.
"Now," he whispered. "I will help you. Just breathe slowly. I can't let you hurt my friend, you know. But you don't want to do that, do you?"
The Weevil was silent now and the Time Lord stood up taking its hand. Then he looked toward Jack. "It's agreed to come with us for now. Let's get back to the Hub."
The Captain couldn't believe his eyes. The creature stood at his friend's side, every trace of defiance disappeared from its eyes. Not ready to take any risk, he contemplated taking out the restrains but realized that the Doctor wouldn't let him use them. He gave a slow nod and led them toward the SUV. Discussions would have to wait until they got back to the Hub.
Back in the Hub Jack had briefly explained the situation to a bewildered Owen and then had led the Weevil and the Doctor down to the cells. After a heated discussion about Torchwood locking up aliens in a disgusting way, they had gone to work. The Doctor was trying to contain his anger and began to communicate with all the Weevils contained in the cells. As the creatures were connected through a telepathic field, he used his Weevil to accomplish that. After a few moments he had all the answers he needed and looked up at the Captain.
Jack was standing above them, his arms crossed over his chest and the Time Lord almost had to smile at the defiant posture. His fury had dissipated the moment the Weevils had shared with him what they had done to get attention. Jack hadn't done anything wrong. In their despair they had lashed out and attacked humans. Torchwood didn't have the means to communicate on a telepathic level and the only solution was to contain the aggressive Weevils. However, hidden behind the defiance in Jack's stance the Doctor could feel the Captain's insecurity and the desperate need to get the Time Lord's approval.
He stood up, reassuring the Weevils one more time. "Let's go upstairs," he said softly and Jack followed him without protest. When they arrived in his office, the Captain closed the doors after giving Owen a short order to alert him in case of an emergency.
The Doctor sat down at the desk, taking the TARDIS coral into his hand and caressing it gently.
"Well," Jack began, his tone still defiant.
The Time Lord looked up. "They are lost. They come through the Rift without knowing where they are and as they are very social beings they try to find other Weevils to connect with. They need the telepathic field to survive, and to maintain it they have to be together, which explains why they die eventually after you lock them up separated from each other."
Jack opened his mouth to protest, but the Doctor held up his hand to prevent him from doing so. "I know that you thought you didn't have a choice. I am not telling you that you did something wrong here. I just want to find a solution to help them. Obviously we can't get them back to their planet which leaves us with the problem of how to treat them here."
Jack frowned. "You could take them back, couldn't you? You've done it before."
The Doctor heaved a deep sigh. "I could do that, but I am not here all the time and there is a reason why they come into this world. Their planet seems to be contaminated. Fleeing through the Rift seems to be a solution for them to survive. They are refugees. We need to find a solution on Earth until I've found another planet for them to live on."
Jack's eyes went distant then he took a deep breath. "You mean they need to stay here for now and they have to be together. Can you guarantee that they won't pose a threat then?"
The Doctor smiled at the Captain's reaction. His assumption that the aggressive behavior he had witnessed before was due to the fact that Jack was craving his approval more than anything had been right. His friend couldn't stand the thought of disappointing him. He gave him a slow nod. "They need a place to stay. It should be an enclosed space as they will act aggressively the moment they feel another of their species alone out there. But if you keep them, let's say, on an island. They should be fine."
He saw the Captain flinch at that and asked himself what he had said to provoke such a reaction. Then Jack seemed to regain his composure. "I think I have a solution then. We need to prepare a few things but we could keep them in the basement locked together for the meantime. Is there any possibility that they will be able to sustain themselves? Or do I have to employ someone to feed them?"
The Time Lord briefly considered this. "I think a natural environment should be sufficient. I am sure they can live on their own until I've found another refuge for them."
"And what about the ones who come through the Rift. Am I still allowed to sedate them and bring them there?" Jack asked, his voice slightly sarcastic.
The Doctor couldn't blame him. He knew that he tended to react judgmental sometimes and in this case it had been unjustified. He just had problems occasionally to accept the fact that not everyone had the same means of communication as he had. How much easier would life be if humans could pick up on telepathic communications? Well, eventually they would. He was even sure that Jack had received some kind of mental training at the Time Agency, but now was not the time to discuss this.
"The sedative you're using is hurting them. That's the reason why they act the way they do. I am going to give you something more suitable. Then you can bring them wherever you're planning to keep them," he answered Jack's question, trying to sound neutral. He couldn't blame Torchwood for using what they had to their disposal.
Jack gave him a grateful nod. "Thanks Doctor, that will help us tremendously. Honestly, I didn't like locking them up like we did either. And. . . well, I expected you to make a bigger fuss about it."
The Time Lord thought about how arrogant he must have sounded back out there and somehow he felt bad about having reacted like he had. He really had to learn being more understanding of the limitations Jack was struggling with. "You do what you can do here, Jack," he said and his eyes softened. "I sometimes forget what is possible in this century."
Silence fell between them and the Doctor knew that his friend was taking in his almost apology. It didn't cease to amaze him to see how important his approval still was for the Captain. The other man had struggled through a whole century and more just to meet him again and instead of punishing the Doctor for his betrayal, he was trying to prove that he was a changed man at every step of the way. More so, he even claimed that it had been the encounter with the Tine Lord that had made him a better man. It was such a proof of loyalty that the Doctor felt humbled about it.
After the issue of the Weevils was solved, the Doctor had begun examining a few items in the storage room, babbling constantly about the carelessness of the Torchwood team. However, Jack noticed that the sharpness in his voice had vanished and was replaced by a slight humor. Somehow the Time Lord's attitude toward him had changed, instead of scolding him, he was trying to be supportive, offering solutions to keep him and his team from harm. It filled Jack with warmth and he began to enjoy going over the alien tech with his friend. It reminded him of the days he had spent with the Doctor's former self repairing the TARDIS and somehow he had the feeling that the Time Lord was enjoying it, too.
However, there were still uncomfortable issues to discuss. So, after an hour of going through stuff, the Captain sat down on a chair and looked toward his friend, who was scanning something with his sonic screwdriver. "Are you going to tell me what brought you here this time?" he asked, trying to hide his anxiety. He knew that the Time Lord didn't like to talk about his motives. But in the end that was the reason why he kept on visiting, wasn't it? Jack seemed to be the only one the Doctor was able to share his thoughts with.
The Time Lord stopped in his move and heaved a deep sigh. "Rose needs some time to get back on track. We lost Mickey on our last trip."
Jack inhaled sharply at that and was barely able to respond, "You mean. . . .?"
The Doctor looked up and his eyes widened. "No, no. We ended up in a parallel universe," he hurried to explain. "Don't ask me how that happened. It shouldn't be possible but suddenly the TARDIS crashed and we were in another world. A very similar world but definitely parallel. He decided to stay. He has lost his grandmother, you know. She was still alive over there and he was determined to stay with her."
Jack nodded in understanding. "He loved her and he always blamed himself that he hadn't spent more time with her. I understand why he would choose to remain in a world where she is still alive," he said with a sad voice.
The Doctor looked at him bewildered. "You knew? How?"
"Well, he told me," the Captain responded. "I can't believe you didn't know that. It was so important to him. He told me about it during our second conversation when he visited us in Cardiff."
The Time Lord walked over to Jack and sat down across from him. His glance was defeated and the Captain's heart went out to him. "Doctor?" he asked softly.
"I really need to talk more with my companions," the Time Lord said, his voice painfully quiet. Then he shook himself and looked up again. "Anyway, this trip was very exciting for all of us. You know, parallel world, gingerbread house. . . Rose met her father, who was still alive and very successful and Mickey, well as I said. . . Between all these emotions we had to fight the Cybermen. It was quite the adventure, I can tell you. In the end we succeeded. Well, at least for now. I am sure Mickey will do his part in eventually defeating them. We left and I took Rose home to see her mother, who had died in the parallel universe. She really needed to see that she was well. I didn't feel comfortable staying there and here I am. . . ."
Jack tried to take in the sheer amount of information the Doctor was dumping on him and he couldn't help but smile at the ramble. As always the essential information was hidden behind the babbling and with his brows raised, the Captain said, "So, it didn't work out then." At the Time Lord's questioning glance he elaborated, "You told me that you wanted Rose to have another human companion. That didn't work out it in the end, did it?"
The Doctor shook his head. "No, it didn't. Well, to be honest it was doomed to fail from the start. Not only because I didn't take the time to get to know Mickey, but also because she seemed to refuse his presence in the TARDIS. It had been different with you. She was eager to take you in. She loved your company as much as she loved mine."
Jack gave him a mischievous smile. "Well Doctor, could have told you that I am not that easily replaced." Then he grew serious again. "What are you going to do now?"
"No point in trying it again," the Doctor replied matter-of-factly. "I don't think she can bare another loss. Maybe. . . ." his voice trailed off and the Captain was holding his breath. He could have sworn that the Doctor was suggesting him to join them in the TARDIS, but after a short silence the moment was passed and his friend looked up with a forced smile on his face.
He shifted uncomfortably, knowing that the Time Lord wouldn't explain his hesitation. Trying to lighten the mood he moved on, "Well, Doctor, are you going to tell me what you hope to find in the results of my blood samples then?"
If he had thought that changing the subject would make his friend more comfortable, he had been wrong. The Time Lord almost paled at the question and shifted nervously on his chair. Then he took a deep breath before another faked smile appeared in his face. "I just want to make sure that you're okay, nothing more. Somehow you have been drained of energy over the last few days and I'd really like to know what has caused this."
Jack felt that the Doctor didn't want to share more and in any other case he would have accepted it without question but something in the Time Lord's voice told him that this was important. He couldn't let this pass. "You're talking about me, Doctor," he said, his tone unusually stern as far as his conversations with his friend were concerned. "Do you really except me to watch you leave with the results of my blood samples without having a clue what you're looking for?"
The Doctor raised his eyebrows. "There used to be a time when you would have trusted me enough without demanding an explanation." His voice was arrogant now and Jack knew that it was his way of hiding his uneasiness.
However, the words had stirred something in the Captain. He felt the deep hidden anger within himself bubbling to the surface and with a great amount of self-restraint he responded through clenched teeth, "That was before you left me on a forsaken Satellite to deal with a sudden case of immortality."
The Time Lord flinched at his tone. Then he heaved a deep sigh. "I deserved that. You have no reason anymore to put your trust in me." Jack was almost sorry when he saw the pain in the Doctor's big brown eyes. "To be honest, I thought that what happened with you might give me a clue as to how to help you with your request. If it is possible to drain you of the energy that keeps you alive, there could be a way for you to die. I don't want to let this pass without examination. The least I can do for you is to offer you a choice."
Now the Captain felt really bad, his anger having disappeared completely. He gave the Doctor a nod. "I'd like to help you with that," he said, trying to correct his mistake.
The Time Lord smiled sadly back at him. "I'd really love to accept your help but it just isn't possible, Jack," he responded and the Captain could see that he was struggling with his next words. "I didn't want to tell you before. You've been disappointed enough when it comes to me and I didn't want to add another painful truth to all of this. However, I'd really love to come back more often and it is bound to become awkward without you knowing this."
Jack held his breath, seeing the master of words fighting to form the next sentence was giving him shivers. What was it that the Time Lord was trying to say?
"To examine your results I need the TARDIS and she won't welcome you back, Jack. She even tries to prevent me from coming here. Her instincts are so much stronger than mine and from the moment Rose changed you, she ran away from you."
It hurt and Jack understood why the Doctor hadn't wanted him to know the truth. If there was one thing that the Captain had missed even more than his travels with the Doctor over the years it was this beautiful ship. He had always shared a special connection with her and he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You mean, it wasn't you who ran away but the TARDIS?" he asked, trying to swallow against the lump forming in his throat. Then he nodded in understanding, everything falling into place. "That's the reason why you didn't want me to travel with you. You've been trying to keep me away from here ever since you've landed here for the first time."
"I'm so sorry, Jack," the Time Lord said with his eyes full of compassion. "I know what she means to you and I would love to have you back with me and Rose. But she wouldn't allow it. I've even tried to argue with her about it and maybe someday she'll come around. She wants to see me happy, so perhaps that's the key to change her attitude toward you. But at the moment you can't enter her. So, you need to trust me with this. I promise to do what I can to find a solution for this." He inhaled once more, apparently relieved to have finally shared this. Then his expression changed again, the sadness disappeared. "Think about it. If I am able to find out what drained you, you would also know what to avoid to stay alive."
Jack gave him a bewildered glance. "Are you suggesting that you would prefer that?"
The Doctor looked toward the floor, avoiding Jack's eyes. "Well, to be honest I would really miss you. I would certainly accept your decision if you chose to die but somehow it's a relief to know that you are here, a fixed point, something constant. Someone who will be here even after everyone else is gone. . . ."
Even with the pain of the Time Lord's revelation about the TARDIS still fresh, Jack couldn't fight the bright smile at what he was hearing now. "Well, you should find out what would be able to kill me then. It wouldn't do for you to come back one day only to realize that I'm suddenly disappeared."
He was looking forward to having a choice but he knew that this choice had already been made the moment the Doctor had admitted how important Jack's presence had become for him.
The Doctor decided to stay for one more day and he helped the Torchwood team with even more of their alien tech they had stored. After the conversation in the storage room he avoided any more uncomfortable issues and he and Jack slipped into a comfortable companionship which soothed the Time Lord's mind. He helped Tosh with a few projects, carefully trying not to move Torchwood way ahead of their time but realizing that they needed some technology to protect themselves and Cardiff.
They spent the next evening sharing a bottle of single malt whiskey and the Time Lord began to relax more and more around the Captain. He talked about the adventures he had had since Satellite Five and was eager to learn more about the things Jack had seen since he had joined Torchwood. He had been surprised to hear that the Captain had been part of this organization for so long but looking at him now, it was the obvious thing to do. He would have been forced to change his employer quite often, had he not stayed with people who were able to accept his immortality even if they couldn't explain it. Additional to that Torchwood was lucky to have someone like Jack Harkness, who knew more about the universe than any other human in this century.
They laughed and made jokes and as the evening proceeded, the Doctor realized with bewilderment that he was slightly intoxicated, something that hadn't happened to him in years. He didn't mind though because he had to admit that for the first time since the Time War he felt relaxed enough to let go. For the first time he felt safe enough to just enjoy another's company without having to be on guard.
When it was time to leave the next morning he was almost sad to go and when he locked eyes with the Captain, he saw his feelings reflected in his friend's gaze. It was a relief that Jack understood the reason why the Doctor didn't ask him to join them now but at the same time it made both of them sad, knowing that the solution for the situation was out of their hands. They depended completely on the TARDIS and at this moment the Time Lord wished more than ever that his ship would come around soon.
When he took the Captain's hand in his, he smiled. "I owe you one more answer, Jack," he said.
His friend's eyes widened slightly and the Doctor knew that he had awaited this but hadn't dared to ask.
"I thought about your request a lot during our stay in the parallel universe and I came to the conclusion that I need to tell Rose the truth. I want you to have the opportunity to see her again. You both loved each other and it isn't my place to keep you apart just because I am too much of a coward to burden her with the knowledge of what she's done. She's been through so much since she has met me and she was always able to cope. I trust her to deal with this."
Jack gave him a brilliant smile and it made the Doctor happy to see the gratefulness in his friend's eyes. "Thank you, Doc," the Captain said.
The Time Lord grimaced at the nickname. "Oh, don't call me that," he said and shook his head.
Jack laughed out loud at his reaction. "You didn't mind yesterday, Doc," he replied with a wink.
He felt a blush on his face. "Well, I was a bit drunk yesterday. But I'd really prefer you to call me Doctor. That's my name, you know."
Jacks eyes took on a mischievous shimmer. "Sorry Doctor, but as far as I am concerned, I prefer Doc. At least sometimes. And we both know that Doctor is not your name as much as Jack Harkness isn't mine."
The Time Lord gave a mocking sigh of exasperation. "Well, I see that there's no way of stopping you. Just don't get too cheeky, Captain."
Jack moved a bit closer, carefully observing the Doctor's reaction. When he saw no flinch he gave his friend a chaste kiss on the cheek and smiled. "I promise, Doctor." He stepped back and chuckled at the incredulous expression on the Time Lord's face. "Time for you to go. There is an amazing blonde waiting for you. Go to her and show her the wonders of the universe in that beautiful blue box of yours."
The Doctor couldn't help but smile. "I will be back," he said and turned toward the stairs leading to the storage room where the TARDIS was parked. Then he looked back again. "Don't forget that mobile you gave me, Jack. I've seen what you're doing here and you shouldn't hesitate to ask me for help if you need it." Then he continued on his way, knowing that it was high time to go before he would stay another day.