[fic] Doctor Who/Twilight Crossover - From One Wolf to Another
Title: From One Wolf To Another
Author: winged_requiem
Series: Doctor Who and Twilight crossover. Doctor Who timeline would be Ten's era, season 2, pre-Love and Monsters, and for Twilight, post-epilogue of Eclipse, pre-Breaking Dawn.
Pairing: Hints of Ten/Rose, Edward/Bella, Jacob/Bella.
Characters: Jacob, The Doctor (Ten), Rose. Bella, Edward, and Jackie are mentioned.
Rating: PG.
Type: One shot.
Summary: Jacob ran to get away from everything, everyone, and his overwhelming feelings; to escape. Instead, he found the two people who could help him.
Jacob'd ran. He'd ran as fast as his legs could carry him, to sound cliché, and as far away as he possibly could to get away from the constant hounding in his head from the rest of the pack. They just wouldn't leave him alone, and the more he ran, the louder they shouted for his return. Some demanded to know where he was going; others pitied him; some empathised. Jacob wanted none of it. He didn't want their pity or their sorrow. He answered none of them, thought about nothing. He wanted to be alone; free from the thoughts of those he called family. To only concentrate on running, running away from himself and his torn and tattered soul, one foot in front of the other. One two, one two.
He'd run so far, now, and their voices had grown dimmer. Either he was too far away to hear them or Sam had told them all to leave him be. Whatever. It didn't matter. ... Not anymore.
Suddenly he found himself stopping at the cliff to a large ravine, and not by his choice. He'd been so focused on running that he'd collided - with a blow to his pride - with something wooden. His mind suplemented that it was a tree, perhaps - but that was stupid despite how logical it was, given that he could just about avoid anything by wolf reflex alone. He wouldn't run into trees.
Frowning, he stubbornly thought about it for a few seconds, until he looked up and found himself face-to-face with something he was particularly sure shouldn't have been sitting near the edge of a cliff.
It was something rectangular and blue, from his wolf judgement, and he couldn't make out much more than that even with the added bonus of his (reluctant) human mind.
It... looked like a blue wooden box, from what he could make out, with 'POLICE' stamped across the head of it. It held no meaning for him, so normally that would be the cue to keep on running, and to then cast the thought aside (and even more so than usual; who cares about a stupid wooden box when your entire entity is being consumed?). But there was something else keeping him cemented in place, making his eyebrows knit together in frustration. Each time he'd tried to look at that police box since he'd collided, to really establish what it was, his perception moved... drifted to the waterfall, to a tree, to a pebble the size of a coin on the ground. He couldn't focus on the damn thing, and that was what bothered him more. He'd nailed it down to simply his senses being out of whack, but he doubted that. The thing seemed to be enjoying making him paranoid about not being able to see it. Which made him all the more stubbornly inclined into finding out what it actually was.
And he found himself planning on stopping, disgruntled and unnerved.
After sniffing around it once, he shuffled backwards on his hind legs, until he was a few hundred metres away from it, sitting in one of the bushes. He cast his eyes around, watching the area - well, he hoped it was the area - that the box preoccupied. It was just an excuse, but... it was about time for a break, anyway, to refresh himself. He'd run far enough for one day. There was no sign of civilisation, and this place seemed pretty safe. Nobody to bother him. Except the blue box - whatever it was.
He'd figure out what it was and then leave.
***
The door to the box didn't open till the next morning. Whoever's box Jacob had collided with, they certainly hadn't felt it, or his dramatic collision hadn't made enough of an impression to cause too much concern. This was backed up by the fact that the door opened loudly and the occupant walked out calmly and swiftly, spinning round on his converse-clad feet as he went, laughing at some remark he'd either made or just heard, without a care in the world for the environment around him.
Jacob's ears pricked, and he opened his eyes a fraction enough to see the man. His 'rest stop' had eventually evolved into sleeping for the night - not because he couldn't figure out the box (well okay, that was partly the reason), but because he hadn't slept properly in days - but his dreams were all over the place, his mind never fully letting him rest.
Watching someone was easy as a wolf, just to judge their motions, like the man was doing now, standing on the barren earth at his feet, looking back behind him. Like any other observation, he usually would have just watched until there was a threat/danger. Though, he had to admit - and his mind couldn't quite escape the realisation - that a man coming out of a box was bizarre. Which led to him lifting his nose a centimetre off the ground, curious. The man's scent was... different.
And very, very wrong.
Not human. Not wolf. Not vampire - that, in itself, would be enough to be at his throat without asking any questions. It was none of those three. As he sniffed again, he could tell it was kind of human, but at the same time, it was so far away from the scent as it could possibly be.
It smelt so human it could almost be human - but there was definitely an odd tang of something else in there. Immortality, if immortality smelt of anything. How would he know? They weren't exactly told about what immortality smelt like in the pack. Maybe some people just smelt different. He didn't look non-human; with brown, gelled hair and garbed in a trench coat, he could pass for an ordinary man walking down the street.
Then again, so could those leeches...
"It's quite serene, if I do say so myself," the man said finally, nodding to himself a couple of times. At first Jacob briefly considered he was mad, commenting on the weather and the scenery to himself; until a second scent touched his nose. This one, he could definitely identify as human.
"You ain't kidding! Why did you never bring me someplace like this before? It's much nicer than some cold beach or hilltop... and it's on Earth, right now. Not someplace in the future or across the galaxy." The voice was distinctly female, and it paused for a moment, till there was a sound of, presumably, shoes tapping along a surface.
"I thought you liked travelling around the universe," the man said, with a slight pout.
The female voice laughed. "I do. You know I do. Don't give me that look. It's just nice to sit back and admire your own home once in a while."
"Can't argue with that one," the man half smiled, shaking his head, and then he stepped aside, which was immediately followed by a head bobbing out of the still open door.
Jacob briefly scanned her as she stepped right to the edge of the box next to her companion, making his own visual judgement. She was blonde, her hair in slight curls down to her shoulders, and her eyes, despite the usual blue-eyes-and-blonde-hair trend, were a deep, chestnut brown, lined with thick lashes and probably a hint of mascara here and there. Her clothes seemed perfectly normal and safe - jeans and a jacket, with a pink-red shaded top. Nothing too fancy; utterly, completely ordinary.
Still, Jacob's vision faltered on her eyes.
They weren't a patch on the colour of Bella's eyes. They weren't that chocolate brown he was fond of, the eyes belonging to the girl that he loved. They weren't. But it was close enough. Close enough to send a ripping pain through his chest, too much for this fake, second skin to bear. He'd tried so hard to get Bella out of his head, but it seemed he wouldn't get there fast and that it would not happen overnight, as it all came rushing back to him with crippling force. The only sanction was that the crippling effect was brief - a wolf did not have room for emotions so breaking, and it quickly faded away, turning into a dazed, disorientated feeling which made him close his eyes to block everything out. He soon felt calm enough to open them again, all of this happening in a matter of a few seconds, the man and the girl still in the same place as they were before.
Jacob didn't move an inch as she spoke again, stepping fully out of the box, as the man offered her a hand to help her across the slightly uneven ground. They continued to talk and banter, carefree and careless.
... must be nice. Not like he cared... why should he? There was no reason to...
Together, with her still having hold of his hand, they walked a couple of steps to look out beyond the ravine, him making a joke, and her shoving him in the side, bantering and playful, laughing. It was so every day, that Jacob just let his mind switch off, and his attention drifted back to the still-evasive box. A passing thought hit him: really, how could they both fit in a box like that? Whatever, that didn't matter, either...
"It's bigger on the inside."
Jacob flinched, mid-thought, and froze, staring at the man several hundred metres at him. He was still where he was, but in the blink of an eye he'd turned serious, his voice decisive, speaking the answer to his question. And he was turning, the woman following, away from the ravine, towards him. No, no, it must have been something the woman had said, and they were just--
"No, it's not. It's, well, to your question."
He breathed, letting out a low whistle. That? That was just plain freaky. Too much sun and definitely too much running and not enough sleep. He really should get some more decent rest. Jacob didn't get long to decipher that message out, as the man turned the last few centimetres to look at the bushes which were his hiding place.
Not just the bushes. But right at him. Eyes piercing him entirely, like he knew right where he was, and it completely caught Jacob off guard. And the Doctor was still staring, eyes almost blank, but mostly curious.
"What is it, Doctor?" The woman peeked around the side of him, also staring into the bushes that Jacob had hidden himself away into - but unlike the man, this 'Doctor', she couldn't seem to pinpoint him. However, she seemed nonplussed by the fact that the man beside her had just talked to something invisible, like it was normal. "What is it?" she repeated.
The man didn't reply for a moment, still staring intently at Jacob's face, before he broke eye contact, looking at the woman beside him, his hand all the while still in hers. "The little disturbance that woke you up last night and made the TARDIS grumpy this morning. Or should I say, big disturbance. Well. He seems quite large, so you can't really say he's little, but compared to what could have hit the TARDIS, it's not the biggest thing in the world. Still; whatever ran headlong into the side of the TARDIS... this must be it. I would have thought it something like a badger, but... no. This is something different, Rose."
It was amazing. 'Rose' didn't seem put off by his long explanation about something that he could have summed up in two or three words, her expression neutral and her mind jumping straight to the point. "What?" she asked simply, reaching a suitable answer in no time at all.
The 'Doctor' didn't falter, walking a few more steps, directing her vision into the thick green leaves - Jacob felt his legs curling up to bolt behind him, but he was unwisely placed next to a rock, of all places - where he could see something and she still could not. "A... hmm. He seems content with hiding, or watching. But I'd fathom, given from the smell--" he paused, licking his finger and placing it in the air - did that really work? - "--that we are standing opposite a wolf right about now."
Rose looked at the Doctor, and he looked back. Jacob was still.
The silence seemed uncanny for a moment - fear, perhaps - and, suddenly, both Rose and the Doctor started laughing, her clutching her chest and him practically exclaiming with joy, tickled beyond belief.
Really, that wasn't the kind of impression Jacob wanted to give someone. He scowled, his mouth set into a thick line.
"Doesn't this strike you as a bit of déjà vu?" Rose asked through heavy laughter, finally stood upright after being doubled over.
"Just a smidge. Okay, well, a lot," he reasoned. "Except it is actually a wolf this time."
Jacob inwardly sighed. What? Idiot, he found himself thinking. I am not a wolf.
The Doctor stopped laughing as soon as Jacob said - well, thought - that, his expression screwed up, and he started rubbing the side of his temple with his free hand. "Oi, that was a bit loud. You don't have to shout."
Jacob looked almost horrified, or as horrified as a wolf could actually look. Before he could have passed it off for the Doctor being weird... this time he was reading his mind, no doubt, none. Backed against a crevice and unable to bolt, he felt his mind panic, instantly shouting out more remarks in his head as he had done in the past to others that liked to creep into his head on a regular basis.
What are - get out of my head! You're like that good for nothing bloodsucker-- his thoughts broke off for a moment as Bella seeped back into his mind, stopping him dead in everything but pain. He'd spent a whole day pushing it out of his head and trusting his wolf senses and not having to be human, but now he was completely back to the start, her always on his mind. Jacob hurried on, --reading everything that crosses my mind. Get out!
"You really need to work on your volume," The Doctor chided, seemingly unaffected by the little outburst on Jacob's behalf. Even if he still badly wanted to get out of there but couldn't, there was a part of him that didn't want to leave, compelled to stay, and glad that he couldn't escape, that he was going to face people when he'd planned to run. He cursed the fact he hadn't left when he'd had the chance, letting out a low growl in annoyance, but mainly to himself. Stupid, stupid, stupid--
Amidst this, Rose looked concerned, then looked almost set to run or flee, or something of the sort. A much better reaction, really, from what was told of werewolves in stories. "He's a-- werewolf?" she guessed, an eyebrow raising.
Finally, someone who gets the idea that I'm not a friendly creature when I get-
"Oi, leave Rose out of this," The Doctor interrupted again, before looking at Rose and nodding once. "Close enough. Not from the moon." He lightly let go of her hand with an apologetic glance, looking back at the TARDIS and saying softly, "It's safe inside." But she shook her head, and he just smiled again, turning and looking at Jacob.
And then the Doctor started to walk slowly and cautiously towards Jacob himself. "Now-- don't flee. It's okay, I won't hurt you... I never try to hurt anything if it can be avoided. You don't have to change forms. I just want to talk. You don't have to come out... when I get near, I'll be able to see you properly. But before that... let's talk. And let's talk like men: well, a werewolf and a Time Lord, but the point still stands," he nodded to himself. "So no shouting, alright?"
Jacob let out a low growl, audible to anything that would be around him; including Rose, whose eyes twitched slightly in worry for the Doctor, and not herself. He could see that in her face. It's not my fault, his mind grumbled. I don't expect anyone to be invading into my privacy, thank you very much.
"And you get this all the time," The Doctor added, pondering. "No, I didn't read that. I'm guessing from the direction you must have come from; about the legends, and such. But, before I get on to any of that, formalities," he pointed to himself. "I'm the Doctor. You?"
Once again, Jacob grumbled from being cut off about three times in one sentence (how did he know the legends? Did he know about the vampires? Why was he so persistent?), but reluctantly, answered. It wasn't like his own name would stay from the surface of his thoughts, anyway. ... Jacob.
"Jacob," The Doctor repeated aloud, mostly for Rose's benefit, as he looked over his shoulder at her. It was then that the wind picked up as she nodded in return, and the Doctor turned back to speak to him again. Slowly but surely getting closer.
***
Rose was humming. Actually, if Jacob had been human, he would have called it half singing, but he was a wolf, so it sounded more like humming to his ears. He couldn't deny that it wasn't bad, but it irritated him minutely just the same. She seemed too happy with her surroundings, with the world in general. Just the very way she carried herself seemed far too content, not thinking of the consequences. Even whilst looking at a waterfall off in the distance and throwing flower petals into the river hundreds of feet below, she still looked far too pleasant and happy for his collapsing world, for the sorrow that he had planned to avoid, but was treading water in.
But a little part of him felt envious that she was like that, though he couldn't quite figure out why.
The Doctor was sat several feet from him, his back leant against the blue box he'd previously come out of, looking up at the sky. After a long conversation, Jacob had reluctantly revealed himself, but only because he trusted them - at least, trusted them not to hurt him. The Doctor knew too much, anyway, about him and his pack and his life, so it wasn't that huge of a step. So now he lay, head on his paws, a couple of feet away from the box, and away from that odd man.
Whilst he seemed like he wasn't paying attention, Jacob wouldn't be surprised if the Doctor was. After talking for a while, he'd eventually stopped, his glasses perched on the end of his nose and his attention elsewhere. But he probably still had half of said-attention left in him, so Jacob wasn't going to let his guard down, thought-wise, that easily. Letting them see him was fine - letting him into his spiralling world wasn't. It was odd how priorities changed when people already knew a lot about you.
Eventually, the Doctor coughed, and looked upright. Jacob grumbled.
Getting in my head again, not-human?
"I'd appreciate if you called me Doctor," he said, with a tad of annoyance coupled with it (Good. Serves him right for getting in my head). The Doctor had told him so several times, and Jacob had automatically responded by asking him what he was - but he'd never heard of a Time Lord, so he was automatically demoted to 'not-human' until he figured out something more plausible.
The Doctor continued, "And no, not in particular. In your head, that is. Just enjoying the afternoon sun." His eyes drifted over to Rose, still humming in the distance. Jacob distantly understood the affection that the Doctor had in his eyes for the singing girl through his own lost feelings, but he didn't think on it. That was something he'd rather keep to himself, about Bella, and about all he left behind; and, he'd fathom, from that look, that the Doctor would rather keep the affection for Rose to himself, so instead, he turned away from those eyes to look at Rose as well.
A thought suddenly struck him as she laughed to herself about something or other. There's something distinctly wolfy about her.
"That there is," the Doctor replied, the soft breeze in the clearing ruffling his hair after making it past Jacob's tangled mane. His voice carried itself away, and whether intentionally or not, seemed almost a bit sad as he spoke. "It's complicated. I would explain, but--" he threw up a hand in the air, shaking it and his head at the same time. "--it would take several hours and I really don't want to recount that story, as, on my behalf, the details are a little bit fuzzy, to say the least."
Jacob raised a wolfy eyebrow - it disappeared up his face and straight out of sight. The statement surprised him. You look like the kind of guy who'd remember everything, he hedged.
The Doctor shrugged his shoulders, his attention still on Rose as he spoke again, his features perfectly straight, including his mouth. "Not when you're regenerating, I'm not. Or just about to."
Regener- what? Now Jacob felt completely lost. And irritated, since it didn't really seem like a straight answer.
It seemed that was all he was going to get, though, as all of a sudden the Doctor sprung up onto his feet. "Oh! Almost forgot! I left something inside.... tea! And food. Yes. Tea and food," he said, just a tad too cheerful at the prospect, a spring in his step as he strode round the edge of the TARDIS, babbling away happily to himself.
Jacob just watched in a stupor. Hey! I'm not done- he started, but didn't get any further, as the Doctor disappeared from view and from sight and sound, as Jacob was literally shut out of the TARDIS. Jacob sighed. Some mood swing. Or a very elaborate way of getting off the subject. He doubted there was seriously food and tea in that box. Really. That was just ludicrous.
He heard laughter in front of him, and he tilted his head forwards again - Rose was stood next to him, grinning. "There is food an' stuff in there. It is bigger on the inside," she said thoughtfully, still sniggering. "... Though he'll have to make it. The food. And I don't think we have anything that you can eat in that form. He probably didn't have an answer for you, so took the easy way out," she laughed again. From her reaction, it seemed this was a Doctor-ish habit.
Jacob just 'hmphed' loudly, before shrugging his wolfy shoulders at her, and resting his head back on his paws, closing his eyes. He wasn't quite sure why he was being particularly stubborn with her - didn't want to make the effort to talk, perhaps. But as he pondered, he felt the grass and earth move next to him, as Rose settled herself on the ground.
Really, she was as persistant as this Doctor was, though in a more subtle way. At least she didn't feel the need to throw long sentances out every five seconds when she didn't need to.
He didn't mind, though. In a way, he had wanted her to sit next to him; had wanted her to make the effort. Not that Jacob was going to admit that to her, or to the Doctor.
"Y'know," she said suddenly, and Jacob felt that her eyes were on him, even though he wasn't looking. "I'm not very good at reading wolves. Just about getting there with people. But, I think... you seem kind of sad."
He waited, not moving, twitching, or making any sort of sound. Rose didn't say anything, either, and Jacob finally opened one eye to look at her. Whatever she had seen, she was sincere about it - she was looking into his face with the kindest look he'd received in... well, a long time now. It was how a stranger would look upon someone they didn't know, but it wasn't pity. She was just worried. True and complete; no strings attached. Jacob could see why the Doctor liked her, if this was how she usually was; she just genuinely cared.
She opened her mouth as if to say something more, and it took her a few moments before she did. "... You were running, right? Since you're out here and all like this. Away from something?"
He didn't respond, but she took it as a yes; or, at least, he thought she did, until she continued, still concerned, "... or someone?"
Jacob tensed; his muscles flexed unwittingly. It didn't escape Rose's notice, and her frown deepened. "I'm sorry," she added, softly. So softly, that he knew, even though he had just met her, that she really meant it. "Really sorry."
She didn't say anything else, so he gradually closed his eye, scrunching them both tight. He didn't want to think. Didn't want those words to get to the centre of the problem - Bella - as it would hurt, and he'd had enough of that. Had enough of it back home, had enough from the unwelcome reminders that surrounded him here. He didn't want to hurt anymore, which was why he was out here like this in the first place. Wasn't it? He was seeking escape. Freedom, sanctuary, by running; to get away from everything and everyone. Instead...
... Was his leaving a silent cry for help?
Rose, sensing his discomfort, spoke again. "Before, when the Doctor was here. Did you say that I was wolf-like?"
He lifted his head off his paws, glad for the distraction off the previous subject, to give him a moment to refocus his thoughts. After a few seconds, he dipped his head before pulling it back up again. A yes, an easy motion to understand. She was perceptive even if he was difficult, which made being stubborn pointless.
That, and she didn't seem so bad.
"Ah," she stretched her arms out in front of her, looking thoughtful, seeing something someplace else rather than the expanse before her, her eyes gradually refocusing. "Bad Wolf," she said, offhandedly. It was so casually given that it took Jacob a few seconds to realise it held a meaning, that it wasn't just two words she'd thrown out about him or some other wolf - that it was, seemingly, a name; or a term.
He raised an eyebrow just as she flicked her head slightly to look at him for his reaction. She laughed, a little nervous. "Have you seen those words before?"
Jacob considered... and shook his head. He couldn't recall seeing them anywhere out of place; or at all, for that matter. It wasn't like he went very many places, so he wasn't the best person to ask, but at the same time, the places he did know, he knew well - and he hadn't seen those words before in the way she suggested.
"Well, that makes sense. Maybe. I dunno... but..." she trailed off. "Nah. It doesn't matter. It doesn't really help you any, in undestanding why I seem that way. I've just been known as it."
Well, he was intrigued, at the least, staring right at her. She... no, she didn't, but her essence, her soul... smelt like something else. Not what the Doctor smelt off, but she smelt... different. Like there had been something powerful inside her, but now it was gone. She sat still under his scrutiny, silent, still as he was, despite the flexing of his nostrils - or, at least, they were, until the door to the TARDIS opened, distant calls of "Rose!" hitting their ears.
The Doctor had returned, stumbling out of the TARDIS, but lacking what he'd originally gone in there for, being the food. Maybe it had been just a ploy after all. That or maybe it was the metallic tune which started when he'd opened the door, and stopped when he shut it again. "Rose, your phone is ringing," he announced. "It's your mum."
Rose groaned, but it wasn't entirely annoyance. It seemed like she didn't want to get up and go, like she was comfortable where she was, even if she was sat next to a scraggly wolf that could possibly hurt her (not that Jacob would. Humans were safe with him). For a second, Jacob felt slightly surprised and grateful that she wanted to stay. "I called her yesterday, and we visited last week!" she moaned, shaking her head, letting out a long, long sigh.
The Doctor shrugged. "Did you forget anything...?" he suggested, but Rose simply shrugged in response, looking at clueless as he did.
"Dunno. Maybe I did? I don't think I did. Guess I better go and answer it and go back and see her if she's ringing me, since she doesn't unless she wants me home for sumin," Rose sighed, hauling herself to her feet, whilst the Doctor held the door aside for her. She shook her head, inclining Jacob, and he shrugged, retreating back into the TARDIS to presumably answer the still ringing phone as the door fell shut with a click.
Jacob watched as Rose took a couple of steps closer, and bent down, crouched just opposite of him. Her eyes held his with ease - with sheer determination and will power. "Guess we'll be off, then," she said, slowly, but he could tell there was more to come than the simple goodbye. "You know, Jacob... I ain't sure, or anything, but... sometimes, with some people, like the Doctor, and being with them through to the end... my friend said, and I think she's right, that... some things are worth getting your heart broken for."
The words hit him, and he looked at her. Really looked. She was just an ordinary English girl, from what he could see, from what he'd heard - but she'd been taken away into this huge box with a man who smelt of immortality. It hadn't occurred to him until now that it would end - which she obviously knew. Which she obviously accepted.
And how she carried herself, how she acted without a care in the world - it all made sense to him then. She made the most of everyday. And whilst she accepted it, she still lived in doubt and denial, still wanted things to stay the way they were. Which she forever strived to get to. And he knew that silent look she gave to the man who stood behind her. He'd had it enough times for a certain girl that had meant his entire world; and he'd held on to her, even as she fell away from him.
But did he hold on as long as Rose had? No. He hadn't followed through right to the end; she was going to. That was what she was saying in her words; to think. Even if she was wrong on what the issue was, which she wasn't, she was telling him to think things through.
That sometimes, being with someone, even though you know it would hurt you in the end, at the very end, was what you had to do.
Slowly, he bowed his head again, showing his understanding. Rose smiled. "A bit of advice from a wolf to a wolf," she said, giving him a small wink as she did so. "Well, guess I better go before-- oh, hey," she jumped as the door opened again, and a phone was ushered into her hands by the Doctor, which was no longer ringing.
"She's tried three times," the Doctor said, and he seemed, at least a bit, concerned, despite the fact he didn't seem to want to leave. Rose, biting her lip, seemed to echo that on her own face, and she ducked under his arm into the TARDIS, before she turned, and they both looked at Jacob for a long moment.
"Well, Jacob. Sorry to cut things short," the Doctor said. "Guess there'll be no food. Shame that... anyway! It was a pleasure."
"Bye, Jacob," Rose said, waving with her free hand, giving a gentle smile. "Remember what I said, okay?"
Jacob nodded, letting his line for a mouth spread, ever so slightly, in farewell. He didn't usually take to people so fast, at least not when in wolf form, but these two... were alright, in their way.
They waved once more, before they backtracked into the blue box, the doors shutting as they went. And then, there was the oddest sound, and the light flashed, and--
They were gone.
Like they'd never been there, except for the memory, and the light wind that rippled around his feet which was beyond natural causes and made his fur stand on end. He was just a wolf stood in an empty clearing near to the edge of a waterfall and a stream - nothing out of the ordinary.
And slowly, he turned away, to pad along the uneven path, further and further away from home, to let himself think, the only solid reminder of their existence - Rose's words - ringing in his ears.
That some things were worth getting broken for.
... maybe, he should go home again.
Maybe, just maybe, he would.
AFTERWORD
A bit of background - this fic is all over the place. It contains about five different writing styles, but this is easily explained, because I actually started writing this about a month before Breaking Dawn was released. Which, lesee, is about two years ago. I kid you not.
I've had ups and downs with writing this; and I only wrote it on and off, trying to wrangle a monster of an idea into a one shot and not go too far off track. I like the result, though - I think it works, with someone helping Jacob to contemplate going home, giving him a bit of advice to go off. I do like it, at least.
Espo (copyrighted to me! ©! No stealing please.) Ten, Rose, and Doctor Who © BBC Wales. Twilight, Jacob and all related characters, etc. © SMeyer. This is merely a fanfic written by a fan - there is no determination of any of this happening at all. Thank you.
Author: winged_requiem
Series: Doctor Who and Twilight crossover. Doctor Who timeline would be Ten's era, season 2, pre-Love and Monsters, and for Twilight, post-epilogue of Eclipse, pre-Breaking Dawn.
Pairing: Hints of Ten/Rose, Edward/Bella, Jacob/Bella.
Characters: Jacob, The Doctor (Ten), Rose. Bella, Edward, and Jackie are mentioned.
Rating: PG.
Type: One shot.
Summary: Jacob ran to get away from everything, everyone, and his overwhelming feelings; to escape. Instead, he found the two people who could help him.
Jacob'd ran. He'd ran as fast as his legs could carry him, to sound cliché, and as far away as he possibly could to get away from the constant hounding in his head from the rest of the pack. They just wouldn't leave him alone, and the more he ran, the louder they shouted for his return. Some demanded to know where he was going; others pitied him; some empathised. Jacob wanted none of it. He didn't want their pity or their sorrow. He answered none of them, thought about nothing. He wanted to be alone; free from the thoughts of those he called family. To only concentrate on running, running away from himself and his torn and tattered soul, one foot in front of the other. One two, one two.
He'd run so far, now, and their voices had grown dimmer. Either he was too far away to hear them or Sam had told them all to leave him be. Whatever. It didn't matter. ... Not anymore.
Suddenly he found himself stopping at the cliff to a large ravine, and not by his choice. He'd been so focused on running that he'd collided - with a blow to his pride - with something wooden. His mind suplemented that it was a tree, perhaps - but that was stupid despite how logical it was, given that he could just about avoid anything by wolf reflex alone. He wouldn't run into trees.
Frowning, he stubbornly thought about it for a few seconds, until he looked up and found himself face-to-face with something he was particularly sure shouldn't have been sitting near the edge of a cliff.
It was something rectangular and blue, from his wolf judgement, and he couldn't make out much more than that even with the added bonus of his (reluctant) human mind.
It... looked like a blue wooden box, from what he could make out, with 'POLICE' stamped across the head of it. It held no meaning for him, so normally that would be the cue to keep on running, and to then cast the thought aside (and even more so than usual; who cares about a stupid wooden box when your entire entity is being consumed?). But there was something else keeping him cemented in place, making his eyebrows knit together in frustration. Each time he'd tried to look at that police box since he'd collided, to really establish what it was, his perception moved... drifted to the waterfall, to a tree, to a pebble the size of a coin on the ground. He couldn't focus on the damn thing, and that was what bothered him more. He'd nailed it down to simply his senses being out of whack, but he doubted that. The thing seemed to be enjoying making him paranoid about not being able to see it. Which made him all the more stubbornly inclined into finding out what it actually was.
And he found himself planning on stopping, disgruntled and unnerved.
After sniffing around it once, he shuffled backwards on his hind legs, until he was a few hundred metres away from it, sitting in one of the bushes. He cast his eyes around, watching the area - well, he hoped it was the area - that the box preoccupied. It was just an excuse, but... it was about time for a break, anyway, to refresh himself. He'd run far enough for one day. There was no sign of civilisation, and this place seemed pretty safe. Nobody to bother him. Except the blue box - whatever it was.
He'd figure out what it was and then leave.
***
The door to the box didn't open till the next morning. Whoever's box Jacob had collided with, they certainly hadn't felt it, or his dramatic collision hadn't made enough of an impression to cause too much concern. This was backed up by the fact that the door opened loudly and the occupant walked out calmly and swiftly, spinning round on his converse-clad feet as he went, laughing at some remark he'd either made or just heard, without a care in the world for the environment around him.
Jacob's ears pricked, and he opened his eyes a fraction enough to see the man. His 'rest stop' had eventually evolved into sleeping for the night - not because he couldn't figure out the box (well okay, that was partly the reason), but because he hadn't slept properly in days - but his dreams were all over the place, his mind never fully letting him rest.
Watching someone was easy as a wolf, just to judge their motions, like the man was doing now, standing on the barren earth at his feet, looking back behind him. Like any other observation, he usually would have just watched until there was a threat/danger. Though, he had to admit - and his mind couldn't quite escape the realisation - that a man coming out of a box was bizarre. Which led to him lifting his nose a centimetre off the ground, curious. The man's scent was... different.
And very, very wrong.
Not human. Not wolf. Not vampire - that, in itself, would be enough to be at his throat without asking any questions. It was none of those three. As he sniffed again, he could tell it was kind of human, but at the same time, it was so far away from the scent as it could possibly be.
It smelt so human it could almost be human - but there was definitely an odd tang of something else in there. Immortality, if immortality smelt of anything. How would he know? They weren't exactly told about what immortality smelt like in the pack. Maybe some people just smelt different. He didn't look non-human; with brown, gelled hair and garbed in a trench coat, he could pass for an ordinary man walking down the street.
Then again, so could those leeches...
"It's quite serene, if I do say so myself," the man said finally, nodding to himself a couple of times. At first Jacob briefly considered he was mad, commenting on the weather and the scenery to himself; until a second scent touched his nose. This one, he could definitely identify as human.
"You ain't kidding! Why did you never bring me someplace like this before? It's much nicer than some cold beach or hilltop... and it's on Earth, right now. Not someplace in the future or across the galaxy." The voice was distinctly female, and it paused for a moment, till there was a sound of, presumably, shoes tapping along a surface.
"I thought you liked travelling around the universe," the man said, with a slight pout.
The female voice laughed. "I do. You know I do. Don't give me that look. It's just nice to sit back and admire your own home once in a while."
"Can't argue with that one," the man half smiled, shaking his head, and then he stepped aside, which was immediately followed by a head bobbing out of the still open door.
Jacob briefly scanned her as she stepped right to the edge of the box next to her companion, making his own visual judgement. She was blonde, her hair in slight curls down to her shoulders, and her eyes, despite the usual blue-eyes-and-blonde-hair trend, were a deep, chestnut brown, lined with thick lashes and probably a hint of mascara here and there. Her clothes seemed perfectly normal and safe - jeans and a jacket, with a pink-red shaded top. Nothing too fancy; utterly, completely ordinary.
Still, Jacob's vision faltered on her eyes.
They weren't a patch on the colour of Bella's eyes. They weren't that chocolate brown he was fond of, the eyes belonging to the girl that he loved. They weren't. But it was close enough. Close enough to send a ripping pain through his chest, too much for this fake, second skin to bear. He'd tried so hard to get Bella out of his head, but it seemed he wouldn't get there fast and that it would not happen overnight, as it all came rushing back to him with crippling force. The only sanction was that the crippling effect was brief - a wolf did not have room for emotions so breaking, and it quickly faded away, turning into a dazed, disorientated feeling which made him close his eyes to block everything out. He soon felt calm enough to open them again, all of this happening in a matter of a few seconds, the man and the girl still in the same place as they were before.
Jacob didn't move an inch as she spoke again, stepping fully out of the box, as the man offered her a hand to help her across the slightly uneven ground. They continued to talk and banter, carefree and careless.
... must be nice. Not like he cared... why should he? There was no reason to...
Together, with her still having hold of his hand, they walked a couple of steps to look out beyond the ravine, him making a joke, and her shoving him in the side, bantering and playful, laughing. It was so every day, that Jacob just let his mind switch off, and his attention drifted back to the still-evasive box. A passing thought hit him: really, how could they both fit in a box like that? Whatever, that didn't matter, either...
"It's bigger on the inside."
Jacob flinched, mid-thought, and froze, staring at the man several hundred metres at him. He was still where he was, but in the blink of an eye he'd turned serious, his voice decisive, speaking the answer to his question. And he was turning, the woman following, away from the ravine, towards him. No, no, it must have been something the woman had said, and they were just--
"No, it's not. It's, well, to your question."
He breathed, letting out a low whistle. That? That was just plain freaky. Too much sun and definitely too much running and not enough sleep. He really should get some more decent rest. Jacob didn't get long to decipher that message out, as the man turned the last few centimetres to look at the bushes which were his hiding place.
Not just the bushes. But right at him. Eyes piercing him entirely, like he knew right where he was, and it completely caught Jacob off guard. And the Doctor was still staring, eyes almost blank, but mostly curious.
"What is it, Doctor?" The woman peeked around the side of him, also staring into the bushes that Jacob had hidden himself away into - but unlike the man, this 'Doctor', she couldn't seem to pinpoint him. However, she seemed nonplussed by the fact that the man beside her had just talked to something invisible, like it was normal. "What is it?" she repeated.
The man didn't reply for a moment, still staring intently at Jacob's face, before he broke eye contact, looking at the woman beside him, his hand all the while still in hers. "The little disturbance that woke you up last night and made the TARDIS grumpy this morning. Or should I say, big disturbance. Well. He seems quite large, so you can't really say he's little, but compared to what could have hit the TARDIS, it's not the biggest thing in the world. Still; whatever ran headlong into the side of the TARDIS... this must be it. I would have thought it something like a badger, but... no. This is something different, Rose."
It was amazing. 'Rose' didn't seem put off by his long explanation about something that he could have summed up in two or three words, her expression neutral and her mind jumping straight to the point. "What?" she asked simply, reaching a suitable answer in no time at all.
The 'Doctor' didn't falter, walking a few more steps, directing her vision into the thick green leaves - Jacob felt his legs curling up to bolt behind him, but he was unwisely placed next to a rock, of all places - where he could see something and she still could not. "A... hmm. He seems content with hiding, or watching. But I'd fathom, given from the smell--" he paused, licking his finger and placing it in the air - did that really work? - "--that we are standing opposite a wolf right about now."
Rose looked at the Doctor, and he looked back. Jacob was still.
The silence seemed uncanny for a moment - fear, perhaps - and, suddenly, both Rose and the Doctor started laughing, her clutching her chest and him practically exclaiming with joy, tickled beyond belief.
Really, that wasn't the kind of impression Jacob wanted to give someone. He scowled, his mouth set into a thick line.
"Doesn't this strike you as a bit of déjà vu?" Rose asked through heavy laughter, finally stood upright after being doubled over.
"Just a smidge. Okay, well, a lot," he reasoned. "Except it is actually a wolf this time."
Jacob inwardly sighed. What? Idiot, he found himself thinking. I am not a wolf.
The Doctor stopped laughing as soon as Jacob said - well, thought - that, his expression screwed up, and he started rubbing the side of his temple with his free hand. "Oi, that was a bit loud. You don't have to shout."
Jacob looked almost horrified, or as horrified as a wolf could actually look. Before he could have passed it off for the Doctor being weird... this time he was reading his mind, no doubt, none. Backed against a crevice and unable to bolt, he felt his mind panic, instantly shouting out more remarks in his head as he had done in the past to others that liked to creep into his head on a regular basis.
What are - get out of my head! You're like that good for nothing bloodsucker-- his thoughts broke off for a moment as Bella seeped back into his mind, stopping him dead in everything but pain. He'd spent a whole day pushing it out of his head and trusting his wolf senses and not having to be human, but now he was completely back to the start, her always on his mind. Jacob hurried on, --reading everything that crosses my mind. Get out!
"You really need to work on your volume," The Doctor chided, seemingly unaffected by the little outburst on Jacob's behalf. Even if he still badly wanted to get out of there but couldn't, there was a part of him that didn't want to leave, compelled to stay, and glad that he couldn't escape, that he was going to face people when he'd planned to run. He cursed the fact he hadn't left when he'd had the chance, letting out a low growl in annoyance, but mainly to himself. Stupid, stupid, stupid--
Amidst this, Rose looked concerned, then looked almost set to run or flee, or something of the sort. A much better reaction, really, from what was told of werewolves in stories. "He's a-- werewolf?" she guessed, an eyebrow raising.
Finally, someone who gets the idea that I'm not a friendly creature when I get-
"Oi, leave Rose out of this," The Doctor interrupted again, before looking at Rose and nodding once. "Close enough. Not from the moon." He lightly let go of her hand with an apologetic glance, looking back at the TARDIS and saying softly, "It's safe inside." But she shook her head, and he just smiled again, turning and looking at Jacob.
And then the Doctor started to walk slowly and cautiously towards Jacob himself. "Now-- don't flee. It's okay, I won't hurt you... I never try to hurt anything if it can be avoided. You don't have to change forms. I just want to talk. You don't have to come out... when I get near, I'll be able to see you properly. But before that... let's talk. And let's talk like men: well, a werewolf and a Time Lord, but the point still stands," he nodded to himself. "So no shouting, alright?"
Jacob let out a low growl, audible to anything that would be around him; including Rose, whose eyes twitched slightly in worry for the Doctor, and not herself. He could see that in her face. It's not my fault, his mind grumbled. I don't expect anyone to be invading into my privacy, thank you very much.
"And you get this all the time," The Doctor added, pondering. "No, I didn't read that. I'm guessing from the direction you must have come from; about the legends, and such. But, before I get on to any of that, formalities," he pointed to himself. "I'm the Doctor. You?"
Once again, Jacob grumbled from being cut off about three times in one sentence (how did he know the legends? Did he know about the vampires? Why was he so persistent?), but reluctantly, answered. It wasn't like his own name would stay from the surface of his thoughts, anyway. ... Jacob.
"Jacob," The Doctor repeated aloud, mostly for Rose's benefit, as he looked over his shoulder at her. It was then that the wind picked up as she nodded in return, and the Doctor turned back to speak to him again. Slowly but surely getting closer.
***
Rose was humming. Actually, if Jacob had been human, he would have called it half singing, but he was a wolf, so it sounded more like humming to his ears. He couldn't deny that it wasn't bad, but it irritated him minutely just the same. She seemed too happy with her surroundings, with the world in general. Just the very way she carried herself seemed far too content, not thinking of the consequences. Even whilst looking at a waterfall off in the distance and throwing flower petals into the river hundreds of feet below, she still looked far too pleasant and happy for his collapsing world, for the sorrow that he had planned to avoid, but was treading water in.
But a little part of him felt envious that she was like that, though he couldn't quite figure out why.
The Doctor was sat several feet from him, his back leant against the blue box he'd previously come out of, looking up at the sky. After a long conversation, Jacob had reluctantly revealed himself, but only because he trusted them - at least, trusted them not to hurt him. The Doctor knew too much, anyway, about him and his pack and his life, so it wasn't that huge of a step. So now he lay, head on his paws, a couple of feet away from the box, and away from that odd man.
Whilst he seemed like he wasn't paying attention, Jacob wouldn't be surprised if the Doctor was. After talking for a while, he'd eventually stopped, his glasses perched on the end of his nose and his attention elsewhere. But he probably still had half of said-attention left in him, so Jacob wasn't going to let his guard down, thought-wise, that easily. Letting them see him was fine - letting him into his spiralling world wasn't. It was odd how priorities changed when people already knew a lot about you.
Eventually, the Doctor coughed, and looked upright. Jacob grumbled.
Getting in my head again, not-human?
"I'd appreciate if you called me Doctor," he said, with a tad of annoyance coupled with it (Good. Serves him right for getting in my head). The Doctor had told him so several times, and Jacob had automatically responded by asking him what he was - but he'd never heard of a Time Lord, so he was automatically demoted to 'not-human' until he figured out something more plausible.
The Doctor continued, "And no, not in particular. In your head, that is. Just enjoying the afternoon sun." His eyes drifted over to Rose, still humming in the distance. Jacob distantly understood the affection that the Doctor had in his eyes for the singing girl through his own lost feelings, but he didn't think on it. That was something he'd rather keep to himself, about Bella, and about all he left behind; and, he'd fathom, from that look, that the Doctor would rather keep the affection for Rose to himself, so instead, he turned away from those eyes to look at Rose as well.
A thought suddenly struck him as she laughed to herself about something or other. There's something distinctly wolfy about her.
"That there is," the Doctor replied, the soft breeze in the clearing ruffling his hair after making it past Jacob's tangled mane. His voice carried itself away, and whether intentionally or not, seemed almost a bit sad as he spoke. "It's complicated. I would explain, but--" he threw up a hand in the air, shaking it and his head at the same time. "--it would take several hours and I really don't want to recount that story, as, on my behalf, the details are a little bit fuzzy, to say the least."
Jacob raised a wolfy eyebrow - it disappeared up his face and straight out of sight. The statement surprised him. You look like the kind of guy who'd remember everything, he hedged.
The Doctor shrugged his shoulders, his attention still on Rose as he spoke again, his features perfectly straight, including his mouth. "Not when you're regenerating, I'm not. Or just about to."
Regener- what? Now Jacob felt completely lost. And irritated, since it didn't really seem like a straight answer.
It seemed that was all he was going to get, though, as all of a sudden the Doctor sprung up onto his feet. "Oh! Almost forgot! I left something inside.... tea! And food. Yes. Tea and food," he said, just a tad too cheerful at the prospect, a spring in his step as he strode round the edge of the TARDIS, babbling away happily to himself.
Jacob just watched in a stupor. Hey! I'm not done- he started, but didn't get any further, as the Doctor disappeared from view and from sight and sound, as Jacob was literally shut out of the TARDIS. Jacob sighed. Some mood swing. Or a very elaborate way of getting off the subject. He doubted there was seriously food and tea in that box. Really. That was just ludicrous.
He heard laughter in front of him, and he tilted his head forwards again - Rose was stood next to him, grinning. "There is food an' stuff in there. It is bigger on the inside," she said thoughtfully, still sniggering. "... Though he'll have to make it. The food. And I don't think we have anything that you can eat in that form. He probably didn't have an answer for you, so took the easy way out," she laughed again. From her reaction, it seemed this was a Doctor-ish habit.
Jacob just 'hmphed' loudly, before shrugging his wolfy shoulders at her, and resting his head back on his paws, closing his eyes. He wasn't quite sure why he was being particularly stubborn with her - didn't want to make the effort to talk, perhaps. But as he pondered, he felt the grass and earth move next to him, as Rose settled herself on the ground.
Really, she was as persistant as this Doctor was, though in a more subtle way. At least she didn't feel the need to throw long sentances out every five seconds when she didn't need to.
He didn't mind, though. In a way, he had wanted her to sit next to him; had wanted her to make the effort. Not that Jacob was going to admit that to her, or to the Doctor.
"Y'know," she said suddenly, and Jacob felt that her eyes were on him, even though he wasn't looking. "I'm not very good at reading wolves. Just about getting there with people. But, I think... you seem kind of sad."
He waited, not moving, twitching, or making any sort of sound. Rose didn't say anything, either, and Jacob finally opened one eye to look at her. Whatever she had seen, she was sincere about it - she was looking into his face with the kindest look he'd received in... well, a long time now. It was how a stranger would look upon someone they didn't know, but it wasn't pity. She was just worried. True and complete; no strings attached. Jacob could see why the Doctor liked her, if this was how she usually was; she just genuinely cared.
She opened her mouth as if to say something more, and it took her a few moments before she did. "... You were running, right? Since you're out here and all like this. Away from something?"
He didn't respond, but she took it as a yes; or, at least, he thought she did, until she continued, still concerned, "... or someone?"
Jacob tensed; his muscles flexed unwittingly. It didn't escape Rose's notice, and her frown deepened. "I'm sorry," she added, softly. So softly, that he knew, even though he had just met her, that she really meant it. "Really sorry."
She didn't say anything else, so he gradually closed his eye, scrunching them both tight. He didn't want to think. Didn't want those words to get to the centre of the problem - Bella - as it would hurt, and he'd had enough of that. Had enough of it back home, had enough from the unwelcome reminders that surrounded him here. He didn't want to hurt anymore, which was why he was out here like this in the first place. Wasn't it? He was seeking escape. Freedom, sanctuary, by running; to get away from everything and everyone. Instead...
... Was his leaving a silent cry for help?
Rose, sensing his discomfort, spoke again. "Before, when the Doctor was here. Did you say that I was wolf-like?"
He lifted his head off his paws, glad for the distraction off the previous subject, to give him a moment to refocus his thoughts. After a few seconds, he dipped his head before pulling it back up again. A yes, an easy motion to understand. She was perceptive even if he was difficult, which made being stubborn pointless.
That, and she didn't seem so bad.
"Ah," she stretched her arms out in front of her, looking thoughtful, seeing something someplace else rather than the expanse before her, her eyes gradually refocusing. "Bad Wolf," she said, offhandedly. It was so casually given that it took Jacob a few seconds to realise it held a meaning, that it wasn't just two words she'd thrown out about him or some other wolf - that it was, seemingly, a name; or a term.
He raised an eyebrow just as she flicked her head slightly to look at him for his reaction. She laughed, a little nervous. "Have you seen those words before?"
Jacob considered... and shook his head. He couldn't recall seeing them anywhere out of place; or at all, for that matter. It wasn't like he went very many places, so he wasn't the best person to ask, but at the same time, the places he did know, he knew well - and he hadn't seen those words before in the way she suggested.
"Well, that makes sense. Maybe. I dunno... but..." she trailed off. "Nah. It doesn't matter. It doesn't really help you any, in undestanding why I seem that way. I've just been known as it."
Well, he was intrigued, at the least, staring right at her. She... no, she didn't, but her essence, her soul... smelt like something else. Not what the Doctor smelt off, but she smelt... different. Like there had been something powerful inside her, but now it was gone. She sat still under his scrutiny, silent, still as he was, despite the flexing of his nostrils - or, at least, they were, until the door to the TARDIS opened, distant calls of "Rose!" hitting their ears.
The Doctor had returned, stumbling out of the TARDIS, but lacking what he'd originally gone in there for, being the food. Maybe it had been just a ploy after all. That or maybe it was the metallic tune which started when he'd opened the door, and stopped when he shut it again. "Rose, your phone is ringing," he announced. "It's your mum."
Rose groaned, but it wasn't entirely annoyance. It seemed like she didn't want to get up and go, like she was comfortable where she was, even if she was sat next to a scraggly wolf that could possibly hurt her (not that Jacob would. Humans were safe with him). For a second, Jacob felt slightly surprised and grateful that she wanted to stay. "I called her yesterday, and we visited last week!" she moaned, shaking her head, letting out a long, long sigh.
The Doctor shrugged. "Did you forget anything...?" he suggested, but Rose simply shrugged in response, looking at clueless as he did.
"Dunno. Maybe I did? I don't think I did. Guess I better go and answer it and go back and see her if she's ringing me, since she doesn't unless she wants me home for sumin," Rose sighed, hauling herself to her feet, whilst the Doctor held the door aside for her. She shook her head, inclining Jacob, and he shrugged, retreating back into the TARDIS to presumably answer the still ringing phone as the door fell shut with a click.
Jacob watched as Rose took a couple of steps closer, and bent down, crouched just opposite of him. Her eyes held his with ease - with sheer determination and will power. "Guess we'll be off, then," she said, slowly, but he could tell there was more to come than the simple goodbye. "You know, Jacob... I ain't sure, or anything, but... sometimes, with some people, like the Doctor, and being with them through to the end... my friend said, and I think she's right, that... some things are worth getting your heart broken for."
The words hit him, and he looked at her. Really looked. She was just an ordinary English girl, from what he could see, from what he'd heard - but she'd been taken away into this huge box with a man who smelt of immortality. It hadn't occurred to him until now that it would end - which she obviously knew. Which she obviously accepted.
And how she carried herself, how she acted without a care in the world - it all made sense to him then. She made the most of everyday. And whilst she accepted it, she still lived in doubt and denial, still wanted things to stay the way they were. Which she forever strived to get to. And he knew that silent look she gave to the man who stood behind her. He'd had it enough times for a certain girl that had meant his entire world; and he'd held on to her, even as she fell away from him.
But did he hold on as long as Rose had? No. He hadn't followed through right to the end; she was going to. That was what she was saying in her words; to think. Even if she was wrong on what the issue was, which she wasn't, she was telling him to think things through.
That sometimes, being with someone, even though you know it would hurt you in the end, at the very end, was what you had to do.
Slowly, he bowed his head again, showing his understanding. Rose smiled. "A bit of advice from a wolf to a wolf," she said, giving him a small wink as she did so. "Well, guess I better go before-- oh, hey," she jumped as the door opened again, and a phone was ushered into her hands by the Doctor, which was no longer ringing.
"She's tried three times," the Doctor said, and he seemed, at least a bit, concerned, despite the fact he didn't seem to want to leave. Rose, biting her lip, seemed to echo that on her own face, and she ducked under his arm into the TARDIS, before she turned, and they both looked at Jacob for a long moment.
"Well, Jacob. Sorry to cut things short," the Doctor said. "Guess there'll be no food. Shame that... anyway! It was a pleasure."
"Bye, Jacob," Rose said, waving with her free hand, giving a gentle smile. "Remember what I said, okay?"
Jacob nodded, letting his line for a mouth spread, ever so slightly, in farewell. He didn't usually take to people so fast, at least not when in wolf form, but these two... were alright, in their way.
They waved once more, before they backtracked into the blue box, the doors shutting as they went. And then, there was the oddest sound, and the light flashed, and--
They were gone.
Like they'd never been there, except for the memory, and the light wind that rippled around his feet which was beyond natural causes and made his fur stand on end. He was just a wolf stood in an empty clearing near to the edge of a waterfall and a stream - nothing out of the ordinary.
And slowly, he turned away, to pad along the uneven path, further and further away from home, to let himself think, the only solid reminder of their existence - Rose's words - ringing in his ears.
That some things were worth getting broken for.
... maybe, he should go home again.
Maybe, just maybe, he would.
AFTERWORD
A bit of background - this fic is all over the place. It contains about five different writing styles, but this is easily explained, because I actually started writing this about a month before Breaking Dawn was released. Which, lesee, is about two years ago. I kid you not.
I've had ups and downs with writing this; and I only wrote it on and off, trying to wrangle a monster of an idea into a one shot and not go too far off track. I like the result, though - I think it works, with someone helping Jacob to contemplate going home, giving him a bit of advice to go off. I do like it, at least.
Espo (copyrighted to me! ©! No stealing please.) Ten, Rose, and Doctor Who © BBC Wales. Twilight, Jacob and all related characters, etc. © SMeyer. This is merely a fanfic written by a fan - there is no determination of any of this happening at all. Thank you.