Fic: Sphere of Influence 7/7 FINAL
Story: Sphere of Influence
Author: wmr / wendymr
Characters: Ninth Doctor, Jack Harkness, Rose Tyler
Rated: PG13
Summary: He's like a magnet. A gravity well, sucking in everything within his sphere of influence, drawing them to him whether they like it or not.
Written for space_monkey52 in return for an extremely generous donation to the Queensland flood appeal. Thank you SO much for your generosity. Many thanks also to dark_aegis for BRing, especially with this final chapter, a major plot point of which I would not have been able to write without her assistance.
Chapter 1: Clean-up Duty l Chapter 2: Amusements l Chapter 3: Drop-off Point l Chapter 4: Search and Recovery l Chapter 5: Leading the Blind l Chapter 6: Pride Goes Before
Chapter 7: Seeing is Believing
Rose looks from the Doctor to Jack and back again. They’re both alert, on edge, but it seems like the Doctor’s looking to Jack for a lead.
She can’t see or hear anything that might have put Jack on edge. All around them, there’s just grass, and trees in the distance - and the TARDIS a few dozen paces away. The only sound she can hear is the whispering of a light wind in the trees.
Just on the evidence of her own senses, she’d say the three of them are completely alone. But Jack’s hearing’s already sharper than hers because it’s had to compensate for his loss of sight. Looks like it’s better than the Doctor’s, too.
“People with weapons,” Jack says, his voice soft. “Can’t tell how many, but they’re moving closer.”
If they’re moving closer, like Jack says, then why can’t she and the Doctor see them? There aren’t that many trees, so they can’t be camouflaged among them, and there’s nowhere else they could be hiding.
So, what? They’re invisible? How can people be invisible? She’s seen aliens made of gas, only visible once the Rift energy made them stronger. But if these people had no substance, like the Gelth, how could Jack hear them, and how could they be carrying weapons?
It doesn’t make sense, but then the Doctor manages to introduce her to at least one impossible thing every day, it seems. Sometimes a lot more than one.
Are they hostile? But if Jack can hear weapons, it sounds like they are. She moves closer to the Doctor and Jack. It’s only after she’s slid her hand into Jack’s that it occurs to her that her first instinct was to hold onto him rather than the Doctor - but then it makes sense, right? He can’t see her, so this is the best way to remind him that she’s here.
“They’re moving,” Jack says then. “There’s some of them between us and the TARDIS. Looks like they don’t want us making a quick getaway.”
“We’re surrounded, then,” the Doctor murmurs. He’s got the sonic screwdriver in his hand and is holding it out in front of him, looking at it. “Whatever they are, the sonic’s not even picking them up.” But he doesn’t look remotely sceptical, she notes. He believes Jack too, despite the evidence of his eyes and the sonic.
Jack frees his hand from hers, giving her hand a quick squeeze before letting go. He taps at his wrist computer. There are no tell-tale bleeps. “This isn’t detecting them either. I can still hear them, though. Few metres away, at most.”
But how can that be, either? If there were some sort of hostile army surrounding them, Jack’s computer should recognise that they’re there. As should the screwdriver. Invisibility doesn’t remove mass as well as the visible physical form, does it? Well, always assuming invisibility were even possible.
Jack hears them. So they are here. No question of that.
The Doctor nods, then rolls his eyes and reaches out to squeeze Jack’s shoulder briefly. “All right. So what’s the plan, Jack?”
Just for a moment, Jack seems to think, and his right hand slides up his thigh, presses against his hip for a moment, then relaxes. Checking for his blaster, of course; he did tell her, a day or so after the Doctor rescued him from his ship, that he always carried at least one weapon, no matter where he was or what he was doing.
Then he turns so that he’s facing the TARDIS. “You can put down your weapons. We mean you no harm. We’re just tourists, that’s all. If you want us to leave, we’ll leave.”
There’s silence for a few seconds. And then a voice replies, hollow and faint, as if it’s coming from a long way away. “Who invades our land?”
A chill runs through Rose, and her gaze shoots to the Doctor. Even though she’d concluded that Jack had to be right, it’s still a shock to have it confirmed. The Doctor’s watching Jack, and at that moment he brings his hand up again to rest on Jack’s shoulder. He doesn’t speak, and she realises he really is letting Jack handle this.
“I’m Jack, and this is Rose and the Doctor. Just visitors, like I said.” Jack’s voice is steady, and his hand isn’t going anywhere near his weapon.
Another long pause, and then the same faint voice says, “You will surrender and lay down your weapons.”
“We have no weapons.” Jack’s tone carries just the right amount of puzzled concern. Better hope these people, whoever they are, don’t search him, then, or they’ll be in even bigger trouble.
It’s not until the Doctor loops his arm around her shoulders, pulling her next to him while at the same time moving closer to Jack as well, that she realises she’s scared. It’s a different feeling, this. She’s faced down hostile opponents before, almost always with confidence that she and the Doctor will find a way out. It doesn’t feel as easy, somehow, when she can’t even see the people who could be threatening to kill them.
“You will surrender and lay down your weapons,” the voice repeats, with exactly the same emphasis. It’s as if the speaker - and she still can’t work out whether it’s male or female - hasn’t heard Jack’s answer.
“No weapons,” Jack repeats with emphasis. “Like I said, we’re tourists. We’re no threat to you. All you have to do is let us get to our ship and we’ll be out of your way.”
The pause that follows is longer than before, and the Doctor’s arm around her shoulders tightens. Jack, she can see when she turns to look at him, is listening intently. Can he hear anything?
Finally, almost when she thinks maybe they’ve gone, or given up, the voice comes again. “Who invades our land?”
What?
But the Doctor shifts, and when she looks at him there’s an expression of sudden realisation on his face. “Jack,” he says quickly. “You said some of them are between us and the TARDIS. Where?”
Jack tilts his head, clearly listening again. “That way.” He nods ahead and slightly to the right. “About three paces.”
The Doctor nods and unwraps his arm from her, then takes her hand and brings it to Jack’s. “Gonna try something,” he says as Jack’s fingers grip hers. “If I’m wrong, run for the TARDIS an’ don’t look back.”
“Doctor, what-” she begins, but he’s already moving away from them.
“Yes, sir,” Jack says, voice clipped, and he moves closer to her, his stance protective. Despite the situation, she feels her lips twitch. This is the bloke who thought he’d be a liability in dangerous situations? Yeah, right.
The Doctor steps forward one pace, his movements predatory as he heads towards where Jack said the invisible aliens are. “Oi!” His shout echoes through the clearing. “You want me to surrender, you’re gonna have to show yourselves, all right?”
The only response is silence - though a quick glance at Jack shows Rose that he’s still hearing the same sounds as he was before. There’s an anxious tic in his jaw, and his fingers clench around hers.
The hollow, distant voice comes again. “You will surrender and lay down your weapons.
The Doctor takes a second pace. “I said show yourselves.”
Still nothing. Her heart’s in her throat and it takes all her strength not to run forward when he moves forward a third pace, and then a fourth.
***
Oh, yes. He was right. A burst of laughter escapes him. He was right.
He spins around to face Jack and Rose, catching the almost identical expressions of fear turning to bewilderment on their faces. “I was right. There’s no-one here.”
“What?” Rose frowns in disbelief, starting to walk towards him. Jack follows, still holding her hand. “But I heard them. We all did.”
“You will surrender and lay down your weapons.” And there it is again.
He shakes his head. “We’re hearing an echo, that’s all. What’s surprising is that Jack heard them clearest.”
“My hearing’s improved since...” Jack trails off, gesturing awkwardly in the general direction of his eyes.
“Yep. That’s not what I meant.” He taps his head. “Should’ve said it’s a temporal echo, an’ that means it should’ve been me. Time Lord,” he adds. Well, Jack already knows that he has mild telepathic abilities, and Rose probably figured it out for herself long ago.
“An echo of what?” Jack asks. “I mean, I’m guessing they were the original inhabitants of this planet, but what happened? What could have wiped them all out and left that kind of trace?”
He grunts approvingly; the lad’s asking the right questions. “Not much that could’ve done that, yep.”
And, yes, he knows what could have caused something like this. Should have been obvious immediately, it should. He should’ve felt it as soon as he walked outside the TARDIS, but he was too focused on making sure Jack was safe and gaining confidence in his ability to manoeuvre outside the TARDIS.
The Time War. The Daleks must have annihilated the population of this planet. The planet’s defences wouldn’t have stood a chance against an invading Dalek army.
“War.” It’s a relief to hear that his voice is steady. Well, mostly. “The kind of war no-one survives.”
Rose shivers, and he knows that she’s guessed. “So, what? They’re trapped like that? For ever?”
He shifts footing. It’s suddenly easier to stare at some point above her head. “They’re dead, Rose. It’s just an echo.”
“Who invades our land?” Again, it continues, and all he wants now is to get back into the TARDIS and leave this place, this reminder of a war he can never seem to escape from, far behind.
“But still.” He can hear the silent plea in her voice. “It’s just... it’s horrible, Doctor.”
As much as he wants to run, she’s right. It is - even if there’s nothing remotely sentient behind the voice. Not any more. And he can do it. It just means opening channels in his mind which he’s tried to lock away since the War.
“You will surrender and lay down your weapons.”
He shivers this time, then nods. “All right. Stay here. I need to go into the TARDIS for a minute.” He can’t cut the echo off at its source - the War’s time-locked - but he can strengthen the seal, shore it up if he uses energy from the TARDIS to increase his own mental abilities.
It would be a lot easier on him in many ways if he could just let the TARDIS do it all, but this is a delicate operation. It’s like repairing the cracks in an ancient, priceless vase: it requires precision and just the right amount of glue. Anything more would just end up shattering it to smithereens.
It’s a simple job to crank up the engines, open the console and absorb a little Vortex energy. Not too much; this is dangerous and there’s no telling what he would be capable of if he took in more than just half a breath. A few more settings to help him direct the energy, and he’s ready.
When he walks outside again, the first thing he notices is the raucous sound of soldiers preparing for battle. So this is what Jack heard. No wonder the lad was convinced they were under attack. The voice is louder now too, and there are other voices murmuring in the background. Rose was right to make him do this. Definitely needs fixing, this does.
Rose, still holding Jack’s hand, reaches out to him as he comes closer, but he holds up a hand. “Stay back. ‘M not safe.”
Her eyes widen and she drops her hand, moving closer to Jack. He knows what she’s seeing: his eyes will be glowing, completely unlike anything she’s ever seen before. But he can’t take the time to reassure her. This has to be done before his mind and body processes the energy and it dissipates.
He closes his eyes and reaches out, sensing the time lock and mentally pushing, looking for weak points. And there they are. It’s a slow, careful task to focus the energy and direct it, filling the cracks and bolstering the area around them.
And, as he works, the sounds fade. The weapons and troop movements become fainter, then disappear altogether, and then, finally, the commander’s voice is cut off mid-command.
“You will surrender and l-”
He pushes against the barrier again, testing it, but it’s firm. Solid. It’s done.
Releasing a long breath, he opens his eyes, seeking out his companions, but bright sunlight blinds him. Everything turns red before his eyes and then fades to black.
***
“Doctor!”
Rose’s shout of alarm is immediately followed by the tug of her hand as she pulls away from Jack. Shit. Something’s wrong with the Doctor and he’s completely useless, fumbling around blindly, no help whatsoever.
There’s a thump - a body falling to the ground? - followed by running footsteps. Rose. Has to be. He focuses on the direction the sounds came from, and walks carefully forward, one foot in front of the other, following the beeps from his wristcomp. It gets easier when Rose starts calling the Doctor’s name, from a lower position than he’d normally hear her voice. Okay, so the Doctor’s on the ground and she’s kneeling beside him.
He halts when his foot encounters a solid object. Rose or the Doctor? Impossible to tell. “What happened?”
“Just after the voice stopped - you heard it, right?” Jack nods. “He opened his eyes and looked at us, but then he just swayed and then he fell. He’s on the ground, right next to you.”
“Breathing?” he asks as he drops down to his knees, hands searching out the Doctor’s body.
“Yeah. Both hearts beating, too,” she says, and he exhales, relieved.
Running his hands over the Doctor’s torso tell him the Time Lord is on his back. “We should turn him on his side,” he says. “Recovery position. Can’t choke on his tongue, or his own vomit, that way.” As he speaks, he moves the Doctor’s arm across his chest, then grips the Doctor’s shoulder with one hand, hip with the other, ready to roll him.
“Never choked on my own vomit yet,” the Doctor mumbles, pushing against Jack’s hands as he levers himself into a sitting position. “I’m fine.”
Movements against him tell him the Doctor’s getting to his feet. Then Rose sighs. “You’re bloody well not all right.”
An elbow jabs him in the back. Okay, so the Doctor’s still unsteady. He catches hold of the Doctor’s arm, fumbling until he gets a good supporting grip. “Rose, what direction’s the TARDIS?”
“Turn a little bit to the left,” she instructs. “Like you’re facing the kettle an’ you want to look at the fridge, yeah?”
That’s a direction he can understand. He moves, adjusting his grasp of the Doctor, who’s leaning against him as if he can’t hold himself up. “Okay,” Rose says. “I’m guessing maybe twenty steps? Depending on the Doctor.”
“I can walk,” the Doctor grumbles, though he locks his arm around Jack’s waist.
Jack snorts. “You’d fall over if we let go of you.” There’s no question in his mind that Rose is holding on to the Doctor’s other side.
It’s exactly twenty-four short steps, the Doctor half-walking, half being pulled along with them, before they reach the TARDIS. Rose unlocks the door, and they shuffle in. Once inside, it’s as if someone’s flicked a switch: the Doctor straightens and he’s barely leaning on Jack at all.
“Thank you both,” he says, and the arm that’s still around Jack’s waist pulls him in closer.
Caught off balance, Jack sways a little to steady himself and turns his head towards where he thinks the Doctor is, opening his mouth to say “You’re welcome.”
He doesn’t get to say the words, because his lips collide with the Doctor’s. It’s awkward and unexpected, and completely obvious that the Doctor had just turned to speak to him. He freezes, not wanting to commit another faux pas, but the Doctor’s arm relaxes around his waist and the lips against his gentle, brush across his and then draw away.
“Nice. Can you two do that again?” Rose asks. The Doctor laughs, and then there’s the unmistakeable sound of the two of them kissing. It’s longer, more lingering than the kiss he got, but that’s hardly surprising.
Then the Doctor’s not next to him any more, but Rose is. “Can I...?” she asks, and in the same moment her arms are sliding up around his neck.
“God, yeah.” The words emerge as a breathless sigh. If she only knew how hard he had to fight earlier, when she was hugging him, not to haul her even more tightly against him and kiss her.
Her soft lips press against his, and he draws on all the will-power he possesses not to part his lips over hers and devour her. But then her tongue touches the corner of his mouth and he’s lost.
They’re trying to kill him, aren’t they? But what a way to go.
“That looked nice too,” the Doctor says, and he can’t tell if the tone’s amused or sardonic. But then the Doctor kisses him again and it’s all good... it’s very, very good.
***
Did all this happen because she kissed the Doctor earlier? The grin he gives her as he pulls back from the two of them makes her think it might be. He’s not looking shocked now, or at all reluctant. And, considering he kissed Jack as well as her, it’s looking like there could be very interesting times ahead.
“Right then! Can’t hang around doin’ this all day,” the Doctor announces brightly. Spoilsport. God, that was amazing. Even better than anything she ever imagined with either of them, and all the better because it was both of them. And they kissed each other, too. Deep in her belly, something’s doing flip-flops, and she wants more. Lots more.
She’s in love with both of them. No doubt about that now. Scandalous in her time, of course; she can only imagine the names she’d be called. But in Jack’s time it’s perfectly normal; he told her that.
She must have leaned towards the Doctor, because he’s giving her a fond smile, with definite heat in his eyes. “Later, maybe. But could do with your help at the console, Jack. Need to shut down the ports and get into the Vortex.”
She follows the two of them to the console, enjoying the sight of their lean and athletic bodies as they stride across the room and up the steps, and then watches as Jack follows the Doctor’s instructions, his hands moving - at first hesitantly and then with more confidence - across the console in response to directions. He’s adapting really well. Still, though, it’s not fair. He shouldn’t be blind.
“Good work out there, lad,” the Doctor comments once they’re in the Vortex. “You got it wrong earlier. Wouldn’t call you a liability at all.”
Jack pulls a face. “You’re kidding! I’m the one who had you both believing you were under attack from an army that didn’t even exist.”
“You heard a threat and reacted to it,” the Doctor replies, his voice quiet but firm. “You took charge an’ did a good job. If it’d been real, you could have saved our lives.”
Jack shrugs. “Maybe. There’s still so much that could’ve gone wrong.”
“And it’s all less likely to go wrong if you accept my offer. Let me take you for surgery, Jack,” the Doctor says, and there’s a gentleness in his voice she hasn’t heard since... oh, since he brought her back into the TARDIS after she watched her dad die.
“I don’t understand why you’d-” Jack’s voice cracks and he breaks off.
The Doctor lays a hand over his and, a lump in her throat, Rose moves to Jack’s other side, covering his other hand with hers. “That’s why,” she tells him, squeezing his hand.
Jack swallows, and seems to brace himself. A moment later, he turns his hands palm-upwards, gripping their hands in his. “Thank you.” He still doesn’t sound himself, but it doesn’t stop him smiling, a shaky but completely genuine smile. “Yes. Please.”
“Good,” the Doctor says, warmth in his voice and in his smile. He lets go of Jack and becomes a flurry of movement against the console, spinning wheels and pushing buttons, then slams down the lever. “Next stop, New New York.”
***
At last. He was beginning to think he’d just have to hypnotise Jack and take him there anyway.
Seems all it needed was for Jack to understand that he’s cared about. Wanted. Mind, the Doctor thought he’d already done that earlier, but obviously not. Should have realised, really. Jack’s much more about gestures than words - and, yes, of course giving him a TARDIS key was a gesture, but touches are clearly more meaningful for him.
Touches, hugs - and kisses. And he has to admit that the Captain’s bloody good at the latter. It’s almost as much of a turn-on watching him kiss Rose as it is kissing him himself.
But it’s not just about the kisses, and anything else they might lead to. It’s also... it’s them. He can’t help it, can he? No matter how hard he tries to keep his distance, he just can’t. Almost always humans, too. He can’t stop letting them into his hearts, and these two more than most. Course, whether or not he likes to admit it, he is more vulnerable now. Alone.
And he wants.
“Doctor?”
He turns to Rose, eyebrow raised. She’s looking at him, her expression curious - and amused. “What?”
“What’re you smiling at?”
“Oi! Can’t I smile if I feel like it?”
She bumps her hip against his thigh. “Not seen you smile like this before.”
“Oh.” He shrugs and ruffles her hair. “Just happy. Glad idiot boy over there’s finally seen sense.”
“Thanks,” Jack says, his tone dry - but he’s smiling too.
The Doctor leans over and cups the back of Jack’s neck. “You were bein’ an idiot. There were never any strings attached. I just wanted you to see again.”
Jack leans into his touch, bringing his own hand up to reach for the Doctor’s shoulder. And then, abruptly, he stills. “And you hated that you couldn’t fix me yourself. Why didn’t I see that?”
Yes, he did. But he has to make one thing clear. “It’s not guilt, Jack. That’s not why I’m offering. Wasn’t earlier, either.”
“Yeah. Think I got that.” Feeling his way with his hand, Jack leans in and manages to find the Doctor’s lips with his own. He really is tactile, this fifty-first century human. Not that the Doctor’s complaining one bit. Not at all.
“Oi!” Rose exclaims after a while, sounding more amused than indignant.
Jack breaks the kiss. “If I could see where you are, Rose, I’d kiss you too.”
“Easy way around that,” Rose counters, and dances around the console to slide between the two of them. And it turns out that there are plenty of ways he and Jack can kiss her at the same time, and the little whimpers they tease from her just makes it even better.
***
“Suppose if I’m going to have a hospital stay I should really pack a bag,” Jack says eventually. He doesn’t want to bring this little interlude to an end, though at this rate he’s going to end up embarrassing himself if it goes on much longer. That, or begging one or both of them to shag him through the grating.
Rose makes a little sound of disappointment as he disentangles himself from her, which makes his heart swell even more than it already has in the last hour. If she likes his kisses this much, then she’ll want more of them - he hopes. She likes his and the Doctor’s together, that’s obvious too, and that’s even better. Signs are definitely good that this is going to end up somewhere more comfortable than the console sooner or later.
Preferably later, when he can see again. Fun and all as this is now, taking it further wouldn’t be as good if he couldn’t see the glint of honey and gold on Rose’s skin as he caresses and kisses her, couldn’t watch the Doctor’s eyes turn even darker and deeper as he drives the Time Lord beyond the brink of control.
But, yes, if the hospital on New Earth can help him... oh, what he’s got to look forward to. And not just showing Rose all the delights of a triad relationship in bed, but getting to be with these two amazing people, sharing adventures and laughter and quiet times as well.
“Go on, then.” The Doctor ruffles his hair.
“If one of you can point me in the right direction,” he reminds them; he’s pretty much lost his bearings after what they’ve been doing.
Strong hands grip his shoulders and turn him. “Steps about four paces that way, and then it’s straight across the room to the door.”
“Thanks.” It’s definitely getting easier all the time to find his way around the TARDIS, though he won’t miss having to count steps and rely on his wrist computer to warn him of obstacles. “I’ll just be a couple of minutes,” he calls to them, turning slightly as he nears the door. “Don’t start anything without-”
Something slams hard against his forehead. He grunts, sways, tries to regain his balance but loses it, tumbling to the floor. Dizzy. Hurting. Throbbing pain in front of his eyes, disorientation, idiot. He just walked into the door, didn’t he? His own damn fault for getting over-cocky about finding his way-
“Jack!” That’s Rose’s voice, and the Doctor’s calling his name too. Running feet, the pounding jarring his head. And then they’re beside him, Rose holding his hand while the Doctor’s supporting his head, that damn screwdriver shining in his eyes while the Doctor’s worried face stares down at him...
“I can see!” He clutches at the Doctor’s hand, and with his free hand reaches for Rose. “Doctor, I can see you!” He looks to the side, and there she is, blonde hair tumbling down her shoulders, anxious brown eyes taking him in. “Rose.” He slides his hand up into her hair, then across her cheek, her jaw. “So beautiful.”
Her eyes widen, and a smile as bright as the sun splits her face. She covers his hand with hers, pressing it against her. “So’re you.”
The Doctor coughs. “If I can interrupt the mutual admiration society for a minute...”
He turns back to the Doctor, unable to keep the grin off his face. “You’re gorgeous too, and you know it.”
“What, this daft face?” The Doctor huffs. “Now I know you’ve got a head injury.” But he’s smiling, clearly pleased. “Now hush. Keep still. Need to check you over.”
He complies, answering the Doctor’s questions about how many fingers he’s holding up, what his name is, what galaxy he comes from and several others intended to show that he’s in his right mind. Oh, he’s in his right mind, and so happy he could hug them both if the Doctor would only let him move.
It’s everything he wanted - his dreams ever since he first stepped on board this ship come true. And his sight back, without having to let the Doctor spend several large fortunes to make it happen. Even if the Doctor was insisting he didn’t expect to be repaid, didn’t want Jack to feel under any obligation, he would’ve felt indebted, probably for the rest of his life.
“You’ll live,” the Doctor pronounces dryly at last, getting to his feet and extending a hand to Jack to help him stand. “Might have a headache for a few days, but you’re not concussed, and as far as I can tell your vision’s back to normal. Always said with cortical blindness your sight could come back on its own any time. Should check you out properly, though, in a bit.”
Rose stands as well and folds herself against him, hugging him, a wide smile on her face. The Doctor rests a hand on his shoulder. Jack can’t get enough of the sight of the two of them: their faces, their smiles, their eyes as they look at him.
And he knows beyond any doubt at all that this is where he’s wanted; where he belongs.
- end
Author: wmr / wendymr
Characters: Ninth Doctor, Jack Harkness, Rose Tyler
Rated: PG13
Summary: He's like a magnet. A gravity well, sucking in everything within his sphere of influence, drawing them to him whether they like it or not.
Written for space_monkey52 in return for an extremely generous donation to the Queensland flood appeal. Thank you SO much for your generosity. Many thanks also to dark_aegis for BRing, especially with this final chapter, a major plot point of which I would not have been able to write without her assistance.
Chapter 1: Clean-up Duty l Chapter 2: Amusements l Chapter 3: Drop-off Point l Chapter 4: Search and Recovery l Chapter 5: Leading the Blind l Chapter 6: Pride Goes Before
Chapter 7: Seeing is Believing
Rose looks from the Doctor to Jack and back again. They’re both alert, on edge, but it seems like the Doctor’s looking to Jack for a lead.
She can’t see or hear anything that might have put Jack on edge. All around them, there’s just grass, and trees in the distance - and the TARDIS a few dozen paces away. The only sound she can hear is the whispering of a light wind in the trees.
Just on the evidence of her own senses, she’d say the three of them are completely alone. But Jack’s hearing’s already sharper than hers because it’s had to compensate for his loss of sight. Looks like it’s better than the Doctor’s, too.
“People with weapons,” Jack says, his voice soft. “Can’t tell how many, but they’re moving closer.”
If they’re moving closer, like Jack says, then why can’t she and the Doctor see them? There aren’t that many trees, so they can’t be camouflaged among them, and there’s nowhere else they could be hiding.
So, what? They’re invisible? How can people be invisible? She’s seen aliens made of gas, only visible once the Rift energy made them stronger. But if these people had no substance, like the Gelth, how could Jack hear them, and how could they be carrying weapons?
It doesn’t make sense, but then the Doctor manages to introduce her to at least one impossible thing every day, it seems. Sometimes a lot more than one.
Are they hostile? But if Jack can hear weapons, it sounds like they are. She moves closer to the Doctor and Jack. It’s only after she’s slid her hand into Jack’s that it occurs to her that her first instinct was to hold onto him rather than the Doctor - but then it makes sense, right? He can’t see her, so this is the best way to remind him that she’s here.
“They’re moving,” Jack says then. “There’s some of them between us and the TARDIS. Looks like they don’t want us making a quick getaway.”
“We’re surrounded, then,” the Doctor murmurs. He’s got the sonic screwdriver in his hand and is holding it out in front of him, looking at it. “Whatever they are, the sonic’s not even picking them up.” But he doesn’t look remotely sceptical, she notes. He believes Jack too, despite the evidence of his eyes and the sonic.
Jack frees his hand from hers, giving her hand a quick squeeze before letting go. He taps at his wrist computer. There are no tell-tale bleeps. “This isn’t detecting them either. I can still hear them, though. Few metres away, at most.”
But how can that be, either? If there were some sort of hostile army surrounding them, Jack’s computer should recognise that they’re there. As should the screwdriver. Invisibility doesn’t remove mass as well as the visible physical form, does it? Well, always assuming invisibility were even possible.
Jack hears them. So they are here. No question of that.
The Doctor nods, then rolls his eyes and reaches out to squeeze Jack’s shoulder briefly. “All right. So what’s the plan, Jack?”
Just for a moment, Jack seems to think, and his right hand slides up his thigh, presses against his hip for a moment, then relaxes. Checking for his blaster, of course; he did tell her, a day or so after the Doctor rescued him from his ship, that he always carried at least one weapon, no matter where he was or what he was doing.
Then he turns so that he’s facing the TARDIS. “You can put down your weapons. We mean you no harm. We’re just tourists, that’s all. If you want us to leave, we’ll leave.”
There’s silence for a few seconds. And then a voice replies, hollow and faint, as if it’s coming from a long way away. “Who invades our land?”
A chill runs through Rose, and her gaze shoots to the Doctor. Even though she’d concluded that Jack had to be right, it’s still a shock to have it confirmed. The Doctor’s watching Jack, and at that moment he brings his hand up again to rest on Jack’s shoulder. He doesn’t speak, and she realises he really is letting Jack handle this.
“I’m Jack, and this is Rose and the Doctor. Just visitors, like I said.” Jack’s voice is steady, and his hand isn’t going anywhere near his weapon.
Another long pause, and then the same faint voice says, “You will surrender and lay down your weapons.”
“We have no weapons.” Jack’s tone carries just the right amount of puzzled concern. Better hope these people, whoever they are, don’t search him, then, or they’ll be in even bigger trouble.
It’s not until the Doctor loops his arm around her shoulders, pulling her next to him while at the same time moving closer to Jack as well, that she realises she’s scared. It’s a different feeling, this. She’s faced down hostile opponents before, almost always with confidence that she and the Doctor will find a way out. It doesn’t feel as easy, somehow, when she can’t even see the people who could be threatening to kill them.
“You will surrender and lay down your weapons,” the voice repeats, with exactly the same emphasis. It’s as if the speaker - and she still can’t work out whether it’s male or female - hasn’t heard Jack’s answer.
“No weapons,” Jack repeats with emphasis. “Like I said, we’re tourists. We’re no threat to you. All you have to do is let us get to our ship and we’ll be out of your way.”
The pause that follows is longer than before, and the Doctor’s arm around her shoulders tightens. Jack, she can see when she turns to look at him, is listening intently. Can he hear anything?
Finally, almost when she thinks maybe they’ve gone, or given up, the voice comes again. “Who invades our land?”
What?
But the Doctor shifts, and when she looks at him there’s an expression of sudden realisation on his face. “Jack,” he says quickly. “You said some of them are between us and the TARDIS. Where?”
Jack tilts his head, clearly listening again. “That way.” He nods ahead and slightly to the right. “About three paces.”
The Doctor nods and unwraps his arm from her, then takes her hand and brings it to Jack’s. “Gonna try something,” he says as Jack’s fingers grip hers. “If I’m wrong, run for the TARDIS an’ don’t look back.”
“Doctor, what-” she begins, but he’s already moving away from them.
“Yes, sir,” Jack says, voice clipped, and he moves closer to her, his stance protective. Despite the situation, she feels her lips twitch. This is the bloke who thought he’d be a liability in dangerous situations? Yeah, right.
The Doctor steps forward one pace, his movements predatory as he heads towards where Jack said the invisible aliens are. “Oi!” His shout echoes through the clearing. “You want me to surrender, you’re gonna have to show yourselves, all right?”
The only response is silence - though a quick glance at Jack shows Rose that he’s still hearing the same sounds as he was before. There’s an anxious tic in his jaw, and his fingers clench around hers.
The hollow, distant voice comes again. “You will surrender and lay down your weapons.
The Doctor takes a second pace. “I said show yourselves.”
Still nothing. Her heart’s in her throat and it takes all her strength not to run forward when he moves forward a third pace, and then a fourth.
***
Oh, yes. He was right. A burst of laughter escapes him. He was right.
He spins around to face Jack and Rose, catching the almost identical expressions of fear turning to bewilderment on their faces. “I was right. There’s no-one here.”
“What?” Rose frowns in disbelief, starting to walk towards him. Jack follows, still holding her hand. “But I heard them. We all did.”
“You will surrender and lay down your weapons.” And there it is again.
He shakes his head. “We’re hearing an echo, that’s all. What’s surprising is that Jack heard them clearest.”
“My hearing’s improved since...” Jack trails off, gesturing awkwardly in the general direction of his eyes.
“Yep. That’s not what I meant.” He taps his head. “Should’ve said it’s a temporal echo, an’ that means it should’ve been me. Time Lord,” he adds. Well, Jack already knows that he has mild telepathic abilities, and Rose probably figured it out for herself long ago.
“An echo of what?” Jack asks. “I mean, I’m guessing they were the original inhabitants of this planet, but what happened? What could have wiped them all out and left that kind of trace?”
He grunts approvingly; the lad’s asking the right questions. “Not much that could’ve done that, yep.”
And, yes, he knows what could have caused something like this. Should have been obvious immediately, it should. He should’ve felt it as soon as he walked outside the TARDIS, but he was too focused on making sure Jack was safe and gaining confidence in his ability to manoeuvre outside the TARDIS.
The Time War. The Daleks must have annihilated the population of this planet. The planet’s defences wouldn’t have stood a chance against an invading Dalek army.
“War.” It’s a relief to hear that his voice is steady. Well, mostly. “The kind of war no-one survives.”
Rose shivers, and he knows that she’s guessed. “So, what? They’re trapped like that? For ever?”
He shifts footing. It’s suddenly easier to stare at some point above her head. “They’re dead, Rose. It’s just an echo.”
“Who invades our land?” Again, it continues, and all he wants now is to get back into the TARDIS and leave this place, this reminder of a war he can never seem to escape from, far behind.
“But still.” He can hear the silent plea in her voice. “It’s just... it’s horrible, Doctor.”
As much as he wants to run, she’s right. It is - even if there’s nothing remotely sentient behind the voice. Not any more. And he can do it. It just means opening channels in his mind which he’s tried to lock away since the War.
“You will surrender and lay down your weapons.”
He shivers this time, then nods. “All right. Stay here. I need to go into the TARDIS for a minute.” He can’t cut the echo off at its source - the War’s time-locked - but he can strengthen the seal, shore it up if he uses energy from the TARDIS to increase his own mental abilities.
It would be a lot easier on him in many ways if he could just let the TARDIS do it all, but this is a delicate operation. It’s like repairing the cracks in an ancient, priceless vase: it requires precision and just the right amount of glue. Anything more would just end up shattering it to smithereens.
It’s a simple job to crank up the engines, open the console and absorb a little Vortex energy. Not too much; this is dangerous and there’s no telling what he would be capable of if he took in more than just half a breath. A few more settings to help him direct the energy, and he’s ready.
When he walks outside again, the first thing he notices is the raucous sound of soldiers preparing for battle. So this is what Jack heard. No wonder the lad was convinced they were under attack. The voice is louder now too, and there are other voices murmuring in the background. Rose was right to make him do this. Definitely needs fixing, this does.
Rose, still holding Jack’s hand, reaches out to him as he comes closer, but he holds up a hand. “Stay back. ‘M not safe.”
Her eyes widen and she drops her hand, moving closer to Jack. He knows what she’s seeing: his eyes will be glowing, completely unlike anything she’s ever seen before. But he can’t take the time to reassure her. This has to be done before his mind and body processes the energy and it dissipates.
He closes his eyes and reaches out, sensing the time lock and mentally pushing, looking for weak points. And there they are. It’s a slow, careful task to focus the energy and direct it, filling the cracks and bolstering the area around them.
And, as he works, the sounds fade. The weapons and troop movements become fainter, then disappear altogether, and then, finally, the commander’s voice is cut off mid-command.
“You will surrender and l-”
He pushes against the barrier again, testing it, but it’s firm. Solid. It’s done.
Releasing a long breath, he opens his eyes, seeking out his companions, but bright sunlight blinds him. Everything turns red before his eyes and then fades to black.
***
“Doctor!”
Rose’s shout of alarm is immediately followed by the tug of her hand as she pulls away from Jack. Shit. Something’s wrong with the Doctor and he’s completely useless, fumbling around blindly, no help whatsoever.
There’s a thump - a body falling to the ground? - followed by running footsteps. Rose. Has to be. He focuses on the direction the sounds came from, and walks carefully forward, one foot in front of the other, following the beeps from his wristcomp. It gets easier when Rose starts calling the Doctor’s name, from a lower position than he’d normally hear her voice. Okay, so the Doctor’s on the ground and she’s kneeling beside him.
He halts when his foot encounters a solid object. Rose or the Doctor? Impossible to tell. “What happened?”
“Just after the voice stopped - you heard it, right?” Jack nods. “He opened his eyes and looked at us, but then he just swayed and then he fell. He’s on the ground, right next to you.”
“Breathing?” he asks as he drops down to his knees, hands searching out the Doctor’s body.
“Yeah. Both hearts beating, too,” she says, and he exhales, relieved.
Running his hands over the Doctor’s torso tell him the Time Lord is on his back. “We should turn him on his side,” he says. “Recovery position. Can’t choke on his tongue, or his own vomit, that way.” As he speaks, he moves the Doctor’s arm across his chest, then grips the Doctor’s shoulder with one hand, hip with the other, ready to roll him.
“Never choked on my own vomit yet,” the Doctor mumbles, pushing against Jack’s hands as he levers himself into a sitting position. “I’m fine.”
Movements against him tell him the Doctor’s getting to his feet. Then Rose sighs. “You’re bloody well not all right.”
An elbow jabs him in the back. Okay, so the Doctor’s still unsteady. He catches hold of the Doctor’s arm, fumbling until he gets a good supporting grip. “Rose, what direction’s the TARDIS?”
“Turn a little bit to the left,” she instructs. “Like you’re facing the kettle an’ you want to look at the fridge, yeah?”
That’s a direction he can understand. He moves, adjusting his grasp of the Doctor, who’s leaning against him as if he can’t hold himself up. “Okay,” Rose says. “I’m guessing maybe twenty steps? Depending on the Doctor.”
“I can walk,” the Doctor grumbles, though he locks his arm around Jack’s waist.
Jack snorts. “You’d fall over if we let go of you.” There’s no question in his mind that Rose is holding on to the Doctor’s other side.
It’s exactly twenty-four short steps, the Doctor half-walking, half being pulled along with them, before they reach the TARDIS. Rose unlocks the door, and they shuffle in. Once inside, it’s as if someone’s flicked a switch: the Doctor straightens and he’s barely leaning on Jack at all.
“Thank you both,” he says, and the arm that’s still around Jack’s waist pulls him in closer.
Caught off balance, Jack sways a little to steady himself and turns his head towards where he thinks the Doctor is, opening his mouth to say “You’re welcome.”
He doesn’t get to say the words, because his lips collide with the Doctor’s. It’s awkward and unexpected, and completely obvious that the Doctor had just turned to speak to him. He freezes, not wanting to commit another faux pas, but the Doctor’s arm relaxes around his waist and the lips against his gentle, brush across his and then draw away.
“Nice. Can you two do that again?” Rose asks. The Doctor laughs, and then there’s the unmistakeable sound of the two of them kissing. It’s longer, more lingering than the kiss he got, but that’s hardly surprising.
Then the Doctor’s not next to him any more, but Rose is. “Can I...?” she asks, and in the same moment her arms are sliding up around his neck.
“God, yeah.” The words emerge as a breathless sigh. If she only knew how hard he had to fight earlier, when she was hugging him, not to haul her even more tightly against him and kiss her.
Her soft lips press against his, and he draws on all the will-power he possesses not to part his lips over hers and devour her. But then her tongue touches the corner of his mouth and he’s lost.
They’re trying to kill him, aren’t they? But what a way to go.
“That looked nice too,” the Doctor says, and he can’t tell if the tone’s amused or sardonic. But then the Doctor kisses him again and it’s all good... it’s very, very good.
***
Did all this happen because she kissed the Doctor earlier? The grin he gives her as he pulls back from the two of them makes her think it might be. He’s not looking shocked now, or at all reluctant. And, considering he kissed Jack as well as her, it’s looking like there could be very interesting times ahead.
“Right then! Can’t hang around doin’ this all day,” the Doctor announces brightly. Spoilsport. God, that was amazing. Even better than anything she ever imagined with either of them, and all the better because it was both of them. And they kissed each other, too. Deep in her belly, something’s doing flip-flops, and she wants more. Lots more.
She’s in love with both of them. No doubt about that now. Scandalous in her time, of course; she can only imagine the names she’d be called. But in Jack’s time it’s perfectly normal; he told her that.
She must have leaned towards the Doctor, because he’s giving her a fond smile, with definite heat in his eyes. “Later, maybe. But could do with your help at the console, Jack. Need to shut down the ports and get into the Vortex.”
She follows the two of them to the console, enjoying the sight of their lean and athletic bodies as they stride across the room and up the steps, and then watches as Jack follows the Doctor’s instructions, his hands moving - at first hesitantly and then with more confidence - across the console in response to directions. He’s adapting really well. Still, though, it’s not fair. He shouldn’t be blind.
“Good work out there, lad,” the Doctor comments once they’re in the Vortex. “You got it wrong earlier. Wouldn’t call you a liability at all.”
Jack pulls a face. “You’re kidding! I’m the one who had you both believing you were under attack from an army that didn’t even exist.”
“You heard a threat and reacted to it,” the Doctor replies, his voice quiet but firm. “You took charge an’ did a good job. If it’d been real, you could have saved our lives.”
Jack shrugs. “Maybe. There’s still so much that could’ve gone wrong.”
“And it’s all less likely to go wrong if you accept my offer. Let me take you for surgery, Jack,” the Doctor says, and there’s a gentleness in his voice she hasn’t heard since... oh, since he brought her back into the TARDIS after she watched her dad die.
“I don’t understand why you’d-” Jack’s voice cracks and he breaks off.
The Doctor lays a hand over his and, a lump in her throat, Rose moves to Jack’s other side, covering his other hand with hers. “That’s why,” she tells him, squeezing his hand.
Jack swallows, and seems to brace himself. A moment later, he turns his hands palm-upwards, gripping their hands in his. “Thank you.” He still doesn’t sound himself, but it doesn’t stop him smiling, a shaky but completely genuine smile. “Yes. Please.”
“Good,” the Doctor says, warmth in his voice and in his smile. He lets go of Jack and becomes a flurry of movement against the console, spinning wheels and pushing buttons, then slams down the lever. “Next stop, New New York.”
***
At last. He was beginning to think he’d just have to hypnotise Jack and take him there anyway.
Seems all it needed was for Jack to understand that he’s cared about. Wanted. Mind, the Doctor thought he’d already done that earlier, but obviously not. Should have realised, really. Jack’s much more about gestures than words - and, yes, of course giving him a TARDIS key was a gesture, but touches are clearly more meaningful for him.
Touches, hugs - and kisses. And he has to admit that the Captain’s bloody good at the latter. It’s almost as much of a turn-on watching him kiss Rose as it is kissing him himself.
But it’s not just about the kisses, and anything else they might lead to. It’s also... it’s them. He can’t help it, can he? No matter how hard he tries to keep his distance, he just can’t. Almost always humans, too. He can’t stop letting them into his hearts, and these two more than most. Course, whether or not he likes to admit it, he is more vulnerable now. Alone.
And he wants.
“Doctor?”
He turns to Rose, eyebrow raised. She’s looking at him, her expression curious - and amused. “What?”
“What’re you smiling at?”
“Oi! Can’t I smile if I feel like it?”
She bumps her hip against his thigh. “Not seen you smile like this before.”
“Oh.” He shrugs and ruffles her hair. “Just happy. Glad idiot boy over there’s finally seen sense.”
“Thanks,” Jack says, his tone dry - but he’s smiling too.
The Doctor leans over and cups the back of Jack’s neck. “You were bein’ an idiot. There were never any strings attached. I just wanted you to see again.”
Jack leans into his touch, bringing his own hand up to reach for the Doctor’s shoulder. And then, abruptly, he stills. “And you hated that you couldn’t fix me yourself. Why didn’t I see that?”
Yes, he did. But he has to make one thing clear. “It’s not guilt, Jack. That’s not why I’m offering. Wasn’t earlier, either.”
“Yeah. Think I got that.” Feeling his way with his hand, Jack leans in and manages to find the Doctor’s lips with his own. He really is tactile, this fifty-first century human. Not that the Doctor’s complaining one bit. Not at all.
“Oi!” Rose exclaims after a while, sounding more amused than indignant.
Jack breaks the kiss. “If I could see where you are, Rose, I’d kiss you too.”
“Easy way around that,” Rose counters, and dances around the console to slide between the two of them. And it turns out that there are plenty of ways he and Jack can kiss her at the same time, and the little whimpers they tease from her just makes it even better.
***
“Suppose if I’m going to have a hospital stay I should really pack a bag,” Jack says eventually. He doesn’t want to bring this little interlude to an end, though at this rate he’s going to end up embarrassing himself if it goes on much longer. That, or begging one or both of them to shag him through the grating.
Rose makes a little sound of disappointment as he disentangles himself from her, which makes his heart swell even more than it already has in the last hour. If she likes his kisses this much, then she’ll want more of them - he hopes. She likes his and the Doctor’s together, that’s obvious too, and that’s even better. Signs are definitely good that this is going to end up somewhere more comfortable than the console sooner or later.
Preferably later, when he can see again. Fun and all as this is now, taking it further wouldn’t be as good if he couldn’t see the glint of honey and gold on Rose’s skin as he caresses and kisses her, couldn’t watch the Doctor’s eyes turn even darker and deeper as he drives the Time Lord beyond the brink of control.
But, yes, if the hospital on New Earth can help him... oh, what he’s got to look forward to. And not just showing Rose all the delights of a triad relationship in bed, but getting to be with these two amazing people, sharing adventures and laughter and quiet times as well.
“Go on, then.” The Doctor ruffles his hair.
“If one of you can point me in the right direction,” he reminds them; he’s pretty much lost his bearings after what they’ve been doing.
Strong hands grip his shoulders and turn him. “Steps about four paces that way, and then it’s straight across the room to the door.”
“Thanks.” It’s definitely getting easier all the time to find his way around the TARDIS, though he won’t miss having to count steps and rely on his wrist computer to warn him of obstacles. “I’ll just be a couple of minutes,” he calls to them, turning slightly as he nears the door. “Don’t start anything without-”
Something slams hard against his forehead. He grunts, sways, tries to regain his balance but loses it, tumbling to the floor. Dizzy. Hurting. Throbbing pain in front of his eyes, disorientation, idiot. He just walked into the door, didn’t he? His own damn fault for getting over-cocky about finding his way-
“Jack!” That’s Rose’s voice, and the Doctor’s calling his name too. Running feet, the pounding jarring his head. And then they’re beside him, Rose holding his hand while the Doctor’s supporting his head, that damn screwdriver shining in his eyes while the Doctor’s worried face stares down at him...
“I can see!” He clutches at the Doctor’s hand, and with his free hand reaches for Rose. “Doctor, I can see you!” He looks to the side, and there she is, blonde hair tumbling down her shoulders, anxious brown eyes taking him in. “Rose.” He slides his hand up into her hair, then across her cheek, her jaw. “So beautiful.”
Her eyes widen, and a smile as bright as the sun splits her face. She covers his hand with hers, pressing it against her. “So’re you.”
The Doctor coughs. “If I can interrupt the mutual admiration society for a minute...”
He turns back to the Doctor, unable to keep the grin off his face. “You’re gorgeous too, and you know it.”
“What, this daft face?” The Doctor huffs. “Now I know you’ve got a head injury.” But he’s smiling, clearly pleased. “Now hush. Keep still. Need to check you over.”
He complies, answering the Doctor’s questions about how many fingers he’s holding up, what his name is, what galaxy he comes from and several others intended to show that he’s in his right mind. Oh, he’s in his right mind, and so happy he could hug them both if the Doctor would only let him move.
It’s everything he wanted - his dreams ever since he first stepped on board this ship come true. And his sight back, without having to let the Doctor spend several large fortunes to make it happen. Even if the Doctor was insisting he didn’t expect to be repaid, didn’t want Jack to feel under any obligation, he would’ve felt indebted, probably for the rest of his life.
“You’ll live,” the Doctor pronounces dryly at last, getting to his feet and extending a hand to Jack to help him stand. “Might have a headache for a few days, but you’re not concussed, and as far as I can tell your vision’s back to normal. Always said with cortical blindness your sight could come back on its own any time. Should check you out properly, though, in a bit.”
Rose stands as well and folds herself against him, hugging him, a wide smile on her face. The Doctor rests a hand on his shoulder. Jack can’t get enough of the sight of the two of them: their faces, their smiles, their eyes as they look at him.
And he knows beyond any doubt at all that this is where he’s wanted; where he belongs.
- end