Advent Drabble 23: Charity
Story: Charity
Author: wendymr
Fandom: Doctor Who
Characters: Ninth Doctor, Jack Harkness
Rated: G
Summary: "I knew you'd be back for me. I saw your message the first day."
Written for yamx's prompt in my Advent Drabbles request post. This one turned into a quintuple drabble - 500 words.
Charity
Almost before the Time Rotor’s stopped moving, the Doctor runs outside, calling Jack’s name and searching around frantically. He said he’d be back in five minutes. It’s been five days.
Five days trapped alone on a planet that’s been deserted since its first settlers - traditionalist Presbyterians leaving behind a planet whose culture no longer matched their beliefs - went back to Earth, homesick. Jack will assume he was abandoned. After all, he hasn’t exactly been welcoming to the lad since they took him on board back in 1941 London more than a month ago. Yes, his suspicion was justified at first, but Jack’s proved his integrity and courage since then.
But when Jack appears moments later, running out of a crumbling church, he’s smiling. “Doctor! I knew you’d be back for me. I saw your message the first day.”
The Doctor frowns, but throws his arms around Jack and hugs him with relieved enthusiasm. “Course I was comin’ back. Just got the timing a bit wrong.”
“Figures. Should really let me help you with maintenance, y’know. I do know what I’m doing.”
“I’ll think about it,” the Doctor promises - and actually means it. “What are you on about, though? What’s that about me leavin’ a message?”
“Inside that building.” Jack points. “It’s on the wall, over the table. It’s written in English, but I guess you thought I wouldn’t remember that other language we saw in the library - what was it? Latin? You translated it for us and I know there was something about charity. Recognised it as soon as I saw it again here.”
Rassilon! Two weeks ago, Rose had asked to see the Book of Kells, so he’d taken them to Trinity College in Dublin. It and other ancient manuscripts are kept in glass cases, opened to pages that show illustrations and script. One of the minor manuscripts was open to hand-written majiscule script, showing the words Nunc autem manet fides spes caritas; tria haec maior autem his est caritasi. For once, the TARDIS had chosen not to translate. Rose, ever-curious, had asked, and he’d recited the most famous English version of the verse.
Jack leads him into the church and up the aisle, and there it is, in plain white print over the altar: And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
There’s no way he’s going to tell Jack how commonly-quoted that particular verse has been throughout the first few centuries AD of human history. He shuffles his feet, uncomfortable about taking credit. “Oh, right. That message.”
“Charity means love, right?” Jack’s grin is wicked.
“That’s the more contemporary translation, yeah.” He stuffs his hands in his pockets.
“Thought so.” Jack’s smile widens further, and he moves closer to the Doctor, then settles his hands at the Doctor’s waist, leaning in. “I love you too, Doctor,” he murmurs before stealing a lingering kiss.
“Cheeky sod,” the Doctor grunts as Jack pulls back, but then grins wickedly and kisses him back.
__________________________________________________________
Author: wendymr
Fandom: Doctor Who
Characters: Ninth Doctor, Jack Harkness
Rated: G
Summary: "I knew you'd be back for me. I saw your message the first day."
Written for yamx's prompt in my Advent Drabbles request post. This one turned into a quintuple drabble - 500 words.
Charity
Almost before the Time Rotor’s stopped moving, the Doctor runs outside, calling Jack’s name and searching around frantically. He said he’d be back in five minutes. It’s been five days.
Five days trapped alone on a planet that’s been deserted since its first settlers - traditionalist Presbyterians leaving behind a planet whose culture no longer matched their beliefs - went back to Earth, homesick. Jack will assume he was abandoned. After all, he hasn’t exactly been welcoming to the lad since they took him on board back in 1941 London more than a month ago. Yes, his suspicion was justified at first, but Jack’s proved his integrity and courage since then.
But when Jack appears moments later, running out of a crumbling church, he’s smiling. “Doctor! I knew you’d be back for me. I saw your message the first day.”
The Doctor frowns, but throws his arms around Jack and hugs him with relieved enthusiasm. “Course I was comin’ back. Just got the timing a bit wrong.”
“Figures. Should really let me help you with maintenance, y’know. I do know what I’m doing.”
“I’ll think about it,” the Doctor promises - and actually means it. “What are you on about, though? What’s that about me leavin’ a message?”
“Inside that building.” Jack points. “It’s on the wall, over the table. It’s written in English, but I guess you thought I wouldn’t remember that other language we saw in the library - what was it? Latin? You translated it for us and I know there was something about charity. Recognised it as soon as I saw it again here.”
Rassilon! Two weeks ago, Rose had asked to see the Book of Kells, so he’d taken them to Trinity College in Dublin. It and other ancient manuscripts are kept in glass cases, opened to pages that show illustrations and script. One of the minor manuscripts was open to hand-written majiscule script, showing the words Nunc autem manet fides spes caritas; tria haec maior autem his est caritasi. For once, the TARDIS had chosen not to translate. Rose, ever-curious, had asked, and he’d recited the most famous English version of the verse.
Jack leads him into the church and up the aisle, and there it is, in plain white print over the altar: And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
There’s no way he’s going to tell Jack how commonly-quoted that particular verse has been throughout the first few centuries AD of human history. He shuffles his feet, uncomfortable about taking credit. “Oh, right. That message.”
“Charity means love, right?” Jack’s grin is wicked.
“That’s the more contemporary translation, yeah.” He stuffs his hands in his pockets.
“Thought so.” Jack’s smile widens further, and he moves closer to the Doctor, then settles his hands at the Doctor’s waist, leaning in. “I love you too, Doctor,” he murmurs before stealing a lingering kiss.
“Cheeky sod,” the Doctor grunts as Jack pulls back, but then grins wickedly and kisses him back.
__________________________________________________________