Second round of challenge answers:
Per selenak: In order to make up for the whole left on Satellite 5 thing, the Doctor grants Jack one wish. Jack asks to exchange Owen for Martha as the Torchwood doctor. Write about either Owen on the Tardis or Martha with Torchwood.*g*
You asked for it, hon:
"'Anything, Jack,' I said," muttered the Doctor, fiddling with things that didn't need fiddled with on the TARDIS console. "'I owe you one. Anything I can do for you, just ask.' Stupid!"
He thought back to the moment, to the growing sense of dread growing in his stomach(s) as a slow grin spread over Jack's face. Jack had sauntered over, leaned down to where the Doctor was seated, put his hands on his shoulders, and, mouth right next to the Doctor's ear, whispered, "Martha Jones."
The Doctor had protested that Martha wasn't on the bartering block, whereupon Jack had somehow--somehow!--managed to talk him into an exchange.
"Martha for Owen. Just for a month," said Jack, "so I can see what it'd be like to have a doctor here who's not an asshat. If Martha wants to stay after that, she stays. You can do whatever you'd like with Owen. One month. Deal?"
Martha, who'd been hard-pressed not to literally drool over Jack from the second she'd met him, offered up only feeble protests before agreeing to the experiment. Owen had let loose an impressive array of obscenity before finally boarding the TARDIS, visibly fuming.
And now the Doctor was stuck with the man for a whole month. Considering how well--or not--the first day had gone, he was fairly certain he'd be flinging himself or Owen into the Time Vortex ere long.
The man was Turlough gone septic. He had an Ace-sized chip on his shoulder, but without the teachability. A Jack-esque horndog minus the charm. As jeopardy-friendly as Rose, but the Doctor did not love him. As obnoxiously sarcastic as the Doctor's own ninth incarnation without half the cause or the social graces.
Even the TARDIS seemed ill-tempered about the arrangement. She shuddered, the console making a clanking noise.
"Bit rubbish, if you ask me," commented Owen, sprawling in the jumpseat.
"You'll note that I didn't ask," said the Doctor shortly. "She's over a thousand years old. You'd be a bit creaky, too." He eased up one lever, crooning to the TARDIS. "There you are, girl. Is that better?" Owen snorted.
That did it.
The Doctor brought the TARDIS to an abrupt halt, bracing himself and watching with some delight as Owen spilled right off the jumpseat onto the floor.
"Here's how we're going to play this," said the Doctor, parking his Converse next to Owen's head. "I took you on my frankly magnificent ship as a favor to Jack. One month, I said. He gets Martha for one month. However, as I have this, as I said, frankly magnificent timeship, it needn't be a month for us. I could land in Cardiff precisely one month from when we left in the next two minutes. Alternatively, I could deposit you on Raxacoricofallipatorious--where they're none too fond of humans--amuse myself for thirty days, and then fetch you on my way back. Do we understand each other?"
"Perfectly," said Owen from the floor.
"Now, being, as I am, incredibly generous, I'll offer you one trip. Anywhere in space and time. Name it, and it's yours. Then we go back to Cardiff precisely one month from when we left. Fair?"
Owen looked set to say something sarcastic, but suddenly, his jaw clicked shut, and his eyes got a faraway look in them. After a moment, he stood up. "I'll tell you what, Doctor--if you help me find someone, you'll be rid of me for good and all. How's that sound?"
The Doctor eyed him warily, but bit. "I can't promise anything, but I'll try. Who are you looking for."
"Her name is Diane . . ."
***
Okay, I lied. Just one this time. And damn it, I don't need this plot poodle!
You asked for it, hon:
"'Anything, Jack,' I said," muttered the Doctor, fiddling with things that didn't need fiddled with on the TARDIS console. "'I owe you one. Anything I can do for you, just ask.' Stupid!"
He thought back to the moment, to the growing sense of dread growing in his stomach(s) as a slow grin spread over Jack's face. Jack had sauntered over, leaned down to where the Doctor was seated, put his hands on his shoulders, and, mouth right next to the Doctor's ear, whispered, "Martha Jones."
The Doctor had protested that Martha wasn't on the bartering block, whereupon Jack had somehow--somehow!--managed to talk him into an exchange.
"Martha for Owen. Just for a month," said Jack, "so I can see what it'd be like to have a doctor here who's not an asshat. If Martha wants to stay after that, she stays. You can do whatever you'd like with Owen. One month. Deal?"
Martha, who'd been hard-pressed not to literally drool over Jack from the second she'd met him, offered up only feeble protests before agreeing to the experiment. Owen had let loose an impressive array of obscenity before finally boarding the TARDIS, visibly fuming.
And now the Doctor was stuck with the man for a whole month. Considering how well--or not--the first day had gone, he was fairly certain he'd be flinging himself or Owen into the Time Vortex ere long.
The man was Turlough gone septic. He had an Ace-sized chip on his shoulder, but without the teachability. A Jack-esque horndog minus the charm. As jeopardy-friendly as Rose, but the Doctor did not love him. As obnoxiously sarcastic as the Doctor's own ninth incarnation without half the cause or the social graces.
Even the TARDIS seemed ill-tempered about the arrangement. She shuddered, the console making a clanking noise.
"Bit rubbish, if you ask me," commented Owen, sprawling in the jumpseat.
"You'll note that I didn't ask," said the Doctor shortly. "She's over a thousand years old. You'd be a bit creaky, too." He eased up one lever, crooning to the TARDIS. "There you are, girl. Is that better?" Owen snorted.
That did it.
The Doctor brought the TARDIS to an abrupt halt, bracing himself and watching with some delight as Owen spilled right off the jumpseat onto the floor.
"Here's how we're going to play this," said the Doctor, parking his Converse next to Owen's head. "I took you on my frankly magnificent ship as a favor to Jack. One month, I said. He gets Martha for one month. However, as I have this, as I said, frankly magnificent timeship, it needn't be a month for us. I could land in Cardiff precisely one month from when we left in the next two minutes. Alternatively, I could deposit you on Raxacoricofallipatorious--where they're none too fond of humans--amuse myself for thirty days, and then fetch you on my way back. Do we understand each other?"
"Perfectly," said Owen from the floor.
"Now, being, as I am, incredibly generous, I'll offer you one trip. Anywhere in space and time. Name it, and it's yours. Then we go back to Cardiff precisely one month from when we left. Fair?"
Owen looked set to say something sarcastic, but suddenly, his jaw clicked shut, and his eyes got a faraway look in them. After a moment, he stood up. "I'll tell you what, Doctor--if you help me find someone, you'll be rid of me for good and all. How's that sound?"
The Doctor eyed him warily, but bit. "I can't promise anything, but I'll try. Who are you looking for."
"Her name is Diane . . ."
***
Okay, I lied. Just one this time. And damn it, I don't need this plot poodle!