Family Reunion...
This is part of the (Mis)adventures of the Captain and co, index is at http://jovialien.livejournal.com/62461.html
Jack was trying not to pace, trying to ignore the urge to scan for alien tech to work out where she was, trying not to think out what was going on out there in London somewhere. Instead he lay under the console, tinkering with the workings of the TARDIS and letting her contented hum soothe him as he played with her circuitry. What if the Doctor said the wrong thing, he could be such an insensitive clot sometimes, what if he offended her so much she wouldn’t come back? He carried on working, ignoring the turmoil in his heart until he heard the lock click, a key turning as the door swung open behind him. He sat up too quickly, banging his head on the console as he tried to see who it was and lay back down again clutching his head as someone ran over. His eyes were tearing so much he couldn’t see.
“You ok Jack?” The Doctor slowly came into focus in front of him. Jack sighed and gazed up at the concerned Time Lord.
“I’m fine. How was she?” The Doctor helped him sit up and crouched beside him, supporting him for a moment.
“Why don’t you ask her yourself?” He looked over at the still open door as an almost shy face peered round it slowly.
“Hi dad.” The pain in his head was forgotten as he jumped to his feet and ran over to her, sweeping her up into his arms and knocking the hat from her head as he swung her round.
“Hi you!” She giggled as her feet hit the railing, breaking his flow and sending him staggering back against the opposite railing himself. She slid from his arms and helped to hold him up as they both regained their balance. He couldn’t stop grinning as he looked down at her and grabbed her head, kissing the top of it strongly.
“Dad!” She wriggled out of his arms and pushed him away. “Stop acting like you haven’t seen me in weeks. I knew as soon as I gave you a time and a place you would come straight here. How long has it really been, a few hours? A couple of days?” The Doctor rose to his feet and ran a hand through his hair sheepishly.
“Actually that was the intention but we got a little lost, ended up at Christmas Eve 2169 on the moon. Hell of a party, the low gravity makes the alcohol go straight to your head and the colony president is an amazing woman, fabulous dancer. She took a bit of a shine to your dad though, it took me hours to get him away from her!” Jack shook his head indignantly and pointed a finger at the Doctor.
“Get me away from her?! What about you, flirting with the ambassador from Antares all evening and waving your banana all over the place?”
“What it’s not my fault he’d never seen a banana before! Just because he mistook my offer to make him a banana daiquiri as something, well, more intimate wasn’t my fault.”
“Not your fault?! The way you were brandishing it wasn’t exactly innocent. And where the hell do you keep a banana in that coat anyway, it’s something that’s always bothered me…”
The Captain giggled as she watched them bicker and leaned back against the railing. Her hand automatically reached out to brush against the coral structure of the TARDIS, letting it soothe her and welcome her home. She closed the TARDIS door behind them and picking up her hat made her way over to the console chair, flopping down and putting her feet up. Yep, she was back where she belonged. As she put her hands behind her head, letting her fingers intertwine, she brushed against the silver ring on her right hand and her smile faded slightly for a moment. She forced the grin back onto her face and pushed the thought away. It was for the best. Moving on. But never running away. That she would never do. They finally stopped squabbling, smiles on their faces as they came over to her, sitting down either side of her. She let her hands drop into their laps, holding hands with them both as they all put their feet up.
“So what now?” She looked at them both in turn and the Doctor shrugged and looked thoughtful for a moment.
“Wellll it is Christmas. How about we go meet Father Christmas?” The two (mostly) humans laughed and the Captain slapped his thigh lightly.
“Don’t be daft. There’s no such person.” The Doctor shot her a manic grin and jumped to his feet, letting go of her hand and fiddling with the console controls.
“What, just because he looks human, knows exactly what you want for Christmas and can travel the whole planet in one night means he must be imaginary? Captain, I think your education needs a little work, who taught you such nonsense!” She shrugged and snuggled up next to her dad as they watched him work, shifting their feet occasionally to let him pass. “Honestly, such a complete lack of imagination, and this coming from the man who can’t die..” He pointed at Jack as he passed by, dodging their bent knees as he moved to the other side of the console. “… and a girl who is a walking paradox!” The Captain laughed as he worked and held on to the edge of the chair as the TARDIS began to move, the ship rocking from side to side as she flew. God she had missed this. She let her legs swing in the motion of the ship and relaxed into her father’s embrace. It would take a while before she settled back in properly and even longer before they adjusted to one another again but all it would take was time and that they had plenty of. But for now only one thing mattered to them as they flew.
She was home.
Jack was trying not to pace, trying to ignore the urge to scan for alien tech to work out where she was, trying not to think out what was going on out there in London somewhere. Instead he lay under the console, tinkering with the workings of the TARDIS and letting her contented hum soothe him as he played with her circuitry. What if the Doctor said the wrong thing, he could be such an insensitive clot sometimes, what if he offended her so much she wouldn’t come back? He carried on working, ignoring the turmoil in his heart until he heard the lock click, a key turning as the door swung open behind him. He sat up too quickly, banging his head on the console as he tried to see who it was and lay back down again clutching his head as someone ran over. His eyes were tearing so much he couldn’t see.
“You ok Jack?” The Doctor slowly came into focus in front of him. Jack sighed and gazed up at the concerned Time Lord.
“I’m fine. How was she?” The Doctor helped him sit up and crouched beside him, supporting him for a moment.
“Why don’t you ask her yourself?” He looked over at the still open door as an almost shy face peered round it slowly.
“Hi dad.” The pain in his head was forgotten as he jumped to his feet and ran over to her, sweeping her up into his arms and knocking the hat from her head as he swung her round.
“Hi you!” She giggled as her feet hit the railing, breaking his flow and sending him staggering back against the opposite railing himself. She slid from his arms and helped to hold him up as they both regained their balance. He couldn’t stop grinning as he looked down at her and grabbed her head, kissing the top of it strongly.
“Dad!” She wriggled out of his arms and pushed him away. “Stop acting like you haven’t seen me in weeks. I knew as soon as I gave you a time and a place you would come straight here. How long has it really been, a few hours? A couple of days?” The Doctor rose to his feet and ran a hand through his hair sheepishly.
“Actually that was the intention but we got a little lost, ended up at Christmas Eve 2169 on the moon. Hell of a party, the low gravity makes the alcohol go straight to your head and the colony president is an amazing woman, fabulous dancer. She took a bit of a shine to your dad though, it took me hours to get him away from her!” Jack shook his head indignantly and pointed a finger at the Doctor.
“Get me away from her?! What about you, flirting with the ambassador from Antares all evening and waving your banana all over the place?”
“What it’s not my fault he’d never seen a banana before! Just because he mistook my offer to make him a banana daiquiri as something, well, more intimate wasn’t my fault.”
“Not your fault?! The way you were brandishing it wasn’t exactly innocent. And where the hell do you keep a banana in that coat anyway, it’s something that’s always bothered me…”
The Captain giggled as she watched them bicker and leaned back against the railing. Her hand automatically reached out to brush against the coral structure of the TARDIS, letting it soothe her and welcome her home. She closed the TARDIS door behind them and picking up her hat made her way over to the console chair, flopping down and putting her feet up. Yep, she was back where she belonged. As she put her hands behind her head, letting her fingers intertwine, she brushed against the silver ring on her right hand and her smile faded slightly for a moment. She forced the grin back onto her face and pushed the thought away. It was for the best. Moving on. But never running away. That she would never do. They finally stopped squabbling, smiles on their faces as they came over to her, sitting down either side of her. She let her hands drop into their laps, holding hands with them both as they all put their feet up.
“So what now?” She looked at them both in turn and the Doctor shrugged and looked thoughtful for a moment.
“Wellll it is Christmas. How about we go meet Father Christmas?” The two (mostly) humans laughed and the Captain slapped his thigh lightly.
“Don’t be daft. There’s no such person.” The Doctor shot her a manic grin and jumped to his feet, letting go of her hand and fiddling with the console controls.
“What, just because he looks human, knows exactly what you want for Christmas and can travel the whole planet in one night means he must be imaginary? Captain, I think your education needs a little work, who taught you such nonsense!” She shrugged and snuggled up next to her dad as they watched him work, shifting their feet occasionally to let him pass. “Honestly, such a complete lack of imagination, and this coming from the man who can’t die..” He pointed at Jack as he passed by, dodging their bent knees as he moved to the other side of the console. “… and a girl who is a walking paradox!” The Captain laughed as he worked and held on to the edge of the chair as the TARDIS began to move, the ship rocking from side to side as she flew. God she had missed this. She let her legs swing in the motion of the ship and relaxed into her father’s embrace. It would take a while before she settled back in properly and even longer before they adjusted to one another again but all it would take was time and that they had plenty of. But for now only one thing mattered to them as they flew.
She was home.