FIC: Turning Point (Doctor Who: Nine/Jack) [G]
This is the first of my fandom_stocking entries, and the one I've been wanting to write the longest. I think I originally had the idea in 2007, but nothing ever came of it ... until now. So, thank you to yamx for inspiring me to actually finish this!
Title: Turning Point
Pairing: Ninth Doctor/Jack Harkness
Rating: G
Summary: "Is that ... an alien tow truck?" Alien tow trucks, stolen vehicles, and questions of trust: this is how it starts. - Written for yamx during fandom_stocking 2010. (1368 words)
~*~
Rose stares, open-mouthed, at the sight that greets them as they turn the corner. The Doctor suspects his own expression is just as gobsmacked.
It hovers in the air, right above the TARDIS: an octagonal platform, painted yellow with a dark purple diamond pattern, and a giant metallic claw - also yellow - attached to its underside.
A giant metallic claw which is closing around the TARDIS.
"Is that ... an alien tow truck?" Rose smacks his arm with the back of her hand. "Did you park in a no-parking zone again?"
~*~
So many things to take into account. The Doctor tries to recall the proper Teterec bureaucratic procedure - and much as he hates it, he'll need to go along with it if he doesn't want more trouble. Damn, why did he ever come here? Except of course that Teterec is the best source of Grade A catalytic crystals in this century and sector, and with the way the temporal matrix's central crystal fractured when they barely escaped the Eivoiae Supernova, he really doesn't dare navigate any further. Teterec it had to be.
But the Teterec don't like strangers - in particular strangers who don't act like them - so getting the TARDIS back is going to take some planning.
The TARDIS, where Captain Jack is waiting for them, most likely sulking for having been left behind.
~*~
Rose, arm in arm with Jack.
"No."
Rose's face goes slack with shock. "What do you mean, no?"
"They don't like flirting here. Pretty much outlawed it. So no, not taking the chance. I don't want any incidents - we find the crystal and get out. And Jack stays here, this time."
~*~
Above them, the alien tow truck is carrying the TARDIS away. Rose and the Doctor stare after it.
She hooks her arm through his. For comfort? But he can tell she's not really worried. They've been in much worse situations, after all.
The Doctor scowls and digs in the pockets of his leather jacket for some psychic paper. He'll try and sort this with minimum fuss.
No, really, he will.
~*~
A high-pitched whine, and above them, the platform sways as the weight in its claw suddenly dematerialises.
"What?" He can't help the incredulous exclamation. Beside the Doctor, Rose gasps. Her hold on his arm tightens. "What?"
"It's got to be Jack." There's something like admiration in her voice.
“Yeah.” The Doctor scratches his nose. "Him! Damn it," he snaps, darkly. "I should never have left him alone in the TARDIS! He's not supposed to be able to do that!" The controls shouldn't even respond to someone who didn't know what he was doing. He'd underestimated Jack. Bugger.
Not to mention that Jack is a conman. A conman who admitted to having stolen his previous timeship. To think he'd actually considered keeping the bloke on board!
"And I thought I was being so clever, leaving him behind this time. Clever!" He throws Rose a slightly manic grin. "Just goes to show. Never try to be clever. Can't end well."
"It's Jack," Rose says, dubiously. "That'll be all right, won't it?"
~*~
"Hang on." Rose, taking offence on Jack's behalf now. ""What, you think because he likes to flirt, he can't stop?"
"I'm thinking we're going now. End of discussion." And he storms towards the door even as Jack throws him a dark but somehow unsurprised look. It's annoyingly unsatisfying.
Rose gives Jack a tentative smile and an apologetic shrug. He waves for her to follow the Doctor, and after a moment, she does.
~*~
"What now?"
He smiles reassuringly at Rose, but he's not all that sure himself. Well, they should probably ...
What?
The high-pitched whine of the TARDIS materialising, behind them. He turns around, almost hesitantly, pulling Rose with him. Steps towards the door. Opens it. Peeks inside.
Jack is standing at the console. "Come in already before they catch on!"
They step inside. Rose throws both of them a brilliant grin; the Doctor merely scowls. As soon as the door is closed, Jack begins the dematerialisation sequence.
Before he's even consciously thought it, the Doctor is half-way across the room, ready to pull Jack away from the console, but Jack's already stepped away, lifting his hands in a defensive gesture. "There."
"Where did you take us?" the Doctor demands.
"Nowhere," Jack says. "We're just hovering in the Vortex."
The Doctor nods. "We're going to have to have a word." The threat in his voice is obvious. Jack nods, clearly unsurprised. The Doctor turns. "Rose, leave us alone, will you? I'm getting this sorted."
She hesitates. "Doctor -"
"Rose."
At his tone, she begins to retreat. In the doorway she stops again. "He did save -"
"OUT!"
She winces and leaves. The Doctor doesn't shout at her often, but there's no doubt he means business now. And she's learned when it's better to leave him be for a bit.
Never mind. He'll apologise to her later. She'll understand.
He turns towards Jack again. "You kidnapped my TARDIS."
Jack grins, humourlessly - a mere shadow of his usual bright expression. "Yup."
"How do you even know how?"
"Just because I'm pretty doesn't mean I'm stupid."
"Captain." Threatening, again.
"Look, Doctor. I was a Time Agent, and I've been aboard your ship long enough to see you operate her. A dematerialisation circuit is a dematerialisation circuit no matter where you are, and I don't need to understand everything about how your technology works to know which buttons to push. There aren't that many different ways to operate a timeship. Can we get around to the part where you kick me out already?"
"In a hurry, are you?"
Jack sighs. "You don't like that I could try and take your ship out from under you the moment you turn your back. Can't say I blame you. It's been inevitable - it was just a question of when you'd figure it out."
"Why didn't you? Try and take her, I mean. Big improvement on your last stolen timeship."
Jack smiles and gives him a suggestive leer. "Didn't much like the previous one's owner."
Decision time.
"You really can operate her. And - how much of it did you understand when I was tinkering with the gyro conductor scope the other day?"
"Pretty much all of it." Jack smiles again, even though it doesn't reach his eyes. He says nothing more.
Within a moment, the Doctor has him shoved against the wall, their faces inches from each other. Staring into Jack's eyes, sizing him up.
Jack stares back, not giving an inch.
Suddenly, the Doctor's face breaks into a grin. "Fantastic!"
"Huh?" Completely confused now. Oh yeah, that's rattled the man, finally.
"Haven't had someone travelling with me for a while who was any sort of help with these things at all," he says. "Been meaning to take a look at the quantum foam manipulator, but you know what kind of a pain it would be to explain it to Rose, even as much as she'd need to keep an eye on the particle fluctuation rate while I calibrate."
"Doctor?" Hesitant.
He turns serious again. "You could have tried to take her. You wouldn't have got far, but you could have tried. And you're right, I don't like that one bit. But you didn't, and you got her and us out of there. So I can't complain, can I?"
"You're serious."
"Completely serious."
"Quite a risk you're taking. You know what I am."
"Yeah, I do," the Doctor says, unsmiling. "You're a friend."
Jack's face is completely expressionless for a long moment. Then the mischievous spark that's been so noticeably absent from his eyes all through this exchange returns, and he cups the Doctor's cheek in his hand. "So. If you're not kicking me out for hijacking your ship, you're not about to do it for this, are you?" He brushes his lips against the Doctor's, just briefly, more a promise of a kiss than a real one.
Decision time.
The Doctor hesitates only for a moment before lifting his own hands to Jack's face, pulling him back in.
He'll give him a TARDIS key in the morning.
~end~
Title: Turning Point
Pairing: Ninth Doctor/Jack Harkness
Rating: G
Summary: "Is that ... an alien tow truck?" Alien tow trucks, stolen vehicles, and questions of trust: this is how it starts. - Written for yamx during fandom_stocking 2010. (1368 words)
~*~
Rose stares, open-mouthed, at the sight that greets them as they turn the corner. The Doctor suspects his own expression is just as gobsmacked.
It hovers in the air, right above the TARDIS: an octagonal platform, painted yellow with a dark purple diamond pattern, and a giant metallic claw - also yellow - attached to its underside.
A giant metallic claw which is closing around the TARDIS.
"Is that ... an alien tow truck?" Rose smacks his arm with the back of her hand. "Did you park in a no-parking zone again?"
~*~
So many things to take into account. The Doctor tries to recall the proper Teterec bureaucratic procedure - and much as he hates it, he'll need to go along with it if he doesn't want more trouble. Damn, why did he ever come here? Except of course that Teterec is the best source of Grade A catalytic crystals in this century and sector, and with the way the temporal matrix's central crystal fractured when they barely escaped the Eivoiae Supernova, he really doesn't dare navigate any further. Teterec it had to be.
But the Teterec don't like strangers - in particular strangers who don't act like them - so getting the TARDIS back is going to take some planning.
The TARDIS, where Captain Jack is waiting for them, most likely sulking for having been left behind.
~*~
Rose, arm in arm with Jack.
"No."
Rose's face goes slack with shock. "What do you mean, no?"
"They don't like flirting here. Pretty much outlawed it. So no, not taking the chance. I don't want any incidents - we find the crystal and get out. And Jack stays here, this time."
~*~
Above them, the alien tow truck is carrying the TARDIS away. Rose and the Doctor stare after it.
She hooks her arm through his. For comfort? But he can tell she's not really worried. They've been in much worse situations, after all.
The Doctor scowls and digs in the pockets of his leather jacket for some psychic paper. He'll try and sort this with minimum fuss.
No, really, he will.
~*~
A high-pitched whine, and above them, the platform sways as the weight in its claw suddenly dematerialises.
"What?" He can't help the incredulous exclamation. Beside the Doctor, Rose gasps. Her hold on his arm tightens. "What?"
"It's got to be Jack." There's something like admiration in her voice.
“Yeah.” The Doctor scratches his nose. "Him! Damn it," he snaps, darkly. "I should never have left him alone in the TARDIS! He's not supposed to be able to do that!" The controls shouldn't even respond to someone who didn't know what he was doing. He'd underestimated Jack. Bugger.
Not to mention that Jack is a conman. A conman who admitted to having stolen his previous timeship. To think he'd actually considered keeping the bloke on board!
"And I thought I was being so clever, leaving him behind this time. Clever!" He throws Rose a slightly manic grin. "Just goes to show. Never try to be clever. Can't end well."
"It's Jack," Rose says, dubiously. "That'll be all right, won't it?"
~*~
"Hang on." Rose, taking offence on Jack's behalf now. ""What, you think because he likes to flirt, he can't stop?"
"I'm thinking we're going now. End of discussion." And he storms towards the door even as Jack throws him a dark but somehow unsurprised look. It's annoyingly unsatisfying.
Rose gives Jack a tentative smile and an apologetic shrug. He waves for her to follow the Doctor, and after a moment, she does.
~*~
"What now?"
He smiles reassuringly at Rose, but he's not all that sure himself. Well, they should probably ...
What?
The high-pitched whine of the TARDIS materialising, behind them. He turns around, almost hesitantly, pulling Rose with him. Steps towards the door. Opens it. Peeks inside.
Jack is standing at the console. "Come in already before they catch on!"
They step inside. Rose throws both of them a brilliant grin; the Doctor merely scowls. As soon as the door is closed, Jack begins the dematerialisation sequence.
Before he's even consciously thought it, the Doctor is half-way across the room, ready to pull Jack away from the console, but Jack's already stepped away, lifting his hands in a defensive gesture. "There."
"Where did you take us?" the Doctor demands.
"Nowhere," Jack says. "We're just hovering in the Vortex."
The Doctor nods. "We're going to have to have a word." The threat in his voice is obvious. Jack nods, clearly unsurprised. The Doctor turns. "Rose, leave us alone, will you? I'm getting this sorted."
She hesitates. "Doctor -"
"Rose."
At his tone, she begins to retreat. In the doorway she stops again. "He did save -"
"OUT!"
She winces and leaves. The Doctor doesn't shout at her often, but there's no doubt he means business now. And she's learned when it's better to leave him be for a bit.
Never mind. He'll apologise to her later. She'll understand.
He turns towards Jack again. "You kidnapped my TARDIS."
Jack grins, humourlessly - a mere shadow of his usual bright expression. "Yup."
"How do you even know how?"
"Just because I'm pretty doesn't mean I'm stupid."
"Captain." Threatening, again.
"Look, Doctor. I was a Time Agent, and I've been aboard your ship long enough to see you operate her. A dematerialisation circuit is a dematerialisation circuit no matter where you are, and I don't need to understand everything about how your technology works to know which buttons to push. There aren't that many different ways to operate a timeship. Can we get around to the part where you kick me out already?"
"In a hurry, are you?"
Jack sighs. "You don't like that I could try and take your ship out from under you the moment you turn your back. Can't say I blame you. It's been inevitable - it was just a question of when you'd figure it out."
"Why didn't you? Try and take her, I mean. Big improvement on your last stolen timeship."
Jack smiles and gives him a suggestive leer. "Didn't much like the previous one's owner."
Decision time.
"You really can operate her. And - how much of it did you understand when I was tinkering with the gyro conductor scope the other day?"
"Pretty much all of it." Jack smiles again, even though it doesn't reach his eyes. He says nothing more.
Within a moment, the Doctor has him shoved against the wall, their faces inches from each other. Staring into Jack's eyes, sizing him up.
Jack stares back, not giving an inch.
Suddenly, the Doctor's face breaks into a grin. "Fantastic!"
"Huh?" Completely confused now. Oh yeah, that's rattled the man, finally.
"Haven't had someone travelling with me for a while who was any sort of help with these things at all," he says. "Been meaning to take a look at the quantum foam manipulator, but you know what kind of a pain it would be to explain it to Rose, even as much as she'd need to keep an eye on the particle fluctuation rate while I calibrate."
"Doctor?" Hesitant.
He turns serious again. "You could have tried to take her. You wouldn't have got far, but you could have tried. And you're right, I don't like that one bit. But you didn't, and you got her and us out of there. So I can't complain, can I?"
"You're serious."
"Completely serious."
"Quite a risk you're taking. You know what I am."
"Yeah, I do," the Doctor says, unsmiling. "You're a friend."
Jack's face is completely expressionless for a long moment. Then the mischievous spark that's been so noticeably absent from his eyes all through this exchange returns, and he cups the Doctor's cheek in his hand. "So. If you're not kicking me out for hijacking your ship, you're not about to do it for this, are you?" He brushes his lips against the Doctor's, just briefly, more a promise of a kiss than a real one.
Decision time.
The Doctor hesitates only for a moment before lifting his own hands to Jack's face, pulling him back in.
He'll give him a TARDIS key in the morning.
~end~