ext_79740 ([identity profile] a-leprechaun.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] wintercompanion2011-03-08 10:43 am

a_leprechaun: "Struck Speechless" (Eleven/Jack) (PG)

Title: Struck Speechless
Author: [livejournal.com profile] a_leprechaun
Beta: [livejournal.com profile] herophelia
Challenge: 2011 Doctor/Jack Bingo
Prompt: quiet moments (my bingo card)
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Eleven/Jack, cameos by others
Spoilers/Warnings: None

Summary: The Doctor and (post-CoE) Jack are imprisoned together on an alien world, which has one rather cruel and unusual practice.

The Doctor was thrown stumbling into the cell, and the door was shut behind him with a soul-shuddering clash of metal. Jack could say this much for the Gek people of Renapp-6 - their technology was advanced, but they still understood the intimidation factor of a good old-fashioned dingy dungeon.

The Doctor whirled on the spot and took hold of the bars on the door, gesticulating wildly and pointing a useless finger at the guard, who was already retreating upstairs. Jack could only imagine what sort of pleas or invectives the Doctor was mouthing, because he certainly wasn’t saying anything.

Jack grimaced and put a hand to his own throat, to the clammy metal ring that was clamped around it. Aside from the physical sensation of metal against skin, he didn’t feel any different. He felt as though if he parted his lips and attempted to speak, he should be able to. But he’d already tried. The Doctor had attempted to explain in the chaos upstairs in the throne room, moments before he’d been captured and lost his own voice - some of the usual technobabble, something about inhibiting the vibrations of vocal chords. Jack had only been paying half-attention.

The Doctor finished his unheard rant and put a hand to his own collar, his long fingers tugging ineffectually at the latch. Jack frowned and watched only a few seconds longer - if the Doctor was resorting to hopeless efforts like that, it meant that they were, for the moment, beyond help and he was losing his temper. From what Jack had seen of this Doctor so far, it wouldn’t be too long before he was kicking at the wall. Jack stood and went to him, placing a firm hand on the Doctor’s shoulder.

The Doctor tensed up, then finally relaxed and turned to face Jack, his expression a mixture of apology, forlorn hope, and frustration. Jack knew the Doctor was fluent in probably a dozen languages that didn’t involve speaking at all, but Jack’s knowledge of such things was limited to asking where the bathroom was or what a nice creature like you was doing in a place like this. If the Doctor was hoping for help concocting an elaborate escape plan, he was out of luck. Jack merely shrugged.

The Doctor shrugged back and let off one of his signature intense hand waves just to emphasize his frustration. He broke away from Jack’s hand, pacing the circumference of their cell, first stroking his chin, then running a hand through his hair.

Jack turned away and leaned against the bars. They’d both failed up there, and the Doctor knew it. Of course, they’d both been in worse scrapes before - for now, at least they were in prison instead of on the executioner’s block, and at least they would be allowed to speak when they were granted their trial tomorrow. On top of that, Amy, Rory and River were still out there, albeit on the outer edge of the city - and the fact that they’d lost communication ten minutes ago, just before things went south. But the situation wasn’t hopeless.

Jack figured if it was anything, it would be the waiting, and the silence, that would drive the Doctor to distraction.

The pacing had stopped. Jack turned again to see the Doctor reaching into his jacket’s inside pocket, as if to see if just maybe the sonic hadn’t been taken from him after all. No such luck. Smart folks, the Gek. They recognized a useful gadget when they saw it.

The Doctor’s shoulders sank, he looked at Jack - and then he strode across the cell and threw his arms around Jack in a tight hug. Jack blinked, bemused - he wasn’t some green kid on his first adventure here; he didn’t need reassurance - but he returned the hug anyway, clapping the Doctor’s back with an air of manly camaraderie.

The Doctor pulled away, taking the lapels of Jack’s coat in his hands and pulling them downward, making them straight. He patted Jack lightly on the chest, as if to say: There, see? We’re just fine.

Jack raised an eyebrow - once again with the not needing to be reassured. But maybe it wasn’t really him the Doctor was trying to convince. He reached up and grasped the edges of the Doctor’s bow tie, giving them a little tug, then patting his friend on the shoulder. Right back atcha.

The Doctor reached up to his tie involuntarily, making sure Jack hadn’t actually knocked it askew, and then he nodded and gave an uncertain smile. Well, it was something.

There was a pause. The two men stood looking at each other, and the silence was becoming palpable.

So what now?

---


There was no window, no way to see outside. The only light came from a couple of ensconced electric yellow lamps on either side of the door, outside - their light cast the bars of the door into long shadows that stretched the length of the room. Still, it was probably well past sunset by now, and anyway the dim light of the cell and the close air was apt to make one drowsy.

There was no bed in the cell - the Gek slept standing up. Jack had taken off his coat and folded it up into a very passable pillow, and was lying down on the far side of the cell.

The Doctor was leaning against the wall by the door, arms folded, one foot crossed over the other. It was a relaxed posture, but the stony expression on his face as he gazed through the bars into empty air told a different story. Jack hadn’t seen this one brood before - he hadn’t even been sure he was capable of it - but in retrospect, it had to happen eventually. He was still the Doctor, after all.

Jack reached up and rapped his knuckles against the wall. It was enough to make the Doctor break out of his self-induced hypnosis and notice him. Jack raised his eyebrows. It was probably a lost cause, but if he could get the Doctor out of his own head for a moment or two, maybe they could both get some rest. After all, there wasn’t anything they could do about their situation. Not right now.

The Doctor sighed and walked across the cell until he was next to Jack, then squatted down, resting his elbows on his knees, his fingers threaded together. He was staring at Jack with the same intensity with which he’d been looking out the door. Jack tilted his head and tried to look sympathetic. He couldn’t know what to do, what the Doctor wanted from him, until he found some way of telling him.

The Doctor pressed his lips together, then he raised both index fingers to rest lightly against his temples - and then he pointed at Jack’s head.

Oh. Oh, of course. The Gek might have taken the Doctor’s voice, but they couldn’t have stopped that form of communication. It was brilliant, so simple. Jack felt like a fool for not thinking of it himself, but maybe on some level he hadn’t wanted to intrude on the Doctor’s mind. He sat up halfway...

...intrusion. That was a thought. Jack’s face fell. When a mind link was opened, almost anything could slip through. Even with mental shields, even with every trick in the book, especially with someone with as powerful a mind as the Doctor - and really, Jack didn’t have to think so hard to come up with things he’d rather the Doctor didn’t see.

On top of that, was it even necessary? Jack had faith that whatever the Doctor was planning for tomorrow, he’d be able to follow his lead.

He studied the Doctor’s face. There were no clues there. Doubtless the Doctor had considered all of this already, but whatever he thought about it, he wasn’t giving it away.

So it was up to Jack, then. Well - that settled that.

Jack shook his head.

The Doctor nodded, looking resigned, then stood and went to sit with his back to the wall and his head resting against his folded hands. Jack had a sense that he’d let the Doctor down, but, well... the Doctor was a big boy. He’d get over it, and they’d be out of here tomorrow.

Jack rolled onto his back and closed his eyes.

---


When Jack awoke, the light was no different than before. His body ached slightly from sleeping on the stone floor, but it was nothing a good bit of stretching wouldn’t fix.

The Doctor was still seated by the wall, but his hands had unclasped and his head was drooped against his collarbone. He was probably going to have a bad crick in his neck when he woke up.

Jack gazed across the cell to the door. There wasn’t any sound coming from upstairs, nothing that could hint at what was going on up there or even what hour it was. It was unbearably, maddeningly quiet.

Still, he felt somewhat rested, enough to get up for a moment. He walked the length of the cell to the door, stretching the kinks out of his left shoulder, then turned to look back at the Doctor.

Jack winced with sudden realization. Not only was the Doctor’s head flopped down towards his chest, it was doing that with that bloody collar still around his neck. It was a wonder he wasn’t choking himself.

Quietly but quickly, Jack moved to sit next to the Doctor. Gentle as he could, he put an arm around the Doctor, then guided him sideways until his head was resting on the soft part of Jack’s shoulder. At least he could give the Doctor a comfortable place to sleep, if he couldn’t let him into his mind.

Years ago, he thought, So many years ago, I would have given anything for you to offer that.

The Doctor let out a soft sigh that might have been a murmur if his throat had been capable of making sound. Jack tilted his head to rest on top of the Doctor’s, the fingers of one hand toying with the Time Lord’s brown hair, and allowed himself to drift off again.

---


The Doctor was quickly drifting awake, and although his mind was already starting to race again, he felt physically relaxed. His head was rested against something comfortable. Comfortable and nice-smelling and familiar in a way that made the little hairs on the back of his neck stand up. His eyes flicked open as he arrived at full alertness rather suddenly.

Ah. Jack.

Well, this was... the Doctor fidgeted a little. He was hard-pressed to say exactly what it was. Nice, he supposed. Yes, that was a good place to start. Rather nice to have a place to rest your head, even if that place was a person and that person was asleep and the arm they had around your shoulders was all relaxed and kind of... pinning you down. Still, nice overall. Especially with that prickly feeling on the back of his neck. The Doctor could easily still remember a time when just being near Jack was enough to make him feel wrong, almost sick to his stomach. It was different now - not so different that the Doctor would call it “right,” exactly, but it was a different kind of wrong. Wrong in something like a good way.

The pinning-down, though. The pinning-down was a touch irritating, especially when the Doctor was feeling the urge to spring to his feet. He’d had enough of sleep and relaxation, thanks, and Amy was still out there and possibly in very great danger, even though River and Rory would protect her, but what if something had happened to them, and here the Doctor was not even able to let out a shout of frustration - in addition now, not even able to get up and resume his pacing. Never waste time and energy with useless activities, that’s what the Doctor said. Unless you’re restless and imprisoned - then it’s not a bad way to pass the time.

He wobbled one of his feet back and forth and fidgeted some more. A minute or two later he poked Jack in the ribs. Wakey-wakey.

Jack flinched and opened his eyes to see the Doctor staring up at him. Guess naptime’s over. He blinked himself awake and uncurled his arm from around the Doctor’s shoulders.

The Doctor made a motion forward as though he were about to get up, but then he seemed to change his mind. He sat back again on his haunches.

Jack put a reassuring hand on the Doctor’s back. It’s alright. We’ll get out of this.

The Doctor reached around and took Jack’s hand in his. For a moment Jack was afraid the Doctor was going to cast him away, but instead he brought Jack’s hand around into his lap, cradling it in both of his hands and sort of massaging it.

Jack tried hard not to be confused by this turn of events. The Doctor had always been somewhat tactile, especially in this form, but never like this.

Jack had never been the type to force anything on anyone. He’d be with someone if they wanted him, and it happened that quite a lot of people did, but he never pressed if he felt resistance or doubt. He stayed as still and relaxed as he could, and studied the Doctor’s face - it was mostly impassive, somewhat contemplative. So the Doctor hadn’t come to his own conclusions yet? Or was he thinking about something else entirely? Maybe Jack was holding out too much hope for something he wanted himself...

He wanted to know. Clearly something was going on, even if it wasn’t what he hoped, and even without a clear method of communication he might be able to glean something if he could get the Doctor to look at him. Jack reached forward with his free hand and took hold of the Doctor’s chin, turning his face up and toward him.

There was a great commotion from upstairs - sudden shouts and the sound of running, and more than one laser gun going off. Then a pair of feet was clattering its way down the stairs - feet clad in tan combat boots, feet attached to one River Song, a stun gun in one hand and the sonic screwdriver in the other.

The familiar buzzing sound echoed through the cell as River held the sonic up to the lock, which then burst in a shower of sparks. River heaved the door open as the commotion continued upstairs.

“I think it’s safe to say negotiations have failed,” she remarked, and her eyes flickered back and forth between the Doctor and Jack, who were both still gaping at her arrival. “Well, what are you two waiting for? Let’s move!”

The Doctor grinned at Jack, his mood suddenly and rapidly changed, and leaped to standing. He was already running as soon as his feet hit the ground, though he paused at the door to plant a celebratory kiss on River’s forehead - and to point rather urgently at the collar around his neck.

“Later,” River insisted, “I don’t need you jabbering all the way back to the TARDIS. Now come on.” She shoved him toward the stairs - he petulantly snatched the sonic from her hand as he went - and wagged her head at Jack.

Jack grabbed his coat off the floor and followed, quick as he could but with a heavy heart. She couldn’t have taken just a little while longer...

[identity profile] rrr-nightingale.livejournal.com 2011-03-08 05:16 pm (UTC)(link)
It's very intriguing ) I wonder what they would say to each other...
And I like the idea that Jack doesn't want the Doctor to read his mind, though it's kind of angsty. But angst is good) Thank you!
(by the way, you have described Eleven very well! I can imagine everything that happens in the fic)

[identity profile] melime-everwood.livejournal.com 2011-03-08 10:53 pm (UTC)(link)
Love Eleven/Jack :)
hehe, love that River didn't want to take off the silencing collar yet:D
ext_17795: (Default)

[identity profile] dshael.livejournal.com 2011-03-08 11:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Sad, the way they keep getting close but never quite get there. Maybe someday...

[identity profile] beachy-geek.livejournal.com 2011-03-08 11:19 pm (UTC)(link)
I think Jack and Eleven had a real chance of starting something here. Damn you River!!

[identity profile] scifiangel.livejournal.com 2011-03-09 02:59 am (UTC)(link)
Love this, but you're going to drive me crazy with the not knowing what the Doctor was going to do or say.

[identity profile] teamharkness.livejournal.com 2011-03-09 08:22 pm (UTC)(link)
URGH RIVER. BAD TIMING.

[identity profile] dil-deal.livejournal.com 2011-03-09 09:32 pm (UTC)(link)
That was gorgeous.

[identity profile] sahiya.livejournal.com 2011-03-29 04:25 am (UTC)(link)
Loved this. I think those two might communicate better if the Doctor couldn't jammer on about nothing. Shame about River's timing though . . .

I do love the idea of the five of them traveling together. That'd be a very interesting (and rather crowded) TARDIS!

[identity profile] adafrog.livejournal.com 2011-06-20 02:46 am (UTC)(link)
Lovely, thanks.