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wintercompanion2014-04-24 11:18 pm
trobadora) wrote in wintercompanion2014-04-24 11:18 pm
GIFT FOR NAVAAN: Love Lost and Found (Future!Jack/Future!Doctor) [PG-13]
Title: Love Lost and Found
Author/Artist:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
scifiangel
Recipient:navaan
Rating: PG-13 for wounds
Pairing(s), Characters(s): Future!Jack/Future!Doctor, Zhaan from pre-Farscape
Genre: Future fic, angst, hurt/comfort, complicated romance, happy ending
Spoilers/warnings: Graphic depiction of wounds. No Spoilers.
Disclaimer: I don't own our lovely boys. They belong to the BBC or Jim Henson Company Production. I make no money from this, much to my sorrow. Full disclaimer under cut.
Beta: The wonderfuljer832
Summary and Prompt: The Doctor is returning his companion to her home when he sees a picture of an old friend hanging over their fireplace.
Author's notes: I was only going to do a manip or maybe a very short story, but my muses sort of went crazy. I hope you enjoy it.
**
DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental. This is a work of parody, as defined by the Fair Use Doctrine. Any similarities, without satirical intent, to copyrighted characters, or individuals living or dead, are purely coincidental. This work has not been endorsed by Russell T. Davies, Steven Moffet, the BBC, Jim Henson Company Production, or any of the others holding copyrights or licensed books or movies. No connection is implied or should be inferred. This is not a commercial work. The authors receive no financial gain from its production or distribution. It is available without charge. Distribution is limited. The distribution of this story is for personal use only. Any other form of distribution is prohibited without the consent of the author.
Love Lost and Found
The Doctor stood across the console watching his soon-to-be-former companion, Zhaan, as she said good-bye to his ship. He was taking her home today after travelling with him for several years. It had been quite a challenge travelling with someone who was not only a non-human, but a sentient blue plant. She reminded him a little of the tree, Jade from all those centuries ago. At least he hadn't managed to get Zhaan killed.
Despite their differences in physiology Zhaan had proven to be an intelligent, resourceful, and loyal companion. The Doctor was sad to see her go, but during their last adventure circumstances caused the normally calm Zhaan to lose her temper and nearly kill the man who had been holding them captive. Now she felt the need to return home and learn to control her anger.
The Doctor watched as Zhaan absorbed the light from the console as she said good-bye to the TARDIS. He would miss her, but perhaps it was for the best. He'd been very distracted of late, which was how they had managed to get captured in the first place. Tomorrow would be the third anniversary of his latest mistake and all those memories had been filling his mind. The Doctor couldn't seem to stop thinking about it.
If only he had returned sooner, if only he hadn't left in the first place. The greatest love of his life and he had run away over a stupid fight that they had had dozens of times before. There had been holes in his hearts ever since that day.
"Ready to go?" the Doctor asked when Zhaan had finished her good-byes and turned to face him.
"Yes," Zhaan answered as she shook her finger at him. "And you are going too. It's just dinner." Zhaan slid her arm through the Doctor's arm, hooked it around his elbow, and steered him towards the TARDIS door.
********
Introductions to Zhaan's family had gone well. At least her mum hadn't slapped him, which was always a plus. Then again it had only been a few months for Zhaan's family, not the almost three years it had been for Zhaan. Now the Doctor was wandering around the house, just seeing how her family lived. As he entered their living room the picture over their fireplace made him stop dead and stare. There was the love of his long lives staring back at him.
He didn't know how long he stood there staring, and for a Time Lord to lose track of time was quite something. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Zhaan with a look of concern on her face.
"Are you alright?" she asked.
"How do you know Jack?" the Doctor asked daring to hope.
"The Captain and I were together for a short while right before I started travelling with you." She looked over at the portrait and smiled sadly. "He was a gentle and caring lover, but always so sad. It was clear his heart still belonged to that bastard who had abandoned him."
"Is that what he called him?" the Doctor asked bowing his head and feeling ashamed.
"No," Zhaan chuckled. "Jack never said a bad word about that cad, but what would you call someone who claims to love you then strands you on an alien planet just because you saved their life?"
"Bastard is being too kind." His hearts hurt like they had been squeezed in a vice. This was the second time he had betrayed Jack in the same way, the first being the Game Station. It didn't matter that he had come right back after only an hour. Jack had gone and the Doctor had lost him forever. The Captain would never forgive him. He didn't deserve to be forgiven.
"How long have you known Jack?" Zhaan asked.
"Several lifetimes, but I haven't seen him in quite a while." The Doctor's mind went back to that terrible day. "We had a falling-out. I was a different man back then."
********
Three years earlier…
The Doctor's face was as red as his hair. A short temper seemed to be a trait of this regeneration and he was furious. Once again Jack had jumped in front of him to save him and took the laser blast that was meant for him, and once again he had had to sit helplessly as Jack died in his arms. As soon as Jack had revived they walked quickly for the TARDIS and with each step the Doctor felt angrier.
"I can't keep watching you die!" The Doctor yelled, picking up the pace as they neared the TARDIS.
"I'm not going to stop saving you," Jack said. "And I'm not going to apologize for it either."
"Then maybe we shouldn't stay together!"
Jack stopped and stared at the Doctor. "You don't mean that," the Captain said softly.
The Doctor reached the TARDIS doors and turned to face Jack. "Don't I?" the Doctor screamed then quickly turned back around, snapped his fingers, rushed inside slamming the doors shut and locking them behind him. He ran to the console and threw his ship into the vortex before Jack had time to get his key out.
The Doctor paced the console room trying to calm down. When he leaned against the console his ship zapped him with an electrical shock.
"Ow!" The TARDIS was angry with him for leaving Jack behind. "Don't get your panties in a bunch. I'm going back to get him. I just need time to cool off. Jack probably needs the time too."
An hour later the Doctor returned to where he had left Jack, but the Captain wasn't there. He tried to track Jack down, but the Captain was in so many different places and time periods that it was impossible to pinpoint the Jack that was from the Doctor's current timeline.
The Doctor wanted more than anything to find his Jack, but he couldn't just go up to every Jack in all of existence and ask each one if they were his Jack. It could destroy their timelines.
Not long after that the Doctor, with his mind occupied with thoughts of his lost love, grew careless. He was poisoned by a ruthless king on Moffet Four and forced to regenerate. And not long after that he met Zhaan.
********
"Doctor?" Zhaan asked. "You're not the one who left him, are you?"
"I came right back," the doctor insisted as he felt all the old pain fill his hearts. "But Jack wasn't there. And I tried to find him, I really did, but I couldn't." He fought back the tears that were threatening.
"Then I think we should go and see him," Zhaan said smiling. The Doctor just stared at her gobsmacked.
"Jack is here?" he asked disbelievingly.
"He was when I left, and according to my Mum it's only been a few months, so probably."
"How…?" He wasn't sure what he should say or do. Jack wouldn't even recognize him in this new body and the Captain probably hated him for what he had done. How was he going to face him?
"Doctor," Zhaan said as she put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him. "Jack told me that the man he saved you from showed up right after you left and tried to kill him again. The laser blast hit his vortex manipulator and sent him through time and space. That's how he ended up here."
The Doctor was about to say something when Zhaan's mum rushed in.
"Zhaany,"Her mum called. "Dansen just told me that there's been a fire over at Benfaan's warehouse."
"Is Benfaan alright?"
"Yes, but Captain Harkness is badly burned. He kept going back into the building and pulling more people out." Zhaan's mum put her arm around her daughter to comfort her. "They don't know if he's going to make it."
"Oh, he'll make it," the Doctor assured, smiling with the joy he felt to have found Jack again. "Or he might not, but he'll come back. Actually, it might be better if he doesn't make it because then he'll heal faster."
"Doctor, you're not making any sense." Zhaan just stared at him like he had lost his mind.
"I know and it's wonderful."
"Doctor," Zhaan said putting her hands on his shoulders again. "I think you need to go to him right now."
"What hospital is he in?" The Doctor was out the door and running to his TARDIS as soon as he had the co-ordinates.
********
When the Doctor arrived at the hospital a caregiver showed him to the high-risk wing and then the physician on duty showed him to Jack's room.
The Doctor stood at the door and gasped when he saw Jack's burned body. The Captain was on his side with his back to the door. He was covered with only a sheet over his waist; his skin was charred, and was peeling off his shoulders and back. Jack should have healed faster than that. He must have been in great pain and yet he wasn't making a sound.
The Doctor walked around the bed so Jack could see him. "Hello," he said as he stared into the blue eyes that he loved.
"It's you!" Jack gasped with wide eyes. It looked as if he was trying to get up, but his body wouldn't move. "My Doctor."
"How did you know it was me?" The Doctor felt as surprised as Jack looked.
"I met this you a very, very long time ago, though I think it may be still in your future." Jack tried to tilt his head up, probably to see the Doctor's face better, but he couldn't. The Doctor grabbed a nearby chair and sat down so he was more at Jack's eye level.
"Are you in pain?" the Doctor asked. "I can help with that."
"No," Jack replied with a sad smile. "That's the problem. Whatever they are giving me to stop the pain has stopped my healing process as well. At this rate it will take months if not years to heal. I would have killed myself so I could fully heal, but they've paralyzed me from the neck down." Jack laughed humourlessly. "For my own good they said. So I can't damage myself.
"I tried to tell them to let me die. That I'd come back healed, but they didn't believe me. They thought I meant it as some religious belief in reincarnation or something."
"What do you want me to do, Jack?"
"Kill me, please."
"Jack I…" The Doctor didn't know what to say to that. How could he kill someone in cold blood, especially the man he loved? Then again he couldn't leave Jack in this state either.
"Doc, I can't live like this. I can't feel anything, I can't even move." Jack's blue eyes pleaded with him. "This is torture. This is hell. Please let me go so I can come back to you."
The Doctor stared at Jack for a long moment before getting up. He walked over to the hospital room door, shut it, and then dead-locked it with his sonic screwdriver. He walked back to Jack and sat down again.
"I'll need to scan you to find out what they've been giving you so I can neutralize it before..." The Doctor took a deep breath to try and ease the tightness in his chest. "Before I kill you." The Doctor leaned over and ran his fingers through Jack's hair. "In your experience what would be the best way to do it?"
"Something quick that causes little physical damage." Jack paused to think. "A fast acting poison or maybe an air bubble to the heart would be best."
"My sonic screwdriver can produce oxygen at a distance." The Doctor smiled sadly as he looked at his sonic. "I never thought I'd use that setting to kill someone though, especially not you." He looked back down at his beloved Captain, swallowing hard at the lump in his throat.
"It's alright, Doc," Jack assured him. "I've already forgiven you."
"I did come back for you, Jack." The Doctor cupped the side of his Captain's face that wasn't burned. "In an hour's time I came back, but you were gone."
"That smuggler that had tried to kill you…"
"I know," the Time Lord informed him. "Zhaan told me. I just wanted you to know that I did come back for you. I never should have left you in the first place." The Doctor straightened up in his chair and looked down at Jack seriously. "Jack, it's going to take a little over a minute for me to clear the meds from your system. Once they're neutralized I'll produce the air bubble as quickly as I can, but the burns are going to hurt like hell before you die."
"I know," Jack assured. "I've been through worse. Try being blown to bits and having to rebuild your whole body from just an arm."
"Jack, I'm so sorry…"
"Doc, just stop." Jack looked at him with kind eyes. "I told you, I've already forgiven you. Just do this so we can put it behind us."
The Doctor scanned Jack's whole body to find out what medicines were in his system. He quickly developed antidotes and set up the screwdriver to produce oxygen the moment the drugs were neutralized. Once that was done he sat back down next to his Captain.
The Doctor cupped Jack's cheek again and stroked his brow with his thumb. "I love you, you know."
"Yeah, I know." Jack smiled up at him. "I love you too. Always have, always will."
"Here goes." The Doctor pointed his sonic at his Captain's heart and activated it. Jack's screams of agony reverberated through the whole hospital. With tears in his eyes, the Doctor held Jack's hand until he passed, and then gathered him up in his arms to wait for his Captain's return.
********
The Doctor leaned against the TARDIS doors smiling at his Captain and his former companion as they kissed good-bye.
The Time Lord couldn't remember the last time he had been this happy. His Captain still loved him and last night when they had made love Jack had agreed to travel with him again. Life couldn't get much better than that.
When Jack stopped kissing her, Zhaan walked over and hugged the Doctor tight. "Take care of each other," she whispered. "And don't leave him anymore."
"Never again, if I can help it." The Doctor kissed her on the forehead and smiled down at her. "Thank you."
"You're very welcome." Zhaan smiled and then stepped back away from the TARDIS.
"Ready to go?" the Doctor asked Jack.
"I'm always ready," Jack said wiggling his eyebrows suggestively making the Doctor roll his eyes.
"You're incorrigible."
"Oh no," Jack corrected. "I'm very easily encouraged."
This time both Zhaan and the Doctor rolled their eyes. "Get in the TARDIS before I slap you."
"Promise?" Jack asked then quickly moved out of the way of the Doctor's playful slap.
They both waved good-bye to Zhaan before entering the console room. They took their stations around the console as they had done countless times before, but before the Doctor started the dematerialization sequence he looked over at Jack.
"How long are you going to stay with me?" the Doctor asked.
"Forever," Jack promised. "As long as you don't leave me again."
"I swear if it is within my power," the Doctor vowed. "I'll never leave you again without your permission." The Captain and the Time Lord just stood there grinning at each other for a few moments before the Doctor looked back down at the console.
"Where would you like to go first?" he asked Jack.
"Bed."
"The vortex it is then." The Doctor threw the switch, and then grabbed is lover's hand practically dragging him off to their bedroom.
~Fin~
This story is actually a sequel of sorts to my story The Wizard. Though obviously you don't need to read that one first, but if you want to know about when Jack first met this future Doctor go check it out.
Feel free to snag with credit for personal use, just do not post them anywhere else without my permission. And if it inspires art or fic, send me a link so I can read it.
Complete Master Fic List
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Drop me a note and let me know if you liked it.
Author/Artist:
scifiangelRecipient:
navaanRating: PG-13 for wounds
Pairing(s), Characters(s): Future!Jack/Future!Doctor, Zhaan from pre-Farscape
Genre: Future fic, angst, hurt/comfort, complicated romance, happy ending
Spoilers/warnings: Graphic depiction of wounds. No Spoilers.
Disclaimer: I don't own our lovely boys. They belong to the BBC or Jim Henson Company Production. I make no money from this, much to my sorrow. Full disclaimer under cut.
Beta: The wonderful
jer832Summary and Prompt: The Doctor is returning his companion to her home when he sees a picture of an old friend hanging over their fireplace.
Author's notes: I was only going to do a manip or maybe a very short story, but my muses sort of went crazy. I hope you enjoy it.
**
DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental. This is a work of parody, as defined by the Fair Use Doctrine. Any similarities, without satirical intent, to copyrighted characters, or individuals living or dead, are purely coincidental. This work has not been endorsed by Russell T. Davies, Steven Moffet, the BBC, Jim Henson Company Production, or any of the others holding copyrights or licensed books or movies. No connection is implied or should be inferred. This is not a commercial work. The authors receive no financial gain from its production or distribution. It is available without charge. Distribution is limited. The distribution of this story is for personal use only. Any other form of distribution is prohibited without the consent of the author.
Love Lost and Found
The Doctor stood across the console watching his soon-to-be-former companion, Zhaan, as she said good-bye to his ship. He was taking her home today after travelling with him for several years. It had been quite a challenge travelling with someone who was not only a non-human, but a sentient blue plant. She reminded him a little of the tree, Jade from all those centuries ago. At least he hadn't managed to get Zhaan killed.
Despite their differences in physiology Zhaan had proven to be an intelligent, resourceful, and loyal companion. The Doctor was sad to see her go, but during their last adventure circumstances caused the normally calm Zhaan to lose her temper and nearly kill the man who had been holding them captive. Now she felt the need to return home and learn to control her anger.
The Doctor watched as Zhaan absorbed the light from the console as she said good-bye to the TARDIS. He would miss her, but perhaps it was for the best. He'd been very distracted of late, which was how they had managed to get captured in the first place. Tomorrow would be the third anniversary of his latest mistake and all those memories had been filling his mind. The Doctor couldn't seem to stop thinking about it.
If only he had returned sooner, if only he hadn't left in the first place. The greatest love of his life and he had run away over a stupid fight that they had had dozens of times before. There had been holes in his hearts ever since that day.
"Ready to go?" the Doctor asked when Zhaan had finished her good-byes and turned to face him.
"Yes," Zhaan answered as she shook her finger at him. "And you are going too. It's just dinner." Zhaan slid her arm through the Doctor's arm, hooked it around his elbow, and steered him towards the TARDIS door.
********
Introductions to Zhaan's family had gone well. At least her mum hadn't slapped him, which was always a plus. Then again it had only been a few months for Zhaan's family, not the almost three years it had been for Zhaan. Now the Doctor was wandering around the house, just seeing how her family lived. As he entered their living room the picture over their fireplace made him stop dead and stare. There was the love of his long lives staring back at him.
He didn't know how long he stood there staring, and for a Time Lord to lose track of time was quite something. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Zhaan with a look of concern on her face.
"Are you alright?" she asked.
"How do you know Jack?" the Doctor asked daring to hope.
"The Captain and I were together for a short while right before I started travelling with you." She looked over at the portrait and smiled sadly. "He was a gentle and caring lover, but always so sad. It was clear his heart still belonged to that bastard who had abandoned him."
"Is that what he called him?" the Doctor asked bowing his head and feeling ashamed.
"No," Zhaan chuckled. "Jack never said a bad word about that cad, but what would you call someone who claims to love you then strands you on an alien planet just because you saved their life?"
"Bastard is being too kind." His hearts hurt like they had been squeezed in a vice. This was the second time he had betrayed Jack in the same way, the first being the Game Station. It didn't matter that he had come right back after only an hour. Jack had gone and the Doctor had lost him forever. The Captain would never forgive him. He didn't deserve to be forgiven.
"How long have you known Jack?" Zhaan asked.
"Several lifetimes, but I haven't seen him in quite a while." The Doctor's mind went back to that terrible day. "We had a falling-out. I was a different man back then."
********
Three years earlier…
The Doctor's face was as red as his hair. A short temper seemed to be a trait of this regeneration and he was furious. Once again Jack had jumped in front of him to save him and took the laser blast that was meant for him, and once again he had had to sit helplessly as Jack died in his arms. As soon as Jack had revived they walked quickly for the TARDIS and with each step the Doctor felt angrier.
"I can't keep watching you die!" The Doctor yelled, picking up the pace as they neared the TARDIS.
"I'm not going to stop saving you," Jack said. "And I'm not going to apologize for it either."
"Then maybe we shouldn't stay together!"
Jack stopped and stared at the Doctor. "You don't mean that," the Captain said softly.
The Doctor reached the TARDIS doors and turned to face Jack. "Don't I?" the Doctor screamed then quickly turned back around, snapped his fingers, rushed inside slamming the doors shut and locking them behind him. He ran to the console and threw his ship into the vortex before Jack had time to get his key out.
The Doctor paced the console room trying to calm down. When he leaned against the console his ship zapped him with an electrical shock.
"Ow!" The TARDIS was angry with him for leaving Jack behind. "Don't get your panties in a bunch. I'm going back to get him. I just need time to cool off. Jack probably needs the time too."
An hour later the Doctor returned to where he had left Jack, but the Captain wasn't there. He tried to track Jack down, but the Captain was in so many different places and time periods that it was impossible to pinpoint the Jack that was from the Doctor's current timeline.
The Doctor wanted more than anything to find his Jack, but he couldn't just go up to every Jack in all of existence and ask each one if they were his Jack. It could destroy their timelines.
Not long after that the Doctor, with his mind occupied with thoughts of his lost love, grew careless. He was poisoned by a ruthless king on Moffet Four and forced to regenerate. And not long after that he met Zhaan.
********
"Doctor?" Zhaan asked. "You're not the one who left him, are you?"
"I came right back," the doctor insisted as he felt all the old pain fill his hearts. "But Jack wasn't there. And I tried to find him, I really did, but I couldn't." He fought back the tears that were threatening.
"Then I think we should go and see him," Zhaan said smiling. The Doctor just stared at her gobsmacked.
"Jack is here?" he asked disbelievingly.
"He was when I left, and according to my Mum it's only been a few months, so probably."
"How…?" He wasn't sure what he should say or do. Jack wouldn't even recognize him in this new body and the Captain probably hated him for what he had done. How was he going to face him?
"Doctor," Zhaan said as she put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him. "Jack told me that the man he saved you from showed up right after you left and tried to kill him again. The laser blast hit his vortex manipulator and sent him through time and space. That's how he ended up here."
The Doctor was about to say something when Zhaan's mum rushed in.
"Zhaany,"Her mum called. "Dansen just told me that there's been a fire over at Benfaan's warehouse."
"Is Benfaan alright?"
"Yes, but Captain Harkness is badly burned. He kept going back into the building and pulling more people out." Zhaan's mum put her arm around her daughter to comfort her. "They don't know if he's going to make it."
"Oh, he'll make it," the Doctor assured, smiling with the joy he felt to have found Jack again. "Or he might not, but he'll come back. Actually, it might be better if he doesn't make it because then he'll heal faster."
"Doctor, you're not making any sense." Zhaan just stared at him like he had lost his mind.
"I know and it's wonderful."
"Doctor," Zhaan said putting her hands on his shoulders again. "I think you need to go to him right now."
"What hospital is he in?" The Doctor was out the door and running to his TARDIS as soon as he had the co-ordinates.
********
When the Doctor arrived at the hospital a caregiver showed him to the high-risk wing and then the physician on duty showed him to Jack's room.
The Doctor stood at the door and gasped when he saw Jack's burned body. The Captain was on his side with his back to the door. He was covered with only a sheet over his waist; his skin was charred, and was peeling off his shoulders and back. Jack should have healed faster than that. He must have been in great pain and yet he wasn't making a sound.
The Doctor walked around the bed so Jack could see him. "Hello," he said as he stared into the blue eyes that he loved.
"It's you!" Jack gasped with wide eyes. It looked as if he was trying to get up, but his body wouldn't move. "My Doctor."
"How did you know it was me?" The Doctor felt as surprised as Jack looked.
"I met this you a very, very long time ago, though I think it may be still in your future." Jack tried to tilt his head up, probably to see the Doctor's face better, but he couldn't. The Doctor grabbed a nearby chair and sat down so he was more at Jack's eye level.
"Are you in pain?" the Doctor asked. "I can help with that."
"No," Jack replied with a sad smile. "That's the problem. Whatever they are giving me to stop the pain has stopped my healing process as well. At this rate it will take months if not years to heal. I would have killed myself so I could fully heal, but they've paralyzed me from the neck down." Jack laughed humourlessly. "For my own good they said. So I can't damage myself.
"I tried to tell them to let me die. That I'd come back healed, but they didn't believe me. They thought I meant it as some religious belief in reincarnation or something."
"What do you want me to do, Jack?"
"Kill me, please."
"Jack I…" The Doctor didn't know what to say to that. How could he kill someone in cold blood, especially the man he loved? Then again he couldn't leave Jack in this state either.
"Doc, I can't live like this. I can't feel anything, I can't even move." Jack's blue eyes pleaded with him. "This is torture. This is hell. Please let me go so I can come back to you."
The Doctor stared at Jack for a long moment before getting up. He walked over to the hospital room door, shut it, and then dead-locked it with his sonic screwdriver. He walked back to Jack and sat down again.
"I'll need to scan you to find out what they've been giving you so I can neutralize it before..." The Doctor took a deep breath to try and ease the tightness in his chest. "Before I kill you." The Doctor leaned over and ran his fingers through Jack's hair. "In your experience what would be the best way to do it?"
"Something quick that causes little physical damage." Jack paused to think. "A fast acting poison or maybe an air bubble to the heart would be best."
"My sonic screwdriver can produce oxygen at a distance." The Doctor smiled sadly as he looked at his sonic. "I never thought I'd use that setting to kill someone though, especially not you." He looked back down at his beloved Captain, swallowing hard at the lump in his throat.
"It's alright, Doc," Jack assured him. "I've already forgiven you."
"I did come back for you, Jack." The Doctor cupped the side of his Captain's face that wasn't burned. "In an hour's time I came back, but you were gone."
"That smuggler that had tried to kill you…"
"I know," the Time Lord informed him. "Zhaan told me. I just wanted you to know that I did come back for you. I never should have left you in the first place." The Doctor straightened up in his chair and looked down at Jack seriously. "Jack, it's going to take a little over a minute for me to clear the meds from your system. Once they're neutralized I'll produce the air bubble as quickly as I can, but the burns are going to hurt like hell before you die."
"I know," Jack assured. "I've been through worse. Try being blown to bits and having to rebuild your whole body from just an arm."
"Jack, I'm so sorry…"
"Doc, just stop." Jack looked at him with kind eyes. "I told you, I've already forgiven you. Just do this so we can put it behind us."
The Doctor scanned Jack's whole body to find out what medicines were in his system. He quickly developed antidotes and set up the screwdriver to produce oxygen the moment the drugs were neutralized. Once that was done he sat back down next to his Captain.
The Doctor cupped Jack's cheek again and stroked his brow with his thumb. "I love you, you know."
"Yeah, I know." Jack smiled up at him. "I love you too. Always have, always will."
"Here goes." The Doctor pointed his sonic at his Captain's heart and activated it. Jack's screams of agony reverberated through the whole hospital. With tears in his eyes, the Doctor held Jack's hand until he passed, and then gathered him up in his arms to wait for his Captain's return.
********
The Doctor leaned against the TARDIS doors smiling at his Captain and his former companion as they kissed good-bye.
The Time Lord couldn't remember the last time he had been this happy. His Captain still loved him and last night when they had made love Jack had agreed to travel with him again. Life couldn't get much better than that.
When Jack stopped kissing her, Zhaan walked over and hugged the Doctor tight. "Take care of each other," she whispered. "And don't leave him anymore."
"Never again, if I can help it." The Doctor kissed her on the forehead and smiled down at her. "Thank you."
"You're very welcome." Zhaan smiled and then stepped back away from the TARDIS.
"Ready to go?" the Doctor asked Jack.
"I'm always ready," Jack said wiggling his eyebrows suggestively making the Doctor roll his eyes.
"You're incorrigible."
"Oh no," Jack corrected. "I'm very easily encouraged."
This time both Zhaan and the Doctor rolled their eyes. "Get in the TARDIS before I slap you."
"Promise?" Jack asked then quickly moved out of the way of the Doctor's playful slap.
They both waved good-bye to Zhaan before entering the console room. They took their stations around the console as they had done countless times before, but before the Doctor started the dematerialization sequence he looked over at Jack.
"How long are you going to stay with me?" the Doctor asked.
"Forever," Jack promised. "As long as you don't leave me again."
"I swear if it is within my power," the Doctor vowed. "I'll never leave you again without your permission." The Captain and the Time Lord just stood there grinning at each other for a few moments before the Doctor looked back down at the console.
"Where would you like to go first?" he asked Jack.
"Bed."
"The vortex it is then." The Doctor threw the switch, and then grabbed is lover's hand practically dragging him off to their bedroom.
~Fin~
This story is actually a sequel of sorts to my story The Wizard. Though obviously you don't need to read that one first, but if you want to know about when Jack first met this future Doctor go check it out.
Feel free to snag with credit for personal use, just do not post them anywhere else without my permission. And if it inspires art or fic, send me a link so I can read it.
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Drop me a note and let me know if you liked it.
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They’re really two big drama queens, huh?
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They’re really two big drama queens, huh?
Absolutely! One of the reasons we love them.
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:D YES! We do!
Thank you again! This was really a lovely gift!
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