Somewhere to belong

[amythest-n-ice.livejournal.com]

Title : Somewhere to belong

Author/Artist/Vidder. : amythest_n_ice

Prompt(s) used: Jack’s first night in the TARDIS; TARDIS key; the moment Jack realizes he can stay.

Rating : PG

Spoilers/Warnings : none

Summary : A talk in the gardens.

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I thought the prompts didn’t really fit in with Jack/Ten, as they all lean toward Jack having just met them, so take it as read that the ninth Doctor was killed by the Nestene, (horrible thought that it is) and that it was already the Tenth Doctor by the time they met Jack.

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The Doctor walked into the gardens, where the TARDIS had told him their new guest was. Rose had shown him to a room when she turned in, hours before, and the TARDIS had just alerted the Doctor that the man was wandering. The Captain was sitting in the grass by the fountain, his uniform jacket thrown on the grass beside him, and he seemed to be playing with something in his lap.

 

The Doctor almost laughed aloud when he saw what it was, the three foot tall, walking  carnivorous plant that had tried to take chunks out of unwary companions for years was cuddled in Jack’s lap, somehow managing to look very pleased at the petting Jack was bestowing on it.

 

“Making friends, Captain?” He asked, noticing that while the human did tense slightly as he spoke, he wasn’t startled. The man had known he was there, the Doctor realized.

 

“He doesn’t seem to want to judge me on my mistakes, he just wants to be petted.”

 

“What makes you think it’s a male, Captain?”

 

“He just is.” Jack shrugged. The plant shifted positions, twining stems around Jack’s arm, and the Doctor was damn sure it was watching him.

 

“Have you come to sentence me then? Have you decided my fate?” Jack asked, and the Doctor detected a faint note of bitter resignation in his voice.

 

“What do you think I should do with you?” The Doctor asked, curious.

 

“Put me somewhere I can never endanger people on that scale again.” Jack finally looked up, and the Time Lord saw that he had been crying. He must have been torturing himself for hours over what he had unwittingly unleashed on wartime London. The Doctor sank down in the grass across from him, taking off  his brown pinstripe jacket, and dropping it in the grass beside Jack’s.

 

“You did the right thing in the end, Captain.”

 

“It doesn’t help,” Jack said, looking back down at the plant, which seemed to be wrapping more tendrils around his arm.

 

“I think he likes you,” the Doctor said, amused.

 

“He’s sweet.” Jack offered a faint, half hearted smile as he spoke.

 

“He’s carnivorous.” The Doctor pointed out.

 

“I know.”

 

The Doctor decided to let that slide for the moment, he had other concerns.

 

“Will you go back to it, when you’re dropped off? Conning people I mean,” the Doctor asked.

 

“No,” Jack said, a simple, soft word that told the Doctor a hell of a lot. He leaned over and gripped the younger mans chin, lifting his head up.

 

“Suicide is not the answer,” he said firmly.

 

“I nearly wiped out the population of an entire planet.” Jack hissed, his eyes filming over again, but he took a deep breath and fought the fresh tears back.

 

“I’ve done worse. It is hard Jack, I can’t change that, but in the end, it didn’t happen, and you have to hold onto that. It will get easier, and you seem the sort who can learn from his mistakes.”

 

“Maybe. So where have you decided to leave me? Anywhere I know?”

 

“Are you that eager to leave?”

 

“It’s not like it’s up to me, is it Doctor?” Jack sighed, lightly stroking the leaves under his hand.

 

The Doctor held his hand up, and a key on a silver chain dangled in front of Jack’s eyes, spinning gently.

 

“What is that?” Jack asked.

 

“A key. A TARDIS key. It’s yours if you want it.” The Doctor spun the chain gently, making the key spin faster.

 

Jack looked at the key, then his eyes flicked to meet the hazel eyes on the other side of the chain.

 

“You’d let me stay?” He asked, wary hope coloring his tone.

 

“Yes, I’d let you stay. Rose isn’t the best judge of character where it comes to good looking men, but I’m not too bad, and I think you are a better man than we’ve seen so far, I think I can count on you not to let anything happen to Rose because you’re too busy watching your own arse, and you’re good with tech. It’s been a long time since I had someone around who was capable of helping with the routine maintenance.” The Doctor grinned. He reached out and took the hand didn’t have man eating plant wrapped around it, lowering the key into it and closing the fingers around it.

 

“You, you really want me to stay?” Jack sounded shocked, hopeful and overwrought.

 

“You sound surprised.”

“It’s been a long time since anyone really wanted me around. Since I had somewhere to belong.” Jack choked out.

 

“You need some rest, Jack. Sleep on it overnight, and in the morning, you can either give the key back, or not, your choice,” the Doctor said, gracefully rising to his feet and holding out a hand to help Jack up.

 

The little plant made a clearly unhappy sound at the prospect of losing it’s new playmate, wrapping itself tighter around his arm, and Jack stroked the stem gently.

 

“Hey, shh, I’m not going far.” He crooned. The little plant cried again, not loosening its grip.

 

“Ok, I have to ask, why is he so attached to you?” The Doctor asked.

 

Jack looked up, and just for a moment, the Doctor thought there was something predatory about him, then he grinned.

 

“He’s homesick, and I’m from the same world, and the same continent, that he’s from, and he’s just a young one too, only a hundred years or so old. Where did you get him?”

“I don’t really remember, just that he stowed away once when I landed somewhere. I found him cowering in the back of the console room when I was in my Eighth regeneration, eighty or so years ago.”

 

“Regeneration, but, that would make you………. a Time Lord?”

“Yes.” The Doctor grinned.

 

Jack continued to pet the distressed little plant, and the Doctor frowned.

 

“No pressure, but if you decide to stay, the TARDIS can alter your room to make a habitat for him, if you want to keep him with you.”

 

“Really? That would be nice. If there’s one thing I miss about home, it’s these little guys.”

“Sure, just don’t let him near Rose, he took a chunk out of her favorite sweater when they first met.”

 

Jack laughed, then looked shyly up at the Doctor.

 

“I think, I’m going to like it here.” He said tentatively, and the Doctor’s smile softened.

 

“Welcome aboard,” he said, then his grin broadened again.

 

“Come on, let’s go find out what the old girl has done to your room to make a home for your new friend.” He looped an arm through Jack’s free arm, and he, Jack, and the now happy plant left the gardens.

 

End

 

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Um, the man eating plant is not mine, I first came across him in a couple of fics over on Teaspoon. I hope his creator doesn’t mind me borrowing him, but I just thought he was adorable, and would make a perfect companion for Jack.

Comments

[hugglewolf.livejournal.com]

Actually, I can see that - that Jack is the only person the man-eating plant doesn't try to eat. He just strikes me as having that ability to win anything or anyone over. Very sweet.

[amythest-n-ice.livejournal.com]

lol, he is very lovable, isn't he? Thank you, glad you liked it.

[(Anonymous)]

My first, goofy thought was that it did eat him.. but he got better.

[(Anonymous)]

Meant to say: this was fun, and sweet.

[trobadora]

Oh, this is sweet. Especially the carnivorous plant - who, like everyone else, loves Jack. Well, if you were a carnivorouos plant, wouldn't you? :D

[amythest-n-ice.livejournal.com]

Well, I would certainly like to nibble..... sorry, did I really type that?? LOL.

Thank you, so glad you liked it. (wandering off now to read HHGTTG looking for inspiration on the other prompt I took)

[dameruth.livejournal.com]

I like the idea of Jack finding a little bit of hom to welcome him onto the TARDIS -- and I can definitely seeing his winning ways extending to most creatures he encounters . . . :)

[amythest-n-ice.livejournal.com]

*grin* Thank you, so glad you liked it. He could certainly win me over, sigh.

[dameruth.livejournal.com]

*Snrt!* I could say "me, too," but . . . like he hasn't already? I mean, we're here writing fic about the boy, after all . . . LOL! ;)

[amythest-n-ice.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but wouldn't it be nice to have him work at it *salacious smirk*

[dameruth.livejournal.com]

Well, I've got to admit, if he wasn't a fictional character, he could come over and tame my carnivorous plants anytime . . . LOL! XD

[fatchickengirl.livejournal.com]

Sweet, and love the man eating plant, so cute!

[amythest-n-ice.livejournal.com]

Thank you, glad you liked it. I wish I could remember who owned that plant.

[metztlimoon.livejournal.com]

This is sweet. And I like the plant , I hope you find who introduced him :) Well borrowed.

some really nice images and lines. I'm really partial to

"“Are you that eager to leave?”

“It’s not like it’s up to me, is it Doctor?” Jack sighed, lightly stroking the leaves under his hand.

The Doctor held his hand up, and a key on a silver chain dangled in front of Jack’s eyes, spinning gently.

“What is that?” Jack asked.

“A key. A TARDIS key. It’s yours if you want it.” The Doctor spun the chain gently, making the key spin faster.

Jack looked at the key, then his eyes flicked to meet the hazel eyes on the other side of the chain.

“You’d let me stay?” He asked, wary hope coloring his tone. "

[amythest-n-ice.livejournal.com]

Glad you like it. This is posted to Teaspoon too, so hopefully someone will let me know who owns him over there, sooner or later.

Glad you liked the scene, it is one of my favorites from all my fics, and there are precious few around where the Doctor gives him his key.

[eternal-dolor.livejournal.com]

Great story! loved the plant

[amythest-n-ice.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it.

[ilerre.livejournal.com]

Hi! I loved your story. Can you give me the links to the stories you mentionned where you took the idea of the man eating plant, please!!! ♥♥♥ Thanks a lot!

[amythest-n-ice.livejournal.com]

Hi, really glad you liked it. Unfortunately I haven't been on Teaspoon in ages,and can't remember the names of the fics, but I can tell you that it was either Jack/Nine, or Jack/Ten, and would be dated WELL over a year ago, if that helps.

[ilerre.livejournal.com]

Thanks a lot. But........do you have the adress of the Teaspoon website?! ^^ Lol, sorry I'm a liability sometimes, I just got into Torchwood/Doctor Who fics since I bought the entire DVD collection two weeks ago. I finished watching Torchwood but I'm only halfway through season two of Dr Who!!!! ♥ Love it! So please, can you give me the link to Teaspoon, pretty please? ^^

[amythest-n-ice.livejournal.com]

http://www.whofic.com/

there you go, that's the addy, and the site is called properly 'teaspoon and an open mind'. Enjoy.

[raine-storm13.livejournal.com]

Great story! Now I'm pouting at what probably happened to the plant after Jack died on the game station.

Anyway, I think the story you were thinking of is The Tour by alexiacale.