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Link to Part 5
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The Doctor stepped into the TARDIS, closing the door and leaning back against the panels with a deep sigh. The Sycorax were still drifting down from the sky out there after the Prime Minister’s order to shoot down the retreating ship, Rose was spending
He pushed away from the doors, feeling tears start to well up again as he crossed the console room into the corridor beyond. He had found he could cope, just about, if there was something to focus his mind on, someone to save, but if he was still, his thoughts would turn to Jack, and the tears would come. Four days since Jack had died halting his regeneration, four days of frantic activity broken up with periods of mind numbing grief.
His feet had carried him to the medical bay without conscious thought, and he wiped the tears roughly from his cheeks before he stepped inside.
Jack lay on the central couch, naked under a thin white sheet. A pale blue shimmer over his body indicated the stasis field was running properly. He walked over and laid a hand over the field, feeling it crackle like static under his palm.
“Drop the stasis field please,” he said to the air. The field sparked, and died under his hand, leaving his palm resting on Jack’s still chest. He reached up to smooth the dark hair that had been disordered by the static, then went over and got a bowl of rose water from on of the cabinets.
“Right, Jack. I wish I had known you long enough to know what your burial beliefs were, hell I wish I had known you longer full stop.” He dipped a soft, muslin cloth into the water and picked up Jack’s left arm, tenderly washing the smooth skin.
“So I hope you don’t mind, but I’ll prepare you this way. Early Gallifreyan. Before there were time lords.” He washed all of Jack’s limbs carefully, then his chest and groin, finally when he was done with the front, he gently rolled him onto his side and washed his back.
“Now, the robe.” The Doctor said, going over to where he had sensed the TARDIS materializing the robe. It was plain black, made of a soft, silken material, and flowed like ink as he gently manhandled Jack into it, then arranged his limbs neatly on the couch. The last thing he did was fold Jack’s hands over his stomach.
“Can I have a single white rose, from the gardens please, not quite full bloom?” He spoke again to the air. He held out his hand, and after a moment, there was a faint golden glow, and the rose nestled in his palm. Half open, and still dappled with dew from the gardens, it was flawless.
“Thank you.”
His vision was blurred again when he turned to Jack and closed his hands over the rose, but he didn’t bother wiping the tears away this time.
“I love you.” He breathed, leaning down and pressing a tender kiss to the still lips.
The Doctor was just pulling away, to put the stasis field back up when he felt the soft movement of air across his lips. He looked up sharply, but Jack lay unchanged. Thinking that he had imagined it he stood up, and brushed his fingertips over a sharp cheekbone.
This time he was sure, there was a gentle puff of air against his palm, an exhalation, and as he watched, color began to take over from the awful paleness of death in Jack’s face. His lips once more flushed a delicate pink, and his chest rose with a shuddering, deep breath. Long, dark lashes began to flutter against his cheek, and the eyelids slowly rose to reveal confused blue eyes.
“Jack?” The Doctor choked. He pressed the back of his hand to one still pale cheek, and found Jack still cool, but his temperature was still climbing.
“I thought I lost you,” he whispered, tears flowing once more.
“What happ’n?” Jack’s voice was rough, scratchy and weak, and the best thing the Doctor had heard in a very long time.
“Shh, don’t talk yet.” The Doctor grinned through the tears. He grabbed a cup and some chips of ice from a unit in the corner, and carefully spooned some into Jack’s parched mouth.
“What do you remember?” The Doctor asked when Jack finally pushed the cup away to indicate he’d had enough.
“You. You said you were dying. I…….I don’t know. You’re OK?”
“I am now. You saved me.”
“How?”
“I’m not sure. You kissed me, and I drained all the life from you, but I’m not sure how it happened. I killed you.” The Doctor broke, crying harder.
“Hey, you’re not dead, I’m not dead. We have no idea why either of us is alive, but I’m glad we are.” Shaking arms pulled the Doctor down, and he rested his head on Jack’s chest, hearing the steady, miraculous heartbeat under his ear.
Jack held him as tightly as still weak limbs could manage, rubbing his back as the Doctor cried out all the pain, misery and self hatred of the last four days.
“We’ve been given another chance, lets not waste it,” Jack said softly when the sobs finally petered out. The Doctor nodded silently leaning up from his half lying position to kiss Jack. Their tongues twined sinuously for a moment, then the Doctor leaned his forehead to Jacks.
“Do you feel up to getting up for a while?”
“Yeah, I feel good actually. Still a little shaky, but good,” Jack said, puzzled.
“Come on then.” The Doctor said, getting up, and carefully helping Jack to sit. He swayed for a beat, then steadied, and when he did, the Doctor helped him to stand.
“So where are we off to?” Jack asked, happily wrapping his arm around the Doctor’s waist for support.
“It’s
“Best present?”
“You, alive and well.” The Doctor smiled tenderly, stealing another kiss before helping Jack to his room to get him dressed.
Rose looked up from her plate when the doorbell rang, puzzled, everyone who was supposed to be here, was here. Mickey, and his mum, her mum, her. The only person missing in her opinion was the Doctor, and he was alone in the TARDIS, heartbroken over Jack, and was unlikely to have changed his mind.
“You expecting anyone else?” She asked her mum.
“Not unless your mate the Doctor has changed his mind. Miserable git.” Jackie shrugged, making Rose wince, she knew she should have mentioned Jack earlier.
“Mum, he was seeing someone, and they died, right before we came here. He’s entitled to be a bit unhappy.”
“Who, the only person other than you on the TARDIS is jumping Jack flash.” Mickey sneered the name, and Rose reached over and smacked him around the head.
“Jack is dead Mickey, and he died saving the Doctor, after narrowly avoiding getting killed saving the Earth, again.”
The bell rang again before Mickey could make anything of that, and Rose dropped her hat on the table.
“I’ll get it.” She said coldly, and as she left the room, she heard Mickey again.
“I KNEW they were flirting in
Rose shook her head, wondering if Mickey would ever really grow up, and opened the door. She was surprised to see the Doctor standing there, a huge grin on his face.
“Doctor?” Her tone was a little dubious, had he taken something he shouldn’t?
“Come out here a minute Rose, I have something to show you.” He held out his hand to her. Cautiously, she took it, and let him guide her out of the door.
Jackie and the others heard Rose scream, and they all dived for the door, thinking maybe one of the Sycorax had survived and was seeking revenge. Outside on the walkway, Rose was in the arms of a tall dark haired man, sobbing hysterically as the Doctor looked on, grinning broadly.
“What the hell have you done to her, and how dare you stand there grinning about it?” Jackie demanded, then Rose looked up at the man who held her.
“You’re alive, I can’t believe you’re alive. I thought we lost you. How did you do it Doctor?” She babbled.
“I didn’t, he woke up on his own. We have no idea how, and this is us not looking a gift horse in the mouth.” The Doctor grinned, wrapping an arm around Jack’s shoulder.
“Come on, everyone inside. Dinner is going to be cold, and no one is dressed for hanging around out here.” Jackie groused, rolling her eyes.
“Rose, get two more place settings, Mickey, extend the table for me.” Jackie ordered, ushering everyone inside. Rose reluctantly let go of Jack, and went to do as her mum said. The Doctor slid his arm down to Jack’s waist possessively, and looked at Jackie.
“Jackie, I’d like you to meet Jack Harkness, Jack, Rose’s mum, Jackie Tyler.”
“Charmed.” Jack said, kissing the back of her hand gallantly.
“Oh, you.” She blushed.
She might not like the Doctor much for taking Rose away, but now that she was fairly sure he wasn’t interested in her little girl that way, she was genuinely pleased to see him happy. Even Mickey was less sullen now that he had twigged that neither of these men was after Rose, even if she never came back to him, he knew it wouldn’t be them that took her. And when she caught him under the mistletoe in the kitchen doorway when he went to help her with the plates, he thought that just maybe she might one day choose him over adventure and running for her life.
tbc
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Wonderful.
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30 minutes to go, I have a bookshop to stand outside of!!! SQUEEEEEEEE!
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Lovely, lovely fic :-D
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Glad you liked it. :-))
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