Remembering (4/?)
Title: Remembering
Characters: Ten, Jack
Rating: pg13
Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim to, and will return when I'm done playing with them
Summary: Reunions are a time to catch up with the past, or will the past catch up with them?
Dedication and Beta: Written for my fantastic beta nightrider101 , any mistakes are mine.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
"I don't get it. Shouldn't there be some sort of apocalyptic disaster taking place?" Jack pushed himself to his feet, using the wall as a brace, his mind still reeling and trying to piece together what was happening.
"You expecting one?" Was the immediate response. Jack stood numbly, studying the man who moved with long accustomed familiarity around the room. "If I didn't know better, you look as if you've just seen a ghost."
Funny I was thinking the same thing, was Jack's last thought as his vision faded, his legs gave out and he crumpled into a heap at the base of the wall.
The man gave Jack's slumped body a disdainful look and continued wiring the Doctor up to a myriad of machines. "Must I do everything myself?" he muttered darkly, and carried on about his business.
He worked swiftly while the hum and beeping of the various monitors accompanied the rustle of his movements. He stopped and leaned closer when the Doctor's eyelids fluttered and a low moan escaped.
The Doctor blinked unseeingly, blinked again and his face took on a look of total resignation. "You," he croaked faintly, his own voice failing him.
The other stood upright, taken aback. "And just who were you were expectin'? I imagined a slightly more enthusiastic reception from you, unlike the Captain," he finished, nodding toward the far wall where he'd left Jack.
The Doctor lifted his head just enough to note Jack's predicament before dropping heavily back onto the table and closing his eyes.
"No, no, no," his rescuer cried out, his hands encircling and cradling the Doctor's head. "You're not getting out of this that easy."
"I'm tired."
"We all are, but you've got to finish this."
"It's too late."
"If that in fact were the case, would I have bothered wastin' my time finding you? Come on, the pity party is over, or is this what I have to look forward to?"
The Doctor opened one eye. "The ears are an improvement."
"Now we're getting personal," he retorted, accentuating each syllable of personal, but unable to hide his own grin.
"So, what's the plan?"
"Thought we'd work on getting you back on your feet and go from there. All right with you?" Without awaiting for an answer he turned his back on the Doctor who was casually pulling at the colored wires attached to his chest with sticky white circles.
"What happens after that?" Silence met the Doctor's question and he carefully peeled away one of the stickers from his skin. An alarm sounded on the machine by his head, which he ignored but it drew a quick response from the other.
"What'd you go and do that for?" The loose wire was snatched from the Doctor's hand and slapped back onto his chest.
"Ouch. No need to be rough." He reached down to unfold the edge that had curled under and his hand was promptly slapped away.
"Doctor's make the worst patients," growled the upright man. "Now hold still so I can get a proper readout."
"You still haven't answered my question," stated the Doctor, eyeing his hand but careful to keep it away from the wires.
"We don't have that much time."
"It was one simple little question, and if you don't have time to answer that one-"
"Never just one." His rescuer turned on him again, bracing himself on either side of the Doctor's head as he leaned to within centimeters until they were sharing one breath. "You don't know when to shut it, do you? Very clever you, always rattling on about anything and everything and never taking the time to really listen." A finger was pressed against the Doctor's lips to keep him quiet. "This one time, don't say a word." Their eyes locked and the Doctor finally bobbed his head up and down to signify his acknowledgement.
Both men's eyes widened when a tentative voice behind them spoke.
"Doctor?"
"Yes," two voices answered in unison, and Jack was grateful he was already sitting and braced against a wall.
At first he'd thought he was hallucinating. Seeing the Doctor leaning against the door frame, wearing the worn brown leather jacket, black jeans and boots he'd come to associate with the man, his mind was convinced it was a trick. This man had left him behind on Satellite 5. Jack had stood and watched the TARDIS dematerialize knowing he, the Doctor, had purposefully left him behind and alone with nothing but dust, corpses and his own ingenuity to survive.
Jack had made it his sole purpose in life to track down and confront the Doctor. He'd been surprised to find the Time Lord had regenerated and changed all physical appearances, now sporting a suit and long trench coat, and a pair of trainers. So unlike the man he'd first known.
Maybe they were two different individuals. After all, the man on the examination table was the Doctor, or was he? Had the Doctor not regenerated after all, and this was some elaborate hoax? But why and how had he convinced Rose and Mickey? Impossible, Rose wouldn't have been that easily fooled. Jack pushed his palms against his temples. Times like this he wished he wasn't as familiar with time travel, it was just too much to comprehend.
"Jack," the Doctor lying on the bed spoke softly. Jack had heard that same tone used when they'd been together at the transport site, trying to fix the ship 'Utopia' and a heavy door with a small glass panel had separated them. This same man had explained why Jack had been left behind on Satellite 5. Now all of that explanation, and the previous years he'd experienced, was beginning to crumble into shattered pieces of an unfinished jigsaw puzzle, and Jack wasn't sure he had all the pieces.
"He knows, then," said the first Doctor. The other nodded and confirmed that yes, he'd thoroughly explained the circumstances of Jack's abandonment, and was more than a little concerned with the stunned look on Jack's face. The first Doctor hunched down in front of Jack as if examining a new species and directed his next statement to him. "You're first assumption was correct, Captain. There is normally a," the speaker seemed to be searching for the next word when his counterpart offered one.
"Catastrophic consequence?" This earned the older Doctor a severe glower from the one in front of Jack. He simply grinned and shrugged to show he was enjoying this turn of events.
"Unpleasant result," the first continued, "when I meet myself. Sometimes apocalyptic disasters happen, other times; events coincide that require a bit of manipulation to allow the natural order of things to continue. It's good to see you again, Jack."
Jack looked between the two, speechless, and trying to comprehend the effects of their being two of the same person and just exactly which events were about to coincide. One Doctor was enough to destroy the Universe, which left a lot of possibilities for the two of them.
A million questions, well more like two or three prominent ones, raced through Jack's mind, but before he was able to ask, the Doctor on the examination table cried out. The man in front of Jack was instantly at the other's side as his body tensed and went rigid, jerking sporadically as if he was hooked up to an electrical circuit and someone had thrown the switch to on.
"What's happening to him?" Jack was standing beside the Doctor and peering down at the latest incarnation twitching uncontrollably as the first Doctor braced large hands against his shoulders to keep the other pressed to the examination table.
"You know that unpleasant result I spoke of?" The Doctor's voice sounded strained as if fighting for breath. Jack nodded although the Doctor never looked back at him to see if his question had registered. "You're witnessing it."
"You're not experiencing it," Jack pointed out and stepped back warily, trusting his instincts.
The Doctor on the examination table stilled, his face drained of color and for a moment Jack wasn't sure if he was still breathing. The monitors continued to beep, their erratic high-speed tone leveling back to a steady pulse once more, indicating there was still life.
The taller man stood, his shoulders visibly dropping as he relaxed and typed commands on the keyboard, watching the screens display unknown circular patterns that Jack was unfamiliar with.
"Right then." He turned to face Jack with a questioning expression. "Shall we?"
Jack's curiosity had kept him from running, that and the idea that maybe the man on the table was in need of his help, but he still hadn't come to terms with seeing his first Doctor again. The Time Lord legends hadn't spoken of multiple individuals being able to coexist in the same time and space, although theory would hold that it would be likely to happen from time to time.
"I don't have time to stand here and wait for you to wrap your head around this, if you even can." There was that disdain he'd associated so often with the previous incarnation and Jack had to snap his mouth shut to keep from responding. The Doctor gave him a crooked grin and Jack knew he'd been had. Just like old times, familiarity draping around him like a well worn blanket. He shook his head and followed the first Doctor out of the medical bay.
Now to figure out how to differentiate the two, he thought. Doctor one and Doctor two seemed rather silly, and then it was Jack's turn to grin.
"So, Doc, what's the plan?"
tbc...
Characters: Ten, Jack
Rating: pg13
Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim to, and will return when I'm done playing with them
Summary: Reunions are a time to catch up with the past, or will the past catch up with them?
Dedication and Beta: Written for my fantastic beta nightrider101 , any mistakes are mine.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
"I don't get it. Shouldn't there be some sort of apocalyptic disaster taking place?" Jack pushed himself to his feet, using the wall as a brace, his mind still reeling and trying to piece together what was happening.
"You expecting one?" Was the immediate response. Jack stood numbly, studying the man who moved with long accustomed familiarity around the room. "If I didn't know better, you look as if you've just seen a ghost."
Funny I was thinking the same thing, was Jack's last thought as his vision faded, his legs gave out and he crumpled into a heap at the base of the wall.
The man gave Jack's slumped body a disdainful look and continued wiring the Doctor up to a myriad of machines. "Must I do everything myself?" he muttered darkly, and carried on about his business.
He worked swiftly while the hum and beeping of the various monitors accompanied the rustle of his movements. He stopped and leaned closer when the Doctor's eyelids fluttered and a low moan escaped.
The Doctor blinked unseeingly, blinked again and his face took on a look of total resignation. "You," he croaked faintly, his own voice failing him.
The other stood upright, taken aback. "And just who were you were expectin'? I imagined a slightly more enthusiastic reception from you, unlike the Captain," he finished, nodding toward the far wall where he'd left Jack.
The Doctor lifted his head just enough to note Jack's predicament before dropping heavily back onto the table and closing his eyes.
"No, no, no," his rescuer cried out, his hands encircling and cradling the Doctor's head. "You're not getting out of this that easy."
"I'm tired."
"We all are, but you've got to finish this."
"It's too late."
"If that in fact were the case, would I have bothered wastin' my time finding you? Come on, the pity party is over, or is this what I have to look forward to?"
The Doctor opened one eye. "The ears are an improvement."
"Now we're getting personal," he retorted, accentuating each syllable of personal, but unable to hide his own grin.
"So, what's the plan?"
"Thought we'd work on getting you back on your feet and go from there. All right with you?" Without awaiting for an answer he turned his back on the Doctor who was casually pulling at the colored wires attached to his chest with sticky white circles.
"What happens after that?" Silence met the Doctor's question and he carefully peeled away one of the stickers from his skin. An alarm sounded on the machine by his head, which he ignored but it drew a quick response from the other.
"What'd you go and do that for?" The loose wire was snatched from the Doctor's hand and slapped back onto his chest.
"Ouch. No need to be rough." He reached down to unfold the edge that had curled under and his hand was promptly slapped away.
"Doctor's make the worst patients," growled the upright man. "Now hold still so I can get a proper readout."
"You still haven't answered my question," stated the Doctor, eyeing his hand but careful to keep it away from the wires.
"We don't have that much time."
"It was one simple little question, and if you don't have time to answer that one-"
"Never just one." His rescuer turned on him again, bracing himself on either side of the Doctor's head as he leaned to within centimeters until they were sharing one breath. "You don't know when to shut it, do you? Very clever you, always rattling on about anything and everything and never taking the time to really listen." A finger was pressed against the Doctor's lips to keep him quiet. "This one time, don't say a word." Their eyes locked and the Doctor finally bobbed his head up and down to signify his acknowledgement.
Both men's eyes widened when a tentative voice behind them spoke.
"Doctor?"
"Yes," two voices answered in unison, and Jack was grateful he was already sitting and braced against a wall.
At first he'd thought he was hallucinating. Seeing the Doctor leaning against the door frame, wearing the worn brown leather jacket, black jeans and boots he'd come to associate with the man, his mind was convinced it was a trick. This man had left him behind on Satellite 5. Jack had stood and watched the TARDIS dematerialize knowing he, the Doctor, had purposefully left him behind and alone with nothing but dust, corpses and his own ingenuity to survive.
Jack had made it his sole purpose in life to track down and confront the Doctor. He'd been surprised to find the Time Lord had regenerated and changed all physical appearances, now sporting a suit and long trench coat, and a pair of trainers. So unlike the man he'd first known.
Maybe they were two different individuals. After all, the man on the examination table was the Doctor, or was he? Had the Doctor not regenerated after all, and this was some elaborate hoax? But why and how had he convinced Rose and Mickey? Impossible, Rose wouldn't have been that easily fooled. Jack pushed his palms against his temples. Times like this he wished he wasn't as familiar with time travel, it was just too much to comprehend.
"Jack," the Doctor lying on the bed spoke softly. Jack had heard that same tone used when they'd been together at the transport site, trying to fix the ship 'Utopia' and a heavy door with a small glass panel had separated them. This same man had explained why Jack had been left behind on Satellite 5. Now all of that explanation, and the previous years he'd experienced, was beginning to crumble into shattered pieces of an unfinished jigsaw puzzle, and Jack wasn't sure he had all the pieces.
"He knows, then," said the first Doctor. The other nodded and confirmed that yes, he'd thoroughly explained the circumstances of Jack's abandonment, and was more than a little concerned with the stunned look on Jack's face. The first Doctor hunched down in front of Jack as if examining a new species and directed his next statement to him. "You're first assumption was correct, Captain. There is normally a," the speaker seemed to be searching for the next word when his counterpart offered one.
"Catastrophic consequence?" This earned the older Doctor a severe glower from the one in front of Jack. He simply grinned and shrugged to show he was enjoying this turn of events.
"Unpleasant result," the first continued, "when I meet myself. Sometimes apocalyptic disasters happen, other times; events coincide that require a bit of manipulation to allow the natural order of things to continue. It's good to see you again, Jack."
Jack looked between the two, speechless, and trying to comprehend the effects of their being two of the same person and just exactly which events were about to coincide. One Doctor was enough to destroy the Universe, which left a lot of possibilities for the two of them.
A million questions, well more like two or three prominent ones, raced through Jack's mind, but before he was able to ask, the Doctor on the examination table cried out. The man in front of Jack was instantly at the other's side as his body tensed and went rigid, jerking sporadically as if he was hooked up to an electrical circuit and someone had thrown the switch to on.
"What's happening to him?" Jack was standing beside the Doctor and peering down at the latest incarnation twitching uncontrollably as the first Doctor braced large hands against his shoulders to keep the other pressed to the examination table.
"You know that unpleasant result I spoke of?" The Doctor's voice sounded strained as if fighting for breath. Jack nodded although the Doctor never looked back at him to see if his question had registered. "You're witnessing it."
"You're not experiencing it," Jack pointed out and stepped back warily, trusting his instincts.
The Doctor on the examination table stilled, his face drained of color and for a moment Jack wasn't sure if he was still breathing. The monitors continued to beep, their erratic high-speed tone leveling back to a steady pulse once more, indicating there was still life.
The taller man stood, his shoulders visibly dropping as he relaxed and typed commands on the keyboard, watching the screens display unknown circular patterns that Jack was unfamiliar with.
"Right then." He turned to face Jack with a questioning expression. "Shall we?"
Jack's curiosity had kept him from running, that and the idea that maybe the man on the table was in need of his help, but he still hadn't come to terms with seeing his first Doctor again. The Time Lord legends hadn't spoken of multiple individuals being able to coexist in the same time and space, although theory would hold that it would be likely to happen from time to time.
"I don't have time to stand here and wait for you to wrap your head around this, if you even can." There was that disdain he'd associated so often with the previous incarnation and Jack had to snap his mouth shut to keep from responding. The Doctor gave him a crooked grin and Jack knew he'd been had. Just like old times, familiarity draping around him like a well worn blanket. He shook his head and followed the first Doctor out of the medical bay.
Now to figure out how to differentiate the two, he thought. Doctor one and Doctor two seemed rather silly, and then it was Jack's turn to grin.
"So, Doc, what's the plan?"
tbc...