Okay, another one from me, came up with this on one of those long, boring days with absolutely nothing else to do. Don't know if it even works the way I want it to, but we'll see.

Thanks to glinda penguin for betaing. Hope you like. No real spoilers if you don't count the fact that Jack's in it. Set after The Doctor Dances, before Boom Town

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The truth is a three-edged sword.
Your side, their side, and the truth.
- Vorlon ambassador Kosh

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Something dark moved at the periphery of his vision, a flurry of leather, then he found himself being thrown hard against the wood of the police box.

The impact made him exhale sharply, only now becoming aware of the Doctor's furious stare.

Oh.

He had forgotten that he didn't need Rose to wake up to be killed slowly and horribly. A raging Time Lord seemed to be happy to oblige. Pinning him with an unearthly strength against the TARDIS, his voice was almost a growl

"One good reason not to kill you here and now, Captain."

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10 minutes earlier
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The search at the local market had lead to nothing, Rose was still missing.

He kicked a stone lying on the dusty street, making his way back to the TARDIS, hoping the Captain had had better luck.

He seriously doubted it though, it had been his fault Rose was missing in the first place. Somehow he didn't think the conman would ever turn up again.

On a planet like New Pangaea (which the man himself had suggested) there were plenty of reasons for that.

A small interdimensional spaceport to hitch a lift for one thing. The cheap local drinks were obviously just a bonus to that.

He might have even conned himself a new time ship already, the flirting human could be anywhen by now.

Leaving him behind to search for the missing Rose.

He played their conversation over in his mind, trying to decide if he had been tricked since the moment the Time Agent had come back running (and alone of course), practically kicking the TARDIS door for the Time Lord to open.

If his concern had been fake he had to admit the human was good. But still. He didn't trust the guy. It was too perfect, too clean.

"I turned around and she was gone" sure. An exit worthy of a con man.

He had probably left her alone on purpose, one last try if he could steal the TARDIS for himself while its true owner was out to find his companion.

All while exclaiming to check the local space port first. Right. Just in case his old girl would refuse to fly for thehuman like he knew she would. Stupid ape.

Rose was probably back at the TARDIS by now, all confused why the Captain had suddenly left her alone in the marketplace without saying a word.

New Pangaea was harmless enough, had been harmless enough, Rose should be fine on her own, but that didn't stop him from worrying.

So, having run out of options he had decided to return to the TARDIS after all, which was currently huddling against the city wall just inside of the main desert gates.

The small lanes snaking between the sandy buildings would lead him there in no time. Once there he would try another scan for her, although between all the human descendant natives this could take a while.

But perhaps Rose had found her way home already, finally seeing the ex-Time Agent for what he really was (besides numerous alien curses the mildest word he could find was 'bastard') and off they went, just the two of them again.

He had supposed the Captain had more style than leave them on a lie. The universe had the strange habit to let every life form meet at least twice. Hadn't he learned anything at the Agency? Angering a Time Lord was definetlynot a very clever thing to do. Stupid human.

When he finally turned into the last street separating him from the blue box he let out a small sigh of relief, he could hear Rose's voice already.

So she was back, seemingly with the Captain after all, whose commanding tone let him fasten his pace.

He turned on the last corner to see the two humans standing right in front of the TARDIS, seemingly only waiting for him in front of the closed doors.

But something was wrong.

The next moment he realized what, the Time Agent was aiming his gun at a crying Rose.

Anger started to build inside his chest, threatening to break free but he pushed it down, staying behind the last wall, watching the scene playing out in front of him.

His appearance would make things worse. Waiting for the right moment. Or an explanation.

The voice of the man was a commanding sneer, he was almost yelling.

"There's no time Rose, now get out of your clothes."

The girl was actually pleading with her red eyes, but the Time Agent didn't waver.

"NOW!"

He saw Rose flinch, tears streaming down her face, but she obeyed. Defeated she sat down, undoing her shoelaces.

"Don't play for time, come on! Lets get this over with." the cold voice made her look up at the man standing above her.

"Jack, please... I'm sure the Doctor will-" he cut her off, a cold smile crossing his face.

"The Doctor's not here, is he?"

He moved down, yanked her top over her head, pulling at her trousers next, not even caring where he threw her clothes, not even considering the shivering female in front of him.

Hastily getting her to sit in the desert sand in just her underwear, a predatory smile played around his lips.

"Always wanted to do that. Now give me your arm."

The Doctors fists clenched and unclenched until he could feel nothing except the pain building up in his palms, cold anger slowly surfacing, refusing to be smothered by reasonable explanations.

He couldn't think of any anymore.

How could he ever allow this man on board? He had seen what he was capable of in 1941, why didn't he just leave him to die like he had deserved?

Oh, he knew the answer. Because of Rose.

Rose who had insisted they were responsible for him, Rose who was struggling against the grip of the Time Agent, Rose who was given an injection by him just now, Rose whose struggle died down, Rose lying there unconscious.

He had seen enough.

The Captain would pay for this, even more for the kiss he pressed against the lips of her unmoving form now.

Taking advantage of his companion, of Rose, the first time he let him out of his sight, probably preparing to sell her to the highest bidder or worse.

He bolted forwards when he noticed the human was taking off his coat, never lifting his eyes from the unconscious female, a dark smile still on his lips.

This wouldn't go any further.

Anger was taking control, moving with an unearthly speed he had the Time Agent against the wall of the TARDIS before the Agent even understood what was happening.

The human was fidgeting under his grip, only the urge to understand why, why he misused the little piece of trust he had given him, the trust that Rose had given him, stopped the Time Lord from snapping the spine of the human at once.

He was the oncoming storm, he had killed entire races, knew that it was necessary sometimes, but this one was hurting Rose.

Rose. The person this unworthy scum owed his life to.

He thought of all the questions running through his head, the anger, the hurt, pure fury finally melting into the only sentence he could get out through the thick lump of emotions in his throat.

"One good reason not to kill you here and now, Captain."

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