I wrote this on a whim, in the wee hours before the dawn of finals week. I used to write fanfiction a little bit, but I'm never that good so I stopped. I recently got into the Who-niverse though, and I've been obsessed with this moment ever since I saw it.
I own nothing. If Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant put their bodies up for sale, please let me know.
"Don't talk like that. The Doctor's going to do it, just watch him."
Her human optimism is so beautiful, her faith never faltering. That was probably always the case, you had to trust the guy flying you around in the fancy spaceship, but something about the way she said it broke down everything he had ever stood for.
"Rose…"
Jack is so good. The Doctor hadn't been too keen on him at the beginning; Rose had been swept off her feet by another man, before he even realized such a thing was possible. But a million miles, a million years later, here was Captain Jack Harkness throwing them one more of the cocky smiles. He'd enjoyed competing with them over their last few jaunts through space and time. One last smile before he walked out into a battle they both knew he wouldn't make it out of. They both knew she shouldn't know about that bit, not yet.
"You are worth fighting for."
Jack kisses her. His blood boils, his hearts leap with rage. She barely responds, and that sooths him. Even now, he's jealous. The Doctor had winced as Jack cupped her face; he wanted to do that just once before the end, but he still didn't have the nerve. Who'd have thought he would ever lack nerve? Too much loss for any one lifetime does that to you. And he has to remember that she will live to remember this, so he can't do anything stupid. But Jack's made up only of nerve and so he gets the gift the Doctor's wanted ever since the year 2012.
When Jack lets her go, they're both smiling. Only two damn people in the universe that could smile as they kiss each other one step closer to death.
"Wish I'd never met you, Doctor."
Now, what do you say to that? You kiss another man's girl, then let him know how much you wish he didn't exist so you could kiss her every moment of every day, is that how it is? Of course not. She's not his girl, never could be, never should be, not a pretty blossom like her that hasn't yet gotten to bloom. And that's not the meaning behind those words, at all.
"I was much better off as a coward."
You're probably right, the Doctor thinks, you'd live. Truthfully, he could still save him. He's saving Rose, after all. But that's not what Jack wants, and he isn't cheating another person like he is her.
Well, damn. This man is always a surpise.
Jack is so good. The Doctor never really did men, but that's mainly because he never really did anyone. Not until her.
But Jack, wonderful, thoughtful, fantastic Jack now pressed the firm, rough lips that had briefly brushed hers against the Doctor's own, Jack held them there… and he could pretend their warmth came from her, their taste came from her, the intensity he knew came just as much from the other man actually came from her. Kissing Jack now would be the closest he'd ever come to kissing Rose Tyler and so he didn't move a muscle. Such a small gift, those fifteen seconds, but nothing had ever made his hearts stop like that.
"See you in hell."
And he was gone. They were alone. A few tiny moments of small talk, with her, before he deceived her. She wasn't going to think much of that, but her safety was more important than anything else. But he'd give himself this one last solace, and then, knowing she would survive, he could face this old enemy once and for all.
As long as she was safe, come what may.