My Last Chance To Say It

Captain Jack Harkness sat in his office in the newly rebuilt Torchwood Hub, his back to the door, as he tried to find some files.

"Captain. Long time no see" came a voice from the door.

Jack turned to face the voice. "It has been quite some time, old friend." He said, smiling widely.

"Oh it has indeed, well, maybe for me. I forget, how long ago was it in your timeline that you saw me?"

"Three years ago. Where are you currently? Don't want to give anything away."

"Donna has been gone for a while. Last thing I did was something on Mars."

"Last thing for me was the planets in the sky" said Jack.

"Anyway, came to see you to invite you on one more adventure. Got to see a dragon about a gem" The Doctor said, sitting down and propping his converse wearing feet up on the desk.

The Captain couldn't help but look the Doctor over, smirking slightly as he took in the fine lines of the suit. "Oi, stop it, you." came the response.

"A dragon about a gem?" Asked Jack, raising an eyebrow. "Dragons aren't real, Doctor. You and I both know that."

"Oh aren't they?" The Doctor replied with a hint of sarcasm, "Well if you don't want to come to Middle-Earth and see them..." he smiled with his usual toothy grin.

"Middle Earth? It's real?" Jack asked with shock.

"Who do you think took Tolkien there and gave him the inspiration?"

"So you defended Hobbiton from evil, then?"

"Nah, but I did teach Gandalf how to make fireworks." Chuckled The Doctor.

"Bet you and he got on well." Jack said, smirking.

"Well, not exactly, he was friendly with a guy called Radagast, who looked rather familiar, couldn't place the face though..."

"I don't believe all this." Jack said. "It's not true. No way."

"Very well!" Said The Doctor, getting up and leaving the room. "You'll see about that." He said, smirking, and going into the TARDIS, and dematerialising."

A few moments later he reappeared. "Captain, long time no see." He said, sort of smiling.

"Doctor, it's been mere minutes."

"Not for me, Jack. Here." He said, handing Jack a bag. "Souvenirs from Middle-Earth."

"Wow, really?" Jack asked, looking into the bag. The Doctor watched Jack remove the items from the bag and place them on the desk in front of him. A sad smile graced his face as he watched his long time friend gleefully experimenting with the things he bought him.

"Jack, this is it for me, this is my farewell tour." He said quietly. Jack snapped his head up and stared at the Doctor for a moment.

"You're regenerating." This was more a statement than a question.

"I am. This is the penultimate stop. I've already seen you once. Remember Alonzo?"

Jack smirked. Alonzo had been quite a while ago. "Boy, do I remember that one, fiesty, he was."

"That was half an hour ago for me." said The Doctor, "I have one more stop to make."

"You realise that the only way you can see her is before she met you?" Jack asked.

"There is actually one point in which I'm not with her. A market where she forced me to leave so she could shop for a christmas present for me."

"But the timelines!"

"Jack. I need to do this. I need to tell her."

Jack nodded. "Be careful, can't have you running into, well, you."

"It's happened before..." said The Doctor, tapping his chin. "Strictly speaking I shouldn't remember, but Chinny didn't, so I assume I'll be forgetting when I regenerate."

"Anyway, Doctor. Aren't you short on time?"

"Yes, I am, Jack. I shouldn't be holding off the regeneration for this long. I have to go, Goodbye, Captain." Said The Doctor, and did something unusual. He saluted the Captain, but not his usual casual two fingers to the head, he stood to attention and held his hand to his head. "It has been an honour serving with you."

Jack saluted back. "The honour was mine, Doctor."

-A few lightyears away in a market on some alien planet-

Rose Tyler was shopping in a market on a distant planet. She had told the Doctor to go for a few hours so she could find a surprise for him. She'd seen one or two maybes, but nothing had really stood out to her yet.

"That one" said a familiar voice. Turning around she saw her Doctor, but something was different, there was more pain in his eyes.

"Doctor, you shouldn't be here! I'm picking out a present for you!"

"Oh, I know, that's why I'm here" He paused slightly before continuing, a softness to his voice. "I'm not your Doctor, I'm from about five years into my future." He said. "And I needed to see you one last time before I regenerated."

"W-what?" She asked, shocked.

"Look, I can't give anything away, timelines and such." He said. "But that thing you're struggling to tell me?"

Her hand covered her mouth. "How do you know?!"

"You told me, eventually. But I couldn't say it back, can't say why though." He said. "I'm sorry if this is confusing, but I do need to tell you, I love you, Rose Tyler."

Rose stood in shock for a moment, a smile creeping its way on to her beautiful face before she kissed him. The Doctor kissed back with vigor, relishing in the feel of her lips against his for the first time... the only time. They pulled apart and he held her face in his hands, brushing away falling tears.

"Look, you can't tell me yet." he said softly. "You tell me on a beach in Norway. Remember that."

"I promise, Doctor." She told him.

"Goodbye, Rose Tyler." The Doctor said quietly, and headed back to his TARDIS.

A few hours later Rose's Doctor returned. "Ready to go?" He asked.

"Yep, got my mother this too, Bazoolium, they called it."

"She'll love it. Well, she's Jackie Tyler, she'll like it... hopefully" chuckled The Doctor.

"After we go home for a visit, can we go to Norway, I want to go and check out Norwegian beaches."

"Yeah, of course! Norway will be a nice change." He told her.

Rose smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. She'd tell him then.