"Ahhh Cardiff!" The Doctor says aloud as the TARDIS lands with a screech and a thump. He runs around his console pulling and pushing at buttons and levers, readying his ship to take on much needed energy from the rift that sits just under the city. He moves toward the doors of his ship, grabbing his coat along the way. He throws the door open and takes a deep breath of the sea air. "Ahh yes. It is good to be back" he says again to no one in particular.
He pauses, waiting several minutes before venturing too far from home. The TARDIS' arrival is never subtle and there are many who listen for the loud whining sound she makes. In Cardiff, that person is likely Captain Jack Harkness. The Doctor watches for Jack's arrival and is almost disappointed when the younger man doesn't show.
Jack rarely misses an opportunity to see The Doctor when he ventures near Earth, especially in his adopted home town. They have known each other for many hundreds of years and Jack is an experienced time traveler, both as a companion to the Doctor and as a member of the Time Agents. The place and time where Jack is actually from don't even exists yet. He waited many hundreds of years in Cardiff, waiting for The Doctor. Not sensing the arrival of the TARDIS is very unlike the Jack that The Doctor knows.
After several minutes, The Doctor ventures out, still keeping an eye out for Jack. Jack's arrival is often more of a blitz attack, catching The Doctor off guard, several times managing an intimate kiss before The Doctor is able to react.
It's not that The Doctor doesn't like Jack. One could even say that he loved him. Jack has always been in love with The Doctor as well and would like nothing better than to be invited to live permanently on the TARDIS. The idea is one that The Doctor has considered himself. He enjoys Jack's company though he often finds Jack to be impulsive and prone to trouble. Of all of the companions that The Doctor has loved, Jack is probably the one most suited for life with on the TARDIS. He was accidently made immortal by Rose Tyler, and now is only person that would have a lifespan that would match The Doctor's. This is just one of the many things that The Doctor finds attractive about Jack. Still, he's never been quite able to give Jack the love that he deserves. Soon maybe.
Something else is bothering The Doctor, besides the absence of Captain Jack. There is a buzz to the air, a feeling that something is off. Sitting directly on a crack in time and space, things are often a bit off in Cardiff. The Doctor returns to his TARDIS and emerges with a small machine. The machine looks like something a child might have built with an Erector Set, but in reality, it's function is to track energy and radiation, ones that are not known to be on Earth. The miniature satellite looking dish on top of the devise begins to spin and emit beeps, confirming The Doctor's suspicions. Something not of this world is on the loose in Cardiff.
The Doctor follows the alien's radiation trail as it zigs and zags through downtown Cardiff. At one point, he reaches the boardwalk along the river and he senses a different energy, one not being recorded by the machine in his hand. It's a familiar energy, one he hasn't felt in a while. He lets it flow over him for a few seconds. It makes him feel warm and gives him just a bit of a tingle in his muscles. He looks at the machine in his hand, pointing him in a different direction. He is torn between the energy he should follow and the one he wants to follow.
The new energy is weakening while the alien one stays strong. He decides to follow the friendly energy before the trail is gone forever. He walks fast, trying to catch wisps of the energy before it dissipates in front of him. As the board walk bends alongside the river, he spies two women walking slowly in front of him. He recognizes the energy now. It belongs to a woman he once knew, a long time ago. He sees her now, her black hair is longer but the shape of her body and the way that she walks leaves no doubt in his mind that this is the woman that he once loved, still loves.
He yells her name but she does not turn. He yells again and she says something to her companion but still does not turn. For a moment he wonders if he could be wrong but, as he starts to jog to catch up to the women, he feels her energy as a blow to his body. He's sure now as he calls her name again. "Sophie Devereaux!"
Her companion stops first. By the time Sophie turns, The Doctor is running at almost full speed. He reaches her in a matter of seconds, throwing his arms around her and pulling her tight. The feel of her body is familiar, her scent overwhelming. "It's so good to see you!" He briefly wonders why he ever let her go. "And here in Cardiff!"
The spinning dish on his tracking machine becomes twisted in her long black hair. He releases her from his bear hug and carefully begins to untangle the contraption. Her hair is silky and he can't help but letting his fingers pull through it. He lets fingers trail along her beautiful jawline as he slowly pulls his hand away. She recognizes the movements as signs of affection and she, almost imperceptivity, leans toward his touch. Her eyes go unfocused for just a split second, letting him know how his touch makes her feel.
Her companion shifts her weight uncomfortably. Sophie regains her composure and glances her way. The blonde woman is staring at her, one eyebrow cocked as if she is demanding an answer to her, as of yet, unasked question. Sophie looks quickly back at The Doctor, grabbing his hands and answering him with a kiss on the cheek. The Doctor feels a knot begin in the pit of his stomach. He knows her companion is someone from whom she has kept the depth of their relationship. Based on the feel of the energy passing between the two women, The Doctor suspects that reason for her omission is to spare the younger woman's feelings in some way.
Sophie pulls her hands and introduces The Doctor to her friend Tara. Always the gentleman, The Doctor greets her with the enthusiasm that a new friend deserves. Formalities being done, The Doctor takes Sophie's arm and begins to tell her of some of his more recent travels. He can feel the angry energy from the other woman and that Sophie is somewhat uncomfortable, but he's feeling selfish. It's not the stories he wishes to share but time spent next to the woman that he loves.
They walk slowly along the boardwalk. The Doctor's mouth rattles on about things of minor significance while his brain is hyper focused on the feel, sight and sound of the woman next to him. Her friend Tara trails closely behind and he can feel her gaze as he stares into his back. He desperately wants to talk to Sophie alone, to feel her, to hold her and kiss her. He wishes she would ask her friend for some time but she doesn't seem willing to do that. She glances toward her unhappy friend and makes a decision. She leans toward The Doctor and give him another friendly kiss on the cheeks. He knows what's next and the knot in his stomach grows as she tells him how nice it was to see him. Perhaps they can catch up later. She starts to turn toward her neglected companion when they are interrupted by a man's voice yelling "Run!"
Both women turn to look. The Doctor doesn't have to turn. He already knows the voice. The voice belongs to a man. He is much larger than The Doctor both in height and width. His hair is a dark blonde and his eyes are icy blue. His clothing and overcoat suggest he may have come from another time while his trendy haircut and imposing presence place him squarely in Earth's 21st century. He comes up upon the small group quickly before skidding to a stop. He throws his arms around The Doctor with a huge grin, not unlike the greeting The Doctor gave to Sophie. His enthusiasm is over the top and, when The Doctor doesn't respond in like, he lets go and lets his eyes travel towards the women.
He senses the odd tension between the dark haired woman and The Doctor and he doesn't like it. He rightly guesses at a relationship between the two, something that makes him feel more than a bit jealous. He passes her over quickly and rests his gaze on the blonde. He immediately recognizes her as a woman he met in a bar recently. He had been impressed by her beauty then and even more so now. He holds his hand out in greeting, dons his most flirtatious smile and introduces himself. "I'm Captain Jack Harkness. You can call me Jack. It is so very nice to meet you…again". The woman is pleased by what she sees and gently takes his hand, holding it just a fraction of a second too long, something that does not go unnoticed by Jack. She introduces herself as Tara Cole. She is American and Jack smiles, responding to her in his preferred American accent. Tara's eyes are a clear blue, not unlike his own. She smiles and her eyes reflect her pleasure. Jack carefully considers his next line, he doesn't want to off put the woman with his enthusiasm but he definitely wants to get to know her better. And if it makes The Doctor just a little bit jealous, well that would be even better.
Something catches Jack's eye as he glances over Tara's shoulder. He had almost forgotten why he was here! "Uh oh." He says. "Run!" He is still holding Tara's hand as he begins to run then glances back at The Doctor and his friend, yelling over his shoulder "A fish. On a motorbike!" That's all the information The Doctor needs as he himself yells "You heard the man! Run!" and begins to chase behind Jack and Tara, pulling Sophie behind him.
Jack leads them through alley ways and around narrow streets before stopping and pushing the women into a deep set doorway. He slowly reaches for a gun hidden under his coat. As the 'fish on the motorbike' comes around the corner, Jack levels his gun and begins to pull the trigger. The Doctor yells "Jack! No!" as Jack expertly shoots the intruder, killing it. The wheels of the motorbike are still spinning as Jack and The Doctor leave the shadow of the doorway to inspect the scene. Jack's posture implies that he is proud of his kill while The Doctor hangs his head. They grab hold of the creature and pull it from the street into another dark doorway. As Jack pulls out his cell phone to call his coworkers to come clean the mess, The Doctor slowly walks away.
Both women watch the scene intently and silently. Tara begins to cross the street to get a better look at the creature while Sophie slowly follows in The Doctor's trail around the corner. When she spots him, she stops short, his anger is palpable and it frightens her. She has known him before but has never felt the anger of a Time Lord, an impressive and ferocious thing. He spots her and tempers his anger as best he can. Still he can't help but tell her the source of his anger, Jack's seemingly impulsive murder of the alien creature. While The Doctor and Jack have much in common, they differ greatly in their philosophies when dealing with hostile situations. While Jack acts in the moment, often with violence, The Doctor prefers to talk. He believes that every creature should be offered the opportunity to choose a better path, often at the risk of his own life. The two men have often fought, never being able to make the other understand their own position. As frustrated as he is, The Doctor knows that confronting Jack about his actions will serve no consequence and so he chose to walk away.
Sophie tries to console him, telling him that Jack did what he thought he had to, to save lives that were in danger. The Doctor replies "Jack always does what he thinks he ought to. That's the problem." Sophie waits for an explanation but The Doctor doesn't want to discuss Jack or situation any more. Instead, he pushes down his anger and frustration and gives Sophie his attention.
"So how are you Sophie?" He asks. She moves towards him and puts her arms around his shoulders. "I'm better now" she says. "I've missed you." There are millions of words that The Doctor wants to say to her, words that tell her how much she is missed, how empty his life has felt since she left, how much he still loves her. "Oh I've missed you too Sophie" He hopes that she can hear all of the unsaid words as well.
She looks carefully at him. "and you haven't changed a bit" she says. He pushes back more emotion, the feelings that he calls "the curse of the Time Lords", the knowledge that everyone he loves will always grow old while he never will. He will always have to leave them behind. The part of him that makes him The Doctor will always go on, regeneration after regeneration, always alone. He forces a carefree smile. "Yep! That's me. Never changing. Not until I do." Though his words seem cryptic, Sophie seems to understand his meaning. She reflects the sadness that he feels. "Ahhh don't worry about me" he says. "I'm always OK." She doesn't believe him still. "So you say" she says quietly. He has no words that can reassure her. He gently puts his hand under her chin and lifts her face toward his. He's dreamed for so long for this moment, a time when he can touch her again, a chance to feel again. He slowly begins to kiss her. She doesn't pull away this time. Her kiss matches his in emotion. She lets her body melt into his and he holds her tighter. For a few seconds, they are One, nothing has changed between them, they are together and will be forever. This is everything that he's been wishing for, to hold Sophie again, to love her and to be loved. He desperately wants to run his hands along her body. He remembers how she made him feel when she touched him and he wants to make her feel the same. Just for a second, things are the way they should be.
As much as he wants, The Doctor can't stop time. He knows this is wrong. He may be trapped in time but she is not. She's changed. It's more than just the lines on her face. He can feel that she's a different person. She's moved on. He gently pushes her away. "We can't do this Sophie". "I know" she says though her heart is breaking when she sees the tears in his eyes. She would like nothing better to stay here with The Doctor but she has other obligations now, other people to worry about. She has Tara.
Sophie and The Doctor are standing close, not close enough to touch but close enough that they can both feel the electricity flowing between them. Jack comes around the corner, his work with the clean-up done. Tara is close behind. They both stop and stare when they see The Doctor and Sophie, both rightly guessing that they just missed something important pass between the two. Tara correctly reads the situation and puts her icy stare on The Doctor while Jack focuses his on Sophie. Tara moves closer to Jack, putting her hand on his upper arm and squeezing his muscular bicep. She's trying to flirt, possibly to make Sophie jealous but the other woman finds the obviousness of the move funny. She winks at Tara who has to choke back a laugh.
Jack reaches for Tara's hand and announces that he's hungry. "Sushi anyone?" He asks laughingly. Tara groans and The Doctor give him the evil eye. Only Sophie is left out of the joke as she never got a good look of the 'fish on the motor bike', as Jack described the now deceased creature.
Jack leads them to a small pub on one of Cardiff's downtown streets. He leads the others in promising 'the best hamburger this side of the pond'. Tara gives him a big appreciative smile as she slides her eyes back toward her female friend. Jack orders cheeseburgers all around then he and Tara go hand in hand to the bar for pints for, leaving Sophie and The Doctor alone for another quick conversation.
Neither wants to talk about their relationship, or lack thereof. Instead, Sophie wants to know what happened out on the street. The Doctor tells her about the secret geography of the city of Cardiff. "You see, Cardiff sits on a rift. A rift in time and space" he tells her. "The rift is why I'm here. To recharge the TARDIS. She needs that every now and then. It's like the one on Galifrey is, was, the rift that is, that lets the Time Lords see into all of time". He pauses to see if Sophie is understanding. She's only barely grasping the idea of rifts and looking into time and space, much the same as she understands what a Time Lord really is. She nods at him to continue and he starts talking again. But it's not like that really. It's more like a seam that's not sewn very tight. Sometimes things just kinda slip through." He shows her with his hands how these things happen. She nods again. As crazy as the theory is, his analogy makes sense to her.
"And so Jack's job is to take care of these 'things' that slip through?" He nods to encourage her. "And that is why so many weird things are happening in Cardiff." "Yes" he says still nodding. "There are things in the Universe now. Things that pull things apart. And these things are pulling at the rift, trying to tear it apart." This is a concept that none but a Time Lord, one who can see all of time and space at the same time could ever really understand. Sophie tries though. "And more things slip through" she says. He nods again. "Its Jack's job to keep these things under control, to protect the rift." He tells her. It's just that Jack, he and I have never seen eye to eye on that sort of thing". "The shooting" the woman says. "Yeah the shooting" he says with disdain.
Jack and Tara arrive back at the table with four pints a cloud of energy. Sophie and The Doctor stand and there several awkward moments while the quartet jockey for their preferred placement around the table. Sophie and The Doctor land back in their original s while Tara sits across from Sophie, scooting her chair closer to Jack's. Sophie leans a bit toward The Doctor, narrowing the gap between them. Jack moves even closer to Tara, glancing at The Doctor before turning his ample charms on Tara. Tara responds with over the top flirtation while watching first Sophie, then The Doctor. The Doctor returns her gaze with a hard look of his own. He knows Sophie and Tara are together now. He felt that energy between them when he first touched Tara's hand. He knows he shouldn't feel jealous. He shouldn't feel anything. He can't help but feel.
The food arrives but none of those around the table move toward their food. There is too much flirtation, too much tension between the participants. It seems as if they are all waiting for the inevitable jealousy, anger and hurt feelings to explode on to the scene. Suddenly Sophie makes a noise. Everyone turns to look at her and she bursts into laughter. No one else is seeing the humor present in the situation.
"You guys don't see it?" She laughs. None of them see anything funny until Sophie starts start pointing fingers all around. She points at Tara, then at Jack. "You're flirting with him trying to get my attention while he's jealous of me with him" she says swinging her finger from Jack to herself then to The Doctor. "And you!" She's poking The Doctor in the chest with her finger, "you are actually jealous of her!" she says triumphantly pointing back at Tara. "It's like a giant love square! Wait!" She says playfully as she slides closer to Jack and puts her hand on his shoulder. "This completes the circle" she says as she kisses him on the cheek. Jack turns bright red while Tara and The Doctor look at each other. Slowly Tara starts to laugh then Jack and The Doctor join in.
The tension is broken and the four continue their lunch, telling stories of con jobs (a hobby that Jack was delightfully surprised to find he shared with both of the women), people they'd met and silly things they had done. The Doctor, Sophie and Jack carefully avoid the subjects of aliens and time travel in front of Tara. The Doctor and Jack did not know her enough, or at all, to know if she will be able to keep such large secrets. Sophie worries that Tara might misunderstand the reason that she was never told of such things.
The afternoon and evening pass and it is deemed time to leave. Friendly now, the two men and the two women share hugs and kisses and promises to visit again. Jack and Tara leave the pub, leaving one last private moment between Sophie and The Doctor. The magnetism that pulled them together years ago still remains and they have no choice but to come together again.
They stand, chests almost touching. "Will I see you again?" Sophie asks quietly. He shrugs. "Twice in a lifetime. Do you know how many people wish for just once? The words are not a boast. He knows his reputation, not only on Earth but throughout the Universe. He leans forward, his lips almost touching hers. "We are connected Sophie" he whispers quietly. We are connected in a way that not many can understand. You will see me again. I promise." He leans farther into her and whispers softly into her ear. She closes her eyes, leaving only one tear trailing down her cheek. She turns her head and whispers something into his ear in return. They stand still for a moment before sharing another tender kiss. She then turns away from The Doctor as she makes her way across the floor to where her girlfriend waits.
The Doctor follows a minute behind Sophie. He finds Jack standing in the open door, staring into the dark Welsh night. The Doctor follows his gaze and sees the silhouette of two women. If he were to look hard enough, he would have seen them holding hands.
He turns his attention toward his longtime friend Jack. He lays his hand on the bigger man's shoulder with one of his signature grins. "So how are you Jack?" he asks jovially. "I'm good Doctor" Jack replies with a smile of his own. "I'm good". "Me too" says The Doctor. "I'm good too." The two men turn, in the opposite directions the women took, and walk together toward the heart of Cardiff.