Jack crept through the corridors that purred with life
Title: State of Normal
Chapter: Introduction
Summary: Jack joins the Tardis crew with his own problems and concerns.
Jack crept through the corridors that purred with life. His eyes were nervous and sharp as his hand traced the wall in an odd gesture of needing contact with the Tardis to reassure himself. He could feel her disappointment with each muted step. His feet were bare for the sake of stealth and his hair was haphazardly spiked up with sweat and stress from running his hands through it all day.
The Doctor had noticed Jacks twitchiness but no words were exchanged. And Jack was so concerned with inevitable troubles that he didn't catch the hint of accusation and suspicion in the Doctor's old eyes.
Rose, for all her cheerfulness and innocent curiosity, had asked 'everything ok Jack?' and Jack had lied.
'Just fantasising about this girl I once knew…' he had grinned, 'Well I say girl but she wasn't human; bright blue skin, nice eyes, a tight firm…' Rose swatted his arm as his suggestive grin distracted her.
Jack grew angry as he turned another corner and saw that the room he was searching for was missing. The Tardis had rearranged herself again. She usually did this to make life easier for new guests; the transition to travelling across time and space made more comfortable.
But Jack wasn't comfortable. His skin crawled and it wasn't due to cold or the skimpy white tank top and grey jogging bottoms he wore. The sweat on his back was chilled with fear and adrenaline. He knew what the Doctor would say and he could envision the anger on the wise Timelord's face. It was such an old problem that haunted Jack, such a plague that had survived time and education. Jack knew that for all his technical knowledge and abilities- he'd been stupid once. But he had tried to erase this particular vice and simply couldn't.
'Put it back' he partially begged the Tardis. And sure enough she showed a foolish mercy or maybe she was just smitten with his charm. Maybe she didn't want sick running down her immaculate corridors. The door appeared with a blatant sign 'Medical Bay 1'. Jack had never seen any other medical bay but the number suggested that there was a choice of at least 2.
He opened the door and in a rush over to a cabinet let the door bang behind him. He could barely hear it with his heartbeat drowning out all noise. Jack rummaged through the medical supplies like a mad man, a desperate man, a reckless man. And when he found the packet containing the solution to his sweaty hair, shaking body, sticky feet and general churning sensation in his stomach, he cheered.
'Yes!' and opened the packet, glanced at the syringe and failed to hear the door of the medical bay open. He unwrapped the cord around his jogging bottoms and calmly wrapped it, one-handed, around his bicep like a pro. Watching veins pop up with an impatience, one hand holding the cord, the other the syringe.
So when the Doctor entered the room and saw Jack crouched over the supply cabinet and spoke with authority 'Jack!' He caught the bewildered human off guard. Jack turned around and looked at the Doctor with mild fear and something else. Addiction was a nasty creature and so with very little guilt, the 51st century human emptied the syringe into his veins.
'Next hospitable planet we reach' the Doctor turned to leave, 'You're leaving'.
Jack didn't say anything. And the Doctor left.
The next morning was quiet. Rose poured the tea and asked about possibly popping home to see her mother. For once the Doctor was easy to convince. She laughed at Jacks face. 'Oh come on!- my mums not that bad Jack!' He was frowning at his coffee that swirled in a cheerful yellow mug and then gave the Doctor a heated glare. The Doctor walked away from the kitchen, over to the control panel and started pulling some levers and pressing a variety of buzzing buttons.