Disclaimer: Dr Who and related characters are owned by BBC.
A/N: First story in the "Petals and Thorns" series
Dance of the Roses
By Eugena
Rated: T
Post "The Doctor Dances," The Doctor has competition.
Chapter One: The Meaning of the Dance
The Tardis hummed differently these days, ever since Jack Harkness came on board. His third day here, and he still hadn't danced with Rose.
He laughed to himself.
If The Doctor heard his thoughts now, he'd kill him – or drop him off on a plancet where death would be more preferable. Coming from Jack, dancing went hand-in-hand with dating.
No, although he would not turn the opportunity down, he meant dancing to their song.
Several times he had passed Rose an inviting glace to her to dance, and most times The Doctor shot daggers back at him. Jack shrugged it off, but as Rose saw it, he was only playing heard to get. And it made him more irresistible.
The Tardis hummed differently. Jack's presence made The Doctor reconsider several decisions he had made. The Tardis knew it was a step in the right direction. Over 900 years old, and on his ninth incarnation, it was time to get one early prejudice aside. Life would no longer wait for him, and neither would she. He had shown her the future of the Universe, and she had taught him to feel alive again.
Then he had taken the bait of a con, had let her out of his sight, and she fell – quite literally – into the arms of another. They had a song together, and soon (if it was up to Jack) they would have more than just a song.
"Very chipper today, Jack," The Doctor remarked smugly as he looked up from a set of Tardis controls.
"It will be a good day, Doctor," Jack said.
"Oh?" the Doctor remarked quickly, his lips tightening in a threat.
"Is there something wrong, Doctor?"
"What would make you say that?"
"The way you look at me. Just like the way you look at me when I'm around Rose. Is there something I should know, Doctor? Are you two together?"
The Doctor looked back at him. Unconsciously, he raised an eyebrow. "No."
"I'm glad we cleared that up," Jack said, "it's going to be a great day."
Jack turned away to walk back to his room.
"That makes it a good day?" the Doctor asked.
"Didn't want to ruin a good thing," Jack said.
A good thing. The Doctor repeated that phrase in his head. It wouldn't be the first time someone thought they were together. Typical human: romance and hormones. They assumed that since he looked human, he would have the same interests they would. True, he loved once. She was one of his own people, and that was many regenerations ago. He sought his inner selves, finding one that had kissed Romana.
How was it like? he asked his other self. I don't remember how it felt.
Every time he tried to remember her, he saw Rose's smiling at him.
He shook his head. "It would never work," he said aloud, "I could never grow old with her. She'd see herself age, and I'd never age a day. I'd hold her hand, then be alone again."
When Jack overheard these words, he didn't refuse Rose's next invitation to dance.