Author's Note: Here's chapter two!! Have fun, and if you can, comment on it! It speeds up my motivation.
Time and Space. You would think something like that would be a distraction, a way to remove yourself from all the pain in the world. But as the Doctor had to find out, it was just another way to remind you of the times when you weren't alone, times in which you didn't rabidly search for a way -any way- to forget those very pains. You see, time had a funny way around the Doctor. The good moments, the ones that defined his unmitigated existence seemed to breeze by for no longer then a thought, but the bad times, the times that threw him into a state of undefined melancholy ... well, they always lasted the longest.
Today seemed to only prove the aforementioned theory. It was another long moment, another time in his life that he wished he could forget. Martha had left, and he couldn't blame it on anybody but himself.
"I always seem to do that." He whispered to no one, and his Tardis let out a defeated hum in response.
He should of been used to it by now. All of his companions left him in the end, no matter how much he had needed them, or loved them. Except Rose ... The Doctor clenched his jaw, and forcibly removed all thoughts of her from his memory. He wouldn't ... no, he couldn't think of her. A year had passed for him and even now just the thought of her name, of her sparkling memory sent him to near tears.
He knew better then most that a Time-Lord couldn't act like this. He knew that he shouldn't allow himself to care so deeply. He knew that a Time-Lord needed to be distant and observing, never interfering in another's life, never changing it for better or for worse. But, even though his mind was wired to think like that, his heart wouldn't allow himself to do so. She had broken down all of his barriers, and she had left him as hopeless and as needy as a new-born Lamb. He should of hated her for it, but he couldn't. He just found himself loving her more.
Leaning his head against the cool wood of the Tardis doors, the Doctor closed his eyes and unbidden, a memory flashed before his eyes. "I love you." His eyes shot open and they were filled with unspeakable pain. He wanted her back, more then he could say. In theory, it would have been simple. Two worlds would collapse, but did that truly matter? They were just two small, insignificant worlds. Nothing in the big scheme of things, nothing like the Gallifrey he once knew and loved.
"No."
Shaking those thoughts from his mind, he took in a deep breath and closed his eyes. He had to move on. It would be an arduous process, one that would more then likely take his whole life to do, but it had to be done.
Letting out a small sigh, the Doctor stepped away from the door and shoved his hands into his pockets. He could go to Barcelona. The Doctor had always wanted to go, and who knew? It could be just what he needed. Where was I? Oh, that's right. Barcelona! The Doctor swallowed hard and shook his head. No Barcelona for him.
Moving to the Tardis console, the Doctor ran his hand across the aged metal of his home, and sighed.
"Well old girl, time for someplace new."
Flipping in the coordinates for Baskilis, he didn't even notice something was wrong until a warning flashed across the screen. Before the Doctor had time to react, the Tardis was flung into space and time, with a very shocked Doctor handling the haywire controls.
The first thing the Doctor did when his Tardis landed was grab his Sonic Screwdriver. He knew that he didn't need it inside of his beloved Tardis, but whatever had dragged him through space obviously wanted isomething/i, and the Doctor wasn't one to come unprepared. Rubbing his hurting head, he stood up and typed in a few numbers. His screen automatically changed it's view to the outside and for a moment, his hearts stopped.
"It couldn't be ... "
His mouth dried and as soon as the camera zoomed in, the questioning face turned to it and waved heartedly.
Running from the control centre, the Doctor burst through the door and smiled broadly at the person in front of him.
"It's been some time, Doctor." The Doctor's smile only widened, and with a sudden movement, he wrapped his arms around the person in front of him. "Jack. It's nice to see you again."
Jack laughed and patted the Doctor's back. "Not as good as it is to see you. How's the travelling life treating you since we last met?"
The Doctor stepped away from him then, and looked around. It was only then that he saw where they were. A rush of emotion caused him to stumble back and grabbing the first thing that he could, he got leverage before regaining his composure
"It's ... it's been fine."
Clearing his throat, he tightened his hold on the rubber object in which he held on to but when he saw what it was, he stepped away in disgust.
"Why did you bring me here?" The Doctor tried to keep his voice light, but he failed miserably.
Jack said nor did anything to the Doctor's anger. He only pointed to the wall where the Doctor had once stood that long year ago. All of his bravado gone, the Doctor walked to the smooth white wall, and trailed his hands against the suface, before laying his face against the cold plaster.
His memory flashed to that moment in time, that day in which he truly thought that his world was crashing down all around him. He stood straighter for a moment, lost in his memories, because he was so sure that if just strained hard enough he would be able to hear her, see her, and maybe ... even touch her.
The Doctor closed his eyes in silent rememberance for a moment, before stepping away. It was no good to torture himself like this, no good at all. However, he let his fingers trail the surface before turning around and facing Jack.
Throwing a bitter smile on his face, he went to open his mouth, but words seemed to fail him as his eyes met up with Jack's own, and it was because of one simple thing.
Jack was crying.
God, the Doctor had seen millions of people cry in his lifetime but seeing Jack like this, so moved my his act of emotion, it put everything into retrospect. With a bit of surprise, the Doctor felt tears upon his face and swallowing hard, the Doctor moved to Jack and patted him on the shoulder.
"Now, shh. Rose wouldn't want us acting like this, now would she? Buckle up, is what she would say."
The Doctor swallowed hard and wiped the tears away from his face. "Now, Rose is happy where she's at, and you and I know it both. Now, why did you bring me here?"
Jack let out a deep sigh, and wiped the tears off of his face.
"It wasn't me. I just felt this pull to come here a couple of days ago, and now, here comes you."
Jack smiled, but the Doctor seemed not to notice. He was moving to the window, and his eyes narrowed at the familiar sight. "Who else would want me here?"
Jack chuckled and moved beside him. "In truth, I can think of no one. Since the decline of this old Hell, just about everyone's forgot about your existance. But you know ... it could be something else."
That sentence dangled only for a moment, before the Doctor picked it up. "And that would be?"
Jack made a grand show of gesturing to the white wall before then, before pulling out a pair of 3-D glasses. "Try them on. I swear, you will be amazed."
Bewildered, the Doctor took them, but instead of putting them on, he shot a glance at Jack. Smiling as a mother would to her child, he motioned for him to put the glasses on, and after another moment of hesitation, he did. What happened when he put them on was something he thought he would never feel again, especially in a place like this.
That feeling was Hope.