Jack found the Doctor in the TARDIS kitchen. Jack thought the Time Lords must have enjoyed Star Trek because rather than a stove, refrigerator, and microwave, the kitchen contained a replicator, complete with the standard computer voice. He had to say it, just once. "Tea, Earl Gray, hot."
Tentatively sipping his tea, he joined the Doctor at the table. The Doctor glanced at him and gave the slightest nod of acknowledgement. Jack made a face and said, "Eh, what's up, Doc?"
"Don't. Just don't," the Doctor replied, but his mood had lightened. "I'm the only one allowed to use different accents." He glanced at Jack and continued, "If we ever land in Scotland I might let you try one, though."
"So what had you thinking deep, depressing, un-Doctor-like thoughts?"
"Oi!" he retorted. "I frequently have deep depressing thoughts. I'm just usually better at hiding them. Or maybe nobody's ever bothered trying to find out. They don't want to spoil the magic by hearing about reality." He lapsed back into silence.
"All right, Doc. Out with it."
The Doctor sighed. "One day I think you'll understand a little, Jack. You can't die now. You'll know how it feels to watch countless people enter and disappear from your life. You'll watch them grow old, die, while you just walk away. The universe loses a bit of its wonder after 900 years. Humans like to say 'with age comes experience.' I've had lots of experience, but I keep doing the same thing. I'll knock about on my own for a bit, vowing that I don't want another companion because I'll just lose him or her like all the others. Eventually, I can't stand being alone anymore and pick up someone new and it starts all over again. They leave, they always leave. Because they should, or because they find someone else. And some of them forget me. And some of them I leave behind."
Jack, for once, couldn't joke his way out of the situation. He thought about the Doctor and all his companions, then he began thinking about what might happen to him. "Well, I'll never leave you, Doctor. Not forever. I'll always be around, somewhere."
The Doctor gave a slight chuckle. "Yes, Jack, I suppose you will."
"Since you seem to be in a mood for strolling down memory lane today, just how many people have you traveled with, Doctor?"
"I can show you," he said. "In the library."
The Doctor and Jack sat on the floor in the library, a large scrapbook open between them.
"I never figured you to be a scrapper," Jack said.
"I didn't make this," the Doctor defended himself. "I stole it in the future from the archives on Gallifrey."
Each page had as a name as a heading and featured a large headshot. Jack flipped through the pages, reading a name here and there:
Susan Foreman
Ian Chesterton
Barbara Wright
Jamie McCrimmon
Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart
Sarah Jane Smith
Romana
Captain Jack Harkness
"The people in there are just the ones who were with me for awhile," the Doctor said. "There have been, and will be, so many more."
"Why are all these pages after me blank?"
The Doctor smiled. "The TARDIS blocks them. She doesn't want me to know too much about my future. That sort of knowledge can seriously screw up the universe."
"I suppose. Tell me about this one, the Brigadier." Jack studied the handsome face. "I thought you didn't like soldiers."
"Ah, the Brigadier. He was a very special man. He saw more of my regenerations than anyone else and saved the world more times than anyone else, except me, of course."
Mickey sat across from Rose, his chin resting on his hand. He had a glazed look in his eyes and he only moved to give an absent yes or to nod his head. Rose had been complaining about the Doctor for weeks now. At first, he had heatedly joined in abusing the Doctor, but his enthusiasm had waned. It was becoming obvious that he and Rose weren't going to be able to be a couple again. Mickey might be a tad slow, but he wasn't completely stupid. After all, Rose had been traveling with the Doctor for three years. She'd changed a great deal, but Mickey was still very much the same. He'd never stopped caring about Rose and had come running to meet her every time she came home. Tonight, as they sat eating pizza, Mickey thought about the day that he and Rose had met the madman with a box. Rose had put him through a lot, she'd put her mum through a lot, and she didn't have a thought for either of them. All she could do was moan about how the Doctor had left her behind after everything she'd done for him.
"Rose, shut up."
Rose stopped mid-sentence and stared at Mickey. "What?"
"I said shut up. You've done nothing but talk about the Doctor for weeks. Ever since you got back. We don't have conversations, Rose. When we're together, I sit here and listen to you complain and cry. You never even bothered to ask me how I've been or what I've been doing. You only think about yourself. Well, I've had it. It's time I quit waiting around for you, Rose, because you're not coming back." Mickey pushed his chair back and stood. He deliberately dropped a few pounds on the table, then turned and walked out of the restaurant.
Rose stared after him, stunned. Mickey had never turned on her before. Sure, he'd gotten upset with her a few times over her travels with the Doctor, but he'd always come back when she asked him. Somehow, she sensed this time was different.
Across the dining room in a dark corner, a man sat in a booth, watching Rose. He noted the lost look on her face after her friend left. He smiled inwardly. The fight would work in his favor.
EDIT: Moved the page break to where it made sense, not randomly in the middle of Rose/Mickey. I need to proofread better.
