Chapter Four
At last, he's awake.
"Oi! I'm sorry! Funny how I don't recall inviting you to my private pool, Jack. You could have done far worse than drown in there, you damn monkey!"
Jack Harkness looked up at the man he loved more than any other man and smiled. "Well Doc, I could think of worse ways to die than drowning in a frozen lake inside your head."
"Fantastic," the Doctor said softly, mussing up the man's hair in a very rare show of affection. "But don't tell the others I saved you, or you'll regret it."
The Captain's entire body perked at the thought of what the Doctor didn't say. "Why Doctor! I'm hurt. I expected you to tell me you didn't want them knowing you gave me a pet."
A huff erupted from the Lord of Time's lips, after which he pouted like the father he maybe could have been more often so long ago. "Jack Harkness. How many times have I told you how dangerous it is inside my head? And if you mention the word pet again in the same metaphysical breath as anything having to do with me, I will leave you in here. Got it?" His bright fudge-y eyes were grinning of course, even if said lips hadn't quite got the memo.
Jack nodded and rose with some help. It was tantamount to the Doctor saying, 'Shut up you stupid ape and help me find my daughter.'
"I can hear everything you think in here, you know," said the Time Lord drearily, rubbing a hand through his scruffy hair and muttering behind his slim, lovely hand.
"Yes, sir!" Jack saluted and narrowly avoided a glare from his friend that literally shot daggers, albeit warm sugary edible ones made of chocolate, like something found perhaps in a gourmet eatery.
Jack bounced up and caught one in his mouth, grinning like a drunken knife thrower as the Doctor's eyes turned a deep, plump, juiceful blue and briefly melted down his face, filling the space between them with hot little blueberry tarts.
"Wow, Doc... you really can do pastry. Mmm... just like Jackie used to make!"
He reached over to grab the man and planted a lingering peck on the Gallifreyan's lips, which were trying unsuccessfully to twitch away and escape.
A sensation of being raised to a great height took him all at once, and with great ceremony he was prompted to look down, past his feet, past the mountain of whipped cream he hovered over, past the upward-falling figure of the Doctor, who was rising serenely to meet him.
"What was that movie? The Tarts Have Eyes?" said the Time Lord mock-drearily, gazing at where he held Jack in mid -air-, gloating like a bored Racnoss.
I shall be expecting nothing less than total quiet from you, Jack Harkness. This is not a time for idle chatter, or foreplay, gods forbid. Stop thinking of me as a flaky yet filling baked dessert and focus on why I'm here, calmly allowing you to make a fool of yourself while I search for my errant offspring!"
Jack nodded, halting the advance of his tongue across his lips only long enough to scour the available countryside for any conspicuous little slips of girls named Sally in fine white dresses.
"Aye aye, sir! No tiptoeing through tulips. Copy that."
Suddenly, the Doctor spun in the air as if scenting blood, thrusting his gaze toward a western slope of banana split on point, like a surging bloodhound. He snapped his fingers, and the world ended for Jack in a rush of black and gold, only to return again in a little wash of Prussian blue.
When Jack Harkness opened his eyes again, they were both standing at the foot of that far off peak, looking at a solitary pair of little girl shaped footsteps that led into the mount. Then his own worried gaze met the Doctor's own, and they continued inward.
