CHAPTER 3
Min had a hard time believing that the tall, slender woman with the shoulder length wavy ginger hair was ever the stooped, gray-haired elder gentleman she was watching now. The scenes from different planets and locales moved at a fairly quick pace, and she was surprised that the people with the Original Doctor looked familiar to her. That is until she recognized someplace she and Dr. Jean had been and it all suddenly fell into place.
"We were there! I know these people," she cried and stopped the playback again. "That's Tyler! And there's Jenny, Dortmun, Barbara and Ian… you crossed your own timeline? I thought you said that was dangerous? But...I spoke to the First you… you even spoke to him! Oh, you wretched woman!"
She heard the Doctor reply through the speakers, though the playback was still paused. "I am truly sorry for not telling you the truth before now, Swee- no, Doll Face. My first form isn't the only one we met, either; the temptation was too great. I had to do it. Forgive me?"
The bells on her braids clanged a loud discordant note.
"Please don't be mad, Mano'te ne."
The silence was long, but Min finally heaved a resigned sigh, "You don't play fair, Doctor," she said, fighting the smile the honorific always brought to her face. "But honestly, I really could have done without being attacked by Daleks in twenty-second century London. But why did you choose to watch Susan leave you again? Your melancholy then makes so much sense now. I wish I known and I would have helped you more."
Min tried to remember other times Doctor Jean took them to where they would have seen her former self, but they had seen so much in the years they'd traveled together, she gave up rather quickly.
"This is going to be interesting," she thought as she crossed her legs under her, resumed the video and leaned forward transfixed, watching the lives of her best friend play out before her. "I see your new kilt matches Jamie's exactly," she said with a smile, "it suits you."
As each new Doctor appeared, she would try to remember where she had met him before the telltale scene would appear onscreen.
Sometimes she did remember their meetings and would pause the video to contemplate the 'how-to's and why-for's' (as Dr. Jean was so fond of saying) of why that particular point in time in her previous male regeneration's life was chosen for a visit. When the time they met appeared onscreen, it was with joy and sadness she remembered the situation.
For the times she couldn't remember meeting him, the scene was greeted with, "How was that the Doctor?" from a very shocked companion.
"Now I know why you didn't want to stay and watch," she muttered as the video showed their visit to the space trading colony Iceworld, where she now clearly remembered the conversation she had with Ace and Mel in the diner that was playing on the screen. "You knew I'd be angry when I realized which of our adventures were about visiting your past selves. Well, you're still going to get an earful, Doctor."
Min also discovered that they had in fact visited all of the Doctor's companions but didn't see the Doctor with every companion. Some of her favorites were Jamie, Jo, Leela, Sarah Jane, Adric, and Ace.
Sometimes they visited a timeline post-Doctor or sometimes even during an event of import, but saw the companion only, never their Doctor. It made her head spin trying to figure out how Doctor Jean managed to not run into her former self time and again.
She found it comforting to know that the Doctor always had companions around, and Min felt special knowing that while the male Doctor preferred human or human-looking companions, the woman had chosen her; humanoid yes, but red-skinned, with six digits on each hand, and plum braids with multi-colored bells at the end of each.
One thing she had noticed was that his first seven incarnations had no romantic interactions with any of his companions, or at most flirtations, but then came the Eighth Doctor. Min was surprised when in his excitement about regaining his memory, he joyously kissed Dr. Holloway, who rather breathlessly asked for another one.
She stopped the playback again and pondered this new development.
"What does it matter," she asked aloud after a few minutes of deep thought. "Dr. Jean was fully capable of loving people inappropriately…" she stopped, looked around the room and giggled, "...and no I won't apologize for saying it! I still say intimacy is reserved for your bondmate, period. But why wait for your seventh regeneration to look for love? As a matter of fact, if Susan was your granddaughter, why did you not show me your life and family before stealing the TARDIS? Surely you had a wife-"
The Doctor's voice permeated the room, his tone stern, "None of your business, I share what I wish and you are lucky to see this much!"
Min was quiet for a moment before responding. "You who are so nosey into everyone else's lives won't be scrutinized yourself? Foul! I call foul on you, rapscallion!"
"Do not use the words of my former self against me child, or I shall deposit you on the nearest planet never to return!"
"You would break 'detah to ease your bruised ego?"
She could hear him stomping around outside the room before it finally got quiet.
"'Never did the world make a queen of a girl who hides in houses and dreams without traveling.' Roman Payne, The Wanderess." He sighed heavily, "Encore une fois, vous m'avez mis chez moi. Je ne mérite pas votre amitié, mais je suis reconnaissant de l'avoir. (Once again you have put me in my place. I do not deserve your friendship, but I am thankful to have it.)"
Her braids turned bright green again and she didn't try to stop it. "Apology accepted."
Overall, it was most amusing to watch him appear to get younger with the first four regenerations and then settle down with a 'mature-but-not-too-old' look for Doctors six through eight; though she did question his choice in clothing from time to time. The odd looking 'neck lendeith' of the Fourth Doctor was one of her favorites, but why did the fourth regeneration into the Fifth Doctor wear a plant on his jacket? However, there was still nothing that could compare to the Sixth Doctor's glorious coat of colors in Min's eyes.
And then came a surprise: the Ninth Doctor*. They never visited this eighth regeneration*, and she quickly understood why. Thankfully there was no video, just a picture of an old, rugged, gray-haired warrior. Words scrolled across the bottom of the screen telling how this Time Lord forsook the title Doctor, and gave a little information about the Time War. Min felt saddened by his face, so care-worn and old; the haunted look in his eyes turned her hair pale yellow.
Next came the ninth regeneration into the Tenth Doctor*. Min could see the scars the Time War left on him and she understood his black ensemble from head to toe; this was a man in mourning.
She watched as he met Rose and saw how the young woman brought a smile back to the Doctor's face. He had someone to protect again, to show off for, and to take anywhere in the universe. Though his past actions haunted him, he strove to be what humanity needed, and more specifically what Rose needed.
This was one of the visits she remembered the moment she saw this Doctor on the screen, and paused the playback to remember that tragic event.
Before they left the TARDIS, Doctor Jean told Min not to interfere with anything they saw, even if it meant someone were injured, or worse.
"Can't have you changing a fixed point in time now, can we?"
As she was showing Min the beautiful gothic church, a small car came screeching around the corner and the man looked like he actually lept in front of it, ensuring his death. Min had turned her head, burying it in the Doctor's shoulder.
"Look, Sweet Cheeks! The man will not die alone."
Min turned to see a young blonde woman rush out into the street and hold the dying man. She felt the myriad of emotions from those gathered, but those from a man in a black leather jacket were especially strong, and somehow familiar. The blonde woman eventually walked back to Leather Jacket Man, and he held her as she cried. Min couldn't help but notice that he was holding his friend almost exactly like Dr. Jean was holding her now, and that's when the she kissed the top of Min's head and pulled her away from the scene, prattling on about a diner that served the most amazing chips.
Min smiled and wiped the tear from her cheek. "It must be nice, being able to go back and watch your actions from a different perspective. But once again, I wish I knew why you chose that point in your life to return to."
She started the video again and saw the accident scene from afar for a moment before showing bits of other adventures Rose had with the Doctor. The Game Station looked frightening, but the video didn't show any reason for Rose to be suddenly glowing with what looked a lot like TARDIS energy which the Doctor absorbed from her with a kiss.
"What are you hiding now," Min thought as the Doctor regenerated for the tenth time. "Why not show me what happened?"
This new Doctor was rather skinny with wild brown hair, and was more emotionally complex than his predecessors from what Min could tell from the quick succession of video clips of him.
And then the current Doctor appeared onscreen, looking rather somber. "Min. I have much difficulty with this part of my life. My companions kept me balanced, and I loved them dearly for it. However, being still so close to the Time War any loss was amplified tenfold, and I was nearly broken more times than I can count."
Images of the Skinny Doctor with Rose Tyler, Martha Jones and Donna Noble each appeared onscreen as the Doctor continued. "These women were so important to my tenth regeneration, but I cannot choose videos to show you because even now it still hurts. So, what I shall do is let you remember when we visited them and hopefully, that will be enough."
"Dr. Jones and Mrs. Temple had been your companions?" Min cried. "The emotional familiarity I felt from them makes more sense now; it was because of their time with you."
She looked around the room and addressed the Doctor as if he were there with her. "You do know that I could feel your presence in my head when you wanted to see what I was up to with them, don't you? Like when I first met Dr. Jones at UNIT by walking in on her meeting with Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart…Dr. Jean told me to go to UNIT an hour before my appointment time and I could feel her watching through me. I figured there must have been something important you weren't sharing with me to keep me safe, and I was naive enough to believe it."
"But you turned the tables on me with Donna, you wicked creature." His voice echoed in the room playfully.
Min laughed. "You didn't even try to hide your presence when I was working for her! Lucky for me you, well the Dr. Jean you, were distracted by a new artifact arrival at the National Archives that fateful day, which gave me the perfect opportunity to suggest to Mrs. Temple we go visit and take a tour. I had only hoped Dr. Jean would see us together, not actually be our tour guide!"
"I still owe you forty lashes with a wet noodle for that, missy."
"Oh no, I was hoping you'd forgotten about that, Doctor!"
His belly laugh was genuine, and Min's bells joined in with their own tinkling joyous song. Once recovered she spoke to the room once more. "I never did understand why you suddenly decided we needed to live in 2010 London, or how you got me the position as Mrs. Temple's assistant, but that was a very enjoyable year. I really am honored to share the title of Companion with the likes of them. You pick your friends well, Doctor."
As if on cue, Captain Jack Harkness appeared on the screen and Min laughed aloud. "Kalet moph, you rotten woman! I knew he had travelled with you too. Honestly Doctor you have no shame!"
She paused the playback on Jack's face and giggled at the memory of meeting Captain Jack for the first time.
They had found him in the Lynx constellation on the planet Wisteria at a locale called Carlie's Landing, a palatial estate where guests could live out any number of fantastic requests. According to the Doctor, it rivaled the pleasure planet of Risa.
Jack first approached the women as they were walking around the grounds; Dr. Jean was telling Min about the Värik Käita Teralehtiä, commonly called the True Color Flower, when a man in a long dark blue coat approached them, swooped up one of the red flowers from the bush in front of them and presented it to Min.
"For you, my lovely vermillion lady," he had purred at Min. The flower's long, wide petals were no longer red, but green and gold with tips of blue.
She was so startled that her plum braids turned pink, and Jack's look of shock quickly morphed into his trademark sly smile.
"Well, well. Looks like you have something in common with this lovely flower, Miss…"
Min stared at him in shock as the Doctor answered him sharply. "Min. My lady's name is Min, and I am Jean. And you are?"
Jack sobered and stood straight as a soldier. "Captain Jack Harkness, at your service, ladies. I did not mean to offend you."
"Well, you have, and you've ruined my surprise," the older of the two women said with irritation. "I was very much looking forward to seeing what the Värik Käita Teralehtiä would do at her touch, but now that she knows its secret, I'll never know. So thank you for that. Go find someone else to bother Captain, and leave us be. Come, Sweet Cheeks, we shall leave this rogue captain to his own devices."
That was all the challenge he needed and spent the rest of that day trying to get in "Jean Smythe's" good graces. Of course she made him work for it, and during a brief moment alone with Min, she reassured her companion that Jack was loving every minute of it, since she was dropping hints that he might have a rather enjoyable evening if he appeased her.
"He means to bed us both, Sweet Cheeks, but don't worry, your chastity shall remain intact. We shall practice your telepathy tonight; do and say what I tell you and leave this charming rogue to me. He's quite harmless, though rather sexually driven. I have - Welcome back, Captain!"
After dinner and drinks they went back to Jack's cottage where he suggested a game of strip poker. The Doctor sent an idea to Min who agreed that it was certainly a better option than undressing.
"I must play by a different set of rules, Captain," Min said solemnly.
"Oh?"
"I will not judge another for not having my sexual morals; however I will not change mine to accommodate yours. I will not play your game by the rules you have just set before me, for to do so will dishonor Hakka'dosh."
Jean Smythe leaned toward Jack. "Hakka'dosh is The One. Their God, and I rather like Him when He's happy. Let's keep Him that way, shall we?"
Jack's entire demeanor changed toward Min as he placed his right hand over his heart and bowed to her.
"Far be it from me, Lady Min, to force myself or my sexual mores upon someone against their will. And while your commentary was helpful, Jean, I would still honor Min's request. I will not have you dishonor Your One, or yourself, under any circumstances."
"It's 'The One,' and you really are an honorable rogue," Jean Smythe quipped.
Desire lit his eyes as he turned to her. "You don't have any religious or moral qualms that I should know about, do you?"
Jean smiled seductively, "None that you need to worry your handsome head about. I will certainly play by your rules."
He winked at her then turned back to Min. "So, if you won't play by my rules, what rules will suit you?"
Min's braids became a rainbow of colors, and she smiled at his wonderment. "I will show you this and more. If you are trustworthy, I might even let you hear my bells sing."
His eyebrows shot up in surprise and while his smile was devilish, the sincerity of his words was pure. "If Your One-"
"The One," the women chorused.
"If The One won't smite me dead, that is something I am looking forward to."
It was one of the best nights Min could remember, especially for the Doctor. It was apparent to Min that the Doctor knew this man quite well, though he didn't seem to know her, and she used that to her advantage. Jean was toying with him and having too much fun doing it. They laughed until they cried, told jokes and stories, had a pillow fight, and in the end, Min was fully clothed, the Doctor was down to her camisole and panties, and Jack… he had abandoned his clothes after the pillow fight and climbed into bed, covering himself with the sheet in deference to Min.
Jean sat down hard on the bed to catch her breath from her last laughing fit when Jack leaned over and kissed her shoulder, then moved up to her neck.
"Speaking for The One, you need to leave now," the Dr. Jean thought as Min turned almost as purple as her hair. "Don't speak, just leave. He won't notice."
She was right of course; Jack didn't notice Min had left. When the Doctor returned to their room in the early morning hours Min scolded the Time Lord.
"I do not know this Jack Harkness, but you do. No! Do not explain anything. You traveled with him in a previous regeneration, didn't you? How could you do this to him, Doctor? Does he know whom he bedded last night?"
The Doctor drew Min into a gentle hug, placing her forehead onto Min's. "Oh my dear Sweet Cheeks, you are so pure and noble! Do you honestly believe I would hurt anyone I love in such an intimate way?"
"You just did," she pouted.
"You know me better than that, child," the woman chided back. "He's a very good kisser, and very attentive to foreplay detail; however," she emphasized this word forcefully, yet with a twinkle, "I am very good at describing to a ret-conned mind exactly what I want him to think we did last night."
Min gasped and pulled her head back in shock. "Doctor Jean!"
The Doctor shrugged, "The man is entirely too fond of using Ret-con, Sweet Cheeks, and this was as good an opportunity as any to show him that. He had it coming, and only has himself to blame. If you had been there with me to see some of the things he's done… if you'dve seen it? I'll bet that you would've done the same."
With a flush of emotion Min came out of her reverie, "I have to wonder if you ever told him who you really were that night."
His eleventh regeneration into the Twelfth Doctor* was the youngest looking since his fourth regeneration. As silly as this 'young' man appeared, there was still the pain and darkness of the Time War lurking behind his eyes, and he definitely had a dark he was also a clown with a love of bowties and little round, red hats.
Min enjoyed watching the Bowtie Doctor with his new companions Amy and Rory, and was intrigued by how River Song never seemed to meet up with the Doctor in a linear fashion. She was surprised at the revelation of River's parentage, but nothing could prepare her for the next video clip.
"She's your wife? Oh, Doctor… how hard it must have been for the two of you."
She half expected the Doctor to reply, but it was a female voice that gave utterance to the words she expected.
"It was harder than you know."
(REMINDER- this was written in the interim between the 2013 Christmas Special and Peter Capaldi's first series in 2014. My intention for this story was that Dr. Jean was the *only* female Doctor [hence AU], and I purposefully did not number her or any other Doctor after Capaldi because I wasn't sure there would ever be a female Doctor.)
*This is the numbering system I used when writing this section, and believe me, I put a lot of thought into it. The concept of "War Doctor" as a label or 'number' is unique to us as viewers since he was introduced as Canon during the (as we know it) 11th Doctor's time. So technically he is the 9th Doctor/8th regeneration, whether he took the name or not. I've added our traditional Doctor numbers as well to try and help keep things straight.
Bold indicates the change in our traditional numbering of the Doctor and his regenerations.
1st William Hartnell
2nd Patrick Troughton- 1st Regeneration
3rd Jon Pertwee- 2nd Regeneration
4th Tom Baker- 3rd Regeneration
5th Peter Davison- 4th Regeneration
6th Colin Baker- 5th Regeneration
7th Sylvester McCoy- 6th Regeneration
8th Paul McGann- 7th Regeneration
War Doctor- John Hurt - 8th Regeneration- 9th Doctor
9th- Christopher Eccleston- 9th Regeneration- 10th Doctor
10th- David Tennant- 10th Regeneration- 11th Doctor
11th- Matt Smith- 11th Regeneration- 12th Doctor
12th- Peter Capaldi- 12th Regeneration- 13th Doctor