Summary: When the Doctor and John arrive in Salem, they must help to free Tegan and the Doctor's younger self, except not all is as it seems. Upon arriving back at the Hub, it's just so happens to be Christmas!

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Episode 7 – Skin Deep

John looked around and asked, 'As much as I don't mind seeing you that way, is there any reason why you're still dressed like you just woke up'? The Doctor looked down at what he was wearing and said, 'Because this is all I bothered putting on before I went to see what had gotten Tegan's attention and then didn't bother putting anything else on when he decided to go off with my former self'. John shook his head and asked, 'Kind of like the red silk pajamas and white bunny slippers that the Master showed up in'? The Doctor looked at John before he shook his head and said, 'I doubt it. Jack and or Ianto weren't with him so he probably really did sleep in what he showed up in. Well, except the bunny slippers, I can't believe he showed up in those'. John nodded and then asked, 'What did you sleep in then'? The Doctor decided that he was done with that subject said, 'We need to find Tegan'.

When the Doctor took a couple steps forward, John asked, 'Is it normal for you to end up in a cell'? The Doctor stopped, turned around, and asked, 'It does happen on occasion, why'? John used the index finger on his right hand to point at the Doctor and said, 'You go around in what you're wearing now, you might not end up in a jail cell but you probably would get to meet the nice men in white coats that have that nice strap jacket. Would you like that'? The Doctor said, 'I'm not leaving without finding out if Tegan is or at least, was here'. John said, 'Then at least, put some clothes on that don't make you look like you just got out of bed'! The Doctor laughed and then asked, 'And, where would I keep money for these alleged clothes'? John said, 'Well, how about I go and find you some and while I'm at it, I can see if anyone's seen a short young man in a fedora traveling with a taller man in a leather jacket? And, while I'm doing that, you can try to stay hidden so I don't have to break you out of a mental institution'. The Doctor asked, 'And, why would I let you go off by yourself'? John asked, 'And, where am I going to go without a vortex manipulator? I don't even think this place has electricity, I doubt it would have that kind of advanced technology'! The Doctor shook his had before saying, 'Well, just try to keep yourself from getting arrested'!

While the Doctor was waiting on John to get back, he figured it was sometime in the 1600s, most definitely Earth. It took a little longer to pinpoint where exactly and when he figured they were in Salem, Massachusetts, something clicked and he thought, 'Why the hell did I think coming to Salem during the Witch Trials was a good idea? I actually hope Tegan isn't here'!

The Doctor was still waiting on John when he heard a woman nearby talking about two witches that seemed to appear out of thin air, a short man with a strange coat and hat, and a taller man with a jacket of leather. Of course, Tegan had had sense to get his greatcoat and fedora before he'd left.

Continuing to listen, the Doctor learned that they'd been tried as witches. He could just have imagined arguing over the term witch. Hopefully, Tegan had found a way to shut him up or he'd probably made the situation ten times worse.

What made the Doctor anxious for John's return was when he heard the same woman say that they were going to be burned as witches later that day. He really wondered sometimes if he had a black cloud hanging over him because while he didn't necessarily believe in luck, there had to be some cause for the fact that even when he tried going somewhere safe, he ended up in life threatening danger! Not that he needed to travel anywhere anymore working for Torchwood, he could get all the life threatening danger he could handle and then some by staying on Earth.

Fifty-eight minutes and thirty-two seconds after he'd left, John returned holding some period appropriate clothes, he started to tell the Doctor what he'd learned when the Doctor mentioned what he'd heard, but what neither of them actually knew was where Tegan and the other Doctor were being held.

The Doctor dressed quickly and then John asked, 'Since I doubt that letting your former self and Tegan get burned at the stake is something you want happening, what do you plan to do about it'? The Doctor said, 'We need to find them and figure out why Tegan didn't use his wrist strap to get them away and why he hasn't used his screwdriver to get them out. Even if the sonic was useless for escape, one blast from the laser head and they'd be able to escape'! John asked, 'Maybe the people around here were smart enough to take them'? The Doctor asked, 'And, what the hell would humans from the 1600s know about time travel and sonic-laser devices'?

John decided then probably wasn't the best time to bring up the joke he and Jack had played when they were both still Time Agent's. Going back and convincing a bunch of people from the times of the Witch Trail's that they were sorcerers before burning the city, a city worse then Salem could have ever hoped to be, to the ground when they tried burning John as a witch.

It was sunset when the Doctor and John finally found Tegan and the other Doctor but it was only because they'd been brought to the stakes. The Doctor set coordinates on the wrist strap and vanished, John probably would have been worried about the Doctor having left him, but he looked mad, so he knew the Doctor would be back.

The Doctor ran up into Jack's office and into the T.A.R.D.I.S., through the console room and corridors until he came to the door that held weapons on the other side. It wasn't a room that was always there, it was normally hidden away somewhere that he couldn't find, but right then, it was right where it needed to be. The Doctor opened the door with his right hand, walked inside, and thought only briefly about the idea of giving John a weapon, he knew John was dangerous but he didn't seem to be stupid enough to try killing him and he'd had numerous opportunities to kill Tegan but that hadn't happened either.

The Doctor grabbed two laser rifles, a laser gun, and a revolver that he hasn't known in a few regenerations where it came from.

After leaving the weapons room, the Doctor decided to make a quick stop by his room to change into his black suit.

The Doctor ran back out of his room, back out of the T.A.R.D.I.S., and then stopped. He set coordinates on the wrist strap, and disappeared.

The Master had heard the running but didn't think anything of it, the T.A.R.D.I.S. wouldn't let some insane lunatic onboard, and rolled over onto his left side and went back to sleep.

John looked the Doctor up and down and said, 'I don't think we're going to war'. The Doctor held one of the rifles out to John, John asked, 'What's the catch'? The Doctor said, 'You know the rules, shoot me - either me, or Tegan, and I will kill you without a second thought'! John took the rifle, the Doctor also handed him the revolver, and said, 'It's the most primitive weapon I've got, it's only got six shots and I didn't bring extra bullets, so make the shots count'. John took the revolver and said, 'I still don't think we're going to war'.

Less then ten minutes later, the Doctor and John were on the roofs of the two nearest houses, the Doctor on the right and John on the left. The Doctor realized the flaw in his plan to set Tegan and his younger self free without anybody noticing him or John. A perception filter might have been a better idea. He needed a clear shot and Tegan was at the wrong angle. As he glanced quickly over at John, he realized he was having a similar problem.

Two individuals approached the brush surrounding Tegan and the younger Doctor with torches.

The Doctor made a split second decision, the roof he was on was nearest Tegan and John was nearest his younger self, the Doctor quickly switched targets, and fired a single shot at the chest of his younger self. He knew it wouldn't kill him, but that wasn't the point. As people turned their attention to where the laser shot had come from, he quickly got off the roof and ran, hoping John could take a hint on what needed to be done while the town was distracted.

Tegan looked at the younger Doctor and tried pulling on the chains, he knew that technically he could break them, similar to how he could have technically gotten them out of there with the wrist strap or his screwdriver, but no, the twpsyn Doctor thought it was a bright idea to talk his way out of this! It took four different attempts before Tegan managed to break them and immediately ran over to the younger Doctor.

John had just gotten off the roof after the people who were going to be at the witch burning took off after the Doctor when he noticed Tegan had already broken loose and he still had his wrist strap and that made John wonder just what the hell was going on! Tegan was in front of the younger Doctor when John began slowly approaching them.

Tegan put his left hand over where the younger Doctor had been shot, when he brought his hand back due to feeling something that wasn't clothing, skin, or blood, he turned his hand so he could see, and he asked, 'What the fuck'? Time Lord's don't have black blood'!

The younger Doctor whose head had been slumped forward suddenly snapped his head up and then looked at Tegan.

Tegan stumbled backwards landing on his ass in the brush as he tried to back away, he thought, 'His eyes are black'! Tegan asked frightened, 'What the hell are you and what have you done with the Doctor'?

The creature asked in a voice that reverberated in Tegan and John's heads, 'Don't you remember, Tegan? You left your Doctor behind to come with me'!

Tegan stood up slowly after getting out of the brush and asked frightened, 'What are you'?

The creature threw his head back and laughed before saying, 'I am your worst nightmare'!

John said annoyed, 'Oh, give me a break! You're ooze! You latch onto someone and create their fondest wish and in the process of spending time with that individual you drain their life! I've met your species before, I thought you were as sick then as I do now'!

The creature said, 'Maybe you're right but apparently you don't know as much as you think you know. Once we've latched onto someone, there's no stopping it until the person is dead! And, isn't that just the sweetest, the person Tegan wanted most is going to be the one who kills him'.

Tegan asked, 'But, how did you know so much? And, there were things you could do that only a Time Lord could do'!

The creature said, 'I was draining your abilities. And, it was actually quite simple to gain access to parts of your precious Doctor that you didn't even realize you knew about. There was a part of his mind he'd left with you and I took it so it would be easier to make you believe that I was him'!

Tegan asked concerned, 'What do you mean a part of his mind that he'd left with me'?

The Doctor had managed to lose the townspeople as he led them through the woods before circling back to the town. He'd just arrived in time to hear the creature tell Tegan what he'd done, the Doctor stood on John's right, and said, 'I knew someday I'd regenerate and I knew when that happened that it would hurt you. I thought by doing that that it would help you to accept my next self - this me. I was obviously wrong'.

Tegan looked at the Doctor and asked, 'We'll worry about that later, how do we get rid of this thing'? The Doctor said, 'I'm not even sure what it is'. John said, 'The ooze creatures are not easy to destroy, the only time I've successfully done it was with a massive explosion, anything less and that allows it to reform its shape'.

The creatures arms began to loose their shape as got out of the chains that had tied it to the stake.

The Doctor looked at Tegan and asked, 'Do you have your sonic'? Tegan asked, 'Which head'? The Doctor said, 'Laser'. Tegan said, 'That's the one attached right now'.

The Doctor looked at John and said, 'Fire a shot at its maximum power with the rifle, quickly'. The Doctor looked at Tegan and said, 'Do the same with the sonic'.

Tegan took the sonic-laser screwdriver out his back left pocket and he fired a laser shot at the chest of the creature, John and the Doctor doing the same with their respective laser rifle.

The creature exploded and John said, 'It's just going to -' The Doctor interrupted by saying, 'A full power laser shot from Tegan's screwdriver acts as a staser but for non-Time Lord's it messes with the molecular bond, there will be no way for it to come back together'. John asked, 'So, if you shot me with that thing, I'd fall apart on a molecular level'? The Doctor smiled and then said, 'Exactly'.

Tegan lowered his head and asked, 'What do we - I do now'? The Doctor shook his head and said, 'I don't know. We go back to Torchwood and I guess, at least try to be friends'. Tegan looked at the Doctor and asked, 'If I asked you to leave Torchwood and make sure I never saw you again, would you'? The Doctor shook his head but said, 'If that's what you really want'. Tegan nodded.

Tegan set the coordinates on his wrist strap and vanished.

The Doctor set the coordinates on the wrist strap, John placed his right hand on the wrist strap, and they both vanished.

'Happy Christmas'!

Tegan jumped and said, 'Dammit papa'! Jack laughed and then asked, 'Where have you three been'? Tegan shrugged and then said, 'Nowhere important'. Jack said, 'Gwen's with Rhys, but the rest of the team is here, and since the Rift is calm, we figured we could -' Jack cut himself off as he watched the Doctor start to head up the stairs to Jack's office. Jack asked, 'Where is he going'? Tegan said, 'Away from me'. Jack asked concerned, 'Why'? Tegan shook his head, lowered his head, and then said, 'Being with him was a mistake'. Jack asked confused, 'What did he do'? Tegan looked at Jack and said, 'Papa, you might not care which regeneration he is but I do. I fell in love with his previous one and the only reason I stayed with this one so long was because I felt guilty that his regeneration had went so wrong. I was lying to both of us by not admitting it, not even to myself, before'.

The Master shook his head and asked angrily, 'How can you be so naïve'? Tegan looked at the Master and said, 'I'm not being naïve, I'm being honest'! The Master said angrily, 'You're a damn fool! But, growing up around humans, you weren't raised to understand Time Lord's'! Tegan asked, 'Tell me what's still left? The only thing a new regeneration keeps is the memories and even those can apparently be forgotten. A Time Lord's entire personality changes, as well as their taste in clothes, food, etcetera. So, what really remains'? The Master asked, 'Do you know how extremely rare it is for a regeneration to change how one feels about someone else'? Tegan said angrily, 'I'm not talking about how he feels about me'! The Master snarled and said angrily, 'You really needed to be at the Academy! You're to damn immature even for a Time Lord as young as you are'! Tegan laughed bitterly and then said mockingly, 'Gallifrey is gone, Master, so that wouldn't even be optional'!

While the rest of the team that was at the Hub celebrated, Tegan just sat beside the tree and watched, he knew the Doctor hadn't left yet, so it wasn't like he could go up to Jack's office and sit there. He didn't know what the Master was even doing there, didn't he have Prime Minister duties he had to perform? Tegan had thought it had been funny, despite the disaster that the tree was, there still ended up being presents under it.

Jack and Ianto had exchanged gifts, as had Tosh and Owen, John had gotten Tom a gift which had everyone except Jack laughing, John hadn't gotten anything from anybody but he was apparently fine after seeing Tom's reaction to the gift. Tegan knew that Jack's gift to Gwen was time off until after New Years. And, Jack and Ianto had told the Master that his gift would be one that would have to wait until they took him home, didn't exactly take Time Lord intellect to know what the implication was, and he seemed perfectly happy with that idea. Tegan also knew that the last two gifts under the tree were the ones that he and the Doctor were going to exchange.

Tegan took the gifts out from under the tree, the one to him had been wrapped in a box and wrapping paper that made it look like a miniature T.A.R.D.I.S., and the one to the Doctor had been wrapped in solid black wrapping paper. He had to question himself, why had he planned to give the Doctor what he had if he really didn't have feelings for him?

As Tegan took the gifts up to Jack's office, he was starting to wonder just what the lie was. Did he or didn't he love the Doctor? And, if he did, why did the regeneration matter?

Ianto watched Tegan go into Jack's office carrying the two gifts and was half tempted to follow him but with the Master having a grip on the back of his belt, he was just trying to keep all the blood in the right places. The fact that Jack kept finding discreet ways to touch him, moving a little further up his inner thigh every time wasn't helping either. Those two were going to be the death of him on Christmas! And, if it wasn't the death of him, he was probably going to wish it was because it was going to end up embarrassing!

Tegan stepped into the T.A.R.D.I.S. still holding both gifts and the Doctor who sitting with his back to the console asked, 'Are you that desperate to get rid of me'? Tegan walked over to the Doctor, held out the gift he'd gotten for the Doctor, and said, 'Well, it is Christmas and I figured we should at least figure out what we got each other'.

The Doctor took the gift from Tegan, Tegan sat cross-legged in front of the Doctor, and Tegan watched as the Doctor opened the gift. Slow and methodical!

After the wrapping paper was off, the Doctor took the lid off, took out a cylindrical shaped piece of crystal three inches long and in diameter about twice as large as the his sonic screwdriver. The Doctor looked at Tegan and asked, 'What is it'? Tegan shrugged and then said, 'I'm not real sure where it came from or what it really is but I ended up calling it a thought crystal. Just think of something and watch what happens'. The Doctor's first thought went to Gallifrey and the crystal quickly reshaped itself until it was about the size of a football (soccer ball) and the Doctor said, 'That's interesting, it looks like a crystal globe of Gallifrey, everything is in the right place too'. Tegan said, 'Try something a little more complicated'. The Doctor focused on one subject and when the crystal had reshaped again, Tegan smiled and said, 'A mini me'. The Doctor quickly put the crystal back into the box and it reshaped back into its cylindrical shape and the Doctor said, 'Sorry'.

It took Tegan a minute to figure out why the Doctor was apologizing, he'd actually thought it was nice, but when he realized why the Doctor was apologizing he thought, 'I've been a total Scrooge'!

As Tegan unwrapped his gift, the Doctor said, 'If you don't want it, you don't have to keep it, I just thought you would like it'.

Tegan took the lid off the box, took out a necklace that had a gold chain, the setting for the gem was also gold and circular, and the gem itself looked like it had the night sky in it, the gem was black with twinkling stars, and if Tegan focused hard enough, a little tiny nebula.

Tegan looked at the Doctor and asked, 'It looks like the night sky! How did you do that'? The Doctor laughed and then said, 'Just don't break it, bigger on the inside is only an accurate description if there is something for it to be in, Time Lord technology'. Tegan asked confused, 'You mean, it really is a piece of space - of the night sky'? The Doctor said, 'A galaxy in a pendant, yup! But, it would be quite dangerous if it got broke and the galaxy returned to size while you're on Earth'. Tegan smiled and said, 'It's beautiful'!

Tegan looked at the clasp for the chain and said, 'It's a magnetic clasp'. The Doctor said, 'Uh huh'. Tegan asked, 'Am I allowed to wear it'? The Doctor said, 'I gave it to you for Christmas, it is on the type of chain that is meant to be worn, so yes, if you want to'.

Tegan put the necklace on, smiled, and then said, 'Thank you'. The Doctor didn't even have time to say a word before Tegan had leaned forward quickly and kissed him. When Tegan pulled back, the Doctor said, 'Uh, I thought you didn't want me around and now, you're kissing me. I'm getting mixed signals as to what you're wanting'. Tegan lowered his head and then said, 'I want to be able to see you for you and not for whatever face you're wearing. I know that I'm a Time Lord too but I've been raised here on Earth and it's just - it's hard for me'. Tegan looked at the Doctor and asked curiously, 'Does that make sense'? The Doctor nodded and then said, 'Yeah, it really does'.

Tegan and the Doctor decided to go join the rest of what the Doctor referred to them as just then, 'our little band of misfits'.

Tegan had just opened the door so they could leave the T.A.R.D.I.S. when he immediately closed it back, turned so he was leaning with his back to the door, his face quickly going red, and he started laughing.

The Doctor asked, 'Don't you want to go'? Tegan managed to quit laughing and said, 'I don't think papa knows we're in here or he just didn't think about it'. The Doctor asked confused, 'Huh'?

The Doctor walked over to the monitor to see what had Tegan blushing bright red and as soon as he saw, he turned the monitor back off and said, 'Oh'.

Tegan slipped his necklace under his shirt and then asked, 'So, what do we do until papa, Ianto, and Harry are um, finished'?

The Doctor thought for a few moments before smiling and asked, 'What do you say to a little joke'? Tegan asked confused, 'Huh'? The Doctor said, 'On those three'. Tegan laughed and then said, 'Aw Doctor, you're cruel'! The Doctor smiled and Tegan said, 'And, I love it! So, what's the idea'? The Doctor said, 'Well, the T.A.R.D.I.S. is still tied in with the mainframe here at the Hub so all we'd really have to do is have her connect her camera feed to everyone's computer, and then sit back and enjoy the show'. Tegan laughed and said, 'Ianto will die of humiliation, papa won't care, and I'm not sure how Harry will react'. The Doctor said, 'Let's find out'.

The Doctor had the T.A.R.D.I.S. tie her camera feed into everyone's computers at the Hub and while Tegan was using his laptop to watch the various reactions of those at the Hub, the Doctor had switched the monitor back on.

When Owen began to storm up the stairs, Tegan closed his laptop, looked at the Doctor, and thought, 'Well, I'll be damned! I didn't actually think he'd want to watch'.

The Doctor watched on the monitor as Jack and Ianto kissed while the Master rode Jack's cock. The Master had the index finger of his right hand on Jack's left temple and the index finger of his left hand on Ianto's right temple and the Doctor began to understand why the Master had been trying to help Ianto to hone his psychic training better, but trying to bind three minds together for telepathic sex is not an easy matter. In fact, it can be quite dangerous if you're not extremely careful.

Tegan stood up before putting his right hand on the Doctor's right shoulder, the Doctor jumped before turning around, and asked, 'What'? Tegan looked the Doctor up and down before saying, 'I never took you to be the type to like watching'. The Doctor said, 'Uh'. The Doctor hadn't realized just how much his body had betrayed him and how little of his brain was working until he felt Tegan trailing a finger along his erection through his trousers and he couldn't keep a moan from escaping his lips.

Tosh and John were watching Tosh's computer screen to watch Jack, Ianto, and the Master while Tom had grabbed Owen, drug him back down the stairs, and had pinned him face-down on the Hub floor. Tom was neutral in regards to what was happening but he knew that there was going to be a lot more fodder for jokes at Jack, Ianto, and the Master's expense if nobody interrupted.

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Author's Note 1: Okay, so as mentioned in the last chapter, the next five chapters will revolve around the Torchwood episodes, Children of Earth. The final chapter of Season Two will revolve around the two part Doctor Who special End of Time.

Author's Note 2: Okay, as already mentioned I will be having episodes revolve around Torchwood Miracle Day in Season Three, due to the simple fact that there were ten episodes to Miracle Day, that means ten of the thirteen chapters in Season Three will focus on Miracle Day. I'm not actually real sure yet what I'm planning to do with the other three episodes.

Author's Note 3: One thing I can say with absolute certainty, there will be a Season Four. I was actually debating whether or not to stop after Season Three and if I hadn't come up with any ideas, I would've stopped after Season Three but with the idea I have, I've got to do a Season Four! I don't know yet if I plan on sticking with thirteen episodes or if I'll be doing less or more but it will happen. I also don't know yet how I'm going to work it but I've still got time to figure that out, I mean after all, I'm still on Season Two. The only hint I'm giving out about Season Four is this, it won't really involve Doctor Who or Torchwood, it will be primarily in Broadchurch.

Reviews/Comments/Critiques welcome!