A Darker Shade of Midnight
Chapter 11
"And what, exactly, have all of you rascals been up to, I might ask?" Gandalf said, apparently quite amused at what he was seeing. "You are all lying in the same bed, like puppies in a basket!" Something in his demeanor said that he already knew what had gone on last night and that he had found much with which to be amused.
Boromir had wakened immediately, his soldier's instincts with him even in sleep. He had bracketed the Doctor on the opposite side of Jack, who had also snapped awake. Boromir placed a hand on the Doctor's shoulder, almost protectively. "The Doctor has been talking to us, until the small hours, actually. We were all…very tired. Especially the Doctor." Behind his words, the message was quite clear: 'leave the Doctor alone if you are planning to make him uncomfortable.'
"It would seem you have made fast friends, Doctor!" Gandalf's eyes twinkled. "However do you do it?"
The Doctor yawned hugely, then, giving Boromir's hand a friendly pat, he said, "Nothing to do with being a Time Lord, if that's what you think. I chose my own title, 'the Doctor.' Time Lords did that, you know. I just wanted to…make people better—to mend, to heal. I may have fallen short of my goal, but I think perhaps some people sense that I truly do want to help, to understand. I'm fairly sure when people like that take a liking to me straight away, it's because deep down, they have it in them to be…brilliant." He nudged Jack. "Except for you, Jack."
"Hey!" Jack said. "You sleep almost under me, I sit there awake most of the night, not wanting to move so I wouldn't wake you, and this is the thanks I get?"
"That's not what I meant," the Doctor said, giving Jack the smallest of smiles. "You were already brilliant when we met, you just didn't know it. Not in your heart, anyway."
"You mean back before I grew a heart."
"Do you still wish you'd never met me?"
"Only when I get the urge to strangle you."
"Oh. Well, that's good, then."
"And don't let him fool you," Jack said. "There has to be a reason people tend to either love him or hate him. My theory is Time Lord hormones."
"Jack, can you imagine how the TARDIS's translation circuits just explained that to everyone? You just told everyone I smell friendly! And everything doesn't have to be about hormones. Well, unless you're—you."
"Hey, it's not my fault humans evolved, I can't help it if I'm loaded with pheromones, I was born this way!"
Pippin rose and stretched, the gesture seeming huge in so small a form. "I am not awake enough for this, I need tea! Anyone else? Merry! Get up, sleepyhead! It is breakfast time. I want to go get some food and tea, and have it here. I like knocking about with the Doctor and Jack."
"Actually, Pippin," Elrond said, "Gandalf and I would like to have a word with our guests alone. They can join the rest of you shortly."
"That's fine, just fine," the Doctor said agreeably. "Only…Boromir, make sure we meet up in a bit? There's something I need to see about that might concern you."
Boromir looked worried. "This is not to do with…?"
The Doctor knew exactly what he was about to say, and was grateful he didn't bring up any smacking of his bottom in front of Gandalf and Elrond. "What, that? No! Well, sort of, but I'm not angry, I won't stick you in a mirror or anything. Just very curious about something. I need to take you to see the TARDIS."
"Very well, then," Boromir said. He jerked his head towards the door, looking at Aragorn. "Shall we, gentlemen?" With that, Aragorn, Boromir, Merry and Pippin filed out of the room.
"Boromir and the TARDIS?" Jack looked quizzically at the Doctor.
"You'll see, you're coming too, I've something to look into with you as well, Captain Jack Harkness. Keep your hair on, nothing serious, just something I'm curious about."
"All of this is well and good, gentlemen," Elrond interrupted. "I would, however, like to know exactly what your little band of revelers were up to last night. Word has reached me there was some…disturbance, last evening." One eyebrow rose in amusement.
"Oh, that was the lembas!" The Doctor said, breaking out into a somewhat goofy grin. "Seems it makes me a bit funny in the head."
"To say the least," Jack added.
"But! I also found out later when it had mostly worn off that it made it easier for me to, well, to talk. About…stuff." The Doctor said. "And it helped me to feel hungry again."
"I see," Elrond said. "When you are saying you talked, are you saying you are taking my advice?"
"We don't have much of a choice," Jack answered. "The TARDIS won't let us leave here until we straighten some things out."
"Jack, I think she's right," the Doctor said.
"Oh, I know she's right, after our little chat yesterday. I'm not so sure you have any business flying her until you clear some of the muck out of that Time Lord mind of yours."
"Oh, you couldn't be more right. That's another reason I need to visit her. I want to tell her she was right. And I want to apologize to the Old Girl." The Doctor turned to Elrond then, saying, "Lembas was a good idea, but that was far too much for me. Once I took some honey as an antidote, my mind cleared a great deal, but there was still enough lembas in my bloodstream to act medicinally. It lessened my anxiety about speaking…ahem." Here he seemed to struggle within himself, clearly disliking speaking of his experience while not affected by lembas. "I, um… Well, it worked enough to help me talk about something that had been…well, it... it-helped-me-to-talk-and…Blimey, I'm rubbish at this!"
He took a deep breath, seeming to force the words out. "Talking about it helped, it helped so much. So I want to add a tiny amount off lembas to my treatment. I promise, I won't get out of control again, but just to be sure, I'd like to have my friends around for a while when I take it. As it happens, they're wonderful people, and having them there to listen was…well, it...just helped, that's all."
"What, is this going to be The Fellowship of the TARDIS?" Jack said, grinning.
"Brilliant!" said the Doctor. "We should call it that, Jack! The Fellowship of the TARDIS!"
"Are you certain you wish to take lembas?" Elrond waited until the Doctor nodded an affirmative, then he turned to Jack. "Very well, but I must impose a rule or two. He's never to be left alone when he has it, and anyone accompanying you two whilst he is under it's influence must keep him and themselves to your room. This is for your own privacy as well as maintaining peace and order here. Will you agree?"
"He'll get hungry," Jack said. "I'm not passing up a chance to put some weight back on him, look at him, he's thin as a rail. Clearly, if he gets hungry, someone has to get something to eat for him."
"As long as he's not left alone, someone may fetch whatever foods he's to eat," Elrond said quite sternly. "I want him on a diet of very rich foods, and I want him to remain as calm and sedate as he can be kept. He cannot gain weight if he's allowed to run about like a March hare."
"I'll agree to that," Jack replied. "I'm sure the rest will do what they can to help. They were great last night."
"And what of your own troubles, then, Jack?" Gandalf asked. "You cannot have been brought here merely as baggage, the TARDIS could have brought the Doctor here on her own. You should know that in allowing others to help you, you allow them to help themselves. And you cannot give only, and expect not to have to pay the price."
Jack glowered, uncomfortable about anyone mentioning any problem he might have. The Doctor gave him a little nudge with a painfully bony elbow. "I'll help Jack any way I can," the Doctor assured. "Jack, can I have your word you'll let me help you? I don't think I'll get much better until I'm not so worried about you."
"Understand too," Elrond added, "You cannot mend what you did not break in this case. And how are you to help a friend until you help yourself?"
There followed an awkward silence, but Jack only had to get a glimpse of those damned puppy-dog eyes and he caved. "If it'll help you, angel face, I'll do whatever it takes." Jack smiled at the expression of distaste the Doctor made when he called him 'angel face.' That always made him grin. Good. Payback for the puppy-dog eyes.
"Are we done yet?" said the Doctor. "Blimey, I could eat a horse, hooves and all."
"You're being rude again, Doc."
The Doctor sighed, tugging on his ear. "Yeah…I am."
"You're supposed to say 'thank you for your time and trouble,'" Jack said.
"Quite right," the Doctor said sheepishly. "Elrond, Gandalf, thank you so very much."
"Regain your health, Doctor," Elrond said. "That will be more than enough thanks for everyone, I am quite sure."
"Indeed," said Gandalf. "Now, go and find that horse and have a good feed, Doctor. Elrond and I need to see to Frodo. Good day to you both."
Their room had emptied of all but the two of them now. Jack poured the Doctor's morning dose of Miruvor for the Time Lord and took it to him. The Doctor dutifully swallowed his medicinal dose, then, still holding the empty cup, crossed the room and gazed out of the window where a stream trickled into a little pool. For long moments, he stood silhouetted in the morning sun, as slim and still as an exclamation point. Finally turning to Jack, he cocked his head slightly and said softly, "Jack?"
"Sir?"
Jack watched him as his eyes dropped. He seemed to be studying his feet as he scuffed a trainer on the floor, then rocked on his heels. He looked at Jack and a small, sad smile flitted across his face. He shrugged. "Nothing. Hungry?"
"Sure"
"Let's go get something, then."
"Sure."
Jack watched as he walked out of the door and into the hall. He grinned to himself, then softly replied to the Doctor's unspoken words. "You're welcome, Doc."
The Doctor went the wrong way. "Doc!" Jack shouted. The Time Lord turned around and went in the opposite direction. Jack rose and followed. The Captain reflected that the Time Lord really did need lembas to relax him enough to talk if he hoped to get to the root of his problem. On the tail of that thought, Jack wished there was something that could help him deal with his own problems. Then again, maybe he didn't deserve to feel better. Monsters, as a rule, should not have anything made easier for them.
About halfway to the kitchens the Doctor slowed, stopped, then turned to face Jack. He placed a hand on Jack's shoulder and gave an affectionate squeeze. "I don't want you to call me 'sir' anymore, Jack. You aren't my servant."
"Okay," Jack shrugged, wondering what had brought that on. Then again, he should have been well aware by now that the Doctor, as dear as he was to Jack, would probably always be a bit enigmatic. Maybe that was part of the appeal, not just to Jack, himself, but to all of the Doctor's companions and friends. 'But that's us,' he thought. 'The immortal and the enigmatic.'
They fell in step and walked side by side, following the smells of a sumptuous breakfast. Aragorn and Boromir were seated at a long stone table just under an intricately carved archway. The morning sun shone down on them as they ate, talked and laughed together. "Have a seat, Doc," Jack said. "I'll go and see what they have to give you the caloric load you need, and you should be resting, like Elrond said."
The Doctor seated himself across from Aragorn and Boromir. He sighed. "I suppose I may as well resign myself to you fetching and carrying and whatnot," he said, a bit irritated.
"Look, Doc, I'm not coddling you! Elrond said. You heard him."
"You do it too much, and this isn't just recent behavior. I'm no messiah, and I'm certainly not a helpless child."
"No," Jack brazenly admitted. "But I have a reason to do it now. Not an excuse, but a reason."
"As soon as my health is better, this stops. I said you aren't my servant."
"Yes, sir!" Jack said with a snappy salute.
"I asked you not to call me 'sir,' Jack. And you know I hate it when people salute me."
"You must have missed the memo," Jack retorted.
"What memo?"
"The one warning you I'm a smart-ass," Jack grinned, turned on his heel and went to get breakfast.
"He behaves like a little brother," Boromir observed.
"Well, yes, he does, far too much of the time," the Doctor replied.
"They do it for the attention, you know," said Boromir, smiling fondly. "I should know, I have a little brother. He is a good man, a brave and true man."
"Your younger brother or Jack?"
"Both!" Boromir popped his last bit of bacon into his mouth.
"I'm glad you like him," the Doctor said, giving Boromir a smile. "I should warn you, he can be hard to love sometimes. I don't always approve of his methods, but in fairness he doesn't always approve of mine, either."
"His methods?"
"Yes," the Doctor said. "He has to make life and death decisions far too often. In some ways it's made him a bit hard and cold. In some ways, it's made it easier than ever to break his heart. My fault, I'm afraid. If I hadn't abandoned him, he wouldn't have tried to follow me and got himself stranded. That's when Torchwood got their hands on him. He got careless, made too many statements about me when he was out drinking.
"Torchwood got wind of it and captured him. He could work for them and have some freedom, or he could remain a prisoner. He chose to work for them. Torchwood was created to keep track of me, you know. For many years, I was their target, someone to be captured and imprisoned. Most of them were destroyed in a battle, but Jack rebuilt Torchwood. And he did it in my honor. That's my Captain Jack for you. Loyalty and contrariness all rolled together into a big, rutting bull." The Doctor smiled a smile that was partly sardonic, partly affectionate.
Boromir laughed. "The pair of you seem to know each other so well," he said.
"In some ways, we know each other too well. In some ways we're still pretty much strangers. Again, my fault; all my fault. I turned my back on him too often. And yet, still, he seems to love me. I can't think why."
"I may not know you very well," Boromir said, "But I imagine he has his reasons. May I say I think you judge yourself too harshly?" Boromir laid a hand on one the Doctor's hands. "Loyalty and love that strong is never lightly given by a man such as Jack."
"Hey!" Jack said, returning with a tray laden with food. He put the tray down and slapped Boromir's hand off the Doctor's. "Hands off my snookums!"
Boromir and Aragorn both burst into laughter. "You never tire of that, do you?" Boromir asked Jack.
"Why would I? Doctor-baiting is a great pastime." Jack said, unloading the tray. "Bacon, porridge, eggs, cheese, tea and a scone. Eat up, Doc."
"Are you sure you're not fattening me up for the kill, Jack? I can't possibly eat all this!"
"Eat, you'll get over it!"
"Blimey, you aren't giving me much of a choice, are you?"
"No," Jack said, starting on his own plate of eggs and bacon.
"Where are Merry and Pippin?" the Doctor asked.
"Gone to visit their cousin Frodo," Aragorn said. "I must go and see Arwen, she is expecting me. I promised to go riding with her."
"You do that," Jack said. "Like I said, I wouldn't go leaving her lying around if I were you. She is…woof!"
Aragorn chuckled. "That is one way of putting it," he said. "Good day to you all. I hope to see you all later." He rose then, collected his empty plate and cup and left.
Jack watched him leave. "Lucky bastard," he said. "That woman is one prime piece of—"
"Jack!" scolded the Doctor.
Jack rolled his eyes. He gave Boromir a wink and said, "Sorry, angel face, didn't mean to make you jealous."
The Doctor threw his scone at Jack. Boromir roared with laughter.
Meal finally finished, the three walked to the TARDIS. Both the Doctor and Jack watched Boromir's face light up when he saw her, as though she were something from a fairy-tale now made real. "You travel in this little box? Does it not seem too close quarters for the pair of you?"
"Nah! Not at all," the Doctor said. "She's bigger on the inside, like my pockets." Boromir watched the Time Lord press himself flat against the side of the TARDIS, arms spread wide, as if to hug her. "You were right, Old Girl, so right…you did good." He stroked the side of the machine lovingly. Boromir could have sworn he heard a gentle purr. "Sweetheart, I'm so sorry I spoke to you the way I did yesterday. You were only trying to care for me, my wise girl." A soft thrumming sound emitted from the blue box, followed by a high, sweet trill, and a sound that reminded Boromir of a tiny cry he had once heard dolphins make. As if in answer, the Doctor spoke again, "No, no, I'm not angry with you at all! I promise, I'll stay until I feel better. Uncle Jack, too. Isn't that right, Jack?"
Jack stepped forward and pressed the flat of his palm against the side of the TARDIS near the Doctor's hand. The box made a happy chirping sound followed by more purring, a little louder this time. "We'll stay, gorgeous," Jack said. "I promise, too."
"And there's my answer about you, Jack!" the Doctor said, still smiling. "She feels it, too! Last night when you dozed off, you had a…well, shall we say, interesting dream. You projected that dream to me in my sleep."
Jack grinned wolfishly, but didn't blush. The Doctor's cheeks turned bright red, however. "You really have no shame, do you?" he said.
"Wasted emotion, if you ask me," Jack replied.
"That dream was so vivid it woke me up. I thought at first that it was my imagination. You know how you were a low-level telepath. Well, not any more! Not level 2, but not bad! Probably because of you living on the rift for so long."
"You're kidding me!" Jack said. "Think I'll ever reach level 2?"
"No, I'm not kidding, Jack," the Doctor said. "And I don't know what level you might eventually reach. Maybe higher than mine! After all, you're going to live for a very long time. One more thing we ought to work on while we're here. I need to teach you how to control it. Your projection of that dream tells me you have almost no control. That could be dangerous, and not only to others, but to you."
"May I..?" Boromir said, asking permission by way of offering his hand. Even with the TARDIS's translation circuits working for him, he could barely make out what his friends were talking about, though he understood it was something to do with reading minds and sending thoughts into the mind of another. But what he really wanted was to touch the TARDIS, to see if it really was a she and if so, would she purr for him, too.
"She says yes, it's fine for you to touch her," said the Time Lord.
Boromir gently laid his palm against her as he had seen Jack do. He felt the box give a vibrating pulse. "Is…is that laughter?" he asked.
"Yes, it is," said the Doctor with a soft smile. "She likes you."
"She really is a girl!" Boromir said, beaming a wide smile. "I cannot understand how she told me that…I seem to simply know because she wanted me to know."
"That's our gorgeous girl," Jack said, stroking softly with his thumb.
The TARDIS vibrated in a way that made Boromir think of the laughter of a child. Inside Boromir's head a mental picture of a little girl being swung around by Jack and bounced on the Doctor's knee appeared. He saw the little girl being kissed and cuddled by the Time Lord, the both of them laughing and hugging each other. There were other images: the Doctor bandaging the little girl's skinned knee, the Doctor brushing her hair, the Doctor feeding her treats.
Boromir couldn't help but chuckle. Oh, if only Faramir could see this! Boromir felt the box thrum under his palm. The Doctor replied, "Of course you can, sweetheart!" He softly kissed the TARDIS. Boromir felt the wood beneath his palm grow suddenly warm. He could have sworn he felt the Doctor's kiss against his palm as well. "She wants to stay in our room with us, Jack," said the Doctor. "She says she'll take the three of us there right now, but I have to promise her I won't leave until I'm better."
"So, what are you waiting for? Make a girl a promise, Doc!" Jack said.
"Yes, yes, sweetheart, of course I promise! Anything to make up for what I said to you yesterday!" said the Doctor. A door opened on it's own. "Well, Boromir, what are you waiting on? Want to go for a little ride?"
"Yes! I certainly do!" Boromir replied, his voice sounding much like that of an excited little boy in his own ears.
"Well, let's go then," Jack said, laughing.
"Allons-y!" said the Doctor cheerily. He went in first, followed by Jack. Boromir stuck his head in before walking into the TARDIS.
"It is…it really is…" Boromir stammered, eyes wide with wonder.
"Bigger on the inside!" chorused the Doctor and Jack.
Boromir watched as the Doctor flung his arms wide, spinning around like a delighted child. "Console's back, Jackity-Jack!" he laughed. He began to dance around the complicated machinery in the middle of the room, pulling levers, flipping switches, hitting a switch with the toe of a shoe, spinning around now, actually twirling and dancing around in pure joy. "Ready, Boromir?" The Doctor's smile was as dazzling as his eyes were wide and bright.
"Oh, aye!" Boromir said, catching the Doctor's infectious mood.
"Then here we go! Ha!" the Doctor pulled a lever and pushed a button.
A grinding, whirring noise filled the air. Boromir felt the TARDIS rise, staggering to keep his feet. Through the noise and the motion, Boromir tried to make out what the Doctor was saying, but only caught his words in snatches. "She says…him, The Cowboy, Jack! Only other person…smack my bottom…how I knew…long story…thought he was kidnapping…humans…was wrong… taking them…they wanted…cross him if I were you…can't kill you…but it would really hurt…you'll like…bit like you, actually…means we have to…after what happens to him…part of why she brought us…it brilliant?" was all Boromir could make out.
A hard thump told Boromir they had landed. The Doctor sprang forward and flung the door wide so Boromir could see they had arrived in Jack and the Doctor's room.
"So, Boromir!" the Doctor said, his voice high and loud with utter joy, his grin broad and child-like. "What do you think?"
"I want to go again!" Boromir said, laughing along with Jack and the Doctor now.
"Welll," said the Doctor, hands jammed in pockets and rocking back on his heels. "Might be able to arrange that, don't you think, Jack?"
"Sounds like we'd better," Jack said. He locked eyes with the Doctor, and the two of them laughed like little boys sharing a secret.
"When?" Boromir said. "I cannot wait!"
"Give it a few months," Jack answered.
"It'll be the ride of your life, Boromir!" the Doctor said, grinning more broadly than ever, he winked at Boromir. "And it's going to be…fantastic! Ha!"