A/N: I have had a huge spike in readership this past month and I really wanted to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed, reviewed, or even just taken the time to read this story.
It wasn't long before Lana and Annie found a bar with some live music and dancing. Annie walked straight up to the first man she saw with Lana trailing behind her. "Hey, want to buy us a drink?" she asked with a wink. Lana thought her sister chose well as she cast an appraising look over the tall muscular blonde man.
The man was clearly thinking the same thing about Annie as he looked her over appreciatively. "I'm sorry," he said regretfully. "I'm here with my girlfriend." As if on cue, a thin blonde woman in a bustier top appeared at his side and dragged him away as she gave a menacing look back to Annie.
Lana laughed at her sister. "Well, so much for that one. Let's dance, we can find someone else to flirt with."
"Don't need him anyway if he'll look at me like that with his girlfriend right there," said Annie with a shrug.
After a few songs, Annie had found some new man to dance with and Lana sidled up to the bar for a break. "Well, hello," said a handsome dark haired man next to her. "I'm Captain Jack Harkness. And who are you?" he asked as he planted a kiss on the back of her hand.
"Lana Anderson," she responded a bit more breathily than she meant to.
"Nice to meet you, Lana Anderson," he responded with a smile that emphasized his dimpled chin.
"Captain, huh?" she flirted. "What of?"
"Oh, I have many skills," he said leaning in with a wink.
"I bet you do," she said, playing right into his innuendo.
At that point, Annie appeared at her side and Jack's gaze shifted to her. "Captain Jack Harkness," he said, kissing her hand as he had Lana's.
"This is my sister Annie," said Lana.
He flashed them both that winning smile, and said, "Let me buy you ladies a drink."
Jack flirted with them the rest of the night. He bought their drinks and danced with both of them and continued to smile which made Lana and Annie smile. When Jack excused himself to use the restroom, Annie only waited just long enough for him to be out of earshot before she turned to her sister and said, "OK, rock paper scissors to see who gets him." Her right hand was already held out to Lana in a fist.
"What do you mean, who gets him?" responded Lana. "What are we going to do, take him back to the TARDIS? I'm sure the Doctor would love that."
"I'm sure he has a place," said Annie, ignoring her sister's sarcasm, her fist still outstretched. "I don't want to fight with you for him like we did that one time."
"Oh and where do we tell the Doctor the other one is?" Lana asked irritably. "This will not go well for us. No one gets him."
"Now that's just not fair," whined Annie. She motioned her outstretched fist in Lana's direction, still trying to convince her.
"Oh, god, here he comes," said Lana, looking past her sister.
Annie quickly uncurled her fist and put her hand back to her side. "Jack's back already? That was quick."
"No, not Jack," said Lana, still looking past her. "The Doctor."
Annie turned around and followed her sister's gaze. "Oh my god, is he singing?"
"He hates it when we sing," said Lana, not taking her eyes off the time lord who was, in fact singing.
As he came closer, they could hear his raised voice carrying over the crowd. "It's just a jump to the left, and then a step to the front. Put your hands on your hips, and then shake your bum! And then the TARDIS thrust will really drive you insane! Let's do the time warp again!"
"Is he…?" asked Annie.
"Yep, he's drunk," answered Lana as the pair stared transfixed at the approaching inebriated time lord.
Just when he was within a few feet of them, he caught sight of them and stumbled straight into a bar stool. Lana and Annie swooped in on either side of him and caught him before he planted his face to the floor. His expression brightened at the sight of them. "I love you guys," he slurred.
They looked at each other over the Doctor's head. "I think girls' night is over," said Lana, taking charge. "We should get him back to the TARDIS."
Annie agreed with an exasperated sigh. "OK. We can make him pay for this later."
"Naturally," Lana agreed. "Why don't you start to coax him outside? I'll tell Jack we're leaving."
Annie didn't worry about her sister getting an extra flirt in with Jack, because she knew that for Lana practicality would always come before a flirt. And Lana knew that Annie was the more capable of the two of getting the Doctor out of the bar.
Lana approached Jack when he returned and said, "I'm sorry, we were having a great time with you, but our friend's a little drunk. We need to get him back."
"Oh, you have a friend?" he asked, with an unmistakably hopeful lift in his voice. "Well where are you staying? I can at least make sure you get there safe."
"Oh, you don't miss a trick, do you?" Lana responded, easily reading between the lines of his words. "But really, it's probably best if we handle this."
At that point, the Doctor stumbled quickly over to Lana and Jack, having apparently broke free from Annie's supervision. "Jack!" he yelled out far louder than necessary, as Lana neatly caught him again before he fell to the ground.
"Shh, Doctor," Lana tried to sooth him and get him to stop making such a scene. "It's time to go." Giving an apologetic look to Jack, she said, "I'm sorry about this."
"Doctor?" asked Jack surprised.
"Yeah, our friend's a doctor," explained Lana.
"I'm the Doctor and the Oncoming Storm," the Doctor slurred. "And Jack is my buddy."
Jack casually leaned in so only Lana would hear him. "So where is the TARDIS parked?" he asked with a playful smirk on his face.
Lana looked back and forth between the two men with a stunned expression, taking in what she had just heard. "You know each other then?" Jack nodded, grinning and chuckling to himself. "OK then, yes you can help us get him back," she said with an air of authority taking charge.
Jack and Lana each put an arm around the Doctor and exited the bar. They found Annie outside, leaning against the building and casually smoking a cigarette. "I thought you were getting rid of him," she said with a nod toward Jack.
"Turns out he knows the Doctor," Lana responded calmly. "I thought you were going to keep an eye on him," she said with her head tilted at the Doctor.
"He wandered off," she said with an exhale of smoke. "That bow tie wearing buffoon is a big ol' hypocrite. I couldn't chase him back in; this bar is non-smoking."
"So you leave me hanging with him?" Lana asked indignantly.
"He's cutting our girls' night short," said Annie, maintaining her calm. "I needed my cigarette. Although," she added with a look in Jack's direction, "it might not be a total loss." She leaned in to Lana to whisper in her ear. "One last chance for rock paper scissors."
"I think there are more pressing matters at hand," said Lana, giving her sister a stern look.
The group walked back toward the TARDIS, alternately supporting the Doctor as he staggered and babbled on excitedly to Jack about past adventures. "Do you remember when a Slitheen was running this town?"
"Of course I remember," said Jack with a grin. "That was a long time ago. It's good to see you Doctor. Oh!" He caught the Doctor as he swayed in Jack's direction. "You know I've been to bars all across the universe, and I had to come back to Cardiff to see a drunken time lord." That comment made Lana and Annie laugh.
"What's so funny?" asked the Doctor, leaning onto Annie and running his fingers through Jack's hair.
"You are," said Lana and Annie in unison.
"How many times do I have to tell you to quit doing that?" slurred the Doctor.
They reached the TARDIS and the group stepped inside. By now the Doctor was leaning on Lana's shoulder again. "OK, Doctor," she murmured in a soothing voice. "Let's get you to bed. Where is your bedroom by the way?" she asked as the thought suddenly occurred to her. "I don't think I've ever seen it."
"I don't want to go to bed!" yelled the Doctor as he tried to stagger toward the center console, but Lana held him tightly with her arm around his shoulder. "Jack's here!" he insisted. "We should have an adventure!"
"I think adventures will have to wait for morning," said Lana firmly while Annie and Jack chuckled at the scene. "Now tell me where your bedroom is."
"I wouldn't mind knowing that bit of information myself," added Jack with a smirk.
Lana ignored Jack's comments and continued to focus on the Doctor. "You're going to have to tell me," she said with a slight threatening edge to her voice, "otherwise I'm throwing you in the swimming pool."
"Oh, but that's a great idea!" slurred the Doctor excitedly. "We should all go swimming!" He took off his jacket and discarded it on the floor without looking to see where it landed and started loosening his bow tie.
"I like where this is going," said Jack with a mischievous grin.
"You are not helping," Lana accused, shooting a menacing glare in his direction. "Hey, look at me," she said to the Doctor, gently putting her hand to his chin and guiding him to do so. "Who's my favorite time lord?" A goofy grin spread across the Doctor's face. "Let's get you to bed, huh?" She started gently nudging him away from the console room. When she thought she might successfully get him to the corridor she pointed an authoritative finger back at Jack. "You don't go anywhere! I have questions!" Then she disappeared around the corner leaving Jack and Annie alone.
"He's redecorated," Jack observed casually.
"So you used to travel with him I take it?" Annie asked curiously.
"Oh yeah," said Jack with a grin. "The Doctor and I go way back."
"Well I'm sure Lana plans to thoroughly interrogate you about that so I won't make you tell your story twice," said Annie. "While we wait, care for a dance?" She casually pressed a button on the console to play some slow music.
Jack gave an exaggerated bow in response and held out his hand. He pulled her in close. They didn't talk anymore; they just let their bodies meld into each other as they danced. Annie realized that she hadn't felt this good about herself since before her wedding was cancelled. She still hadn't let the full impact of Max's betrayal sink in. She knew this was just a bit of fun with Jack, but she didn't care. When he gently ran his fingers down the side of her face and traced the line of her jaw she focused on how nice it felt. When he leaned in to kiss her, she thoroughly kissed him back.