Here you go-enjoy. :)
Spare Wheel
Forty-six: See You In Hell
River led the way, crawling quickly over the Serenity's hull. Dair followed her and the Doctor brought up the rear. They waited until the loud, demanding voice called out again before dropping to the ground, knowing they wouldn't be heard.
"Let's get down the bank back there and skirt wide round the ship," the Doctor told the others quietly. "Then we'll head south."
River nodded and they continued on. Once out of sight of the crowd around the Serenity, the three of them ran more freely, not worried about being spotted.
The town seemed deserted. No one was on the street, and the shops were all closed.
"This way," said River, pulling Dair down a side street.
"How do you know?" asked the Doctor, not questioning her judgment, but genuinely curious.
"There are more people this way. Most of them are at the Serenity or hiding in their homes, but there's a group of them this way."
ESP, the Doctor decided. He kept an eye out for strangers, but they met no one.
River finally slowed in a residential area. "That one," she said, pointing over a blue-flowered hedge. "The third house."
The Doctor could see a few people standing around outside a dull blue building. "You're sure she's inside?"
"Who else would they be guarding?"
"Right." He licked his lips. "Okay, I'll create a distraction, and you and Dair go round the back and fetch her out."
River pulled at the Doctor's coat and he obligingly shrugged out of it. Then she ran her fingers through his hair, frowning in concentration.
"It never lies flat," he informed her. "Not unless I use a bucket of gel."
She sighed. "Oh, well. We don't need much time. We don't have much." She took Dair's hand and led him back behind the row of houses.
The Doctor set out purposefully toward the men standing around in front of the house, fishing for his psychic paper as he went.
Once they spotted him, the men all leveled guns at the Doctor.
Typical, the Doctor thought. He strode forward. "What's the meaning of this?" he demanded. "I come into this town and find it deserted—not a soul about, no one answering their doors—and now you lot point guns at me!"
"Who the hell are you?" someone asked.
The Doctor held out his psychic paper. "Doctor Smith, city examiner for the Alliance. Have you a warrant for assembly? Who are you fighting? Or guarding against?"
After an awkward silence, one of the men spoke up. "Our neighbor had threats made against her, so we came over to protect her."
"Is that right?"
There was a stifled shout from inside the house, a crash, and then a gunshot.
The Doctor quirked an eyebrow. "Not doing an exemplary job of it, are you?"
"Come on," the spokesman cried. He led the way into the house while the Doctor slipped off unnoticed.
The Doctor retrieved his coat and was jogging along the hedge, looking anxiously for the others, when he saw River burst into view ahead of him. Dair and April appeared just behind her. He lengthened his stride and soon caught up to them, taking April's hand to steady her. "Are you all right?" he asked.
"Yeah," April answered. "Glad to see you. Is Captain Hart safe?"
"Far as I know, but the sooner we get you back to the Serenity, the better. River…"
"No one was badly hurt," River said, anticipating the Doctor's question. She flashed him a smile over her shoulder. "Love the running."
Déjà vu… makes me dizzy. He smiled back at her. "Oh yes… love the running!"
"Okay, here he is," Mal told the crowd standing around the Serenity. "Now, how do I know you'll let April go?"
"Like I told you," the burly leader of the lynch mob said, "we got nothing against her. No reason to keep her once we got what we want. Disarm him and hand him over."
Mal looked at Jack. Neither of them knew how to stall for more time.
Jack slowly unbuckled John's gun belt and dropped it to the ground. "See you in hell," he told Mal. He walked forward until the mob seized him.
They dragged him off toward the nearest sturdy tree, some hundred yards away. He caught a glimpse of Mal picking up the gun belt. He felt his wrists being bound tightly behind him.
"Cat got your tongue?" someone demanded.
"Yeah, why don't you say anything?"
Jack looked around at the angry faces. "You want some last words from me?"
"What have you got to say for yourself?"
"I do have something to say if you'll listen."
"Beg for your life."
"That's something I never do. But I will ask you to think about something."
The crowd quieted somewhat as the people tried to hear what he said.
"When I came to this town, a meeting was held," Jack said clearly. "The dangers of the mission were explained. No one was deceived into thinking it would be a safe trip with no casualties. Everyone who went on that mission signed a paper saying they understood the risk involved."
"Risk? You sent them to certain death!"
"Of course there were more losses than we anticipated," Jack went on, "but that doesn't change the premise under which your loved ones signed on. You've been compensated for the service they gave, and I couldn't be sorrier for your losses. This won't bring them back. It won't make anything better. And on top of that, you're making a terrible mistake here."
"Mistake," someone scoffed. "String him up, already."
Someone brought a horse forward and Jack found himself lifted up and planted in the saddle.
A proper old West hanging, he thought with grim amusement as they led the horse around under the tree. Then a noose was tightened around his neck and the people stood back from the horse.
It's been a long time since I was on a horse. Too bad it had to be like this…
"If you wanna say a prayer, this is your last chance."
Jack scanned the faces again. He knew they all wanted to hear something pitiful—a plea for mercy which they could deny, some sign that he was evil or even just weak—a sign that they were doing the right thing.
"You're going to realize this is a mistake. But I forgive you."
The mob became noisy again as it reacted to his strange and unsatisfactory statements. The horse shifted its feet restlessly, and then someone slapped its hindquarters.
The last thing he saw as his weight choked off his windpipe was four figures in the distance, quickly making their way to the back of the Serenity, unnoticed by the crowd; his last thought: They're safe.
The first breath was more agonizing than usual, because Jack found himself face-down in the dirt. His hands were still tied, but the noose was gone from his neck. The common sounds of shock and fear started around him as people began telling him what he already knew.
"You know," he rasped, "the whole 'you were dead' thing is just as monotonous as the 'it's bigger on the inside' thing."
"He was just unconscious," someone concluded.
"No—he was dead! He was! He hung there a good ten minutes after he quit kicking!"
Jack struggled to sit up. "I think I can settle this. Yes, I was dead. Now I'm not though. So, since you've had the satisfaction of lynching me, may I go back to my friends?"
"It's some damn trick," accused a new voice.
"Damned, yes. Trick, no. Well, unless you count sending out an immortal instead of the person you really wanted. I'm not John Hart. I'm Captain Jack Harkness."
"He's lying!"
"Please," Jack groaned, achieving a sitting position at last. "Why would I lie? You already killed me. The worst is over, right?"
"THIS IS CAPTAIN REYNOLDS SPEAKING," Mal's voice came loud and clear from the Serenity. "NOW THAT YOU'VE GOT YOUR SATISFACTION, WE'D LIKE THE CAPTAIN BACK. LESS'N YOU WANT A FIGHT ON YOUR HANDS."
Rather than bother with his loudspeaker, the spokesman of the mob cupped his hands and shouted back. "Ain't you forgetting something? We got your friend hid away…"
"THIS FRIEND?"
Jack squinted up at the cockpit and saw April waving down at them. She didn't look happy.
"I think you'd better do as they say… you can't kill me, and you've lost your bargaining chip."
"Can't kill, nothin'! I'll show ya killing!"
Jack turned just in time to see a pistol leveled at him. Then there was the beginning of pain in his chest. But before the pain signals could really begin to assault his mind, everything stopped.
"He was dead! I shot him dead!"
"Oh, god… not again." Jack looked around. "Am I still with you people? Let me go already!"
"Think you'd best hand him back before someone gets hurt," said Mal's voice, sounding nearby.
Jack looked up to see the Serenity's captain standing on her ramp with gun in hand. "Besides me, you mean?" he muttered.
The Doctor joined Mal on the ramp. "Come on, give him back. We'll leave tomorrow. We won't trouble your city anymore."
"Get rid of 'em," someone agreed. "They don't belong here."
Little by little, the crowd began concurrent murmuring until Jack found himself being hustled back toward the ship.
"You ever come back, you'll find a fight on your hands," the lead rabble-rouser warned.
"Duly noted," said Mal.
The Doctor quickly escorted Jack inside, and Mal closed the door behind them.
"You didn't tell me you were going to let them kill you," the Doctor said urgently, taking Jack's face in his hands.
"If I'd told you my plan, you wouldn't have agreed, would you?"
"Are you all right?"
"Yeah."
"Really?" the Doctor searched Jack's face.
"Yes. I'm okay. But you owe me a kiss."
"Idiot."
But Jack got his kiss. He smiled and hugged the Doctor. Looking around, he noticed that for some reason, Mal had disappeared.
"I'm so sorry," John said, holding Jack tightly.
"I'm fine, really. No pain." Jack pulled away and gave a hug to Gray and pried Dair off his waist before turning to the Master. He held out his hand, thumb down.
The Master understood the signal to take Jack's hand and allowed himself to be led from the room.
Jack stopped once they were out of earshot from the others. "Thank you for earlier," he said.
"That's all right."
"I'm ready to try again."
Looking somewhat surprised, the Master asked, "You sure?"
"Yes." Jack took the Master by the shoulders and kissed him lightly. "I can't stay with you tonight. I have to be with Gray tonight…"
"That's fine. I understand."
"But probably tomorrow night."
"Okay." The Master put his arms around Jack loosely. "I've missed you so much."
"I've missed you, too." Jack closed his eyes and pulled the Master a little closer, feeling his heartbeats and taking in the scent of electricity and silk and something that was just Timelord.
"Getting killed out there by humans… by ordinary people. It reminded me that the Reavers were human too. Just people that went wrong. They're mortal and nothing for me to be afraid of. And definitely not something that should make me afraid of my friends."
The Master settled his head on Jack's shoulder, listening.
"It will take time, but I think we can get back what we had. I want to trust you again."
"I want to trust you, too. Let you be in control more, and be honest with you."
Jack kissed him again, caressing his face. Then he heard someone clear their throat behind him. He turned to see the Doctor waiting patiently a little distance down the hall.
"Jack, we need to get off this planet. Or at least off this part of it."
Jack nodded, stepping back from the Master. "Okay… are we staying with the Serenity?"
"Perhaps for a while, but whether now or later we're going to have to part with them soon."
"Oh, isn't that a shame," the Master said, sounding a little sarcastic.
"Hate to lose River. She's made so much progress with Dair," said Jack.
"I know. I thought we might take her with us for a while… Simon might insist on coming with her, of course."
"I doubt Mal will like the idea of our making off with his medic."
The Doctor shrugged. "Worth a try. Either way, we need to get going."
Soon both Tardises were parked on the other side of the planet, and the Serenity joined them a little later. April decided not to return to her home, but to have her pay from the mission transferred and her house sold.
"There wasn't anything of value there anyway," she told the others before leaving them. "I'll start completely over."
The others wished her luck and she went her way.
"Time for us to be underway too," Mal told the Doctor back in the Serenity. "We've got money enough to refuel and take on supplies to get us to our next job. Thanks to your friends."
"We'll be sorry to see you go. I wonder if I might ask a favor."
"Asking's one thing—granting's another."
The Doctor nodded. "I'd like Simon and River to travel with me for a while. There's so much River can do. She needs the chance to expand her horizons a bit. Plus, she's so good for Dair."
"And you want Simon because he won't let her out of his sight," Mal concluded.
"Well, we're happy to have him, of course."
Mal rubbed the back of his neck and looked around at the others.
"Lot of light years with no medic," Zoe commented.
"We've done it before."
"Do I get a say?" asked Simon.
"Don't worry, I don't want you along any more than you want to come," the Master told him. "Only I like having River on board."
"Why ain't someone asking River what she wants?" asked Kaylee.
"Fair point," said the Doctor.
All eyes turned to River, and River smiled at the Doctor. She crossed the room and took the Doctor's hand.
You know, don't you?
"No more than you do," River said.
Well, it's all right with me, either way.
"Me, too."
Simon sighed. "Looks like we're going. I know better than to try to change her mind."
"Tardis is going to be a city before long," the Master muttered.
"Let's all get to our bunks," said Mal. "The Serenity takes off first thing tomorrow."
"So, if either of you gets up in the night, I'll be alerted," the Doctor explained to Jack and Gray. "As soon as you hit the floor I'll be on my way. Any questions?"
"What if we have to pee?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.
"If you climb over the foot of the bed, it won't set off the alarm."
"Nifty."
"Where will you be sleeping?" asked Gray.
"In the closet."
Jack looked around. "Your room didn't have a closet last time I was in here. Just a bureau and a wardrobe."
The Doctor shrugged. "I told you I was going to redecorate. Just rearranged a couple walls. Involved putting the library one door further down, but I don't think anyone will mind too much."
"And how big is this closet?"
"Eh… about half the size of this room."
"Great. I won't feel bad about putting you out of your room, then."
"All right, if you two want to hop in now, I'll get the lights for you."
Gray looked uncertainly at Jack. "You sure you're ready?"
"Yes. After you."
Once the brothers were settled, the Doctor doused the lights and crossed over to the closet door. "Now, I don't want to hear a peep out of you boys," he said sternly.
"Yes, sir," said Jack.
"Only joking of course. Talk as much as you like. Good night."
"Good night," they answered.
The words "see you in hell" came to Jack's mind again as the Doctor closed the closet door, but he pushed them away.
It's my brother, not an enemy.
"You know I won't hurt you, don't you?" Gray asked quietly.
"I know." I do? Jack reached out and found Gray's hand. Gray responded by stroking his fingers lightly. It's okay. It will get better now. Everything will. "I love you, Gray."
After a little silence, Gray said, "I thought when you went out there… instead of John… I thought it would make things worse."
"Oh… I didn't really think about it," Jack realized.
"Too used to rushing to John's aid?"
Jack smiled. "I don't know. Maybe." He felt Gray's hand tighten on his, but he didn't feel anxious about it. "I think it might have helped, actually. Kind of a lousy way to end the day, but…"
"Thanks for taking me back." Gray's voice sounded tight. "I needed to see—"
"Yeah. It had been a long time for me, too. It was good to go back."
"I needed you, too. But I shouldn't get to be with you now."
"Of course you should." Jack moved closer and put his arm around Gray carefully, ready to retreat. "You're still my brother. I don't want anything to keep us apart." He could feel Gray starting to tremble. "It's okay."
Gray rested his head against Jack's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Jack."
"I know. Don't try to talk any more right now, okay? We need to do this slowly."
"Okay." Gray continued to shake for a couple of minutes, but he let Jack hold him and gradually returned the embrace. Then he whispered, "I love you," and started shaking all over again.
Jack rubbed Gray's arm and silently thanked whoever cared to take credit for giving him back his brother. "I love you." He kissed Gray's forehead. "Good night."
"It's been a long time, Doctor."
"No. Not you."
"Don't waste time on denial."
"Why now?"
"Why not now? It's been so long. A hundred years? More?"
"What do you want?"
"What do I always want? Come along, what is it?"
"Death."
"That's right. You're a bit rusty, but you'll come round, I'm sure. Now, we need to plot our course for tomorrow. Somewhere exciting that will let me stretch my wings, as it were."
"I'm not taking you anywhere."
"Oh, yes you are. You want your new friends with you, don't you? You can take me, too. But if you don't think there's room, we can leave someone else behind. Jenny, perhaps? River?"
"You leave them alone!"
"Struck a nerve, have I?"
The Doctor burst out of the closet. The room outside was dimly lit. Jack and Gray were nestled together, but they both started when the Doctor came in.
Jack blinked at him. "What's going on? Where's the fire?"
He looked around the room, turning on the spot and then grasping distractedly at his hair. "She's here… how can she be here? where can she be?" His eyes fell on the door and he started toward it. "Jenny. Where's Jenny?"
"She stayed in the Meddler's Tardis last night," Jack supplied. "Why?"
"She did?!" The Doctor frowned at this news.
"I thought you knew."
"Oh…" the Doctor quickly pulled on his clothes and dashed from the room.
It could have been just a dream… yes, perhaps I dreamt the whole thing. Just an ordinary dream.
He hurried across to the stage coach-shaped TARDIS. "Jenny? Jenny, are you in there?"
The coach door opened a moment later and Jenny looked out at him. "What is it?"
"Is everything all right?" he asked urgently.
"I might ask you that. You don't look well."
"I'm all right. Anything out of the ordinary over here? Anything at all?"
"No." Jenny looked perplexed.
"You need to tell me before you go and decide to stay over somewhere. I thought you were in the Tardis—my TARDIS."
Jenny looked at the ground. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you."
"All right; come back now. I want you close by."
"Okay." Jenny looked back into the control room.
The Doctor could see the Meddler coming in from the back, still in his pajamas and looking very sleepy.
"What's going on?"
"Going back over to Dad's."
"Okay. I'll come in a little bit."
The Doctor held his tongue. He would deal with the Meddler's meddling later.
The Serenity crew was congregating outside to say goodbye to the Tardis-dwellers. The Doctor and Jenny went to join them.
Kaylee hugged both River and Simon a long time and shed tears over both of them. "Don't stay away too long," she told them. "Serenity's gonna seem duller'n a socket wrench without you two."
Inara, Wash and Zoe hugged and/or kissed the siblings. Then Mal awkwardly let River kiss his cheek and shook Simon's hand.
"Sure was handy having a doctor on board," he said. "Might consider having you back… if you take a notion."
Simon nodded. "I'm sure we'll see each other again before too long—maybe very soon, depending on how much time traveling we do… and which way."
"Right."
Jayne managed to shake hands with the Tams civilly, and he told Simon in a gruff voice, "Look after that sister of yours. Even if she ain't crazy now, I reckon she might still get herself in trouble."
"I will," Simon answered.
Inara caressed Jack's face and gave him and Gray a warm smile. "I wish you all the best."
"Thank you," said Jack. "I hope we meet again."
Then the Doctor and the others said their goodbyes and Mal led his crew back to the ship.
"Will we see them again?" Jenny asked.
"Oh, I'm sure," answered the Doctor. "We'll return Simon and River eventually. Now…" he looked around and spotted the Master going back into the Tardis. He set out in pursuit and caught up to the other Timelord before he was far from the control room.
"Master, I've got to ask you something."
The Master halted and looked at the Doctor expectantly.
"Last night…"
"Yes."
"Yes, what?"
"I dreamt about Jade, too. About Death."
The Doctor groaned. "Then she really is back. What did she say to you?"
"She said welcome back and how eager she was to renew our acquaintance and such."
"What did you tell her?"
"Told her to screw herself."
The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Did you really?"
"Pretty much. What did she say to you?"
"Um… same sort of thing I s'pose. Only she made a sort of threat to harm Jenny or River."
"Interesting."
"Interesting?"
"Sure." The Master folded his arms and leaned against the passage wall. "I think we need to figure out who this person really is."
"I've tried, but there's just no answer. If she's not a non-physical, all-knowing entity, then how could she just show up wherever I was? How could she communicate through my dreams? And yours…"
"Wait a moment." The Master put up a hand. "You're onto something there. The way she acted in Perfugium… she seemed to be in control of every situation, and yet she could be taken by surprise."
"Yes… You're right. And there was something she said…"
"Well let me think about it… if, as an apparently non-corporeal universal concept, I can think… Oh, all right, Doctor. Why not?"
"Sounds as if she forgot herself for a moment," the Master said. "Forgot her purpose, her ability, even her own identity. Like it never occurred to her until that moment to contemplate her own being. But death has existed almost as long as time, surely. How could Death itself be so…"
"Personable?" suggested the Doctor. "If the situation were not so dire, she would have been downright amusing. She had wit and a sense of humor. A dark one, but still. And this uncertainty seems to indicate that she was not so old as she pretended to be."
"Precisely. I don't think she's a universal concept at all. I think there's an actual person behind her. Someone that's been following us since we were children on Gallifrey."
"But she was silent so long." The Doctor frowned. "Why has she come back now?"
"Because we're together again? Perhaps the dynamic of our current equation is what it takes to wake her up after a long sleep. Not to mention we've got an immortal onboard… someone who's cheated her many times."
"Yes." Jack probably makes her very angry—or whoever is behind her. "We have to find her. Find whoever is doing this. I'm not going to let her threaten me anymore."
The Master nodded. "I'm with you this time. I want rid of her, too."
And there we shall leave it for now. Hope you enjoyed. Comments appreciated. ^^
