The Real Captain Jack Harkness

Rose was woken up, yet again, by the afternoon sunlight hitting her face through the gap in the curtains of her bedroom. She never was a morning person but it seemed she was making a habit of getting up late these last few days. Well, it wasn't exactly of her own making; the 456, the Doctor…

Her brain catching up to her own thought, she spun her head in search of him.

He wasn't there.

Nah, she shook her head to dismiss her fear. He hadn't done a runner, surely not. He seemed... well really she wasn't sure. He wasn't himself. Maybe he might've remembered what he said last night, or, that whole thing with getting dressed might've spooked him.

No, he'd be there. He wouldn't leave her. Not after what he'd told her. He was just downstairs.

He had to be.

Rose tried to maintain her composure, but ended up scrambling down the stairs once she'd checked the upstairs rooms and found no one.

She checked the living room first, nothing.

Oh please, oh please, oh please.

The dining room….

Her whole body slumped, she had to grab on to the door frame as the relief washed over her. He was there, with Mickey.

She'd must've been asleep longer than she thought as both of them were dressed, both wearing jeans, Mickey a hoodie and the Doctor a new T-shirt from the Primark bag. They were sat next to each other around the table, studying something on Mickey's laptop. Something to do with sound, Rose guessed, as both of them had headphones in. She stared at them both for a bit, happy that he was there, the niggling fear at the back of her mind subdued.

Her mum spotted her from the kitchen.

"Rose, come give me a hand." she asked lowly, giving Rose an intimidating glare as she dried a plate with a dish cloth.

Uh oh.

Her mum was using that voice, was giving her that look. That 'you're in trouble' voice, so much trouble that I'm not going to shout.

"Yeah." she called, and went in the kitchen. What had she done, really? Nothing.

Jackie wasted no time. "What were you two up to last night?" she asked coldly, putting the plate on the drying rack and flopping the dish cloth over her shoulder.

Rose scrunched up her face. "Nothing, we just went to bed." Her anger flared, waving an accusing hand at her mum. "You're the one who suggested it."

"Hmm, you sure about that?" Jackie pressed coldly, placing a hand on her hip.

Rose was even more lost, even if Jackie had heard them last night, the Doctor wasn't tossing enough for it to be mistaken for anything heated. "Yes." she said, annoyed.

"Well 'e sure was happy when 'e came down this morning. Offered to cook breakfast."

Rose's mouth fell open. The Doctor never cooked. "He wot?"

Jackie folded her arms. "An' he said I looked nice today."

Rose was flabbergasted, completely flummoxed. The Doctor, complimenting her mum? Never. "O' my God."

"You two being safe?"

"MUM!" she hissed. He was right in the other room and he had bat like hearing. If he heard this he'd probably regenerate out of embarrassment, if the 'jimjams incident' from last night was anything to go by.

"Well I 'av to ask don't I?" she protested, before her voice turned fierce, not to be messed with. "Cos if you think I'm looking after two babies in this 'ouse you've got another thing coming."

"NO! Mum!" Rose insisted, completely flustered. "It's not that, we haven't even done …." Rose lowered her voice, just now realising how loud it'd become. "We haven't done anything like that yet, alright?" she answered honestly. "I dun even know if he…." She stopped herself with a small shake of her head, composing herself and grabbing hold of Jackie's shoulders. "We weren't." she said firmly, looking into her eyes.

Jackie scanned Rose up and down. "Then why's 'e so happy?" she yielded.

Rose stepped back and shrugged, trying to think. "How should I know? Last night all me and 'im did was talk."

"About wot?"

Rose hesitated, thinking of what exactly it could be that she hadn't said to him before. "Just stuff, like, I told 'im that he was part of the family now." Jackie shot her a look. "No…I meant, like the way Mickey and Jack are." she clarified.

Jackie was confused for a split second. "Well of course 'e bloody is. I said so didn't I? Why would I let him in the flat if 'e wasn't?"

"I know, but I don't think 'e knew until last night when I told 'im out right, but look don't say anything, okay? I mean it."

"Don't worry I won't."

Rose paused a little, a thought suddenly hitting her. "And don't you tell 'im outright either, then he'll know I told you an' I don't know how much he wants you to know."

"Fair enough." Jackie agreed, but her mind seemed to be elsewhere. "So wot you having for breakfast then? And don't worry, I told 'im I'd make it, otherwise we'd have the bloody fire brigade down 'ere."

Rose didn't get to answer as the Doctor wondered into the kitchen. "Jackie." he said gleefully. "Have yo– Rose! There you are!" He instantly grabbed her into a big hug, spinning her around before dropping her to her feet, but keeping his hands on her waist. "Did you sleep okay?"

Rose instantly could see what her mum had meant; his enthusiasm was dialled up to eleven. "Yeah." she nodded. "You?"

"Oh yes!" he sang. "Me and Mickey have narrowed down the exact date Jack and Toshiko were taken to; the Kiss the Boys Goodbye Dance, Saturday 20th of January, 1941, eight fifty-seven in the evening. Not bad, eh? The rest of Torchwood are searching for Bilis, no luck there though. But, what'd you say, you up for it? See if the old girl will let us in yet?" The Doctor wiggled his eyebrows at her. "Maybe sneak in a quick trip to the 1940's?"

Rose beamed, and, straight away, so did he. He was just so happy. "Don't see why not." she said teasingly.

He giggled. "Mickey!" he yelled suddenly, rattling her ear drums. He released his hold and swiftly moved out of the kitchen and towards the dining room. "Rose is up, let's go to the Tardis."

His words caught up with her and she rushed towards the dining room. "Not yet, I'll have to get ready first." she called, arriving at the doorway.

The Doctor's shoulders slumped, looking annoyed. "Is this a mission or an adventure?" he asked dryly.

"Mission." she said firmly. "So don't worry, you're not goin to be waiting long."

"Why did you make me kiss her goodbye?" Captain Jack asked, desperate to know; the real Captain Jack, the one due to die in less than twenty-four hours.

He and the ex-Time Agent were sitting opposite each other in a snug gallery above the stage; the velvet chairs comfy, and the dimly lit lamps making the area very private.

The Time Agent looked longingly into the Captain's eyes, desperate for him to understand, desperate for him not to waste his last moments regretting what he didn't do. "I just think you should live every night like it's your last. Make tonight the best night of your life. You're alive, right here, right now. Your men are fine."

The Captain looked stunned at first, before his expression changed, morphing like there was some huge inner battle going on within his mind. For a second Jack thought it was directed straight at him, like he wanted him to say something but couldn't risk exposing himself. Jack knew the time well, men who had that sort of look usually meant they wanted something more than a shoulder to cry on, but were too scared of the ramifications to act on it.

But that couldn't be, could it? The real Captain Jack had a girl, and it would just be too perfect. The man's whose name he stole, choosing him in his final moments, that he, a con man, was what he wanted most right now.

No, it couldn't be.

"What are you trying to say?" the real Captain asked, his eyes sparkling with hope.

No.

Jack sighed, planning to redirect the conversation and hide his own heartbreak at the same time. Things never worked out that way for him, all wrapped up in a nice little bow….

But that wasn't true was it?

He was with Rose Tyler, he was with the Doctor, the Tardis was coming to pick him and Tosh up… hopefully, and he was going to get the 51st century burger that he'd been craving since the 1960's.

As nice little bows go, that was pretty something.

Oh what the hell.

Jack surged forward and started kissing the Captain, and very passionately at that.

The Captain began to move away at first but then must've decided to fuck it because he pulled Jack closer.

It was then that beautiful sound filled the hall. The ancient churning of a magical machine. A machine that long ago he thought only belonged only to legend. The whooshing and wailing calling him home.

The Tardis.

Jack pulled away from the kiss, smiling. The Captain stayed in place, savouring the moment. Jack cupped his cheek.

"Wow…" the Captain breathed. "You were serious about living everyday like it was your last."

Jack's smile grew. "Yeah, but…" He looked out to the party goers dancing and enjoying themselves on the dance floor below. They looked so carefree even if, not thirty minutes ago, they were sheltering from bombs raining down on them. Nestled amongst the sounds of the musical instruments and the muffled voices the Tardis called out once more. "I have to go." Jack said, turning to face him. "It's my duty." He thought for a little while. "But I'll be back." he smiled, before darting off. Surely, the Doctor would allow him to stay a bit longer in this time...right?

He ran down the stairs leading to the main dance hall, calling for Tosh.

"Jack!" she called back, rushing up to him, pushing past the party goers. "I heard it! The blue box, but where is it?" she asked stretching on her tiptoes, spinning around trying to spot the Tardis.

Jack searched too, he couldn't see it materialise. "Let's check outside!" he said frantically.

They rushed towards the main entrance, barging through the crowd, some of whom shot them agitated looks as their drinks spilt; the Tardis's whooshing still going on in the background.

They pushed the doors open at the same time and raced down the short steps and out into the road, hectically looking around for any sign of the Tardis. The engines were louder, it must be close. Close, and on a flat surface, Jack remembered.

But the building was built into a slope, as was the Gothic, stone, mid-eighteen hundreds church on the opposite side of the dance hall. Jack veered his head towards the bottom of the hill, near a line of terrace houses, where the entrance to the Church was. The pavement looked flatter over there. "Come on." he said quickly to Tosh, as he raced down.

He'd turned the corner just in time to see the Tardis materialise in front of the main entrance to the church. Jack beamed. Oh it was so good to see that police box, and it felt even better to know that it come to get him.

The door creaked open. Rose was the first one out, wildly scanning her surroundings until her eyes fell on Jack. She broke out into a splitting grin and charged straight at him.

"Jack!" Rose yelled happily, spreading her arms as she jumped towards him. He wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug, laughing as he did.

A moment later the Doctor and Mickey stepped out of the Tardis. A warm fuzzy feeling washed over Jack, seeing the Doctor in front of him. This time, he really had come back for him.

"Oh thank God you're okay." Rose spoke into his shoulder.

"Never better."

Rose caught sight of Tosh and released Jack to hug her. "Tosh! You're both okay." she said gladly.

Meanwhile the Doctor and Mickey stepped forward, directly in front of Jack, and directly behind the Tardis.

"Thought for a while I'd have to sit through WWII … again." Jack joked.

"Nah." said the Doctor. "A temporal shift, anyone with even the slightest bit of time sense could figure out where you were sent."

"And then spend a day asking Torchwood to help narrow it down." Mickey added.

"Oi! Don't go telling people I need help. I'll lose all my respectability." the Doctor complained, but he wasn't being serious.

Jack chuckled as Mickey patted the Doctor on his back. "Don't worry about that, Boss. You didn't have any to begin with."

The Doctor's mouth fell open, completely offended.

Jack beamed, seeing an opportunity. "Yeah, I mean respectability?... Doctor? never heard that in the same sentence…. Like ever." he teased.

"Oi!" the Doctor exclaimed, looking between Mickey and Jack in disbelief. "I have a lot of respectability thank you very much, I practically ooze respectability." He looked to Rose for back up. "Tell them Rose."

She was silent.

"ROOOSE!" The Doctor complained.

"Sorry." she said, not meaning it at all. She smirked, but tried to hide it under her jacket. "I'd be lying otherwise." She muttered, although what she said, was, in fact a lie. But here was an opportunity to tease him and she was unable to help herself.

The Doctor mockingly gaped, stunned into silence.

Meanwhile, Tosh looked awe struck between the group; this was not how she expected 'The Doctor' to act after being talked to in such a way. Rose, Jack and Mickey were talking to him like they were old friends, a family even. Nothing like the rigorous, polite, respectable, unquestioning manner that UNIT officers were under strict instructions to follow. But then again, they were friends weren't they? How extraordinary, to have a friend who could pick you up from the 1940's like it was from the Tesco Local.

"Well I've never been so insulted." the Doctor gasped, but broke out into a splitting grin a few seconds later. "It's good to see you're both alright." he said sincerely, looking towards Jack.

Jack smiled back. "You too. What happened back there? I've never heard of a Temporal Shift that could actually transport people."

"That's because it wasn't naturally occurring. Someone called Bilis Manger is - "

Tosh's eyes widened. "Bilis Manger?" she asked. "The manager?"

The Doctor, Mickey and Rose shared a worried glance amongst themselves. "You've seen him?" the Doctor asked, a sense of urgency in his voice.

"Yeah." Jack answered confused. "He was greeting the guests, directed everyone down to the air raid shelter about forty minutes ago. Haven't seen him since though. I'm guessing he's someone we need to be worried about?"

"Yeah, he's the one who sent you here." Mickey explained.

"What! But why?" Tosh asked.

"We dunno for sure. But Ianto found a piece of the old Rift Manipulator in his office back in 2007, we thought he might've wanted Torchwood to open the rift." Rose added.

"Open the rift? But we can't." Tosh looked to the Doctor, wanting him to clear up the confusion. "The hub's gone, and your ship, didn't you say it would temporarily close the rift? Why send us now? The explosion was all over the news. If he knew about the manipulator then surely he'd know where the hub was, so he'd know it was gone?"

"You're right. But Bilis is from an alternative timeline, one where your hub is still operational." the Doctor explained.

"A Bootstrap Paradox?" Jack asked.

"Well, I was thinking more of the old Tobrine Multiple Interference Effect." the Doctor corrected.

"Ah right of course. You're here." Jack stated, seeming annoyed with himself, like he'd asked a stupid question before a sudden thought hit him, his eyes widening in panic as he glanced between Rose and Mickey. "But the hub? Them?" Jack gestured to the pair.

"See now yes, the jury's still out on that one but I'm guessing –"

"That's our Bootstrap Paradox?"

"Most likely."

"Got it."

Tosh, Mickey and Rose all blinked, as though the Doctor and Jack had suddenly turned purple.

"Sorry, what's a –" Tosh began to ask.

"It's a Time Travel thing." both Jack and the Doctor said at the same time, in the same dismissive way. They blinked at each other, surprised at their own synchronisation, before Jack turned to Tosh. "Don't worry about it." he said, before rubbing his hands together. "So, if it's just a T-M-I-E, you've already bumped up this timeline by landing here, and Bilis has already shifted to the dominant future," Jack's voice turned hesitant and a little hopeful, like when a child wants their parent to buy them a sweet and they ask in an overly polite way. "Then I guess we can maybe stay a lil longer?" Jack laughed nervously. "I mean… it's a hell of a party."

"Jack." the Doctor said firmly, his hands half way in his jean pockets. "Even if Bilis has already left for our future, if we stay and Bilis comes back while we're here then he either stabilises the causal nexus, or we risk getting caught in a loop if we return to 2007 before he leaves."

"I know but, I was sorta hoping to have one last dance with the guy who's name I took."

"Wot the real Captain Jack Harkness is here?" Rose asked, gobsmacked.

"Wot Jack Harkness isn't your real name?" Mickey asked, immediately following Rose's question.

Jack turned to face Rose. "Yes, and he is hella hot." he grinned. He sharply turned to face Mickey. "No, Time Agents are meant to set up a fake identity every time we 'jump.'"

"Why'd you do that?" Mickey asked.

"Because it's dangerous to use your real name, it can be used to find out who you are, if your enemies do that then they can make it so you never exist, stop your parents from meeting, kill you when you're still a kid, that sort of thing."

"But…" Mickey looked at the Doctor like he'd had the rug pulled from under him. "Me and Rose never used a fake name when we were with you."

The Doctor glared at Mickey. "Yeah, well, that's because you're not a Time Agent," he snapped. "You're not in 'the business.' And if we ever did stumble across another time traveller, they wouldn't be looking for you in this time period. And if, by some miracle, they did manage to find you and they dare even think of doing something like that, then they'd have to get past me first, alright?"

Mickey seemed a bit taken back, but after thinking the Doctor's words over for a few seconds he nodded. "Yeah, okay." He conceded. He turned to Jack. "So why you want to dance with yourself?" he asked, trying to steer the topic away from whatever nerve he hit with the Doctor.

"Because he dies tomorrow." Jack said quietly, looking around the empty street, in case anyone was in earshot. "He's gay and I just kissed the hell out of him."

"Jack, you know that we can't save him." the Doctor stated.

"I know." Jack said surely. "I know." he reaffirmed. "But this is his last night alive, I just feel like I owe him after using his name for so long. I want him to move into tomorrow without any regrets…. and" he began hesitantly. "I sorta said I would be back."

The Doctor said nothing for a long moment, scanning Jack up and down. He sighed. "Oh, go on then."

Jack beamed, completely giddy.

The Doctor pointed a sharp finger at him. "But any sign, any hint of Bilis we leave, we leave straight away. We still don't know why he wanted Torchwood to open the rift, or what or who he is."

Jack nodded. "Understood, Doctor."

"And just one hour, no more. I'm not risking the casual nexus."

"You have my word."

The Doctor sighed again, this time glancing around, reading everyone's expressions. His gaze held on Rose the longest before returning his attention to Jack. "Okay, one hour, that's it."

"Thank you, Doctor." Jack said sincerely, before whirling around and running back up the hill towards the entrance.

"So, wot are we meant to do? Just wait?" Mickey asked.

"Yep." the Doctor said, taking Rose by surprise a little.

"Wot we're really not going to go in?" Rose questioned.

"We can't." he said firmly. His mood lightened. "Well, Tosh can." He looked towards her. "If you want?"

Tosh gazed at the Doctor questioningly. She glanced around to Rose and Mickey, still unsure. Rose jerked her eyebrows at her and gave her a sly grin, as if to say 'go on.' A small smile appeared on Tosh's face. "Well... I guess It'd be a shame to waste an opportunity."

The Doctor gave her a half grin. "Right, off you go then." He jerked his head towards the dancehall. "See you in less than fifty seven minutes and ten seconds and no later."

Tosh smiled politely back, clutching her handbag as she wondered back up the hill, looking back and waving nervously about half way up.

Rose, Mickey and the Doctor looked on.

"Why can't we go?" Rose asked, watching Tosh enter the building.

"We weren't in any of the photos taken from this night." he explained. "And we have to keep it that way."

Forty minutes later Jack walked with Tosh back to the Tardis, a huge grin on his face. He'd done it, he'd kept his promise, he'd done something right by the real Jack Harkness. They'd danced in front of everyone, they'd kissed again, then made themselves scarce while the rest of the hall gossiped. The real Captain told him that giving in to the way he felt about another man was the one thing he'd always wanted to do, but didn't think anyone else would feel the same. He told him, that if this was his last day, then now he wouldn't have any regrets.

Jack didn't tell him the truth, of course. But wasn't that something?

They walked up to the Tardis doors. He had his key, he always did, but this was going to be Tosh's first time in the Tardis and he'd always wanted to see someone else react to it, and he had a feeling Rose and Mickey would want to see it too.

Rose opened the door and Jack smiled cheekily. "Why evening Madame," Jack joked in a posh voice. "Me and my lovely guest I have here with me tonight, would like a ride home in your fine vessel, if you would be so kind?"

Rose playfully bit down on her lip, before her expression and posture changed. "Why I say, a ride at this hour?" she mimicked Jack's posh voice, sounding hot and bothered. She scanned them up and down and broke out into a smile, dropping the accent and the anger in it. "Come on then." she said casually, jerking her head inside the Tardis. Jack beamed and moved to step inside. "DOCTOR, MICKEY." she called. "THEY'RE BACK."

Jack moved past Rose, stepping into the Tardis, which protested, grumbling and lurching a little, begrudgingly accepting his entrance. "One day you'll get used to me old blue." Jack sang.

Meanwhile Tosh peered hesitantly through the door way, watching Jack throw his coat over the Doctor's which was hung over the nearest coral pillar.

"No, no, no, no, no." the Doctor called, rushing towards Jack from behind the time rotor, while Mickey poked his head around the console from the captain's chair. "That place is for my coat and my coat only." he complained to Jack, grabbing Jack's coat off the coral and pushing it towards him. "You'll crease it."

"You know this new regeneration." Jack said, snatching his coat quickly, just as the Doctor let go, so it didn't fall to the ground. "Kinda stuck up."

The Doctor's mouth flew open. "Am not."

"Are too." Jack retorted cheekily.

Rose rolled her eyes from the entrance, before glancing back to Tosh, seeing how nervous she was. "Come on Tosh, it's okay." Rose reassured, motioning a hand for Tosh to move forwards.

"AM NOT!" the Doctor protested obliviously.

Jack smirked. "Kinda immature too."

The Doctor shut his mouth with a snap as Mickey smirked smugly at Jack's victory. "Fine." he gave up, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "Fine, put your coat wherever you want to." His voice was still bitter.

Meanwhile Tosh took a step in to the machine, gazing up at the coral stretching and bending up to the dome ceiling, a look of utter awe on her face. Silence fell amongst the rest of the group as they gleefully studied Tosh's reaction.

"But, I don't believe it it's… it's..."

" - Bigger on the inside." Jack and the Doctor mouthed along.

"Transcendental dimensions technology." Tosh said instead.

Everyone's face fell.

"Sorry?" the Doctor squeaked.

Tosh snapped out of her bewildered trance. "Well I've read about it." she explained, gazing back towards the wooden doors and up again at the ceiling, scanning every detail. "Although, until now I thought it was purely theoretical."

"Not many people realise that." the Doctor said, curious.

"Well not many people are interested in the study of transcendental dimensional astrophysics and quantum mechanics." Tosh shrugged.

The Doctor was floored, speechless.

Jack chuckled, smiling smugly along with the rest of the Torchwood gang. "I only work with the best." he told him proudly, before his words caught up with him and his smile faltered a little. "So anyway…" began Jack casually, walking towards the console with his coat under his arm. "No sign of Bilis, so I guess we'll head back now, huh?" Jack draped his coat dramatically over the back of the Captain's chair, looking cheekily at the Doctor as he did it.

The Doctor glowered at the coat for a brief moment, a grim look on his face. He forced himself out of it. "Yes, back to Cardiff, just after we left, well give or take a few hours. We can see what the others have found on Bilis, see if we can track him down." the Doctor explained, buzzing around the console, setting the coordinates.

"And I'd hold on if I were you Tosh." Rose added. "Gets a little bumpy."

Something caught Jack's eye as he looked to a piece of the wall on the Tardis. "Where's the corridor?" he asked, pointing at the wall.

The rest of the group followed his line of sight. "Ah, yes. The old girl still needs a bit of recharging to do." the Doctor explained, twisting some sort of valve on the console. "Just primary functions at the moment." he said apologetically. "Why do you still think I'm wearing this?" He gestured to his own outfit.

Tosh's eyes widened. "So, it's even bigger than this normally?"

"Oh, yeah." the Doctor said in a chipper voice.

"Honestly I've been here two years and I still haven't seen all of it." Rose added.

"Of course not. The old girl likes to keep the mystery alive, nothing wrong with that." The Doctor dramatically flicked a switch, adding some flare as per usual. "Right, all set. Everyone hold on tight, she's still a little salty with me for leaving it so long to refuel, well, that and letting Jack inside."

Tosh scanned around for something to hold on to. Most of the others were clutching onto the railings in some form or another so she followed suit.

"Next stop; Cardiff, Earth, 2007, June 18th, 3:02pm. Allons-y."

A/N:

Next Chapter: Not sure of the name yet.

When: Thursday? If not Sunday/Monday.

Other notes The next chapter might be the last one.