Jack was just finishing with the evening's paperwork and preparing to relax with a glass of whiskey when the phone rang. Frowning, he picked it up and put it to his ear. On the other end, a British-accented voice said, "Bananas."
For a moment, Jack sat motionless, the phone frozen against the side of his head. Then, he leapt from his chair and raced out of his office, the phone still clutched in his hand. Taking the stairs three at a time, he sprinted to the bank of computers in the center of the hub. Grabbing the nearest monitor and pulling it towards him, he hastily typed "bananas" with clumsy fingers. At first, nothing happened. Then, the image of the Rift on the monitor flickered and vanish. Another image replaced it, this time of a man with glasses and messy brown hair peering out at the Hub.
"Doctor," Jack said with a grin.
"Ah, good, this thing still works. Hello, Jack!" The Doctor took off his glasses and stowed them in the inside pocket of his jacket. "I was just cleaning out the old transmissions system and thought I'd take it on a test run. How've you been?"
"Come on, Doctor, you and I both know that's a lie," Jack smiled. "You're calling about Alice, aren't you?"
The Doctor's smile faltered, then faded. He swallowed and passed a hand across his face.
"Yes," he said. "How is she?"
Jack hesitated. He knew he should tell the Doctor the truth—the whole truth—about Alice's anger and her outburst that day. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. He couldn't add to the weight on the Doctor's hearts, even though he knew it was the right thing to do. So he forced a smile and said, "She's settling in just fine."
The Doctor was not convinced.
"Now, Jack…"
"No, really, Doctor," Jack cut him off. "She's upset still, but those things take time. Give her a week and she'll be alright."
"Sorry." The Doctor looked down at his hands. "You must think I worry too much. I suppose I probably do."
"Of course you do," Jack soothed. "It's perfectly natural. It's the first time she's been away from home."
Awkward silence fell between them as both men realized the implications of Jack's words. The Doctor looked away and rubbed the back of his neck. Jack swallowed and dropped his gaze, embarrassed. His implication that Alice was akin to the Doctor's daughter, while unintentional, had clearly dredged up painful memories for the other man. Jack didn't know if the Doctor had ever had children, and he knew that now wasn't the time to ask. He cleared his throat.
The Doctor's attention snapped back to Jack.
"Sorry," he said, trying to gloss over the awkward moment. "So, have you found out anything about her?"
Jack shook his head.
"Nothing yet. I've spent hours searching the databases, and I've found some leads, but some key part is always wrong. There's hundreds of thousands of species of aliens, though. I've barely scratched the surface. What about you, Doctor? Have you found anything?"
"I haven't had any luck either," the Doctor said, making a face. "But…there is something. It's nothing concrete, mind you, more like a feeling. I don't know what it is exactly, but…something about her doesn't feel right. It never has. From the moment I found her, something's always been sort of…off. I don't know how to explain it, but I know that I don't like it." He looked Jack in the eyes. "The sooner we find out what she is, the better."
"Agreed," Jack said. "The Rift's been pretty quiet the last few weeks. I should be able to continue the search tomorrow. Don't worry, Doctor," he added. "I won't let you down."
"Good," the Doctor said absently. He was looking off into the distance, reflexively rubbing his stubbly cheek. Jack could tell he was preoccupied, whether it be with Alice or something else. "I'll check back in a few weeks, shall I? Just to make sure all's well." He turned to look at Jack once more. "Call me if you find something….or if anything…happens. You know the number."
"Of course."
"Well, goodbye, Jack, and good luck."
"Until next time, Doctor." The Doctor's face vanished, leaving the monitor to display an image of the Rift once more. Jack sighed. He would have to redouble the search tomorrow. He could probably spare Gwen and Owen to help him out. Maybe he'd put the whole team on it. Either way, it would have to be done sooner rather than later.
Jack stretched and yawned widely. It had been a long day. He turned his back on the computer bank and headed up the stairs, with sleep the only thing on his mind. Behind him, one of the monitors flashed once, briefly, red.
