a/n; all i can say is I'm sorry...
Jack watched the Doctor carefully as he paced round the TARDIS muttering "bloody interfering woman.. ..I was this close to snuffing him out," he fumed.
"So why didn't you?" Jack asked. He didn't really want to ask but he needed to know what had stopped his behaviour so abruptly.
The Doctor snapped his head round to look at Jack. It took him a while before he answered. "Doesn't matter." The sneer was back, like there was a bad taste in his mouth.
"So where are we going now?"
"Haven't decided." He stalked off out of the control room.
Jack waited until he was long gone before finding a safe place to hole up in. One that he could defend but could also keep tabs from.
Once sequestered he phoned Rose. "You ok?"
"Yeah we're just going to.."
"Don't tell me," he cut her off. "The less I know the better. How's the kid?"
"Alive. He doesn't remember anything. He thinks he took some bad pills and passed out."
"He's lucky you where there."
"Not really. If I hadn't been he wouldn't have been caught in the middle of whatever that was."
He could hear her fatigue through the phone.
"That was him testing his resolve against you. And he failed! Looks like our Doctor still has some influence. He's not happy that kid lived."
"What's he doing now?"
"He's disappeared into the depths of the TARDIS. Think he's probably done for the day. We haven't lost him Rose. He's still with us."
"For now," she sighed.
"Hey now. The fact he couldn't kill that kid means what YOU think still means something to him. You guys gona be ok?"
"Yeah we're heading for safety. All of us. "
"Good plan. I don't think he could hurt you physically but…"
"Yeah I know; he's good at manipulation according to him."
"Exactly. I don't want him hurting you emotionally, neither does the Doc. It'll be ok Rose."
"Be safe Jack. If you have to run, run."
"Yes ma'am." Jack sighed as he hung up. It was gona be a long, lonely time before he saw either of his friends again.
XxXxX
After making sure her family were settled, Rose went to explore the Hub. Finding Jack's office she smiled sadly. Closing the door behind her, she turned in his radio and settled into his chair. The Doctor's hand was still on his desk, it's jar an eerie reminder of just how strange her life was. She wondered if it still bubbled when the Doctor was near.
With a groan she rested her head on the desk and closed her eyes. Hoping that, if sleep ever came, she would wake up and this all would have been a nightmare.
XxXxX
'Rose? Is that you?' His comforting voice sounded in her head.
'Doctor'?
'I'm here. Are you ok? That lad is he?'
'He's fine,' Rose assured him, hearing a sigh of relief. 'Are you ok?'
'I was trying to stop him but I lost my hold he shut me out completely.'
'You did it. He's alive.'
'Are you safe? Don't tell me where.'
'We're all safe. I promise.'
'So….'
'That was Jimmy Stone,' she explained.
'Ah. Infamous ex boyfriend Jimmy.'
'Yeah,' Rose scoffed ok
'Seems nice.'
She could almost see his cheeky half smile and raised eyebrow but they both have a humourless chuckle.
'He's not improved with age, sad to say. Listen what he said…' She could feel her cheeks burning with shame.
'Doesn't matter,' the Doctor interrupted.
'But he…'
'It doesn't matter.' His voice was more firm. 'Nothing anyone says matters, unless it's you.'
'Well I think he's a dick and was a massive mistake.'
'I think you're right,' he chuckled, this time with a little more humour.
'I miss you. Which is dumb cause it's not even been a full day yet,' she winced at how strained her voice sounded.
'I miss you too. Oh, you'll never know how much. I'm so sorry.' he sighed.
'Stop it. Stop apologising. Our lives have never been simple or boring but we always find our way through it. This time is no different. We WILL win this and you'll come back,' she told him adamantly.
'Rose. I might not always be able to stop him. He could easily kill people. Entire planets even. I've done it before and he won't think twice about it.'
'He stopped today,' Rose countered, hearing a hint of distress in her love's voice.
'That's because you were there and it gave me the strength to fight it twice as hard. He's getting stronger.'
'Well you'll just have to keep coming back to me like this while we're apart.'
There was silence.
'Doctor? You still there?'
'I'm here.'
'I love you,'
'Quite right too. And, Rose Tyler, I love you.'
Everything fell quiet again.
'Eugh. Sentimentality. Always gets the the way. Well not any more!'
Rose snapped awake, knowing that last line wasn't her Doctor. The other one was awake and he knew they'd been talking. That couldn't be good.
XxXxX
Jack felt the TARDIS jerk and shudder as he raced to the control room. He hesitates at the entrance, watching the Doctor's movements.
"Arrogant, foolish, degenerate. How could you possibly think you'd get away with that? Defiling our mind, letting her in. Think I wouldn't notice? I'll show you. I'm in charge now. You've had your fun for almost a millennia. Now it's my turn."
Jack caught glimpses of the Time Lord's face and he whizzed around the control panel. He looked pissed. Really, really pissed. He needed to talk to Rose and find out what happened but he was concerned about taking his eyes off the lunatic. Whatever he was up to Jack was pretty sure the real Doctor would regret it.
The alien looked up at him as they bumped a landing. "Come on Jack. Let me show you how we really have fun." A manic grin spread across his face and Jack's breath caught, he already knew this wasn't going to end well for any of them.
The Time Lord bounded out of the TARDIS doors, Jack hot on his heels.
"Ahh, now THIS, this is entertainment. The ultimate fight for survival."
Looking down from their viewpoint Jack saw the ruins of a settlement, a war still raging.
"Breathe in that air Jack, desperation. You can almost taste it.," he said gleefully.
"We've got to help them!" Jack cried.
"Mustn't interfere with the game."
"This isn't you. You help people!"
The Doctor spun to face Jack. "I've lived for almost a thousand years, so long I've lost count. I've had so many faces, so many personalities," he snarled. "How long have you been here? You don't know me. Not even a little bit."
"I know you care. People are suffering and deep down you want to help."
The Doctor snorted and returned his attention to the destruction. "I'm not him Jack." He started to walk down from their vantage point towards the chaos. His steps quickening the closer he got. "You see Jack. This is what we thrive on. Watching civilisations destroy one another." His voice was almost gleeful.
"Help us! Please!" a weak voice called. Jack rushed over to help, the Doctor strolling behind.
"Help them!" Jack pleaded.
The Time Lord stood staring at the dying creature before them "Why would I want to do that? They're nothing, a footnote in history at best." He looked round at what was left of the village and sighed. "Although. I've seen better wars. Ended some of them." Looking back at Jack he rolled his eyes. "Fine, out of the way," he groaned, lifting his sonic screwdriver,
Hopeful, Jack stepped back, beside the Time Lord. A few moments passed before a rumbling began.
"What are you doing?!" Jack yelled as the remains of the building collapsed.
"Ending their suffering. That's what you wanted me to do. Can't save everybody, and some just aren't worth saving. Do you remember that feeling, Jack? Having someone's life in your hands? Begging for mercy, begging for you to end it? Remember how your whole being would sing?"
Jack gulped down his rage as he stared at the pile of rubble, that now hid the creature. He didn't even know where they were, what the inhabitants were called. "No. I don't," he growled. " I never enjoyed torturing people. It just made me angry and sick."
"Eugh. If you're going to be a sour puss we might as well just leave. You really know how to spoil the mood," the Doctor complained. "Honestly not sure why you're still here." He swept away, heading back to the TARDIS, not even bothering with a backward glance.
Jack stood and looked around. Their Doctor had been right; this Doctor was something completely new and Jack hated it. With a great amount of sorrow he followed the Time Lord.
Jack and the Doctor said nothing to each other as the TARDIS burst into life, waiting for the inevitable bump of a landing.
"Maybe this is more to your liking," the Time Lord announced as he exited the ship and with an all too familiar sense of dread, Jack followed.
He stepped out, surprised to find himself at the same bar they had visited just days ago. "What are we doing here?"
"Well. Seeing as my fun seems to upset you so much, I thought we'd try your kind of fun," the Doctor replied, his gaze travelling around the room. "You going to find your own or are you wanting to share mine?" he asked as his eyes found what they were looking for, or rather who.
Jack followed his movements. He recognised the Rahmeev as the one who'd tried to put the moves on the Doctor before and he suddenly felt very sick. Surely he wouldn't. Time Lords didn't do that sort of thing for fun. But this was the Doctor, and he did with Rose. The Time Agent's heart was almost beating out of his chest, blood rushing in his ears as he watched, frozen to the spot as the Time Lord and his new friend made their way down a corridor. He had to stop him! The Doctor would never forgive himself! He'd have to drag him out, knock him unconscious maybe? That Time Lord needed to get back to the TARDIS and find this bloody Valeyard, so things could go back to normal. Kicking himself into action, Jack weaved his way through the crowd, following behind. He'd lost sight of them and was now confronted with multiple doors; all looking the same, all for the same purpose. There were at least a dozen. He needed to find the Doctor fast!
He only had one option; open every door. Again and again he found couples engaging in various acts but none were the Doctor, he was beginning to wonder if he'd missed them.
As he opened the next door he heard a familiar voice groan.
A strange girl on her knees, pleasuring the Doctor was a something he never thought he'd see. Lunging forward, Jack pushed the girl away and punched the Doctor so hard he hit the ground. Standing over him he watched the Doctor scrabble around on the floor, trying to move away whilst righting his clothes.
"No, no, no, no, no, no. What have I done? No, no!" Dragging himself upright, the Doctor met his friend's angry gaze for a moment. Shaking his head as tears sprang to his eyes he darted for the door.
For the umpteenth time today, Jack was dumbfound. The horror on the Doctor's face almost had him believing it was their Doctor that had just fled the room. He took off after him barely making it through the ship's doors as it dematerialised, and chased him through the TARDIS' corridors.
XxXxX
The Doctor raced through his home straight to his bedroom and into his bathroom. He slammed the door and locked it before lurching towards the toilet. His stomach roiled as tears rolled down his face. It was like he'd woken up from a bad dream or had been sleep walking. He'd had no control but had been internally screaming for what seemed like an eternity. Jack's punch had caused his darker self to retreat, planning to enjoy the pain Jack was sure to inflict on his friend from the distance of not being in charge.
When his stomach was empty he literally tore at his clothes, trying to get them as far away from him as quickly as possible. Shaking, he managed to turn on the shower and stepped underneath the scalding hot spray. He scrubbed at his skin trying to feel clean as cries of despair wracked through his body. He'd betrayed Rose, he'd done the one thing he'd always thought would be impossible for him; he'd taken pleasure in another woman.
XxXxX