When The Doctor Needs A Doctor
Beta – I Shot The Sheriff
Chapter 7: London
The next morning when Jack awoke, the first thing to come back to him was the previous night. He sat up in his bed; the covers falling down his chest as he did so, noticing that he still had yesterday's clothes on. Getting out of bed, Jack headed for the shower, picking up some clean clothes as he went.
When he arrived in the main body of the hub twenty minutes later, feeling much cleaner and refreshed, he noticed the only people around were Ianto (off to the side sorting files into order), and The Doctor, who was examining the Bekaran deep-tissue scanner owned by Owen at the other end of the room. Neither seemed to take notice of the other's presence, but both looked over as Jack entered. Ianto gave him a smile, but The Doctor glanced, and then turned back to the scanner. For a few seconds Jack watched him, trying to figure out what was going through his mind; it was like the other night never happened. With a sigh Jack shook his head; he had the same chance getting into The Doctor's head as he did of becoming the world's next best tap dancer.
Leaving it for now, Jack headed to his office. Out of the corner of his eye The Doctor watched him leave. He'd have to careful around Jack, he couldn't afford to get mixed up with all of these silly human emotions. He had no time or desire to get 'involved' with anyone. Placing the item down, he moved over to view more objects, his thoughts moving with him. He wanted to go back to London - he was getting bored stood around Torchwood, and he wasn't sure Jack's team really trusted him. "When are we leaving?" He voiced, fiddling with some object in his hands.
Ianto looked up at that and Jack glanced in his direction, but made his way over to The Doctor. As he walked over, Jack noticed that the Time Lord was shivering slightly, as though he was cold. "I don't know, any time I suppose." He shrugged, keeping his eyes on him, but not speaking up about what he saw.
The Doctor nodded to himself. "Do you have anything important to do around here?"
"Not at the minute," Jack replied, scratching the back of his head.
"Fantastic!" The Doctor beamed. "So, how are we getting back?"
"What, now?" Jack asked, a little thrown off. "We've not been here that long."
The Doctor gave a light shrug. "Well you said yourself that there's nothing going on right now, so, what's the point in staying?"
"There are my friend's here Doctor, I don't want to just walk out on them now. I don't even know when, or if I'll ever seen them again." Jack lowered his voice at the last part to prevent Ianto from overhearing.
"Time machine Jack." The Doctor reminded him. "We could leave now and see them again tomorrow."
"Yeah, maybe if you actually get the date right for once," Jack couldn't help but grin, lightening the mood.
"Date right? What, you don't like chasing monsters? How about a nice candle lit dinner for two next time then?" The Doctor laughed.
"Don't forget some run down motel for the night," He joined in, enjoying some harmless flirting. "I've already got you that drink, remember?"
"So you have." He agreed. "So… how about it?"
Jack looked at The Doctor for a few seconds, he looked quite hopeful. "Fine." He sighed, backing down. "Fine, we'll go."
The Doctor gave him a bright, charming smile. "Brilliant! Think Mickey would be bothered to pick us up?"
"What about the train?" Jack asked in reply, a small smile playing about his lips.
The Doctor scoffed. "What, when I can make Mickey drive all that way? Besides, the train just sounds so, human."
Jack raised his eyebrows. "But you like humans."
"Oh, I love them! Great race. However, I'm not human, and no matter how much I may like your kind, I don't want to be one, or live like one."
"Don't blame you."
The Doctor turned his head away, looking around the area. "Do you have a phone?"
"Upstairs."
With a nod The Doctor shot off towards the upper level, Mickey's number in his head.
While The Doctor was on the phone one by one the rest of the team filed in for work, The Doctor following close behind a few minutes later. "I'll have to tell them I'm leaving before we go." Jack sighed as The Doctor came to stand next to him, looking over at his team.
The Doctor nodded. "Well you have plenty of time, it'll be a few hours before Mickey gets here. Plus Gwen already knows, which could make it easier."
"Doubt it," Jack said. He glanced in The Doctor's direction; he was still shivering, and then stepped forwards. "Hey guy's, we need to talk." He sat himself down on the edge on Gwen's empty desk as everyone's attention turned onto him. "The Doctor and I will be leaving in a few hours, heading back to London." He paused, looking at each of them separately. His gaze rested a little longer on Gwen, who new what was coming. "And I'm not sure when I'll be back."
"What do you mean?" Tosh asked in slight confusion, "If you're only in London why wouldn't you know?"
"London for a while." Jack gave a quick look over to The Doctor. "After that I don't know where. Could be anywhere."
"Let me clarify this," Owen began, a frown on his face. "So what you're saying is that you're leaving Torchwood?"
Jack sighed, glancing down for a second before keeping his gaze on Owen. "That's not what I said - I just don't know how long I'll be gone for. Could be years, could be a week." He shrugged.
"If you do come back at all," Gwen put in.
Jack stared at her hard for a few seconds, then decided that there was no point in lying. "Yeah, if I do come back," he agreed.
"So that's it is it?" Came a sharp, snapped voice. Surprised, everyone turned their attention to Ianto - an out-burst from him really was rare. "He just comes running along one day and you immediately abandon your friends for an alien?"
Jack glared at him; he'd thought Ianto of all people would understand. That he'd realise Jack had to go with The Doctor. However, before he could reply he was cut off.
"Leave it Ianto. You should know better than anyone how long Jack's been waiting for The Doctor. Whether we like it or not, he's going. And you know what? I think he should." Surprisingly, the speaker was Owen. "Hell, we all know that Jack's not from around here, and I don't mean Cardiff. He belongs wherever it is he and The Doctor goes."
Jack looked at Owen, eyebrows raised and a bemused expression on his face. For a few seconds, Owen looked slightly embarrassed for standing up for Jack like that, then put on a smug 'I'm-The-Big-Man' face to cover it up.
"So, erm," Tosh began awkwardly, "how will you be getting back to London?"
"Rose's manservant, er, boyfriend." The Doctor quickly covered his mistake, the grin on his face showing what he really did mean.
"Right." Owen said, looking amused before getting professional and down to business. "Before you go Doctor, could I take a few blood samples? I still want to figure out your condition and I'm not the type of man to leave things half done. And before you say anything, no. The results, or any mention of the blood samples, will NOT leave this hub."
The Doctor shrugged and let him begin to run the tests. "They'll be ready by tomorrow I expect." He informed them.
By the time all of the explaining and blood taking had been done, Mickey had arrived at the 'Information' Centre, the nondescript Torchwood.
"Well," The Doctor said giving everyone a cherry smile. "Off we go. Bye!" He bounded off up the stairs without another word, but Jack stayed a little longer.
He turned to his team, looking awkward. "Well, er, bye then."
Unexpectedly Gwen pulled him into a hard hug, resting her head on his shoulder. "Don't be a stranger Jack," she whispered close to his ear. She held onto him for a few more seconds before releasing him.
Tosh walked over to him next, also hugging him. "Take care Jack."
"I will," he promised, as Owen then came over.
They looked slightly unsure what to say or do, and so Jack put out a hand for him to shake, but after a few seconds hesitation Owen pulled him into a quick, brief hug. "Don't go and get yourself killed by aliens."
Jack just laughed in answer as Owen moved off to the side. Now only Ianto was left. As though sensing something the other three Torchwood members's backed off, leaving the two men to talk. "Goodbye Ianto," Jack said softly.
Ianto nodded, not quite meeting Jack's gaze. "Stay safe," he muttered, half wanting to just turn and walk away, half wanting to throw his arms around Jack.
Without warning Jack pulled the other man into a tight hug. "I'm sorry Ianto, but I have to go."
Ianto nodded against his chest, his emotions all rushing forward now Jack's arms were around him. "I understand," He whispered. "Just, just promise that you won't forget about us."
Jack chuckled, his chest moving under Ianto. "How could I ever forget you guys? Even if I wanted to, I couldn't."
"Good." Was the only reply he got.
Jack gave him one last little kiss in his hair, and pulled away.
"Later." He grinned to his now former team. "Oh, and don't mess up your new position Owen." With that he turned and left, heading where The Doctor had disappeared to a few minutes earlier.
"What kept you?" An impatient Doctor complained, eager to be leaving.
"Saying goodbye." Jack returned.
"It took you 7 minutes and 16 seconds to say two words?"
"Oh, shut up."
00000
A few hours later, Mickey was sat with Jack and The Doctor is Rose's living room, the TV on, playing some old Western movie. Mickey seemed to be very involved in it, which left the other two with plenty of room to talk. And there was something Jack really wanted to discuss with him. "Hey Doc, about last night, I don't know how you feel about that, but if you want to forget it, fine, just say so and I'll never bring it up again. Otherwise, we need to talk."
The Doctor studied him for a few long seconds, glanced at Mickey, and then stood, nodding his head in the direction of the kitchen. Jack nodded back, then stood and followed the Time Lord, shutting the door behind him. Once again not missing the soft shivering of The Doctor, which hadn't stopped since the morning.
Leaning against the counter Jack folded his arms, waiting for the other man to begin the awkward conversation. After a few minutes with nothing happening Jack sighed, fed up with the silence. "Alright, lets do this another way." He pushed himself off of the counter, going to stand in front of The Doctor. "If you have feelings for me, kiss me. If not, walk away."
For a few minutes nothing happened, The Doctor seemed frozen, his expression unreadable. With a heavy sigh Jack turned on his heel, walking to the door.
The Doctor watched his retreating back for about two seconds before coming to a snap decision. Before he could leave the room The Doctor took a step forwards, grabbed a hold of Jack's arm and pulled him around. Before the immortal new what had hit him The Doctor had his lips pressed against his. Almost immediately Jack began to kiss back, pressing his body up close to the others, hands grabbing hold of The Doctor's hips, keeping him close. Just as before, there was a fire in their touches. But this one seemed different somehow; now neither had to worry about the other's reaction, this was their choice. And it felt so good, so right. Jack gently bit down on The Doctor's lower lip, and the Time Lord easily parted his lips, allowing Jack entry. Exploring as much as he could before he ran out of air Jack felt one of his hands wander up The Doctor's side, feeling the man's slim frame through the layers of clothing as one of The Doctor's hands found itself at the back of Jack's neck, twisting his hair around a finger and pulling Jack closer to him, crushing their lips even more closely together.
When the need for air forced them to separate, The Doctor kept his lips resting against Jack's. "That enough of an answer?" He whispered, lips brushing Jack's with each word.
Grinning against his mouth Jack locked eyes with him. "Wouldn't mind more convincing."
Happy to help out with that, The Doctor once again kissed him, both ignoring the sound of the phone when it began to ring, too involved in each other.
"Phone!" Mickey shouted from the other room.
Irritated with the interruption, they pulled away slightly. "Answer it then!" They both snapped together. Jack grinned at The Doctor, and wrapped his arms around the Time Lord's neck, kissing him with pure joy and happiness, finally abating a deep longing that had been in him for far too long.
A minute went by. "Hey, Jumping Jack Flash, it's for you, some guy called Owen."
Once again the pair pulled away from each other. Jack had half a mind to just ignore the call, but the rational part of him realised Owen wouldn't be ringing so soon without a good reason. "Better get it," he said.
The Doctor nodded, releasing Jack from his grip.
Stepping into the living room, flattening his ruffled up hair, Jack saw Mickey already sat back on the sofa, watching the movie, the phone was laid on a small side table to Jack's left. He picked it up and put it to his ear. "What's up Owen?"
"Remember those blood samples I got off of The Doctor just before you left? Well I've just finished running the tests. I've double and triple checked, I'm sorry Jack." There was a pause where Owen tried to compose himself, wishing someone else had to do this. The pause worried Jack, but he kept his cool. "…Jack, I'm sorry but… He's dying."
A/N: Big dramatic gasp!