When The Doctor Needs A Doctor
First of all, I'd just like to say thank-you to everyone who has stuck with this story and continued to review, you guys are the best. And to all who have recently started reading this fic, I hope you enjoy it. I know I'm not the fastest person to update, so thanks again for not just giving up on it.
And of course, a special thanks to my beta I Shot The Sheriff.
Chapter 8: Sweet Rose
One and a half weeks had gone since the call Jack had received from Owen. He'd had one hell of a job trying to mount up the courage to tell The Doctor the news, but he knew that it wouldn't be fair not to tell him. The Doctor had taken the news very well, with a small snort of "Like something so petty is going to stop me!" When the phone had rung, cutting off the conversation Jack wasn't sure whether he was glad or not. Rose shouting down the phone at him for having The Doctor out 'in his condition' did seem a better choice than a conversation with The Doctor about Owen's findings. However he wasn't stupid, and knew it was something The Doctor would have to talk to someone about.
A few day's ago, Mickey had found out about The Doctor's and Jack's new relationship. Surprisingly, he took it extremely well; in fact he was grinning so much that the Doctor had took to calling him 'Joker', before adding quite pleasantly that just because he didn't like Rose as anything more than a good friend, it didn't mean she'd get back with him. With that Mickey's smile promptly dropped, he muttered a few things about The Doctor and retreated back to his flat, determined to prove him wrong.
Over the week Jack had noticed that The Doctor was still shivering, and it seemed to be getting worse. He'd also had more attacks of sudden pain, leaving him gasping for breath while Jack tried to calm him, feeling utterly useless. Owen was working on finding a cure, but with The Doctor being a Time Lord, and the fact that Torchwood had never dealt with an illness like this, he wasn't having much luck. The Doctor had to remind Jack quite a few times about his regeneration, but Jack couldn't help thinking what a waste of one that'd be, and there was a risk about leaving it to that end, when they weren't even sure about this alien illness - what if it stopped regeneration like a Dalek or Aspirin would?
Currently, the three were sat in the Tyler's living room - Mickey on the sofa, Jack on the floor with his back leaning against it, and The Doctor sat between Jack's legs, back leaned on his chest, head on his shoulder with Jack's arms resting loosely around his waist. Today was the day the two Tyler women returned. Rose's mate, Keisha, was down near the airport visiting a friend, and so she was picking them up from the airport - in fact, they would be back soon. "So what you gonna tell her, Doctor?" Mickey asked, looking away from the War of the Worlds DVD playing.
"Tell who what?" He asked, not really paying him much attention as Jack's hand found its way into his hair, which he was finding soothing in the extreme.
Mickey grinned at him; he was looking forward to this. "Tell Rose about you and Flash Jack."
The Doctor suddenly sat bolt upright, a look of complete horror crossing his face at the thought of an angry teenage human girl, and not just that, but Jackie! What if she took it upon herself to see the situation as The Doctor breaking Rose's heart? "I need a tranquiliser gun! And a big one at that!"
000
Rose Tyler grinned as she got out of Keisha's car, looking up at her flat. She couldn't wait to see The Doctor again, and have some proper time to catch up with Jack. She hoped that The Doctor was feeling better, every time she asked Jack he said that he wasn't to bad, and when she spoke with the man-alien himself he sounded just like his normal, bouncy, talkative self.
On holiday Rose had acquired a very nice tan, and her blonde hair seemed even lighter, making the brightness in her eyes shine out, impossible for anyone to miss. With a smile as bright as her eyes Rose thanked Keisha and said goodbye, then hurriedly led Jackie up the stone steps. A few minutes later she threw open the door, beaming. Jackie followed her in a few seconds later, shutting and locking the front door behind her. "We're back!" She heard her daughter shout. "Doctor, Jack!"
Entering Rose also saw that Mickey was there. "Hey Mickey."
Mickey gave her a quick friendly hug. "Good trip?"
"Great, yeah." She nodded, and then turned to the other two men in the room. Jack got up from the floor and greeted her with a kiss on the cheek and a wink. Next was The Doctor, who was hovering around, looking happy to see her, but slightly guilty. "What have you been up to?" She used her best Jackie-voice, hands on her hips. "You bet have not ruined my room or something."
The Doctor gave her a wide smile. "Your room is fine." He walked over to her and also greeted her back with a warm hug.
"I'll get us some tea shall I?" Jackie offered, already on her way to the kitchen. "How do you take your Jack?"
"Plain, thanks."
When she had left Mickey gave Rose a big smile. "The Doctor and Jack have something to tell you." He beamed.
"Yeah, what's up?"
The Doctor looked stricken for a moment. "Er, I, erm…I'll tell you later."
"Chicken," Mickey whispered.
"Yep." He agreed, giving him a toothy grin. "Maybe I could convince Jack to tell her…"
Mickey rolled his eyes, some Time Lord he is - he can face thirty-foot monsters, but can't tell Rose about this one 'thing'. "You look great Rose." Mickey complemented, leaving The Doctor alone for now.
"Thanks." She laughed, immediately forgetting about what it was The Doctor was stumbling over his words about. "And so I should, I had to work hard for this tan."
"Well, if you call lazing around at the beach sunbathing hard, then yeah, musta been back-breaking." Jack joked, taking in the, admittedly breath-taking, tan. It looked like she'd been gone two months, not two weeks.
Just then Jackie came back in, cups on a tray. "There we go," she said, handing them around, and then taking a seat on the sofa, sipping her own drink. "So - what have you lot been up to? I heard you two ended up in Cardiff."
"Yeah, just for a night," Jack answered with a nod. "The Doc wasn't too good, and a friend of mine is a doctor there, doctor for both humans and aliens."
"A Doctor needing a doctor," Jackie laughed. "Well, he looks fine now. So, what's wrong with you?" She turned her attention from Jack to The Doctor.
He shrugged nonchalantly. "Don't think it has a name."
Earlier on in the week, The Doctor had decided not to tell Rose about 'the whole dying part', as he didn't want her scared and worrying. After all, what she doesn't know wouldn't hurt her.
Jackie just nodded again. "Well, I'm off out for a while, I promised Tracy I'd drop round when we got back, its been ages since we've had a proper talk."
"Yeah, I better be off to," Mickey added. "Meeting up with the boys for a few hours. See you later babe." Mickey gave Rose a kiss on the cheek, and then followed Jackie out.
Tongue between her teeth Rose turned back to The Doctor and Jack, remembering what Mickey had said. "So, what did you want to tell me?"
000
"You're what!" Rose half screeched, half yelled.
"I'm, er, with Jack." The Doctor repeated, backing off from a furious Rose as fast as he could, but not being able to see, the back of his knees hit the sofa and he fell onto it. Rose stalked up to him, and stood there, looking down on him as he tried to scramble away, but only succeeded on making it to the other end of the sofa, on his back.
For Jack's part he was stood behind Rose, out of the line of fire. Nervous about approaching her right now, and also a little (or a lot) insulted, what was wrong with being with him?
"I leave for two weeks, two weeks! And you go running off with him!" She was bent down, finger in The Doctor's face, her own face red. The Doctor could just imagine the steam coming out of her nostrils.
"He has a name." Jack mumbled.
Bad idea. Rose heard, and then rounded on him. The Doctor sighed as her attention was distracted. Jack looked horrified. "You! What is this for you Jack? Just another conquest? Another person to add to your ever growing list?"
"Course its not." Jack protested. "Its different."
"Different! Different! Please Jack, explain to me just how this is 'different', coz as far as I know you've wanted to sleep with The Doctor since the very first time you laid eyes on him."
"Rose." Came a soft, calm voice, but at the same time seemed to demand attention. It cut through the air like a knife, stopping Rose mid rant, and causing both Rose and Jack to look over at The Doctor, who was now stood and walking over. "Do you really think I'd get with Jack just for some one-night-stand?"
"Well, no but-"
The Doctor held up a hand, once again cutting her off. "No Rose. I'm over nine hundred years old; I'm not some child who needs lessons and his hand holding. I'm with Jack because I want to be. And, to be completely honest, it's really none of your business. I'm not a position, you can't argue over me. You have no right to judge, or think we should do as you say."
By now Rose had tears in her eyes, and they were beginning to leak down her cheeks. Rose nodded. "You're right, it isn't any of my business." She sniffed, and then slipped past him, quickly walking to her room.
"Well that was a little harsh." Jack snapped when the bedroom door closed.
The Doctor studied the dark haired man for a few moments, and then sighed. "Yeah, maybe I could have been a little nicer."
"You think." Jack replied sarcastically.
The Doctor looked at Rose's door, and then back to Jack. "Think I should go talk to her?"
His answer was a snort. "After that? I don't think she'll want to see you for a while…I'll go."
The Doctor nodded; maybe it would be best if it were another human talking with her, human emotions and all that. As Jack headed off, The Doctor dropped heavily onto the sofa with a sigh. Just once why couldn't anything go right?
"Rose?" Jack called, knocking on the shut door.
"Go 'way Jack." Came a soft, muffled reply.
Ignoring her request he slowly pushed open the door and stepped into the pink room. In the middle of the bed lay Rose on her stomach, quilt in a heap under her head, pillows over. Sitting down on the edge on the bed Jack watched her for a few seconds, before calling her name again. "Listen Rose, The Doctor was being a little harsh, this is your business, he's your friend, and I don't want to ruin that." He waited, but Rose stayed stubbornly in her position. "This isn't some fling to me. I really do want to be with him, but-" Jack paused, taking a breath, really not wanting to say the next words. This caught Rose's attention, and she shifted slightly so Jack's image was clear from the side of her eye. Now he wasn't looking at her, and she could see the trouble he was having saying this. "If, if you want I'll clear off, go back to Torchwood…"
For the longest moment Rose studied him. She new he was being truthful, if she said yes, he'd walk away know matter how much it killed him, but could she really do that? Hurt Jack and The Doctor like that? Suddenly anger rose in her, yeah, maybe he should leave, it was fine between her and The Doctor before he came along. Then, as suddenly as it came, it left. Rose pulled herself up from the bed and wiped away her tears, leaving her eyes red and puffy, but she held Jack's gaze. She took a large breath. "No Jack, that's not fair. If-if you're both happy, then that's it, The Doctor deserves some happiness after all these years. He was right, I shouldn't have said those things, I'm sorry. He's not something to be owned, and he can make his own choices."
Jack continued to hold her gaze for another few seconds. "Thank you."
She gave him a watery smile. "Go on then, get, I need some sleep, planes do that to you."
Taking the hint Jack stood, looked over her for a few seconds, and then left. He new that she was lying when she said those things, maybe not completely, after all Jack believed its how Rose wanted to see the situation, but she just couldn't bring herself to.
"Is she okay?" The Doctor asked quietly as Jack came back.
He nodded. "Yeah, she's gone to sleep now."
"Oh, OK." The Doctor said, lack of anything else to say. Jack sat down next to him and they both stayed in silence. After a few minutes The Doctor sighed, and leaned his head against Jack's shoulder. "I suppose it could have been worse."
"Yeah?" Jack asked, manoeuvring The Doctor more into his arms.
"Yeah." The Time Lord nodded. "Jackie could have been here."
Jack chuckled. "I don't know, she didn't seem that bad to me."
The Doctor turned his head, so he was looking up at Jack's face. "That's because you didn't 'kidnap' her daughter for a year."
"True." Jack agreed, kissing his exposed neck. "I guess that would cause some conflict."
000
That night The Doctor lay on the bed, not needing to sleep and even if he did he wasn't sure he'd be able to. He glanced to his left, at Jack's sleeping figure, his hair falling about his face. Despite Jack's nature, The Doctor had never had sex with him. The thing about species that look the same, but are completely different, is that they tend to forget at times. All races had different wants, views, and things affected them in a different way's than they would affect another species. For humans, sex could just be for fun, or for two people to become closer, to show love and trust. But for a Time Lord, it was more than just that; in fact not that many Gallifreyan's bothered much with sexual intercourse. If a Time Lord is to have sex, or make love, than they create a bond with that person. It doesn't mean that you have to stay with them, but you feel their feelings, you see into their life, and they your own. The Doctor wasn't sure that was what he wanted with Jack, or at least not yet.
Rose was also on his mind. Despite what he had said he was worried for her - well, maybe not worry wasn't the right word, but concerned.
With a sigh The Doctor got up, being careful not to wake Jack. He left the room, shutting the door quietly.
000
With a sigh Rose stood up. For the past few hours she'd just been laying there, unable to sleep. Deciding to brew some tea she left the room, taking care to be quiet as she passed her mum's room; after all, it must be about 2am. As she was walking to the kitchen she saw The Doctor on the sofa, his back to her. She froze for a few seconds, looking at the back of his head. Maybe she should just go, back to bed, pretend she was never there. Most likely The Doctor already knew she was there anyway, feeling slightly nervous she made her way over, gingerly taking a seat next to him. "Hey."
Turning his head to look at her, The Doctor gave her a smile back. "Rose," he said. "Look, I'm sorry about what I said, but most of it is true."
Rose waved him off. "No, don't apologise, if anyone should be saying sorry it's me. It's just, well, oh I don't know." She glanced down at her feet. "I just always thought you and me, ya no? Like, we had something."
The Doctor stayed silent, just looking ahead.
"Why Jack?" She wanted to know.
For a few seconds he paused, thinking about the reasons. "He's different from all of the other people I've ever travelled with. He's used to aliens and time travel, unusual things don't faze him, and he can do job whether easy or life threatening without complaint. I suppose I also like the way he sees things, laid back, takes the universe as it comes at him. When things go wrong he came make a joke about it. If we have some twelve-foot monster with tusks and sixteen red eyes growling at us he doesn't freak out – in fact he'd probably just flirt with it… He's immortal you know."
"What?" Rose asked, surprise showing on her face.
"Yeah," The Doctor nodded with a smile. "Kill him and he just gets back up, kill him again and he'd be back on his feet a minute later."
"H-how?"
"…You."
With a mixture of shock and confusion Rose looked at him. "What do you mean me? I didn't do anything."
"Satellite Five, or the Game Station, whatever you want to call it. When you were the Bad Wolf, Jack had just died, and you brought him back. 'I give life'. Can you remember? You made sure that he lived. I didn't even know until Jack came down."
"What, so he'll like, never die?"
"Well, he might age very slowly, but if so then that'll be the only thing that'll end him." The Doctor said, not to sure about it himself, it wasn't anything that had happened before. It wasn't even supposed to happen, but it did, and The Doctor was glad about that.
Rose nodded, thinking about it. "So you won't have to be lonely anymore." She said quietly.
"Oh, I was never really lonely was I, always had you around to make great company." He grinned.
Rose gave him a smile. "So I really brought someone back from the dead."
"Yep." He then frowned. "Still not sure how exactly, in theory it's quite simple, but to actually put that power into a person…"
"Well." Rose smiled with a soft laugh, moving a peace of hair from her face. "I'm just that good aren't I?" She joked.
"Yeah, you are," he said seriously. "You're brilliant."
000
The next morning everyone seemed to be up early, even Rose who hadn't had much sleep. By seven o clock Jackie was making breakfast, Rose had gone over to see Mickey, Jack was in the shower and The Doctor was flicking through the morning paper, looking bored, glasses pushed up high on his nose.
"Do you actually need them, or are they for show to make you look more intelligent?" Jack asked as he walked in, hair still damp from his shower.
"I don't need to look intelligent, I already am." The Doctor replied, folding the paper and putting it down before removing his glasses and pocketing them. He stood and made his way over to Jack as the front door opened and Rose came back in, at the exact time Jackie shouted breakfast was out.
"Hey," Rose greeted. "Mickey's coming round later. Be nice, yeah?"
The Doctor pulled a fake hurt face. "Aren't I always?"
"Food!" Jackie shouted out again from the kitchen.
As Rose stepped into the kitchen The Doctor reached Jack. "Come on then." He kissed Jack and then took his hand, following Rose.
"Come on," Jackie pestered them, "you ain't got all day you know, it'll be cold, I didn't stand there cooking for it to go to waste." She looked over to them, and noticed there joint hands. "What are you doin'?"
For one stupid minute both men had forgotten about Jackie not knowing, or perhaps that same sex relationships weren't as common in the 21st Century. "They're together mum." Rose put in before they could say anything.
Jackie looked from Jack and The Doctor to Rose, and then back at The Doctor. "Well, he's a time travelling alien, he goes an' changes his face, and that's all fine, but I gotta say, I never saw that one comin'."
Rose rolled her eyes and shoved a large peace of bacon in her mouth. "Just leave it yeah?" She mumbled between chewing.
"Er, manners," Jackie warned her. "Don't talk with your mouth full."
Rose rolled her eyes but didn't respond.
After they'd all eaten Rose insisted that they all go out, she'd needed a new pair of trainers for a while now, after all she didn't want to be running for her life when her shoes break, which causes her to trip and she ends up as dinner. She'd already deemed The Doctor well enough for a shopping trip; after all he wasn't throwing up all over the place or anything of the sort. They met up with Mickey, and headed further into central London, taking the bus.
Half an hour later Rose and Jackie were sat on a seat, dozens of boxes full of shoes surrounding them, oohing and aahing over each of them, talking much too fast for any of their male companions could keep up with, even The Doctor who was the most talkative person any of them new.
"Ooh, Rose darling, look at those gorgeous pink high heels, they're in your size see?" Jackie pointed to a box a few feet away as Rose was slipping on a pair of flip-flops.
"This is gonna take a while," Mickey sighed, yawning from boredom already.
The Doctor nodded and turned to look at Jack, but he was wondering off to another ail. "Jack?"
A few seconds later he returned, a grin on his face. He threw something at The Doctor, who caught it on reflex. With a frown he looked at what it was, a pair of red shoes, with very thin, large heels. He gave Jack a confused look. Jack's grin just widened. "Well, you dream about it, thought you might like to try them on for size."
The Doctor scowled at him, throwing the shoes back at him, a little more forceful than necessary. Laughing, Jack snatched them out of the air, and just left them on the nearest shelf.
"What dream is that?" Mickey asked in interest, but shut up with the dark look he received from The Doctor.
"I knew there was a reason I shouldn't have told you," The Doctor said to Jack as he walked back over.
Jack gave him a light, friendly shove on his arm, and noticed when he flinched slightly. "Oh, please don't tell me that hurt," Jack raised his eyebrows, looking over the Time Lord.
"No." He shook his head. "I just felt… Never mind, I'm fine."
"Sure?" Jack asked in concern.
"Maybe some air would help." Mickey suggested.
The Doctor waved them off. "Nah, really, I'm fine." He insisted as he went pale, colour flooding from his cheeks.
"Listen, Doc-" But Jack was cut of when The Doctor felt his knees go weak and he lost his balance. He grabbed onto Jack's t-shirt as he leaned over heaving, as blood poured from his mouth. "Shit!" Jack cursed, grabbing him securely in his arms as The Doctor continued to throw up blood.
By now everyone in the shop was aware of what was happening and Rose and Jackie jumped from their seats, leaving the shoes as they rushed over. "Oh my God, Doctor!" Rose yelled. "We need to get him out if here!"
"I'll ring an ambulance," Mickey said, pulling out his mobile.
"No!" Rose quickly stopped him. "It's to risky, if anyone were to find out what he is."
"The TARDIS." The Doctor wheezed, having finished throwing up, but now coughing violently, a few specks of blood flying out as he did.
The stunned costumers and shop workers scrambled out of the way as the group ran out, Jack carrying The Doctor in his arms.
Being the first out of the shop Jackie hailed down a taxi, which luckily only took a few seconds. "Everyone get in!" She urged. Rose climbed into the backseat and gently helped The Doctor as Jack placed him in, before following himself. Mickey squeezed in after them and Jackie got in the front.
"There's too many people." The cab driver spoke with a plain voice.
Jackie glared at him. "Can't you see this is an emergency? Now MOVE IT!"
000
Twenty minutes later The Doctor was laid asleep in the TARDIS's med bay, everyone hovering over him. They'd given him the treatment the TARDIS had delivered them, and now just had to wait. His face was getting more colour in it slowly, and his heart's seemed fine.
"Maybe we should just leave him to rest." Jackie said, looking over him.
"Yeah." Rose agreed, but nobody moved.
In his sleep The Doctor shifted slightly and mumbled something too quietly for them to hear, but it sounded oddly like few words from a song, in some strange language.
With a sigh Rose looked down, and noticed that she was wearing a pair of trainers from the shop. For a few seconds she conceded leaving it, but she was an honest person. "I'll have to take these back, or go pay for them." She declared, pointing at them. "Hey look, here's a price tag, £40."
This caused Jackie to also look at her own feet, she to had on a pair of the shops shoes. "Don't worry sweetheart, you stay here with The Doctor, I'll go and pay for them, just give me the label, I have to pay for mine to anyway."
"Thanks." Rose smiled, doing as her mum asked.
After Jackie had left Rose and Mickey headed to the TARDIS's kitchen to get a drink, leaving Jack alone with The Doctor.
In a seat next to the bed Jack had The Doctor's hand in his, stroking it with light touches. He lent over and brushed a light kiss over his lips. "Jack?" Came a mumbled whisper as The Doctor began to stir.
"Yeah, it's me," he smiled.
The Doctor's eyes fluttered open, and he gave Jack a small smile in return, sitting up.
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm okay, just a little dizzy," he told him sincerely.
Jack shook his head. "You're getting worse Doctor."
The Doctor sighed heavily. "Yeah, I guess I am."
"Is there nothing we can do?" Jack asked desperately. "You can't go on like this."
"Maybe there is," The Doctor said, and then sat quietly for a few seconds, thinking. "There's bound to be a cure that the Devinea have. The only problem is that I don't think they'd like to share, or that they'd be too pleased at seeing me again."
"We need to try," Jack said stubbornly. "Maybe if I go?"
"No," The Doctor immediately snapped. "I'm not having you ending up like this to. I don't care if you're immortal, you're not doing it."
Jack glared at him. "Well what then! We just leave you to die! What if you don't regenerate?"
The Doctor gave him a soft smile; he cupped Jack's face in his hands and kissed him deeply. "We'll all go." He promised, pulling back slightly. After another quick kiss he jumped to his feet, looking as energized as always, but Jack noticed dark rings under his eyes, and the way he faulted just slightly when his feet touched the ground.
As they were walking down one of the endless corridors they bumped into Rose and Mickey.
"Doctor," Rose said, surprised to see him up. "We were just coming to see you."
The Doctor smiled at them. "Well, come on, you can see me in the control room."
"We're going somewhere?" Mickey asked, confused. "But your ill."
"So I am," The Doctor nodded. "And we're off somewhere to get a cure."
Rose brightened at this news at once. "Great, come on then."
"So why didn't we do this before?" Mickey continued to question as they reached the console room.
"Excellent question," The Doctor beamed. "Because it's going to be dangerous. Last time I went there, some what, ooh, an odd hundred and twenty years ago, there was a bit of dispute between the two higher civilisations, and neither is known to give up on an argument, may still be going on, and they can get a little nasty."
"What two civilisations are they then?" Rose questioned in interest.
"Well, the Devinea for one. The other is the Locque."
"Devinea?" Rose stopped in her tracks. "The Devinea who put you in this state to begin with?"
"Yep, those exact Devinea." The Doctor continued to smile.
"Hang on, you just said you haven't been to their planet for a hundred and twenty years." Mickey said as The Doctor walked over to the main controls. "So how did they attack you?"
"Ship, Mickey. I was on their ship." He fiddled with a few buttons. "What's wrong with her?"
"What's up?" Jack asked, walking up to The Doctor.
"She won't move." He frowned. "Something must be wrong."
Rose and Mickey also came over. "How long will it take to fix it?" Rose asked, peering at all of the various wires and buttons and leavers.
The Doctor shrugged. "Depends how long it takes to realise what's wrong. Still, shouldn't be to long…Okay, new plan, fix the TARDIS, and then we're off. Give us a hand will you Jack?"
They immediately got to work as Rose sighed, going to find a magazine to read while waiting, and Mickey stayed hovering about, trying to learn how the TARDIS worked.
"Come on girl," The Doctor cooed. "Help us out with this."
A low buzzing came from the ship and The Doctor grinned. "Right! Good news, this should only be a few hours, then we're off."
-
A/N: Once again, sorry for the wait.
Eww, throwing up blood, I know from experience how horrible that it :P