Time lord Fugue
Chapter 3 – Renewal
The radio had barely declared it 6am when Jack returned to the Hub. He had only left a few hours ago, at the command of both Gwen and Ianto, but knowing The Doctor was then alone and therefore vulnerable had kept him awake. He dropped Ianto off at their apartment and feigned the need for a walk to clear his head in order to run back to Cardiff Bay to check on The Doctor.
Somehow Gwen beat him to it though, and was already sat on the dilapidated sofa, a mug of coffee in her hands and another steaming in wait on the low glass table in front of it.
"Hey Jack, I though you were staying here tonight?" She asked as he collapsed next to her and reached gratefully for the proffered mug of black coffee.
"Well I was, until you guys turfed me out." He sipped his piping hot drink and glanced sideways at Gwen, glimpsing her raised eyebrow before she managed to school her face to neutrality. "Ok, what?" he asked, placing his mug back on the table and shifting to face her, one arm draped casually over the back of the sofa, the other resting in his lap. Gwen shook her head and shrugged.
"I just wandered why you turfed out the dishy one for Big-Ears in there," she nodded her head towards The Doctor's room, "I mean, the ears are kind of cute, but he's a bit older than your usual type isn't he?" Jack looked at her as though she were drunk.
"What are you talking about Gwen? I haven't turfed anyone out;" he paused as her reference to Big-Ears sunk in. "Wait, older, with big ears?"
"Yeah, and a nose to go with 'em too!" As Jack's eyes widened in confused shock, he was already leaping up from the sofa and charging into his room to find that Gwen had been right: The Doctor was gone, replaced by another, more familiar face.
The man now in the bed, curled up in a protective foetal position under the covers was definitely older than the other man; in his early forties, sporting closely cropped mid-brown hair and impressively sized ears and nose that, in sleep, lent him an almost child-like appearance. The deep set lines etched into his brow revealed many worries and cares, but to Jack they seemed less prominent than they were the last time they had met, under fire from Daleks on Satellite 5. Jack gazed at the prone figure in awe. Regeneration was supposed to be irreversible, but here was The Doctor, his Doctor; alive, well and asleep in the Torchwood Hub.
As though knowing he was under scrutiny, The doctor's brow furrowed as his eyes fluttered open, revealing a bleary dash of brilliant, icy blue. He frowned at Jack, who could almost see his mind working out where he was and what he was doing in bed with Jack Harkness, Captain of the Innuendo Squad, watching. Jack also saw him give up trying and resigning himself to the humility of asking- an action only ever to be fallen back on if his head was completely screwed.
"Jack, what's going on, where am I?" he mumbled, propping himself up on one elbow.
"You're in the Hub. Home of Torchwood Three; that's me, Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones."
"Ok, so where exactly is the Hub? Doesn't look anything like Satellite 5 to me, an' I could swear that's where I left you. Plus, she's Human." The Doctor added, a tip of the head indicating Gwen, who stood in the corner of the room, quietly observing the two men.
"Oi! You say that like it's a bad thing!" She growled, taking a step forward. Jack put his arm out in her way and gave her 'The Look', stopping her from making any more rash moves.
"Abad thing? No!" The Doctor cried, leaping up from the bed. "You humans are fantastic! So tiny and new, but look at you; guarding the Rift, protecting Earth from alien threats and invasions- if I had to choose my favourite species in the universe, I would choose humans!"
Gwen screamed.
"Whoah, ok..." stuttered Jack, eyes wide at the sight of a 100% naked Doctor. "Gwen. My office. Second cabinet on the right, third drawer down. Get the jeans and jumper, oh and the jacket hung inside the door." He ordered, hustling the Doctor back under the covers. A few minutes later, a sleep ruffled Ianto poked his head round the door.
"Sorry if I'm interrupting anything, but Gwen asked me to bring you these Sir. He handed Jack a pile of neatly folded clothes.
"Cheers Ianto." Said Jack, handing the pile to The Doctor, who gratefully pulled them on.
"Will that be all, or do you want me to start the coffee?" At The Doctor's grimace Ianto added, "I'm sure I could find some tea, if you'd prefer?" Immediately The Doctor cheered up.
"White, no sugar thanks." He stated, a happy grin directed at Ianto. He turned back to Jack as Ianto left, no doubt to fix a coffee for himself, having only just arrived because of an urgent call from Gwen. "Right, clothes. Start talking." Commanded The Doctor. Jack shuffled his feet, a tad embarrassed.
"Well, I managed to use my Vortex Manipulator-'' The Doctor snorted derisively,
"Space Hopper."
"My Vortex Manipulator," Jack continued, more forcefully, "to get back to the 21st century, my clothes were kinda wrecked and out—dated, so I needed some new ones. Obviously I had no cash, and the only people I knew were you, Rose and Mickey; so I waited for the right version of you to stop in Cardiff to refuel the TARDIS. Once you left it to go look around while she charged, I used my key to sneak on board and grab some clothes. It just so happened that the TARDIS decided to give me a spare set of yours."
Gwen beckoned Ianto over to the CCTV screen set up to monitor Jack's room. Despite the walls being virtually sound proof, and the room only having a one-way mic', they couldn't help but instinctively whisper.
"I'm pretty sure we shouldn't be watching this." Hissed Ianto,
"Well tough. Jack's been keeping secrets Ianto, and I want to know why. I think that man," she pointed at the screen, "this 'Doctor' holds the key to those secrets. Who knows, we might even find out why Jack disappeared a few months ago."
"I still don't think we have the right to spy on him like this." He countered. "Whatever is going on in there, Jack probably wants it kept private, between The Doctor and himself." He glared at Gwen and reached over to terminate the video feed. Gwen grabbed his hand;
"You're only saying that 'cos you're shagging him!" She scoffed
"I am not!" Ianto squeaked in indignation.
"Oh, so he shags you then?" Gwen sneered, good naturedly.
"No! Well, yes." He hurried on, "but that's not the point! You were livid when Rhys found out about you working for Torchwood. It was your one little bit of privacy in your relationship- the one thing you didn't have to share, until he found out. How do you think Jack's going to react when he finds out we spied on him?" Ianto retorted angrily.
"That was different, I didn't tell him about Torchwood so I could keep him safe, what you don't know can't hurt you, and anyway, once he found out, I told him everything. We just found out about The Doctor and all Jack can do is moon over him and ignore us. Of course I want to know what's so damned special about him that Jack disappears without warning for months and then comes back just as suddenly with no word as to where he's been!"
Unaware of the argument raging in the main area of the hub, Jack and his enigmatic mystery guest were talking...