Ch 3
By the time they had reached the water fall Jack was slightly out of breath from the climb and from the view that laid out before them. The early morning frost had receded but a few icicles clung to the branches that overhung the falls.
They twinkled like diamonds in the early morning sun but as beautiful as it was, seeing the boyish joy in The Doctor's face, the reflection of the light in his eyes was more breathtaking. In these moments, all the worry and care seemed to slip from his features and the Time Lord looked impossibly young, more vulnerable and if at all possible, even more handsome.
"Isn't it beautiful?" The Doctor breathed out, his voice an almost whisper.
"Yes you are," Jack smiled, waiting for the skilled deflection of his compliment or some of the usual come backs but instead he got a soft smile in return.
"I meant the falls, Jack, but thank you," with that the Time Lord slipped his hand in Jack's giving it a squeeze, and placing a chaste kiss on his cheek, before moving to get a closer look.
"I know what you meant," Jack responded vaguely, his brain trying to process what had just happened. But before he could work it through he saw The Doctor lean out over the falls, with just a small branch securing him as he held onto it with one hand, "Doc, I don't think..." was all he got out before the branch snapped and the Time Lord disappeared into the rushing water.
Standing for a moment in stunned disbelief Jack ran down the side of the hill towards the churning water below calling out the Time Lord's name, but the only sound he heard was the beat of his heart and the deafening roar of the falls.
As he ran his mind was operating on many levels, one was concentrating on how he was going to find and rescue The Doctor, another was trying to imagine his life if the Time Lord was not in it, and yet another level was bordering on panic. It was hard to say which was winning.
Once he reached the bottom Jack started peeling off the layers of clothing he had on. The air was cold and the water looked even more frigid but soggy clothes would only weigh him down, he was about to dive into the water when he saw The Doctor climbing out of the river on the opposite bank.
He looked unscathed aside from a small cut on his cheek but the steam rising from his sodden clothing and the almost blue tinged hue to his skin were not good signs. He took off his coat, wringing it out and then, with great difficulty, slipped it back on.
Jack quickly pulled his warm clothing back on and called out, "are you OK?" At first he thought the falls were drowning him out because The Doctor didn't reply. Then he turned around and waved cheerily like nothing at all had happened. Jack's smile of relief froze on his face as the next thing he knew The Doctor collapsed in a crumpled heap.
It seemed like it took forever to find a way across the river but once he did it took mere seconds for him to reach the fallen Time Lord. The Doctor was ice cold to the touch, and didn't appear to be breathing. Just as Jack got ready to start CPR the unconscious man took one shallow breath. Putting his head to the soggy and cold chest he could hear the hearts beating but very, very slowly.
"Well that's something, at least. Thank god for small favours!" Jack grunted as he lifted the thin Time Lord from the ground and ran up the hill towards their camp site, hoping The Doctor would stay alive long enough for Jack to get him out of his wet clothing and into someplace warm.
Only problem was, he recalled as the blue box loomed in the distance, was that TARDIS was in lock down for at least another day and half. The Doctor had said 48 hours, but Jack had packed extra clothes. The Doctor would swim in them but at least they'd be dry.
Unzipping the tent was impossible with the limp figure in his hands he reluctantly set him down as he opened the shelter. Once inside he quickly set about getting The Doctor out of his wet clothes. The coat was difficult, despite the wringing out it had received earlier it felt like it was made of lead, soaking wet lead but still very heavy.
The suit and the three shirts under that came off more easily. He raised an eyebrow at the lack of pants under the suit trousers, somehow he had not thought of The Doctor as being the type to go commando.
He paused a moment once the ice cold Time Lord was completely naked. His rational mind knew he had to get The Doctor warmly dressed and very soon but he couldn't help but marvel at the sight of the lean body he had so often wished to see, laid out before him.
Even if he hadn't known The Doctor was an alien, this would definitely have clued him in. The lack of meat on his bones allowed the extra ribs on the long torso to be quite clearly defined. His skin was so pale it was almost translucent. And there were other details that were definitely of other worldly origins, more subtle ones that almost didn't register to the eye but screamed to the mind that this man was not human.
Shaking his head with regret Jack quickly clad the Time Lord in his spare set of clothing. Trying not to laugh at how big everything was on him, the jeans that were skin tight on Jack could have almost held two Doctors, and the jumper could have doubled as a dressing gown.
