Thanks for the reviews so far ) Makes me smile so much to see people appreciating my stuff! Keep 'em coming D
3 more chapters to come after this, will try and get them up in the next few days, they just need reshuffling and uploading etc.
Six sets of eyes fell upon the pair as they stepped inside. Mickey smirked whilst Jack braced, and BlueDoctor's face fell as he promptly looked away. BrownDoctor felt a surge of guilt, an inexplicable pang, and dropped Rose's hand as though he'd received a shock.
"Rrrrrright then!" He sprang away from his companion and toward the controls. "Captain, are you ready to get home to your boyfriend?"
Jack looked taken aback, and then laughed. "How do you..."
"Please Jack, what don't I know?!"
"Fine, fine! I'm ready when my team are!" He turned to Mickey and Martha who looked briefly at one another before nodding their assent. Jack grinned. "Well then Doc... Allons-y!"
Both Doctors gave trademark Cheshire cat grins and BrownDoctor obediently spun the controls.
"Hold on boys and girls," BlueDoctor grimaced, as he grasped the back of the chair by which he stood. Seconds later the TARDIS came to a shuddering stop and a sudden coolness filled the air. Jack and Martha glanced at each other and Mickey fixed Jackie with a sorrowful stare. They had not contemplated the actual leaving of the ship and now the moment had arrived, nobody wanted to be the first to move.
"I'll wait outside, shall I?" BrownDoctor said. "Give you all a chance to say goodbye and whatever else... Not sure I want to see you slobbering all over my friends Captain!"
"I'm pretty much out of this too," his Blue self proclaimed. "I would say nice to meet you all, but that doesn't entirely work what with you having already met me, and me feeling as though I've already met you." He cocked an eyebrow. "Not an easy conundrum to put into words is it??" They all laughed uneasily, but it broke the seal and Jack strode over to BlueDoctor.
"Any excuse for a grope Mister!" he declared and threw his arms around him. As his hands clapped the Blue-jacketed back, BrownDoctor snuck out of the door once more to await his own farewells. Presently Jack released BlueDoctor and turned to Jackie. "Lovely to meet you at last Mrs Tyler." He extended a hand cordially but Jackie ignored it.
"Come 'ere you big oaf!" she laughed and gave him a hug which he awkwardly returned. Meanwhile Mickey was exchanging banter with Donna and Martha was giggling with Rose.
"I was so jealous of you for a time... Every trip we took it was Rose this, Rose that..." she shook her head. "I'm just so glad you found him again..." Rose nodded, smiling.
"What about you? Who's waiting for Dr. Jones on the other side of all this?"
"Fiancé. Tom, he's brilliant. Helped me save the world from a certain Mr Saxon last year! Not that he knows that but..."
"Excellent, good for you! Well, look after yourself... and Mickey. Don't know what he'll do with himself without me and Mum around!"
"I'll do my best! Should be an interesting job, with Jack about as well..."
"Yep, I don't envy you that!"
The two young women laughed and shared a brief hug. Martha was last to speak. "Good luck, annoyingly perfect Miss Rose Tyler! I'm sure we'll meet again. And you look after him too... I think he needs someone more than he'll ever admit." Rose nodded and gave a fleeting smile. Within seconds Mickey had thrown his arms around her. Martha chuckled and moved off towards the door; a quick grasp of Jackie's arm on the way sufficing as a farewell.
Jack faced Donna, who smiled at him graciously.
"Pleasure to meet you, Captain Harkness," she gushed, the human side gaining prevalence over the Time Lord brain. "You'll know where to find me if you ever desire a rendezvous!" Jack laughed heartily and caught her in a bear hug.
"The pleasure's all mine Donna!" He leant close to her ear and lowered his voice. "The Doctor. He's going to need you more than ever later." Donna pulled back slightly and looked at him questioningly. Jack jerked his head towards Rose, and suddenly the pieces fell into place and Donna remembered.
"I'll look after him, Jack. I know how he thinks now, I can deal with it." She nodded at him reassuringly, and gave him a final squeeze before backing off. "Martha!" she squealed in realisation, and trotted over to the doorway to engage in another separation. "We'll stay in touch," she swore. "And keep your hands off Captain Jack there; I've got him earmarked for when I visit!" They both laughed, before Martha whispered the truth about Ianto into her ear. "Bugger it! Always the good-looking ones!! Anyway, until next time." The women embraced for the final time, and Martha slid outside to wait with The Doctor.
"Rose?" Jack called over his old friend for the hardest exchange yet. "Can we do this on the quiet?" Rose nodded as she approached him and they sidled off to the nearest side room.
As soon as they were out of the way of prying eyes, Jack threw his arms round her and held on for dear life.
"Jack?" Rose was worried by the ferocity of his embrace. "Is everything alright?"
"Yeah, yeah," he muttered into the top of her head. "I've just missed you is all." He adopted her stance from the kitchen exchange. "I'm sorry if I was harsh earlier... About The Doctors. I just worry
about you all too much. So much I've seen over the years, since you brought me back. All those deaths, all those people..." His voice broke slightly.
"Ah yeah. The Doctor... the new Doctor... he filled me in on what happened to you after the space station. I'm sorry for putting you through it all..."
"You are kidding? I get to live fast and loose, what could be better?!"
Rose saw through his pretence, and smiled, but thankfully didn't see as far as his true sorrow at their parting.
"You look after my Mickey, you hear? Don't go getting him killed, just because you're living so "fast and loose" will you?"
"Of course ma'am, whatever you say Miss Tyler! Wouldn't dream of upsetting a pretty blonde!"
"Alright, alright..."
"And Rose..." Jack now had one hand on the door handle to return to the console room. "Whatever happens, he loves you, and I love you... and you have to do what you have to do." The steely look in his eye showed he meant business, and though Rose was unnerved by this level of sincerity she nodded to reassure him. "Until we meet again," he added, giving her another long squeeze as he bit back the tears that brewed at the reality that, more than likely, they never would. The thought of the final goodbye, coupled with the remembrance of The Doctor's sacrifice, threatened to break his composure and he forced a dazzling grin.
Rose stood on her toes to kiss him softly.
"Until next time, Captain Jack Harkness. Once again, the privilege has been all mine. With or without barrage balloons and champagne!"
"Haha, we'll save that for next time!" Jack smiled, lying through his teeth to protect her from pain whilst he still could. They stepped out of the small room together and Jackie raised her eyebrows. "Entirely innocent Ma'am!" Jack grinned at her toothily and kissed Rose's forehead as he released hold of her for the last time.
Mickey came to his side and the pair of them walked backwards to the exterior door.
"Good luck to you all, fair ladies," Jack chuckled. Then he nudged Mickey and in unison they saluted their friends, with one final show of respect and love. And then they were gone, joining Martha and BrownDoctor in the blinding sunshine of Cardiff Bay.
The three Woodies lined up facing The Doctor, who in turn was facing the sun so that his eyes could be excused any dampness.
"Mickey the Idiot, Captain Harkness, Doctor Jones," he nodded to each of them in turn. "Once again, it has been an honour, and once again, we find we're parting ways."
"But you can always get hold of us on that old phone," Martha countered.
"Or call by... The Hub?" Mickey looked to Jack to check the name, who nodded. "Any time!" he finished.
"Don't be afraid to ask for help. With aliens or..." Jack fixed The Doctor with a knowing stare as both men considered the next stage of the journey. "Or anything." The Doctor grimaced, but didn't argue.
"We'll be seeing each other again, I'm sure of it," he sighed, feigning disappointment. "Oh but Martha, you get rid of that Oster Hagen thingy, eh? Save the world one more time for me?"
"Consider it done," Martha nodded sincerely.
"And Jack... c'mere!" Jack stepped forward innocently, wary of The Doctor's next move. He was right to be too, as The Doctor grabbed his wrist and brought the Sonic Screwdriver to the Teleporter attached there.
"Aww Doc, come on!"
"I've told you before; I'm not having you hopping about the universe! I owe that to all the beings out there!"
"And Ianto," Mickey added with a smirk.
"Precisely!" The Doctor released Jack's wrist and was caught up in a stronghold of a hug instead. "Oh alright then, you big girl!" He hooked his arms round Jack's back and patted his shoulder. Once released, he turned to Martha and received the same treatment, before sharing a boys-own handshake with Mickey.
"Right team, let's be off!" Jack put a hand on a shoulder of each of his new recruits. "Doctor." He nodded and repeated the earnest gaze that The Doctor knew was a warning about Rose. The Doctor smiled glumly to acknowledge the gesture and instantly the three people opposite him stood to attention and gave full-on military salutes.
Chuckling slightly, he awkwardly returned the gesture with just two fingers and an embarrassed bow of the head. Suitably satisfied, Jack turned on his heel, followed by his smiling comrades. As they slowly walked away, he put an arm round each of them. The Doctor smiled fondly after them. Some things would never change. "Boyfriend" or nay, Captain Jack Harkness was a chancer. As if to qualify the thought, his hands simultaneously lowered to grasp at cheeks of the backsides to his left and right. The Doctor laughed out loud as both Martha and Mickey leapt away, then presently slunk back to Jack, who in turn settled his arms round their waists in compromise.
Once again, The Doctor found he was disinclined to go back inside, knowing the next step was going to be unpleasant. He looked up into the setting sun, squinting at first, then finally closing his eyes in defeat. Ultimately, delaying it was futile. He sighed, then growled, and then finally spun round to board his ship, ready for a journey that would be difficult not only for the TARDIS, but even more so for its captain...