DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own Doctor Who. Yes, I wish I did. No, I don't earn any money from this. Yes, David Tennant is My Doctor.

ALL PRAISE TO THE MIGHTY BBC! ;)

SUMMARY: Starting at the end of Utopia, things change for the Doctor and Koschei. But in a good way, I promise! Doctor/Rose. (This is my first fic, so take it easy on me, please!)

A/N: So yeah. I know there may be some hoopla about this bit. May be explained in the future. Probably will. Maybe. Just... bear with me on this.

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The blonde behind the desk was ready to murder someone. Anyone. The reports she tossed down showed a steady rise in the performance of their latest terra-former, but sabotage had destroyed a number of power couplings at the colony on Calais Prime in the Kasterborous constellation. A team would have to be sent out immediately.

"Director?" Her attendant poked his head through the door of her office.

She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose in an effort to will away the headache she knew was coming. Days like this... "What, Patrick?"

"Alpha-Six has apprehended two male suspects in the Wales Millenium Center in Cardiff. They claim to be searching for their long lost sister-in-law."

She cocked a dark eyebrow and aimed a pointed chocolate stare at him. "And? Let them look." She turned back to her paperwork. Budgets be damned, Allie's theories into the Holtzman Effect could very well work in practical application. The Director had no problem authorizing use of Voyager 7 for the initial flight test once the prototype was finished.

Patrick stepped fully into the Director's office and cleared his throat. "Yes, ma'am. But, there's a problem."

She folded her arms across her chest (inadvertently giving Patrick a great view), leaned back into her chair and waited.

"One of the suspects said his name was...," he consulted the note in his hand, "... Captain Jack Harkness. They came out of a blue Police box, ma'am. The system alerted us and they're on their way here."

The woman at the desk froze, then stood as nonchalantly as she could manage, her hands curling into fists and short nails digging into her palms. She whispered, "Two of them?"

"Yes ma'am."

"ETA."

"20 minutes, ma'am."

"Take them to Sector 14 immediately." She rose, pointed at him and said very firmly, "No one speaks to them. No one touches them. No one approaches them when they arrive. And God help anyone that harms them.

"Yes, ma'am. I'll see to it personally." He left her office immediately to arrange her demands, never once questioning her orders.

Rose Tyler could be a hard-ass but she was a damn good boss.

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Once Jack and Koschei were situated in a very austere conference room, they were (as ordered) left alone. No one would speak to them or even acknowledge they existed. No one was willing to risk the Director's cool wrath.

"1134 years, Jack. They won't have a clue who she is... Was...," Koschei whispered. "Hell, I'm just under 1200 myself and I can barely remember who I am half the time."

Jack sat back and grinned. "Hey, don't sweat it. Just had my own 2175th birthday last week and I'm still lookin' good!"

Koschei looked shocked at Jack's latest revelation, then laughed long and hard. "Thank Rassilon there's not another Jack Harkness. The universe couldn't take it... well, OUR universe couldn't..." He laughed again when Jack just kept grinning.

Three hours later, food and water were placed on the table by this universe's version of Ianto. Jack's heart clinched when Ianto walked in with the tray and didn't spare him a glance.

"Gentlemen. You will be detained here until such time as the Director sees fit to release you. At this time, you have commited no crimes. However, you will be questioned. Please, enjoy your refreshments."

Jack felt the name "Ianto" slip from bloodless lips.

The boy -man- stopped on his way out the door. Turned. "Yes, sir." Jack flinched. "My name is Ianto. How you know that, I can only imagine. However, do not feel you are welcome to use it. Good day." And left the room.

"Jack."

He stared at the closed door as if it would magically reopen and his Ianto would come rushing back into his arms.

"Jack." He felt Koschei place a cool hand on his shoulder. "It's not him."

"I know." Jack gulped. "I know"

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Two hours later, the door was unlocked and a blonde in a smart black and blue-pinstriped jacket and skirt combo strode into the room. Jack took one look and was across the room with his arms around her, grinning wildly and swinging her happily around. Until he felt the barrel of the gun pressed to his stomach.

"Release me, sir."

He looked down to the small, but very lethal, barrel and back up to her, releasing her slowly. Koschei grabbed for his hand to pull him further back.

"But... Rose... It's me. Jack!"

"Yes, sir. I am aware of your name." Without taking her eyes off Jack, she backed away toward the door. "Yours too, Mr. Smith."

She looked between Koschei and Jack, saw their pale faces and shaken forms, heard the stuttered breathing, and ALMOST wished she could comfort them herself.

However, duty must...

"Mr. Harkness. Mr. Smith. My name IS Rose Tyler..." Jack and Koschei's grins were blinding but quickly extinguished. "... but I am not YOUR Rose Tyler. Your Rose Tyler is my many times great-grandmother."

"So, she really is dead?" 'Adam Smith' breathed.

Mrs. Tyler smiled. "Are you her Doctor?"

He winced. "No, but I know where he is."

"So HE'S still alive I see." She nodded. "You will come with me." She holstered her weapon and walked from the room.

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"You know he'll be waking up soon." Koschei mused

"Yeah. I give him about 8 hours."

"Yeah."

"He's gonna be so mad we drugged him." Jack grinned.

"Yeah."

Mrs. Tyler overheard the conversation and interjected with a haughty "Men." at their laughter.

"Here we are gentlemen. Albion Hospital. Come with me."

Jack started at the name, remembering nanogenes, a child in a gas mask, dancing in front of Ben Big, and a Doctor with big ears, leather jacket, and chip on his shoulder the size of Jack's own ego.

Mrs. Tyler walked through the hospital hallways, speaking to no one, until she reached the only occupied room on the third floor.

"Captain. Mr. Smith. I believe what you seek is in here."

Jack stared into the eyes of a woman so like his Rosie it frightened him, but the thought of what lay behind that door pulled him forward.

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The Holtzman effect is a fictional scientific phenomenon in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert, beginning with the 1965 novel Dune. The effect is never explained in detail, but it makes (among other things) defensive force shields and instantaneous space travel possible.