The train station they landed in was heavily guarded, surrounded by torches and barbed wire. It was lucky that they'd come in Jack's ship otherwise Danielle was sure they'd been spotted on sight. She still wasn't quite used to getting into places as easily as the Doctor made it seem and so she still couldn't help but feel like a little kid, checking every direction she could see to make sure she didn't get caught and told off.
By the bomb were a couple of guards and they headed behind some supplies to get a better look.
"There it is," Jack said before grinning slightly at the sight of one of the guards. "Hey, they've got Algy on duty. It must be important."
"We've got to get past him," the Doctor replied.
"Are the words distract the guard heading in my general direction?" Rose asked, straightening herself. She'd always liked a good flirt, why not put that to good use?
"I don't think that'd be such a good idea," Jack replied knowingly.
Rose, on the other hand, felt slightly affronted. "Don't worry I can handle it."
"I've got to know Algy quite well since I've been in town. Trust me," he looked Rose up and down, "you're not his type." He gave Danielle a little tap under the chin. "I'll distract him," he told them, walking off. "Don't wait up."
Rose watched, amazed as he headed to see his friend. Was he… What were the chances?!
"Relax," the Doctor told her, seeing her slightly annoyance. "He's a fifty first century guy. He's just a bit more flexible when it comes to dancing."
"How flexible?" Rose asked.
"Well, by his time, you lot have spread out across half the galaxy," the Doctor explained.
"Meaning?"
The Doctor couldn't help but smile happily. "So many species, so little time," he replied suggestively.
"What, that's what we do when we get out there? That's our mission?" Rose countered. "We seek new life, and, and…"
"Dance."
Danielle watched him approach Algy, looking rather pleased with himself. He had quite the swagger on him. Was that how he'd looked when he'd first beamed her up onto his ship?
"That's pretty cool," she whispered.
"Is it?" Rose replied with a little wrinkle of her nose. "Anyway, I thought you didn't like dancing."
"I never said I didn't like it," Danielle replied, flushing slightly. "I can take an interest, anyway. I'm just surprised we're all compatible."
"Well, the human race is very flexible in that regard too," the Doctor replied. "No legs, too many legs. Arms, feet, it's all the same to you lot."
Danielle turned back to look at Jack. "Huh, how interesting," she commented. Rose had to resist the urge to throw up her hands in exasperation.
"You two are just as bad as each other," she scolded.
The Doctor was going to reply with something witty and charming but Danielle moved, standing on the tips of her toes so she could see better over their cover. "Something's happening," she commented lowly.
The man, Algy, dropped to his knees in front of Jack, looking like he was retching painfully. He hunched over for a moment, then his head shot backwards and his face began to transform. A large, circular metal plate came out of his mouth and formed into the mouthpiece of a gasmask.
More soldiers rushed from in the shadows, rushing towards their fallen comrade and the Doctor sprang into action. "Stay back!" he commanded as Algy fell to the floor.
Jack joined in, holding his hand out. "You men, stay away!" he added and the soldiers obeyed immediately. The Doctor, Danielle and Rose were quick to his side, looking over the newly-transformed man.
"That's horrible," Danielle whispered.
"The effect's become air-borne, accelerating," the Doctor said. The air raid sirens started up again and they all glanced upwards for a moment.
"What's keeping us safe?" Rose asked over the alarm.
"Nothing."
"Ah, here they come again," Jack commented, taking another look at the sky.
"All we need," Rose muttered as Danielle frowned to herself. Over the noise she could hear something, something no one else seemed to have noticed. She turned around and took a look at the building behind them. It was something in there.
Rose turned to Jack. "Didn't you say a bomb was going to land here?" she pointed out.
"Never mind about that," the Doctor brushed off. "If the contaminants airborne now, there's hours left."
"For what?" Jack asked.
"Till nothing, forever," the Doctor clarified as the sound of someone singing reached his ears. "For the entire human race. And can anyone else hear singing?"
Rose and Jack frowned. Once they focused they could hear it too. The sound of someone singing a lullaby.
The Doctor looked for the source and started when he saw Danielle already heading into building where the noise was coming from. "Danielle!"
Danielle peaked around the corner and quickly spotted the two figures. One was a woman with pigtails, another was a man who looked like he'd been hit with the same virus as everyone else. He was sleeping on the table in the middle of the room, his gasmask in full view. It really was grotesque. She knew enough that when the woman looked around at her, stopping singing, she motioned for her to continue. She dipped her head back out just as the Doctor appeared at her side.
"Why do you keep running off?" he asked her quietly. "You're the good one."
"I am the good one," Danielle retorted, offended. "I just wanted to see what the singing was. She seems alright, but there's another one of them in there with her."
The Doctor took a look in and saw Nancy at the table. The woman shook her wrist, showing him that she was attached to the table with a pair of handcuffs. He rushed in, quickly unlocked them and brought her out.
"Nancy!" Rose exclaimed. Danielle looked at her.
"Oh! The little boy's sister?" she asked. Nancy nodded. "I'm Danielle."
"He was lookin' for you," Nancy told her with a cheeky grin. "Real concerned."
Danielle glanced up at the Doctor, also grinning cheekily. "Oh really?"
"Yeah, come on," he said, a little sharper than he'd intended. "There is a war on." He strode forward and they all followed him to the empty ambulance that Jack had dropped on London.
"You see? Just an ambulance," he declared, waving his hand at the large metal cylinder that had half-buried itself into the ground.
"That's an ambulance?" Nancy replied in disbelief, staring at the bomb that had hurt her brother.
"It's hard to explain," Rose replied. "It's from another world."
Jack and the Doctor quickly examined the ambulance. "They've been trying to get in."
"Of course they have," the Doctor retorted. "They think they've got their hands on Hitler's latest secret weapon." Jack started typing on the keypad that was attached to the front of the ambulance. "What're you doing?"
"The sooner you see this thing is empty, the sooner you'll know I had nothing to do with it," Jack replied just as the keypad exploded with a large bang. It sparked and the two men jumped back as it started to sound an alarm.
"Didn't happen last time," Jack told him to let everyone know he hadn't done anything wrong.
"It hadn't crashed last time. There'll be emergency protocols," the Doctor explained.
"Is that an alarm?" Danielle asked the Doctor. "What's it alerting?"
Rose yelped in surprise as the soldiers who had all been turned into the new creatures began battering the door of the storage shed, trying to get out. "Doctor!"
"Captain, secure those gates!" he instructed, climbing onto the ambulance.
"Why?"
"Just do it!" the Doctor snapped. Jack did as he said, rushing over to secure them so no one else could get in. "Nancy, how'd you get in here?"
"I cut the wire."
"Show Rose." He chucked the sonic screwdriver at the blonde, who was so taken by surprise she almost dropped it. "Setting two thousand four hundred and twenty-eight D."
"What?" she asked.
"Reattaches barbed wire. Go!" The pair ran off and Danielle took a step closer. If it had been any normal situation she would have felt rather rejected for being picked last. But, as it was rather serious and just a little bit terrifying, she was happy to stay with the Doctor.
"What can I do?" she asked him.
"See if there are any other control pads," he instructed. She nodded her head, climbing up onto the pile of dirt that held the ambulance in place.
"Do you think we can make it?" she asked as the Doctor tried to stop the alarm from sounding. Even with his screwdriver, though, he wasn't sure he could do anything that wouldn't make the situation a lot worse.
He paused for a moment, though, to look up at her. "Didn't I tell you to have faith in me?" he asked. She nodded.
"You did. Sorry. I do. You know I do," she slowly walked around to the other side, "it's just… well, the human race is being turned into little children with gasmasks for faces. It's hard to not be a little pessimistic."
"Not me," Jack said, jumping up next to the Doctor. "Glass is always half full. Life's much more fun that way."
"You would know all about that, wouldn't you Captain?" the Doctor retorted much to Jack's amusement. "Help me get this open."
Jack took over and popped the lid as Rose and Nancy returned, waving his hand at the empty capsule. "It's empty. Look at it," he declared triumphantly.
"What do you expect in a Chula medical transporter? Bandages? Cough drops?" the Doctor countered pointedly.
Danielle blinked, the dots joining together in her head at the words. "Nanogenes," she breathed. "It was full of nanogenes, wasn't it?"
The Doctor nodded, his arms folded across his chest. "It wasn't empty, Captain. There was enough nanogenes in there to rebuild a species."
"Oh, God," Jack breathed, stumbling slightly as the weight of the situation seemed to suddenly hit him. He had been responsible. He should have known better but he was too smug, too determined to get his revenge for his memories being taken.
"Getting it now, are we?" the Doctor asked in a little taunt. "When the ship crashes, the nanogenes escape. Billions upon billions of them, ready to fix all the cuts and bruises in the whole world. But what they find first is a dead child, probably killed earlier that night, and wearing a gasmask."
"And they brought him back to life?" Rose asked, her nose wrinkling up at the thought. "They can do that?"
"What's life?" the Doctor retorted. "Life's easy. A quirk of matter. Nature's way of keeping meat fresh. Nothing to a nanogene."
"But they're supposed to heal you. Why would they bring him back to life but keep him so hurt?" Danielle asked.
"These nanogenes, they're not like the ones on the Captain's ship," he explained. "This lot have never seen a human being before. Don't know what a human being's supposed to look like. All they've got to go on is one little body, and there's not a lot left. But they carry right on. They do what they're programmed to do. They patch it up. Can't tell what's gasmask and what's skull, but they do their best. Then off they fly, off they go, work to be done. Because, you see, now they think they know what people should look like, and it's time to fix all the rest. And they won't ever stop. They won't ever, ever stop. The entire human race is going to be torn down and rebuilt in the form of one terrified child looking for its mother, and nothing in the world can stop it!"
"I didn't know," Jack insisted. The Doctor continued to glare at him for a moment before heading around the back of the ambulance, hoping for another miracle. His life seemed to be full of them lately, perhaps he could conjure one more before his luck ran out.
Jack walked off to the side, completely shaken by the revelation. While Rose went to watch the Doctor work, Danielle followed the Captain. "It's okay, you know?" she said to him softly.
"I've doomed the entire human race," Jack retorted. "I don't think it is, Red."
She reached out, hesitating for a moment, and took his hand. "You didn't know," she reminded him. "You didn't want to harm anyone. It was a mistake, but you didn't mean to do this."
He looked at her and she could see the pain on his face. She smiled at him softly. "It'll be okay, sweetie," she told him gently.
"Rose!" Nancy called. They all looked over and saw a mass of gas mask wearing people heading towards them, all crying out for their mummy. Rose rushed back over to the Doctor's side, ready to ask him what was happening when she saw the flashing light of the alarm on the ambulance.
"It's bringing the gas mask people here, isn't it?"
"The ship thinks it's under attack. It's calling up the troops. Standard protocol," he explained as he fiddled with the wires, trying to at least turn the alarm off.
"But the gas mask people aren't troops."
"They are now," the Doctor corrected. "This is a battle-field ambulance. The nanogenes don't just fix you up, they get you ready for the front line. Equip you, programme you."
"That's why the child's so strong," Rose realised. "Why it could do that phoning thing."
"It's a fully equipped Chula warrior, yes. All that weapons tech in the hands of a hysterical four-year-old looking for his mummy. And now there's an army of them."
"What do we do?" Danielle asked him. She looked out at the surrounding people, all who were of different genders and ages but all calling out for the same person. It was terrifying. "That's just a scared little boy looking for his mummy. Do we have to find his mother? Do we have to find all of their mothers? And when?"
"Why don't they attack?" Jack asked.
"Good little soldiers, waiting for their commander," the Doctor explained.
"The child?"
Nancy looked up at him, looking offended. "Jamie."
He frowned. "What?"
"Not the child. Jamie," she corrected firmly. Danielle could understand the annoyance. She was glad that she knew his name, now, as well. No little boy should have to be so dehumanised that they're referred to only as 'the child'. And that was her brother as well. Nancy had been chased around the whole of London by her brother who was just looking for their mother.
She frowned to herself as Nancy started crying. Where was their mother? Why wasn't Jamie going after her? Was she dead. There was a war going on, after all. It was a tragedy but entirely possible, especially considering Nancy was living rough.
"Oh," she whispered to herself. She took a few steps forward, away from Jack and towards Nancy. "You're his mummy," she stated rather than asked. The Doctor, Rose and Jack looked at her, confused but Nancy kept crying. "That's why he keeps following you. That's why they're all looking for you. You're his mummy."
The Doctor looked around, at all of the people looking for their mummy and realised that she was right. Siblings could be close, but with Nancy it seemed like something more. How had he not noticed that? He was supposed to be the clever one. Although, that wasn't to say Danielle wasn't clever. He thought she was rather clever, actually. He knew he was normally better at spotting those things, though.
He had been rather distracted this adventure. He wasn't sure why.
"Doctor, that bomb. We've got seconds," Jack reminded him urgently. The Doctor glanced over at the other man. Actually, he did know, he just didn't want to say.
"You can teleport us out," Rose suggested.
"Just Danielle," he replied. "Not you guys. The nav-com's back online. Going to take too long to override the protocols."
"So it's volcano day," the Doctor remarked pointedly. "Do what you've got to do."
Danielle looked back at the Captain. "Jack?" she whispered. He looked so torn, but he held up his small device and he disappeared. "Jack?"
She sounded heartbroken at the fact he'd left them, and it actually felt painful for the Doctor because he didn't have time to help her. He didn't have time to correct her about what was happening. He knew the Captain wasn't good enough for her and he didn't deserve her upset.
The Doctor kept his attention on Nancy, knowing that the problem of the bomb was now taken care of. "How old were you five years ago? Fifteen? Sixteen? Old enough to give birth, anyway. He's not your brother, is he? A teenage single mother in 1941. So you hid. You lied. You even lied to him." She nodded as the gates opened and Jamie appeared with an army of gasmask people.
"Are you my mummy?" he asked.
"He's going to keep asking, Nancy. He's never going to stop," the Doctor continued. "Tell him. Nancy, the future of the human race is in your hands. Trust me and tell him."
Nancy did trust him. She walked over to the boy who thought he was her little brother. "Yes," she whispered. "Yes, I am your mummy." She crouched down in front of him. "I'm here. I am your mummy. I will always be your mummy. I'm so sorry. I am so, so sorry." She pulled him in for a hug. A moment later they were surrounded in a cloud of golden nanogenes. It was absolutely stunning.
"Are they…" Danielle asked, unable to tear her eyes away. The Doctor shushed her gently.
"Come on, please. Come on, you clever little nanogenes. Figure it out! The mother, she's the mother. It's got to be enough information. Figure it out," he begged.
"What's happening?" Rose asked.
Something miraculous was happening, that was what. Danielle could only stare, eyes widen and breath held until the gold dust disappeared and Jamie let go of his mother.
The Doctor couldn't help but grab hold of Danielle's hand, pulling her over with Rose tailing them. He kept his attention on Jamie. "Oh, come on. Give me a day like this. Give me this one." With a quick pull, like a band aid, the Doctor removed the boys mask. Underneath he was blonde, and young, and a little confused but he was a whole human boy once again.
The Doctor scooped him up in his arms, cheering with delight. "Welcome back!" he cried. "Twenty years 'til pop music – you're going to love it." He glanced down at Danielle to see her eyes shining and the smile on her face. She was just as ecstatic as he was. That all she wanted was for that little boy to be okay and now he was it lit up her entire soul.
"What happened?" Nancy asked
"The nanogenes recognised the superior information, the parent DNA. They didn't change you because you changed them!" the Doctor crowed before he put down the little boy. "Ha-ha! Mother knows best!"
"Oh, Jamie." Nancy pulled her son in for a hug as the sound of something fast approaching filled their ears.
"Doctor, that bomb," Rose pointed out nervously.
"Taken care of it," he replied knowingly. Above them the large, ominous shape of a bomb appeared in the darkness, covering them all in a dark shadow. Then, just before it got too close, a large light beam surrounded it. It froze in mid-air and Jack appeared on top, sat on it like something out of a movie.
"Jack!" Danielle cried happily. She knew there was something good in him. He hadn't run. He was just trying to help.
"Good lad!" the Doctor praised despite himself.
"The bomb's already commenced detonation. I've put it in stasis but it won't last long," he explained, shouting over the roar of the transporter beam.
"Change of plan. Don't need the bomb. Can you get rid of it, safely as you can?" the Doctor asked in reply. He nodded.
"Danni-Girl?" he cried and Danielle took a step forward.
"Yeah?" she called back.
"Goodbye." She frowned as he disappeared from view. Why was he saying goodbye? Was he not coming back?
The he reappeared. "By the way," he continued. "I've always loved red-heads more."
And he was gone again. Rose couldn't help but laugh slightly at the absolutely stunned look on Danielle's face. The pair watched his spaceship fly away as the Doctor glared after him. Did he really have to tack on that little bit on the end? Danielle was so happy knowing the little boy was safe and sound and the Captain had to throw her off by flirting. The Doctor didn't like it.
He looked down at his hands, his big and amazing brain quickly filling in the gaps. He could fix all of this. Danielle would be much more stunned at that than the words of an American captain.
He stepped forwards, around Jamie and Nancy. His grin grew and grew until the golden dust of the nanogenes reappeared in the air, swarming around his hands.
Danielle and Rose shared a look. "What are you doing?" Rose asked.
"Software patch. Going to email the upgrade," he replied, still grinning from ear to ear. "You want moves, Rose? I'll give you moves."
And he shot his hands out in front of him, sending the nanogenes towards the masked people to revert the damage they'd inadvertently done. It was the best outcome anyone could have hoped for, and yet as the Doctor laughed in delight and Rose watched the nanogenes do their job, Danielle couldn't help but feel her happiness faulter. Why had the Doctor danced with Rose? Why had Rose, who had asked her if she liked the Doctor, danced with him the moment she wasn't there? She had so many questions and she hated that it was tainting such a joyous time. She had no reason to be upset or angry, but there it sat, heavy in her mind, a little question just prodding at her every moment it could.
She glanced up at the sky, trying to clear her mind of it. Why had Jack said goodbye?
~0~0~0~
The Doctor was on such a high that he couldn't help but talk fast and often, explaining that the nanogenes were going to fix everyone then turn themselves off. He was beaming, overflowing with excitement and a giddiness he hadn't felt in such a long time. He missed feeling like he was winning. He'd missed just being the good guy.
"Look at you," Rose teased as they entered the TARDIS. "Beaming away like you're Father Christmas."
He turned to her. "Who says I'm not?" he asked. The rest of his words fell away as he saw the TARDIS door shut behind her. "Where's Danielle?"
Rose turned. The other woman had been behind her as they'd approached the TARDIS so there was no reason for her not to have followed. "I don't know."
The Doctor quickly jogged to the door, opening it up with assumption that he was going to have to go looking for her. A million, rather scary, thoughts about what had happened to her as he rushed out. Luckily he didn't have to look far. She was stood outside, looking up at the sky, worrying her bottom lip.
"What are you doing out here?" he asked. "I almost flew off without you."
"You wouldn't leave me behind," she replied without her usual cheeky bite. "I was waiting for Jack. I didn't want to go without saying goodbye properly."
The Doctor's own happiness fell slightly. "It might just be better to go anyway," he offered. He didn't want to have to break the news to her. "He's a busy man."
She narrowed her eyes slightly, looking up at him. "What are you hiding?" she asked. "Why did Jack say goodbye?"
He glanced over his shoulder. Rose might have been better to break the news to her. He didn't want to be the one to upset her. Then again, did he really want anyone else to break it to her?
"You see," he started, fumbling slightly. "He put the bomb in a stasis field. Those decay at an alarming rate and…"
She gasped, absolutely horrified. "Is he going to die?" she cried. "We have to save him! We can't let him just die."
She was looking at him expectantly, like he had all of the answers and he really wasn't convinced he did. "He knew what he was getting into," the Doctor reasoned.
"So?" she retorted. "What happened to 'Just this once, everybody lives'?" He shifted slightly under her accusatory gaze. "I know he's a conman, and flirts too much for anyone's liking, but he's still a person! He never meant to hurt anyone! We can't just let him die!" Suddenly her anger fell away. "Please," she beseeched, her eyes shining. "Isn't there anything we can do?"
He felt terrible. She was right. Just because Jack had chosen to die didn't mean that he had to. The Doctor looked at her devastated face and knew that, no matter how the man's flirty nature bothered him, he couldn't just let him blow up. And it wasn't as if he didn't have means to save him relatively easily.
He pulled an offended face. "Me? I can do anything," he told her. "I'm fantastic." Danielle's face broke out into a beam and the Doctor rolled his eyes. "Fine, come on then. Let's go save us a Captain."
Danielle dashed through the doors before him, almost skipping in her happiness. She knew the Doctor was a better man than that. He was fantastic and he had a beautiful heart – well, hearts – but she also knew that sometimes he needed a bit of a nudge. She'd seen that first hand with the Dalek. Neither she nor Rose were afraid to take that mantle on when it was needed.
"What's going on?" Rose asked as the Doctor strode purposefully to the console.
"I'll tell you what's going on," the Doctor declared. He was incredibly purposeful in his movements, almost showing off to his audience, but in reality it was to just one person. "Just this once everybody lives."
~0~0~0~
Jack was going to die. He was going to die.
It was with a startling feeling of calmness that he came to the realisation. He would have thought that he would have been angry, or terrified. He hadn't managed to get his memories back from the Time Agency. He'd never settled down, or extended his family. He'd never visited all of the planetary systems he'd planned on going to. All in all, Jack still had a lot to do.
But instead of wishing for more time, he just felt rather good that his lack act was one of heroism. He'd pulled himself out of the depths of his conman ways to actually make a different, to save lives. It was why he'd wanted to be part of the Time Agency in the first place. To make a difference. Now he'd finally done that.
"Okay then," he started. "I think we'd better initiate emergency protocol 417." The onboard computer did what he asked. From nowhere his martini appeared, complete with olive. He smiled slightly. Technology was still pretty amazing.
He reached out and grabbed it, taking a little sip and wincing at the burn from the liquid. "Oo, a little too much vermouth." He looked at the console. "See if I come here again," he scolded before having a little chuckle to himself. He was telling off a machine for a drink he'd programmed in just before it, and he, exploded. Life was a little funny like that.
Speaking of funny things.
He leant back in his chair. "Funny thing. Last time I was sentenced to death, I ordered four hyper-vodkas for my breakfast. All a bit of a blur after that." He grinned, taking the olive out of the drink and biting it off the toothpick. "Woke up in bed with both my executioners. Lovely couple. They stayed in touch. Can't say that about most executioners." He chuckled to himself again, shaking his head. Always go out on a joke. "Anyway. Thanks for everything, computer. It's been great." He raised his glass but paused before taking a sip.
He looked upwards. "For you, Danni-Girl," he stated. "Thanks for getting me on track."
He didn't know why he'd felt so affected by the red-head, but she'd managed to get into his head. She called him out, which people had done in the past, but it was because she seemed to know he was a better person than he was acting, even when he hadn't been sure of it himself. Ultimately, he was about to be blown up because of how she'd changed how he thought and he couldn't be more grateful.
"Oh, I've got a lot more work before you're back on track," a voice said and he spun in his chair, absolutely bewildered. "But I'll get there."
He blinked, amazed to see Danielle in what appeared to be a doorway that had someone magically appeared at the back of the small ship. Moonlight Serenade played behind her and he could see Rose and the Doctor attempting to dance again.
He looked back at Danielle, who looked thoroughly amused. "You should see the look on your face," she teased. "Come on, that bomb's about to blow."
Jack didn't need telling twice. He still wasn't completely convinced he was still alive, but he shot out of his chair and dove though the doors. Danielle closed them behind him and beamed at him. "Welcome to the TARDIS," she told him. "She's magnificent."
Jack just looked around at the gigantic room he entered, turning around on the spot as he took in the coral-like beams and the glowing console in the middle. On the platform around it Rose and the Doctor still danced.
Well, trying to dance.
He looked at Danielle, who really didn't look too pleased at the two dancing, even if Rose was complaining about the Doctor's technique. His gaze quickly went back to the gigantic room. She wasn't lying; it was magnificent.
"Much bigger on the inside," he commented.
"You'd better be," the Doctor muttered pointedly, moving away from Rose to fly them away from the exploding ship.
Rose knew exactly what she was doing. A quick glance at Danielle told her that the girl was suitably uncomfortable with the dancing that she was probably questioning everything she was feeling and coming to the correct conclusion. The Doctor had stepped away from her, not because of his terrible dancing, but because Jack was standing right next to Danielle and he wasn't pleased. She was sure everything was coming together quite nicely.
She turned to Jack, holding her hand out. "I think what the Doctor's trying to say is," she looked him up and down, "you may cut in," she finished in a flirty tone.
"Rose!" the Doctor snapped without meaning to. He knew that her boyfriend wasn't exactly very useful. Mickey the Idiot wasn't going to win any awards in any regard, but apparently Jack could just capture everyone's attention. Realising they all seemed a little confused at his anger, he quickly racked his brain for something to say.
His eyes lit up. "I've just remembered!"
Rose paused before the pair started dancing. "What?"
With a quick snap of his fingers the music changed. Danielle's laughed in delight as she recognised the more upbeat music. "Oh, I love this song!" she cried.
The Doctor started moving, snapping his fingers to the beat as he did. "I can dance! I can dance!"
Rose motioned to the Captain. "Actually, Doctor, I thought Jack might like this dance," she said pointedly, giving her head a short nod towards Danielle in the hope that he'd pick up the not-so-subtle hint.
"I'm sure he would, Rose. I'm absolutely certain," he agreed. "But who with?"
Rose rolled her eyes, but hopped back onto the platform in front of the console to dance with her friend. She couldn't help it. They were still really good friends and his happiness was incredibly infectious.
Danielle watched the pair sadly. She knew she should be angry at Rose for flaunting the fact that she could dance with the Doctor in front of her, but she couldn't bring herself to. She was sure it would come out at a later time, most likely in batches of burnt banana bread and brownies, but right now all she could feel was the tightening in her chest. It was like someone was squeezing her heart.
Jack, sensing her distress, held out his hand to her. "Fancy a dance, Danni-Girl?" he asked. She stared at him for a moment, looking like she was about to decline. "For old times' sake?"
She chuckled then nodded. "Alright, you twisted my arm," she conceded. She took his hand and he pulled her close and they both began dancing together to the cheerful music. She couldn't stay too sad for too long as Jack spun her around and dipped her. She really was happy that he was okay. And, like the Doctor had said, everyone had lived this time. She needed to just settle in and enjoy the happiness of one, big win.
The Doctor looked over at her delighted laugh and Rose watch his happy grin fall to a scowl. "Why don't you go cut in?" she suggested, which the Doctor thought was a very good idea indeed. Just because Jack had tried to make his mistake right didn't mean that he had changed completely. Jack didn't deserve her laughter. He did.
He finished dancing with Rose rather abruptly and walked over to the pair. Danielle was holding onto Jack tightly, her smile reaching her eyes, her hair fanning out as Jack spun her again. They didn't notice him for a moment but came to a stop when they did.
"May I cut in?" the Doctor asked.
"Of course," Jack replied, giving Danielle an exaggerated bow before the pair split. The Doctor looked to Danielle, whose eyes were wide and her lip was pulled underneath her teeth. She looked nervous, but not in a bad way and he wasn't sure how he felt about it. He also didn't know how he felt about his own nerves as he thought about asking her for a dance. He was too old to be feeling so young and anxious. Even covered in blood she was exceptionally cute. And who was he?
He was a tall northern man with giant ears, that's who he was.
He held out his hand to Jack. "May I have this dance?" he asked, cheekiness in his voice. Jack looked startled before shrugging and taking his hand. They quickly fell into the music, with Jack telling the Doctor to let him lead.
Rose walked over to Danielle, who looked just like a rejected puppy. She didn't understand what the Doctor had just done but she did understand the thoughts that were undoubtedly running through Danielle's mind. No one liked being rejected like that.
"Come on, let's show them how it's done," she suggested temptingly. Danielle locked eyes with her and looked ready to question Rose on what had happened. Instead, though, she took hold of Rose's hand and her look turned distinctly smug.
"Let's do this."
~0~0~0~
Jack stepped out his room, turning around to watch the door close with a look of pure amazement on his face that matched what he was actually feeling. He couldn't believe his eyes at all. He'd been taken to his room and told to imagine what he wanted. He'd not thought it possible, but there it was. His perfect bedroom right on the other side of the doors. He'd had the best shower he'd ever had with the best products he'd ever used. He needed to see more and, being buzzed on something that amazing, he decided that now was that time to go exploring.
"Wow," he breathed out loud anyway.
"She's pretty awesome, isn't she?"
He turned and saw Danielle stood there and he grinned. "I thought you were heading to bed," he teased lightly. He looked her up and down. "And you've got changed, I see."
Danielle looked down, pulling at the new skirt she was wearing. "I was, but I couldn't sleep," she explained. "And, well, I was covered in blood. It's not a look I like to wear."
"You pulled it off perfectly, though," he said, flirting because he could. She rolled her eyes but didn't take offense at it. Even over the short amount of time since they'd met she'd just come to accept that was how he was. Plus, he was the only person who would flirt with her anyway.
"I-I was just heading to the library, if you want to join me," she offered. "It's pretty amazing."
Jack looked up to the ceiling. "I don't doubt that for a second," he stated, because the TARDIS was just too amazing for words. He looked back at her. "Should have known you were a bookworm."
"Hey! I'm not a stereotype," she replied indignantly. "I just happen to like reading."
He held his arm out for her anyway, and she took it. "So, Red, why can't you sleep?" he asked. "Missing home?"
"No," she replied. "I just can't. I ended up trying on clothes for a while then thought a walk might clear my head. Then I thought I might do some reading instead. Maybe a cup of tea would be better, though." She looked down, staring at her feet. "I don't know."
"And this has nothing to do with the rather tall, big-eared Time Lord that owns this magnificent machine?" he asked. She looked up at him, alarmed.
"No, no, why would it?" she replied quickly, then sighed when he raised an eyebrow at her. "He didn't want to dance with me," she murmured.
Jack laughed, much to her annoyance. "Oh, Red, trust me, he wanted to dance with you."
"If he'd wanted to then he would have," she replied factually. "He doesn't. I'm just not- I dunno, not blonde enough, I guess."
Jack came to a stop. "Hey," he said, making her look at him again. "I know a lot about attraction. I mean, how can I not?" He waved at himself with his free hand and she glared at him. "The reason he didn't dance with you was because he wanted to."
Her brows furrowed. "That can't be how it works."
"You really don't know a lot about this sort of thing, do you?" he asked, amused.
"If you're just going to make fun of me…" she replied, starting to remove her arm from his. He reached out, grabbing her hand so she couldn't let go.
"I'm not making fun," he promised. "Look, you didn't try and dance with him, did you?" he asked.
"Well, no."
"Why was that?"
She shifted slightly. "Because I was nervous," she admitted. "And he might have noticed." Her eyes widened slightly. "Oh! You're saying that…"
"He felt the same." He patted her hand but let it go. "He really didn't like the idea that we might have been dancing."
Her cheeks were starting to burn. Why did everyone have to keep using that euphemism around her? "We didn't, though. We actually just danced."
"Doesn't matter. He was jealous," Jack replied patiently. Once again, he was reminded with just how low her self-esteem was. "When I first beamed you up onto my ship your arm was bleeding and fractured, but you still ripped up a bit of my floor and told me in no uncertain terms that we were never going to dance."
"Well, what do you expect? You hear stories of women being kidnapped, I was terrified."
"But you weren't, though. You were pissed," he pointed out. "You were so sure of what wasn't going to happen that you came right out and said it."
She frowned. "What's your point?"
"You're not doing the same now, are you?" he replied. "The Doctor didn't dance with you, but you didn't try and dance with him either. Why was that?"
"Because he might have said no," she replied.
"And what if he had said yes?" he countered. "You're very happy to tell the universe what you're not willing to do, why not tell it what you are willing to do for once." He let go of her arm. "You seem much too strong-willed to take 'no' for an answer if a 'yes' is on the table."
"You've barely known me a day. You have no idea what I'm like," she told him.
He shrugged. "You're easier to read than you think, Danni-Girl." He turned, leaving her standing in the hallway. "Go get your yes. Then you can come tell me how right I was."
She watched him walk away, making no moves to follow and tell him how wrong he was. She really was out of her depth with all of this. She knew how to live her own life, in her own world, letting people see certain parts that she was happy to share. She'd never wanted to delve deeper than that. She'd never wanted to let anyone closer. Even now, even with her heart racing at the prospect that Jack might have been right, she still wasn't sure if it was what she wanted. All she did know was that, if it was anyone, it was the Doctor.
And then there was Rose. Who was funny, and kind and very pretty and had danced with the Doctor with no issue at all. In fact, Danielle was having a hard time even thinking of Rose. It felt like a little piece of betrayal wrapped up in a big old helping of resignation. If it was anyone, of course it would be Rose. The friend she'd opened up to. The friend she'd trusted with that information about herself that she barely trusted in her own head. Who else was going to hold the Doctor's attention but her?
The Doctor hadn't had an issue dancing with the other young woman, maybe it was her that he didn't want to dance with. Maybe it was just her own fantasies that were tempting her to believe Jack's theory. After all, she'd not asked because she had been scared of rejection. What if he'd been scared of rejection too?
She turned around, heading towards the console room feeling like she was going to faint, and yet strangely empowered. Jack seemed to know romance quite well and he wasn't scared of anything if it meant he would be happy. Perhaps he really was right.
Of course, when she reached the console room and saw the Doctor stood there, tinkering away like a mechanic and an old, beloved car, she froze on the spot, her words disappearing. What was she supposed to say? Did she just blurt it out? Did she have to act coy, or flirt? Did she even know how to flirt? Should she have changed again? Maybe she should have just gone back to bed.
The Doctor turned around, sensing someone behind him and smiled brightly at her. "Danielle!" he cried, like he was really happy to see her. "Here was me thinking I was going to have to go exploring on my own tonight."
She faltered slightly. "Oh, I-I didn't realise you were waiting for me."
"I wasn't, but it's always better with two," he explained before frowning to himself. She looked paler than normal, and more uncomfortable. She couldn't quite look at him. "What's wrong?"
She quickly shot her gaze to him. "What-What do you mean?" she asked him, her voice more high-pitched than she would have liked. She cleared her throat. She had to pull herself together. She was being ridiculous. He was a nine-hundred-year-old alien. Of course, there was nothing else there.
But, he did say humans danced everywhere…
He didn't know whether to push it or not, but she looked so startled he stopped what he was doing. "Was it that Captain again?" he asked. She smiled slightly, but shook her head.
"No, Jack's been…" She glanced behind her. "Jack's been great, actually," she finished softly. "I just… I was wondering…"
He cocked an eyebrow. "Yeah?"
She took a deep breath. "Why didn't you dance with me?" she asked, a little rushed and a little more accusatory than she had meant it to be.
"Oh!" he turned back to the console. "I just- Why?"
She shrugged, stepping into the console room and a little closer to him. "You danced with Jack and Rose, but not me," she continued. "I was just-Did I upset you? I never know, I'm not very good at noticing that sometimes."
"No, you didn't," he replied. "Did you- Did I upset you?" he countered.
"No, it-It would have just been nice, that's all," she offered with a shrug. "To be, you know, included."
He smiled softly. He understood that completely and had never meant to make her feel like he was excluding her from anything. "Well, let's change that," he declared. With a flick of a switch Moonlight Serenade began playing from the speakers of the console. Danielle's eyes widened in surprise and the Doctor held out his hand. When she didn't take it, just stared at it like it might bite her, he took a step closer. "What? Don't think I can dance as well as your American friend?" he challenged.
"I didn't say that," she retorted, taking it. The song was much slower than the one he'd danced with Rose to, and he hadn't really thought about that when he'd put it on. He'd done it because Jack had called it 'their' song and he didn't like the idea that she had a song with Jack. He didn't want them to share a connection beyond what he shared with Danielle.
Because they were friend, of course.
Still, she shifted her hand so it was more comfortable, and placed a hand on his arm and suddenly it felt a lot more intimate. They swayed to the music, silently, until Danielle looked up at him. "I do like this song," she told him quietly. "It's very pretty."
He nodded. "It is," he agreed. "Very pretty."
It didn't feel awkward, that wasn't what it was. The air just felt heavy and Danielle's heart felt like it was about to jump right out of her chest. Which wasn't going to be lovely. And could be rather embarrassing if it got all over the Doctor's sweatshirt. She'd hate to cause such a mess by suddenly exploding because she felt… well, she felt…
She looked up at him, trying to be subtle. She wasn't sure how she felt. She felt both nervous and excited. She was dancing with the Doctor and it shouldn't have felt like that. She hadn't felt this way with Rose, or with Jack. It was just the Doctor.
She had absolutely no idea that the Doctor was feeling rather the same. He was certain that she could feel the how clammy his palms were becoming. His brain was on overdrive trying to tell him that this really wasn't a good idea, but he couldn't help himself. Her inquisitiveness wasn't like Rose's, or Jack's. It reminded him of how he'd seen the universe when he'd first left Gallifrey and he loved seeing that again. He loved stoking that burning curiosity. He really felt like there was something in her that connected with him and he really hadn't meant for that to happen. He was so much older than her, and so… so tall, with big ears and very northern. She shouldn't have even been bothered about dancing with her. But there she was.
"You know, I almost met Glenn Miller once," he told her. Her eyes lit up in delight at hearing another story from him. "I ended up being trapped in a barn with these creatures called the Kinafore. Horrid little things. Covered in tentacles and the don't really have a definition of 'personal boundaries'."
Danielle giggled. "Did they get too frisky with you?" she asked with a tease. He nodded.
"It's why I wear jumpers," he replied. "Less skin for the suckers to attach to."
She laughed again, giving her head a shake. "Honestly, it's a wonder we can take you anywhere."
"Oi, I'm the one who takes you places," he protested. "My time machine, remember?"
"Nah," she said. "You're totally her Time Lord." The console flashed, a long light going from the bottom up to the top. Danielle turned her head to look at it, still thoroughly amused. "Yeah? I knew I was right!"
She turned and their eyes met again. Her laughter died and her breath caught, much like his seemed to. She had no idea what was going on but it felt heavy and unspoken in the air. She'd never felt anything like it and it was both exciting and suffocating. Like she was going to drown in it if she didn't so something.
She pressed up on her tiptoes, gently pressing her lips against his. It was just a short, chaste kiss with nothing much behind it, but she felt him press back against her touch and her heart skipped one happy beat.
He looked just as shocked as she felt when she pulled away. She hadn't even thought, she'd just acted and it had felt fantastic. But his eyes were wide and he looked ready to run and her panic began to pick up once again. Had she read the room completely wrong? This was why she hadn't wanted to admit anything out loud to Rose. She had absolutely no idea and he was going to hate her for…
Oh!
Her thoughts were immediately shut down the moments his lips met hers again. Her eyes fluttered shut and she held onto the top of his arm tightly, like she was going to fall down if she didn't'. Again it was just a fairly chaste and quick kiss, but to Danielle it felt like such a huge leap. He'd kissed her. He'd actually kissed her.
She lowered back onto the flats of her feet when they broke apart and both of them just stared at each other. The Doctor's hearts were pounding again, this time out of nerves that he'd acted too soon, that she'd not actually been trying to kiss him but just place a friendly kiss on his cheek to thank him for the dance.
But then she smiled. A big, bright smile that he couldn't help but return. Her cheeks were glowing a warm pink but she looked as happy as he felt. "Well…" she started.
"Well, then," he said at the same time and the pair chuckled at their absurd behaviour. "I think that's enough dancing for one day."
Danielle nodded. "Yeah, you're probably right," she agreed. "I should—" she motioned over her shoulder. "-I should head to bed anyway. Been a long-a long day."
He nodded a little too enthusiastically. "Yes, yes, you do that," he said. "I'll take you on that adventure tomorrow night."
Her bright smile fell to a smirk. "I'm holding you to that," she warned before heading to the hallway. "Goodnight Spaceman," she called over.
"Goodnight Danielle," he called back. She turned the corner, paused in the hallway and giggled again to herself. She reached up and brushed her fingers across her lips. She felt like she was in some sort of teenage romance novel. The one's she used to turn her nose up at in public and declare beneath her, but the ones she used to secretly read because she wanted to understand why people in her class seemed turn into idiots when their hormones were involved. She felt just like that.
And she didn't hate it.
~0~0~0~
Hello! I was so surprised at all of you who were still around! I would have given up on waiting for me ages ago :D :D
I hope you like this one too! I've been trying to get to the end of this for a long time!