| Date: 17 December 2007
Characters: Jack Harkness, Rose Tyler Location: a TARDIS Link to IJ: thread #12007 |
 When the choice was between a room in a hotel and room on the TARDIS, Jack's decision was predictable. He took the room on the TARDIS. Especially since he needed very little space, the TARDIS might just be able to provide a way out of this place, and at the very least had more interesting corridors to wander.
Besides, he still had a key. So, he was wandering the halls and trying to see if he could find the room that would be his - or Rose's, he wasn't really that picky about it. His attention was turned so far inward, trying to keep a decent read on the TARDIS without fighting his own shields - that he almost didn't hear someone walking, until they were on top of him. "Did you get lost in your own ship?" he called out, expecting the Doctor. |
 "Everyone gets lost in here, Jack," Rose said, throwing herself at him because. She knew this guy. |
| He looked up and around, at the sound of her voice. He started gaping, but by the time he'd caught her, he was grinning. "Hello, sweetheart! It's been a while!" |
| She grinned, wrapping around him tightly and just. So unbelievably happy to be with someone who knew her that she knew that she almost started crying. She kissed Jack instead, a quick hard kiss that was nothing sexual and everything greeting and joy, "Not that long for me." |
| He returned the kiss, and it wasn't sexual but it was definitely loving and warm and god he'd missed that so much it hurt. "Well, you know time. Tricky thing at it's best. How long's it been?" He didn't let her go. Not yet. |
| "About four hours," she leaned into him hard, rubbing his back, "What about you?" |
| "Four hours?" He stared. "Wow, that is a really tricky thing." He put his hand in her hair, gripping her neck warm and light through it. "How about we leave it at longer?" |
| "How much longer?" she was instantly worried meeting his eyes, "Because if you say years I'm going to cry." |
| He pulled back and bent his knees a little so he could look her in the eyes. "No," he siad firmly. "Not even close. Why?" |
| "I met a . Well. She's me, only she's 800 years old and someone who's not the Doctor even though he's saying he is, said that it's. Just like you." |
| "What?" He wasn't acting, that didn't make any sense. "Said that what's like me?" |
| "I don't know! I just. Was freaking out." |
| "Well, stop now, okay? Trust me. We'll get it sorted." |
| "Okay," she smiled, then hugged him again, "Tea?" |
| He returned the hug, hard. "Tea's probably the best way to sort this. Come on, the kitchen has to be around here, somewhere." |
| "Have you found our rooms?" |
| He put his hand on her back, as they walked. "You should probably know we haven't actually got rooms yet." |
| "We haven't?" she frowned. |
| "Time is tricky," he reminded her, hand still on her back. "This TARDIS belongs to the Doctor you recognize, but before he met us. " |
| "The Doctor I recognize? We're crossing dimensions or something then?" |
| He shook his head. "No. The Doctor's a Time Lord. Part of their life cycle is regeneration. It's like re-writing their DNA, right down to the cellular level." |
| "So that cute guy with the brown hair really was the Doctor?" |
| He shook his head. "I don't know, I haven't seen the Doctor since he regenerated. It's possible." |
| "Regeneration's real?" she double checked, surprised. |
| He nodded. "Regeneration's real." |
| "Do you know where we are?" |
| He nodded. "Yeah. I think this is it." He pushed the door open and peered in. "This is it. Come on." He pulled Rose into the kitchen, gently. |
| Rose went to start the kettle, "This is weird." |
| He found what they'd need to make tea. "It is weird, but it feels so good." |
| "I'm so glad to see you," she grinned at him, "I was starting to worry." |
| "Worry why? And how?" He was still trying to pinpoint her, but she knew him and the Doctor and that was really freaking important. |
| "Just. What they were talking about. And when." She frowned, "The last thing I remember about you is thinking you had to live. But you obviously weren't dead but." |
| "I lived," he said, a little shortly. "It's been years, and I'm still going strong. You do good work." |
| She stared. "No, I couldn- Jack?" |
| "You could and you did," he said, not angry. "Or so I'm told." |
| She reached out for his hand, "It's not. It can't be *bad* though?" |
| He took his hand and pulled her in. "It's not bad," he promised. |
| She hugged him tight, "And you'll be safe with us. Even when we do crazy things." |
| He hugged her back and kissed her temple. "I've always been safe with you, sweetheart." |
| She frowned, just slightly. "Are you still with the Doctor?" |
| "With him how?" |
| "Travelin'? I mean. years. I. Have gotta be dust. You though." |
| He smiled, a little. "It's been a while," he admitted. "And the years didn't all start where we were, you know? I mean went back. I think I'm almost caught up with you, though."
Not. Thinking. about her name on that list. |
| "When and where? I'll make sure we get you." |
| "You've already got me," he said with a quick grin. "Your kettle's boiling." |
| She looked startled, then shook his head, taking it off the heat. "Have to get that man to invest in electric." |
| "Where would he stick the plug?" he asked, blinking a little. |
| "He's a genuis, he keeps sayin'. He'll figure it out." |
| "Yeah, and I bet I can offer a few suggestions for where to stick it," he said, with a faint glint of evil humor in his eyes. |
| "Don't make any he can reverse and turn on you." |
| "I'm way, way less likely to be offended than he is," he grinned. |
| "That's true," she agreed, "And more likely to do it." |
| "Remind me to tell you how I got out of my room on the Game Station sometime," he grinned and stroked her cheek. |
| "Not now?" |
| "I had a gun shoved up my ass." |
| "...For how long?" |
| "...You know, I don't remember but now I'm worried. It couldn't have been all that long." |
| "I really hope not, Jack," she was making a face, eyes wide. |
| He grinned. "Nah, like ten minutes before we got taken, I think." |
| "...Why?" |
| "Don't ask questions you don't want answered." He got cups down to hide his smirk. |
| "Now I'm curious!" |
| "You never know when you might need a gun." |
| "Onboard the TARDIS?" |
| "Especially on board the TARDIS. Do you want sugar in your tea?" |
| "Yeah, and cream?" she grabbed the cream herself. |
| "Yeah, you don't want me to cream in your tea." He was having to work for it a bit, but distraction was good. |
| "Keep it clean, Captain," she smiled. |
| He passed her a cup of tea. "Since when?" |
| "Oh, I have no anticipation of it happening." she grinned, tongue peeking out from between her teeth. |
| He reached out and tapped her lightly under the chin. "But you live in hope, right?" |
| "My world would shift," she said cheekily. |
| "Yeah, and go straight to hell with all the snow." |
| "Yeah, all that freezing over?" |
| "Gotta make something cave in," he agreed. |
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