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He’s on Earth again, sometime in the 22nd century. The leaves are starting to fall from the trees and there’s a crisp chill in the air. Captain Jack Harkness is sipping a beer from an indiscreet bar within the city of Cardiff, watching the bustling streets through the window and occasionally eyeing up the rather attractive bartender. There are so many people going about their day, rushing home from work or catching a bit of retail therapy before the shops shut for the day.
It’s been such a long time since he stepped foot on this planet, and he’s hit with a pang of nostalgia from all the memories he’s made here. He nurses his pint in his hands as he laments on the past.
A faint noise makes the rest of this thoughts slip away as he tilts his head and listens. It doesn’t take him long to decipher what it is. The familiar wheezing and groaning sound has him slamming the pint glass on the ring-stained table and grabbing his coat. He doesn’t even hesitate as he charges through the bar doors and runs in the direction of that beautiful, impossible noise.
The TARDIS noises stop as Jack reaches the alleyway a few shops down from the bar. Panting for breath, he drinks in the sight of the beautiful blue box. He’s lost count of the years since he’s seen this time machine - and yet here it is! - standing proud in front of him, glowing like a beacon. His hands tremble as he reaches out and strokes the familiar blue wood.
“Hey, you,” He murmurs tenderly, and the TARDIS thrums contently beneath his fingers. The TARDIS key around his neck warms against his chest, where he’s kept it all this time.
Before Jack can even think about unlocking the door, it flies open to reveal-
Oh.
It’s not a Doctor he’s met before, there’s no big ears, pinstripe suit or bowtie, but he knows in an instant it’s her. Frozen still, they are suddenly face-to-face. Her eyes widen in mild surprise and she takes a sudden step back, clearly not expecting someone to be stood on the other side of the door. Jack takes a moment to study her new face and oh boy, she is gorgeous.
Her eyes are bright yet guarded, her blonde hair frames her slender jawline and stops just above her shoulders, and her lips… those lips.
Within less than a second, the Doctor’s surprise turns into a familiar warmth and a wide grin forms on her face.
Jack wastes no time bridging the gap between them. He is close enough to smell her; the mild scent of chimney smoke and motor oil. He can no longer resist as he reaches to cup her face in his hands and plant a tender kiss to her soft lips. His heart aches, longing not let go, but he feels the Doctor stiffen under his gentle grip, and he pulls apart after a few heart-wrenching moments.
“Oh, stop it you,” She laughs nervously, and oh, is that a Northern accent? His heart tugs a little at the echo of his original Doctor.
Taking in a heavy breath, Jack steels himself for the rejection that never comes. Her eyes are still bright and inviting, although there’s something else there that he can’t put his finger on.
“Look at you,” Jack breathes, “Loving the new face, Doc. And look how small you are!” He leans in again, wrapping his arms around her waist and spinning her around. The Doctor squawks in indignation as he buries his face into the crook of her neck. Oh, how he’s missed his Doctor!
“Oi! Put me down! I’ve got important stuff to do – saving the world, I’ll have you know!”
Grinning, Jack places her back on the solid ground and she steps back to brush down her striking outfit.
“Sorry, I just couldn’t resist. You are a little bit adorable.”
The Doctor pouts at that but says nothing as she closes the TARDIS door and starts to walk down the alleyway. Jack jogs to catch up with her.
“I take it this isn’t a social call? Saving the world?” He asks, digging his hands deep into his trench coat as they walk.
“Sadly not, got a blip from the TARDIS and she took me here. Where is here, exactly?” After a quick glance to Jack, she licks her finger and points it in the air. She seems satisfied with what she finds and continues striding until they reach the bustling street, “Cardiff, 2165. Changed a bit since I was last here.”
Jack gazes up at the towering skyscrapers. It’s been a while since Cardiff was a quaint city in the south of Wales. The population is approaching nearly 10 million now.
“Is the Earth in danger?” He asks.
“Oh, Jack, when’s it not in danger when I’m around?” She pauses, looking uncertain and hesitant, “I wouldn’t mind a spare pair of hands, actually. Captain Jack Harkness, fancy saving the world with me?”
He’d be stupid to say no.
/ / /
They end up saving the world, and they have fun while they’re at it. After it all, they are breathless and laughing as they stumble back to the TARDIS. With the aliens banished from the planet after a clever plan conjured by the Doctor, Earth is safe once more.
The sun had long since set but it is a clear night. Stars twinkle above them and Jack feels his heart clench in yearning. He longs to travel again, side by side with The Doctor.
The pair stop outside the TARDIS doors and the Doctor reaches into her pocket and brings out her key. She places it in the lock and pauses. Jack is silent, watching, waiting. He can’t ask – not again. The thought of being rejected will hurt more than all the years he’s spent away from this life. He can live without seeing the Doctor for another hundred, thousand, a hundred thousand years. He’s done ok so far.
But as they stand there, still panting from all the running, Jack realises this isn’t just about him. The Doctor’s hands are still frozen, key half-turned in the lock. An array of conflicting emotions swim in her eyes. There is a glint of vulnerability that makes him pause. The Doctor had barely kept her mouth shut all day, but now, in this moment, he can see that for all that talking, The Doctor had just been desperate to fill the silence. There had been moments where their hands had brushed, and rather than pull away, she had leant into the warmth of his skin. He wonders how long she’s been travelling alone for.
And in this quiet moment, Jack makes up his mind. Perhaps the Doctor is just as afraid of rejection as he is. He reaches out and takes her free hand, holding it tightly. Her breath hitches.
“Space for two in there?” He asks softly, and The Doctor lets out a shaky breath, squeezing his hand back. He takes it as a thank you.
In an instant, The Doctor’s entire demeanour changes. The cheeky sparkle in her eye is back and she throws open the TARDIS door and drags Jack inside. They run to the console together, the doors closing shut behind them. In a blur of excitement and energy, she pulls a lever and they are thrown into the time vortex, hurtling through space.
Jack doesn’t let go of her hand but reaches with his other one to grab the edge of the console as the TARDIS rumbles and shakes. He meets her eyes and they both can’t contain their laughter.
“I’ve missed this!” He cries over the noise.
Eventually the TARDIS stabilises and the Doctor finally lets go of him. He watches in awe as she circles the console, pushing buttons and twisting knobs in the same familiarity that Jack has always loved.
“So, where first?” The Doctor leans back, eyes catching Jack’s challengingly.
“I think I need a drink.”
“Ah! I know just the place! Dozzian’s Peak does the best cocktails in the Esterel Galaxy! Off we go.”
And with that, they were off.
(The cocktails really were out of this world.)
/ / /
The Timelord and the immortal - that’s what people call them.
They explore every corner of the universe, watching stars collapse and visiting ancient civilisations. They battle foes, save planets and did an awful lot of running.
Jack loves every moment, and it doesn’t take him long to love this new Doctor.
She is eccentric and wild and never stops talking. She can take a box of scraps and invent the impossible. She can command the attention of an entire room and the save the world with just a bobby pin and a piece of paper.
And yet, sometimes when they are alone, Jack sees a different side of her.
They get kidnapped on a planet once. The Doctor gets them out eventually, but for a few days they are sat in a cold, dark cell with only each other for company. Jack isn’t scared, but the Doctor is quiet and unresponsive. He shuffles closer to her, wrapping an arm around her stiff shoulders. She melts into him, letting out a shuddering breath and rests her head on his chest.
“I hate prison cells,” She says, and Jack doesn’t ask.
They sit like that for hours, with Jack softly carding his fingers through her hair, until they both fall asleep from exhaustion. When they wake, nothing has changed and the Doctor still has no plans. Jack can only hope his presence is chasing some of her dark thoughts away.
After they make their escape, she’s back to her usual chatty self. Jack doesn’t question it; he’s lived enough years to know not to reopen a closed wound.
Jack tries not to compare her to previous incarnations. They all had their dark moments, from the grief of the Time War and Gallifrey to the loss of Rose and countless other companions. They all had a breaking point. Jack never had the chance to get to know some of them – Bowtie had been a fleeting hello on a distant planet and Grumpy had been nothing but a meeting of eyes across a crowded room.
However, this Doctor has an odd sort of vulnerability that Jack hasn’t seen before. Sometimes, when she thinks Jack isn’t looking, her shoulders will slump, and she will get a faraway look in her eyes. Jack guesses that she lost someone important to her. Sometimes, late at night, he wonders whether the Doctor chose to travel with him because she knows he’s impossible to lose. No matter what dangerous situation they get thrown into, he will always live at the end of it.
He does end up dying a couple of times on their adventures. It’s never easy sucking in that first breath after he regains consciousness, but the Doctor is always there. The first time it happens after getting in the way of a laser beam, he comes alive in her arms and she doesn’t let go for a long time.
After that, Jack does his very best to keep dying to a minimum.
/ / /
They land on a planet just before sunrise. The sky was a mixture of stunning purples and burnt oranges that take Jack’s breath away. They have parked the TARDIS on the edge of a cliff, looking out at an expanse of ocean.
The Doctor had explained the planet, Ortus, only had a sunrise once every fifty Earth years. And yet, the average lifespan of Ortusians was only a mere sixty years.
“Imagine that,” She had said, “Living most of your life in darkness. And then the sun rises for the first and last time and you’ll never see the stars again.”
Jack sits atop the cliff, amongst the lavender grass, watching as the sun very slowly rises from the horizon. The Doctor sits beside him, eyes transfixed to the sky.
“The Ortusians celebrate every sunrise and sunset with a festival,” She murmurs beside him, “They spend a year preparing and the festival lasts weeks. It’s the most magnificent spectacle. If you look down there,” She points to the bustling city below, “The parties are just getting started.”
Jack can see the local citadel is beginning to light up with laser shows, holograms and fireworks. There’s also the faint sound of music, although it sounds nothing like Earth music. It’s possibly more beautiful than the sunrise itself.
“Can they not travel to the other side of the planet to see the sun?”
The Doctor shakes her head, “The planet is five times larger than the Earth and is almost completely made up of water. Even if you did get to the other side, there’s nothing out there. Think of Pangea millions of years ago - nothing but ocean.”
Jack hums in thought, looking down at the distant civilisation, “I’d miss the stars. I used to love staring up at the night sky when I was a boy. I would imagine all the beautiful planets out there that had yet to be discovered. I dreamt of travelling.”
The Doctor smiles, bumping shoulders with him gently, although it doesn’t quite reach her eyes.
“You were a born traveller. Bit like me. Could never stay in one place for long,” She sighs wistfully.
“You ok, Doc?” He asks softly, reaching out to hold her hand. Her fingers are colder than usual.
She doesn’t respond, and Jack thinks that’s the end of the conversation. He turns his head back to watch changing colours of the sky. The sun is so much larger than Earth’s; it almost takes up the entire expanse of the horizon. The snow-capped mountains behind them are starting to glisten and twinkle as the sunlight reflects on them for the first time in a long time.
“I’m just so tired.”
Jack jolts out of his musings and turns back to look at the Doctor. Her eyes shine from unshed tears as they slip shut. She lets out a resigned sigh. In that moment, it is just the two of them, the Timelord and the immortal, clinging to each other on this insignificant planet on a distant corner of a galaxy, both so far away from home.
He can relate to her words. Being immortal is both a gift and a curse. He has lost so many people within his lifetime, and he will only lose more in the future. It’s a burden he has to bear, as there is no choice in this life. One day he will likely lose the Doctor as well, the only person he can truly see as his equal in all this.
“Want to talk about it?”
The Doctor lets out a bitter laugh that sounds all wrong and wipes her eyes with the back of her hand. She tilts her head up, letting the small slither of Ortusian sunshine spread across her face. The air was slightly warmer than when they first arrived and Jack shrugs off his thick jacket, leaving him in just a shirt and braces.
“Where do I begin, Jack? Did I tell you Gallifrey wasn’t lost? For hundreds of years I mourned for my people, thinking I had killed them to win the Time War, and all for nothing. I finally got my planet back, and then The Master slaughtered them. Every last one of them,” She pauses, brokenly, “I was locked in a prison for far longer than I care to admit, treated more like an object than a living being. And when I finally escaped and got back to my TARDIS…” She trails off. Her eyes are open now, staring vacantly at the view before them.
“I had a fam,” She explains suddenly, “Graham, Yaz and Ryan. We travelled, saved the universe. Y’know, the usual stuff. They were there for me even though I was a terrible friend to them. And I lost them. I lost all three of them.”
Jack stays silent because there is nothing he can say that will make this better. Grief and solitude has been tearing his Doctor apart for such a long time. The only thing he can do in this moment is to grip her hand tighter.
“It’s not just that,” She continues bitterly, “That is just the tip of the iceberg. I’ve been lied to for my entire life. I have chunks of my life missing. The Timelords wiped my memories and I can’t get them back. I’m not who I thought I was. I don’t even know who I am anymore.”
Turning to face her, Jack cups her face in his hands. Brushing away a few stray tears that had fallen, he meets her gaze steadily.
“You’re the Doctor. You’re incredible and brave and beautiful. You can take apart a thousand Dalek spaceships with just your words and a sonic screwdriver. You’re merciful yet so, so mad. No matter what you’ve been through, you will always be that madman – mad woman – with a box.”
He leans forward, pressing his forehead against hers. Her hot breath ghosts against his face.
“Oh, Doctor,” He sighs, “The lost memories don’t define you. It took me a long time to realise that.”
He never did get those two years of his life back.
Their eyes meet. This close he can see every detail of her iris. His thumb strays down her cheekbones and brushes her bottom lip. Her breath hitches and her pupils dilate.
She leans in, closing the small gap that is left beneath them. Her eyes flutter shut as their lips softly graze together. Jack’s hands fall from her face in surprise, but she takes one of them and presses it against her chest. He can feel the fast thrum of her hearts beneath him.
They pull apart, breathless.
Everything Jack means to say crumbles against his lips as he catches her eyes again. Something that feels a lot like hope rests between them. Without a word, they both turn to focus their gaze back on the sunrise. Her hand finds his and their fingers silently entwine.
Sitting side by side, they both savour this moment.
The sliver of light illuminates where they are sat, basking them in warmth.
“Fancy watching the whole sunrise with me?” The Doctor breaks the silence after a few minutes.
“You know I’d love to.”
“An Ortusian sunrise lasts approximately twenty-five Earth days. I hope you’re comfortable.”
Jack’s eyes crinkle as he throws back his head and laughs.
“Doc, I’d watch a thousand sunrises with you if I could.”
They share a smile. Twenty-five days with no running, no chaos, no planets in peril. Jack thinks he can live a lifetime without all of that as long as he shares it with the Doctor.
(After the sun has finally risen, they walk hand-in-hand back to the TARDIS. United in love, loss and immortality, they jump inside their little blue box and hurtle to their next adventure. Never slowing down, never stopping and always running.)