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Jack couldn't help the relief he felt even as he watched in horror as the beam pierced the Doctor's body. It had only been a couple of days that the Doctor had been in his current body and Jack hated watching him regenerate, especially so soon. The relief came, though, at the thought that the Doctor wouldn't have to suffer anymore. That he would be able to move on to his next body and not have to be constantly reminded about the fact that he had returned to a body that had suffered greatly. One that had so many mental scars that Jack had to sedate him for a brief time that he was able to get the Doctor to rest. His own thoughts didn't stop him from joining Mel in order to stand by the Doctor's side as he regenerated. Only this regeneration was different as for the first time ever he bi-regenerated into two different men.
None of them were able to fully process it as there was still the Toymaker to deal with a game to play. One that would determine the Doctor's fate once and for all. Jack would have happily played it for him but he had no choice but to stand back as the two Doctors challenged the Toymaker to a game of catch. The game went on for what seemed like hours as they constantly tried to throw the ball at varying angles and speeds in order to make their opponent miss. Jack was relieved to see that even if the Doctor had a familiar body, his hand-eye coordination had vastly improved from the last time he was in that body. He was able to catch the ball and throw it with ease even if he did almost miss it on several occasions. Finally, a lucky shot made the Toymaker miss and he was banished from existence. With him gone, Jack was finally left to look after the two Doctors.
"Well this should make traveling interesting," Jack informed them as they approached the TARDIS.
"Only he isn't going to be traveling with me," The new Doctor stated. The Doctor narrowed his eyes as he ran his hand along the side of the TARDIS. He could feel her humming through him in a way that brought him comfort and allowed him to fall asleep even on his worst nights. There was no way he was going to be able to give her up, even for a short time.
"Do you mean... he flies off?" The Doctor questioned the sadness in his voice clear. "But I could never let the Tardis go. Never. It would hurt."
"You won't have to," the New Doctor reassured him. Jack narrowed his eyes in confusion.
"But we only have one TARDIS," Jack reminded them.
"Yes, but he got his prize, where's mine," The new Doctor wondered. He stepped inside the TARDIS for a brief moment, returning just as quickly with a giant mallet. Using the leftover domain energy from the Toymaker, he took the giant mallet and hit it against the side of the TARDIS effectively creating a new one. One specifically for him to use that would allow both of them to keep their home and their friend. The only problem was they couldn't split Jack. Jack felt guilty that he couldn't travel with them both even as he realized that the new Doctor seemed more adjusted than the one that he was currently with.
"I can't leave him," John apologized as he looked at the new Doctor.
"I know," he responded.
"Will you be alright without me?" Jack wondered.
"Don't worry about me, we're Timelords and we do rehab out of order. He needs you right now to take care of him so when he does finally regenerate properly he will be ready. Just remember that this isn't forever and you and I will travel again together someday," the new Doctor promised.
"But why does it have to be this body? I said goodbye to this body a long time ago," The Doctor complained softly as he looked at his hands. He had once loved these hands but that had been turned against him by the facility that reduced him to nothing more than a child. He hated looking in the mirror and seeing that man who had been so broken that he had to have Jack care for him for years until he was finally able to fix the break within his mind.
"This body came back so that we can finally heal from the wounds that were created while we had it," the New Doctor explained. "It won't be easy but Jack will be with us the entire time and one day when we are ready, we will travel the stars with him again but right now we just need to heal."
"You will visit in the meantime," the Doctor stated. It wasn't phrased like a question but more of a demand. The new Doctor nodded.
"You won't be able to keep me away," He promised as he took the Doctor into his arms. They hugged each other tightly as they stood outside of the TARDIS. Eventually, they pulled away from each other, and the new Doctor sauntered onto his TARDIS. Jack took the Doctor's hand in his as together they watched the TARDIS disappear. Once they were gone, Jack gave his hand a gentle tug and together they returned to their own TARDIS. It had been a long day and Jack just wanted a bath before settling down to hold the Doctor in his arms for the night as together they finally began to heal.
