Work Text:
“Jack, Captain Jack Harkness. Pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
Who would’ve known those two sentences were the start of your downfall. You weren’t really one to care about a pretty face or well timed flirting, you had travelled with the Doctor for a long time after all, not to mention all you’ve travelled before him. You had met all sorts of people, seen all sorts of faces, yet none managed to take your breath away. Not until good ol’ Captain Jack that is. And you hated him for it.
“Watch it pretty,” He sent you a heart fluttering grin, hands holding onto your waist to steady you. “Don’t want you falling now. Not unless you’re fallin’ for me that is.” You felt like a deer caught in headlights, his palms were so warm pressed against you, blue eyes drinking you in. You hadn’t been this clumsy before. You scowled at the thought.
“Yeah, yeah,” You rolled your eyes, patting his chest, trying to make some room between you both, though Jack seemed a bit reluctant to let you go so soon. “You’d quite like that, wouldn’t you?” The only answer was the rise of his eyebrows and the slight squeeze of your hips before he took a step back, his smile widening into a toothy grin.
“Dontcha know it,” He winked before finally going back to helping fix the tardis. This was only temporary, you had to remind yourself. Not because he was a human who would wither and die, no he was special, tardis energy clinging to his cells and keeping them from dying. No, this was temporary because he was only hitching a ride with the Doctor until you all made it back to Earth. And the thought made your heart ache.
You bit the inside of your cheek as you did you damned hardest to ignore the way the Doctor had watched your entire interaction with a smugly raised eyebrow. Like he had any say, you internally grumbled. But you couldn’t help it, all these small moments kept adding up. Teasing glances, small touches, flirty remarks. You can’t say they didn’t mean anything, Jack wasn’t like that. It was how he showed he cared and it could get him out of a tough situation, and he was someone who had a lot of love to give. Who were you to judge?
“You gonna tell him, or should I?” The Doctor jested, eyes twinkling with his usual mischief.
“Tell him what?” You asked, crossing your arms. If looks could kill he’d be about roasted right now.
“Tell him how you feel, duh,” He scoffed, the two of you watching Jack flirt with some alien, missing the way he glanced at you both, his grin becoming smuger.
“Don’t you even dare,” You hissed, pressing a finger against his chest. “Don’t you dare try to lecture me about this Doctor, or do you want me to give you a list-”
“All right, all right, I get it,” He grumbled, waving you away, posture getting a little tense. “All I’m saying is I’ve known you for a long, long time, and I’ve never seen you so…” He waved his hands about, looking positively mad. “...you know.”
“Do I?” You asked unamused.
“Taken!” The Doctor exclaimed, bringing stares towards you both. “Sorry,” He winced, before continuing on like normal. “I’ve never seen you so taken. Just can’t believe it’s Captain Jack Harkness out of everybody.”
“Is it really that hard to believe?” You mumbled, picking at the threads of your shirt.
“No, no,” He shook his head, voice trailing off. “He…has a nice smile I guess.” Your eyebrows flew up, a surprised gasp leaving your lips.
“Did the esteemed Doctor just give me a compliment?” Jack asked, eyes dancing between you both.
“Never mind that, did you get the disk,” Doctor dismissed, pushing himself off the wall and already walking away.
You and Jack shared a look before following him, “Of course, what do you take me for Doctor?”
“A nice smile apparently,” You teased, bumping into Jack’s side playfully.
Jack let out a short whistle, “Ain’t that right Doctor.”
“Now there’s two of ‘em,” Doctor grumbled, hands tucked into his pockets as he ducked into the tardis. “I should leave you both here.”
“Awe, but you love us, dontcha doc?” Jack crooned, tossing an arm around my shoulders and shaking me gently as we followed him.
“Oh shove it lover boy.”
— — — —
“This way! Quick!” Jack shouted, gun in one hand, yours in the other. The both of you turned a sharp corner, and you pushed him into the first door you could. Unfortunately for you both, it was merely a storage cupboard. The small room felt entirely too warm as you were forced to stand chest to chest, the both of you practically smushed together.
“If you wanted a piece of me all you had to do was ask,” Jack whispered, trying to gather his breaths along with you. Perhaps Jack found this a bit more opportune than you.
“I think you like this a bit more than you should,” You whispered back, trying to ignore how his arms wrapped around you, almost protectively.
“Maybe I do,” Jack retorted cheekily. “Not everyday you get stuck in a cupboard with someone as lovely as you.”
“Flattery will get you nowhere, Jack.”
“Hmm,” He chuckled. “It’s gotten me this far.” The sound of footfalls echoed outside the, causing you both to hush, Jack managing to pull you in even closer. Only for the door to be yanked open revealing the Doctor.
“Oh come on,” He groaned, a look of disgust on his face as he backpedaled away. “What are you…seriously? Right now? In the middle of a chase?”
“Is there a better time?” Jack teased.
“You’re acting like you caught us snogging or something,” You rolled your eyes, trying to step away, only for Jack to pull you back in and place a kiss on your cheek.
“Don’t worry sweetheart,” Jack grinned, sending you a wink. “We can save that for next time.”
“Next time?” You asked with a raised eyebrow. “Don’t tell me you plan on getting trapped in a cupboard with me again.”
He shrugged his shoulders, sending you a wicked glance, “Depends where the mood takes us.”
“You dog,” You gaped, smacking his chest lightly as he laughed. Gosh did he have a gorgeous laugh, but that’s not the only thing that made your heart flutter. Not with the way his eyes seemed to linger on you as you all ran back to the tardis.
— — — —
“So let me get this straight,” Jack says leaning over the tardis railing, eyes watching you as you danced around the tardis console. “You were the Doctor’s first companion?”
“More like a hostage,” You grumbled, flipping a few switches.
“I thought you let that go!” Doctor exclaimed from under the floorboards, fixing a few wires that got jostled during the last flight. “It’s been over…I can’t even remember how long ago that was!”
“Point still stands,” You huffed, glancing back at Jack who had a twinkling look in his eye as he continued to just stand there and look pretty. “He stole me and my tardis.”
Jack winced, “Oh Doctor, that’s one way to pick someone up.”
“I didn’t mean to!” He tried to defend himself. “I didn’t know they were on board.”
“Can’t really blame you though,” Jack continued to tease, looking you up and down before sending you a sharp smirk.
“Buy me a drink first, would ya?” You rolled your eyes, biting your lip to try and suppress your grin.
“Then it’s a date,” Jack winked, sending one last jab. “And that’s how you properly pick someone up.”
“Blah, blah, blah,” Doctor grumbled, head popping up from the floorboards. “Is that all you two do? Flirt? Can’t you make yourselves just a tiny bit useful?” Pressing a few more buttons, and flipping another switch the tardis lurched, causing you all to clutch the closest railing (or floorboard in the Doctor’s case). “What the hell did you do?!”
“I fixed your problem, Doctor,” You shrugged.
“Wha-?” He ducked back down, his mad, muttered rambles echoing. “But…but…how on Earth did you do that?”
“We’re not on Earth,” You sniped back. “Did you forget that this is technically my ship?”
“Yeah…well…” He muttered, mind already wandering elsewhere.
“Can never admit when he’s been bested,” You remarked, leaning next to Jack.
“That’s our Doctor all right,” Jack agreed, the atmosphere warm and light. Just as it should be.
— — — —
“I think you’re just as bad as the Doctor!” You shouted, once again finding yourself running from one enemy or another. It gets hard ro remember sometimes, and it starts to blur together after a while.
“Oh, trust me sweetheart,” Jack shouted back. “Nobody can beat him.” A wide grin was plastered on your lips as you pushed past people, dodging into an alleyway, ignoring their shouts of displeasure. “Here, this way,” Jack urged you, but of course, it led to a dead end.
“Boy are you good at this,” You mocked, the footsteps weren’t far behind, if you tried to get back you’d be caught either way.
“I’ve got an idea…” Jack trailed off, glancing towards you, and you swore he looked a bit nervous. You can’t recall a time you’ve ever seen him look like that. “I’m not sure you’re gonna like it though.”
“Haven’t got much of a choice now, do we,” You replied, glancing over your shoulder once more before your back was pressed to the brick building behind you. Your eyes widened as suddenly all you could see was Jack and his stupidly handsome face. “Wh-what…”
“Sorry ‘bout this sweetheart,” He muttered before pressing his lips to yours in a feverish kiss. Your heart was hammering against your chest, and everything felt too hot, but it didn’t take long for you to kiss him back. He pushed his body against yours, his hand holding the back of your neck, thumb caressing your jaw. Slowly the need for oxygen began to consume you, causing you to pull away, only for Jack to try and follow you.
You put a finger to his lips as you took a deep breath of air, “Give me a second, pretty boy. I need to breathe, you know.”
“Pretty boy,” He grinned against your finger, cheeks flushed and eyes dilated. “That’s a new one.”
You hummed absentmindedly, glancing over his shoulder to make sure you were in the clear, “You know, I have a feeling you're not sorry about that kiss at all.”
“And I have a feeling you don’t mind as much as I thought you would,” He responded in kind, watching you with fond eyes.
You neither confirmed nor denied his claims, “Are you gonna keep layin’ one on me or are we gonna finish this job.”
“I think maybe just one more,” Jack pretended to think. “Y’know, just in case.”
“Just in case?” You repeated, unable to stop the grin from spreading across your lips.
“Yeah,” He grinned back. “Maybe for a bit of luck too. Can’t be too careful these days.”
“It sounds like you’re trying to steal a second kiss from me,” You teased, running your finger under one of his suspenders.
“Steal makes me sound like a scoundrel,” Jack grimaced.
“You are a bit of one,” You hummed, melting a bit as he pressed his forehead against your own, noses brushing ever so slightly. “And I suppose one more won’t hurt anybody.” Jack didn’t hesitate to kiss you once more.
— — — —
It was finally time. Time to say goodbye. Something you and the Doctor felt the same about. You absolutely loathed saying goodbye. The solemn looks, heavy hearts, the promise of seeing the other later which was rarely the case alongside the Doctor. Jack seemed to know better than most.
“So this is it, huh,” Jack muttered, eyeing the blue box the three of you stood outside of.
“For now,” Doctor muttered, with a tilt of his head. “You always have a way of finding me. Almost like a pest.”
“Oh shut up you,” You huffed, smacking his chest. “That’s his way of saying he can’t wait to see you again.”
“Oh I know,” Jack chuckled. “I’ve learned how to translate the Doctor a long time ago.”
“Well, all right. That’s enough of that,” Doctor clapped, turning to enter the tardis. “You comin’?” He popped his head back out, a knowing look in his eyes.
“Give me a sec, would you?” You said, shoving his head back into the ship. You bit your lip as Jack stared at you, an intense look in his eyes. It was like he wasn’t sure if he should say something or not, looking at you a bit too fondly for your liking.
“So,” Jack chuckles humorlessly. “This is it, huh?”
You paused, rocking back and forth on your feet. It was eating you from the inside out. You loved this blasted man, you could deny it as much as you’d like, but it wouldn’t change the facts. He had a home, people he cared for, places to be. You were a wanderer, traveling alongside the Doctor. Always wandering, always moving, seeing new places, meeting new people. Never ending, always going. That was the only life you knew. So this was dangerous, oh so dangerous. That little spark of hope in the back of your head, the thought of staying in one place, and all because of one dastardly man.
You bite the inside of your cheek as Jack continues to watch you, he almost looks hopeful, “Doesn’t have to be.” You shouldn’t have said it. You shouldn’t have fanned that small spark. This never ends well, both you and the Doctor knew that all too well. It’s why you kept your heart locked up, why you stayed with the Doctor, he was a constant you could always depend on. The tardis, the Doctor, they were both your safety, but you were willing to uproot yourself, all for a single, little human man.
“No?” Jack asked, raising an eyebrow. “Doubt the Doctor wants to stay for long.”
“That’s not…” You trailed off, starting to feel your nerves get the best of you. “Not even gonna try to convince me to stay?”
Jack glanced away with a tight grin, making your stomach drop. Perhaps this was more one sided than you thought, “C’mon, lets not pretend like you’d stay with me when you have the Doctor. I’m not that foolish.”
“I don’t think you get it,” You smiled bitterly. “I’ve always had the Doctor, I always will, but I’ve never…I’ve never…” Jack spoke your name breathlessly, taking a step towards you. The words were on the tip of your tongue, heavy like lead.
“Just…tell me I’m an idiot,” You whispered, eyes searching his for any hidden emotions, any sign of you being foolish. “Tell me I’m being daft, to go back to the tardis and…”
Jack stepped even closer, palm cupping your cheek, “I can’t…are you being serious right now?”
“I love you, you big idiot!” You cried, all your frustration finally bubbling over, pressing your face a bit more into his hand. “I love you.”
Jack let out a breathy laugh, pressing your foreheads together, “Have I ever told you how gorgeous you are?” Then, without a word, he pressed your lips together slowly and passionately. His lips were so soft as they caressed your own, and he held you so gently against himself. It seemed he always had a way of stealing your breath away, and he sure as hell was making a habit of it.
“Again?” The Doctor’s voice broke the little bubble you found yourself in. The two of you pulled away, and Jack couldn’t hide the grin on his face. “Blimey, can’t keep your hands off each other for a second can you.”
“I think someone’s jealous,” Jack chuckles, giving a squeeze to your hip before you turn around.
Before you could speak a word, Doctor sent you a bitter grin, “I know.”
“I’ll see you again,” Your smile wavered ever so slightly, hand subconsciously tightening around Jack's coat lapels.
“I know,” Doctor nodded, looking off into the distance before snapping out of it. “Off I go then, places to be, people to save.”
“Doctor,” You called out, but it was too late, tardis doors shut behind him, the familiar whooshing of the tardis. “You better take care of her, you hear! I want her back in one piece! And you as well!” Jack took a hold of your wrist, pulling you away from the blue box that was disappearing from sight. You let out a huff, turning back to the handsome captain standing behind you.
“C’mon,” Jack muttered, beckoning you with his head. “I think I owe you a drink.”
“I’d like that,” You spoke softly back, taking his hand and threading your fingers together.
“Oh,” He paused, looking down at you once more. “I love you too, by the way.”
“I’d bloody hope so,” You slapped his chest. “I just left all I know for ya.”
“Y’know, when you put it like that…” Jack rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
“Mhm,” You nod with a smirk, leaning up and kissing his cheek. “Now, where to, pretty boy?”
Just like that, you found yourself on a whole new adventure and you have never been more excited.