Rose peered around a piece of the coral reef at the handsome merman that was practically surrounded by other mermaids who had went shopping at the coral reef mall, only to spot Jack Harkness.
Jack Harkness. THE Most handsome out of all the Mermen… Well… one of, her friend john was too, but he had his eyes on another pretty blond by the name of River.
Rose on the other hand, was cursed to have feeling for this merman, one that she was sure would never looked at her twice.
Sighing, she continued to watch him. That Tail really did bring out his eyes.
Oh yes, Jack may have been constantly surrounded by other mermaids (and mermen) but none of them had ever really captured his attention. Not in the way that the one little mermaid who always seemed to avoid him.
He considered her a friend, especially when she, himself, and their friend John hung out, but it always seemed like she was impossible to get alone. So when he found a moment, he skirted off his admirers, feigning a previously promised appointment, and headed straight for Rose.
“Hey, Rose!” he called, swimming towards her. “Wait up!”
Rose turned back towards the sound of her name being called and almost stiffened at the sight of Jack swimming towards her.. but relaxed, he was still her good friend.
She quickly looked behind her to make sure that he was talking to her and then smiled at him.
“Heya Jack! How are you today! I though you would be hanging out with John today? Or is he with Riv?”
He couldn’t quite explain it, he just had a sense that something unusual and potentially life-changing was going to happen today. Okay, it happened pretty often, if he was honest, but this just felt… different.
And when he glanced up at the sky and saw an oddly shaped speck falling towards the Earth, well, he knew he’d been right.
He booked it towards where the figure was headed, running as fast as he could. If the person was an alien, they just might survive that fall, which also meant he would be the best person to greet them. If they were human… well, still better he was the person to find them than anyone else.
He found the person at the end of an alley, looking much better than he was expecting. He knelt down beside her, pressing two fingers to the side of her neck to find a pulse. Not only did he find a pulse, he could feel the distinctive beat of twin hearts.
“Doctor?!” he said – but then she sat up, nearly knocking him over, and instantly blacking out again.
Fantastic.
He swept her up in his arms, an easy feat given how small she was this time around, and carried her off to the SUV to give her a more comfortable place to wake up.
The next time The Doctor woke up…. She had no idea where she was.
Her vision was a tiny bit blurry and her head was hurting… Like she had too much to drink the night before… But she KNEW she didn’t drink anything…
No.. she had just regenerated… Wait! She regenerated!
Sitting up, she grabbed her head when she realised she sat up too fast and groaned softly. Thankfully this time she didn’t black out and after blinking a few times she looked around the room.
She was sitting on a couch… But whereexactly, she had no clue…
Then she remembered something else…. “…Jack….?” she called out, wondering where the immortal was.
In a flash, Jack was at her side. He’d only been around the corner, tearing himself away from her to fortify himself with some coffee. Of course, that would be when she finally woke up.
“Hey, I’m right here,” he said, kneeling down next to the couch. “How you feeling, Doc?”
“Honestly? A bit woozy… I can’t recall much… but I do know you’re Jack… you are important… and I’m… I’m looking for a Doctor?” She squints in though.
“That’s right… yeah? Cause I can’t seem to remember a lot… even my own names a bit foggy… is that why I’m looking for one?”
She wet her lips as she studied his face… It was a nice face… she liked it…
“Well, if it’s not too much of an imposition,” he teased, wiping the grease from his hands on a nearby rag. “It’s not like this engine is going anywhere. You, on the other hand, mister, are always running around. Definitely time to take me with you.”
“Nope, not at all.” he grinned. “Id love a bit of company, me. Im just going for a wander, to see the sights… didn’t get to do that last time.”
“That sounds like a good idea. Didn’t really get to see the city either last time – you and your failed dates,” he tutted, shaking his head jokingly.
As they step outside, he looked around. “What exactly is there to do in Cardiff?”
“Hey now,” he scolded jokingly. “I’d like to see you do better with a sentient ship who likes to keep showing you who’s boss.”
The Doctor suddenly paused at that question and looked around.
“You know what… I honestly don’t have a clue…” He then grins at the other man. “Any ideas?”
“Sweetie whether or not they are checking me out is irrelevant. I’m here with you. Not them,”
Now the Doctor is just flustered. How does River manage to do this.
She presses her hands to her cheeks, trying to calm down, a grin splitting her face.
“Riiiveeerrrr~”
River gave a bright smile, being able to fluster the Doctor was something she was very proud of and she wasn’t lying when she said the Doctor’s blush was very pretty.
“I’ll stop don’t worry,”
She shook her head fondly.
“How about we go for a swim in the water? Hmm? As much as I like lying here in the sun and shade, the water looks crystal clear… and my baithing suite under this dress is new, not been used yet.” She winks.
He sighed. “Do you understand how hard it is to deal with you at times? Oh, but right, that’s forbidden, let’s talk but not about that,” he mutters under his breath. “You don’t have to tie me down just to talk to me, Master. But oh, that’s why you chose the title, isn’t it, Master?” He stops, shaking his head. It came out the wrong way, he’d heard it himself, trying to get his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket.
“I never wanted to be told over and over not to interfere – but you’ve done worse. You’ve made it where I can’t stop interfering, and you’re one of the few people I never had to run from, we both know it. Was it really so wrong to want to leave Gallifrey? I never wanted to make the choices I would have had to in order to stay. I don’t know who I would have become if I’d stayed just to watch over you, it was never as if you need me to take care of you. You’d have been fine if you hadn’t been so damn stubborn.”
He’d forgiven him almost all of that, but it was frustrating. “We could have been something together, if we hadn’t run so far in opposite directions. We were, in so many ways, Koschei.”
The Master just rolled his eyes. This, This was why he didn’t talk to him for long. He pulled a chair over with his foot, half listening to him, Put his foot on the chair, his elbow on his knee and covered his face with his hand.
“Got it all out? Or have you got anymore of that shit up your sleeve?” He drawlled as if his words had no effect on him… In reality, it hurt that Theta even talked to him like that.
“I mean its not like we couldnt still be, if you compromised stuff, Theta.”
“I try to! Time and time again, and you wouldn’t, I got sick of trying!” he growled. “I know I’m the one who runs away, and I had to find a way to just forgive myself for it. Why should I always be the one asking you to compromise? Maybe if you ever just stopped pushing me, I’d never have started wondering about your motives, Koschei!” He just wanted him back. He’d gotten so tired of fighting with him.
“What compromise do you want me to make?” he finally asked quietly, because he knew he’d try anything. He’d hurt him too many times already.
*
His comment stunned him into silence. And what compromises did he even want? He didn’t think he would actually agree, so he never thought that far ahead.
He licked his dry lips and moved from the table, to sit down on the chair.
“I… I didn’t think you would agree, I’m not sure what compromise I’d have… my mind is a little blank… what compromise would you ask for?” He hated showing such weakness and admitting such things, but perhaps they really could work through this together.
If they formed a compromise together, planned it together… then perhaps they could finally return to how they once were…?
“Travel with me,” he told him softly. “I’ll let you choose some destinations, but all I want is for you to spend a month not killing anyone. If it has to be done, it has to be done, but for once, I would just love to show you how amazing things can be without trying to control everything. The world is full of marvels that deserve to be appreciated instead of controlled.”
He didn’t think the Master would actually bother trying to keep a truce for long, but he’d offered a compromise that didn’t hurt him to make over and over again. All he wanted was for the Master to stop his ceaseless power struggle, even if for such a short period of time. He’d never wanted to cage him. He’d never wanted to force him to make a choice that meant his life wouldn’t be unbearable alone. All he was begging for was the chance not to be caged, either. To spend time with someone he’d always admired.
He stared at him, eyes wide.
Surely it wasn’t that easy, was it… but then he realised he would have to stop all of this, give up the valiant and face angry humans… he swallowed.
“Okay… But, only if you deal with the aftermath of this… I’m a coward Theta and you know that, but, it’s probably safer for me to hide on the TARDIS and face her wrath than to be killed by a human.” He answered.
They would go and turn off the paradox together and then he would hide in theta’s bedroom after reattaching the console… Tho he would prefer if they just ran without dealing with anything.
He shook his head and pulled him over to sit on the couch, running fingers through his hair gently. “No, I think I’ve hurt us enough times by now that neither of us should ever be expected to take control of everything. That’s why I love you so much. You temper the side of me that wanted to be cruel. I don’t always mean it but I refuse to regret who I am and what I feel.”
Theta hummed happily instantly relaxing under his fingers. It’s was something of a pressure point for him, one that calmed him down when ever someone played with his hair or massaged his scalp.
“You know I love you for you right?” He asked softly.
drapetxmaniia - The Urge to run away 