for quitehomoerotic: Welcome to the 27th century

[rude_not_ginger]

Follows this.

It was one thing, watching your companion be ripped apart.

One very terrible thing, mind you, but one thing. The Doctor stayed prone on the ground, the sound of Jack's death screams ringing in his ears as that thing, whatever it was, tore him into several unpleasant pieces. It reminded him of the Year That Wasn't, of Jack's screams while the Master tortured him and the Doctor's frail body keeping him from helping. That was torture, far more brutal than anything the Master's tools could produce.

Once the loud stomps of the creature faded away, the Doctor struggled to get to his feet and limped to the place where Jack had been.

It was another thing, having to find his body for it to regrow.

It took some time to find his upper torso, limp and lifeless. It didn't take too terribly long to drag said upper torso to a safe, empty cave not far from the forest's edge (after all, what Jack no longer had in height, he also lost in weight. It didn't take long for time to start snapping around him and his body to start to regrow.

That was something else all together. Muscle and bone formed out of nothing, and while Jack wasn't coherent, he was still alive, screaming and thrashing as he reformed. The Doctor pressed his fingertips to Jack's temple and tried to take away the pain, but when that failed, he pressed his mind into a quiet, comatose state.

While Jack repaired, the Doctor covered him with his coat and sat, waiting. For all that they'd fought, for all that the Doctor swore he'd never want Jack back on the TARDIS again, he did care about him. He wanted him happy, even if he wasn't certain he could handle having him so close. Jack was willing to die for the Doctor, and this was just another example of how he could.

But the Doctor wouldn't leave. Not this time.

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The Doctor struggled to take in a breath, and gestured at his lungs, then his throat, trying to give some gestured that he was choking.

He pressed his hands to Jack's forehead and tried to form a connection, but he was too panicked to know if it could go through. Just the idea of Air. Help. Maybe it would get through.

He could survive without air for a short amount of time, but it felt like every cell in his body was losing oxygen. He fell forward, lolling limply into Jack's arms.

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Jack tried to remain calm. Calm in stark contrast to the Doctor's panic. Inside he was worried, petrified, but they needed one of them to stay calm. He had to.

So he kept a focus and tried to calm the Doctor by being calm himself. But it wasn't enough, he knew that. The hand touched his face and he could feel the attempt, but nothing past a vague fizzle and a fuzz came through. And that was bad, Jack thought, bad that the Doctor was weakening so much not to be able to reach to him like that.

But Jack didn't need words of explanation to understand as the Doctor loosened in his arms. Quickly, he lay him down flat, placing a hand gently against the back of his head to support it from the rock.

"Stay with me, Doctor," he commanded him firmly, "you hear me? Stay with me. You just make sure you stay with me."

Moving over him, he prised the Doctor's mouth open and clasped his nose. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs, and leaned down, closing his mouth over the Doctor's, breathing air deep into his lungs.

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Air filled the Doctor's lungs. He felt them expand, he felt the oxygen move into his bloodstream, and then when Jack moved his mouth away, the air went immediately back out.

It was not quite a breath, but it kept him alive. He struggled to nod. Quite ingenious of Jack, the Doctor would've thought to run out, grab a variety of herbs and try to cure it, but Jack treated the symptom. Treat that long enough and the drug would pass out of his system naturally.

He'd tell him how clever he was the moment he had a voice.

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As he pulled back from the breath Jack looked down at the Doctor, monitoring him to see a response. He moved, maybe not much, but he moved, and that was enough.

"That's it!" he beamed at him, "that's it Doctor, just you breathe. You breathe for me."

He took another deep breath and repeated the motion, breathing deep and long transferring the air from himself to the Doctor. He lingered his lips the second time, tried to transfer a little life with the breath, willing the Doctor to survive.

His lips tingled against the Doctor's, a tell tale sign of transference, and he paused a moment before leaning back and taking a deep breath again to repeat the action a third time. Breath and life, all at once.

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The drug might've taken many minutes to flush out of his system, but the healthy energy he pulled from Jack (even though he was telling himself he shouldn't pull energy from Jack) helped him clear out his system as he took in breath after breath.

He finally took in a deep lungful of air on his own and struggled with all of his might, to sit up. Breathing felt like he was in a smoke-filled room, but it was possible.

"If I had the breath," he said, his voice still small and scratchy. "I'd kiss you, you know."

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On the final breath, when Jack felt a solid response, he leaned back and gave the Doctor room. His arm went automatically out as the Doctor moved to sit up and he pressed it against his back, supporting him.

He beamed a smile at him, wide from ear to ear, lighting up the darkness in the cave. "Don't talk, catch your breath," he said seriously, but still with his eyes glinting, a cheeky edge.

"You can kiss me in a minute," he joked, leaning in a little with a laugh.

Softer, he went on, "How you feeling? Had me worried there," he rubbed his back, smiling at him still.

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"The drug," the Doctor said, turning his head and coughing to clear out the last of the congestion. "Must've been the final leg for it. If nothing else killed you, the lack of oxygen would. It's really clever, the efficiency with which they kill."

He took in a few more breaths and leaned back, relaxing in Jack's embrace. They would make it out of this together. In this cave, it only became more obvious to the Doctor that while they were more often than not the reason for their own troubles, they managed to get out of them, too.

They were, as Jack had said, good for each other.

"Thank you," he said, nodding.

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"Any time," Jack said back, smiling at him like he had a coat-hanger stuck in his mouth.

He nodded, belatedly, in response to the Doctor's idea about the drug. "Self cleaning too," he agreed, "if someone else doesn't finish the job it'll finish it itself. Very clever. Sort of thing a few people I've known would just love to get their hands on."

Shifting slightly, he settled the Doctor a little more comfortably in his arms and glanced at the mouth of the cave and back to the Doctor with a warm smile.

"Well then?" he joked, pretending to check a watch that wasn't there. "I'm waiting for that kiss."

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"Yes, yes, still working to catch my breath," the Doctor said with a mock exasperation. His lungs felt clearer, but he wasn't happy with how tight his muscles still felt.

He could see light at the mouth of the cave. Daylight. And it wouldn't last too long. He turned back to Jack, and then struggled to get to his feet.

"We haven't got much time. We need to get to that Tower and we need to get there before the next nightfall. The last thing I want to do is actually sleep here."

He had enough nightmares about Gallifrey without this trip.

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With a nod, Jack dragged himself to standing, keeping one arm primed ready should he need to support the Doctor.

"Yes, sir," he nodded, back to business. "It's not that far, right? I mean we could walk it before it gets dark? If you head up I can trail and watch out for those robot things and anything else that might come along with an aim to killing us. I mean, sure it might be hard alone, but you and me? Walk in the park, Doctor."

Jack knew perfectly well it was very far from a walk in the park, but he found himself with a renewed confidence. They were both going to be okay, and they would both stay okay. He'd be stubborn enough to make certain of that.

"What's that French thing you say, Doctor? Shall we?"

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Jack's confidence wasn't fooling the Doctor. It was dangerous. Worse than dangerous. It was death out there and he knew it. But they would, together, somehow, make it out to the Tower. It was what they did, he and Jack. They survived. No, no, they did better than survived. They won.

He knelt down and picked up the key. "Allons-y."

He turned out, avoiding the array of bugs and snakes that slithered past to rush into the cave. More appeared poisonous this time, but they avoided the two travelers to return to their homes.

"There's a ledge up there, you see?" he said, gesturing to the top of the cliffside. "If we leap down from there, we should make it to the Tower. There's an unlocked entrance there. Once in, it's more mind games until we make it to Rassilon."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Outside the cave, Jack squinted in the half light to reacclimatise to the difference. The unpleasantness was becoming almost normal, though Jack longed for a warm and comfortable bed, or a nice cup of coffee. He'd have those, eventually. He had something and someone more important right now.

"I see it," he nodded, already glancing around to try and find them an access up to the cliff. It wouldn't be easy, but that was hardly surprising.

"Ooh mind games!" Jack said, laced with sarcasm, "Really, they're just spoiling us with those."

Stepping a few feet to the side he caught sight of something that might assist them. "How's your rock climbing, Doctor?" he asked and took hold of a thick branch of something akin to ivy, "We could use these as a tether?"

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"Yeah, they're the Time Lords' personal favorite," the Doctor agreed. "Mind games because physical games require getting too involved. No fencing, no fighting, just create the perfect place that kills. And that's this place, with the Tower right at the heart of it."

He wouldn't say so, but Jack's humor did make him smile. They could do this. They would do this.

He took hold of the ivy and gave it a tug. "Seems strong enough," he agreed. "I'll loosen the top hold with the sonic, just tug as much as you think we need."

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"Well then I'll look forward to whatever they have planned," Jack said flippantly, "but I warn you now, if they're not up to scratch there'll be strongly worded letter from me to them."

Tugging on the ivy, he nodded, and looked up to the ridge they needed to reach. "Wrap it round yourself," he told him, "nice and tight, so if you trip you won't fall back. Any idea what the rock condition is? If it's firm enough it shouldn't be too hard. Though... famous last words and all that."

He tugged the ivy down, testing it again and nodded, "That should do it, Doctor."

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"I was never here during this time period. Fairly crumbly a few hundred thousand years from now, though."

He headed towards the cliff and worked to tie the ivy around himself. He wasn't too nervous, not really. He'd leapt over far worse with far less equipment than strong ivy. And with far less of a capable companion at the time.

Once close enough to start to climb down towards the top of the Tower, he knelt and checked the solidity of the soil.

"Firm," he said. "Shouldn't cause too much slipping as it goes down. How should we do this? Pulley? Wrap it 'round a rock and climb down?

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack scanned the area, looking for rocks and anything that might be strong enough to support the weight of the vine and them, he kicked his foot against a boulder, and it moved a little under his weight.

"Hmm," he said, turning back to the Doctor, "no." He shook his head and put his hands to his hips, firing out instructions as though he were talking to his team, "Right, you Doctor start the climb, I'll tie the vine around this boulder and stay up here to make sure it holds. That way I can help too if you need any slack. When you're done then I'll go after you."

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"And why don't you go first? There's no reason why I should be the first down, it's going to be more dangerous waiting." The Doctor crossed his arms.

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Jack let out a long audible breath.

"Fine, I'll go first. Either way someone has to wait, whether it's at the top or the bottom. I just think you like being the one telling other people what to do."

He took hold of the ivy and started to tie it around the boulder, knotting it tightly, "Quite a dominant streak that, Doctor, I wonder if it transfers to other areas of your life. There," he tugged on the knot, "if that doesn't hold, nothing will."

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He let out a half-laugh. "I think we both know how dominant my tendencies are. Some of us just aren't as flexible."

The Doctor unlooped the vine from himself and handed it to Jack. He was first worried about something happening to Jack up here, but now he worried there might be something down there. Too many things could go wrong in this place.

"Be safe," he instructed.

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"Yes. We. Do." Jack grinned, teasing him with his tone. "And oh I'm sure you could be flexible, you just need the right person to bend you."

He winked at him as he took hold of the vine, and knotted it tightly around his waist, tugging to make sure it held.

"Same to you," he nodded back, "stay out of trouble." And he moved back to the edge, tested the rock with his foot, and sent himself over the edge.

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The Doctor waited, watching as Jack lowered himself, checking on the speed of the vine and how safe the drop was. The vine was strong, like Jack had anticipated, but he wasn't sure about the length.

Gallifrey. The planet of his people. The planet he hated and loved. Part of him, a very, very strong part, wanted to call on them, now that Jack was somewhere safer. Call on them and demand an audience. Demand an audience and stop this, all these games.

But they were fixed. And he couldn't risk Jack's life if he tried to stop this fixed event.

"You all right?" he called down.

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As he moved down Jack kicked his feet against the rock face. It crumbled a little as he moved, but nothing too dramatic or dangerous. Nothing he couldn't cope with.

"Oh just fine," he called back up. "Though this adventure holiday leads a lot to be desired. You wait until I see the rep. I'll be having strong words, just you see!"

He looked around him, and behind at the looming tower. Gallifrey. Gallifrey the stuff of legend and here he was; the planet that had been destroyed from time but he still managed to be here. Seemed somehow right, he was good at the impossible.

"How about you?" he called back up at the Doctor, wanting to keep him talking. "You know now might be a great time for a heart to heart," he suggested, sarcastically. "Isn't that the done thing?"

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"Oh, I don't know. Rock climbing, cave dwelling, nature walks, exotic living quarters. Sure, a few interactions with the locals and some primitive medical methods---" the last was said pointedly at the sky, and then back to Jack, "---but overall, I've been on worse holidays."

He got a little more comfortable as the vine went down. So long as they were both all right, this would be good. They would be okay.

"Isn't this the ideal time for conversation? Neither of us are going anywhere any time soon."

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"I try and go through my holidays without being eaten, Doctor. Well, unless I'm asked really nicely." He grinned and tugged the ivy over a slight ridge on the rock face, a slight falter but nothing of real concern.

Glancing back he could see the ground. It was far enough, but not too far. Should be easy enough.

"Oh yeah," Jack agreed, and for once not really sarcastic. Well, much, "and none of that pesky face to face having to look at people as you talk, stuff."

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"Well, maybe not ideal, but it's the best way to make sure the other party won't wander off while you're talking to them. You're both sort of fixed in position. No looking away, no changing the subject. It's sort of freeing."

Freeing might not have been the right word. Sort of entrapping, actually. But, in a way, the Doctor preferred these types of conversations. He could lie more efficiently.

"How much further down?"