for quitehomoerotic: Welcome to Woodstock, 1969

[rude_not_ginger]

Follows this.

Somewhere fixed and somewhere sunny. And, the Doctor decided, somewhere they could have a good time. So, scratching off a number of natural disasters and wars, he picked out a particularly famous and particularly fixed large concert in New York.

He even had a tie-dyed tie that clashed beautifully with his suit.

"It's a bit muddy," he said as he attached an 'Out of Order' sign to the TARDIS. "But I think we're just in time to listen to Santana. Janis should be up in a bit, I might be able to introduce you two." A beat. "If she's met me yet, I can never remember, what with that whole mix-up with time..."

Still! No reason not to have a good time. He tinted his glasses and slipped them on, grinning madly at Jack as he did so. At least three days of fun, without the worry of something terrible happening, just so long as they stayed within the concert.

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[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"Right." That was something the Doctor did understand. Pride and all that. It was one of his own faults, he couldn't deny Jack his.

He crossed past Jack swiftly to the controls. Everything was already set to London, 2009. He felt immediately relieved, and then suspicious. The TARDIS was never this easygoing when it came to taking his companions where they wanted to go.

He couldn't even pretend she was doing it out of some loyalty to Jack. She was far too bitter right now. Maybe a few more months or centuries and she'd get over her jealousy.

"Yup," the Doctor called over to Jack. "Hold on."

He pulled the parking brake and the TARDIS smoothly glided down the vortex. Far too smoothly. She was almost humming in approval.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack stepped around the console, keeping a few feet back, keeping his hand on the railing. He felt numb and disconnected. He wasn't ready to go back, he wasn't ready at all.

But three weeks. He could do three weeks, couldn't he? Of course he could. For Alice he could. And then the Doctor would come back. They'd be right back and they could go again. It'd be fine. He had to believe that.

He gripped onto the rail at the Doctor's instruction, but barely shook as the TARDIS moved.

With a glance over he watched the Doctor move. He wanted to say things, but he wasn't sure what.

"I--," he started, and took a deep breath. "I'll miss you, you know." Too honest, maybe? Too truthful? Oh but they'd got past the point of pretending hadn't they.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"Nah," the Doctor said as the console settled. "Miss me? How could you miss me? I'm the guy with two hearts and a great big blue box. I'm easy to find."

He turned and plastered a smile on his face. "And you won't be waiting a hundred and some odd years to see me again, right?"

Right?

But if Jack reconciled with Alice, he might want to stay. The Doctor would allow him that, of course. He'd give him all the space he needed. He wouldn't presume to--wouldn't think to--he just wouldn't cause any sort of problems for Jack.

He wouldn't cling. Even if he wanted to.

"Besides, knowing you, this won't take more than a few days at most."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

"Stop it," Jack said, slightly annoyed. He wouldn't let the Doctor follow his usual pattern of brushing it off and smiling and pretending everything was perfectly fine.

He stepped over, closer. "You know I will," he urged. "You know where I want to be." He looked down, feeling oddly sheepish, or maybe just too heavy. He had thought he was better, a lot better since the Doctor had taken him from that bar. But not better enough to go back, not better yet.

"Yeah," Jack tried his own smile for size, false and wide and it felt wrong to lie like that. "Over and done with and back in time for tea," he said with a nod. "And speaking of, don't I still owe you that drink? We'll do that. First thing when we're off again. Pick a bar, any place anywhere."

Reaching a hand up he wiped it over his face. He wondered if the Doctor would miss him too, but... no, no that'd be silly to imagine, wouldn't it?

"Doctor, will you-- where will you go?"

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

The Doctor dropped the false smile and relaxed composure, immediately sobered by Jack's annoyance. Why didn't pretending nothing was wrong work all of the time? It worked part of the time, and logically all of the time should've been enough.

He nodded. "I know a fantastic bar at the end of the universe." He had a feeling he would be going there alone. Nothing good lasted. This was really just the beginning, wasn't it? Wasn't there supposed to be more?

"I think I'll let the TARDIS decide for a while. She's feeling a bit neglected. Might do a little repairwork, cause a bit of trouble. You know me."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack listened and he felt a sharp pang of jealousy. He wanted to be there for that. For those random trips that took them anywhere, for getting into trouble that they shouldn't. It should have been the both of them. He looked up at the TARDIS as the Doctor spoke of her and he thought he'd miss her too. Three weeks was nothing though, not really.

"But you won't forget, right?" he questioned, worried that he might. "You'll remember to come back for me?"

Jack had had experience in the past of being left by the Doctor. Things may have changed, but well, old habits died hard.

"That is-- I mean, you do want to, yeah?"

Why was he so worried? He wasn't sure. But worried he was. Worried for many reasons.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

The Doctor turned to Jack, an offended look on his face.

"What makes you think I'd forget?" he demanded. "I promised I wouldn't leave you behind, and I'm not about to change that now."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack ducked his head, he felt immediately guilty. He shouldn't doubt the Doctor, especially not now.

"I know," he sighed, "I know, I'm sorry I just-- This is all a bit unexpected and I guess I just... I just don't want this hiccup to change anything between me and you."

And that was the honesty of it. He wanted him and the Doctor to be... well, him and the Doctor. Or at least the him and the Doctor they'd become.

It was a terrible thing really, to call it a hiccup, considering it was saving his daughter's life, and likely the lives of a lot more. But that didn't matter, or at least it didn't seem to.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"It's not a hiccup," the Doctor said, not unkindly, unwittingly voicing Jack's own thoughts. "It's your daughter's life."

He tilted his head to the side, to point to the door. "You should go save her. And call me, if you need me."

He wanted to hug Jack. He wanted to show, somehow, that he cared. More specifically, he wanted to park the TARDIS not far from here and keep an eye on him, because the last time he left him alone, he found him dying of alcohol poisoning in some pathetic bar.

"You and I know Doctor Jones. She'll already be on her way here."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack turned his head and glanced at the door, worried about the world that sat behind it. Earth, 'home', so much more scary in so many ways than any alien planet.

"No," Jack agreed, glancing down again, feeling guilty for having said it, "no, it's not. But I'll fix it. I'll fix things this time. I'll do it right."

The Doctor was right, Martha wouldn't be far away, so Jack had to go. He had to go now. Do it quick, like pulling off a plaster. Quick and sharp.

He turned as if to move to the door, but stopped again and turned back. "Three weeks," he said again, "three weeks, and I'll meet you here. And if you need me too, Doctor, you call me, okay? You know where I am."

Repeating his movement he made for the door, a couple more steps before again stopping and turning back, this time striding the few steps back to the Doctor. He approached him quickly and without questioning or speaking at all, he kissed him. Just one kiss, brief but with pressure behind it, before pulling back and nodding.

"See you soon, Doctor."

And with a tight smile, he turned and left the TARDIS.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

The Doctor was a man who was used to having all of the time in the universe. But this, with Jack, it was too brief. Too brief a good-bye, too brief a time traveling, too brief a kiss, and now---now, he had three weeks on his own.

He stepped over to his coat and plucked the mobile from his breast pocket. Jack might not call him if things went wrong, but the Doctor was ready if he did.

He stepped over to the console and laid a hand against the coral. She seemed to be buzzing with excitement. He sighed and tugged back the hand brake. Quick trip. He'd be right back.

"Where to next, old girl?" he asked, checking the monitor. "Back to Woodstock?"

No, no, she'd already set up another destination.

"Mars?"