Worth It
Because They Mattered.
The TARDIS pulsed gently as the Doctor worked under her console, whistling to himself as he rearranged the cables. Jack was standing against one of the coral struts, watching with his folded below his chest, and for once he was silent. The Doctor had an idea of what the other man wanted, and so he took his time with the repairs.
However, Jack was not a patient man, and it wasn't long before he called down: "Hey Doc! We landing anytime soon?"
"Not until I've reconnected the transmitter cables," the Doctor replied, not looking up.
"And how long will that take?"
"Quite a while I reckon; there's a lot to fix. And then we'll need to refuel." The Doctor's gaze flicked up briefly. "What's the hurry?"
"Just a touch of cabin fever," Jack said with a shrug. "It's been a while since we went anywhere."
"You finally getting bored with flirting with us?"
Jack grinned. "Oh, I could never get bored with that. Although it would be nice to been some new people, since you and Rose seem so occupied with each other."
"Don't know what you mean," the Doctor replied gruffly, aiming the sonic at a section of cable.
"It's cute how you pretend to be all oblivious," Jack said, stepping forward to lean against the rails. "Seriously though Doc, you should tell her."
The Doctor didn't answer, but started sonicing the console's underside.
"Doctor, I mean it." When he didn't get an answer, Jack rolled his eyes and sighed. "Man, I've never met anyone more reluctant to be in love."
The Doctor snorted. "I never thought I'd be hearing you give romance advice."
"I have lots of advice to give; after all, I've had many dance partners."
"Oh, you're one of those types are you?"
"No need to sound so disapproving," Jack replied, sounding hurt. "My romances may have been brief, but they were still important."
The Doctor grunted in reply, muttering something about apes always trying to interfere.
"You know what Doc? I think you're scared."
The Doctor snorted again. "Scared of what?"
"Rejection, maybe? Intimacy?" Jack shrugged. "Either way, you should try and get over it. She isn't going to wait forever. Hiding under the TARDIS isn't going to help things, and it won't stop you from being hurt."
"And what would you know about being hurt?"
"Hey, I may not have had your life, but I've had two years of my life erased, remember?" Jack paused, running a hand through his hair. "Anyway, some things are worth getting hurt over, right? I mean, once you get past the physical, things hurt because they mattered, and that makes the pain worth it. And Rose Tyler is definitely worth it - you know that more than I do."
Under the console, a hint of a smile appeared on the Doctor's face for a moment.
"Anyway, lecture over," Jack said, stepping back from the rail. "Give me a shout when we land."
-
Some time later, the Doctor finished his repairs, and some time after that, they landed.
Cardiff.
However, Jack was not a patient man, and it wasn't long before he called down: "Hey Doc! We landing anytime soon?"
"Not until I've reconnected the transmitter cables," the Doctor replied, not looking up.
"And how long will that take?"
"Quite a while I reckon; there's a lot to fix. And then we'll need to refuel." The Doctor's gaze flicked up briefly. "What's the hurry?"
"Just a touch of cabin fever," Jack said with a shrug. "It's been a while since we went anywhere."
"You finally getting bored with flirting with us?"
Jack grinned. "Oh, I could never get bored with that. Although it would be nice to been some new people, since you and Rose seem so occupied with each other."
"Don't know what you mean," the Doctor replied gruffly, aiming the sonic at a section of cable.
"It's cute how you pretend to be all oblivious," Jack said, stepping forward to lean against the rails. "Seriously though Doc, you should tell her."
The Doctor didn't answer, but started sonicing the console's underside.
"Doctor, I mean it." When he didn't get an answer, Jack rolled his eyes and sighed. "Man, I've never met anyone more reluctant to be in love."
The Doctor snorted. "I never thought I'd be hearing you give romance advice."
"I have lots of advice to give; after all, I've had many dance partners."
"Oh, you're one of those types are you?"
"No need to sound so disapproving," Jack replied, sounding hurt. "My romances may have been brief, but they were still important."
The Doctor grunted in reply, muttering something about apes always trying to interfere.
"You know what Doc? I think you're scared."
The Doctor snorted again. "Scared of what?"
"Rejection, maybe? Intimacy?" Jack shrugged. "Either way, you should try and get over it. She isn't going to wait forever. Hiding under the TARDIS isn't going to help things, and it won't stop you from being hurt."
"And what would you know about being hurt?"
"Hey, I may not have had your life, but I've had two years of my life erased, remember?" Jack paused, running a hand through his hair. "Anyway, some things are worth getting hurt over, right? I mean, once you get past the physical, things hurt because they mattered, and that makes the pain worth it. And Rose Tyler is definitely worth it - you know that more than I do."
Under the console, a hint of a smile appeared on the Doctor's face for a moment.
"Anyway, lecture over," Jack said, stepping back from the rail. "Give me a shout when we land."
-
Some time later, the Doctor finished his repairs, and some time after that, they landed.
Cardiff.