TARDIS time

[more_flexible]

Dated Augst 22nd

Jack was halfway beneath the console and elbow deep in wiring. The was no better place to be. He hummed one of the tunes from Anything Goes while he capped off connections and noted that the lights got just a little bit brighter With any luck, this would stabilize the power fluctuations that had been plaguing the ship ever since the computer banks had compensated. Jack refused to believe the open ship was a whim of the island. This place, in his opinion, was untouchable. She was a niche of the universe so far above the random phenomena that was this fucking island.

He heard footsteps which wasn't all that unusual. Not many people had keys, but it wasn't as if he expected to be alone in the console room.

"I'm over here," he called, just to let whoever it was know that they weren't alone, either. He didn't bother to climb out, though...he had one more connection to complete.

Comments

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"You're always under ladies' skirts," the Doctor pointed out, bending over and peering under the console to look at him. He set the (garishly coloured) messenger bag down on the mesh floor. "Especially hers."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"She's willing," he smirked, looking at the Doctor even though his view was obstructed a bit. Not obstructed enough not to notice that bag.

"What did you bring," he asked, gesturing to the bag on the grate. "More sandwiches?"

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"And a couple mangoes," the Doctor said. He didn't even bother to dignify the 'she's willing' comment. "Maybe we could go for a swim, try to find the butterfly atrium?"

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

Jack crawled out from where he was settled and sat up. He had dust on his cheek and dirt on his clothes, but his smile was as bright as ever. "That sounds fantastic," he agreed, wiping his hands off on his jeans. "I poked around earlier, before I got started, but I haven't found the atrium yet."

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"That's because you don't know where to look," the Doctor said, and grinned back at him. "You clean enough to travel, or what, Harkness?"

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"Like I ever needed to be clean to go someplace with you," he shot back. "Lead on...if you can remember the way."

Jack smirked and brushed himself off once he was on his feet. The prospect of following the Doctor, especially in the TARDIS, was too good for him to hide the boyish excitement.

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"Like you're ever clean to begin with," the Doctor retorted. "Don't want you to scare the butterflies." He smirked and heaved the bag over his shoulder. The repartee felt good.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"Touche."

Jack took a deep breath and made a concentrated effort to get as much of the dust off f his clothes as he loped toward the doorway to the corridors, and stopped in the opening. He turned to look at the Doctor, arms spread.

"How's that?" he asked, the clothes better but his face still streaked.

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

The Doctor lifted a brow, then dug a tissue from his pocket and walked over, trying to get some of the dirt off Jack's face. His brow furrowed in concentration.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

He balked slightly and moved away. "Are you going to spit on your finger? I think I'm old enough to take care of it," he protested...then did nothing at all but hold still so the Doctor could finish.

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"Yes, because you take care of it so well, Jack," the Doctor drawled, and put the wadded up tissue into Jack's trouser pocket, patted it, and jerked his head towards the door. "C'mon."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

Jack snorted softly and shoved the tissue just a little deeper, his other hand finding the pocket on that side so he walked along with his hands firmly restrained.

"You know what else we should try to find is a spot welder. Maybe. Not today, though, since we've got a room to find and you brought lun-- what is it with you and mangoes, lately? Did John kill your urge for bananas for the rest of your life?" he asked, sauntering alongside the Doctor with his eyes set far down the corridor.

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

The Doctor wandered ahead of him, keeping a quick pace. "Yeah, pretty much," he noted. "He must have had at least ten of them. I made Rob look up potassium overdose symptoms to make sure I wasn't going to get ill."

He looked over his shoulder as he walked. "And a spot welder, might be in the boot cupboard."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"The...boot cupboard. Of course. Why didn't I look in there?" he quipped as he fell behind just a little more. No particular reason, just a nice view and he figured the Doctor knew best where they were going.

"Are you really that...animated? I mean, I know you can be, but he was so...it was like you on speed."

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"Most people don't. That's why it's there." He knew full well Jack was looking at his arse. It was Jack. He made like he hadn't noticed, which was to say, kept the usual speed and posture. "I...could be like that, if I didn't make a concerted effort to try and keep things down. It's like me with the brakes off, I reckon?"

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"With the brakes of, accelerated gravity, and a ten percent slope," he chuckled. "Although it was interesting to see in that scientific experiment sort of way. Hey...do you really like camping, or was that some sick thrill of John's?"

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, well, it was bloody exhausting afterwards," pointed out the Doctor, taking a sharp left. "Slept for two days. And I suppose I like it well enough. Do you?"

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"Camping?" Jack shrugged and kept his eyes on the Doctor's back instead of paying attention to the corridors and bulkheads. "It's nicer with a tent. Usually I'm just in the jungle making friends with the snakes and nocturnal things. I haven't felt like I needed to do that in a while, though. No real need to be alone. Get away. Figure out...stuff."

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"Maybe you used to need that because you didn't have the ability all the time," the Doctor pointed out. He motioned Jack to the left again, then up a short corridor and right, almost moving on instinct. "Now that you can, you don't have to. God knows I get the itch."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I don't know if I'd go so far as to say I can. In some ways, I need to stay around more. John isn't House. I needed to get away from all that...you know what? Nevermind all that. Isn't this the way to that crystal room...thing?" he asked, trying to place where they were now that they were well and truly in the middle of nowhere.

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

The Doctor shook his head. "Nah, that's heading due sub-east," he said. "This is the way to the pool. One of them. And the butterfly atrium's near there unless she's moved it."

He didn't need Jack to clarify. It was already brutally obvious. Now they were being Men and not talking about things but actually talking.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"You know, it's sort of a pain when she does that. Is it just a TARDIS thing? Or is she being fickle?" Jack asked, eyeing the walls like they might change before his eyes. "Because the live maze on Jiivoq did that because it was funny. Made it damn near impossible to get out."

Not Talking was something he was comfortable with, especially while in the middle of a conversation. He could misdirect with the best of them, and it was harder to get him to address the elephant in the room than most. For most people, anyhow.

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"If it's either of us, I don't think it's on purpose," the Doctor said. "Y'know, Jo couldn't find the wardrobe room, and she and Rob tried for ages. I think maybe something's not quite stable in the interior structural synapses, to be honest."

They both knew each other well enough to read some of the unsaid things, anyhow, and the Doctor was very good at the truth. Jack knew what would happen if he were to lie to him.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

Something tightened in his chest a little and he was thankful that at that moment he was behind the Doctor. Of course he knew other people came in here. Of course he expected the people who had traveled with the Doctor--Martha and Sarah Jane...and all the rest. And of course he expected Rob.

But there was just a momentary clutch around his heart at the thought of anyone but he or the Doctor romaing the corridors at will.

"I'll take a look at the synapses when we get back. If I can't figure it out, there's Tosh. Maybe."

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"She's good with that sort of thing?" the Doctor asked. "Didn't know that." He paused in front of a door, Jack nearly having to run into him to stop in time. "Here!"

And he pushed open the door to the butterfly atrium, a wide space with a great dome, looking like it were paned with glass and clouds beyond in an impossible sky.