The Wandering Years 7: Melbourne (or: Try to Remember)

[jadesfire]

terrylj has written a wonderful missing-scene' for the series, In a minute, there is time. I love the idea and she's caught the characters spot on. Go! Read! And leave nice comments, for they are as food to the writer :)

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While I am normally the speediest replier on LJ ;), I'm out shopping with my mother for the day (hoorah!) so won't get back to most of you until tomorrow. Have fun in my absence :)

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Title: Melbourne (or: Try to Remember)

Author: jadesfire2808
Rating: G
Word Count: ~1,300
Warnings/Spoilers: None/Technically this is a Doctor Who crossover.
Betas: crystalshard and miss_zedem (who should take credit for the title).

A/N: With thanks to fangrrl_squees for help with the character.

Summary: Jack goes in search of a friend of a friend.

The Wandering Years 1: New York (or: Wonderful Town)
The Wandering Years 2: San Francisco (or: Where I Left My Heart)
The Wandering Years 3: Las Vegas (or: Viva!) Part 1
The Wandering Years 3: Las Vegas (or: Viva!) Part 2
The Wandering Years 4: Cardiff (or: Going to the Chapel)
The Wandering Years 5: Vancouver (or: Old Friends)
The Wandering Years 6: Cardiff Reprise (or: To Everything there is a Season)



Melbourne, Australia. February 5th 1988

"Is this seat taken?"

The woman looked up, glancing round the café. It was a busy lunchtime and most of the other chairs were full. She nodded. "Knock yourself out."

"I'll just sit, if it's all the same to you." Jack hung his jacket on the back of the chair, angling it so that he could look at the woman without getting the sun in his eyes. She laughed and went back to her book, head bent low.

"Are you local?" Jack asked conversationally.

"Not to Melbourne. I grew up in Brisbane." She turned a page. "Where in the States are you from?"

"You wouldn't have heard of it. I've done a lot of travelling, though."

Glancing up, she gave him a curious look. "Where abouts?"

"Oh, all over." Jack nodded to the waiter, ordering a double espresso and a glass of water. "Have you travelled?"

Her eyes drifted away from him. "I used to."

"Anywhere exciting?"

"Like you wouldn't believe."

"Try me."

She just laughed. "I don't think so, but thanks anyway." Returning to her book, she shifted on her seat so that she was facing the street rather than Jack.

"Let me tell you where you went, then," Jack said, pausing as the waiter brought his drinks. The woman was looking up at him, her expression halfway between confused and suspicious. Once they were alone, Jack went on, "You went to worlds you can't tell anyone about, amazing worlds with aliens and monsters. You saw lives saved, changed for the better. You saw people die, because that's what happens. Because it always happens when he's around."

As if suddenly becoming aware that her mouth was open, the woman closed it quickly, looking around the crowded café. When she spoke, her voice was full of fear and anger.

"Who are you? How did you find me?"

"I have a contact at UNIT," Jack said, sipping his coffee. "He told me what happened in London, two years ago. How you walked out of the building where everyone died, looking like you'd seen more than just dead bodies and aliens. He said you looked like you'd seen the end of the world and didn't know where to go next."

"Who are you?" There was an edge to her voice now, panic beginning to take hold.

"I work for an interested organisation."

"Interested in me?"

Jack laughed. "No. Sorry to disappoint you. Tegan Jovanka only registers on our watch list for one reason." He met her wide eyed stare. "Because you've met the Doctor."

Without asking, Tegan picked up his glass of water, gulping down half of it. Her hand was shaking as she set it back on the table.

"What do you want?"

"Just to talk."

"Right. You've travelled halfway round the world just to have a cup of coffee with me."

"Actually, I'm the only one having coffee at the moment." Jack drained his drink, rolling the empty cup backwards and forwards between his palms. "And I was in the neighbourhood, more or less."

She considered this for a moment, then closed her book. "So what do you want to talk about?"

"Him."

"It's been two years."

Jack raised his eyebrows. "And you're telling me you've forgotten about it?"

"I wish I could."

"No, you don't."

"How would you know?" This time, Jack didn't answer, staring at her with the same calm, steady expression until she caught up. She gasped. "You've travelled with him."

Giving her a brisk nod, Jack pulled the glass of water towards him. "Not the same 'him' if you know what I mean, but yes, I have."

"I know what you mean." She took a deep breath. "How is he?"

"Just the same. How are you?"

"It's been two years. I'm still alive."

"And well, and living in Melbourne. What are you doing here?" Jack asked.

"Studying. Reminding myself that I can still have a life. Trying to forget."

"There are other choices. Besides ignoring and forgetting, I mean."

"Like what?" The suspicious look was back. "Why are you here?"

"I'm here with a job offer." Jack held up a hand, stopping her before she could say anything. "Please, just hear me out. I work for an organisation whose primary purpose is to find the Doctor, wherever and whenever he appears."

Tegan stared. "You hunt him?"

"Not exactly. Stalking might be a closer analogy."

She didn't return his smile. "Why?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Why do you stalk him?"

"Our other purpose," Jack went on, ignoring the question, "is to find and use alien technology for the benefit of mankind."

"Is that all?" she gave an incredulous laugh. "Got a high opinion of yourselves, don't you?"

"Are you interested?"

Tegan thought for a moment, chewing her bottom lip. "What will you do with him? I mean, you're hunting him down. What are you going to do with him when you find him? If you find him."

"That's not my decision."

"How can you do this?" She leaned across the table, lowering her voice a little. "You travelled with him. You knew him. And you're going to help someone catch him, to-" She broke off as the waiter passed their table. "I couldn't do it."

"He does tend to inspire loyalty."

"Not in you, apparently." When Jack didn't answer, she tilted her head. "Does he?"

Toying with his glass, Jack shrugged. "Like I said, my organisation is committed to tracking him down."

"And you? What are you committed to?"

"Right now? To offering you this job. Do you want it?"

After a long moment, Tegan shook her head. "No. I left that life for a reason. I can't go back."

"Can't you?" Jack asked. "You're telling me that if he landed right here, right now," he gestured to the street in front of him, "you wouldn't walk back through those doors?"

She shook her head. "No. I wouldn't. Would you?"

"He's the one who left me." Jack didn't meet her eye.

"I'm sorry. Really, I am. But my answer's the same. I'm trying to get on with my life."

"So are we all." When he turned to her again, it was with his most genuine fake smile. "Will you at least let me buy you a coffee? No hard feelings?"

"Sure. Black with one sugar."

"Coming right up." Getting to his feet, Jack pulled his jacket from the back of the chair and headed inside. He waited at the counter after ordering, fishing in his pocket for his wallet and the ever-present box of pills that had become part of his standard kit: Webley, coat, wallet, keys, retcon. He ran his fingers over the small metal case for a moment, trying to work out how much of a dose he was going to need. For a moment, he contemplated using enough to wipe out years, letting her wake up in a hospital with a splitting headache and a nasty case of amnesia. It might be kinder than what she was living through at the moment.

But when the coffees came, he dropped in a single tablet under cover of adding sugar. He didn't have the right to take all that away from her, convenient or not. Losing two years had been bad enough. Losing six would be devastating.

Returning to their table, he pushed the coffee towards her.

"Here's to the future," he said, lifting his cup in a toast.

"The future."

"No regrets."

She paused, her cup still held in the air. "There's always regrets."

"I guess so." He thought for a moment. "Then here's to surviving."

"Surviving."

They sat in companionable silence for a while, drinking their coffees and watching the passers-by. Eventually, Jack pulled the book from Tegan's unresisting fingers, laying it on the table before she could drop it. Then he made sure that she wasn't going to fall out of her chair as she dozed. He slipped his jacket on and, with a final glance over his shoulder, left her sleeping in the sunlight.

Comments

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

I find it hard to believe that Jack goes along blithely with Torchwood's "search and capture" policy on the Doctor. I don't suppose it's going to be addressed in the new series, but I can but dream....

Thanks so much :)