An Unexpected Turn

The Doctor muttered something under his breath as he searched for his current favourite tie, whilst the TARDIS was aimlessly floating in the vortex. Typical, how he put his things in the most obvious places, then just lost them anyway. "Master, have you seen my t- Nevermind!" he called, grabbing it off the handle of the door to his room. I did not put it there. I remember that I put it .. I must've .. he groaned. His memory seemed worse.

As he put it on, and searched for his missing right trainer - he could've sworn that he put it next to his bed, but it wasn't there - he tried to think of the next stop. He only thought of here to go when he had found his shoe - I did not put it under the bed! - and managed to put it on and tie it.

He returned to the console room, fiddling about with different parts of the main console, wondering what he should do. He did need to get the Master's laser screwdriver back, plus he really wanted to see Jack now, but .. He gave up trying to dissuade himself, just going with it. After a minute of setting everything up, the TARDIS whirred into action, and with the usual jolt that he only just managed to stay on his feet with, it had landed. "So .. Where is he?" he mused to himself, peering outside, before stepping out.

For one moment, he was tempted to lock his brother in there, but then supposed it wouldn't exactly have him in a good mood. Not including the fact that the TARDIS would get annoyed being locked with the Master inside her. And when he said annoyed, he meant really annoyed.

His sky blue eyes gazed around his surroundings, eventually searching out Jack, as he had closed the door to the TARDIS, and walked a bit away from it. Of course, Jack wouldn't recognise him .. He smiled, running a hand through his ginger and blond streaked hair, and walking over to Jack. "Can I sit here, Jack?" he asked him, only using his name to just personalise the question. "Sorry I didn't talk to you last time I saw you - I was busy dying. I'm guessing it didn't really work out with Alonso?" he added quietly, looking at him with a soft gaze, just like his tenth incarnation, and possibly ninth. That seems so long ago .. he mused.

The Doctor rolled his eyes when he received a response, but could understand what kind of mood Jack was in. It hadn't been all that long since the 456 incident. "Aww, I'm so sorry for getting killed again. Can't be so much like you, Jacky boy," he responded. "Besides, I actually came to see you this time," he pointed out, smiling still.

"Ah .. I see. I'm sorry, I was hoping he'd cheer you up a bit," he said quietly. "I didn't know when I'd next see you again, and I was running out of time," he added, looking at him, sadly.

The Time Lord wrapped his arms around him, hugging him back closely. "I missed you too," he murmured quietly in his ear, honestly. It was the main reason why he had come back to find him, after the TARDIS had told him where Jack was. "Which is why .. I want you to come with me," he said softly.

He chuckled, "No. This time, it was radiation. Slowest regeneration I've ever had, so I took the chance to see everyone," he grinned at him. "I would've stayed longer, but I only had a few minutes left, and I didn't really want it to be public," he added with a roll of his eyes. At the hair comment, he nodded with another grin, "Yep. Finally. I like this ginger too," he responded. "I know it's not fun. It's especially not fun to regenerate, and find out that the Mastsr has regenerated into the exact same body," he grimaced, and only just picked up the mutter. "Aww, well, good thing I came, isn't it?"

"Ah .. Ok," he murmured, frowning. "My plan was to keep you happy until I returned, so I guess that failed. Are you happier now?" he asked, hopefully. He wanted to keep Jack happy. He laughed, "Sorry. Best I could do in a short amount of time. Do you want another one? Only I won't leave this time," he added the last part in clear serious tone.

The Doctor let go of him when he felt Jack start pulling away, rolling his eyes, "I was enjoying that," he smiled at him, running a hand through his hair. "Of course, really. I want you back." He briefly hesitated, then asked, "Would you still want to if I told you that the Master's in there, and staying? For the meanwhile, anyway," he looked at him, worriedly. He hoped Jack would.

He nodded, "Yep. First time with radiation. I'd rather have the Master's lightning kill me. It nearly did," he muttered under his breath. He chuckled, "Ok, I promise I'll make it up to you," he smiled at him. He thought for a moment, "I don't completely like it. I'm short, which is really annoying me. There are things in the TARDIS I can barely reach now," he grinned at him. "I preferred last incarnation .. Stuck with this now. Hopefully for longer .. I dread my next one. My last," he sighed. He had tried to ignore it, but it was there. He would die soon.

The Doctor grinned at him, "Good, because I feel happier now, thanks to you. The handcuffing might not be so bad," he said quietly, joking. At least, he hoped he was. "I'll think of a better goodbye soon. I promise.

"Then can I have another hug?" he asked him, hopefully. He nodded, "Good. The Master has to stay right now. I'm making him stay, for a bit. I have .. It was that, or I'd be responsible for his death as well, and I don't feel like having another funeral," he said. He'd had enough of giving the Master funerals, so if the Master was with him, at least he could keep him alive. "Jack, you know I can't tell you that, and I doubt he will. But I promise I won't let him kill you. Unless he wants the TARDIS to switch rooms every single time he wants to go somewhere."

"Hopefully. I could've just left it .. But I have to live by what has to happen. Shame .. It really hurt," he sighed, flicking back his hair. "Not really .. I'd rather have him kill me .. If I had a choice between the two. But he was unconscious. Wasn't going to happen," he murmured, looking at him. He grinned, "Of course I will. You'll see. Exactly! Look, I'm short. It's annoying. Although I may be able to run faster now .. I'm sure I'll get to test that soon. I've been running, but not as quickly as I can. I ran about as fast as I used to be able to run when I was pretty much dragging the Master to the library .." he chuckled, remembering it. He glared at him briefly, "I am not wearing high heels! Trainers only. These already add a centimetre," he grumbled. He nodded, "Yep. Well, now you've seen three of my incarnations .." he muttered, "More than most."

He chuckled, "What do you expect? It's you," he pointed out with a roll of his eyes. "Maybe .." he grinned, "Maybe not. Depends what you're going to do if I am handcuffed to you," he answered. He glanced at the Adipose, and nodded, "Maybe both. And I saw that," he replied, looking back at him.

The Doctor grinned once more, hugging him back and holding him close. "Haven't had one in a while. Not one that I want," he said quietly, under his breath. He rested his head on his shoulder, musing. "Although I suggest you try not to annoy him a lot. I've been doing that ever since he killed me, and .. Well .. Can't stop him killing you if either of us overstep the line .." he muttered. He nodded, "Trust me, it is .."

The Doctor shook his head, "No. It was a prophesized death, so I had to go by it. I thought it would've been the Master to kill me. Although preferably not by strangulation - which I could get out of anyway - or his lightning .. Abilities," he answered. He sighed, and nodded, "It did hurt .. Draining a lot of radiation that's one of the few radiations that can kill me hurts a lot," he said simply. He rolled his eyes, "Yes, you're taller than me. Three inches. If I didnt have my trainers on," he mumbled, annoyed by it, "Not really, but he didn't hurt me so that's a plus," he grinned. Ignoring his tease, he nodded again, "Well, yes .. But majority only see one or two," he responded.

He paused, thinking about it. "Well, I might do that .. Depends on how much you're going to flirt," he shrugged. He rolled his eyes at him and nodded simply, wondering what he would think of. "I stood there a few minutes, watching you and trying to work out what to do," he replied.

"Probably not for you. But I don't particularly wish to kill you, even by hugs," the Time Lord murmured. He chuckled, "I know. But still. As long as you try not to .. I have to admit, he does give quite a few chances that are too tempting at times," he murmured, and sighed, "He strangled me and caught me offguard, so I died. Then just came back, to his disappointment. He wants to swap me for my - and his - mother," he muttered quietly. He nodded, and laughed, "Ok, ok. But not much. He'll get suspicious that it's us telling the TARDIS to do it, if it's too many times," he answered. He finally pulled away from him, and grinned, "Yep. Come on then, Jacky," he said, walking back to where the TARDIS was. [list=1][*]

"Yeah, really brilliant," the Doctor responded sarcastically, "Especially when you believe that the person who will probably kill you is the person you're probably the closest to, and knows you the best," he added with a sigh. He shrugged, "Technically .. Wilf killed me. Wait .. Know him? Donna's granddad?" he asked. "Not yet," he pointed out with a roll of his eyes, "One day I will be. Hoping for a few million years but I know it won't be that long .." he sighed, wishing he would live that long. As he had in most of his incarnations. "Thought you'd be happy about that. You'll be tallest in the TARDIS now," he chuckled, and nodded.

"Maybe," he simply answered. "Depends on who and what's happening," he added on after some thought about it. He smiled at the tease, "Well, you'd hardly complain, would you?" he murmured. "I could've done something to help you better but I was stretched for time .. As I said, didn't want to regenerate here, had to make my last visit, and I didn't want to leave the Master inside the TARDIS on his own .. Never trusting him alone with it again," he muttered, grimacing at the memory of the Paradox Machine. He winced, "Slip of the Tongue," he muttered under his breath.

He nodded, "So it'd be a difference. But still not good," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "He shouldn't complain about it as much if he gives us just so many good chances," he chuckled, looking at him. He shook his head, "Nope, not at all. I had over half a day left of being 'safe' from dying .. So I wasn't going to waste it. I pulled his hair out," he grinned, remembering it. He rolled his eyes, amused about his reaction, and walked to the TARDIS, unlocking it and walking in, glancing around. He held the door open for him.

The Doctor listened to him, and smiled slightly, giving a nod, "Not a surprise .. Not that good to hear. It's also not good to realise that your own brother is giving Ood nightmares that are so simple but even scared me .. Briefly. I flinched .." he muttered, and hesitated, trying to remember if he had actually told Jack of his relations to the Master. He did still remember telling him and Martha that he had had a brother, to cover it up. Watching him, he waited, and simply nodded. The mutter escaped his ears, and he moved on to the next part, "Me? Careful enough to live that long? It just took half a decade to kill me," he pointed out. He gave a smile, "Well, if the TARDIS tries to annoy me by putting things out of my reach, I'll have to go to you."

He listened to his question, and paused, thinking about it, "Um .. Nope. I'd be fine with it," he answered. A chuckle escaped from his lips as he heard his words, "Typical Jack .." he muttered. He gave a soft sigh at his words, and nodded at the question, "Yeah, that time .. She really hates him for it still. I think she had only just gotten over the last time he sabotaged her. Weird to think that once, she could have been passed down to him in inheritance .. Since they don't get along anymore. Used to. A very long time ago," he remarked, pondering to himself as he looked back to his childhood.

"Hmm .. Well, like you said. Depends on other matters," he agreed with him, wondering what he could do if Jack was to pass out after hugging him. His new personality was quick to think up possibilities, and a light blush entered his cheeks. Feeling the heat there, he hurriedly looked away. He nodded slightly, "I thought it would be good to use up all that time .. And yep. I want to do it again .. But flicking his ears is good enough for me," he remarked. He shut the door behind Jack, watching him walk around with a happy grin on his face. "Well, here we are. Back to being t- travelling together," he corrected himself before he could give Jack ideas.