Title:  Without a Doubt

Author:  Joolz

Genre:  Slash, Het, Threesome, Angst, First Time

Pairing:  Jack/Nine/Rose

Rating:  NC-17

Season/Spoilers:  Doctor Who Series 1, takes place some time after The Doctor Dances, then rejoins canon for Boom Town.  No explicit spoilers.

Summary:  It’s all very Greek Tragedy:  the wrath of the gods, desperate decisions, heroic sacrifice, fated lovers.  Oh, plus sex.

Notes:  Rose is part of the pairing, but it’s more of a Jack/Doctor story, so expect her to be in the background. 

Many thanks to betas ladyra and roquentine.  No British beta, that’s all on me.

Disclaimer:  Not my lovely characters, just playing with them.

Warnings:  Violence, graphic m/m, m/f, m/m/f sex

 

 

++++++++

 

Without a Doubt

 

 

 

The guard manhandled Jack forward down the hall.  It was unnecessarily awkward, because the guard was holding onto Jack’s elbows, pulling them nearly together behind his back, and was treading on Jack’s heels every few steps. 

 

This method of handling a prisoner opened a lot of escape options for said prisoner, but the other guards had Rose and the Doctor similarly restrained, and while Jack could easily get loose he knew he couldn’t free both of them before being stopped. 

 

They had been so close to getting away altogether.  The Doctor had made the mistake of sitting on the ‘God’s Throne’, and the locals had gone crazy.  It wasn’t like it was labelled or anything, and really, not even the Doctor could be expected to know every primitive superstition on every backward planet in the universe.  They had made their usual mad, exhilarating run for the Tardis, and were almost there when they had been ambushed by the guards. 

 

Now they were being ushered roughly back into the presence of the Chief Plenipotentiary, a middle-aged blond man with a permanently constipated expression.  He was awaiting the trio in a large stone chamber, seated on something much grander and gaudier than the God’s Throne that had started all the trouble. 

 

Jack was thrown face down onto the hard floor.  He flipped over quickly, ready to jump to his feet, but found the point of a spear a few inches from his chest.  He frowned at it then looked up at the giant of a man standing over him.  

 

“I usually prefer to be introduced before getting into the rough stuff,” Jack said, then used his bedroom smile.  “I’m Captain Jack Harkness.  And who might you be, big fella?”

 

The man didn’t react at all.  When Jack used that look on people they usually blushed or grinned; occasionally they got angry.  Jack had thought a person would have to be dead for it to have no effect.  His smile faltered.

 

“Jack,” the Doctor said disapprovingly.  “Try to behave, please.”

 

“I was!” he protested.

 

The Doctor stood to his right, in front of the Plenipotentiary, and Rose was on the floor in the same position as Jack, on his left.  He winked at her.  “Hey, kid.”  She pulled a face at him, but didn’t look overly concerned.  They got out of things like this all the time.

 

The local leader drew everyone’s attention by standing up suddenly, his robes spreading out around him in what was probably meant to be an impressive manner.  It went right along with the blatant display of dominance involved in keeping him and Rose on the floor.  Jack whispered, “Drama queen,” and Rose snickered.

 

The man flung his arms wide and pronounced in a loud voice, “Blasphemers!  You have committed the gravest offence against our Holy Noble God.”

 

“Ah!  About that,” the Doctor said, holding up a finger.  “Sorry.  No offence intended.  Just felt a bit knackered and had a sit down.  No harm done.”

 

“Silence!” the leader bellowed.  “Reparation must be made, or the Holy Noble God will withdraw his protection from my people and we will be annihilated by our enemies.”

 

Jack didn’t hear that kind of thing often.  In an age of relatively easy interstellar travel, most societies kept religious observance private and practiced some degree of tolerance toward off-world faux pas.  While these people didn’t seem to utilise much advanced technology, Jack knew they were regularly visited by space traders.  They shouldn’t be this sensitive.

 

“Oh, I see,” the Doctor deadpanned.  “Annihilation.  That is serious.  I’m sure we can manage some reparation.  I’m really quite handy.  Fix things all the time, sort of my raison d’etre, you could say.  What can I give you a hand with, then?”

 

The man glowered at the Doctor.  “Blood,” he replied.  “A life will be forfeit in payment.  Nothing less will appease our god.  Since you were the one to commit the offence, you will not be allowed the easy path of death yourself.  One of your companions will die.  You must decide which one, and then live with your responsibility.”

 

Jack hadn’t noticed them come in, but there were now at least a dozen burly guards with spears, swords and knives surrounding the three of them.  The whole thing didn’t seem quite as amusing as it had a moment ago.

 

The Doctor frowned and crossed his arms over his chest, his leather jacket gleaming in the lantern light.  “Now, Your Most Majestic Excellency, we’re certainly glad to compensate for any inadvertent lapse on our part, but that’s starting the negotiation at a bit of an extreme.  What’s next on your wish list?”

 

Jack looked up at the Plenipotentiary and let his legs fall open.  He knew the dark blue t-shirt and blue jeans displayed his body in a very favourable way.  Giving his seduction voice another try, he said, “Surely there’s something we can do to make it up to you.”

 

The man was not swayed.  He addressed the Doctor, “Nothing else.  One will die.  If you do not choose, both will be killed.”  He looked smug, clearly enjoying the position of power.

 

The Doctor changed tack.  “That’s a big decision.  How about I sleep on it and get back to you in the morning?”

 

“No.  Now.  Decide or lose both.  No more delays.”

 

Jack waited to see what the Doctor would do to get them out of this, but the Doctor didn’t move. 

 

A sudden pain startled Jack, and he stared at the spear point that had cut through his shirt and pierced his skin.  To his left Rose squeaked, and he looked over to see blood staining the pink hoodie where the other guard’s spear had sliced into her just below her sternum.

 

Jack regarded the man standing over him and saw no hesitation or compunction.  He would kill Jack without remorse if ordered to, just as the other would kill Rose.

 

There seemed to be more armed men than ever surrounding them, crowding forward, eager for blood.  Adrenalin flooded through Jack as he evaluated strategies to fight past them and get his friends to safety.  He didn’t see any way for it to work.  Even with the Doctor’s help, Rose was too vulnerable.

 

“Decide,” the leader commanded with finality. 

 

Jack looked at the Doctor and met his eyes.  Jack nodded slightly, giving his blessing, if the Doctor needed it, to make the only choice possible.  Then he lay back, closed his eyes and took a deep relaxing breath, as much at peace as he could be under the circumstances.  There were worse ways to go.

 

“Who will die?” the leader asked the Doctor.

 

“Rose.”

 

Jack’s head whipped around and his eyes flew open to gape at the Doctor.  “What!” he cried.  “No!  Not Rose!”  It didn’t make any sense.  There was no way the Doctor would let Rose die.  It was inconceivable.  What was he thinking?

 

The Doctor was staring straight ahead, his face blank and his eyes cold.  He couldn’t be serious!

 

“So be it,” their captor said and nodded to Rose’s guard.

 

In the space of a second Jack glanced at Rose, noting that her eyes were wide with shock and fear, and then looked at the spear resting against his chest.  The other guard raised his weapon to deal the killing blow to Rose, and Jack grasped the shaft of his own guard’s spear, pushing it a few inches so that it wouldn’t be deflected by his ribs, then lunged up as he pulled the spear down.  It cut into him easily, plunging into his chest at an angle that brought it to his heart.

 

There was pain, there most certainly was.  But he could hear Rose shrieking hysterically, which meant she was still alive.  That was good.  That was the important thing.  He had succeeded.  Calmness descended over him as his awareness faded to black.

 

+++++++

 

 

The Doctor opened his eyes to see a white ceiling with institutional florescent lighting.  It was startling, but not entirely surprising.  He’d been somewhere completely different moments before, but it hadn’t felt right.

 

He tipped his head to the side and saw Jack lying on a medical table next to him, and Rose lying on another just beyond, with tears running down the sides of her face.  They both had wires attached to various points around their heads which led to a box at the top of each table, and he realized that he had them, too.

 

Jack shifted slightly, scrunched his forehead and made a small noise.  Rose opened her eyes and gasped, then gasped again.  She was still crying.

 

Three men in simple white uniforms moved into the Doctor’s line of vision, clustering around Jack, removing the wires and the small pads that attached them to his head.  They tried to pull him into a sitting position, but Jack remained slack under their manipulations.  The Doctor fought his own lethargy to push himself up to lean on one elbow so he could watch the others more easily, and brushed his own wires away like flies.

 

The tallest man chattered, “Captain Harkness, sir.  Please wake up now, sir. The Chief Plenipotentiary wishes to speak with you.  It’s a great honour.”

 

Jack’s eyes opened and swept the room, not entirely focused.  He said, his voice slurred, “I don’t understand.”

 

Their arms supporting his back, the men propped Jack up.  The middle-height one said, “The Chief Plenipotentiary is going to present you with an award and a medal.  Few have been given this honour.  You need to come with us now.”

 

Frowning, Jack blinked in confusion as he looked around.  Meeting the Doctor’s eyes, Jack stilled, then looked the other direction to see Rose.  Again, he said, “I don’t understand.”

 

The shorter one answered, “The Chief Plenipotentiary will explain everything.  Come along now, please.”  They began manoeuvring Jack’s body off the table. 

 

The Doctor ordered, “Leave him alone.”

 

The men looked at him dismissively.  The short one said, “You can come too, if you like, but the ceremony is for Captain Harkness.”

 

They pulled Jack to his feet and supported him as his knees tried to buckle.  After a moment Jack shook them off and staggered forward.  The Doctor pushed himself to a sitting position, swung his legs over the side of the table and caught Jack as he crashed against him.

 

Letting the Doctor steady him, Jack murmured, “Oh, man.  This is so weird.”

 

The Doctor saw that Rose was lying on her side, her arms wrapped around herself, reddened eyes fixed on Jack.  He could tell that more had happened to the two of them than he knew, something that he didn’t like one bit.

 

One hand on Jack’s still shaky back, the Doctor asked compellingly, “Rose, can you walk?  Can you come over here?”

 

She nodded sadly and, pulling the wires away from her head, climbed off the table to make her way towards them, supporting herself by leaning on the furniture she passed.  When she joined them, she pressed her forehead against Jack’s shoulder.

 

Jack wrapped an arm around her and asked, “Are you all right, sweetie?”

 

She responded by shaking her head no, her face against his shirt.  Frowning, Jack pulled her close and held her tightly.

 

The Doctor climbed off the table and put himself between his friends and the men who were watching them anxiously.  “Now,” he said, “who’s going to explain what this is all about?”

 

Middle-height guy was practically wringing his hands.  “As we said, His Excellency will explain everything.  It’s taken longer for you all to come around than we expected, you were supposed to be there already.  Please come with us, sir,” he finished, again speaking to Jack.

 

The young man studied them uneasily, but suggested to the Doctor, “That may be the only way we find out what’s going on.  I guess we should go.”

 

The Doctor concurred, nodding slowly.  “For now.”

 

One of the men led the way, while the other two herded the three travellers from behind.  They were all steadier on their feet than they had been, but Rose still hadn’t spoken, which wasn’t like her.  She hadn’t looked the Doctor in the eyes, either. 

 

The room they were ushered into was quite different from the stone chamber in which they had met the leader before.  If that had actually happened – the Doctor was less sure all the time.  This was like a large conference room with buffet tables, people milling about as if at a cocktail party.  When they walked in the crowd began to applaud.

 

The man he recognized as the Chief Plenipotentiary approached them, but now he was wearing a high quality dark suit that would be appropriate on any number of worlds.  Rose cringed and took a step back, and Jack went with her, putting his arm around her again.  The Doctor approved of his protective stance – the young man was useful that way.

 

The leader tried to walk around the Doctor to address Jack, but the Doctor stepped into his path.  “Explain yourself,” he snapped, not feeling particularly diplomatic at the moment.

 

“Ah, Doctor,” the man said ingratiatingly.  “I’m sorry for the inconvenience, but it was important that you take part in our rite of testing.  Bit of a formality these days, but required of all visitors.  It rarely results in anything of note, but your Captain Harkness,” he beamed over the Doctor’s shoulder at Jack, his face shining with approval, “received the highest rating possible.  It is our honour to honour him.”  He tried to move around the Doctor again, but the Doctor maintained his position as an obstacle.

 

“That’s not an explanation,” the Doctor countered.

 

Annoyance flashed over the leader’s face, but then he waved away the obsequious toady who tried to scold the Doctor for his lack of due respect.  “Come in and have something to eat, get a drink.  We’ll start the award ceremony and all your questions will be answered.”  The man swept away towards the front of the room, followed by his retinue.

 

The Doctor looked at Jack and Rose, neither of whom seemed to be in immediate distress.  He motioned with his head and led them further into the room, to where they could see the podium at the front.  None of them made a move toward the snacks.

 

The Chief Plenipotentiary’s voice surrounded them, amplified by speakers.  “Citizens, fellow Decartians, welcome to this celebration.”

 

When he heard the name, slips of memory started to come back to the Doctor.  The planet Decart.  They had arrived and were greeted in a room similar to the one they were currently in - no low-tech stone throne room, no swords or spears, but he couldn’t remember what had happened next.  He shook his head to try to clear it.

 

The man at the podium went on, “Many first-time visitors have had the opportunity to undergo the rite of testing.  These three amongst us now were all presented with a similar scenario.  Their individual characters determined the outcomes.”

 

Beside the Doctor, Jack growled, “A virtual reality.”  His face held a mixture of shock and anger.  The Doctor put a calming hand on his arm.

 

“While the other two’s scores were unremarkable, Captain Harkness achieved the highest distinction possible, a rare occurrence.  I would like to share the Captain’s response with all of you, so that you may be edified by his example as I have been.”  A view screen was lowered down out of the ceiling.

 

The Doctor felt Jack’s muscles tense under his hand.  His face ashen, Jack shook his head in negation.  The Doctor tightened his grip.

 

An image appeared on the screen, and the events the Doctor remembered began to play out.  They matched his experience in some respects – Rose and Jack on the floor held at spear tip, himself facing the ruler, an ultimatum put to him.  From that moment on the scenario diverged from what the Doctor remembered.

 

As the Doctor watched, his blood ran cold.  In less than two minutes it was over, and the Doctor felt sick to his stomach.  His hand dropped from Jack’s arm and he stalked away, unable to speak.

 

Applause and calls of appreciation rose through the room.  From a safe distance, he looked back at his companions.  Jack was staring at the floor, his hands clenched by his sides, a handsome sculpture etched with fury.  Rose was facing the screen, her eyes vacant and her shoulders slumped.

 

At the podium, the leader began speaking again.  “Captain Harkness, it is my pleasure to award you this medal of the Rising Sun,” he held up a gold medallion on a chain, “the highest honour that may be bestowed upon an off-worlder, in recognition for your remarkable, exemplary, act of self-sacrifice.  I would like to be able to say that anyone would exhibit this level of bravery, but unfortunately you are among the noble few.  Please come forward and accept my personal congratulations.  Perhaps you would favour us with some words of wisdom.”

 

Jack looked like he was going to lose it and start punching people, so the Doctor swallowed his own feelings and walked back to his companions, placing himself in front of and facing Jack.

 

“Captain,” he said softly but with authority.  “What is our primary objective right now?”

 

Jack’s gaze focused on him.  After a moment he answered, “To get the hell out of here.”

 

The Doctor nodded, “Right,” and stepped to Rose’s side.

 

“I can help with that,” Rose whispered.  She closed her eyes and went limp, and the Doctor lunged to catch her before she hit the ground.  Jack knelt beside them as a murmur of alarm went up from the crowd.  Around them the Doctor heard a chorus of, “Poor girl, the excitement was too much for her, she’s ill, call a medic.”

 

The Chief Plenipotentiary hovered over them.  “Oh, dear, how unfortunate.  The court physician is on her way.  The young lady will be attended.”

 

The Doctor caught Jack’s eyes, and Jack nodded his acknowledgement.  Standing, Jack bared his teeth, an expression that in no way resembled the warm smiles he usually gave away so freely.

 

Your Excellency,” Jack said in fawning manner, crossing one arm over his waist and bowing slightly, the other hand gesturing a flourish, “worthy people of Decart.  I am deeply moved by the honour you do me, and I am, humbly, at your service.”

 

The Doctor tried not to grimace at the show Jack was putting on, because the crowd was eating it up.

 

“Unfortunately,” Jack continued, “my friend is ill and needs the specialized medical facilities on our ship.” 

 

The Doctor stood, lifting Rose in his arms.

 

The Chief Plenipotentiary grasped Jack’s shoulder firmly.  “But you cannot leave us yet!  The ceremony hasn’t concluded.”  It was an order as much as a protest.

 

Jack looked horrified – fake, dramatic horrified.  “Oh, no, Your Worship.  I’m not leaving.  You have all been so gracious and generous, I’m looking forward to spending some quality time with you.”  His face went sultry for a moment.  “I want to get to know each and every one of you much better, and express my gratitude personally.  And I should probably change into something more formal, as befits the occasion.”  He waved his hand down the length of his body, and most of the eyes in the room followed appreciatively.  “As soon as I have overseen the young lady’s medical treatment I’ll return to pick up where we left off.” 

 

If Harkness wanted to start a career as an actor, or a politician, the Doctor thought, he wouldn’t need any training.  He could give lessons in smarmy.  The Doctor reminded himself that until recently Jack had been a con man, and probably a bloody successful one at that.

 

The leader opened his mouth, clearly looking for a way to object, but the Doctor didn’t give him the chance.

 

“Right!” he said brightly.  “If someone can point out the quickest way back to the Tardis, we’ll get this little inconvenience taken care of and have Captain Harkness back with you in no time.  Believe me, no one knows better than I how very much he deserves every bit of your attention.”

 

Jack’s smile, incredibly, became even more brittle.

 

One of the onlookers volunteered, “Oh, your ship is quite close.  It’s just through there and into the courtyard.”  He gestured toward tall French doors.

 

The ruler glared, but the Doctor started immediately toward the exit.  “Lovely, very helpful.  Cheerio, then.”

 

Jack followed closely, waving to the crowd regally.  He grinned flirtatiously at them and pointed a finger.  “Now don’t go away, not even one of you.  I’ll be right back.” 

 

It didn’t take long to find the Tardis and Jack used his key to unlock the door, which he then held open so the Doctor could carry Rose inside.  As the Doctor set Rose on her feet he heard the Tardis door close and the interior lock click home.  He looked down at Rose and asked, “Are you all right, really?  Don’t need the medical bay?”

 

She gave him a weak smile.  “I’m fine.”  Now why didn’t he believe that?

 

In any event, the Doctor went directly to the console and set the controls for a holding pattern in the Vortex.  The engine engaged, and they left Decart behind.

 

++++++

 

 

When the Doctor turned his attention back to his companions, Jack was leaning against the door of the Tardis, arms crossed in front of his chest, head fallen back, eyes closed.  Rose took a few steps towards him, then stopped.  She said, “I’m sorry.”

 

Jack’s head snapped up and he looked at her, eyebrows drawn together.  “What?”

 

“You heard me,” Rose said with a bit of returning vigour.  “I said I’m sorry.  That was wrong.  It was just all wrong.”

 

“Yeah,” Jack drawled, as though she’d announced that water was wet.  “Those people were some sick fuckers.  But none of it was your fault.”

 

“But it is,” she said unhappily.  “It is.  You died…”  Her lower lip started to tremble.

 

Jack pushed away from the wall and walked toward her.  “I didn’t!  I’m still alive.  Right here.  See?”  He took her hand and thwapped her palm against his chest. 

 

She melted against him and he wrapped his arms around her.  The Doctor could see her shoulders shaking.  She was crying again.

 

“But you would have,” she insisted between sniffs.  “If it had been real.  You would be dead now.”

 

“Rose.  Rose, stop,” Jack said with dismay.  “It was a stupid VR simulation, nothing more.  And I made my own choice, nothing to do with you.”

 

“You don’t understand!” Rose insisted, her composure returning with her indignation.  “You died in my scenario, too.  Because I knew the Doctor would choose to save me, and he did.  I froze and couldn’t think of any way to stop it.  So they killed you, just like that.  And it was wrong!  I knew the Doctor would choose me and you thought he should choose me and that’s not right!  Why should you die?  I don’t deserve to live more than you do!  It’s just stupid, sexist bullshit.  Must protect the defenceless little girl,” she said disdainfully.

 

Jack hugged her close, then replied, “There are a lot of reasons why.  For one, I’ve been a soldier.  I chose to put the lives of other people before my own and was prepared to die.  Okay, I’m a little more selective now about who I’m willing to kill and die for, but you definitely qualify.  I’d die for you any day, Rose, and wouldn’t consider it a tragedy.

 

“Also,” he went on, “I’m nearly twice your age.  I’ve had a hell of a life already, but you’re just getting started.  If you had the chance to protect a ten year old kid, you’d do it, right?  Even if it meant dying.  It’s an instinct, and a good one.

 

“And the Doctor is responsible for you; he has to keep you safe.  I should have known it wasn’t real when the Doctor chose me over you, because that would never happen, and it shouldn’t.  It was totally out of character.  I can take care of myself.  You don’t have the training or the experience to deal with that kind of thing, and I hope you never do.  The way your scenario went, that’s what I would have wanted.  Please don’t feel bad about it.”

 

Rose had stopped sniffling, but was still holding Jack close.  “Not convinced, you idiot,” she complained and thumped him on the shoulder.

 

The Doctor stood apart, watching and listening to their conversation, his anger growing.  It had increased to a level he couldn’t contain any more and the Doctor thought he might explode.  He looked at them standing wrapped around each other.  They fit so well together; her blonde hair and softness, his darker colouring and strength.  They were both so beautiful it made his hearts hurt.  Which was why they were in so much trouble.

 

It was very, very hard, but he managed to move his jaw enough to speak through gritted teeth.  “You think you know me.”

 

At his quiet, forced words, Jack and Rose turned to look at him.  Their eyes widened in a way that under other circumstances might have been amusing.  Neither of them had seen the full fury of the ‘Oncoming Storm’ before, and they were both a little scared. 

 

As they should be.

 

Jack swallowed and said, “What?”

 

“You think you know me, what I would do in that situation,” he spat.  “You’re wrong.”  The last word was a low, dangerous rumble.  “You and your tiny, limited little ape brains.  You can only understand yes or no, one or the other.  Like I would stand there and choose which one of you would die.”

 

“But,” Rose ventured, “they said they would kill us both if you didn’t.  Do you mean that…?”

 

The Doctor took one step forward and the other two tightened their hold on each other reflexively.

 

“No, Rose Tyler, that’s not what I mean,” he said derisively.  “Why don’t you ask me, eh?  Ask me what happened in my scenario instead of assuming you know.”

 

“Okay,” she said slowly, as if calming a wild animal.  “What?”

 

The Doctor looked back and forth between them.  “Did I blithely say, yeah, sure, kill Jack, or kill Rose?  Not bloody likely.  You wanna know what I did?  When it became apparent that there was no reasoning with them, I used the sonic screwdriver to shatter the glass in the lanterns.  The burning oil caught the tapestries on fire, and in the confusion we escaped.  All of us.  Nobody died.”

 

Jack made a face.  “And they thought my result was the best?  That’s way better.  They must be….”  He trailed off under the Doctor’s glare.

 

“It was just one of dozens, hundreds of possible outcomes where nobody died.  Hundreds.  But neither of you trusted me to come up with even one.  No, you both thought that I would choose one of you and stand back.  Nice to know that’s all you think of me.”

 

Shaking his head, Jack said, “No,” but the Doctor wouldn’t let him talk.

 

“And you!” he said to Jack.  “If you think what you did was acceptable, if you don’t believe in me enough to expect my help, then tell me now and I’ll drop you off somewhere, because I don’t want you here!”  The Doctor was aware that he might be overreacting just a bit, but the image of Jack run through with a spear, dying at his feet, was going to give the Doctor nightmares, as if he needed more.

 

“I didn’t see any other option,” the younger man protested.

 

“There’s always another option!” the Doctor bellowed.

 

“No there isn’t!” Jack yelled back.  “You know that.  You can’t always save everyone.”

 

The Doctor opened his mouth to argue, but Jack took two steps forward and pointed a finger at the Doctor.

 

“No!  Now you listen to me.  I do believe in you, Doctor, more than I’ve ever believed in anyone in my life.  I was waiting for you to do something.  When you didn’t and they were about to kill Rose it was too late to try anything else.”

 

The Doctor snarled, “Well, you must not have believed very much.  If the virtual reality was responding to our minds, you apparently thought my presence was worth sod all.”

 

“We don’t know that!” Jack insisted vehemently.  “We don’t know to what extent we were able to control how the scenario played out.  If it only responded to our expectations, you would have saved Rose instead of me, because that’s what I thought would happen.  They were just playing with us.”

 

Some of the anger left the Doctor.  It was true; they didn’t know how the Decartian technology worked.  Yes, it could be that subconsciously Jack wanted the Doctor to put him first, but even in his agitated state the Doctor recognized the circular reasoning that line of thought could lead to.

 

“As much as I admire you,” Jack went on, “I’m not ever going to sit passively and wait for you to make all the decisions and tell me how to act.  If that’s what you expect, then you’d better drop me off somewhere.  I’m a grown man, Doctor.  At least respect me enough to let me make my own decisions about how to live, or how to die if it comes to that.”

 

The Doctor deflated some more.  It was kind of arrogant to expect Jack to do something the Doctor himself would never submit to. 

 

“And if it does come to that,” Jack continued, “you’d better understand that I would die to protect Rose or to protect you.  Don’t ask me to be a person who would stand by and let someone he loved be hurt.”

 

The Doctor looked at Jack, really looked at him.  Jack had endless passion for life, a huge heart and more intelligence than you would expect from someone who looked like he did, and it all shone on his face as he confronted the Doctor.  He hadn’t always had a very high opinion of Jack, the younger man still had a lot to learn, but he had demonstrated his willingness to sacrifice himself to protect others on the first day they had met.  And no, he didn’t really want Jack to change.

 

The Doctor said, in a more even tone than before, “You said that you’re almost twice Rose’s age.  I’m more than twenty-five times your age, Jack.”  He saw his eyes widen with shock as Jack did the calculation in his head.  “How do you think I feel watching you die, watching any of you die?  I’ve lost companions before.”  He let that information sink in.  “It’s not something I take lightly.  You’re not expendable.  Either of you.”

 

Jack’s face softened with understanding, and he said kindly, “Well, I hope you don’t have to go through it again any time soon.  Personally, I plan on living a long time.”

 

“Just promise me you won’t do anything like you did today unless you’re really sure there are no other options.  Really sure.”

 

Jack smiled and saluted.  “I can promise that.  No unnecessary deaths, sir!”

 

“All right, then.”  The Doctor stepped closer to Jack, so they were looking into each others’ eyes.  “I hate what you did today, Captain, but I am proud of you.”

 

The grin Jack gave him was almost shy, an attractive look on him, and the Doctor’s stomach fluttered. 

 

The Doctor was never really sure what made him do what he did next.  It might have been the adrenaline wearing off, it might have been temporary insanity, or it might just have been the blue of Jack’s eyes.  In any event, he cupped a hand against Jack’s jaw line, leaned in, and kissed him.

 

Jack went still for a moment, then reached up to cradle the nape of the Doctor’s neck, holding him in place so he could deepen the kiss.  It wasn’t the same as the spiritual connection the Doctor had experienced with other Time Lords, with his wife, but Jack was warm, the beard stubble scratching the Doctor’s chin felt real and intimate, and his mouth was talented.  It was a very good kiss; Jack’s self-promotion in that area hadn’t been an exaggeration.  It wasn’t the same as with someone of his own species, but it was enough.

 

Jack slid his other arm slowly around the Doctor’s waist, as though afraid the Doctor would bolt if startled, which wasn’t far off the mark.  The feeling of Jack’s hand splayed on his lower back sent pulses of heat throughout his body, something he hadn’t felt in a long time.

 

In for a penny, in for a pound, he thought, and wrapped his arms around Jack, pulling the other man even closer.  It was a heady feeling, the solid male body against his, combined with the tenderness of his touch.  He could sense how much Jack loved him, and was honoured by it.

 

They caressed each other with lips and hands, then the Doctor pressed his forehead to Jack’s, and just breathed in his scent.  It was all very good.

 

There was a movement to the Doctor’s right, and both men turned their heads.  Rose was staring at them with her mouth hanging open.  The Doctor had actually forgotten she was there.  He started to step back, apologising, “Oh, sorry, we were….”  He stopped, smiling at Rose’s gob smacked expression.  “Rose?” he asked.

 

She shook herself.  “Oh.  My.  God.  That was the hottest thing I’ve ever….  There are no,” she had to take a breath, “words.  Do that again.”

 

“You mean this?” Jack asked cheekily, then leaned in to nibble his way up the Doctor’s neck.  The Doctor hmmmed in approval.

 

Rose nodded, her mouth hanging open again.

 

“Or this?” the Doctor asked, then slid a hand up under Jack’s t-shirt and skimmed it over his chest, making Jack gasp.

 

“Yeah,” she croaked.  “That.”

 

Part of him wanted to continue groping Jack, but that didn’t feel quite right anymore, not with Rose as an audience.  Jack must have been thinking the same thing because, eyes twinkling, he looked at the Doctor and motioned with his head toward Rose.  The Doctor failed to keep a straight face as he nodded his agreement.

 

Jack released him, turned to Rose, and pulled her against his body.  “Maybe you’d rather have some of this yourself.”  Not giving her time to answer, he kissed her, bending her backward slightly.  Her arms came up enthusiastically to encircle his neck.

 

The Doctor watched them with contentment.  He had been resistant to Jack’s presence with them at first, in part because of the instant attraction Jack and Rose had felt for each other.  Not that he had Captain Envy, no matter what Rose said.  Well, maybe a little.  But despite the chemistry between them, out of deference for the Doctor’s feelings they had kept their relationship completely platonic.  Now the Doctor knew that Jack wouldn’t try to come between him and Rose, and that made it all right to see them express their desire.

 

It forced a decision on him, though.  The Doctor could back off and pretend none of it had happened, and things could go back to how they were.  Sort of.  They were all good at denial, but a line had been crossed that would be hard to re-establish – and the Doctor had been the one to cross it.

 

Or he could give Rose and Jack his blessings, and encourage them to build a relationship.  That’s what he should do, the right and generous thing.  They were humans; they could be happy together.  It would end with them leaving him, though, and sooner rather than later.  There was too much between them all for it to be a comfortable situation.

 

Or he could join them, take the same step with Rose that he had with Jack.  He could accept what had been simmering beneath the surface all along, and express it the way humans needed it expressed.  That was the wrong thing to do; wrong for him and wrong for them, because it couldn’t end well. 

 

But the Doctor wanted it.  He wanted it so much in that moment, to be allowed the simple pleasure of loving and being loved.  Rose and Jack made it seem possible, like it was right there waiting for him to reach out his hand.  It was an illusion, but maybe it could be real.  Maybe he could make it real enough through the force of his will, by simply not admitting otherwise.

 

The Doctor looked at those three potential futures spinning out from them.  Those and hundreds of other permutations of possibility flowing around them like a river.  One strand stood out as a glowing beacon, shining more brightly than any other.  The Doctor could try to follow it.  He could try.

 

Jack stood Rose upright, and the kiss ended.  She grinned up at him, her hands on his shoulders, “That was a bit of all right.”

 

The Doctor put his hands on his hips.  Oi!  If you like that, wait until you try this!”

 

He stepped forward and pulled Rose to him.  Sliding his hands down her back to grip her arse, he took her mouth.  It was so sweet to taste Rose, finally.  The sweetness of her, with a hint of Jack-seasoning mixed in.  Bloody perfect.  She melted in his arms and gave him everything he asked of her and more.  He poured his hopes and desires into her, and she took them without reservation. 

 

When he broke away, she blinked at him, stunned.  “Oh.”

 

The Doctor grinned at her.  “Pretty good, that, eh?”

 

She nodded happily in reply.

 

Glancing at Jack, the Doctor found him watching them, his arms folded across his chest, with a sad smile on his face.  He thought they were going to exclude him again. 

 

Exasperated, the Doctor said, “Jack Harkness, when are you going to learn?” and shifted both himself and Rose until he could get an arm around Jack’s waist and kiss him briefly.  “All right?  Do you get it?”

 

Jack’s smile was blinding.  “Oh yeah, and I hope you’ll really give it to me very soon.”

 

This time the Doctor laughed at Jack’s trademark innuendo.  “I think you can count on it.”

 

Rose grabbed his arm and Jack’s.  “Can we, Doctor?  Can we really be together?  Do you mean it?”

 

“Didn’t I just say that?” he bantered, quashing his doubts.  For better or for worse, they were going to do this.

 

Rose threw herself at Jack, who swung her around in a circle.  Then she threw herself at the Doctor, almost knocking him over.  “Come on, then,” she crowed.  “You both need to get your kit off, right now!”

 

She grabbed their hands and pulled them toward the hallway.  The Doctor grinned at Jack and quipped, “Excitable thing, in’t she?”

 

“No more than I am,” Jack answered.  “Hurry up!”  He took the lead and towed them down the corridor. 

 

Their enthusiasm was endearing.  It was one of the things he loved about them, their joy in living.  He couldn’t quite match it himself most of the time, but they reminded him why it was important to keep trying.

 

A door opened suddenly as they passed it, revealing a room none of them had seen before.  Proud of his ship, the Doctor said, “I think you’ll find that the Tardis has anticipated our needs.” 

 

They all crowded through the doorway, and inside they found a large bed with a tube of slick prominently placed on one pillow.  The room was lit by candles, which reflected off the mirror in the en suite bathroom. 

 

Jack beamed.  “I knew I liked this ship!”  He grabbed the hem of his shirt and stripped it off in one motion.  “Now you, Doctor,” he urged.

 

The Doctor shrugged and let his jacket slide off his arms onto the floor.  He then repeated the same motion Jack had used to rid himself of his own t-shirt.  A less confident man might have felt a bit inadequate standing shirtless next to Jack, especially if he was a bit older, and not quite as fit.  It was a good thing the Doctor was confident – though it also helped that Jack was looking at him like he wanted to eat him with a spoon.

 

The Doctor reached out and took hold of the first button on Jack’s jeans, slipping his fingers in behind the waist band.  “Need some help with this?”

 

Jack nodded and breathed, “Yeah,” happiness and arousal combining on his face.

 

He popped the first button open, then moved his hands down to the second.  Jack’s breath caught, and the Doctor could feel him hardening beneath the denim.  With a smug grin, the Doctor slowly worked his way down the row, being sure to brush Jack’s growing erection frequently.  Then he pushed the fabric away and let Jack’s cock spring free before sliding the jeans over bare hips to fall to the floor.  His eyes wide and dark, Jack toed his shoes off and stepped out of the last of his clothes.

 

The Doctor would have been happy to stand there and look at Jack, but the younger man had other ideas.  Jack dropped to his knees, gripped the Doctor’s hips and rubbed his face against his crotch.  That felt fantastic, and the Doctor carded his fingers through Jack’s hair.  Jack unzipped the Doctor’s trousers and worked them and his underwear down his legs, lifting each foot to remove the boot and sock as well.  He then sat back on his heels and looked at the Doctor’s cock.

 

He didn’t have the hair trigger that Jack did, but the Doctor was beginning to respond.  Jack looked up at him with a warm smile.  “I had wondered, you know, if you’d be different here.”

 

“Everything up to your standard?” the Doctor teased.

 

There was that brilliant smile again.  “Oh, yeah!”  He wrapped one hand around the Doctor’s cock and stroked a couple of times before releasing it.  Then Jack turned to look at Rose.  “And don’t think we’ve forgotten about you, young lady.”

 

Rose was watching them with glee, her lower lip sucked between her teeth.  “You two are so gorgeous,” she said, “I can hardly believe you’re real.”

 

The Doctor said to Jack, “I think she’s fallen a bit behind.  It’s our duty to help her catch us up, don’t you agree?”

 

“Absolutely,” Jack confirmed.  He stood, and the two men approached Rose.  They began to undress her together, in perfect coordination.  Jack unzipped her hoodie jacket and the Doctor slid his hand inside over her t-shirt to cup a breast.  The Doctor pulled her hair back to kiss her throat and Jack skimmed his hands up the skin of her back to unfasten her bra.  She raised her arms in the air, and both men helped lift her shirt and bra away.

 

Standing back, they examined her appreciatively.  She let them look, a little shy, a little impish.  Jack and the Doctor each took a breast in one hand and wrapped the other arm around her back, holding her to them.  Then they took turns kissing her as she craned her head eagerly to reach their mouths.

 

After a quick eye signal, the men bent to each suck a nipple into their mouths.  Rose cried out and grasped their shoulders desperately.  While they were down there, the Doctor unzipped her jeans and Jack slid his fingers under her panties.  Almost immediately her hips bucked, she cried, “Oh!  Oh!” and her whole body shuddered.

 

Jack and the Doctor grinned at each other triumphantly, and the Doctor noticed they were taking more of Rose’s weight on their shoulders as she relaxed.  Jack picked her up and lay her at the edge of the bed so that he and the Doctor could finish stripping her of her jeans and sneakers, then Jack shifted her to the middle of the mattress, her head resting on a pillow, her body sprawled openly. 

 

There had never been any doubt in the Doctor’s mind but that she would be beautiful, and she certainly was.  About many things in life there were many options, but right now he had no choice but to crawl on top of her and kiss her.  The heat of her body, the softness of her skin against his, her arms around him, felt better than he could have imagined.

 

It was admittedly odd to be doing this with a human, with humans, but it had been such a long time for him that his body didn’t care.  This woman he cared about deeply.  The man he’d known a shorter time, but he had gotten under the Doctor’s skin with surgical precision.  Aesthetically, both his companions were stunning, but that alone wouldn’t have caught the Doctor’s attention.  A man who had worn nine different bodies knew better than most that physical appearance was really the least important thing about a person.  They were beautiful inside, too.  Whatever they wanted, whatever he could give them, he would.

 

After several minutes of concentrated snogging he felt Jack’s hands on him, and realized that the other man was trying to guide him off of Rose.  The Doctor lifted his mouth away from Rose’s reluctantly, but relaxed and trusted those hands to direct him onto his back next to her.

 

After leaning over the Doctor to drop a quick kiss on his lips, Jack moved down and without preamble took the Doctor’s cock into his mouth.  The Doctor couldn’t help but groan – the heat, the suction, the stretch of Jack’s mouth around him, that thing he was doing with his tongue – it was almost too much.  He quickly finished hardening, to an almost painful degree.  He hadn’t been entirely sure he would be able to get there, but he shouldn’t have doubted, not with the inspiration he had to work with.

 

The Doctor gripped the bed sheets and closed his eyes, revelling in the pleasure running through his body.  He whimpered a protest when the wet heat disappeared.  Opening his eyes, he saw Jack positioning Rose over him, and guiding her down.

 

He locked eyes with Rose at the first touch of himself against her opening.  He saw love and want, and hoped she saw the same thing in him.  The Doctor felt a brief flash of gratitude to Jack.  He wouldn’t have minded if Jack had wanted to take Rose first, but now found that it meant so much to him to be the one.  He and Rose had grown closer than he had ever expected them to, and this moment was the affirmation of what they had become for each other.

 

Jack’s hands on her hips, Rose sank down onto him, and to the Doctor it felt like being home.

 

++++++++

 

 

Jack wanted it to be perfect for Rose and the Doctor.  Since day one he’d seen how they danced around each other, wanting but holding back.  Now that they were doing this, though, they needed some help.  It wasn’t that the Doctor didn’t know what he was doing, but he did seem a bit reserved; more so with Rose than with Jack.  But Jack had skills he could bring to the bed, as it were.  Not all his stories of lovers and conquests were apocryphal.  By the time Rose and the Doctor finally came together the Doctor was fully ready to appreciate the moment.

 

Guiding Rose onto the Doctor, he felt nothing but pleasure at their delight.   That was until he felt Rose jump and heard her yelp with surprise as the Doctor entered her.  Jack leaned over to look at her face, which showed some shock, but not in a bad way.

 

Concerned, the Doctor asked, “Rose?”

 

She laughed nervously and said, “It’s just that it’s cooler than, um,” she blushed and giggled, “I expected.”

 

Jack got it.  He laughed and said to her, “Welcome to the joys of inter-species sex.”

 

The Doctor wasn’t so sanguine.  He asked seriously, “Is it all right?”

 

“Yes, silly!” she answered, grinning.  “It’s better than all right.  It’s great.”  She squirmed, moving on the Doctor’s cock.  “It’s very, um, stimulating.”

 

The Doctor looked relieved.  “I should hope so!  Pretty good, I reckon.” 

 

“I’ll show you good,” Rose challenged.  Her hands braced against the Doctor’s shoulders, she began to move up and down.  And yes, the Doctor obviously thought that was very good.

 

Jack reclined beside them, one arm propping up his head as he watched, the other hand lazily stroking himself.  They looked gorgeous – Rose’s pale curves against the Doctor’s more angular planes, his large hands skimming over her thighs and circling her waist.   They smelled amazing, and the wet sound of their coupling was really getting to him.

 

He waited as long as he could stand it, to give them time together, then shifted the Doctor’s legs farther apart so that he could kneel between them behind Rose.  Reaching around, he held her breasts in the palms of his hands, while he kissed her neck and rubbed his erection against her back.  She moaned and leaned against his chest, throwing her shoulders back and pushing her breasts into his hands.

 

Jack’s eyes met the Doctor’s and held there.  They were both making love to Rose, but the force of the Doctor’s gaze made it clear that they were making love to each other, too.  That ratcheted his desire up another notch, and he could feel the slickness of his pre-come on Rose’s skin as he ground against her, breathing heavily.

 

Pinching first one nipple then the other with one hand, the other hand trailed down her abdomen and into her pubic hair.  He began circling her clit and she arched against him, her hands reaching back to clutch at his thighs.  The Doctor began to thrust up into her, and she let out a keening wail.  Jack dropped his fingers farther, to feel where the Doctor’s cock was moving in and out of Rose’s body.  It was so good, so intense, and he wanted them both so much.

 

Rose’s body tensed and she gasped through another climax.  And yeah, Jack had to admire the female ability to orgasm again and again.  It was really hot.

 

As Rose collapsed in his arms, the Doctor said softly, “Lay her down.”

 

Jack nodded and supported her torso as he lowered her toward the mattress.  He moved out of the way so that the Doctor could roll with her, ending up on top of and still inside her.  The Doctor grabbed the tube off the pillow beside Rose’s head and slapped it down in front of Jack, looking back at Jack with a pointed expression.  Jack grinned and raised his eyebrows questioningly, wanting to be sure. 

 

The Doctor rolled his eyes.  “Do you need an engraved invitation?”

 

His grin widening, Jack answered enthusiastically, if a little breathlessly, “No, sir!”

 

The Doctor opened his legs, pushing Rose’s farther apart at the same time, so that Jack could kneel between them again.  Jack took a moment to stroke the Doctor’s back and flanks – bony, wiry, strong.  But his own body wouldn’t let him forget how much he wanted that arse.

 

Squirting lube onto his fingers, he touched the Doctor there, rubbing around the pucker.  He worked one finger in easily, and the Doctor seemed to open up for him.  It took little time to have him prepared and ready.

 

Jack lay down on the Doctor’s back, supporting his weight on his arms, and nibbled on the nape of the Doctor’s neck as he prodded him with his cock.  “I want you,” he whispered.

 

“Go on, then,” the Doctor said, his voice rough.

 

Jack reached between them and guided himself into the Doctor.  It was tight and slick, but Jack had to stop.  To his embarrassment, he giggled.

 

The Doctor sighed, sounding put upon.  “Not you, too.”

 

“Yeah,” Jack choked out, “it’s very….  I’m trying hard not to say it’s really cool.”

 

The Doctor turned his head to look at Jack over his shoulder.  “You’re mental,” he said affectionately.

 

“And you’re so damn sexy,” Jack answered fervently, and began to thrust.  It was a bit different than with a human, but the temperature differential was actually exciting, and it served as a constant reminder that this was the Doctor he was making love to, not anyone else. 

 

Jack’s thrusts drove the Doctor into Rose, who grinned happily at Jack over the Doctor’s shoulder.

 

“I just want to say,” she announced, “that I like this.  Jack shagging you,” she touched the Doctor’s face, “and you shagging me.  My men.”  She lifted her legs to hook her heels over the back of Jack’s thighs.

 

The Doctor kissed her, then Jack leaned around and she lifted her head up to kiss him, too.  After that he kind of lost track of time, moving inside the Doctor, touching, murmuring words of encouragement, watching his two lovers’ faces.  Mobility was a bit limited because both men were trying not to crush Rose, not that she was complaining, but somehow it worked.

 

Eventually, Jack whispered into the Doctor’s ear, commanding, “Come, Doctor.  Come inside Rose.”  He knew the Doctor wouldn’t allow anything to happen to Rose, and with his 51st Century genetics Jack was immune to STD’s, and his fertility had been more or less permanently eliminated when he became a Time Agent, so there was nothing to come between them or distract. 

 

The Doctor took over setting the tempo, thrusting forward into Rose and pushing backward against Jack.  It became more raw, more passionate – the Doctor definitely knew what he was doing now.  Jack was barely able to hold on until after the Doctor had groaned through his release, coming jubilantly just seconds later.

 

Shaking with emotion and fatigue, Jack pulled out of the Doctor and dropped to the mattress beside his lovers.  After one last intimate kiss shared with Rose, the Doctor crawled over Jack to collapse next to him.

 

Jack took one of their hands into each of his and said, “Just so you know, I love you guys a lot.”

 

The Doctor quipped, “I bet you say that to all the girls and boys.”

 

Jack turned his head to meet the Doctor’s eyes.  He said quietly, “No, I don’t, actually.”

 

The Doctor’s gaze softened.  “I know.”

 

Happy, Jack tightened his grip on their hands and let himself drift to sleep.

 

+++++++

 

 

To Jack’s dismay, the Doctor didn’t let them rest long.  He forced them out of bed and into the shower, which turned out to be pretty enjoyable as they washed each other very thoroughly.  When they crawled back into the bed, it miraculously had fresh sheets on it.  Jack wondered how the Tardis managed to do everything it did only when no one was looking.

 

When he woke from another nap, Jack was on his back with Rose sprawled over him, her head on his shoulder, a sheet covering them to the waist.   She was snoring softly and drooling on him, which was surprisingly charming.  He tightened his arm around her and she snorted, shifted, and sank deeper into sleep.

 

On Jack’s other side, the Doctor was awake, sitting cross-legged with the sheet across his lap, watching them.  He was a good metre away on the large bed and his face was pensive, which concerned Jack.  Most of the time the Doctor thinking was a wondrous sight to behold, but on other occasions it was best nipped in the bud.

 

“Hey,” Jack said quietly, careful not to wake Rose.

 

“Jack,” the Doctor replied tersely.

 

Jack stretched out his arm to offer the Doctor his hand.  “Okay, what is it?” he asked.  “Tell me.”

 

The Doctor contemplated Jack’s hand for nearly a minute, then slowly slid his own palm into it.  He looked at Jack seriously.  “I’m afraid.”

 

Jack frowned.  “Of me?  Of Rose?”

 

The Doctor shook his head.  “No.  Of me.  I’m by far the most dangerous thing in this room.”

 

“Why?” Jack asked softly.  “What are you afraid of?”

 

“That I’ll run.  It’s what I do.  It always has been and I don’t see that changing.  Whenever I get too comfortable, too close, whenever someone means too much to me, I run.  Every time, Jack, sooner or later, without exception.”

 

That wasn’t the kind of thing Jack really liked to hear from a lover, especially one as important to him as the Doctor was.  He appreciated the honesty, though, and the warning.

 

After thinking about it for a moment, he said, “I admit I like the idea of us staying together forever.  I can see us as a couple of little old men and a little old woman, hobbling around with our canes, pinching each others’ bums.”

 

The Doctor smiled at that.

 

“But considering who we are and how we live,” Jack continued, “that’s not very likely.  I want you as long as I can have you, Doctor, but I’m going to concentrate on enjoying whatever time we’ve got.  I think Rose would agree that neither of us wants this to be about obligation, or to feel like a trap.  You do what you have to do.  Don’t expect us to let you go happily, though, because we’re both crazy about you.”

 

The Doctor began to play with Jack’s hand between both of his own, glancing at Jack briefly when he said, “You’re quite something, you know?”

 

Jack grinned smugly.  “Yeah, I hear that a lot.”

 

It seemed like there was something else weighing on the Doctor’s mind, so Jack waited, enjoying the tickle of the Doctor’s long fingers brushing over his knuckles and tracing the lines on his palm. 

 

Eventually the Doctor said, “I can’t do that,” and pointed back and forth between Rose and Jack.  “I can’t cuddle or be all touchy feely.  Need more space.  That going to be a problem?”  He sounded kind of defensive, but Jack thought it was probably one of those emotionally complex ‘Doctor’ things.

 

“What I think,” he answered, “is that we’re all on a spectrum of being comfortable with physicality.  I’m probably farthest along the cuddle-meter, I’d be happy to be touching someone else all the time, and Rose is over in my direction, too.  That doesn’t mean you have to be the same for us to love you.  Give us what you can, and we’ll respect your limits.” 

 

The Doctor smiled.  “Cuddle-meter, huh?  I like that.  I’ll try, Jack.”

 

“Hey, your try is way better than most people’s do.  Don’t doubt yourself.  I don’t.”

 

The Doctor released Jack’s hand and stretched out under the sheet.  “Get some sleep, Captain,” he ordered.

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

As Jack relaxed, he felt a cool hand creep onto his hip and stay there.  He smiled, looking forward to discovering whether the Doctor did indeed have an inner cuddle-bunny.

 

+++++++

 

 

It was the rocking of the bed that woke the Doctor.  Jack and Rose were lying on their sides in each others arms, face to face.  Rose’s leg was hooked high up over Jack’s hip and his leg was between her thighs, as he moved languidly inside her.  They were both breathing heavily and there was a sheen of sweat on Jack’s back.  The Doctor watched the muscles of Jack’s buttocks clench and release with each thrust.

 

Rose gasped repeatedly, and it suddenly reminded the Doctor of the day before, when Rose had been crying.  Her scare at almost losing Jack probably made what they were doing now all the more powerful.  It had certainly played a part in getting the Doctor where he was.

 

But enough of the past.  He had the future to consider.  A future with two fantastically hot companions, who were at this moment with him in bed.  Imagine that.

 

The Doctor scooted closer and buried his nose in the sweaty hair at the nape of Jack’s neck.  Then he bit his way down Jack’s spine, while stroking his bum and thighs.  This made Jack twitch and let out some small oh, oh, noises.  Then the Doctor popped his head up to look at Rose over Jack’s shoulder.

 

“Hullo,” he said, grinning.

 

She laughed breathlessly, glad to see him.  The Doctor dug his fingers into her hair and leaned over Jack to kiss her.  Then he beamed down at both of them, “Having a good morning, then?”

 

“Oh, yeah,” said Jack, “the best morning ever.  Only one way it could be better.”

 

And there it was!  Jack’s sex voice directed at the Doctor, and the Doctor about to take him up on it.

 

“Hmm,” he teased.  “It might be better if I tickled the sides of Rose’s breasts, eh?”  He leaned heavily against Jack’s back as he reached over to demonstrate.  Her breasts were pressed against Jack’s chest, but the white flesh swelled out at the side, making a perfect target for his fingers.  She leaned back slightly, allowing him to dart in and tweak her nipple.  Then he turned his hand around and flicked Jack’s too, for good measure.

 

While Rose chortled delightedly, Jack growled, “Good, but not quite what I had in mind.”  He pulled Rose close again, petulantly edging the Doctor’s hand away with his shoulder.

 

“Well,” the Doctor suggested, “maybe some general caressing, then?”

 

He skimmed his fingers along the curve of Rose’s waist and hip, then up her back, making her sigh and squirm.  “Oh, that’s nice,” she said.

 

With a mock fierce-face, Jack warned, “Doctor.”

 

“Ah!” he exclaimed and reached over them both to pluck the tube of lubricant off the mattress.  “Or did you mean for me to use this on you?  Maybe rub it around inside you and then get myself in there, too?”

 

Even though Jack knew the Doctor was yanking his chain, he looked relieved.  “Yes!  Come on, Doctor.  Don’t make me beg.”

 

“Oh, no, we can’t have that.”  The Doctor quickly nipped Jack’s earlobe.  “Can’t have you feeling neglected, Jackie boy.”

 

He popped the top off the tube and squeezed out some of the gel, then ran the tip of his finger from Jack’s perineum back, zeroing in on his target.  Jack cooperated by pushing his knee farther forward, which also brought Rose’s leg up, allowing Jack to sink into her more deeply.

 

The Doctor worked his finger inside and felt around until he found Jack’s prostate, which he gave a nice firm rub.  Jack jerked like he’d been electrocuted.   “Oh, oh god.”

 

“That better then?” the Doctor asked brightly.  “Nice to know.”  He started working a second finger in.

 

Jack writhed, and clutched Rose perhaps a little too tightly.  “Stop!” he pleaded suddenly.

 

The Doctor stopped moving his fingers, and Rose stopped undulating against him.  They both looked at Jack’s face.  His eyes were pressed closed and he was panting through clenched teeth.  “Just a sec,” he begged.  “Just give me a,” gasp, “minute.  I wanna last.”

 

He was flushed and sweaty and coming apart at the seams.  Rose and the Doctor grinned at each other.  They’d done this to him!  Rose kissed Jack’s chin and cheeks, while the Doctor ran his lips and tongue over his shoulder.  “Take your time, Jack,” he murmured. 

 

“You’re so gorgeous like this, Jack,” Rose said gently.  “You’re all ours.  We’ve got you.”

 

Jack nodded tightly.  “Okay, okay.  More.”

 

The Doctor resumed his preparation, being sure to show Jack a good time without overdoing the stimulation.  Soon he was easing his cock into the other man.  He lay down with his chest pressed to Jack’s back, his knee tucked up under Jack’s bent leg, and his arm around both Jack and Rose, holding the three of them together. 

 

Sandwiched tightly, Jack rocked between them.  He whispered, “Thank you, thank you.”

 

“What for?” the Doctor asked softly.

 

“For this.  I wanted this.  So much.”

 

A wave of affection washed over the Doctor, but it was quickly followed by foreboding.  It would be so easy to hurt Jack.  For all his bravado, he had a deep core of vulnerability.  Not today, though, he wouldn’t hurt him.  Not ever, if he could help it.

 

After it was over Jack turned to face the Doctor, and they kissed and kissed.

 

++++++

 

 

Eventually the Doctor made the other two get up for another shower.

 

“Hungry,” Jack grumbled.

 

“Famished,” Rose agreed.

 

“Shower, then food.”

 

“What?” Jack complained.  “Do you have a cleanliness fetish we don’t know about?”

 

“Basic hygiene never goes amiss,” the Doctor said brightly.  “You’ll thank me later.”

 

As they were drying off, a bell chimed softly.

 

Rose looked up.  “That the Tardis?  She need something?”

 

“Let’s go find out, shall we?” the Doctor suggested.

 

Rose wrapped the sheet around herself, but neither Jack nor the Doctor bothered to dress.  They padded happily out to the control room and the Doctor inspected the readouts.

 

“Well,” he said, “we’ve been parked in the Vortex a long time.  The old girl’s gotten a bit drained.  Cardiff it is, then.”

 

Jack grimaced, “Cardiff?”

 

“Yep.  A rift in time and space runs right through town.  We can use it to recharge the engines.”

 

“Oh, hey,” Rose said.  “If we’re going to Cardiff maybe I’ll give Mickey a ring and see if he can meet us there.”

 

Now it was the Doctor’s turn to grimace.  “Mickey the Idiot?  You’re not going to invite him to bed with us, are you?”

 

“He’s not an idiot,” Rose insisted.  “And what he doesn’t know about the three of us won’t hurt him.  You do understand that he’s still important to me, right?”

 

“Oh, fine then,” the Doctor agreed grumpily, setting the coordinates.  “Call Mickey.”

 

“Okay,” Jack said, “If we’re having a guest I’d better go make myself presentable.”   The Doctor admired his muscular back side as he trotted out of the room.

 

Rose followed, but stopped in the doorway.  She turned back to ask the Doctor, “You all right?”

 

He considered her question, then answered honestly, “I’m fantastic!”

 

 

 

End

 

 

 

Note:  Since they’re rejoining canon in Cardiff, with Boom Town, unfortunate things start happening very soon.  There may be an epilogue to this story to deal with canon events in this context.  Can’t pass up the opportunity for more angst!

 

Remember:  It’s never to late to leave feedback!

 

 

 

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