Work Text
For Your Eyes Only
1.
Rose Tyler was very excited to have been accepted in a fancy ball, one organised by a wealthy friend of Jack’s.“The only requirement is for the girls to be blonde,” he reminded.“I swear, when I get to see him in person, he’s going to hear my opinion about that!”“ If you get to see him. The Doctor’s often surrounded by, well, obsessive fangirls,” Jack shrugged.Rose snorted. “ Blonde fangirls, surely?”Jack shrugged. “Not necessarily.”“If he’s not even able to keep to his preferences-”“He is, but there was this Reinette once-”She shuddered at the memory. “Honestly, I don’t want to know. I don’t know him and have no interest in knowing the names of his love interests.” “Jack! If you could help me, I’d be eternally grateful!” The Doctor seemed panicked.“ Again? Jack sent his friend a dirty look, not against finding himself among hundreds of beautiful women at all.“Will you be all right, Rose?” Jack Harkness asked her, momentarily worried about her getting fierce with the Doctor for whatever reason.“Yes, I’ll be fine.” The second the seductive man was out of sight, Rose Tyler locked her eyes with the Doctor’s, unsure whether she should laugh or cry.“Hi, Doctor.”“Hello, Rose,” he smiled at her, a bit uncomfortable.“Don’t you want to tell me something? What have you done to Jack? Why is he convinced I don't know you? What’s up with you and the entire blondes only idiocy?”“Well… er. This blonde ball has only been organised so there would finally be a sufficient reason for me to meet you. I knew Jack would be eager to bring you here. The Captain not remembering we are together could only work in our favour, don’t you think so?”Rose rolled her eyes at the Doctor.“This much, I can understand. What have you done with Jack?”“Nothing, I swear! He must’ve got himself into something shady.”Rose exhaled. The Doctor was supposed to keep an eye on him, knowing just how easy it has always been for him to get into trouble!“He’s our friend! Do something!”The Time Lord beamed at her admiringly. “Just as I fierce as I remember you,” he chuckled.“Yet you have allowed me to believe you have forgotten I exist,” Rose glared at him.The Doctor grew pale. “I could never! You know that!”“I know. But, for a moment here and there, I kept thinking you have come up with a way to cheat the rules, with you being the last one remaining of your species.”The Time Lord peered at her. “Which makes you what, then? A species of your own, love?”Rose blushed. “I have grown so used to pretending I-”“I understand. I have had to pretend I was human for way longer than you have, remember?” The Doctor’s amusement was shining through.“Does Jack remember anything unusual about you?”Rose exhaled. “He keeps saying he thinks I am a super-human, but that says nothing to me.”“Nothing, then.”“I mean, he does remember you from somewhere, yeah?” Rose ventured.“He does, but I might have planted that memory into his mind myself,” the Doctor admitted.She was petrified. “But why? Why would you do that?”The Time Lord gulped. “Don’t you think the immortal man himself has forgotten about us? Shouldn’t he be worried about you?”Rose shook her head, giggling. “ You have been the one organising this particular event, remember?”The Doctor shrugged. “Have I?” The only reason for this unusual ball has been reuniting with Rose Tyler. Now she was here with him, he refused to acknowledge any of the people Jack has very willingly invited to the celebration.“Mister Harkness,” he called his friend officially, waiting patiently for his friend to come see them.Jack looked both the Doctor and Rose over curiously.“Haven’t you forgotten you have more than fifty fair-haired beauties waiting for you downstairs?”Rose gulped, not wanting to say anything and complicate matters further.“I know you enjoy spending time with as many gorgeous ladies in one place as possible.” “Rosie! He’s having you on!” Jack shook his head, chuckling. “You must be careful with this Casanova here,” he warned her jokingly, knowing it has been impossible for anyone to seduce someone as level-headed as Rose Tyler.“I know what I’m doing,” Rose assured him. “Keeping the famous Doctor interested for this long requires some skill, I’ll have you know, Jack!”The flirty man nodded. “I mean, surely, Doctor, you have already tried some of your tricks on Miss Tyler?”“He didn’t have to. I have frightened him off organising such selective parties ever again,” Rose spoke evenly.Jack grinned. “I knew it! Rosie’s not someone to be messed with!”“I have learnt it the hard way,” the Doctor shrugged. “We still have things to discuss; I’m sure those beautiful women can’t wait to hear your compliments, Jack,” the meaning in his words couldn’t be clearer.With a meaningful shrug, Jack Harkness was back to the crowd of smitten ladies, secretly thankful to the Doctor for what was likely going to be the best day of the year. The Doctor hated the fact they still had to pretend, even here. Would this be better? Rose could feel the waves of the Doctor’s tension enveloping them both. Some telepathic communication was likely going to make it better. I don’t know! “We are here, together again, with nothing to keep us apart… Yet we have to deal with a friend with some essential information gone from his mind because of some foolish idea he must have had-” The Doctor panicked, reaching for Rose’s embrace without a thought. They should have remembered their dampened down telepathic bond was going to reactivate itself back fully at the first moment their bodies touched, however barely.This, however, has been so much more than a brief almost incidental touch.Rose could barely control tears of joy caused by this incomparable sensation, eager to show to her bond-mate nothing has changed during the time they have been separated.It seemed the Doctor was going through identical sensations.All of a sudden, their surroundings didn’t matter.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Previously…
Rose could barely control tears of joy caused by this incomparable sensation, eager to show to her bond-mate nothing has changed during the time they have been separated.
It seemed the Doctor was going through identical sensations.
All of a sudden, their surroundings didn’t matter.
For Your Eyes Only
2.
“My Rose. If I could, I would shout out my love for you ,” the Doctor whispered. “Yet here we are…”“We can’t allow Jack know we know each other,” Rose nodded understandingly. “Not so soon, not until we get to know whatever has happened to him.”The Time Lord smiled sadly. “All we need to do is wait? Even when the only thing I want to do is to pull you into a passionate snog, right here and now?”Rose giggled. “Jack is downstairs.”The Doctor beamed at her. What are you implying? “I am simply stating a fact,” she shrugged, not giving in. Lights. Sparks. Sounds of something... boiling?“What the fuck’s going on above us?” Jack could feel something unusual was happening upstairs. “I have left my friend with the most unpredictable person ever. Must go check out the situation. Sorry, ladies!”Jack Harkness hurried upstairs, both tense and worried the Time Lord might have won her over. “What is-”“Your friend has been showing me some scientific inventions of his and how easy it would be to use them in everyday life.”The human exhaled in relief. “Oh. Thank heavens. You have chosen the wrong person to show your scientific advances to. Right, Rose?”“Oh, you know,” she feigned indifference, blinking innocently. “It’s nice to learn new things,” the girl smiled at Jack sweetly.“I guess,” he agreed. “Are you not bored of him yet? I think you might prefer the company of women?”Rose shook her head. “You know I don’t like having to talk with a lot of strangers!”Jack looked at her dubiously. This didn’t sound like Rose. “Are you absolutely sure?”“Yeah. Go, have fun! I’ll just stay here and look after your friend, in case his experiments get out of hand,” she spoke evenly.The man couldn’t believe it. “You mean you prefer the Doctor’s scientific rambles to-”“To the rambles of those unfamiliar women. Yes.”The Doctor glared at Jack. “Seriously. Allow your friend to make her choices. Better return to the ladies still waiting for you to amuse them!”Jack exhaled loudly. “Aren’t you supposed to be the one they have come to see, in the first place?”The Time Lord shook his head. “Remember, some of them have come to see you. I’d rather stay here with Rose.”“The actual reason of it being?”“Stop it, Jack!” The Time Lady chastised him lightly. “Return back to them and tell those interested nothing has happened.”“As you wish, Rosie! But don’t blame me if being with the Doctor for this long starts getting on your nerves,” he gestured at both of them rather indecently before going downstairs.The moment Jack was out of sight, Rose wrapped her arms around the Doctor. My Doctor. What are we going to do? “Pretend?”He shrugged. “Unless we decide to tell him, of course.”Rose stared at him. “You wouldn’t!”“Of course not, love. We need to find what’s happened to Jack, first of all,” he smiled, seeing her eyes brighten up at this.She eyed him questioningly. “What do you suggest? As the Captain is certain we haven’t met before. Love at first sight?”“Jack wouldn’t take it seriously. He has already tried to get us to admit something to him and has failed.”“Luckily for us?” Rose was doubtful. “Since we are, unbeknownst to Jack, a couple, you might want to do something about it,” she teased.“Are you sure about the word you’ve just used?” The Doctor was taking their telepathic bond very seriously, and Rose knew it, ashamed she has never spoken of it, taking it as a natural part in her life once it has happened.“I’m sorry. I keep forgetting this is it. You and I, together again, my Doctor.”He nodded. “Yet all we get to do is lying, keeping secrets and pretending… As usual.” Jack is downstairs, Rose reminded him meaningfully, waiting for the Doctor to be the one beginning the kiss.The alien smiled at her sadly and shook his head. “I want to. I really do. But we can’t.” Why? Rose looked at him curiously.“Because, my dear Time Lady, a chaste kiss can turn into a snog and we all know what is supposed to come after. Remember, it’s not unusual for us to lose control and I’m not sure I could stop before Jack or someone else finds out about us.”
So? Do you honestly think I’m unable to pretend? To stop doing whatever, whenever?
“I simply don’t think it’s safe for us right now, Rose,” the Doctor said. “Whenever we’re away, yes.”“Away where? Inside the TARDIS? Don’t be silly. Remember, I am not supposed to know you!” Love at first sight is still a thing, the Doctor smiled at her.Rose rolled her eyes at him. “I don’t think Jack would believe in it, knowing how firm I am about relationships. Besides, I’m really not into science all that much.”“Is this what he thinks?”She shrugged. “The Jack we knew understood. This one? No idea.”“That’s exactly the thing we need, Rose!” He has pulled her into a passionate snog, careful not to be too loud.She was stunned and excited at the same time, suddenly no longer feeling they were doing something foolish and dangerous. “Really, Doctor?” She breathed out, swallowing a giggle. “Are we really this incapable of acting like two sensible people?”The Doctor glared at her. I’ll have you know, Rose Marion Tyler, I am the most sensible person you have ever encountered! Rose beamed at him. “I can see that! How about you listening to Jack’s idea and at least showing yourself to all the blondes you have invited?”The Doctor grumbled, but agreed. “Yes, all right, but you are coming with me!”“Are you sure my presence won’t tarnish the effect of your entrance?”The Time Lord kissed her soundly instead. “You know that’s not possible.”The Doctor has finally come downstairs, with Rose in tow, because she insisted.Jack Harkness looked at Rose with surprise, but shrugged it off.“Look, ladies! Here he is! The famous Doctor, finally delighting you all with his presence!” I’m sure he’s going to-”“Thank you all for coming,” he said officially, ignoring Jack. “I hope you are having a wonderful time. I’m sure Jack’s doing the best he can.”“What-“ The immortal human was stunned. “You don’t mean you won’t be joining us?”“I don’t intend to. I have already taken my pick,” he spared a glance at Rose, who glared at him in return.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Previously…
“What-” The immortal man was stunned. “You don’t mean you won’t be joining us?”
“I don’t intend to. I have already taken my pick,” he spared a glance at Rose, who glared at him in return.
For Your Eyes Only
3.
Jack sighed, feeling sorry for Rose. “You know you can leave him at any time,” he winked at her, knowing getting all those gorgeous women interested in what sounded like a family drama could only mean trouble.“Don’t worry, Jack. Everything’s under control.” She gave the Doctor a meaningful look and went upstairs, knowing the Time Lord was following. “He must be in love with her,” one of the guests noted. “His eyes are practically glowing with admiration!”“They have only just met,” Jack tried to object.“Even better. Love at first sight is an amazing thing.”“Wait until they get to bed,” another woman said.“A couple of months and they would be eager to get married. Then, give them several years at the very best and they would want to get a divorce.”“Oh, shut up. How many husbands have you had?”Jack was there to stop them from getting into a quarrel with one of his endless amusing stories. “About husbands-” The Doctor couldn’t stop himself and pulled Rose to himself. “It’s hard.”“Obviously. But I think it’s harder for you to keep quiet than anything else.”“Luckily, I have you to keep me from saying too much, then!”Rose shrugged at him. “Luckily! But what’s going to happen if, or when Jack comes up on us?” All of a sudden, the idea of getting closer hasn’t seemed like a dangerous step to take.“If he comes up on us kissing, I’ll think of something,” the Doctor assured her.“Should I be afraid?” Rose giggled.“Nope. If there’s one thing I’m a master of it’s talking us out of trouble.”
The idea had been simple. A couple of passionate kisses to calm down the wild cravings for the touch of the bond-mate… Jack Harkness wasn’t expecting this. Rosie’s dress tossed onto the floor, the Doctor’s hair tousled into a mess worse than ever before…With a gasp, he left them to it, imagining to not be noticed. Interrupting something like this felt like an intrusion even he, the widely adored figure whenever he turned, felt was unacceptable. He has left them without a word, knowing they won’t be able to escape giving him explanations, preferably those with juicy details.Jack couldn’t contain himself, once down with the fair-haired audience, the sight still standing before his eyes.“What is it, sir? It seems as if you have just seen something shocking upstairs! Have some experiments gone wrong, after all?”The immortal human shook his head. “No, not that. It’s something else.”"You don't mean you have seen this Doctor and your friend doing something, well, sexy?"Jack shook his head. "What's up with you, ladies? Are you into spreading some unwanted rumours about people you don't even know? I can tell you juicy things from my life which are absolutely true," the seductive human assured them. Anything was better than remembering the Doctor doing things to Rosie he was uncertain were ever going to leave his memory. Jack's patience wasn't infinite. He was suddenly eager to come upstairs, imagining no lovers’ encounter was meant to last for this long. Seeing he has at least been right about that, he cleared his throat. They didn’t even bother to clean up after themselves, for God’s sake! At least the greater part of the clothes they’d had on have stayed on the floor. “I know it’s not my business, but I thought you two didn’t know each other! Is there something I should know?”“Something you should remember, more likely,” the Doctor shrugged, not looking uncomfortable, let alone ashamed in the slightest.Jack Harkness blinked at him. “Are you offering me to remember the sight of the two of you about to, well, have a passionate shag?”’“Don’t you dare use your dirty vocabulary in front of a lady,” the Time Lord stopped him.“Rosie?” Jack addressed his friend softly. He imagined the Doctor could be irresistible, but like this? With the woman practically impossible to talk to flirtatiously without receiving a glare? Yet there they were…“We know each other,” Rose said simply. “Have known each other for years.”“Oh.”Jack realised he wasn’t even surprised. “You know, a couple of our fair guests have noticed there was something happening between the two of you. I thought it was just a shared illusion. My bad,” he chuckled. “It seems my widely admired abilities to sense sexual attraction between people need some serious refurbishment.”The Doctor rolled his eyes at him. “I’d prefer if you could actually remember what has happened to make you-”Rose cleared her throat, sending her bond-mate a warning look. “The Doctor here is still upset you have come up on us so unexpectedly, yeah?”“I can see that!” Jack beamed at her. “But what is it he has done to you to make you abandon your firm approach towards relationships, Rosie?”Rose exhaled. “He has reminded me of something special we may have shared in the past.”Jack eyed her curiously. “You two have just become the most curious discovery for me today. Are there any more secrets I should know of? Does the Doctor know of some mysterious ways to seduce even someone as tough as you?”The Doctor and Rose shared a concerned look. It seemed his memory loss has gone much deeper than they have imagined at first.
What should we do? I’m not losing our friend because of something he can’t remember!
The Time Lord inhaled. Let’s first find an acceptable reason to go outside, love. The walls have ears, particularly in any place Jack works in. I won’t risk putting him in more danger than he’s already in. Jack Harkness was looking at his two friends with amazement. He would have never guessed these things could be possible. The opposites attract theory existed, he guessed he could accept this.“Jack… Don’t you think this tiny room feels quite… suffocating?” Rose asked him.Jack Harkness didn’t need to be told twice. “It’s all right, I can leave!”“We need to leave unnoticed. Could you show us some secret exit?” The Doctor asked, knowing the immortal human knew this place as the back of his hand… Just like he had once imagined he knew the TARDIS...He nodded, leading them out through places which felt completely unused. “Will you find your way back?” Jack asked, amused.“Must we?” Rose asked him knowingly.“Well, no,” he beamed at her. “Just don’t forget to inform me about what you two are intending to do.”“Of course,” the Doctor nodded. Only with the immortal human out of their sight did the Doctor dare to share his worrisome thoughts with Rose.“Don’t you think Jack has been allowed to pick which things to forget? Or maybe he'd been forced to forget some particular things?”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Previously…
Only with the immortal human out of their sight did the Doctor dare to share his worrisome thoughts with Rose.
“Don’t you think Jack has been allowed to pick which things to forget? Or maybe forced to forget some particular things?”
For Your Eyes Only
4.
“Sounds dreadful,” Rose muttered. “Shouldn't we try to find out what's happened?”“We should try asking him first,” the Doctor winked at her.She shrugged. “Do you think Jack would be willing to talk to us?”“I don't know. But we could always play with the card he favours, mingling some innocent questions in between?” The Doctor suggested.“Do you mean to tell me we should discuss our love life with him?” Rose was flabbergasted.“Some implications, some innuendos should do it,” the Doctor said calmly.“Don't tell me we must return to his party immediately,” Rose whined.“Absolutely not!” He sent Rose a loving look. “There will be enough time for everything,” he breathed, pulling Rose into a snog.Rose realised she couldn't leave it like that. "I think we should invite Jack here as soon as the selective party is finished.”"Are you sure, Rose?""He's our friend, remember. We must do everything we can!" It was clear Rose wasn't going to take a no for an answer.Luckily, Jack Harkness was more than eager to come into the Doctor's... working place. The careful questions given to him have been met with passionate excitement.“Ha! I have seen so many wonderful, sexy, willing beings, you have no idea! I only need to bat an eye and they come!”“Who?”“They don't talk. They just fuck. With anyone willing.”“Did you like it?”Jack glared at the Doctor. “Do you really think I'm so simple, Doc? I don't risk my health and stamina with beings almost brutally forcing themselves on me! I have my limits and keep to them!”“Are you sure about that?” The alien sent Jack a knowing look.“You’ve caught me here, Doc! But I did try to escape their embrace! At first,” Jack Harkness chuckled. Rose sighed meaningfully at the Doctor.
Do you think this could be it?
The Time Lord sent Jack a curious look. “Hey. I'm suddenly very intrigued. The famous Jack Harkness, unable to resist some creature's advances?”“I'm not without flaws, Doc. Sometimes, my efforts to avoid sex with strangers just happen to fail,” he sent the couple a dirty look. “As did yours, apparently.”The Doctor sighed. “We have known each other for years. You knew we were together. Have been rooting for us!”“Is it so? Why can’t I remember?” Jack was concerned. It was obvious the Doctor and Rose were telling the truth, the looks on their faces identical. “Is this a bad time? If you two want to have a juicy afternoon together, I can wait!” Jack Harkness chuckled. He loved seeing people barely able to control themselves.“Nope. It's better for us to deal with your selective memory loss, first,” the Doctor exhaled. “Whether you remember it or not, we have once been travelling aboard the TARDIS together, the three of us!”“Something isn’t right,” Jack said, thoughtful. “I can’t imagine how I’d have agreed to forgetting it.”“Unless you have been forced to or cheated into it.”“Forced? Unlikely! Cheated? Who knows,” he said.“With so many mesmerising creatures always eager to get you into their bed?”“Bed isn’t actually needed most of the time,” Jack said dreamily.“We know,” Rose giggled. “Do you think you could recall some of your sexual activities you may have thought somewhat unusual?” The Doctor asked Jack.“Sex is always amazing to me. No matter with whom.” “Do you mean to tell us you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference?”Jack sighed. “Who do you take me for?”“A sex-addict?” Rose giggled.“That’s a well-known fact,” he eyed Rose smugly.The Doctor exhaled. “Could you please try to remember? We need to know, or I’m afraid some of your memories would be gone forever.”“I like the fact you two are concerned about me,” Jack sighed. “But I really can't remember anything out of the ordinary. By the way, I'm still waiting for you to share something about your sexy times with me!”“This is cheating,” Rose whined.“But it may actually help me remember!” Jack countered.The Doctor shook his head. Jack has truly been one of a kind.“Let’s see… How about I perform some kind of a psychiatric analysis on you? That way, we could eventually discover-”Jack Harkness gulped. “If you think you must, Doc!”
Some of the questions I may give Jack may trigger you, love. Could you-
Rose was surprised, but didn’t object and left with a sigh.Jack beamed at the Doctor. “If I didn’t know better, Doctor, I would think sending Rosie away presents me with a chance to-”The Doctor wasn't amused.“Look, Jack. I hate this as much as you do. I’d rather make love to the woman I love than waste time on these bothersome inquiries. “The immortal human was amazed. “So go! I feel fine! A couple of my memories may be lost, but who the fuck cares?”“Rose cares. Let’s begin by enlisting some of the species you have shagged recently.”“How recently? Days, weeks? Months?”“Start with the most curious ones, maybe?”The Doctor inhaled. He was a Time Lord, for Rassilon’s sake! His patience was supposed to be infinite!But with Jack Harkness getting into vivid details more often than not, the alien was soon fed up with his stories, sometimes even bordering on sickening him.“This doesn’t work.” The Doctor grumbled, realising this other way of questioning may truly make him sick. “Have you ever shagged… animals?”Jack shook his head. “No!”“Plants? Even sentient ones?”“I’d know. No.”“Aliens?”“Absolutely,” he smirked at the Doctor.The Time Lord gulped. “We may return to this later. Fish?”Jack blinked at the Doctor. “No. Er, well. Not really.”“What do you mean, not really?”“Surely, mermaids don’t count as fish?”“They don’t. But it’s possible for them to mess up with your mind. Making you forget. Making you remember things which never actually happened.”“Bloody sirens!” The con men exhaled, both relieved and excited. “You should try fucking a siren. The experience is truly divine,” Jack remembered with a sigh. “Of course, the fun is double when one of these creatures tries to murder you with their voice alone and you know they won't be able to!”The Doctor sighed, relieved. “Stupid, stupid human beings! You aren’t supposed to ever come close to them!”“Unless one cannot die,” Jack smiled at the Doctor knowingly, “The culprit is found. I suppose your ship’s infinite knowledge might help me in regaining my lost memories?”“I think so,” the Doctor muttered under his breath.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Previously…
“Unless one cannot die,” Jack smiled at the Doctor knowingly. “The culprit is found. I suppose your ship's infinite knowledge might help me in regaining my lost memories?”
“I think so,” the Doctor muttered under his breath.
For Your Eyes Only
5.
The Doctor wasn't amused. Immortality hasn't granted Jack enough common sense, it seemed. He should have known! Well, maybe he had, but giving in to the legendary alluring sea creatures must have been one of many miscalculations in his everlasting life.
“What about nightmares?” The alien asked.
“Well, I wouldn't call nightly fantasies about making love to sirens nightmares.”
“But you
are
having them?”
“Yeah, is that a bad thing?”
“Ah. Have they already begun luring you into following them wherever?”
“Ha. I can still differentiate being asleep from being awake, thanks very much!”
The Doctor was dubious. “Are you sure you don't give in to their enticing voices?”
“Voices? Singing, you mean? Ha! I’m more resistant to their charms than you think!”
The Time Lord nodded. “Would you be able to stop seeing them altogether? Looking for them, fantasising about them?”
“Why would I want that?”
The Gallifreyan sighed. Jack’s situation has likely already been worse than first expected.
“Are you afraid I won't be able to stop seeing them?!” Jack shouted, insulted. “Who do you take me for? An idiot?”
“A delusional person, more likely. They have already altered your memories somehow. I’m not completely certain they won’t try to make use of what information they get from you, Jack.”
“I doubt that’s even possible!” He shook his head.
“What do you know about sirens? About mermaids?”
“They’re gorgeous and obsessed with sex!”
The Doctor snorted. “Just like you.”
“Whoa! Thanks, Doc. I’m always willing, just you ask!”
“No. I already have my chosen one. But your sudden obsession with sirens worries me.”
“There’s no need to worry! Just ask Rosie!”
“I will,” the Doctor assured him. “In fact, I think Rose and I should discuss your obsessions with sirens in private,” the Time Lord sent him a meaningful look and left.
Is it as bad as you thought?
Worse,
the alien sighed.
Rose was immediately concerned.
Do you need my help?
He won't accept help, neither from you nor from me. Those sirens have likely used their hypnotic abilities on him.
Rose was terrified. The seducer getting seduced. Even worse when the seduced one was one of her best friends!
What can we do?
Wait. If his obsession with the creatures doesn't stop relatively soon, we would need to quickly think of something drastic!
Rose inhaled. Hasn’t being immortal been a thing worthy of being called drastic?
“We should spend more time with him. Get him to talk about the water creatures more. Who knows, maybe we'll get to know something essential, something the creatures have done which could easily be removed? Some kind of a charm?” The Doctor was thinking out loud.
Rose gulped. “I may know why those sirens are interested in Jack so much.”
“Hm?”
“He's immortal.”
The Doctor's eyes sparkled with a realisation. “Of course! Not to mention he's obsessed with sex and can be lured into practically anything, while charmed by those creatures!”
“Do you think they'll try to learn the reason why he's immortal?”
The Time Lord shook his head. “Sirens are generally thought to be mythical creatures. I doubt they care about who lives or who dies. Jack, however, is a phenomenon to them.”
Rose blinked at the Doctor. “Only Jack Harkness can get into trouble with inhuman creatures willingly.”
“I'm sure he adores spending time with them. Even more so, I think he knows they are doing
something
with his mind and he doesn't truly want to let go of the sensation!”
“I hate the very idea, but shouldn't we somehow make him forget about the creatures entirely?” Rose inhaled. Their friend, with his mind overtaken by making love to these dangerous beings! “I want our Jack back,” she said. “With his endless innuendos and dirty remarks! What is he doing now? Trying to use those tricks on the sirens?”
“I wouldn't put it past him, with the questionable situation he's in right now.”
She sighed. “I think we must do something!”
“What do you suggest? Jack must feel almighty, being so visibly adored by those creatures.”
“Give him half an hour as his usual self among humans, and Jack should return back to himself!”
“Yeah? What about his incomplete memories?”
The alien shrugged. “Are we really sure we know what he remembers, or how much? Maybe it has something to do with things he doesn’t want to remember? We can’t see other people through, right, Rose?”
She agreed. “But it’s Jack! We must help him!”
The Doctor sighed. “What if he doesn’t want our help?”
Rose exhaled. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“I’m terrified to guess what you think, but probably yes. Are you ready for it? For us to finally start behaving like a couple of people passionately in love?”
“Don't we behave this way already?”
“Jack Harkness isn't like anyone else in the universe. Sex is the most important thing to him - I bet he'd try his luck with anyone or anything. But we already know that! To him, sirens represent something important - something he knows he can't really get, and yet, they call for him and he's following the creatures wherever!” The Doctor didn't try to hide his unease. Jack has learnt to see his life as a game he couldn't ever lose.
“Let's remind him of his human relationships. Of the love he feels for others. Of Ianto. Of the opportunity to feel, to touch-”
“To kiss and to fuck. Yes!” Jack Harkness entered loudly, upset. “What is it this time? I can't keep seeing them because? Because they're going to sing me to death? Ha! What a divine goodbye that would be!”
Rose and the Doctor stared at their friend in panic.
Jack chuckled. “Don't worry. I can't allow myself to miss so many opportunities my endless life keeps giving me!”
“But those sea creatures keep making you delusional, Jack! Soon, you may forget your own name, if you keep trying to find them so persistently!”
The immortal human sent them a dirty look. “It's simple, really! A threesome with you could make me forget everything about those sirens entirely!”