Title: Come Out Alive
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: past Jack/Doctor
Fandom: Doctor Who
Rating: PG-13
Table: 1drabble
Prompt: 10, Weakness
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my own imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the lovely Tenth Doctor, unfortunately. Please do not sue.

***

The Doctor stumbled back into the Tardis, gasping for breath, grasping the console as he leaned over it. He could see sparks of light dancing before his eyes; they were interspersed with black dots, a sure sign that he was close to passing out.

He closed his eyes, leaning on the console, trying to catch his breath. He knew that he had to punch in the coordinates to leave, but at the moment, he couldn't.

All he could do was lean against the console and take deep breaths, trying to keep himself from fainting. If he was lucky, the nausea and dizziness would pass in a few moments, and he would be able to summon enough presence of mind to get himself away from here.

The last thing he needed was for the Master to get aboard the Tardis.

That very thought pulled him together, made him take several deep breaths and straighten up to his full height, shaking his head. He couldn't let this weakness overcome him; he had to get himself and the ship out of here, as quickly as possible.

With shaking hands, he reached for one of the levers on the console, quickly punching in the coordinates for twenty-first century Earth, deciding that what he really needed was to go back to his favorite time period and talk with Jack.

He hadn't let the Master win this round, but it hadn't been without cost to himself. It hurt to move; he was sure that the other Time Lord had wounded him more grievously than he'd thought at first. But he didn't feel the tingle of regeneration, so he was safe for a while.

He wasn't going to give in to this insidious weakness that was trying to steal over him, the Doctor told himself firmly. He had to get to Jack, to let him know that there was a possibility of the Master trying to wreak havoc in his time again.

And he had to rest and recuperate while he was at it.

That was what he'd been attempting to do when he had inadvertently run into the Master again -- and, of course, he had become caught up in trying to foil the plans of his nemesis. Unfortunately, it seemed that falling head first into trouble was yet another weakness of his.

But he had come out of it alive -- at least this time. And hopefully, once he had time to rest a bit, he would be none the worse for wear.

The Doctor closed his eyes again and slumped against the console as he felt the familiar displacement of time and space. He was safely away from here, and on his way to Jack. He could only hope that he wasn't too late, and that the Master hadn't already set a plan in motion.

***