Title: Make It Better
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Tenth Doctor/Ten.5
Fandom: Doctor Who
Rating: PG-13
Table: VRD challenge - Brown, 5_prompts
Prompt: Chocolate can fix anything
Author's Note: The human version of the Doctor is being referred to as John Smith in this fic, since it's the Doctor's human alias and his clone needed a name.
Author's Note: Spoilers for Journey's End, somewhat. This is an completely alternate take on the ending of Season Four.
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my own imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the Tenth Doctor, or his human clone. Please do not sue.

***

"You know, it's strange how much humans seem to rely on chocolate to make them feel better," Jamie mused as he held up the wrapper of the candy bar he'd just finished. "But I can understand why they'd feel that way. Chocolate is delicious."

"They also think that chocolate gives them spots, and makes them fat," the Doctor laughed, leaning back in his chair as he watched his lover. "I agree that it can do both, but I think humans look to blame their own shortcomings on things like the food they choose to eat."

"So, do you think that I'm going to start doing something like that, just because I'm human?" Jamie asked him, arching an eyebrow in question. "You shouldn't make such blanket statements about humans, Doctor, considering that I'm one of them."

"Ah, but you aren't like other humans, sweetheart," the Doctor hastened to assure him. "You're me, only in a human body. So really, you're much more Gallifreyan than human. It's only your body that's human -- not your mind."

"So naturally, I wouldn't think like a human," Jamie said, nodding. "I'm glad you realise that, Doctor. I don't want you to start feeling that I'm too human -- because, really, I'm not. I'm much more like you. I just happen to be trapped in a human body."

"Do you still think of it as being trapped?" the Doctor asked, his voice soft. "I hate to think that you still hate being human after all this time, Jamie. I know that it has its drawbacks -- but if you weren't human, you more than likely wouldn't exist."

"And you'd be alone," Jamie murmured, a stricken look on his face. "Doctor, I'm sorry." He got up from the chair and went to the other side of table, kneeling in front of the Doctor and taking the other man's hands in his own. "Forgive me?"

The Time Lord looked down at him, laughing softly. "Jamie, there's nothing to forgive. I can't let myself get upset any time you refer to me being alone again. It's going to happen eventually -- and I'd rather not brood on it. I want to enjoy the time we have together."

Jamie nodded, taking a deep breath and getting to his feet. "Humans have a lot of strange ways of seeing things, don't they?" he said, obviously trying to change the subject. "Like the way they look at chocolate. They seem to hate it and love it at the same time."

"Yes, that's true," the Doctor agreed, his tone thoughtful. "They're that way with a lot of things they enjoy. It's as if they want to blame things they love for their problems -- instead of accepting the fact that there are good and bad sides to everything."

"But they do accept the good and bad sides," Jamie objected, shaking his head. "They love their chocolate and devour it -- and at the same time, they curse the fact that it supposedly gives them spots and makes them gain weight. It's good, but it's bad too."

"You're right," the Doctor said with a laugh. "They also have this odd idea that chocolate can fix anything that's wrong with their lives. If they're depressed, what do they do? They eat chocolate. Somehow, they think that's going to make everything all better."

Jamie wrinkled his nose, then sighed and shook his head regretfully. "If only that were possible," he said softly, his gaze resting on his lover. "If chocolate could fix anything, then I'd eat enough of it to make sure I wouldn't age. Though I'd probably end up being overweight."

"If only things like that could happen, sweetheart, then we would live in a world that's very different from this one," the Doctor told him, a slight catch in his voice. "But let's not dwell on that now. We have a great deal of time to be together before we have to face that fact."

"Do we?" Jamie asked, his voice still soft. "I age every day, Doctor. It might not show on the outside, but my body is going to wear out a lot sooner than yours will. And there'll be no regeneration for me, no new body. I'll simply .... wink out of existence."

"No, Jamie." The Doctor got to his feet, moving to stand in front of Jamie and taking the other man's face between his hands. "You'll never cease to exist. You'll always be a part of me -- and you'll always be in my heart and soul. You'll never, never fade away. I promise you that."

"I'd do anything to be able to stay with you forever," Jamie whispered, tears coming to his eyes. "I know I can't. I know that this human body is going to be dust long before you've crossed over into whatever realm I'll go to next. But I don't want it to happen."

"Don't think about it, sweetheart," the Doctor told him, sliding his arms around Jamie's waist and pulling him close. "I know that it can't be easy to face your own mortality when you're used to regenerating. But I'll be right beside you every step of the way, you know."

Jamie nodded, gulping as he wrapped his arms around the Doctor's waist. For what seemed like a very long time, the two o them stood there, locked in an embrace that neither of them wanted to pull away from, as if they were taking sustenance from each other's touch.

Finally, Jamie raised his head from the Doctor's shoulder, giving his lover a wistful smile. "It's a shame that what humans believe about chocolate isn't true," he murmured. "If only it really could make things better, maybe it could extend my life expectancy."

"You never know," the Doctor said softly, raising a hand to stroke Jamie's cheek. "Maybe chocolate really can fix anything. It's never been proven that it doesn't, you know. And you know what they say about believing. If you believe in something enough --"

"Then it might come true," Jamie finished for him, leaning forward to press his lips against the softness of the Doctor's mouth. Within seconds, they were lost in each other, locked in another close embrace that didn't seem to be coming to an end any time soon.

***