Title: What's on Your Mind
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Tenth Doctor/Ten.5
Fandom: Doctor Who
Rating: PG-13
Table: 6, 50ficlets
Prompt: 33, Snuggle
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.

***

Jamie sighed contentedly as he snuggled next to the Doctor in their bed, resting his head on the Time Lord's shoulder. This was his favorite time of day -- the time when he and his lover could put their cares behind them and simply enjoy being with each other.

Wasn't every day like that? he asked himself, a smile curving his lips. Every day with the Doctor was a new adventure, even if they didn't do much other than go to places they were both already familiar with. The Doctor always found a way to make every day exciting.

Well, maybe not exciting, he amended as he snuggled closer to his lover. But every day was full of the joy of being with the man he loved, the pleasure of having the Doctor's company. Things could have so easily been very different for him.

Jamie pushed that thought as far away from his mind as he could the moment that it coalesced into being. He didn't want to think of what his life could have been like -- trapped in an alternate universe with a person he didn't love, never seeing the Doctor again.

That would have been a fate worse than death, one that he was continually grateful that he hadn't been subjected to. He couldn't help but shudder at the thought, a movement that made the Doctor's arm tighten around him, drawing him closer.

"Is something wrong, love?" the Doctor asked, his voice soft and husky with emotion. "I could feel you shudder. Either you're thinking about something unpleasant, or there's something bothering you that you're holding back from me. Which is it? What's on your mind, Jamie?"

Jamie considered trying to make light of his thoughts; he knew that the Doctor felt he dwelt too much on the past a great deal of the time. But there was no use hiding what he was thinking from the Doctor -- his lover would find out what was in his mind eventually.

"I was thinking about how easily it could have come about that I wasn't here with you," Jamie replied, his voice very small. "I don't want to think about that, Doctor. It didn't happen, and I'm glad it didn't I want to put those those right out of my mind, for good."

"Then don't think about it," the Doctor murmured, brushing a gentle kiss across the top of Jamie's head. "There's no reason to think of it, sweetheart. I wouldn't have let it happen -- even though at one time, I thought it was our only option. I'm glad that I was wrong."

"So am I," Jamie whispered, closing his eyes and sliding both arms around the Doctor's waist. "There's nowhere else I want to be other than right here with you, Doctor. This is where I belong -- where I'd always have belonged, even if you'd sent me away."

"You never should have been with her," the Doctor murmured as Jamie raised his face to gaze at his lover. "I knew that, even at the start. I'm still ashamed of myself for wanting to go along with what everyone else seemed to think and let you go away with her."

"But you didn't, and that's what matters," Jamie told him, keeping his voice light, determined to keep his thoughts on the bright side. "There's no need to think about what could have been -- because it didn't happen. I'm here with you, and here I'll stay."

The Doctor nodded, turning over onto his side and pulling Jamie into his arms. As he snuggled closer to the Time Lord under the covers, Jamie thought again of how lucky he was to have this man's love, to be in the Doctor's arms and not somewhere far away from him, in another universe.

This was where he had always belonged, from the moment he'd come into being. Here, snuggling with the man he loved when they were alone in their bedroom, watching his back when they were in any situation where the Doctor might need him.

No one else could be as close to the Doctor as he was, he reminded himself. He was literally part of the Doctor, uniquely qualified to love him and be with him. No one else could be nearly as close to the Time Lord; no one else shared his memories.

They would stay like this until the end of time itself, Jamie thought, smiling as he snuggled down more comfortably into the Doctor's arms and closed his eyes. He was happy and secure in that knowledge, and he hoped that things were never going to change.

***