Title: Running For Our Lives
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Tenth Doctor/Jethro Cane
Fandom: Doctor Who
Rating: R
Table: Buffet 1, fc_smorgasbord
Prompt: 55, Escape
Author's Note: Continuation of Straight To the Heart.
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 Jethro Cane. Please do not sue.

***

Jethro crept down one of the corridors of the building, letting the tug at his senses lead him. He was sure that the Doctor was willing him onward, and that wherever that sixth sense of his led him to, the Time Lord would be there.

The feeling within him had grown stronger as he made his way through one empty, darkened corridor after another, letting him know that he was heading in the right direction. Thank goodness for the bond he shared with the Doctor; it wasn't going to fail him.

There. Behind that door. The Doctor was there, he was sure of it. The feeling that was pulling him forward had led him here, and the sense of his love being near was strongest when he faced that door. He had no doubt that he was in the right place.

Now all he had to do was find a way inside that room without being seen or heard, get the Doctor out of there, and manage to get both of them back to the Tardis and to safety. Jethro's mouth twisted in a wry parody of a smile. That would be easier said than done.

He cautiously opened a door on one side of the corridor, relieved to find that it was dark and empty. He could hide here while he tried to formulate some kind of plan; the last thing he needed to do was go charging into a situation without knowing what he was doing.

Closing his eyes, he tried to concentrate on whatever might be happening on the other side of that door at the end of the corridor; he was sure that he could feel the Doctor's presence, radiating towards him, drawing him closer.

Yet he could feel that the Time Lord's presence was tinged with something else; it felt like .... a warning of some kind. Jethro blinked, moving to the door of the room he was hiding in and pressing his forehead against the cold, unyielding wood.

Yes. The sense was faint, but he could feel the Doctor reaching out to him, feel their senses touching and melding together. He shouldn't go into that room; it wasn't safe, and he needed to keep himself out of immediate danger if he wanted to help his lover.

There were others in the room with him; though their presence was fainter than the Doctor's he could feel them -- and feel the animosity that radiated from them. They were people to avoid at all costs; they wouldn't hesitate to kill him if he was caught.

A shudder went through Jethro's body at the thought; he could so easily picture himself lying dead here on a planet that he didn't know, and the Doctor at the mercy of the men who he was fairly sure were already torturing the Time Lord.

Jethro swallowed hard, closing his eyes and clenching his hands into fists. He could feel the Doctor's pain; every few moments, there was a fresh wave of it being transmitted to him through the emotional bond he shared with the other man.

He had to get the Doctor out of there. He didn't think what was happening would kill his lover, but the mere idea of the Time Lord being in pain clutched at his heart, shaking him to the core. He had to stop whatever was happening -- but he had no idea of how to do so.

The young man was jerked out of his thoughts by the sound of a door opening; he shrank back against the wall, holding his breath. The men who'd been in that room where the Doctor was were leaving; was there any way to make sure if the Time Lord was now alone?

Probably not. Jethro took a deep breath, realizing that he would have to take a chance that someone would still be there and hope that he could overpower them. He wasn't sure of his ability to do that, but he had to get to the Doctor as quickly as possible.

The other men were gone now; he'd heard them walk down the hall, heard the door at the end of the corridor that presumably led to the outside slam shut. It was now or never if he wanted to get into that room, free the Doctor, and escape with him.

Slipping quietly from the room he was in, Jethro paused with his hand on the door, gulping before he pushed it open. He blinked at the brightness inside, his gaze sweeping around the room in trepidation, praying that he wouldn't find anyone but the Doctor there.

Jethro's eyes widened when he saw the Doctor; the Time Lord was tied to what looked like a huge steel cross, naked, wires and electrodes connected to his genitals. The young man ran forward, falling to his knees at his lover's feet.

He had to get these damn things off the Time Lord's body, he thought frantically, hoping that the task wouldn't be more complicated than it looked. Reaching out a trembling hand, he pulled one electrode away, wincing at the feel of it in his fingers.

He didn't want to think of how much pain the Doctor must have been in; he'd been able to block out the worst of it from his own mind while keeping his bond with the Doctor intact. If only he could have taken that pain, he thought, tears coming into his eyes.

But now wasn't the time to think of that. He had to wake the Time Lord, find his clothes, and get him out of here. Jethro stood up, reaching for the rough ropes that bound the Doctor's wrists, realizing as he did that the other man was coming to.

"J-Jethro?" The Doctor's voice was weak, but at least he was coherent. The torture he'd obviously gone through hadn't affected his mind, and Jethro was glad of that. He was weakened physically, but mentally he was still sharp.

"I'm here, Doctor," he murmured, finally managing to loosen the last of the knots and slip the Time Lord's hands free. He bent to free the other man's ankles; the ropes binding him came away fairly easily. Jethro stood up and slipped an arm around his lover's waist.

"What did they do with your clothes?" Jethro asked, looking around the room. Ah, there was the Time Lord's brown suit, tossed carelessly to one side. He steadied the Doctor against a table, making sure that the other man had something to lean on, before he picked up the discarded clothing.

"I don't know how long they'll be gone, Jethro. We have to get out of here, and back to the Tardis quickly," the Doctor told him, wincing as he pulled on his trousers. "I don't know how fast I'll be able to walk. And I think running for our lives is out of the question."

Jethro nodded, casting an anxious glance towards the door. "I thought running wouldn't be a good thing. Don't worry, Doctor. I can't sense them anywhere near, at least not now. It's not all that far down the corridor, and we can find the Tardis quickly once we get outside."

"If we have to take any detours, it's going to be harder to figure out where we left her," the Doctor told him, slowly sliding his arms into his jacket. "My bond with her will lead us in the right direction, but it may take us a while if he have to avoid anyone looking for us."

The young man wrapped an arm around the Time Lord's slender waist again, helping him to the door. He wanted to cringe with every step; he might not have suffered through what the Doctor had, but he could imagine how walking must feel to him at the moment.

"We'll get out of here," he said softly, raising a hand to cup the Doctor's cheek. "I'll do whatever I have to do to keep you safe, Doctor. Any time we've gotten into bad situations before, we've always been able to escape. And we will this time, too."

The Doctor nodded, giving Jethro a wan smile. "I don't doubt that, sweetheart. It's just going to be a bit more difficult for me this time, not being in prime physical condition. But we've been there before, too. It'll just take a bit more willpower to get out of this one."

So saying, the Doctor reached for the door to push it open; Jethro felt his muscles tensing as it swung wide, revealing the corridor. It was empty; that would hopefully give them at least a few minutes to make their escape safely.

The two men made their way down the corridor, Jethro pacing himself so that the Doctor could keep up with him, one arm firmly around the Time Lord's waist. He wasn't going to take any chances with the other man not having his help if it was needed.

After what seemed like a very long time, but was actually probably no more than a matter of seconds, they reached the door at the end of the corridor. Jethro took a deep breath, looking at the Doctor before he pushed it open to see whatever they might have to face next.

"Are you ready?" he asked softly, his gaze locking with the Time Lord's. The other man nodded, his hand reaching for the door. When it swung open, Jethro tensed, his heart starting to beat faster in his chest, hoping that there would be no waiting threat.

The only thing waiting for them was another concrete corridor -- one that branched out in different directions at the end. Jethro looked at the Doctor, a worried frown on his face. "I didn't remember this. I've got no idea where to go. I thought that corridor led outside."

"Well, at least if we're still inside, that probably cuts down on our chances of running into any sort of patrol," the Doctor told him, frowning. "And hopefully, if we hear anyone coming, we can duck into one of those rooms. Providing they're not locked, that is."

The two of them took a few steps into the corridor, slowly making their way down the long expanse. Jethro could hear a pounding noise at the end; it sounded oddly like .... music? He had no idea what might be waiting for them there, but a part of him was strangely eager to find out.

***

Next story in series - Strobe Lights.