Title: Alternate
By: Julia
Pairing: Jack/Doctor
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine.
Summary: In an alternate universe the Doctor finds a familiar face.
Warning: slash.
Author's Notes: This is set mid -season two of the recent run of the Doctor Who series, for those who are avid Doctor/Rose fans I like that pairing and can see it but I also like Doctor/Jack fic so that's what this is. There are spoilers for the two cybermen episodes so if you haven't seen those then please don't read this. There is also one little spoiler for `Parting of the ways'. This is an old fic of mine and I thought as we had no fic on here recently I'd trot it out and see if anyone liked it. It is however the first DW/TW fic I ever wrote so might be a bit dodgy - also was originally in two parts. If you guys like this then I might write more set around this I just haven't had the time to work on this when I had so many more fics to write.

Mickey and Rose were excited about this opportunity to explore a new world but for him he felt lost, the connection that he had always felt to the universe was muted and he felt lost. He walked the streets on London on his own seeing the people and how things were different from the universe he travelled in. A man on a street waiting for someone drew his eye, he knew this man, he was the double of Jack Harkness, the man who had travelled with the doctor before being killed by the Daleks on that space station.

For a minute both stood their gazes locked on each other as the world moved around them, then a car pulled up in front of Jack and tearing his gaze away he got into the car and it pulled away leaving the Doctor feeling oddly bereft, turning his back he decided to go back to the Tardis for a while, he found Rose waiting for him.

~*~

Sometimes it was a lot of fun being him, he got to go to all the best parties, like the one he was at now, he liked the suit and Rose looked good in a French maid outfit. He had slipped away looking for the computer terminal so that he could learn more about what was going on.

"I have not seen you at any of these things before and I thought I knew all the best catering staff." A voice said. The doctor turned.

"I'm new at it." He said with a smile.

"Now what are you really doing?" Jack asked stepping towards the man who intrigued him.

"I'm looking for the computer centre, can you help me?"

"Depends on what you offer me." Jack said with a grin as he took another step forward.

"You want money?"

"No."

"I don't have anything else."

"Sure you do." Jack said stepping into the Doctors personal space.

"What?"

"A kiss, a proper kiss, one that you mean." Jack said a challenging light in his eyes. Not expecting any reaction from the man he was surprised when the man he was challenging took a step forward and framed his face in both hands and then lowered his head slowly and kissed the other man, it was a deep kiss, but to the Doctor it seemed familiar as though it was something he knew but could not place. When they broke apart it was with a dazed look on both their faces.

"Now where is the computer centre?" The Doctor said giving the man time to catch his breath.

"What?"

"You said you'd take me to it if I kissed you. And I must say it was a good kiss so now where is the centre?" The Doctor said with a stroke of Jack's cheek.

"This way." Jack said and with a deliberate rub against the doctor led the way deeper into the house he stopped outside a door.

"Is this it?"

"Yeah but the doors locked." Jack said looking with interest when the man pulled out a gadget from his pocket.

"Not to me it isn't." He said activating the machine and then after a few seconds the door opened.

"Who are you?" Jack asked

"Me? I'm the Doctor. And you should get back to work before you get caught here." The Doctor said.

"If you need any help, look for me. I'm Jack Harkness by the way."

"Thanks Jack." The Doctor said stepping forward again, this time the kiss was sweet, not learning the taste of the other but reaffirming the fact that they would see each other again and that for both of them it was more than just payment for assistance.

"What was that for?" Jack asked hurriedly stepping back.

"Future payment, and because I wanted to." The Doctor said. Jack looked at him confused before the Doctor went into the room and he had to get back to his job.

~*~

He had just found Rose and told her what he knew when he saw them coming, the cyber men, something that like the Daleks haunted his dreams. He knew what they would do when he first saw them and he had just enough time to grab Rose, who had collected her father and glance round for Jack before they had to run for it.

He did not know what the things were when they started to attack the guests, he ran for the stairs looking for the Doctor as he went. He reached the upstairs and crouched behind a door when he heard their footsteps heavy and coming straight for him. He ran for the window, which was open and scrambled out onto the narrow ledge he jumped for the roof and ducked behind a chimney shaking trying to block out the screams. He just prayed that none of the metal things had seen him.

He was surrounded and there was nothing to do but surrender, he had dealt with these things before and they usually honoured such a declaration. He needed to protect Rose and Mickey as well, which ever one was the Mickey he had arrived with anyway. He wanted to protect Jack but he had not seen him and could only presume that he was dead.

"We surrender, we surrender." He shouted raising his hands. The cyber men just went on about elimination and that they would all be processed. The cyber men came closer

"WE SURRENDER!" He shouted again

~*~

The part of the Tardis had dissolved the cyber men so they were on the run once again as London fell to the machines. They had split up and dodging the machines as well as observing the people who were being controlled, there had to be a way to end this threat and get them all back where they were meant to be.

The plan they came up with was dangerous and the Doctor knew that there was every chance that not all of them would survive the night, he needed Rose, Mickey and Rose's father to make it though. With the woman in tow he crept through all the cyber men, the fact that these machines that could kill so many people were just standing there motionless was starting to creep even him out but they made it through as they woke only to find a new threat.

The near miss that they had when all of the machines woke was enough for one day but then when Sammy was speaking to them the situation became all that more real, he could not easily imagine Jack like this, the younger man who he had held and kissed just a short time ago being turned into one of these creatures feeling nothing. His heart hardened and he was determined that he would do all that he could to help end these people's existence and give them the peace they deserved.

~*~

Jack had been creeping around the factory trying to tune out the screams and other sounds. His tears had dried up hours ago and now he just walked avoiding the patrols but his face seeming as dead as any of the people walking to their deaths. When everyone woke he avoided the mad rush for the exits and made his way to the roof and the Zeppelin that was there. Climbing on board he found himself with two guns pointed at his head, both of which were lowered when they saw he was human and had no implants on him.

The explosions that rocked the building just a short while later knocked him to the floor, and he crouched there while the other two men who seemed to know a lot more about what was going on than he did flew the airship to the rescue of their friends. The fact that one of these friends was the Doctor should not have been a surprise and while they did not speak the look they exchanged conveyed how glad they were to see the other alive and still human.

Later as they sat by the river Jack listened to the tale of the Doctor and how he came to be there and what exactly the Doctor was. There was a hopeful look in the youthful face looking at Jack and he knew what the Doctor was hoping would happen, Jack could not find it in him to crush the mans hopes but there was something within him telling him to stay.

"You could come with us if you wanted to, there is certainly plenty out there for you to see, the universe is a wonderful and exciting place." The Doctor said looking up at the sky.

"I'm not your Jack, you don't belong in this universe. You've got Rose to look after and a whole universe to explore. I might have my own doctor out there and you never know he may find me one day just like you did. I would love to come with you, you have no idea how much I do, but something inside me is telling me that this is the place for me." Jack said with a sad smile at the loss of something that could have been wonderful.

"We could have been fantastic." The Doctor said getting to his feet and looking back at the Tardis.

"Yes we would." Jack said with another smile, he pressed a gentle kiss to the Doctors lips and then with a final smile and a look that memorised the alien's features for the days and nights ahead he was gone.

On reaching the rest of his group at the Tardis and replacing the missing piece of machinery he saw the ship come to life again. Going outside to gather his companions he found that he wasn't the only one who lost someone, Mickey chose to stay behind and save the world, a world not his own and if an ordinary human could find the courage to do that knowing that they would never see their own world and all the people they loved again. Then maybe a time lord could learn to take a chance on love as well as when a man could move through time then somewhen there had to be someone for him and he could find memories to last through eternity.

Jack watched as the Tardis blinked out, he had made sure he was hidden from the Doctor, as they were both alone again and the memories of a few kisses would have to keep Jack company while he helped put the city back together again and look for his own Doctor.


The End