Title: Discussing Old Friends
Author: ThetaSigma
Pairing: Doctor/Jack
Rating: PG
Author's Notes: I wouldn't be surprised at all if Jack has slept with Oscar Wilde and Christopher Isherwood. So of course the current Doctor walking into Torchwood would completely confuse him for a moment.
Summary: Jack Harkness gets the shock of his life when the Doctor turns up looking like one of his old lovers. A nod to Matt Smith's stunning performance in "Christopher and His Kind".

***

ack often brags about the people who've graced his bed. Men, women, somewhere in between. Famous, infamous, not famous at all. He'll tell anyone who'll listen about Oscar Wilde (last name appropriate there) and how he held a crying Marilyn Monroe after some jerk left her at the altar.

But even Jack almost has a heart attack (again) when the Doctor strides into Torchwood one morning.

"Christopher?" Jack asks.

The Doctor eyes him and Jack realizes the gait, eyes, and even the hair are wrong. The Doctor's changed faces again.


They take their tea in Jack's office. Jack's been rebuilding Torchwood and the work is going well. The Americans seemed pleased that he's found ways to save money literally everywhere.

The Doctor pauses after selecting the nearest jammie dodger.

"You mistook me for someone earlier, Jack. Who was it? I understood the Casanova thing last time and Lennon the time before that..."

"Isherwood. The author. You kind of bear a...resemblance."

"Ah, so you've met HIM, too. I did wonder." The Doctor takes a deliberate bite of his biscuit. "Bet he took a shine to you, eh, Jack?"

Jack practically puffs. "'Course he did. Just off old Heinz and looking for anyone who wouldn't judge."

"I see."

Jack sighs and reaches for a biscuit. "We were on and off for a while. He came to me one day and said he'd found someone; someone he could grow old with."

"Not you, though."

Jack smiles sadly. "I don't get old. Not like that."

The Doctor lays a comforting hand over Jack's.

"I'm sorry for that."

Jack smiles.

"It was good while it lasted. I miss him like the others."


There was a silence as Jack watched the Doctor get up and go to the fridge, pulling out fish fingers and custard. After a few moment's preparation, he settled down happily in his chair with the bowl of custard on the desk.

Jack grimaced. "You realize that's disgusting."

The Doctor grinned and bit his fish finger coated thickly in custard. "We're talking old friends. I need more food."

"Speaking of old friends, how's River?"

The Doctor just about choked.

"We're not discussing HER. She's too complicated, too many variables. I could change something just by saying her name these days."

"So you're marrying her, huh?" Jack grins wickedly.

The Doctor sighed. "Apparently I am."

"I expect my invitation's in the post."

"Probably dropped through the Rift fifty years ago."

"I'll check the archives, then," Jack says, and deciding to take his endless life in his hands, he picks up a fish finger and dips it in the custard. He takes a bite.

"Not bad."

The Doctor grins, "I agree."

Jack holds up a fish finger. "To old friends."

The Doctor holds up his. "To old friends."

The human and the Time Lord bash their fish fingers together in a toast, then simultaneously dip them in vanilla custard.

***