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After that night in the bar and Alonso it’s along time before Jack Harkness sees the Doctor again.
He had almost lost hope that their paths would ever cross again. The Doctor did that often- left people behind. Left them behind to continue running away, forever lonely and forever alone. When the Doctor finally does come back for him, Jack doesn’t recognise him.
(Even further down the track Jack sees the Doctor and the Doctor doesn’t recognise him.)
But then Jack realises and it’s really him. Different face but the same Doctor. Looking so young but with eyes so old.
(That was always what hurt the most, those last three times when the Doctor didn’t know who he was. Couldn’t know who he was.)
So he hugs him and pretends it hasn’t been so long. Pretends they’re still the same people they were.
(Seeing Rose Tyler in the hospital and Martha Jones in the dead Parliament gave him little moments of joy. But they were but two of the many he had loved in his life.)
He takes the Doctor to a bar he knows, buys him a hyper vodka and waits. Waits to see why the Doctor is here now. Waits to see what has happened.
(What he would give to see them all again, one last time.)
‘I’m going to die tomorrow Jack.’ This new Doctor says. ‘Really die. No regeneration. I don’t think there’s any way out.’ ‘And you chose to spend your last night with me? I’m honoured Doctor.’
(Toshiko Sato, who never got to live a full life before he and Torchwood killed her. With her wry smiles and clever brain and love for her mother.)
He just looks at Jack with this sad smile. Jack’s not sure what it means. Why he’s come here now.
(Owen Harper, who he killed twice. Owen who was so like him in many ways. Owen, who got Gwen, even if just for a little bit.)
Jack keeps buying him drinks and for some odd reason he accepts them. Somehow he doesn’t get drunk but Jack certainly does.
(Gwen Cooper, who he never got to love properly. Who was better off with the safe love of Rees and Cardiff life and children who could watch their father grow old. What he would have given to take her travelling. Shown her different worlds and times. Been her Doctor.)
Then somehow they’re in an alleyway and the Doctor is kissing him and it’s not a dream. What did he think all those years ago? That he wanted to kiss the doctor and then kill him.
(Ianto Jones, who was his biggest regret. Coffee and suits and kisses in the hub. Teaching him. Holding him while he died and thinking he would sacrifice every child in the world to keep him there just a little bit longer. He would have stayed with Ianto forever.)
He kisses him for all the times he didn’t and for the only other two times he did. Then the Doctor stops and he realises this is it- the last time.
(But in the end, everyone dies. Everyone but the Doctor. His Doctor. And there was no one he would rather have by his side as Jack Harkness died for the very last time.)
The Doctor steps back and looks at him. Jack just smiles and salutes. And then the Doctor is gone.
(As his eyes closed for the last time, he heard Ianto’s voice and saw Gwen’s face. And he knew that his team was here for him even now.)