Story of a Lone Traveller

//Hello everyone,

I know I haven’t been active here in some time, but given all of Tumblr’s recent shitty policy changes and automated flagging nonsense, in addition to the rampant and constant issues and lack of professionalism, I have reached a point where I do not want anything to do with this website anymore.

This might change in the future, I might come back on another blog one day, but this is it for now.

I’m officially putting this blog on an indefinite Hiatus.

It’s been a nice time playing with you all. You can contact me on discord if you want (just ask, and I’ll give it to you. I still get emails for asks).

I wish you luck, all of those who keep fighting, but I personally am done.

Godspeed.

“Fine,” Jack said sharply.  They needed to have this discussion, but clearly the Doctor wasn’t going to talk.  And Jack wasn’t going to stand here and act as his verbal punching bag.  He didn’t even try to keep the hurt out of his voice.  He wanted the Doctor to hear it.  “If you don’t want to talk, fine.  But you leave my team out of this.  You don’t get to touch that, do you understand?  You do not drag them into this.”

Without waiting for a reply, he turned to walk away.  He paused after a couple of steps, turning back to comment coldly, “And it might interest you to know that no, I don’t know.  I didn’t go poking around in Torchwood One’s files.  In fact, I erased what of them I could.  And I cleared you completely from Torchwood Three’s archives.  Out of respect, which I can see isn’t reciprocated.  So no.  I don’t know.”

With that, he turned back towards the door.  He didn’t know where he was going, only that he didn’t want to be here.

It was grimly satisfying when Jack finally gave up, because no, he sure wasn’t about to talk about this, and certainly not this way. But it was a shock when Jack brought up his team, enough that the Doctor actually looked at him, eyes wide and mouth parted. He hadn’t meant his team at all, when he’d said this. He’d actually been thinking of all of Torchwood aside from his team.

That seemed to strike a nerve.  Jack watched the way the Doctor tensed up, the way his eyes hardened and his breaths came quicker.  He hadn’t figured the Time Lord would be happy about this discussion, but it was one that needed to happen.  Frankly, Jack was concerned.  

He leaned back against the wall, arms folded across his chest.  There was still that sliver of ice in his tone as he said, “So I’ll ask again, since you haven’t answered me yet.  You know what I did.  But what did you do?  What did you do that it eats at you like this?  You think nobody is ever going to notice.  Nobody is ever going to ask.  Tough.  You’re not alone anymore.”

It took a moment before the Doctor truly realised that Jack was not about to let this go. It didn’t make him any happier, though. Far from it. His gaze hardened further as he lifted it a bit, but didn’t quite focus on anything. He was on the edge of a growl.

The Doctor’s comment stung like a slap in the face.  The Time Lord knew why Jack was alone.  He knew what had happened.  So this was just plain cruelty.  His eyes narrowed and his expression shuttered.  With ice in his tone, Jack replied just a little too evenly, “That’s low, Doctor.  I thought we were past that sort of cruelty.  You know why I don’t have anyone but you.”

He took a breath to steady himself before he continued, just as low and cold as before.  “See, this is why I can pick up on that so well.  Do you know how much I hate myself for what happened to them?  What I put them through?  You do.  Don’t lie to me.  I know you do.  It’s plain as day.  Whenever you think no one’s looking.”

The Doctor didn’t reply, but his gaze shifted to the side, then down. Because Jack was right, of course he was. That had been a low blow and he knew that just as well. But there was nothing to say at this point, what had been said had been said, and that was that.

“Please.  I don’t think there’s anyone in the universe who could actually psychoanalyze you,” Jack shot back.  This wasn’t the first time he had managed to make the Doctor angry with his questions, and he was certain it wouldn’t be the last.  “But I know self-loathing.  Trust me.  And I don’t have to be telepathic to pick up on yours.”

“Yeah,” Jack confirmed.  “Not a whole lot of other people here for me to be talking to.  But I think you’re avoiding the question.  Why?  I know you’ve done bad things.  I’m not under any illusions there.  But what have you done that’s so unforgivable that it eats at you like this?” 

The Doctor’s eyes narrowed, just as his expression turned into a cold scowl. He crossed his arms and lifted his chin, just a little. Finally, he raised an eyebrow, deeply unimpressed.

Anger Type–  Balanced

You have your temper in good check. People may even think you don’t have a dark side! Good job!

Tagged by: @oceanicchimera (indirectly)