Struggling To Adjust (Book Three of The Bad Wolf Chronicles)

Epilogue

"Time was," Martha began as they watched people pass by in Cardiff, "every single one of these people knew your name. Now they've all forgotten you."

"Good," the Doctor commented, his hand entwined in Jessie's.

Jack sighed. "Back to work," he said, ducking under the railing.

"I really don't mind, though," the Doctor told him, nodding to Jessie. "Come with us."

"I had plenty of time to think that past year, the year that never was, and I kept thinking about that team of mine," Jack told him. "Like you said, Doctor. Responsibility. Besides, you owe that girl a honeymoon."

"1969," Jessie joked, nudging the Doctor in the side.

He shook his head. "Defending the Earth. Can't argue with that."

He held out a hand to shake Jack's, but he exposed the Vortex Manipulator instead. "Hey!" Jack whined. "I need that!"

"I can't have you walking around with a time traveling teleport," the Doctor replied, sonicking the Manipulator and shorting it out. "You could go anywhere, twice."

"The second time would be to apologize," Jessie joked.

"And what about me?" Jack asked hesitantly. "Can you fix that? Will I ever be able to die?"

"Nothing we can do," the Doctor replied, shaking his head. "You're an impossible thing, Jack."

"Been called that before," Jack joked before saluting. "Sir. Ma'am. Agent." The Doctor and Martha gave lazy salutes, but Jessie gave a full one. Jack turned to go but stopped, turning back. "But I keep wondering . . . what about aging? Because, I can't die, but I keep getting older. The odd little grey hair, you know? What happens if I live for a million years?"

"I really don't know," the Doctor admitted, and he missed the brightening of Jessie's eyes as she tried not to laugh.

"OK, vanity. Sorry. Yeah, can't help it." Jack sighed appreciatively. "Used to be a poster boy when I was a kid living on the Boeshane Peninsula. Tiny little place. I was the first one ever to be signed up for the Time Agency. They were so proud of me. The Face of Boe, they called me." And Jessie promptly burst into snickers at the stunned looks on the Doctor and Martha's faces. Jack glanced at her before shaking his head with a smile. "I'll see you around."

"Oi, Jack!" Jessie shouted after him with a grin. "5.5/apple/26. The Doctor plus one. Someone there was right. I do need him."

Jack eyed her in interest, but she merely gave him a wink, and he grinned before running off. The Doctor stared after him before turning to Jessie. "No."

"Oh, yes," Jessie laughed.

"It can't be!" Martha gasped.

"Oh, yes, it is!" Jessie laughed, pointing at the Doctor. "Your best man set us both up!"

"No!" the Doctor breathed, looking after him. "Definitely not!" He burst out laughing with Martha. "Oh, he's brilliant!"

***

"Is it really a good idea to have this with us?" Jessie asked as the Doctor finished with his hand in the jar, attaching it to the console.

"Well, I'm not letting Jack keep it," the Doctor retorted, grinning at her. "You look better," he commented. "Brighter."

Jessie smiled. "I'm married to the mad man in a box that I love," she told him happily. "I couldn't be happier."

"Thank goodness," the Doctor joked from Wicked, and they both gave a small chuckle as she hoisted herself up to a sitting position on the console as he straightened and placed his hand over hers. "I still can't believe you're still alive," he whispered, brushing his thumb across her cheek. "After the Family - "

"I'm never gonna leave you," she promised, beaming at him as she leaned on her hand, bringing her other one up to cover the one on her face. "I told you that a long time ago. I'm staying."

He smiled at her, kissing first her forehead, then her nose, before kissing her lips. Jessie closed her eyes and kissed him back, getting lost in the moment, just the two of them.

The clearing of a throat behind them made her blink and look behind him, seeing Martha in the doorway, eyebrow raised. "I could give you a moment," Martha suggested.

"Nah!" the Doctor said quickly, jumping away, and Jessie laughed, shaking her head at her husband's playful antics. "Off we go! The open road. There is a burst of starfire right now over the coast of Meta Sigmafolio. Oh, the sky is like oil on water. Fancy a look? Or back in time. We could . . . I don't know. Charles the Second? Henry the Eighth. I know! What about Agatha Christie?" Jessie's smile slowly disappeared when she saw the look on Martha's face. "I'd love to meet Agatha Christie! I bet she's brilliant!"

"OK," Jessie whispered, slipping off of the console.

Martha shook her head. "I just can't," she apologized.

The Doctor nodded. "Yeah," he said, realizing it as well.

"Spent all these years training to be a doctor," Martha explained. "Now I've got people to look after. They saw half the planet slaughtered, and they're devastated. I can't leave them."

"Of course not," Jessie insisted, giving her a hug. "Always knew you were good that way."

"Martha Jones, you saved the world," the Doctor told her, hugging her as well.

"Yes, I did," Martha agreed. "I spent a lot of time with you thinking I was second best compared to her, but you know what? I am good." Jessie beamed at her. "You going to be all right?"

"We've got each other," the Doctor replied with a smile. "Of course, we'll be all right."

Martha smiled, taking out her phone and tossing it to Jessie. "Keep that, because I'm not having you two disappear. If that rings, when that rings, you'd better come running. Got it?"

"Got it," the Doctor replied with a grin.

Martha gave them both one last hug before grinning. "I'll see you again, Mr. Mrs."

"Oh, don't say that," Jessie groaned, and Martha laughed before leaving the TARDIS. She turned, grinning at the Doctor. "So . . . where to next?" she asked.

The Doctor grinned at her. "Oh, I know where."

He went to the console and started flipping levers, and the TARDIS suddenly jerked. Jessie squeaked, getting tossed into a railing nearby, and she straightened up. "Ah, stop it!" the Doctor shouted. "What was that all about, eh? What's your problem?"

Jessie froze, seeing a man she'd never actually met before but seen in her husband's memories there as well. "Right, just settle down," the man with celery on his lapel said.

"Um . . . " she began.

Both of them bumped into each other. "So sorry," the man with celery said.

The Doctor stiffened and turned. "What?" he shouted.

"What?" the Fifth Doctor repeated.

Jessie burst out laughing, and the Fifth turned to her while the Tenth just stared at his past. "What?" both men said to two completely different people.

***

And on that note . . . so ends Book Three of the Bad Wolf Chronicles!

Wow. Already done, and it hasn't even been a year since I've started the whole series! Book 4 should be coming up in a few minutes, but it'll just be the introduction and "Time Crash" (the prologue). "Voyage of the Damned" is in process, though.

I'll see you all during "Ending of the Hours!" :D