Remembering the Doctor.

Doctor Who and Torchwood crossover

Revised Torchwood 'Adam' Season 2, episode 5.

In order for Adam to insert himself in Jack's memories, some had to be removed. The ones of the Doctor. What happens when the Doctor comes to Cardiff and meets a Jack who can't remember him?

Disclaimer: I do not own torchwood or doctor who.

Remembering the Doctor

"And hello toooo… Cardiff?" The Doctor trailed off as he stepped out of the TARDIS.

"Not exactly where I planned on coming…" The Doctor clicked his tongue. "Well may as well pop in on Jack."

Shoving his hands in his pockets of his trench coat, he started to wander off. A black SUV screech to a halt nearby and the Doctor couldn't help but smile as Jack emerged from the driver's side, his familiar air force jacket billowing out behind him.

"Jack!" The Doctor raised his hand in greeting. Jack stopped in his tracks and just stared at the Doctor. Confusion was evident on his face as he looked at the skinny man before him.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Jack's brow furrowed.

"Funny Jack." The Doctor chuckled. "Its me, the Doctor!"

"I'm very sorry sir, but I do not know you. However I wouldn't be against the idea of getting to know you." Jack winked with a sly grin on his lips.

"This isn't funny anymore Jack, stop messing about." The Doctor frowned. "It's me, it's your pal the Doctor!" He spread his arms out to the side in a 'ta-da' motion.

"The Doctor… What kind of name is that?" Jack raised an eyebrow.

"Mine!" The Doctor huffed. There was something going on here and after everything he and Jack had been through together during their travels and the year that never was, there was no way the Doctor wasn't going to figure out what was going on with Jack. He owed his long time friend that much.

"How can you not remember him Jack?" A new voice pierced the rather large ears of the timelord.

"Adam? When did you get here?" Jack turned to face the blonde newcomer.

"I was waiting in the car. Don't you remember?" This Adam placed his hand on Jack's shoulder. The Doctor narrowed his eyes as Jack's widened as his body stiffened for a moment before relaxing.

"Right, of course. Sorry I guess I forget you where waiting there." Jack shook his head smiling at Adam. "Oh and thanks for stitching Adam here up when he got stabbed." Jack turned his smile onto the Doctor holding his hand out. The Doctor's eyes were still narrowed as he shook Jack's hand tightly.

"Try not to make a habit of it eh?" The Doctor said cheerfully, playing along.

"Jack, the others?" Adam nudged Jack and the man who could never die nodded.

"See ya around Doc!" Jack slung his arm over Adam's shoulder and the duo walked off, the Doctor frowning after the two shoving his hands back in his pockets.

"Allonsy!" The Doctor called and Jack looked back at the Doctor with a confused look on his face, but a spark of recognition in his eyes but Adam swung his own arm over Jack's shoulder and the spark was gone.

The Doctor spun on his heel and flew back to the TARDIS he had to figure out what was going on with Jack. Once inside he was a flurry of movement around the console as he brought up everything he could find about Adam in the Torchwood files and what exactly he had missed from the time he left Jack.

"That does not bode well." The Doctor muttered when he watched Adam's profile being finished before his very eyes. "It seems this Adam does not exist."

The TARDIS hummed in agreement, she was worried for the captain just like her timelord was. After all her power saved the captain from death and always knew that Jack would be the one fixed point the Doctor could always count on to be there for him.

"After Adam touched Jack's shoulder he remembered me, not really me but what a doctor does on earth… AHA! A fake memory! This Adam is planting false memories into Jack's mind!" The Doctor spun on his heels before gently slapping the control console.

"I just need to have to get Jack alone and bring him in here, getting him back to good ole Jack."

The TARDIS hummed her agreement once more. She was urging her Timelord to bring the Captain back to his normal self. The Doctor picked up on her meaning and he fiddled with a few more knobs before bolting out of the TARDIS with his trench coat flying out from behind him as he went. The Doctor leaned against a nearby streetlight pole with his hands shoved in his pockets. He knew it was only a matter of time until Jack showed up, alone hopefully.

Sure enough the black SUV screeched to a halt and only Jack exited the driver side door.

"Ah we meet again… Doctor." Jack smiled widely as he sauntered over to the Doctor.

"Ello Jack." The Doctor pushed himself off the pole to face his friend head on.

"With much regret I would suggest you leave the area as quickly as possible." Jack inclined his head.

"You're here to inspect that spike of rift energy? Yeah that was me." The Doctor grinned brightly as he rocked back on his heels.

"You?" Jack frowned.

"Want to see how I did it?" The Doctor asked with excitement seeping into his voice.

"I am interested." Jack purred and the Doctor had to resist the urge to roll his eyes at Jack's tone of voice.

"Rightio, follow me then!" The Doctor turned around and strode back towards his TARDIS; he didn't need to hear Jack's footfalls behind him to know the man was following him.

"A police box?" Jack asked in disbelief as the duo stood in front of the blue police telephone box with his eyebrows raised high.

"Just take a step inside." The Doctor inserted the key into the lock and pushed open the door.

"That key…" Jack mumbled, hand going up to his neck. He pulled up a silver chain with a small silver key attached to the end. "I don't know how or why but it's the same one that I always wear."

"Then there is hope still." The Doctor mumbled. "That's because I gave you that key, step inside…" The Doctor moved to the side and watched on edge as Jack slowly stepped inside the TARDIS and grinned as he heard an intake of air.

"Well then. I guess I know how you made the spike of rift energy." Jack let out a low whistle. The Doctor entered the TARDIS, shutting the door behind him so 'Adam' couldn't get in and stop him from saving Jack.

"Go ahead, say whatever you want to. I've heard them all." The Doctor out of reflex took off his jacket and threw it onto its normal spot and his grin widened when he saw Jack watch and grin at the familiar movement.

"Everything in here seems familiar…" Jack mused as he ran his hand over the control console and the TARDIS whirred, brining a smile to Jack's face.

"It should, you've been in here before." The Doctor stated bluntly.

"I have… So I'm guessing you really aren't an actual Doctor." Jack's smile stayed on his face.

"I could be." The Doctor huffed.

"But you're not. You couldn't be. Your name would be Doctor Who." Jack snickered and he froze. "How did I know that?" He mumbled to himself.

"Come on Jackie, you can remember more." The Doctor encouraged, wanting his friend back. "What about the Master? Do you remember the year that never was?"

As the Doctor went on, reminding Jack of the adventures they had shared and when he spotted the Captain starting to shake the Doctor rushed forward and eased the man into the nearby chair.

"Breathe Jackie boy, all the good and the bad times we had together. Adam took those memories away from you; he never even existed until 24 hours ago. With a touch, he can replaced your memories with ones of him. He is inserting himself into your lives, you have to remember, push him out. I can help you and your team Jack, but you have to remember and trust me." The Doctor placed his hand on the back of Jack's neck during his speech.

"It hurts Doc." Jack said his eyes shut in pain as his right hand came up to grip his hair.

"I know Jack, but you have to push past it." The Doctor soothed and the TARDIS hummed comfortingly.

Minutes passed as Jack pushed away the memories of Adam and brought back the ones Adam had banished from his mind. Each memory brought an emotion with it from flirting, to fear, to confusion, to hurt. Some had the two laughing together at the good times but others had Jack clinging onto the Doctor, with his face buried in his friend's pinstripe suit as he silently cried and gasped for air.

Not being used to so many human emotions the Doctor did what he could. That consisted of holding Jack, making sure the other man didn't feel alone whilst reliving his life with the Doctor.

Finally it all ended and Jack puled himself out of the Doctor's grasp and looked away as his cheeks flushed red.

"Thanks for helping me through that Doc… Adam! I have to help my team." Jack felt frantic as he realized what was happening back at the Torchwood base.

"You're my longest friend and I was not going to let this creature take you away from me…" The Doctor looked away, rubbing the back of his neck.

"That has to be the nicest thing you have ever said to me Doc." Jack couldn't help but grin.

"Well don't get used to it." The Doctor retorted.

"I have to go save my team… Will you be here when I get back?" Jack asked shyly and unsure.

"Yeah, but if you do what I think you are going to then you won't remember I was here." The Doctor tightened his grip on the back of Jack's neck.

"Ah you know me too well." Jack cracked a smile and he headed to the door of the TARDIS. "Thanks for helping me Doc… You're my best friend too and since I won't remember this and I don't know when I'll get another chance…" Jack turned to face the Doctor and grasped the Doctor's wrist, yanking the skinny man forward and pressed their lips together. They stayed like that a for a moment or two before Jack pulled away and smiled softly at the shocked look on the Doctor's face.

"Goodbye Doctor." Jack touched the Doctor's cheek before he left the TARDIS and the Doctor behind to save his team. True to the Doctor's words, Jack woke up by an empty holding cell the next morning to the information that the whole team had lost two days and none of them could remember what happened.

As Jack stood in his office after everyone went home for the night, his hand absently went up and pulled the TARDIS key necklace and fingered the grooves and curves of the key. His other fingers touched his lips, they felt tingly from the moment he woke up but he couldn't for the life of him remember why.

Above ground the Doctor smiled as he leaned against his TARDIS, touching his own lips briefly his grin widening before he entered the TARDIS and with the familiar whirring sound the blue box disappeared.