A/N: Hello all! Thanks for the lovely reviews, follows, and favourites. I'm glad people are enjoying the story so far. Here is the next chapter; it's a short one, I know, but I wasn't originally going to include this scene at all, I was just going to skip ahead to the first adventure. Anyways, this ended up happening in spite of my plans XD Consider it a bonus.
Cheers, and Happy 2016!
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It took him less than a split-second to decide.
"Oh, I'm in," Jack answered Clara with a brilliant grin. "You two and a TARDIS? I am beyond in. Let's do it."
Clara beamed at him, her wide eyes alive with joy and mischief. Seeing her Impossible Girl so happy erased any niggling doubts in Me's mind.
Said woman leaned forward slightly. "Welcome aboard, Captain," murmured Me, extending a hand to him, unquestionable sincerity in her expression. Jack looked surprised at the gesture but pleased nonetheless. He shook her hand firmly and in that moment, a silent truce was called.
"Come on," said Clara, practically bouncing with giddy energy, "let's go introduce you to the Woman - that's the TARDIS," she clarified for Jack, who nodded his thanks. "We could do it here, but I feel as though the console room would be more official."
"I agree," said Me. "Off we go." Everyone shuffled out of the booth and Clara led the way through the door that read "Restroom" into the pristine, white space beyond.
"I assume you heard all that, Woman?" called Clara as the trio stepped foot in the console room, Me closing the door behind them. The TARDIS beeped cheerfully in confirmation. "Well, then. This is Captain Jack, and he's going to be travelling with us for the foreseeable future."
"Hello, ma'am," he greeted her with his usual charm, stroking a gentle hand over the edge of the console. "Captain Jack Harkness, at your service."
The TARDIS made a cooing sound and the round things blinked several times.
Me laughed, glancing around at the flickering lights. "Well, she certainly likes you, Captain," remarked the female Immortal. "Then again, she does seem to have a fondness for outrageous flirts."
"Me?" scoffed Jack, holding a hand to his chest in theatrical affront. "Never!"
"Well I know I'm not, Harkness, but you definitely are."
Clara rolled her eyes, sighing in part-amusement, part-exasperation. Jack looked at Me quizzically for a moment before understanding dawned in his eyes and he burst into uproarious laughter. His eyes glittered even as they teared up with his mirth; this woman just kept surprising him.
"So she has a sense of humour," Jack managed to get out through a handful of lingering chuckles.
"Well, of course! You don't live as long as I have without developing one, Captain," Me admonished, albeit with a wink.
"You'd better get used to it, Jack," warned Clara. "This one can be quite wicked when she wants to be. Oh - and just so you know, the 'Me' puns don't stop."
Jack smiled warmly. "Duly noted." He took a moment to soak it all in: the tangible excitement in the air, the radiant, telepathic happiness of the TARDIS, his beautiful, new-found travelling companions.
He hadn't felt this much hope in a long time.
A small hand wormed its way into his. He looked to his side, and there was Clara - lovely, lively Clara, nonexistent pulse be damned. She laced their fingers together and tugged him around the console to the main controls. "Where would you like to go, Captain?" she asked him, her hand gesturing with a flourish over the various instruments, as if offering him first pick from a delicious buffet spread. Appropriate, mused Jack, given her choice of outfit.
At Clara's invitation, Jack typed a date, time, and set of coordinates into the control panel and then tilted the screen back towards her. A broad smile adorned Clara's lips. She swung the screen around to Me, who had been watching the two of them curiously. The corners of the Lady's mouth twitched upwards and sly anticipation seeped into her eyes.
"Oh yes," she said. "That'll do perfectly."