Broken: A Time Lord's Story (Doctor Who Novel)

Chapter 30 Memories

Jack honestly didn't think  he could handle anything else breaking his heart.‭ Just thinking straight  was  hard thanks to a mix of emotions tumbling around inside his head.‬‬ Life would be so much easier if he could run -- as far and fast as possible.  He needed to find somewhere high on a mountain where he could scream his own frustration and anger to the universe. But then he looked in Thete's pensive green eyes and remembered that big eared lug that he'd met in a hospital basement so long ago. Rose called him Spock then. He had to use the Chula ship computer to figure out the name came from a TV show. The moment he saw the two together dancing in the TARDIS,  Jack fell in love -- with both of them. Things hadn't changed -- much.

‭ ‬Maybe, things would‭ ‬be different if he'd just bought that man their first drink all those years ago. Maybe, if they had that moment that he'd lusted after then, they wouldn't all be sitting here now.‭ ‬But he didn't, and they were. The impossibly young looking man who stared back at him with bloodshot eyes felt like that man's little brother, and he expected answers about his life. Despite a far different connection to his old friend, Jack intended to do just that. He took a deep breath and shoved his emotions back behind thick walls where they belonged.

How much truth do you tell someone who has no idea who and what they are? How much do you lie to your best friend? He looked at Thete and smiled.‬ The safe version of the truth just might help him remember. If it did, ‭ ‬the little lies would be worth it.‭ ‬ Jack did what he always did. He did what he thought was right.

"At least, you remember Amy and Rory from last night. That's good. It's a start. What do you want to know --your job, your family, what?"

"I want to know why someone did this. I want to know,  if I'm British, how I wound up in an alley. In America. I want to know --"

"Everything," Jack filled in.

"Yes," Thete demanded.

"Right then." He leaned forward. "It's a long story. First -- yes, you're British. Your father was a proper lord, and you come from a long line of people bound by rigid rules and regulations. You were just never very good at that life. The story of how you wound up in the alley is a bit convoluted, but it started a few months ago with Amy's kidnapping."

As he launched into the safe story of the Doctor's last few months, Jack watched Thete's expression turn from confusion to stunned disbelief and finally plain anger. Despite the changing expressions, wheels were turning in Thete's head. Jack‭ could see the struggle in his eyes. Part of Thete's brain heard the Doctor calling out from some hidden corner, but the larger part was still running. The resulting mix of emotions hit Jack in waves. Maybe, Jack thought, I should have kept my mouth shut.

By the time Jack finished, Thete was on the verge of hyperventilating.  "I don't remember any of that."  The questions tumbled out‬ rapid fire. "This is my fault.‭ ‬It really is‭ ‬-‭-‭ ‬all my fault.‭ ‬How could I let someone steal a baby‭? ‬ I should have gotten it back.‭ ‬ Why didn't I get it back‭?  Why would they want to sell me? What did I do wrong?"  Thete stared at his pictures with tears of anger, shame and frustration tracing their way down his cheeks.‭

Jack leaned forward not caring if Thete jerked away. "Calm down, now -- before you make things alarm and we both get in trouble, well mostly me -- still, calm down or the story ends now," Jack ordered. "You didn't do anything wrong. Your family has a long history of interfering in the plans of people who would like to take over the world. You are the last one. Doc, ‭ ‬what happened wasn't your fault.‭ ‬ You didn't let anybody take that baby.‭ ‬They took it so you wouldn't interfere in their plans."

"What plans? What did they want‭?" ‬

Watching the man who stood off a Dalek invasion sink into the bed in fear sent a fresh wave of anger through Jack. "I don't know,  but I will find out."