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Just once Jack Harkness would like the TARDIS to actually let him drive it properly....and not fling them through space and time randomly. They land with a thud, no idea where they are. And the TARDIS needs time to cool off. Great. They're stuck for at least a day. Hopefully nowhere too deadly. His blonde angel gives him a glare. "Jack.." He shrugs. "This is not my fault. Really, it isn't." The Doc turns on her heels and opens the door.
They all flinch at the smell. The Doc froens a bit. "Midevil ages it is then." You know those smells you can recognize immediately? This is one. He glances out the door and spots huts and forest and dirt and agriculture as far as he can see. "Yep" He pops the "p" because he's nervous. It's a bad habit (Trying to seem okay when he's shaking inside). He has...less than great memories of the last time he ended up in Europe during the dark ages. The "Gray incident" still gives him nightmares and claustrophobia. His Sunshine catches on to his true feelings, and gives him a soft look. He brushes it off.
She turns to address them all, but he just can't focus. He's pretty sure she's saying something important. Whelp. He's perfectly fine winging it. They head out of the safety of the blue box. She grabs his hand, giving him a bit of comfort. They take an uneventful hike to find the closest village. That helps a bit. They arrive in the village, and all eyes are on them. A shiver runs down his back. The Doc grips his hand harder. They approach the okayest looking hovel, and a man walks out. He makes Jack so uncomfortable. Doc walks up to the man. "Umm..Hello! We're lost. Could you tell me where we are?" He eyes their group with what can only be called malicious intent. "Transylvania." "Thank you! Could you help us find a place to stay?" Her Sonic picks the single worst time to fall out of her pocket. Jack curses under his breath. The man picks it up before she can.
Jack tenses. He doesn't want a confrontation. But luck is not on his side. The man eyes the Sonic suspiciously. He then presses the button and the object goes off. Great. The man looks at the Doc with wide eyes. "Witch!" With that, the village folks start to converge on their group. Not good. Another man appears in front of the fist one with a knife. Nononono. He won't let him hurt her. So he steps in front of her.
It all happens so fast. The knife man slashes at him and he stumbles back. Warm starts cascading into his throat and down his neck. He's shaking and in shock. He doesn't register the taste of blood for another few seconds. So much blood...he's choking. He can't get air into his lungs. He starts to panic and the pain starts to set in. He tries to scream, but blood runs out of his lips. Tears run down his cheeks. He's terrified. All he can think of is the death that's coming. He catches his love's teary eyes. He doesn't regret saving her. He smiles at her the best he can. She can't know how scared he is. He gets weaker and falls to his knees. He hears his love whimper. "Jack...love you..." She runs a hand through his hair. His word fades as he looks at her face.
He awakens with a painfully deep inhale. He doesn't know how long it's been since he died. His throat still hurts. But the blood has dried on him. He touches his throat and finda a long and thin scar. He's more worried about the others than himself. Where is he by the way? He looks around, and realizes he's on a cart full of bodies. 𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘴. Bile rises in his throat, and he heaves off the side of the cart. His vomit is blood red from what happened. He still feels weak from loosing all that blood. He jumps off the body cart. His body aches. He sees them then. His love and her "fam". They're tied down in front of the hut he was stabbed near.
He doesn't care what happens as he runs to his love. Her eyes light up when she sees him. But then someone yells from behind him "VAMPIRE!" He kind of does look like one. Pale, bloody, alive after "dying". Another mob starts to gather. "THE WITCH SUMMONED THE VAMPIRE!" He just can't catch a break, can he? The two idiots from earlier show their ugly faces. The mob presses closer in on him, setting off the panic signals in his brain. His breathing starts to get faster, even though it hurts. He backs up...right into someone's restraining arms. He squirms and claws and tries to bite, but he can't fend the mob off. Everything aches. And then he sees it. A wooden steak in the hands of one of the brutes. He curses. They're going to drive it into his heart! He starts to hyperventilate and scratch at his restraints harder, but the man doesn't budge. The man with the steak gets closer, and Jack goes into full panic mode, looking more feral animal than human. Nononono! He can't.....not again....not breathing....hurts throat.... choking again..?...no..!
Hands grab at him, and he desperately tries to fight, biting and hitting and scratching at anything that touches him. He's not thinking. He can't. He struggles so hard, but his bloodloss effected body can't keep up with his attackers. So many hands grab him tight. Yes he feels it penetrate his chest. It's such a blunt object that it takes a couple rams into his chest before it goes through him. 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘮. 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩. He feels blood pooling in his throat again. Tears run down his face. He can feel his heartbeat stop. 𝘖𝘩 𝘎𝘰𝘥. 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱. His world violently goes black as he dies agan.
When he painfully inhales and wakes again, someone is looking at him. . That someone is an European looking male with curly, almost matted black hair. Said male is wiping the blood off him gently. Jack tenses under the touch, and tries to sit up. The male pushes him back down gently. Jack calmes a bit. Now that he can get a good look at the male, he realizes that said person looks a bit off. First of all the anthropod has red eyes and very sharp canines. As if sensing Jack's curiosity, the not quite human decides to introduce himself. He looks into Jack's eyes. "My name is Vlad. I am not of this world. I am an Orquol. We are much like this species' legendary "Vampire". You seem like you aren't typical of this species, like me. So I think you can help me. Let me help you. Your friends are in a prison a few miles north, and your "mate" is supposed to be burned at the steak at dawn."
Jack has no idea what to do. Honestly. So he agrees the help Vlad. Vlad seems trustworthy. "No disrespect Vlad, but how do you plan-" "I am the apprentice to the prison warden. I can get your friends, but your mate is up to you, I am sorry. All I ask for is passage offworld." "Okay. Meet me at the blue box when my friends are okay. "What about-" "My mate is pretty self sufficient on her own, but I'm angry.l and I can be very manipulative. I can think of something." "Thank you. What is your name?" "Call me Jack." "Okay Jack, I believe you should be alright to move around now." "Thank you for this Vlad."
Vlad hands him a plate of edible looking food, as and he scarfs it down with reckless abandon. Vlad smiles at him. He smiles back. Vlad has gone through some things. Jack can see it in his eyes. He doesn't want to press the Orquol right now. Maybe back on the TARDIS. He knows when not to pry. Vlad has a right to privacy. All Jack is worried about is his love right now. He needs her. She's going to need him. Vlad suggests he get as much rest as he can, to help replenish strength. He climbs into the closest bed, and is asleep before he can think.
He wakes while it is still dark. He's not going to let anything happen to the Doctor. Even if it kills him... again. He's terrified, honestly. But he has to do this. He can do this. Vlad's hand squeezes his shoulder and he smiles. Time to go. They part ways, and Vlad promises to meet him at the TARDIS. Jack takes a deep breath and sets off. He's not going to let anything happen to his sunshine. He's back at the village within a half hour or so, and the sun is starting to rise.
There's a crowd. They're looking at a big steak with wood piled under it. His stomach drops when he sees his love tied to it. Official looking people surround her, questioning. His rage reaches a boiling point. He could kill everyone here, but he won't. She doesn't like violence. Jack jumps onto the platform. People gasp and scream. He runs through his speech in his head. He puts up a hand to quiet them. The preist looks at him with wide eyes. Okay, here goes nothing.
"People of Earth, why has this thou forsaken me and my master?" A few shocked gasps come from the crowd. The preist starts shaking. "Let this woman go, she is of mine, and there shall not be consequence." He wonders what he looks like. With his righteous rage and the golden rays of the sun shining on him. He knows he's being vague. He's just letting the people think he's someone important. The preist falls at his feet and asks for something. Jack can't hear him. All he's focused on is the look on his love's face as she is released.
Vlad is exactly where he said he would be, along with the fam. Good. The Doctor embraces every one of them, and promises to help Vlad find a safer planet. They enter the TARDIS and take a sigh of relief and get ready to hopefully destress. Jack's just glad to be safe again. He knows he's not really okay, but he can wait.
After Vlad is gone, everyone goes to thier respective rooms to rest. He stays at the console with his sunshine. They both have bad memories, and these will have to be addressed, but for now, they hold each other as close as they possibly can.