Shooting Stars

by DocSidXII

Summary:

Peter has just learned of a shocking tragedy in his family.

Jenna cancels all her plans to comfort him.

She takes him far outside London to a place where she's always wanted to visit.

There, someone reminds them of an inescapable truth:

Time is fleeting, and we must make the most of it while we still can.

Notes:

For those who ship the Colepaldi ship, at least in another reality where both Peter and Jenna are single. Like me. :D

Chapter 1: Evanescence

Summary:

Peter learns of a tragedy in his family and instinctively comes to Jenna for comfort.

Jenna immediately drops everything and plans a getaway for the two of them.

There, they meet a stranger who reminds Jenna of some uncomfortable truths.

Jenna Coleman was in her trailer, rummaging through her extensive wardrobe.  They’d just finished filming a scene from Mummy on the Orient Express, and she was still dressed in the sexy flapper outfit she’d worn there.  The cast and crew had several hours before they resumed filming the following day, and she was determined to make the most of it.  She’d called a close friend who lived close by for ideas, and it so happened that a few others of their classmates from high school were going out clubbing that night.  She’d have to change into something else, of course, because her outfit was a spoiler for the entire episode, but that could be easily done because she had dozens of stylish dresses and just as many pairs of shoes.

A soft knock sounded on the door of her trailer. Jenna froze.

Ugh. That better not be Moffat asking for a reshoot because he doesn’t like the dailies.

Praying that the interruption wasn’t anything related to work, Jenna reluctantly opened the door. 

It was Peter Capaldi, also still dressed in the suit he'd worn for the episode.

Jenna immediately brightened, pleased to see him despite them being together not more than half an hour ago.  “Oh, hi, Peter! Funny, I see you haven’t changed, either…”  Her voice trailed off when she registered his expression.  “What’s wrong?”

Peter Capaldi looked up at her with red-rimmed eyes. “A first cousin close to my age just died,” he said faintly.  “They found him collapsed in the bathroom.  He was supposed to come over for a reunion with me and some other relatives from Glasgow over the weekend, and I just read it in the family group chat…”

“Oh, my. That’s horrible. Wait a moment.” Jenna hastily redialed her friend.  “Liz.  Liz.  It’s me again, Jenna.  Sorry, I can’t make it tonight after all.  No, I’m fine, it’s…” she scrambled for a plausible excuse that wouldn’t impinge on Peter’s privacy, “it’s a family emergency, just cropped up…”

Peter, who’d wandered into her trailer like a lost little boy, glanced at her in dismay.  “Oh, I’m sorry, Jenna, did you have plans?  I really wasn’t thinking, I better go—"

Jenna put a hand over the receiver of her mobile.  “Shut up, Peter.  You’re not going anywhere.  Right now, you're my one and only priority, so I’m canceling everything, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”  She put the phone back on her ear.  “Just tell the girls to take a rain check, yeah?  I'm sorry, hon.  I’ll get back to you soon.  Bye!”

She dialed the number of Paul Wilmshurst, their current director.  “Paul.  It’s me, Jenna.  Look, you don’t need us ‘til tomorrow at seven, right? Good.  Make it twelve, ‘coz I’m taking Peter out.”  She sighed.  “Where?  I’m not sure yet.  Maybe an ice cream parlor.  Maybe a movie theater.  Somewhere comforting.  Have you heard—? Right, that’s it.  Poor guy’s shell-shocked.  If I don’t sort him out, he won’t be in a fit state to film tomorrow at all.  Got that?”  She listened for a moment.  “I’ll do my best. Just don’t bother us tonight, yeah? No calls. I’ll update you.”

Jenna then dialed a third number, that of her PA.  “Sarah. Sorry for the short notice.  Remember that place I wanted to rent but never could?  Can you ask if it’s available tonight? No, you heard me right.  Tonight.  Tell them I don’t care if I have to pay double the price. I’ll stay on the line.”

She waited half a minute, tapping her foot impatiently and shooting Peter commiserating looks.  He’d slumped on her makeup chair and was staring blankly at his hands.  “What? It is? Shit, reserve it for me now, please!  And tell the owner I’m arriving in no less than two hours with a plus one.  What, who?  Peter. Yes, that Peter. Look, just lock it down, okay?  And don't tell anyone. Thanks so much, Sarah! You’re a lifesaver!”

She tossed her phone back in her purse and faced Peter. “You got something warmer than that to wear? A coat, jumper, shirt, stuff like that?

Peter furrowed his brows.  “Yes.”

“Go change.  I’ll give you fifteen minutes.  Also, pack a change of clothes, sleepwear, toiletries, and anything else you might need for an overnight stay.”

“I thought you told Paul you were only taking me for ice cream or a movie—”

“Of course not, silly.  I was just putting him off the scent.  I don't want anyone finding out where we're really going.”

Peter looked confused, but he followed her instructions anyway.  He left for his trailer while Jenna quickly changed from her slinky dress to more sensible jeans, a blouse, a cardigan, a jacket, and boots.  She also filled an overnight bag from her closet.   When she was done, she jumped out of her trailer and proceeded to Peter’s.  He was already outside, bundled in several layers, a small duffel bag in his hand. His attire resembled his character's, except his coat had no red lining.

“I think this is a bit much for anywhere I can think of in the city.”

 Jenna grinned and grabbed Peter’s hand, towing him to the parking lot.  “Well, obviously, we’re not going anywhere in the city.”

He followed her docilely. “Where are we going?”

“We’re going glamping.”

Peter made a baffled noise. “What is ‘glamping?’”

Jenna grinned back at him.  “You’ll see.  I’m going to distract you like you wouldn’t believe.”

“Jenna—”

They’d reached her car, which was a bright red convertible. She pushed him toward the passenger’s seat.  “It’s a surprise.  Trust me, Peter.  You do, don’t you?”

At that, he smiled slightly and put his bag on the back seat, the corners of his eyes crinkling.  “Always.”

Jenna threw her bag carelessly on the back and got in the driver’s seat.  “Good. You’re gonna love it.”

 

Jenna drove for two hours out of London on a winding road that snaked steadily upward.  She pushed the 70-mile speed limit, chuckling as Peter braced himself nervously against the dashboard.  Buildings, houses, and man-made structures slowly fell away behind them until they were passing open fields and thick forests on either side, only sporadically broken by the occasional farmhouse. It felt as if they were leaving civilization altogether.

The temperature dropped steeply as night fell.  Peter realized with gratitude why Jenna had made him dress like she had.

“I’m a little hungry, and I need to go to the loo,” he confessed after a while.

Jenna touched his arm quickly, not taking her eyes off the road.  “Don’t worry, luv, we’re nearly there.”

She didn’t notice his delighted grin at her calling him, ‘luv.’

About five minutes after she said that, they turned into a small, almost invisible lane that led to a cul de sac.  Jenna parked next to a gorgeous little log cabin surrounded by gnarled, old-growth trees in the middle of nowhere, with pretty yellow lanterns hanging from the branches and fireflies swirling in the bushes. Crickets and frogs chirped unseen around them. A cheerful-looking woman in her forties was waiting for them. 

“Jenna Capaldi?” the woman called out.  “I’m the caretaker your PA talked to earlier, Louise Mortimer.”

Jenna laughed, exchanging embarrassed glances with Peter as they exited the convertible.  “It’s Jenna Coleman, actually." She gestured to her companion. This is Peter Capaldi.”

Louise’s eyes bugged out when her eyes fell on Peter, with his height, shy grin, and grey hair.  “Wait, aren’t you—?”

“Yep, he’s Doctor Who,” Jenna confirmed. “The twelfth.”

“Thirteenth, actually,” Peter muttered to Jenna from the corner of his mouth, which only caused her to roll her eyes.

“Omigod, my husband’s gonna freak when he finds out who we’re renting the cabin to!” Louise frantically pulled out a notepad and a pen. "Sorry, could you just-?" 

Peter obligingly autographed it, then Jenna. 

"And both of you can return anytime you want! You just message me, Miss Coleman, or Mr. Capaldi, and if your date's already booked, I'll heartlessly kick them out." 

Peter rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.  "I don't know about me...I mean, Jenna will probably want to come back alone or with someone else..."

"Oh, something tells me she's not going to be taking anyone else here," Louise said slyly, pocketing her notebook and pen.  Without waiting for anyone to answer, she drew out two sets of keys and handed one to each of them. "Okay.  So those unlock the front and back doors.  The bathroom has toiletries, towels, spare sheets, and other stuff.  I’ve also filled the fridge and a basket with food, as requested, Miss Coleman, and the tap is potable. The cabin has a living room with a fireplace and two, um, rooms with queen-sized beds.”  She cleared her throat, looking at Peter and Jenna. “That is if you’re using them both.”

Peter and Jenna both reddened.  “Yes, of course, two rooms, one each…” they both mumbled, not looking at each other.

“Alright.  Check-out is tomorrow at twelve.  You may want to rest before the shower at midnight.  It usually lasts until dawn.”

“Shower?” Peter repeated, uncomprehending. 

“That’s my surprise,” Jenna said, winking at Louise.  “Don’t tell him.”

“Oooh.” Louise rubbed her hands in glee.  “You’re going to enjoy it, Mr. Capaldi.  We have one of the best vantage points you can ask for.”

Peter only smiled uncertainly, not understanding what they were talking about.

“I was kind of surprised your cabin’s free tonight; I’d have thought this day would have been booked for months,” Jenna said to Louise conversationally, returning to the car. When Peter realized what she was doing, however, he beat her to it, taking their bags and toting them to the porch in front of the door like a true gentleman. 

“It was booked.  Then the client canceled this morning.”  Louise lifted her hands.  “Serendipity.”

“Indeed,” Peter interjected, smiling warmly at her before unlocking the door and taking their belongings in.  Louise blushed under the force of his charm.  She went surreptitiously to Jenna, who had decided to put the hood back on her car so the insects wouldn't get in. 

“He’s still single, isn’t he?” Louise asked her breathlessly.

“Yes, I believe so,” Jenna said, trying not to chuckle.  She often had to field insinuating questions like this from starstruck female fans and admirers.  It didn’t often happen, however, that the admirer already had a husband who was also an avid admirer.

“Why haven’t you put the move on him yet?”

Jenna stopped what she was doing, momentarily stunned.  “What?”

“You’re single too, aren’t you?”

Jenna let out a disbelieving laugh, forcing herself to resume installing the hood.  “Um, yeah, at the moment.”

“Is it the age gap between you?”

Jenna shook her head, her fingers moving automatically. Louise's question was quite personal, but it wasn't one she was afraid of answering.  “Not at all. I don’t care about that. Never have.”

“He may, hon. That's what may be stopping him from saying anything to you."

Jenna looked at Louise sharply.  “Why do you say that?”

Louise gave Jenna an almost pitying glance.  “Oh, sweetie.  He fancies you.  At least as much or even more than you fancy him.”

Jenna colored, but she couldn't help a certain lightness from spreading over her chest.  “He does?"

Louise rolled her eyes. “Honey, It’s obvious.  There’s a certain way he looks at you when he thinks you can’t see him.  And you look at him the same way.  It’s adorable. I’m sure everyone at your BBC set has already noticed.”

Actually, they had.  There'd been some teasing from the set members lately that Peter was showing special warmth to his female co-lead, something he'd never shown before to any of his other leading ladies. Jenna had scoffed, but Peter had only blushed.  Jenna hadn't ascribed anything to his reaction, but now that it was coming even from a complete stranger...

Louise put a hand on Jenna’s arm.  “I know we’ve only known each other five minutes, hon, and it’s not my place to say this. But life is fleeting. Don't waste time. Anything can happen.  It’s like those things you’re about to watch.  They last for a fraction of a second, then they’re gone.  You don’t want to wake up one morning full of regret. Do you?”

 

Chapter 2: Carpe Diem

Summary:

Peter tells Jenna about the tragedy in his family.

And apparently, his cousin Malcolm Tucker had another tragedy--a romantic one, and not it's one Peter wants to repeat.

Jenna stared back at Louise.  She suddenly remembered why they were here in the first place—because Peter’s cousin had died without warning, a man who was almost the same age as him. 

Don't waste time.  Anything can happen.

After a pregnant silence, Louise squeezed Jenna’s arm and let go.  “Listen to me, yammering away.  You better follow Mr. Capaldi inside before he gets lost.  You know how men are: helpless. Even the Doctor.”  Winking, Louise moved off into the gloom, presumably to her own house. 

Jenna gazed vacantly at the direction Louise had disappeared into, thinking.

Peter stuck his head outside the door. “Jenna? Aren’t you coming in? This place is amazing!”

Jenna shook herself out of her trance. “Yeah, be right there!”

When she stepped inside the threshold, Jenna had to admit that Peter was right.  Even the pictures she’d seen online hadn’t done the cottage justice. The interior was warm and cozy, done up in golden-brown tones, with vintage lamps glowing in strategic corners.  Slouchy leather sofas were arranged in front of a roaring fire with a thick fur rug and a low coffee table in front of it, already set up with a tray of bread, fruit, and a small bucket of ice with a bottle of bubbly in it, courtesy of the Mortimers.  Bookshelves filled with tasteful classics and bestsellers lined the walls. There were only small touches of technology, like a small refrigerator, a microwave, and a toaster, in the small kitchen, emphasizing the rustic ambiance.  Three closed doors led to what Jenna assumed were two bedrooms and a bathroom.

A small dining table for four on one side had a large, fully packed picnic basket on it, complete with a large blanket. Jenna went straight to it and rummaged around for a while, smiling.  Louise must be precognitive or something.  She’d thought of everything.

Peter came out of the bathroom, shaking his hands free of water. He'd already put their bags in their respective rooms. “Ready to eat? I looked in the refrigerator, and it is stuffed.  We don’t even have to cook; I think there are already some pre-made meals in there—”

Jenna walked up to him and put her hands on his chest, smiling.  “You have a longer coat than this, don’t you?  The light brown one, I think I’ve seen you wear it. And a scarf.”

Peter looked down at her hands. He seemed pleased rather than unsettled at the unexpected intimacy of her touch.  “Yes. They’re in my bag.”

“Put them on. We’re going out.”

“Out? But why leave? You must be tired from driving, and this place is great—”

“I didn’t say out out. Just out.” Jenna pointed to a glass door at the back of the kitchen, which led to the backyard of the house.

“You want to have a picnic at nine in the evening?”

Jenna laughed and let him go so she could put on her long coat and scarf from her bag.  “What did I say earlier?”

“Trust you.  Right.”  Peter chuckled and went to his bag so he could do as he was told.

When he was finished, Jenna put the picnic basket in his left hand. “Carry this.”

“This is heavy.”

“You’ll be grateful for that in a while.”  Jenna took his right hand and pulled him through the glass door to the back of the house.

“Oh, wow.”

Peter now realized why the road they’d been driving on for the past two hours had slanted steadily upwards. The cabin they were in was apparently at the edge of a copse on the side of a hill, sloping gently down into a dark valley beneath them. Central London twinkled about 200 kilometers away and a few hundred feet down, which meant the light pollution at that level was almost nil. The wind was chilly, but Jenna had prepared him well for that.

There was a wide, flat expanse of fragrant grass behind the house.  The edge bordering the drop-off was sporadically illuminated by more of the flickering, faux candlelight lanterns they’d seen at the front of the property.  The vast vault of the heavens was laid out in all its stark majesty above them, splashed with the several billion stars of the Milky Way and the various other cosmic bodies that could be seen with the naked eye.  There was no moon.

There were tears in Peter’s eyes when he looked back down at Jenna.  “Thank you.”

Jenna squeezed his hand. “You’re welcome.” She was tempted to add luv again at the end of her sentence, but somehow, she felt like it had a deeper meaning now, something she couldn’t just say like a throwaway expression.  She tugged him forward. “Help me with the blanket.”

Together, they laid out a big blanket—a red checkered one—in the middle of the field.  The light from the lanterns was just bright enough to let them see what they were doing yet dim enough not to impede their view of the night sky. When they were done, they sat in the middle.  Jenna rummaged through the basket and brought out two medium-sized tins of still-warm shepherd’s pie and two metal forks.  She also brought out two cool cans of apple cider.  She gave one set to Peter.

“Oh, good, I’m starving! Thank you.”

Jenna watched with a wave of affection as Peter attacked his food like a schoolboy.

“This is good! Thank the Mortimers for me.”

“Sure will.” Jenna started on her own pie, but a lot more sedately. “There’s banoffee pie and bread pudding here, too, if you’re interested.”

“You can bet I’ll sink my teeth into those, too, thanks.”

For the next thirty or forty minutes, they ate and drank together in comradely silence, side by side, their shoulders or elbows sometimes touching accidentally.  Jenna felt a thrill every time this happened and wondered if Peter felt the same.

When he was nearly through with his food, Peter spoke up.  “So.  Aren’t you going to tell me why we’re here, outside?”

Jenna gestured all around them with her fork.  “Isn’t this incredible view enough for you?”

She could feel Peter’s intense gaze on her.  “Yes, of course.  But I distinctly got the impression from you and Louise that you’d planned something else.”

Jenna smiled mysteriously.  “You have no idea how right you are.  But you’ll have to wait until midnight to find out.”  She carried on eating, mischievously ignoring his inquiring look.

By the time they’d finished dessert and cleaned up, it was nearly half past ten, and Peter was yawning, which was strange considering Jenna had driven them there.  His grief must have taken a lot out of him. Jenna took pity on him.  She rearranged her position into a half-kneeling position with her legs folded under her and patted her lap with both hands.

Peter stared at her, not understanding.  “What do you want me to do?”

“Lie down flat and put your head on my lap.  You can nap while we wait.”

Peter balked.  “What?”

Jenna grinned.  “You’re not shy, are you?”

“But your lap!”

“Peter—”

“Yes, trust you, I remember.”

Peter clumsily maneuvered himself into a supine position. He was so tall that his legs stuck out of the blanket onto the grass.  Jenna had to move to one corner of the blanket so he could stretch out diagonally across it, both of them giggling like children at the ridiculousness of the situation. 

Peter lay his head gingerly on the tops of Jenna’s thighs, his weight so light that she knew he was as stiff as a board. 

“Relax,” Jenna scolded, pushing the fingers of both hands into Peter’s hair so that he was forced to lie back fully against her. His curls felt soft and springy against her skin, and she found herself unconsciously making gentle massaging motions on his scalp with her fingertips.  Peter released an involuntary sigh of pleasure, closing his eyes and drifting off within minutes.  Jenna ran her fingers soothingly through his hair with one hand.  When she was sure he was asleep, she started lightly tracing the contours of his face, down his temple, across his eyes, down his nose, and hesitantly across his lips with a finger. 

Wondering what it would feel like to kiss him.

After about an hour, Peter started to stir.  Jenna hastily repositioned both hands back on his hair.

“Peter? Are you awake?”

“Yes.  I’m so sorry, I must have dozed off…”

“What was your cousin’s name?”

Peter blinked. “Malcolm Tucker.”

“How old was he?”

Peter pursed his lips.  “He was a few years younger than me.”

Younger.

Jenna felt a slight tightening in her throat.  “What did he die of?”

Peter sighed. “A massive coronary.”

Jenna’s hands tightened involuntarily on his temples.  “You mentioned he had no warning?”

“I guess we weren’t really surprised.  He was a senior politician.  It was a very stressful, high-stakes job.  He was always angry and always swearing. Only at work, mind; he always dialed it down with us. We wouldn’t have hung out with him otherwise.  But we knew it would take a toll on him sooner or later.  I guess it was sooner.”

Silence for a few heartbeats.

“Did he have any family? Wife, kids?”

“Naw, not Mal.  Well…” Peter trailed off.

“Well, what?”

“He wasn’t married.  But he always wore a wedding ring.”

Jenna burst out into a startled laugh.  “What?”

“He carried a torch for a woman that I won’t name.  But she was in the opposite political camp, so any kind of relationship between them would have been doomed.  At least, that’s what he thought.  As far as we know, he never even tried to chat her up.  But just when he’d mustered the courage to ask her out, she went with another guy from Mal’s own camp, whom she eventually married.  There was no controversy, no blowback.  Nothing. Mal never let on how shattered he was.  But that was when he started wearing a plain gold band on his left fourth finger.  We teased him about it, but he never told us what it was for.  One of our other cousins eventually figured it out, though Mal never did confirm it.  But we knew we were right.”

Jenna caught Peter’s left hand as he gestured.  Her fingers closed over the gold band on his fourth finger.  “You mean like this? Who is this ring for?”

Peter went scarlet, wordlessly clenching his fist.

Jenna closed her eyes, her pulse thundering. All these signs couldn’t be a coincidence.  It was now or never. 

“Peter—”

“Jenna—"

They both broke off with a tentative laugh. Jenna gestured.  “Go ahead.”

Peter took a deep breath, turning the ring round and round his finger.  “Jenna…I know I’m more than twice your age, and this could potentially ruin our working relationship on the set, but…would you ever consider, even in an alternate universe…dating me?”

Jenna stared down at his upside-down face in the starlight.  Not answering.

Peter groaned in humiliation, putting his hands over his eyes and trying to sit up.  “Shit.  I knew I shouldn’t have said anything.  I’m sorry, Jenna, just forget everything that I—"

Jenna pushed him back down on her lap. “Oh, shut up, Peter.”  Then she leaned down, and she covered his lips with her own.  Spiderman-style.

Minutes passed.  Or hours. Maybe centuries. The galaxy wheeled above them.  And silently, the first stars began to fall.

Jenna straightened up slowly, biting back a grin.

Peter looked shell-shocked again, but for a completely different reason.

“Um.  Wow.  I guess that means yes.”

Jenna punched him gently on one shoulder. “No, you dolt.  That’s a ‘What took you so long?’”

Peter chuckled sadly.  “You know why.  You know how people would see a relationship between us. I’m either a dirty old man, you’re a gold digger, or—”

“In other words, we can’t win.” Jenna tapped his nose.  “But haven’t you learned something about me by now, Capaldi?  I don’t give a damn what other people think.”

“And thank God for that,” Peter breathed, catching her hand and kissing it.  A brilliant streak of light in the corner of his eye diverted his attention.  “Hey! That was—” Another one zipped by on a different quadrant of the sky.  “And another one! Meteors!”

Jenna checked her watch.  It was almost exactly midnight.  “The Perseids are right on time. That was the shower we were talking about.” She gently put Peter’s head on the blanket, then lay beside him.  She pillowed her head contentedly on the hollow of his shoulder, curling into his side. Peter put an arm around her. 

Shooting stars flashed intermittently above them—a cosmic fireworks show that was a study in evanescence.  Here one second, gone the next.  Jenna and Peter could only watch in awe and fascination.

“Thank you for my surprise,” Peter whispered.

“You’re welcome,” Jenna murmured back.

His arm tightened around her. “It’s sad that it can’t last forever.”

“That’s not the point, Peter,” Jenna said, turning his face to hers so she could kiss him again. “It’s not how long it lasts, but how beautiful it was while it lasted.”

 

--THE END--

 

 

Notes:

Peter Capaldi, Jenna Coleman, and Malcolm Tucker! An unlikely trio indeed. But I needed a third (although unseen) figure who most readers here would immediately recognize and connect with, and Malcolm fit the bill.

If you enjoyed the story, throw me some kudos and especially comments!! They fuel my inspiration to write!

LOVE, the Doc

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 2 of Colepaldi Collection