soniced_up | So put another dime in the jukebox, baby

The time: not that far in the future, by some accounts, by others Right Now. The place: a world not much unlike Earth in all the ways that matter (although okay, the sky's yellow more than it's not and the clouds are a little thicker but they addressed that, really they did, and it won't kill you unless you stand out in it all day. Probably). The cast: the usual suspects.

There's something to be said for dropping in unannounced. Admittedly, it tends to be the Doctor's main method for visiting, but it has a fair amount of appeal all the same; if who you're visiting can't predict your arrival, they can't intentionally avoid being there in the first place. You either expect a visit every day or settle into the complacency of "not today," and that, in all honesty, is where the Doctor likes them. So many more interesting things happen when people aren't expecting you, when they assume tomorrow is the day when it will happen instead of today. It gives you much better insight into people, he's found.

Today is no different. The telltale whirr and the TARDIS arrives within walking distance of wherever a certain captain has made himself at home for the moment, and not long after Doctor and Companion step out onto the street.

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A small colony on the surface of Pluto is where the good captain has settled for the moment. It's close enough to Earth that he can still keep an eye on certain people and be there in an instant if he's needed, but it's far enough away that he's not tempted to muddle in its affairs.

No, he's has enough of that for now.

It's time for the human race to grow a little, to get ready for their next "first contact" in the timeline, and they need to do it on their own. Not with the help of some crazed guardian from the future. He's actually feeling pretty refreshed by the change in location. Lonely, but refreshed.

But that's okay. He hasn't felt lonely alone in a while; a little suffering's good for the soul. He's actually a waiter in a little hole in the wall diner that's just a block away from the space port. Perhaps a bit of a let-down after being the high and mighty captain of a secret organization, but it's exactly what he wants. No responsibilities, no pressure, no choices more daunting than to flirt or not to flirt (the answer is always to flirt).

Just what he needs.

She is beyond excited. Absolutely beside herself. Every adventure he takes her on is exciting, even the ones that end in tears and running for their lives, but right now all of the universe pales in comparison to the prospect of seeing Jack again.

Nothing comes close to how much fun they have when it's the three of them and things are good, and it has been far far too long since that happened.

When they walk into the diner, she actually manages to wipe her smile off and put on a bit of a poker face. Maybe she'll pretend she doesn't remember him, or that they haven't met him yet, she hasn't decided. There's too many possible scenarios that she keeps running through her head, and mostly she's just clutching her Doctor's hand to keep herself steady and keep from running Jack down.

After a few centuries, the Doctor's an old pro at not wearing his emotions on his sleeve. His poker face is unshakable, every inch of his outward affect that of someone just passing through. A tourist, maybe, or someone on business, but Rose's barely repressed excitement is infectious; he squeezes her hand. Keep it simple, don't complicate the act too much.

They enter the diner and he immediately picks a booth for them to settle into; it's seemingly at random, but it's picked solely because it's in Jack's section. There's effectively no such thing as coincidence when the Doctor's involved, after all. And then he waits.

Oh, if they want to play this game, they will play this game. He's much more like the Doctor in that he can keep up an act for as long as he wants, and even though there's a bit of a smile when he walks out and spots them in his section, by the time he reaches their table, it's a full-fledged Harkness grin that every single customer gets and not a hint of recognition in his face.

"Welcome to the Crashdown, home of the famous Wrecking Ball, my name's John, you folks ready or do you need another few minutes?"

She can keep up an act, too! She always grins like this. Absolutely. Nothing suspicious about it.

"I'll just have some chips. What're you having, sweetheart?"

The grin gets a pointed look even through the facade, an unvoiced 'stop it' that's practically habit. He can't help it, it's a side effect of that grin.

"Chips sound fantastic, thanks."

Really, Rose, that smile is fooling nobody.

"Out of curiosity, what do the locals get, though? Or, better yet, what are the tourist-y things?"

"Well," he grins. "If you really want a treat, go for the CDR Sundae. It's a regular vanilla sundae with chocolate syrup and banana slices, chips on the side, and the extra special shot of Jack to chase it down."

Of course this dish doesn't exist. It is, however, now his favorite thing in the diner.

"Any chance of getting it without the Jack? I'm sure it'll be better without it."

Not that it's a surprise to anyone, but she won't be winning any Oscars for this performance. She barely manages to keep a straight face, but it doesn't help her much in selling it.

"What do you think, doctor? Do we need Jack?"

So put another dime in the jukebox, baby

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