Title: Back From Beyond
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Tenth Doctor/Ten.5
Fandom: Doctor Who
Rating: PG-13
Table: 6, 50ficlets
Prompt: 6, Truth
Author's Note: Continuation of A Different Feeling.
Author's Note: The inspiration for this story arc was provided by the lovely fortisgreen. The muses and I all thank her for suggesting a storyline and letting us run with it!
Warnings: Character death.
Author's Note: The human version of the Doctor is being referred to as John Smith in this fic, since it's the Doctor's human alias and his clone needed a name.
Author's Note: Spoilers for Journey's End, somewhat. This is an completely alternate take on the ending of Season Four.
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my own imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the Tenth Doctor, or his human clone. Please do not sue.

***

Jamie blinked, staring up at the Doctor with wide eyes. "What's happened?" he asked hoarsely, sounding frightened. He raised a trembling hand to his face, as though he was afraid that he would find some horrible change there. "Is something wrong with me?"

The Doctor shook his head hastily, taking both of Jamie's hands in his own and holding them tightly. "No, love, there's nothing wrong -- but you have changed," he said softly, his eyes not leaving Jamie's face. "I hope you'll feel that you've changed for the better."

"Changed?" Jamie looked startled, his dark eyes widening still more, until they looked enormous in his pale face. "What's happened to me?" His voice rose on a note of fear, his hands clutching at the Doctor's, his voice catching in his throat.

"Shhh, sweetheart, don't panic," the Doctor said soothingly, disentangling one hand from Jamie's grip to stroke his lover's hair back from his face. "It's nothing to be afraid of, love. Calm down, Jamie, it's all right. Just lie still and listen to me."

"Do I still look like you?" Jamie asked, the panic still evident in his voice, even though it was obvious that he was trying to keep it back. "I don't want to change, Doctor. I don't!" His tone was beginning to slide into fear again, his voice rising with each word.

How was he going to tell Jamie what had happened? It would be a shock to him to discover that he was now a Time Lord, whether it was something he had wanted or not. It was a huge psychological as well as a physical change; it would be hard for anyone to handle.

But Jamie had been able to handle having a Time Lord brain in a human body, hadn't he? He'd had to learn how to reconcile himself to being so much less physically than his mind told him he should be. If he could deal with that, then he could withstand this, as well.

Besides, this was what his lover wanted, the Doctor reasoned with himself. This wouldn't upset Jamie; it would make him happy. Or so he hoped, the Time Lord thought with an inward sigh. He had no idea how Jamie was going to react, now that his impossible dream had come true.

Maybe simply showing him would be easier than trying to put the metamorphosis into words, the Doctor told himself, keeping Jamie's hand clasped in his own. Moving slowly, he placed his lover's hand on his chest, splaying his fingers out, letting Jamie feel the dual heartbeats there.

At first, Jamie didn't seem to understand what had happened; then his jaw dropped, and his eyes seemed to widen even more. He moved his hand on his chest, feeling his heartbeats from different angles, seemingly unable to believe the physical evidence under his palm.

"This can't be true," he gasped, his voice sounding both hopeful and shocked. "How ....?" He looked up at the Doctor, his eyes pleading with the Time Lord to explain to him what had happened -- and to tell him that what he felt was indeed the truth.

"It's true, Jamie," the Doctor told him, his own voice soft with wonder. "You're a Time Lord. I don't know just how it happened, but -- I think that the Tardis may have somehow caused your death, and then used the Chameleon Arch to bring you back from beyond."

"How could she have done that?" Jamie's voice was hushed, his hand still resting on his chest. "The only way that could have happened was if you were in the Chameleon Arch with me -- and if something of your Time Lord essence fused with my body."

"I was," the Doctor said softly, his gaze still focused on Jamie's face. "I couldn't bear to let you go through that alone, even though there was no life in your body at the time. I know how much it can hurt -- and I was prepared to do anything to bring you back to me, Jamie."

"However it happened, it's a miracle," Jamie whispered, tears coming to his eyes. "I should feel different, shouldn't I? But I don't. I feel like the same man -- even though there are two heartbeats now. Is this how I've always been meant to feel? Should it be any different?"

"I don't know, love," the Doctor told him, sitting back with a sigh and shaking his head. "I suppose we'll have to find that out as we go along, won't we?" He could only hope that finding out the truth of just how much Jamie had changed wasn't going to prove too difficult -- either for his lover, or for himself.

***