Title: Connected
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Tenth Doctor/Michael Cutter
Fandom: Doctor Who/Law & Order
Rating: PG-13
Table: VRD challenge - Orange, 5_prompts
Prompt: Polished amber
Warning: ongoing story, past non-con
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 Michael Cutter, unfortunately. Please do not sue.

***

"Are you sure that you wouldn't rather have something a little more traditional as an engagement ring?" Mike asked the Doctor, looking down at the piece of polished amber stone on the Time Lord's palm. "That's going to make a beautiful ring, but --"

The Doctor shook his head, holding up his other hand and stopping Michael's words in mid-sentence. "This is exactly what I want, Mike. For both of us, really. This stone holds a great deal of meaning on Gallifrey, and I'd like to have something of my home in this ring."

Mike nodded, looking down at the stone again. "It's lovely," he said softly, reaching out to take the gem from the Time Lord and hold it in his own palm. It felt oddly alive in his hand, as though it pulsed with the inner beat of an unseen heart.

"It feels warm," he said, his eyes widening. "And not just from your hand holding it. It feels as though --" He groped for words, unable to express what he wanted to say. "It feels as if there's a fire inside of it, warming it from the inside out. As it it has a life of its own."

"It does," the Doctor said softly, nodding. "Amber from the planet that this comes from isn't a sentient life form, obviously, but there's a fire to it, and a pulse that connects the stone to the person who's drawn to it. And that person would be me."

Michael stared at the stone in the palm of his hand, questions crowding into his mind. "Does that mean that the stone has a connection to me -- through you?" he asked, his gaze moving from the piece of polished amber to the Doctor's face.

The Time Lord nodded, smiling at Mike's anxious look. "Yes, it does. The stone becomes attuned to the person who's drawn to it -- and that connection extends to the people they're closest to. In my culture, amber is a stone that's used in some bonding ceremonies."

"That makes it perfect for us," Mike said softly, his fingers closing over the gemstone, feeling it pulse in his hand. It was strange that he already felt a connection to the stone -- and he almost felt as though he was closer to the Doctor because of it.

"It's already affecting you, isn't it, love?" the Doctor asked him, reaching for Michael's hand. "It's drawing the two of us closer together just because we're both holding it. And once we perform the bonding ritual, it will be a connection that no one will be able to break."

"Will we both have to wear parts of the stone all the time for that connection to be there?" Michael asked, frowning slightly. "I've never been one for wearing jewelry, but for this, I'll make an exception." He smiled, his gaze meeting his lover's. "It'll be like a wedding band."

"We can have it made into two rings, if that's what you'd like," the Doctor told him, his hand closing over Mike's. "That way, we'll always be connected through those rings -- and not only will they symbolise our connection through marriage, they'll be a connection of our hearts."

Mike swallowed hard, feeling a lump rise into his throat. "That's exactly what I want," he whispered, unable to speak more loudly. "I want that kind of a physical connection between us. I want to feel that there's a tangible bond that we can see."

The Doctor nodded, looking over at the man behind the counter. "This is definitely what we want," he said, his voice pleasant but with a hint of command in it. "We just need to see the settings for the rings so we can choose some that we like."

The shop's proprietor nodded, smiling benignly at the two of them before bringing out a small notebook and placing it in front of them. The Doctor opened it, moving closer to Mike as they stood looking down at the book together. "It looks as though we'll have a few to choose from."

As Mike turned the page, the Doctor's hand came down on the book; the Time Lord let out a slight gasp that made Mike turn his head to look at him with an inquiring expression. The Doctor was staring down at one of the pictures with wide eyes, looking surprised.

"What is it, sweetheart?" Michael murmured, looking back down at the book with a slight frown. One of those rings had obviously captured the Doctor's attention, and he hoped that whatever had startled his lover would be explained to him.

"That one," the Doctor said softly, his voice somewhat choked. "It looks exactly like the ring my mother wore, the one that my father gave her in their bonding ceremony." He swallowed hard, blinking rapidly as though he was holding back imminent tears.

Michael looked down at the picture that the Time Lord indicated; the ring he was pointing out was lovely, and he thought it would be a wonderful setting for the polished amber stone. It didn't look as if it was specifically made for one gender; it was a ring that would suit the two of them perfectly.

"It looks like we've found our rings," Mike said softly, lifting the Time Lord's hand to his lips and brushing a gentle kiss across his lover's fingertips. "It's beautiful, Doctor. And I think it's perfect for us. I'd be proud to wear that ring and show the world that I belong to you."

"You mean that we belong to each other," the Doctor corrected him, sliding an arm around Michael's waist and leaning against his lover with a sigh. "It almost doesn't seem real," he whispered, his voice soft and contemplative. "I never thought anyone would want to bond with me."

"There's nobody else I'd even think of bonding with," Mike told him, his voice equally soft. "I never thought I'd find the other half of me -- but I have. And it took someone who's from beyond the limits of my own world for me to feel that kind of connection."

The proprietor of the shop was approaching them again; they exchanged a loving smile before turning their attention to the business at hand, each of them feeling a sense of contentment that created a warm glow around them -- a glow enhanced by the amber stone cradled in Mike's hand.

***