Title: Out of the Shadows
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Tenth Doctor/Ten.5
Fandom: Doctor Who
Rating: PG
Table: 4
Prompt: 69, Villain
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.

***

The Doctor had hoped that he could hide what had happened from John, but the moment that he stepped inside the Tardis, the other man was approaching him with a worried frown.

"What happened?" he asked, his voice betraying his worry. "You look like you've been through a wringer. I almost came looking for you -- it felt like you were gone much longer than you'd said you would be, and I thought you might have gotten into trouble."

How could he answer that? He hadn't really gotten into trouble -- but it had come looking for him, as per usual. That was something he seemed to be able to count on, no matter where he went, or how good his intentions were. He was a trouble magnet, as Jack would say.

He sighed, wanting to keep everything that had happened from John, but knowing that he had no right to. After all, it was John who had been threatened; whatever Hart might be planning to do, it obviously involved his human self, and it wouldn't do John any good to be kept in the dark when his life could very well be in danger.

"I .... had a run-in with someone from the past. Someone who I don't even know very well, but who thinks they know me," he said, his voice dry. "I hadn't thought of him in ages, but it seems that he's been thinking about me -- and keeping an eye on me, as well. He knows about you, and he knows that I've gone out of my way to keep you with me."

"Which means that he knows what we mean to each other," John finished for him, a frown settling over his features. "What did he do? Did he threaten you in some way?" His small fists clenched at his sides, the frown turning into an angry scowl.

The Doctor swallowed hard, not wanting to frighten John by telling him the truth of what had been said. This man had a Time Lord brain, but he still had very human fears -- and the Doctor didn't know just how he might react to finding out that his life had been threatened. But still, he had a right to know, didn't he? He was the one who would be most affected by this.

"He .... threatened you," the Doctor said, wishing that his voice wouldn't shake. He could barely get the words out; probably a delayed reaction to the fear he'd felt seep through him when Hart had hissed those words into his ear. Fear for John, mainly -- but also fear for himself.

It was selfish, he knew. He should be thinking about John, willing to do anything he had to do to keep his love safe. But part of that fear was for himself, as well -- the fear of what it would feel like to lose John, to be alone again, to have the person he cared for most in all the world ripped from him and know that he'd been the cause of it.

That was what Hart was playing on, and he knew it. He couldn't let that fear overtake him. That would be letting the bastard win before the fight had even started.

"Me?" John blinked, looking puzzled, his dark eyes widening. "Why would he threaten me? He doesn't even know who I am .... oh." His words slowed and trailed off as the realization hit him. "He's been watching you. Watching us."

"Yes, he has," the Doctor said, sighing as he leaned against the console. "And I didn't even know it. I'd thought that his interest in me had ended when Jack and I parted. But apparently, he still holds the fact that Jack didn't want to be with him against me. He's so convoluted with hatred and jealousy that he feels he has to 'punish' me for something far in the past."

John looked shaken at his words; he leaned against the console next to the Doctor and looked down at his feet, at the floor, anywhere but directly at the Time Lord. When he finally spoke, his words were slow and measured, as though he was thinking about what he wanted to say and making sure that he said the right thing before he spoke.

"Maybe he feels that you want Jack back again," he ventured, the words almost as much of a question as a statement. "That I'm just some sort of a .... a smoke screen to mask what you're really after. From what you say about him, his mind seems to work that way."

"I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he does think that," the Doctor mused, considering John's words. What his lover was proposing certainly seemed feasible, knowing how psychotic John Hart could be. "But that's a bit labyrinthine for him, I'm afraid."

"Is it?" John said softly, his voice shaking more now. "Are you so sure that he doesn't want to remove me from the picture so he can be validated in his belief that you're still after Jack?"

The Doctor looked up sharply, a frown settling on his features. "John, you don't honestly think .... You can't believe that I ...." He shut his mouth with a snap, his dark eyes widening as he looked over at John. "Please tell me you don't think I would ever want to be with Jack again. That was over long ago. The romantic feelings as well as the relationship."

"I know that you're still close to him," John whispered, looking away, not meeting the Time Lord's gaze. "And that you still care for him. That was obvious when we were all together when I was .... born." His voice faltered on the last word, then petered out, his eyes focused on the floor.

The Doctor shook his head, moving to stand in front of John and placing his hands on the other man's shoulders. "Of course I still care for him. Jack and I were friends before we were lovers, and we're still friends. But I don't have any romantic desires for him any more. Not even 'for old times' sake.' Nothing like that will ever happen between us again. Not even if I didn't already have you."

He reached out to John, pressing a finger under the other man's chin and making him look up to meet the Doctor's eyes. Leaning forward, the Time Lord brushed his lips over that soft mouth, closing his eyes and gathering John into his arms.

"Don't ever think that I would trade you for anyone. Not Jack, not any other person I've ever known," he whispered, wrapping his thin arms around John and pulling the other man as close to his body as he could. "I'll never give you up. Never."

"I couldn't ever give you up, either," John murmured, his slender body relaxing in the Doctor's arms. "For a moment, I thought -- I thought that the way this man thinks might be true." He shook his head, arms tightening around the Time Lord's waist. "What kind of a man is he, to stalk you around the galaxy and then threaten you?"

"A man who neither of us want to know," the Doctor told him, sighing and pulling back slightly, running a hand through John's soft hair. "He's a villain, someone from the darker side of Jack's past. Someone who I don't want around you. He's not to be trusted, not for any reason. He's already done far too much to Jack -- and I don't want to give him the opportunity to focus on you."

"But even as he spoke the words, he knew that it was already too late. Hart had already focused on John -- just the fact that he knew of John's existence, and how he'd come into being, was proof of that. And exactly how had he discovered this?

The Doctor's eyes narrowed as his mind went over the possible ways that Hart could know about his human self. He wasn't going to voice any of them to John, but he was almost certain he could pinpoint how that bastard had found out that John was here with him. No, he didn't just think he'd discovered the way. He knew it beyond a shadow of a doubt.

What better way than to 'punish' him -- and John -- by going off together, than by sending someone after them who would threaten to destroy what they had? He should have expected it. He should have known that they wouldn't be allowed to have their happiness for very long.

Jack wouldn't have done such a thing, no matter how angry he was. No, he knew who'd done this. And it only made him more glad than ever that he'd never have to deal with that person again.

What better way to take some kind of twisted revenge for not getting what she wanted? Sending a psychopath after John and himself, trying to make sure that the man he loved was ripped away from him. If she couldn't have him -- or have his clone -- then she wouldn't let them have each other.

It would put a strain on their relationship, with him being overly protective of John, and trying to keep his lover from being in the middle of anything that he tried to do. Something that was calculated to try to drive them apart, that would make them not want to be together.

But he wasn't going to let this come between them, and he wasn't going to let anything happen to John. He'd just have to be very watchful, be sure that he kept John close to him. And he'd have to try harder than ever to stay out of trouble.

"Don't worry," John whispered, his lips against the Doctor's ear. "Nothing's going to happen to me. I promise. I have you to look after me, don't I? I'm safe as long as I'm by your side."

The Doctor shook his head, sighing softly. "No, John, you've got it wrong. You're probably in much more danger of something horrible happening to you as long as you're with me. But I'm too selfish to let you go. I can't bear the thought of not having you with me. And I'm not going to just leave you somewhere with the excuse of keeping you safe."

"I don't want to be safe if it means being away from you," John answered, raising his head and looking into the Doctor's eyes. He took the Time Lord's face between his hands, leaning forward to press a gentle kiss to the other man's lips. "I'm willing to face anything that comes my way, as long as I can face it with you."

"There's no telling when he'll decide to try something," the Doctor said, frowning and looking towards the door of the Tardis. "It's best that we get out of here now, so he won't have us in his sights right away when he decides to come looking."

"You're right," John said, glancing at the door and then back at the Doctor. "It's a bit of an adventure, isn't it? Not that every day with you isn't, but --"

"But this is one that neither of us saw coming," the Doctor agreed, trying to make his voice sound lighter than his mind felt. He wasn't at all sure of his this particular adventure would turn out, and all he could do was hope that the outcome would be on their side.

***

Next story in series - Welcome To Your Nightmare.