"Hold still, Captain," the Doctor whispers as they lean together over the console. "This is a delicate instrument. Give her too much and she'll drift too far."

Jack doesn't have the voice to respond, so he just nods. The Doctor's right hand is guiding him in turning a dial, oh so slowly, his fingers just slightly covering Jack's. Jack has forgotten what it's supposed to do (he thinks it might be the era-adjustment scanner, but who can tell with this ship?) because the Doctor's left hand is on the small of his back, keeping him perfectly still, except for his heart, which is threatening to burst from his chest.

It's amazing what that man can make him do, when Jack thought he was through taking orders. The Doctor's a good teacher, though, except Jack's never had a teacher who got this kind of reaction out of him. He wishes he hadn't chosen such tight jeans from the wardrobe.

"What does TARDIS stand for?" the Doctor drills, his breath cool in Jack's ear. He's pressed so close to him Jack wonders if the Doctor can hear his heartbeat. He can definitely feel the goose bumps on Jack's arm, can feel him shiver, even through the wool of his jumper sleeve. Jack wishes he'd ditch the jacket more often. The Doctor hides himself under too many layers. Jack imagines stripping them off him, his hands searing on cool skin. Maybe that would make the Doctor shiver.

"Time and relative dimension in space," Jack murmurs, his voice just slightly quivering. He feels the Doctor's eyes on him, appraising him, making him wait for approval. Even though he knows he's right, Jack's stomach twists.

"Good job," says the Doctor finally. "You're a quick study. Now tell me: How fast can she go?"

"As fast as you can take her," he answers immediately and he can feel the Doctor's chest moving as he laughs.

"Clever," he observes. "Guess you aren't as bad as some of the duffers she picks up."

Jack isn't sure what this refers to, but he nods. The Doctor steps away and Jack aches, missing the contact. It's not warm, but he needs it, wants to move closer but can't.

"Now that we know when we're going, it's time to establish where." The Doctor positions himself a few inches down the console and Jack moves to stand by him. He's a dedicated student, focused on his goal. The Doctor places both hands on Jack's shoulders, positioning him in front of himself, as they were before. This time, the Doctor's thigh is pressed against his bottom and it's definitely deliberate. That was no accidental movement, especially the way he shifts. Jack unconsciously moves forward a little against the console.

"This handle," says the Doctor, moving Jack's hand to the appropriate spot, "gets pulled. Like this."

It's a string, coming out of the console. Jack's never seen a control like this and he's surprised when the Doctor reaches around him, brushing his arm, and hits a button. "We're moving!" Jack exclaims stupidly as the center column begins to rise and fall, the now-familiar whooshing sound filling the room.

"Always," says the Doctor. His grin is enough to stop Jack's heart. "We're always moving. Even when we're parked, you know the planet's moving."

The Doctor cranes his neck to look at the monitor readout. Jack admires the tendons of his throat, more visible now without that jacket. He's thinking about layers again, wondering how quickly the Doctor will kill him if he moves a hand up under that jumper, maybe across the tender skin of his stomach.

The Doctor shifts again and Jack wants to move, wants to get away before it's too late. He can't stay like this; if the Doctor's doing this on purpose to wind him up, he's achieved his goal. Jack steps away, swallowing hard.

"Where are you going?" the Doctor asks. "I haven't shown you the rest yet." And then he's moving toward Jack, calculatingly, and Jack fights the urge to run as the Doctor closes the short distance between them.

The kiss is rough at first; the Doctor is claiming Jack's mouth with his own, his hand applying a slight pressure to the back of Jack's neck. Jack can give as good as he gets; he kisses back, matching the Doctor's fierceness, letting his hand trail up under the jumper, across cool skin, finally eliciting that real shudder as the Doctor takes Jack's bottom lip between his teeth.

They're moving, always moving, joined as they fall together through time and space. The Doctor can't tell the difference between the movement of the universe and the movement of Jack against him, inside him and for a moment, just a brief, shining moment, Jack thinks he can feel what the Doctor feels all the time. Jack is breathing hard against the Doctor's shoulder after, needs the coolness to temper his heat or he's afraid he'll combust.

"So you can fly her," the Doctor murmurs, still with that breath in his ear. "Now I'm going to show you how to land."