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“What, so this is why you wanted to come here?” the Doctor demanded. “Thought you were serious about showing Rose the Spires of Serenity, not planning to relive the glory of one of your cons!”
Jack shrank into himself. He should've realized how it would look to them. Rose took his hand in hers and squeezed.
“Don't look like you're reliving old glory to me,” she said softly. “What's this really about, Jack?”
Before he could answer, the Doctor had his sonic screwdriver focused on the banking terminal, scrolling back, back, back. Jack winced. Now they'd know just how horrible he'd been.
The whine of the screwdriver stopped.
“You've emptied it?” the Doctor asked, his voice dangerously low. “Planning on leaving soon? Maybe Rose and I should just be on our way. You'll have enough to get just about anywhere with all that.”
“Jack?” Rose asked, her voice wavering a bit as she craned her neck to see the screen.
He couldn't answer. Things had just started going so well, and now he'd blown it. Nothing he could say would make this better.
“Doctor,” she asked, “what's the Founders' Fund?”
“Probably some shell corporation to hide his money in. Tax shelter sort of thing,” the Doctor replied with a derisive snort.
It wasn't, but it would sound like he was making up excuses if he tried to explain.
“Then why's there a sign for it over there?” Rose continued. “Says its about helping the colonists whose crops have failed or something.”
The silence stretched for eons before Jack dared look at the Doctor's face, his expression unreadable. Finally, the Time Lord turned to him.
“That wasn't the shell company,” he said.
Jack shook his head mutely.
“You brought us here so you could take the money out of your shell company and give it to people having a hard time making a go of it.”
Jack nodded.
The Doctor took his other hand. “Sorry, lad. Shouldn't have assumed.”
“Not like I've given you much reason to think otherwise,” Jack replied, finally finding his voice.
Both his hands were squeezed.
“Course you have,” Rose said. “Don't be an idiot. Now, are we going to check out those Spires of yours or not?”
Jack felt a grin break out across his face. Oh, she was going to love this. And the Doctor was going to love watching her love this. Just because he hadn't been up to what the Doctor thought didn't mean he was completely lacking in ulterior motives, after all, and if the day had just got that much better, with a little luck, it might just keep on going.