Jack- June 7th, 2009, Part Four
Oct. 16th, 2009 09:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ericadawn16Title: But Time Didn’t Stop
Characters: Jack, Rhi, Gwen Jack/Ianto
Rated: PG-13 ANGST COE Spoilers
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: Jack almost tells Rhi about his immortality.
Author's Note: Starts after COE.
Previous Segment: June 7th, 2009, Part Three
Masterlist: http://ericadawn16.livejournal.com/63337.html
June 7th, 2009, Part Four
“Did he suffer?” Rhi asked.
“No,” Jack lied, “It was fast, quick. It was very quick, just a little tightness in the chest.”
“But you weren’t there…”
“I was,” he corrected without thinking.
“You couldn’t be or you’d be dead, too,” Rhi spoke, shaking her head.
Uhoh, he thought and he had a second where he could have backpedaled. He could have complained about missing her brother’s last moments except that wouldn’t be right. Instead, he leaned over the table so he could whisper, “I can’t die.”
She pulled back; upset.
“Now, I’m trying to have a proper discussion about my dead brother and you’re telling stories. I don’t appreciate that. I’ve got two kids at home that tell me plenty and if you can’t be serious, then I’ll be leaving. Give me the keys,” Rhi chastised and was halfway out of her chair.
No, no, no, please don’t go.
“I didn’t mean it, I was just having a laugh, I’m sorry,” he apologized and was tempted to beg her to stay. He deserved the glare she was giving him. With a sigh, she sat back down.
“If I wanted a joke, I’d watch that Graham Norton,” she spat and folded her arms.
“I guess I just wish I’d been there, holding him as he…” Jack trailed off as the memory poised to take him over.
“You’d be dead, too,” Rhi uttered in a soft voice.
“If I died, at least I’d be with him,” he countered and recognized that look of pity in her brown eyes.
“Do you have it with you so I can see it?” she asked in a not so subtle attempt at distraction.
There was no need for explanation. He knew exactly what she meant and took it out of his coat before handing it to her. The Welshwoman took them and unrolled the papers carefully. For several minutes, he watched without speaking as she read, studied and at the end, held the document to the light.
“You used a pen. Most people would have just printed it on,” she remarked and he was impressed. Most people wouldn’t have caught that.
“It had to fool the military, it had to look real,” he replied and turned away for a moment; unable to look at her. Rhi put a finger to her lips, tapping before taking it away. Her eyes were glistening.
“Ianto used to forge when we younger especially our mum’s,” she spoke and gave the papers back.
“Are you upset?” Jack asked and she had every right to be if she was. With an audible inhalation of breath, she put her hands together on the table and seemed to be planning what to say.
“Am I upset with your marrying my little brother without his permission or knowledge after his death?” she clarified and he slunk back in his chair. It’s why he felt so guilty about it. It was a lie, but what bothered him so much was that he had so easily committed to him after death and Ianto would never know.
“I was peeved at first. I was for those very reasons, but you had your own reason. It was a good one. Otherwise, those pricks would still have him…,” her voice began to break and she tried to compose herself. He wasn’t sure whether to squeeze her hand or not.
“You got him back and that’s what matters, but there are a couple of things,” she continued and placed the cloth napkin in her lap, “Did you change public records, too? To make it fool the government? Is my brother listed as your partner?”
Not even Gwen had thought of this although she had seen him going through Ianto’s information so maybe she already knew.
“I had to change everything for it to work,” he confirmed and she nodded. Jack could undo it all tomorrow. He could suggest it to Rhi now yet it wouldn’t come out because he didn’t want to do it. The guilt still hung over him for the lie, but it felt right. When they looked back at the records years from now, the revisionist history was better than the truth. Silence permeated the air so thick it could have choked them. Then, the Welshwoman spoke again, “Do you think you would have done it? Someday on your own?”
No, he thought and hated it, but it would have never been his idea. If it happened, it would have been Ianto’s idea. Ianto had been the one to want some sort of normalcy even though it scared him. He’d been the one to suggest a proper date before Jack left. He’d been the one to suggest living together was more practical than two people in a small bed although Jack had surprised himself there. Living in a cozy house was far preferable to the small hole that had been underneath his office especially when he had the nightmares about being buried alive and Ianto would be there to comfort him. Still, Jack couldn’t even agree to a minibreak. Would he have been convinced at some point to marry again?
“I don’t know,” he answered and hoped it was the truth; that they could have reached that point if they had had more time, “I never wanted him to get too invested…and he did anyway. I thought he deserved better and he tried his best to make me better.”
She took his hand and squeezed. There was a sniffle or two on her part.
“I have a card for the mortuary,” said and she let go so he was able to take it out of his coat, “They do Newport, too, and the labtop is on the backseat.”
Their evening was at a close. He wasn’t sure what to say and it appeared that she didn’t know either. Rhi stood up, put the cloth napkin next to her uneaten plate and came over to him.
“Thank you, Jack,” she spoke and hugged him, “I’ll call you when I have a date.”
After he hugged her back, she let go and he watched her leave as he waited for the waitress to come back so he could have the cheque.
When he arrived home, he stripped and showered and slipped into bed as he had done the night before last, but sleep wouldn’t come. Every single tick and tock of the grandfather clock downstairs echoed in his ear. His arm reached for Ianto who wasn’t there. The bed was too large and he didn’t dare stretch to take up the space left behind. The pillow still held an impression and sheets were rumpled as he’d left them on that day when everything started to change forever.
“Why can’t I have you back?” he asked towards the other side of the bed. Only the ticking of the clock and the hum of various electronics answered his question and he cried into his pillow. When he had nothing left to give, he went down to the sitting room and lay on the couch. At some point, he turned on the telly so he wouldn’t have to listen to himself. More time passed and he was aware that on a normal day, they would be dressing, showering and readying themselves for work.
Today, he saw no point in any of it. There was no work to go to, no person to go there with and nobody who wanted him.
Jack just stayed on the couch for an hour and then two…and then it was the next day…and the next. Out of sheer exhaustion, he’d fall asleep but never for long. Then, the doorbell chimed.
“Jack! Jack, I know you’re in there!” cried Gwen’s voice and he groaned. He waited. Maybe she would go away…except this was Gwen and she was still there what must have been at least fifteen minutes later. Jack was only wearing blue boxers as he answered the door.
“Oh, Jack,” she uttered and he hated the look in her brown eyes. He wasn’t particularly in the mood to have this lecture in the open so he stood aside and said, “Well, come on in.” The leader of Torchwood sat back down on the couch and picked up a spoon of the bowl closest to him on the coffee table. Soggy cereal stuck to the spoon with milk dripping off it. He knew he should eat, but couldn’t bring himself to do it. The spoon plopped back into the cold mush.
June 10th, 2009
edf
Characters: Jack, Rhi, Gwen Jack/Ianto
Rated: PG-13 ANGST COE Spoilers
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: Jack almost tells Rhi about his immortality.
Author's Note: Starts after COE.
Previous Segment: June 7th, 2009, Part Three
Masterlist: http://ericadawn16.livejournal.com/63337.html
June 7th, 2009, Part Four
“Did he suffer?” Rhi asked.
“No,” Jack lied, “It was fast, quick. It was very quick, just a little tightness in the chest.”
“But you weren’t there…”
“I was,” he corrected without thinking.
“You couldn’t be or you’d be dead, too,” Rhi spoke, shaking her head.
Uhoh, he thought and he had a second where he could have backpedaled. He could have complained about missing her brother’s last moments except that wouldn’t be right. Instead, he leaned over the table so he could whisper, “I can’t die.”
She pulled back; upset.
“Now, I’m trying to have a proper discussion about my dead brother and you’re telling stories. I don’t appreciate that. I’ve got two kids at home that tell me plenty and if you can’t be serious, then I’ll be leaving. Give me the keys,” Rhi chastised and was halfway out of her chair.
No, no, no, please don’t go.
“I didn’t mean it, I was just having a laugh, I’m sorry,” he apologized and was tempted to beg her to stay. He deserved the glare she was giving him. With a sigh, she sat back down.
“If I wanted a joke, I’d watch that Graham Norton,” she spat and folded her arms.
“I guess I just wish I’d been there, holding him as he…” Jack trailed off as the memory poised to take him over.
“You’d be dead, too,” Rhi uttered in a soft voice.
“If I died, at least I’d be with him,” he countered and recognized that look of pity in her brown eyes.
“Do you have it with you so I can see it?” she asked in a not so subtle attempt at distraction.
There was no need for explanation. He knew exactly what she meant and took it out of his coat before handing it to her. The Welshwoman took them and unrolled the papers carefully. For several minutes, he watched without speaking as she read, studied and at the end, held the document to the light.
“You used a pen. Most people would have just printed it on,” she remarked and he was impressed. Most people wouldn’t have caught that.
“It had to fool the military, it had to look real,” he replied and turned away for a moment; unable to look at her. Rhi put a finger to her lips, tapping before taking it away. Her eyes were glistening.
“Ianto used to forge when we younger especially our mum’s,” she spoke and gave the papers back.
“Are you upset?” Jack asked and she had every right to be if she was. With an audible inhalation of breath, she put her hands together on the table and seemed to be planning what to say.
“Am I upset with your marrying my little brother without his permission or knowledge after his death?” she clarified and he slunk back in his chair. It’s why he felt so guilty about it. It was a lie, but what bothered him so much was that he had so easily committed to him after death and Ianto would never know.
“I was peeved at first. I was for those very reasons, but you had your own reason. It was a good one. Otherwise, those pricks would still have him…,” her voice began to break and she tried to compose herself. He wasn’t sure whether to squeeze her hand or not.
“You got him back and that’s what matters, but there are a couple of things,” she continued and placed the cloth napkin in her lap, “Did you change public records, too? To make it fool the government? Is my brother listed as your partner?”
Not even Gwen had thought of this although she had seen him going through Ianto’s information so maybe she already knew.
“I had to change everything for it to work,” he confirmed and she nodded. Jack could undo it all tomorrow. He could suggest it to Rhi now yet it wouldn’t come out because he didn’t want to do it. The guilt still hung over him for the lie, but it felt right. When they looked back at the records years from now, the revisionist history was better than the truth. Silence permeated the air so thick it could have choked them. Then, the Welshwoman spoke again, “Do you think you would have done it? Someday on your own?”
No, he thought and hated it, but it would have never been his idea. If it happened, it would have been Ianto’s idea. Ianto had been the one to want some sort of normalcy even though it scared him. He’d been the one to suggest a proper date before Jack left. He’d been the one to suggest living together was more practical than two people in a small bed although Jack had surprised himself there. Living in a cozy house was far preferable to the small hole that had been underneath his office especially when he had the nightmares about being buried alive and Ianto would be there to comfort him. Still, Jack couldn’t even agree to a minibreak. Would he have been convinced at some point to marry again?
“I don’t know,” he answered and hoped it was the truth; that they could have reached that point if they had had more time, “I never wanted him to get too invested…and he did anyway. I thought he deserved better and he tried his best to make me better.”
She took his hand and squeezed. There was a sniffle or two on her part.
“I have a card for the mortuary,” said and she let go so he was able to take it out of his coat, “They do Newport, too, and the labtop is on the backseat.”
Their evening was at a close. He wasn’t sure what to say and it appeared that she didn’t know either. Rhi stood up, put the cloth napkin next to her uneaten plate and came over to him.
“Thank you, Jack,” she spoke and hugged him, “I’ll call you when I have a date.”
After he hugged her back, she let go and he watched her leave as he waited for the waitress to come back so he could have the cheque.
When he arrived home, he stripped and showered and slipped into bed as he had done the night before last, but sleep wouldn’t come. Every single tick and tock of the grandfather clock downstairs echoed in his ear. His arm reached for Ianto who wasn’t there. The bed was too large and he didn’t dare stretch to take up the space left behind. The pillow still held an impression and sheets were rumpled as he’d left them on that day when everything started to change forever.
“Why can’t I have you back?” he asked towards the other side of the bed. Only the ticking of the clock and the hum of various electronics answered his question and he cried into his pillow. When he had nothing left to give, he went down to the sitting room and lay on the couch. At some point, he turned on the telly so he wouldn’t have to listen to himself. More time passed and he was aware that on a normal day, they would be dressing, showering and readying themselves for work.
Today, he saw no point in any of it. There was no work to go to, no person to go there with and nobody who wanted him.
Jack just stayed on the couch for an hour and then two…and then it was the next day…and the next. Out of sheer exhaustion, he’d fall asleep but never for long. Then, the doorbell chimed.
“Jack! Jack, I know you’re in there!” cried Gwen’s voice and he groaned. He waited. Maybe she would go away…except this was Gwen and she was still there what must have been at least fifteen minutes later. Jack was only wearing blue boxers as he answered the door.
“Oh, Jack,” she uttered and he hated the look in her brown eyes. He wasn’t particularly in the mood to have this lecture in the open so he stood aside and said, “Well, come on in.” The leader of Torchwood sat back down on the couch and picked up a spoon of the bowl closest to him on the coffee table. Soggy cereal stuck to the spoon with milk dripping off it. He knew he should eat, but couldn’t bring himself to do it. The spoon plopped back into the cold mush.
June 10th, 2009
edf
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-12-27 11:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-06 03:29 am (UTC)I also really want Lee Evans' character in Planet of the Dead to be Owen's cousin and I'm still curious about Tosh' family.
Thank You
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Date: 2010-01-07 04:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 04:53 am (UTC)