Jack- August 12th, 2009
Oct. 31st, 2009 05:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ericadawn16Title: But Time Didn’t Stop
Characters: Jack, Gwen, Rhys Jack/Ianto Gwen/Rhys
Rated: PG-13 ANGST COE Spoilers
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: Jack and Gwen investigate a rift spike.
Author's Note: Starts after COE and song lyrics are Broken by Lifehouse.
Previous Chapter: August 1st, 2009
Masterlist: http://ericadawn16.livejournal.com/63337.html
August 12th, 2009
“Always something,” she remarked in a hoarse voice at the noise and wiped her eyes, “It’s a positive spike.”
A positive spike like the one he was seeing could mean only one thing and he wasn’t in the mood for it right now. However, they were the only ones who could deal with that. He picked up his coat and said, “Come on.”
“Jack, are you sure? Maybe we should wait and Johnson or Lois could go with you,” she suggested with a newfound sense of caution. Her hands rested over her stomach.
“Do you want them to find out about Flat Holm today?” he asked and she frowned, “Jonah took Ianto and I combined to bring in, but I’ll protect you. Nothing’s going to happen.”
They both knew he couldn’t promise that. However, it worked and she went with him to a spot designated by the rift program as being near the castle.
Too bad it couldn’t tell us what we’re looking for, Jack thought as they looked for what could be anything that used to be human. Then, he spotted the pure white hair. It belonged to a girl; not much older than Micah, and she was staring at everything with amazement.
“Hi, can you tell us your name?” Gwen asked, approaching her, “We just want to help.”
The girl looked from her to him and he saw the brightness in her green eyes grow dim. She started to scream.
“No, sweetheart, we’re good,” the Welshwoman spoke and tried to get closer. Jack reached inside his coat for a cloth, grabbed the girl and placed the cloth over her nose until she was still.
“What’d you do?” she questioned and appeared like she was about to hit him.
“She’s sleeping,” he informed her, putting the cloth back and taking the girl in his arms. They walked back to the new SUV they’d bought and he buckled her in the back, moving the white hair out of her face. He could feel Gwen staring and looked back.
“I just…I’ve never seen you…” she stumbled over her words before finally nodding, “It’s cute.”
“Alice was a girl once,” he reminded her and she knew he’d taken out Mica for the afternoon last month.
“I know,” the Welshwoman replied although something was still bothering her. They were quiet during the ride to the ferry, sailing over the water and when he laid the girl in a fresh bed in her room. He took off the dirty shoes on her feet and Gwen broke the silence, “Tara Demarcus, age 8, disappeared three months ago.”
“Maybe she’ll be fine, maybe she’ll be able to be returned,” he spoke and put the sheet over her chest.
“Has that ever happened?” she asked, playing with her ring. He sighed as he stood up and had to admit, “No.”
“I think I’m beginning to understand what you meant before. I look at her and that could happen to my child and there’s no way of stopping it. I worry about Torchwood and how my work could affect my baby, but there’s all these other things that could go wrong,” Gwen told him as she hugged herself, “I don’t know how I could cope with it.”
She was being so open that he felt guilty that he was going to break a promise to her, but he could admit his earlier fault.
“I lied before when I told you about my son and when he died,” he revealed and she studied him, “He wasn’t my first child. The first child I had was a girl. There were complications. They had to cut her out too soon and she died.”
“Oh, Jack…” she started and went to take his arm. He shrugged out of it.
“It was a very long time ago. I was a different man then, with a different life. I hadn’t even died yet,” he uttered and buttoned his coat.
“Her poor mum, too…she must have felt terrible,” the Welshwoman spoke and stroked her belly.
“Yes, it was horrible,” Jack agreed, remembering the tiny body, “I swore I’d never have another one.”
“But you did…” she pointed out and he held the door open for her. How should he answer that?
“I did,” he said and walked into the hallway after her, “But it was never on purpose.”
Gwen made a face and didn’t look at him. They had almost reached the reception desk when he turned on her.
“Do you want me to tell you it was worth it? That I don’t regret any of the children I fathered or that first daughter I had? You want some reassurance?” he demanded so her brown eyes widened in fear and she mouthed a ‘yes.’
“Because I can’t deny that, when I first held them in my arms was incredible, but they die and it hurts” Jack told her while looking at anything but her, “And it’s not just then, but every time that they have a disappointment because you want them to be happy and you can’t …it’s not possible that bad things won’t happen to them and that hurts, too.”
“But it’s worth it?” the Welshwoman asked and he closed his eyes.
“Yeah,” he admitted, stepping in front of receptionist, “Meet me outside. I just have to tell Helen something.”
He watched her leave and Helen spoke, “I was sorry to hear about your young man.”
“Yeah,” Jack agreed and put his palms down on the wood, “If Gwen Cooper, the young woman I was just with, calls or arrives without me; I want you to respect her the same way you act with me.”
“Of course, Captain,” she acknowledged, “You’re going away for a bit?”
“I was thinking about it,” he conceded and she gave him a little smile.
“It could be good for you; traveling,” the woman told him, “Might get your mind off things.”
“Yeah,” he said and hoped she would be right.
***********************************************************************
Jack pressed the button and waited four days later. This was the first time he’d seen their new house. It was nice.
“Jack!” Gwen exclaimed and hugged him. She was wearing a red dress and caught him looking so she spun around.
“I’m fourteen weeks so I’ve got to wear this stuff while I still can,” she explained and he smiled. She was so excited.
“Happy Birthday,” he told her with a hug and a kiss. The Welshwoman took the blue wrapped box from him and motioned for him to come in.
“Thanks for being here; I have a few more things to do so sit with Rhys in front of the telly,” she said, taking his coat and leading him to a sitting room. He gave an acknowledgement to the other man and sat down.
“I’m surprised she hasn’t given you the tour…”
“Rhys, Jack’s never seen the house before. You should show him around,” Gwen called from the other room.
“Spoke too soon…she already has the baby’s room planned out even though the second story is almost all boxes,” Rhys explained with a smile, “Did you want…?”
His expression was unsure.
“No, this is fine,” Jack assured him and patted the arm of the couch.
“You want a beer? Gwen can’t have them but she keeps them around for me,” the other man offered and he thought about it. He hadn’t had one in awhile.
“Sure,” he agreed and Rhys got up to get it. When he returned, Jack took a sip and the shows played in front of them. He liked that the younger man didn’t feel a need to make conversation like Gwen would have done. The show ended and the adverts came on. One was for a film and when it began, the hostess hurried into the room.
“Carrie said they’d made a movie, I read the book and then I gave it to…umm…” she struggled with who it was as Jack and Rhys watched.
In the pain is there is healing
In your name I find meaning
The music came on the telly. He sighed as Gwen still tried to remember.
“Ianto,” he said and they both looked at him, “You gave it to Ianto.”
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on
I'm barely holdin' on to you
I'm hangin' on another day
The music continued in between the dialogue and the announcer.
“You know, there’s probably something else on, maybe that Paul O’Grady,” Rhys suggested and picked up the remote. Jack shut his eyes and slumped against the stiff couch. His lover’s laughter was in his head.
“Rhys, just leave it and come help me in the kitchen,” she spoke in that voice which was secretly a command.
August 16th, 2009
edf
Characters: Jack, Gwen, Rhys Jack/Ianto Gwen/Rhys
Rated: PG-13 ANGST COE Spoilers
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: Jack and Gwen investigate a rift spike.
Author's Note: Starts after COE and song lyrics are Broken by Lifehouse.
Previous Chapter: August 1st, 2009
Masterlist: http://ericadawn16.livejournal.com/63337.html
August 12th, 2009
“Always something,” she remarked in a hoarse voice at the noise and wiped her eyes, “It’s a positive spike.”
A positive spike like the one he was seeing could mean only one thing and he wasn’t in the mood for it right now. However, they were the only ones who could deal with that. He picked up his coat and said, “Come on.”
“Jack, are you sure? Maybe we should wait and Johnson or Lois could go with you,” she suggested with a newfound sense of caution. Her hands rested over her stomach.
“Do you want them to find out about Flat Holm today?” he asked and she frowned, “Jonah took Ianto and I combined to bring in, but I’ll protect you. Nothing’s going to happen.”
They both knew he couldn’t promise that. However, it worked and she went with him to a spot designated by the rift program as being near the castle.
Too bad it couldn’t tell us what we’re looking for, Jack thought as they looked for what could be anything that used to be human. Then, he spotted the pure white hair. It belonged to a girl; not much older than Micah, and she was staring at everything with amazement.
“Hi, can you tell us your name?” Gwen asked, approaching her, “We just want to help.”
The girl looked from her to him and he saw the brightness in her green eyes grow dim. She started to scream.
“No, sweetheart, we’re good,” the Welshwoman spoke and tried to get closer. Jack reached inside his coat for a cloth, grabbed the girl and placed the cloth over her nose until she was still.
“What’d you do?” she questioned and appeared like she was about to hit him.
“She’s sleeping,” he informed her, putting the cloth back and taking the girl in his arms. They walked back to the new SUV they’d bought and he buckled her in the back, moving the white hair out of her face. He could feel Gwen staring and looked back.
“I just…I’ve never seen you…” she stumbled over her words before finally nodding, “It’s cute.”
“Alice was a girl once,” he reminded her and she knew he’d taken out Mica for the afternoon last month.
“I know,” the Welshwoman replied although something was still bothering her. They were quiet during the ride to the ferry, sailing over the water and when he laid the girl in a fresh bed in her room. He took off the dirty shoes on her feet and Gwen broke the silence, “Tara Demarcus, age 8, disappeared three months ago.”
“Maybe she’ll be fine, maybe she’ll be able to be returned,” he spoke and put the sheet over her chest.
“Has that ever happened?” she asked, playing with her ring. He sighed as he stood up and had to admit, “No.”
“I think I’m beginning to understand what you meant before. I look at her and that could happen to my child and there’s no way of stopping it. I worry about Torchwood and how my work could affect my baby, but there’s all these other things that could go wrong,” Gwen told him as she hugged herself, “I don’t know how I could cope with it.”
She was being so open that he felt guilty that he was going to break a promise to her, but he could admit his earlier fault.
“I lied before when I told you about my son and when he died,” he revealed and she studied him, “He wasn’t my first child. The first child I had was a girl. There were complications. They had to cut her out too soon and she died.”
“Oh, Jack…” she started and went to take his arm. He shrugged out of it.
“It was a very long time ago. I was a different man then, with a different life. I hadn’t even died yet,” he uttered and buttoned his coat.
“Her poor mum, too…she must have felt terrible,” the Welshwoman spoke and stroked her belly.
“Yes, it was horrible,” Jack agreed, remembering the tiny body, “I swore I’d never have another one.”
“But you did…” she pointed out and he held the door open for her. How should he answer that?
“I did,” he said and walked into the hallway after her, “But it was never on purpose.”
Gwen made a face and didn’t look at him. They had almost reached the reception desk when he turned on her.
“Do you want me to tell you it was worth it? That I don’t regret any of the children I fathered or that first daughter I had? You want some reassurance?” he demanded so her brown eyes widened in fear and she mouthed a ‘yes.’
“Because I can’t deny that, when I first held them in my arms was incredible, but they die and it hurts” Jack told her while looking at anything but her, “And it’s not just then, but every time that they have a disappointment because you want them to be happy and you can’t …it’s not possible that bad things won’t happen to them and that hurts, too.”
“But it’s worth it?” the Welshwoman asked and he closed his eyes.
“Yeah,” he admitted, stepping in front of receptionist, “Meet me outside. I just have to tell Helen something.”
He watched her leave and Helen spoke, “I was sorry to hear about your young man.”
“Yeah,” Jack agreed and put his palms down on the wood, “If Gwen Cooper, the young woman I was just with, calls or arrives without me; I want you to respect her the same way you act with me.”
“Of course, Captain,” she acknowledged, “You’re going away for a bit?”
“I was thinking about it,” he conceded and she gave him a little smile.
“It could be good for you; traveling,” the woman told him, “Might get your mind off things.”
“Yeah,” he said and hoped she would be right.
***********************************************************************
Jack pressed the button and waited four days later. This was the first time he’d seen their new house. It was nice.
“Jack!” Gwen exclaimed and hugged him. She was wearing a red dress and caught him looking so she spun around.
“I’m fourteen weeks so I’ve got to wear this stuff while I still can,” she explained and he smiled. She was so excited.
“Happy Birthday,” he told her with a hug and a kiss. The Welshwoman took the blue wrapped box from him and motioned for him to come in.
“Thanks for being here; I have a few more things to do so sit with Rhys in front of the telly,” she said, taking his coat and leading him to a sitting room. He gave an acknowledgement to the other man and sat down.
“I’m surprised she hasn’t given you the tour…”
“Rhys, Jack’s never seen the house before. You should show him around,” Gwen called from the other room.
“Spoke too soon…she already has the baby’s room planned out even though the second story is almost all boxes,” Rhys explained with a smile, “Did you want…?”
His expression was unsure.
“No, this is fine,” Jack assured him and patted the arm of the couch.
“You want a beer? Gwen can’t have them but she keeps them around for me,” the other man offered and he thought about it. He hadn’t had one in awhile.
“Sure,” he agreed and Rhys got up to get it. When he returned, Jack took a sip and the shows played in front of them. He liked that the younger man didn’t feel a need to make conversation like Gwen would have done. The show ended and the adverts came on. One was for a film and when it began, the hostess hurried into the room.
“Carrie said they’d made a movie, I read the book and then I gave it to…umm…” she struggled with who it was as Jack and Rhys watched.
In the pain is there is healing
In your name I find meaning
The music came on the telly. He sighed as Gwen still tried to remember.
“Ianto,” he said and they both looked at him, “You gave it to Ianto.”
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on
I'm barely holdin' on to you
I'm hangin' on another day
The music continued in between the dialogue and the announcer.
“You know, there’s probably something else on, maybe that Paul O’Grady,” Rhys suggested and picked up the remote. Jack shut his eyes and slumped against the stiff couch. His lover’s laughter was in his head.
“Rhys, just leave it and come help me in the kitchen,” she spoke in that voice which was secretly a command.
August 16th, 2009
edf
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no subject
Date: 2009-11-06 03:38 am (UTC)