Jack- November 25th, 2009, Part Two
Dec. 6th, 2009 12:59 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ericadawn16Title: But Time Didn’t Stop
Characters: Jack, Rhi, Mica Jack/Ianto
Rated: PG-13 ANGST COE Spoilers MPREG
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: Jack tells Rhi about Grey and more.
Author's Note: Starts after COE.
Previous Segment: November 25th, 2009
Masterlist: http://ericadawn16.livejournal.com/63337.html
November 25th, 2009, Part Two
“I changed his nappy once. I was six and it wasn’t like changing one of my baby dolls at all. He weed all over me,” Rhi said with a laugh. Jack smiled and then she stopped, suddenly, saying, “He was my little brother and I was all he had. It feels wrong, like I failed. Can you imagine that…feeling like I’ve failed my own flesh and blood?”
“I can…I really can,” he replied and his words faltered. Her arm squeezed him close and she leaned onto his shoulder.
“Tell me, Jack. It’ll feel better to let it out,” she whispered and maybe he should try again. He hadn’t told anyone since Ianto and that had been soon after having to freeze Grey.
“I had a little brother. I was six when he was born and I loved him so much. When he was nine and I was fourteen, our planet was invaded. Father told me to protect Grey and I held his hand while we were running, but…but his hand slipped and I let go without realizing it,” he uttered in a soft voice as Rhi continued to hold him, “When I reached safety, he wasn’t there with me. I ran back, trying to find him but he wasn’t there. I thought he’d gone back home. When I got there, he wasn’t there either and…and my dad was dying.”
She took him with both arms.
“Did you ever find him again?” the Welshwoman asked and he nodded.
“But I wish I hadn’t. When they abducted him, he was tortured to the point where I didn’t recognize him anymore,” Jack whispered, “They took all the humanity from him so he didn’t have any left. There was nothing of the boy I remembered.”
She was still holding him close when there was another shriek of delight from the children.
“You aren’t around children much, are you?” she questioned and tried to smile. He shook his head.
“Every time one of them screams, you tense up,” Rhi explained and it was true that he hadn’t been around children much. However, if he didn’t have a lot of experience, the baby he was carrying had even less and was startled with each and every shriek.
“Why did you wait so long before running away? Were you just waiting for his headstone to be put up or…was it something else?” she inquired with that same level of curiosity that Ianto would have had and she was lucky enough to catch him at a vulnerable moment. Normally, he would have just left by now because Gwen was right about that. Leaving seemed to be what he did best.
“What did the government allow the telly to say about how the 456 were defeated?” Jack asked her and she was thrown by what seemed to be an abrupt change in discussion.
“There was a boy and he asked if they could please just leave and that made them take pity on us and leave, but there was a car accident a couple of days afterward where he and his mum were killed,” the Welshwoman reported with a roll of her brown eyes, “I think that’s a cock and bull story if ever I heard one.”
The tears he’d kept in check while talking about his brother threatened to escape.
“You’re right,” he agreed, closing his blue eyes for a second which appeared to make his tear situation worse from Rhi’s expression, “We figured out a sound that could kill the 456 but in order to transmit it to them, we had to use the children. Steven was the conduit and it was too much and…he died. There was nothing glorious about it. He died screaming and he was only ten.”
“David’s age,” she uttered and he saw her wheels turning, “but why him?”
Jack put his hands to his face and inhaled deeply.
“Because he and his mum had already been taken into custody by the government as insurance against his grandfather,” he stated while only looking down at where the coat bunched; hiding his baby bump. Beside him, Rhi hissed.
“The more I learn what really goes on in that government, the more I hate it,” she complained and shook her head, “And to top it off, they lied about his death to make them look good and gave him that travesty of a funeral as though that could make up for it all. I understand now why the grandfather wouldn’t give interviews or show up. If my David died…I wouldn’t either.”
“Then, you understand the real reason why I left,” he whispered in a hoarse voice. His meaning was unmistakable and she gasped.
“Oh, Jack, he was your grandson,” she said and he nodded. Her arms embraced him again and he was tempted to cry except Mica could see them and he didn’t want to upset her. He was glad the baby wasn't kicking.
“It should never have happened. He was an innocent child. My daughter had changed her name and her past, but they sorted it out somehow anyway,” he spat, “and it’s all my fault.”
She pulled away and he wondered if she’d point out how Steven had saved the rest of the children on Earth; that he fulfilled one of Ianto’s last wishes. Instead, she used that patented Jones glare like when her brother was frustrated with him.
“Not everything has to be your fault. You could blame Steven on a government who could abduct ten year olds and Ianto on the aliens and anyone else on fate, but you can’t be blaming yourself like this. It’ll eat you up,” she spoke and crossed her arms, “It’s not your fault.”
“I think it is,” he argued yet he didn’t have the guts to admit that he’d been the one to let them do that to Steven or give the 456 those kids in 1965. What if he refused? What if he stood up to them all those years ago? Wouldn’t Steven and Ianto still be alive?
Rhi sighed and wrapped her denim coat tighter around herself.
“You’re leaving, aren’t you?” she guessed again with saddened glare. There was a slight shrug of the shoulders.
“I don’t mean leaving the park or a Tesco’s or something,” the Welshwoman growled, “You’re leaving for…”
With that, she inclined her head and raised her eyebrows upwards.
“Yeah, that’s my plan,” he conceded and she moved closer.
“You haven’t told Gwen then, have you?” Rhi asked with her arms still crossed.
“No, she’s going to try and talk me out of it,” Jack spoke, shaking his head and looking at the children who were so blissfully unaware of cruel life could be.
“Good,” she declared and he turned towards her, “I get it. I do. I might do the same were I in your place, but Gwen and I aren’t the only person who’d want you to come back here someday.”
“What? Who?” he questioned because Mica would forget him, Alice would probably prefer never having to see him again and Martha would understand.
“Your husband.”
It was like she’d slapped him in the face. Not since the day he’d claimed the body had anyone referred to Ianto as his husband.
“That’s what he is, isn’t he?” Rhi inquired although he knew not to say a thing, “You made it real enough to fool the government. Well, then it must be real and he’ll be your husband until you find someone else to marry.”
“No, there’ll never be someone else,” he stated and shook his head.
“I appreciate the loyalty to my brother,“she spoke with a sympathetic expression, “But forever’s a long time to be alone, Jack.”
She took his right hand.
“I want you to be happy but if you leave and never come back, you’ll be turning your back on everything he stood for, everything he fought for and loved,” Rhi stated with a voice that wavered between sadness and anger, “You’re my brother-in-law, Jack, which means you’re the only family I got and I’m the only family you got. I want to see you again.”
“I get everyone killed who cares about me,” he warned her and she shook her head.
“It doesn’t have to be that way. You could make a fresh start,” she suggested and he liked the idea, but…
“That’s what I was trying to do,” he said and couldn’t help putting his left hand in his coat pocket to feel the bump. With a sigh, she let go of his hand and stood up before rifling in her purse. She took out a piece of construction paper folded in half with a paper clip that kept it shut.
“When you reach where you’re going, I want you to look at this and maybe then, you’ll find your way back,” she spoke and couldn’t contain the plea in it.
“I have something for you, too,” Jack told her and stood up so he could reach his inside coat pocket. He traded the disc for the green paper bundle.
“Another cd?” she asked and he shook his head.
“This is a dvd,” he explained and she nodded, putting it in her purse. Mica came over.
“I saw a dinosaur. It was flying in the air,” she said with a huge grin.
“Really?” he confirmed and hoped it was Myfanwy. The only response he received was a giggle.
“Is Uncle Jack coming to tea?” the little girl inquired with her brown eyes fixed on him.
“I don’t know, is he?” Rhi questioned and looked at him as well. He nodded which made her have a tiny smile on her face as they walked away.
November 26th, 2009
Characters: Jack, Rhi, Mica Jack/Ianto
Rated: PG-13 ANGST COE Spoilers MPREG
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: Jack tells Rhi about Grey and more.
Author's Note: Starts after COE.
Previous Segment: November 25th, 2009
Masterlist: http://ericadawn16.livejournal.com/63337.html
November 25th, 2009, Part Two
“I changed his nappy once. I was six and it wasn’t like changing one of my baby dolls at all. He weed all over me,” Rhi said with a laugh. Jack smiled and then she stopped, suddenly, saying, “He was my little brother and I was all he had. It feels wrong, like I failed. Can you imagine that…feeling like I’ve failed my own flesh and blood?”
“I can…I really can,” he replied and his words faltered. Her arm squeezed him close and she leaned onto his shoulder.
“Tell me, Jack. It’ll feel better to let it out,” she whispered and maybe he should try again. He hadn’t told anyone since Ianto and that had been soon after having to freeze Grey.
“I had a little brother. I was six when he was born and I loved him so much. When he was nine and I was fourteen, our planet was invaded. Father told me to protect Grey and I held his hand while we were running, but…but his hand slipped and I let go without realizing it,” he uttered in a soft voice as Rhi continued to hold him, “When I reached safety, he wasn’t there with me. I ran back, trying to find him but he wasn’t there. I thought he’d gone back home. When I got there, he wasn’t there either and…and my dad was dying.”
She took him with both arms.
“Did you ever find him again?” the Welshwoman asked and he nodded.
“But I wish I hadn’t. When they abducted him, he was tortured to the point where I didn’t recognize him anymore,” Jack whispered, “They took all the humanity from him so he didn’t have any left. There was nothing of the boy I remembered.”
She was still holding him close when there was another shriek of delight from the children.
“You aren’t around children much, are you?” she questioned and tried to smile. He shook his head.
“Every time one of them screams, you tense up,” Rhi explained and it was true that he hadn’t been around children much. However, if he didn’t have a lot of experience, the baby he was carrying had even less and was startled with each and every shriek.
“Why did you wait so long before running away? Were you just waiting for his headstone to be put up or…was it something else?” she inquired with that same level of curiosity that Ianto would have had and she was lucky enough to catch him at a vulnerable moment. Normally, he would have just left by now because Gwen was right about that. Leaving seemed to be what he did best.
“What did the government allow the telly to say about how the 456 were defeated?” Jack asked her and she was thrown by what seemed to be an abrupt change in discussion.
“There was a boy and he asked if they could please just leave and that made them take pity on us and leave, but there was a car accident a couple of days afterward where he and his mum were killed,” the Welshwoman reported with a roll of her brown eyes, “I think that’s a cock and bull story if ever I heard one.”
The tears he’d kept in check while talking about his brother threatened to escape.
“You’re right,” he agreed, closing his blue eyes for a second which appeared to make his tear situation worse from Rhi’s expression, “We figured out a sound that could kill the 456 but in order to transmit it to them, we had to use the children. Steven was the conduit and it was too much and…he died. There was nothing glorious about it. He died screaming and he was only ten.”
“David’s age,” she uttered and he saw her wheels turning, “but why him?”
Jack put his hands to his face and inhaled deeply.
“Because he and his mum had already been taken into custody by the government as insurance against his grandfather,” he stated while only looking down at where the coat bunched; hiding his baby bump. Beside him, Rhi hissed.
“The more I learn what really goes on in that government, the more I hate it,” she complained and shook her head, “And to top it off, they lied about his death to make them look good and gave him that travesty of a funeral as though that could make up for it all. I understand now why the grandfather wouldn’t give interviews or show up. If my David died…I wouldn’t either.”
“Then, you understand the real reason why I left,” he whispered in a hoarse voice. His meaning was unmistakable and she gasped.
“Oh, Jack, he was your grandson,” she said and he nodded. Her arms embraced him again and he was tempted to cry except Mica could see them and he didn’t want to upset her. He was glad the baby wasn't kicking.
“It should never have happened. He was an innocent child. My daughter had changed her name and her past, but they sorted it out somehow anyway,” he spat, “and it’s all my fault.”
She pulled away and he wondered if she’d point out how Steven had saved the rest of the children on Earth; that he fulfilled one of Ianto’s last wishes. Instead, she used that patented Jones glare like when her brother was frustrated with him.
“Not everything has to be your fault. You could blame Steven on a government who could abduct ten year olds and Ianto on the aliens and anyone else on fate, but you can’t be blaming yourself like this. It’ll eat you up,” she spoke and crossed her arms, “It’s not your fault.”
“I think it is,” he argued yet he didn’t have the guts to admit that he’d been the one to let them do that to Steven or give the 456 those kids in 1965. What if he refused? What if he stood up to them all those years ago? Wouldn’t Steven and Ianto still be alive?
Rhi sighed and wrapped her denim coat tighter around herself.
“You’re leaving, aren’t you?” she guessed again with saddened glare. There was a slight shrug of the shoulders.
“I don’t mean leaving the park or a Tesco’s or something,” the Welshwoman growled, “You’re leaving for…”
With that, she inclined her head and raised her eyebrows upwards.
“Yeah, that’s my plan,” he conceded and she moved closer.
“You haven’t told Gwen then, have you?” Rhi asked with her arms still crossed.
“No, she’s going to try and talk me out of it,” Jack spoke, shaking his head and looking at the children who were so blissfully unaware of cruel life could be.
“Good,” she declared and he turned towards her, “I get it. I do. I might do the same were I in your place, but Gwen and I aren’t the only person who’d want you to come back here someday.”
“What? Who?” he questioned because Mica would forget him, Alice would probably prefer never having to see him again and Martha would understand.
“Your husband.”
It was like she’d slapped him in the face. Not since the day he’d claimed the body had anyone referred to Ianto as his husband.
“That’s what he is, isn’t he?” Rhi inquired although he knew not to say a thing, “You made it real enough to fool the government. Well, then it must be real and he’ll be your husband until you find someone else to marry.”
“No, there’ll never be someone else,” he stated and shook his head.
“I appreciate the loyalty to my brother,“she spoke with a sympathetic expression, “But forever’s a long time to be alone, Jack.”
She took his right hand.
“I want you to be happy but if you leave and never come back, you’ll be turning your back on everything he stood for, everything he fought for and loved,” Rhi stated with a voice that wavered between sadness and anger, “You’re my brother-in-law, Jack, which means you’re the only family I got and I’m the only family you got. I want to see you again.”
“I get everyone killed who cares about me,” he warned her and she shook her head.
“It doesn’t have to be that way. You could make a fresh start,” she suggested and he liked the idea, but…
“That’s what I was trying to do,” he said and couldn’t help putting his left hand in his coat pocket to feel the bump. With a sigh, she let go of his hand and stood up before rifling in her purse. She took out a piece of construction paper folded in half with a paper clip that kept it shut.
“When you reach where you’re going, I want you to look at this and maybe then, you’ll find your way back,” she spoke and couldn’t contain the plea in it.
“I have something for you, too,” Jack told her and stood up so he could reach his inside coat pocket. He traded the disc for the green paper bundle.
“Another cd?” she asked and he shook his head.
“This is a dvd,” he explained and she nodded, putting it in her purse. Mica came over.
“I saw a dinosaur. It was flying in the air,” she said with a huge grin.
“Really?” he confirmed and hoped it was Myfanwy. The only response he received was a giggle.
“Is Uncle Jack coming to tea?” the little girl inquired with her brown eyes fixed on him.
“I don’t know, is he?” Rhi questioned and looked at him as well. He nodded which made her have a tiny smile on her face as they walked away.
November 26th, 2009
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-12-06 08:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-06 03:41 pm (UTC)Thank you, but do you think that will make Rhi feel better? Knowing that not only is Jack leaving, but he's taking her niece or nephew with him?
no subject
Date: 2009-12-07 01:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-07 06:11 am (UTC)I think you'll really like the next installment.
(winks)
no subject
Date: 2009-12-06 04:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 03:08 am (UTC)"I think he has a personality that makes him take on things as his fault. "
Like the Doctor...
Yeah, Jack does do stupid things at times, but at the same time, he's going to accumulate a LOT of guilt at the way he's going except he has to live with it forever...
so, he needs to figure something out. Rhi's good for him in that regard.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-06 08:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 03:11 am (UTC)Thank You!
no subject
Date: 2009-12-06 09:47 pm (UTC)I do hope she'll have the opportunity to meet her niece or nephew.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 03:14 am (UTC)Thank You!
no subject
Date: 2009-12-07 04:25 am (UTC)Thanks for sharing!
no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 03:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-02 04:23 pm (UTC)