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ericadawn16Title: But Time Didn’t Stop
Characters: Jack, Rhi, Lois, Bernie, Gwen Jack/Ianto
Rated: PG-13 ANGST COE Spoilers MPREG
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: Jack visits Torchwood.
Author's Note: Starts after COE.
Previous Segment: September 2nd, 2010 or February 27th, 2017, Part Two
Masterlist: http://ericadawn16.livejournal.com/63337.html
September 14th, 2010 or March 11th, 2017
“I think we’ll be going actually, sorry,” Jack said before picking his son up, “It was a pleasure meeting you ladies.”
He gave them his classic grin although he didn’t mean it and walked toward the exit.
“Such a shame, I hope he comes again next week,” said a voice behind him and he heard others murmur their agreement. He had no plans of ever coming back here. Instead, he drove and drove until there were only trees and grass for miles.
“I assume we won’t run into any cannibals or fairys for the time being,” he said and sighed. He looked at Iefan who clapped at the attention. Maybe it had just been a coincidence that he leaned down and not that he took after his parents too well...
“You heard him say what he was going to do, didn’t you?” Jack asked and his son smiled which he took as an affirmative, “Why can’t we be normal? Like everyone else?”
He closed his eyes and slumped against the seat with the knowledge that the baby was acting more mature than he was, but why did it feel like he had no real choice in the matter? It felt like he was destined to be on the same path over and over.
Was this what being a fixed point in time and space was really like?
“Let’s go home, I’ll run a bubble bath for you and when you’re napping, I’ll have one,” Jack suggested and turned the car back on.
He was going to have to face Torchwood. He was going to have to face what happened. He was going to have to face Gwen.
The next morning, he knocked on a door in Newport.
“Jack! This is such a surprise,” Rhi remarked with a dish towel in her hand.
“I hope this isn’t an imposition…”
“Nonsense, come on in. I can put on some tea or would you like biscuits?” she asked with her dark hair pulled back.
“Because I need you to watch Iefan while I go out,” he finished and knew she wouldn’t leave it at that.
“Out?” she questioned with a raised eyebrow and an inquisitive smile. He let a moment pass before gathering the courage to admit, “I’m seeing Gwen.”
“Are you going back then?” she asked with a hopeful expression.
He shook his head, let her face slump in disappointment and elaborated, “I have to ask her about something.”
Glancing away from her for a second, he added, “I would have had to face her someday.”
“But why leave Iefan with me? Wouldn’t it go better if he went with you?” she pointed out and he had thought of that before, coming to the same conlusion. However…
“I don’t want Iefan anywhere near Torchwood,” he told her and she nodded, holding out her other hand. He gave her Iefan in his carrier and the nappy bag, hoping he wouldn’t wake up.
Once again, he hoped wrong.
“Wah!” Iefan cried and reached his hands for him.
“He knows I’m leaving,” Jack stated and hated hearing him like that.
“Well, of course, you’re walking away from him. What else should he think?” Rhi quipped and set the plastic contraption down. Then, she took the baby out.
“Now, Iefan, you get to spend some time with your Aunt Rhi, but your daddy will be back before you know it. He will…” she said and waved her hand, “Wave goodbye to daddy.”
“Oh, I don’t…I don’t call myself daddy in front of him, that’s what I call Ianto,” Jack corrected her, “I call myself papa.”
Rhi’s brown eyes stared at him like he’d told a joke.
“Jack, you don’t strike me as a papa,” she commented and tried to bounce Iefan in a definite attempt to make him laugh instead of crying, “How about taddy?”
“What’s that?” he asked and she rolled her eyes.
“We need to get you some lessons in Welsh,” she retorted, “It means daddy.”
“Oh,” he replied and thought about how it sounded, “I guess that could work, too.”
“Wave goodbye to taddy, Iefan,” Rhi said and took a little wrist to wave in a gentle motion.
“Tada,” the baby spoke and they both smiled. Then, he started crying again.
“Bye Iefan, be good for your aunt,” Jack told him and waved. It felt like he could still hear him all the way through Newport.
As he parked, he wondered how to make his entrance, He could see that they had an entrance to the car park or he could go through the tourist office or see if they had put in a lift. The most polite thing to do would be the tourist office, but when had he ever done that? Except for last time which didn’t count…he was pregnant then. Jack decided on the car park entrance. It would be more dramatic. His wrist strap still opened it despite it being a new door. However, he had barely taken ten paces when he was surrounded on both sides with guns.
“Hello, good to see you again, Lois, and much better circumstances,” he commented and she didn’t lose her grip on the gun.
“You two know each other?” asked the young man although he developed an odd look, “You do look familiar.”
“Come on, Bernie, Gwen wanted us to take him to her,” said Lois with authority. Good for her, he thought and noticed that time had only improved her looks.
Then, she added, “Hands behind your head, Jack.”
He followed suit and thought about all the times he’d made other people travel through the Hub like this, he’d never had it done to him.
“Oh, Jack Harkness! We’ve met once, I stole some alien stuff and thought I was going to die in the street, but you guys saved me,” the young man spoke and he wished he could turn his head. She’d called him, 'Bernie'. Was this Bernie Harris?
“Bernie Harris?” he asked to make sure.
“Yep, I’m a completely different man now. Well, not completely, I still get to break into places and take stuff but now it’s not for me, it’s to help people,” the man behind him confirmed, “I turned my life all around after that day.”
He couldn’t help smiling that they had done something good. They walked him through the interior that was finished and it had been long enough that it had a lived in look. The medbay was down below with a woman investigating a corpse. As they reached the lift to the upper stories, he looked for the kitchen area and saw that it must have been moved elsewhere. All that remained was a small pedestal with a selection of objects. He could make out a mug that looked a lot like the one that Ianto used to drink. In the lift, they kept their weapons on him although Lois appeared embarrassed by it.
“Sorry about this, I know these wouldn’t stop you anyway, but she is upset, more than I’ve ever seen her,” she explained and he nodded.
“And you’re not upset?” he asked and she cocked her head.
“Depends,” she replied, “Did you find what you wanted? Are you better now?”
“Yeah, I did,” he admitted, “I’m better in body, but I’m still working on my spirit.”
Lois gave him a little smile. Then, the door opened and they traveled out into the hallway. She knocked on the red door and whispered to him, “Good luck.”
The door opened to reveal Gwen. She looked good; basically the same except for a scar under one eye.
“Jack,” she acknowledged and he knew she was weighing her options. His best guess would be that she wanted to hit him yet except for shoving him, she’d never hit him before.
“Gwen, it’s good to see you,” he said and meant it.
“Get in and sit in the chair,” she told him while crossing her arms. Was she fighting the urge to hug him? He knew he was tempted to take her in his arms. The chair was comfortable as he settled into it. Gwen took her chair in back of the desk, breathed in deeply and started, “You left us for seven years and not a word! Not a single word! I know you were up there, but you had a mobile! Meanwhile, I was here, running Torchwood and putting my life on hold…”
“I never asked you to put your life on hold. I never wanted that. I always encouraged you to have a life outside this place,” he argued and couldn’t help the temper rising in his voice.
September 15th, 2010 or March 12th, 2017
Characters: Jack, Rhi, Lois, Bernie, Gwen Jack/Ianto
Rated: PG-13 ANGST COE Spoilers MPREG
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: Jack visits Torchwood.
Author's Note: Starts after COE.
Previous Segment: September 2nd, 2010 or February 27th, 2017, Part Two
Masterlist: http://ericadawn16.livejournal.com/63337.html
September 14th, 2010 or March 11th, 2017
“I think we’ll be going actually, sorry,” Jack said before picking his son up, “It was a pleasure meeting you ladies.”
He gave them his classic grin although he didn’t mean it and walked toward the exit.
“Such a shame, I hope he comes again next week,” said a voice behind him and he heard others murmur their agreement. He had no plans of ever coming back here. Instead, he drove and drove until there were only trees and grass for miles.
“I assume we won’t run into any cannibals or fairys for the time being,” he said and sighed. He looked at Iefan who clapped at the attention. Maybe it had just been a coincidence that he leaned down and not that he took after his parents too well...
“You heard him say what he was going to do, didn’t you?” Jack asked and his son smiled which he took as an affirmative, “Why can’t we be normal? Like everyone else?”
He closed his eyes and slumped against the seat with the knowledge that the baby was acting more mature than he was, but why did it feel like he had no real choice in the matter? It felt like he was destined to be on the same path over and over.
Was this what being a fixed point in time and space was really like?
“Let’s go home, I’ll run a bubble bath for you and when you’re napping, I’ll have one,” Jack suggested and turned the car back on.
He was going to have to face Torchwood. He was going to have to face what happened. He was going to have to face Gwen.
The next morning, he knocked on a door in Newport.
“Jack! This is such a surprise,” Rhi remarked with a dish towel in her hand.
“I hope this isn’t an imposition…”
“Nonsense, come on in. I can put on some tea or would you like biscuits?” she asked with her dark hair pulled back.
“Because I need you to watch Iefan while I go out,” he finished and knew she wouldn’t leave it at that.
“Out?” she questioned with a raised eyebrow and an inquisitive smile. He let a moment pass before gathering the courage to admit, “I’m seeing Gwen.”
“Are you going back then?” she asked with a hopeful expression.
He shook his head, let her face slump in disappointment and elaborated, “I have to ask her about something.”
Glancing away from her for a second, he added, “I would have had to face her someday.”
“But why leave Iefan with me? Wouldn’t it go better if he went with you?” she pointed out and he had thought of that before, coming to the same conlusion. However…
“I don’t want Iefan anywhere near Torchwood,” he told her and she nodded, holding out her other hand. He gave her Iefan in his carrier and the nappy bag, hoping he wouldn’t wake up.
Once again, he hoped wrong.
“Wah!” Iefan cried and reached his hands for him.
“He knows I’m leaving,” Jack stated and hated hearing him like that.
“Well, of course, you’re walking away from him. What else should he think?” Rhi quipped and set the plastic contraption down. Then, she took the baby out.
“Now, Iefan, you get to spend some time with your Aunt Rhi, but your daddy will be back before you know it. He will…” she said and waved her hand, “Wave goodbye to daddy.”
“Oh, I don’t…I don’t call myself daddy in front of him, that’s what I call Ianto,” Jack corrected her, “I call myself papa.”
Rhi’s brown eyes stared at him like he’d told a joke.
“Jack, you don’t strike me as a papa,” she commented and tried to bounce Iefan in a definite attempt to make him laugh instead of crying, “How about taddy?”
“What’s that?” he asked and she rolled her eyes.
“We need to get you some lessons in Welsh,” she retorted, “It means daddy.”
“Oh,” he replied and thought about how it sounded, “I guess that could work, too.”
“Wave goodbye to taddy, Iefan,” Rhi said and took a little wrist to wave in a gentle motion.
“Tada,” the baby spoke and they both smiled. Then, he started crying again.
“Bye Iefan, be good for your aunt,” Jack told him and waved. It felt like he could still hear him all the way through Newport.
As he parked, he wondered how to make his entrance, He could see that they had an entrance to the car park or he could go through the tourist office or see if they had put in a lift. The most polite thing to do would be the tourist office, but when had he ever done that? Except for last time which didn’t count…he was pregnant then. Jack decided on the car park entrance. It would be more dramatic. His wrist strap still opened it despite it being a new door. However, he had barely taken ten paces when he was surrounded on both sides with guns.
“Hello, good to see you again, Lois, and much better circumstances,” he commented and she didn’t lose her grip on the gun.
“You two know each other?” asked the young man although he developed an odd look, “You do look familiar.”
“Come on, Bernie, Gwen wanted us to take him to her,” said Lois with authority. Good for her, he thought and noticed that time had only improved her looks.
Then, she added, “Hands behind your head, Jack.”
He followed suit and thought about all the times he’d made other people travel through the Hub like this, he’d never had it done to him.
“Oh, Jack Harkness! We’ve met once, I stole some alien stuff and thought I was going to die in the street, but you guys saved me,” the young man spoke and he wished he could turn his head. She’d called him, 'Bernie'. Was this Bernie Harris?
“Bernie Harris?” he asked to make sure.
“Yep, I’m a completely different man now. Well, not completely, I still get to break into places and take stuff but now it’s not for me, it’s to help people,” the man behind him confirmed, “I turned my life all around after that day.”
He couldn’t help smiling that they had done something good. They walked him through the interior that was finished and it had been long enough that it had a lived in look. The medbay was down below with a woman investigating a corpse. As they reached the lift to the upper stories, he looked for the kitchen area and saw that it must have been moved elsewhere. All that remained was a small pedestal with a selection of objects. He could make out a mug that looked a lot like the one that Ianto used to drink. In the lift, they kept their weapons on him although Lois appeared embarrassed by it.
“Sorry about this, I know these wouldn’t stop you anyway, but she is upset, more than I’ve ever seen her,” she explained and he nodded.
“And you’re not upset?” he asked and she cocked her head.
“Depends,” she replied, “Did you find what you wanted? Are you better now?”
“Yeah, I did,” he admitted, “I’m better in body, but I’m still working on my spirit.”
Lois gave him a little smile. Then, the door opened and they traveled out into the hallway. She knocked on the red door and whispered to him, “Good luck.”
The door opened to reveal Gwen. She looked good; basically the same except for a scar under one eye.
“Jack,” she acknowledged and he knew she was weighing her options. His best guess would be that she wanted to hit him yet except for shoving him, she’d never hit him before.
“Gwen, it’s good to see you,” he said and meant it.
“Get in and sit in the chair,” she told him while crossing her arms. Was she fighting the urge to hug him? He knew he was tempted to take her in his arms. The chair was comfortable as he settled into it. Gwen took her chair in back of the desk, breathed in deeply and started, “You left us for seven years and not a word! Not a single word! I know you were up there, but you had a mobile! Meanwhile, I was here, running Torchwood and putting my life on hold…”
“I never asked you to put your life on hold. I never wanted that. I always encouraged you to have a life outside this place,” he argued and couldn’t help the temper rising in his voice.
September 15th, 2010 or March 12th, 2017
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no subject
Date: 2010-02-11 08:39 pm (UTC)Ifeans gift seems interesting, too. I am curious about how it will fit into the story. ;)
no subject
Date: 2010-03-22 05:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-11 10:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-22 05:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-12 01:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-22 05:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-12 06:53 pm (UTC)I'm glad that Jack really isn't going to go back to Torchwood yet. Now if only Rhi could get off his back about it.
no subject
Date: 2010-03-22 05:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-13 12:11 am (UTC)Sounds like she's not changed much!
no subject
Date: 2010-03-22 05:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-16 03:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-22 06:05 am (UTC)Actually, I was talking with a friend on AIM, which I still have in Archives, and we were discussing the Ianto rumor back in June last year. At one point, I was like, "If they kill Ianto off, Jack better be pregnant!"
Because it was the only was I could think of that I wouldn't mind Ianto's death if Jack still had a piece of him to remember him by and we had a cute baby as a consolation prize. However, I wondered how that could fit into things and still be canon once I saw what happened...except that for the 6 months later scene, Jack had his coat buttoned all the way and there were no close-ups or side views of his waist. That's when I went, Aha! This can work!
Alonso was a little tricky but since we don't know the time-frame on that, I think it worked out fine.
Once I worked out that I would be getting Jack pregnant and I wanted it to give Jack something to live for, the rest wrote itself practically. Although I did worry about that ending...I knew people would not want to relive Ianto's death, but I felt it was important for Jack to face the reality of it, to view it from the passage of time so it would strengthen him.
Now, the sequel has been a lot harder to plan because the only thing I knew was that I wanted Jack and Alice to face each other and for their relationship to be changed forever which is more like a drabble than a full story, but I sorted out some subplots and I think it's going to work...it just took several weeks of plotting...
no subject
Date: 2010-03-24 11:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-04-15 02:22 am (UTC)