Companions in the night
"When do you get to go home? It's like you live here" I say jokingly, leaning against the fire arms table. Jack shrugs and I think my eyes widen.
"You don't, do you?" I ask, my voice slightly breathy in disbelief. Jack shrugs again.
"Like I said, got to be ready. 21st century is when it all changes, remember? Plus I'd hate to commute" he says with a smile and I laugh.
"Where do you sleep?" I ask. Jack suddenly looks tired and solemn.
"I don't" he says quietly and my heart twists.
"Doesn't it get lonely at night?" I ask gently. Jack doesn't reply but his eyes seem to gaze distantly, a lost look. I sigh and look around before checking my watch again.
"Well, I'd better go, Rhys will be wondering where I am" I say. Jack nods and I rush out of the shooting range, slightly eager to get home.
However, when I do arrive, Rhys isn't home. I listen to his voicemail message and it leaves me feeling more deflated after my conversation with Jack. It pains me to think he's left wandering about that place with nothing to do and no one but the weevil to talk to, all alone. Needing to cheer myself up, I pull out the little alien machine and stare at it for a moment. It's all lit up and going mad, like at the train station, and, possessed by something I'm not sure of, I press the button and watch as I see echoes of me and Rhys on my first day as a police officer.
"I'm so proud of you" Rhys murmurs. I smile but seeing how happy we were then and comparing it to now just deflates my spirits even more. I bring the machine up closer and press the button again. The scene in front of me morphs to earlier still. I'm getting ready and calling for Rhys to hurry up when he comes out of the bedroom with a bust zip. I watch and remember fondly the memories of that day as I laugh. Then it ends and I slump down onto the couch.
A few hours later and Rhys still isn't back. I guess he is staying at Dav's so I grab my bag, call Rhys and leave a message saying that it's going to be an all-nighter at work and apologising, before leaving the apartment and rushing back to the hub.
I wait impatiently as the cog door rolls back and the metal gates swing open. I'm a little surprised that Jack hasn't locked everything up but I brush the thought aside. Movement from upstairs catches my eye and I rush up to the meeting room. Jack's inside, still fully dressed, and he's sorting through some papers. I knock gently on the door and he looks up in first alarm, then surprise and then confusion. I push open the door and go inside.
"Gwen, what are you doing here?" Jack asks gently.
"Rhys went out with some mates and he's not back yet so I'm assuming he's staying over... anyway, I couldn't stop thinking about what you said. About living here but not sleeping so I thought I would keep you company... and I don't care what you say, it can just be two friends who are alone for the night" I say. Jack looks at me, a little helpless and defeated, but then he smiles and briefly hugs me.
"I honestly don't know what to say to you Gwen Cooper so I think thank you will have to do for now" he says and I smile. For the next few hours, we sorted out papers from and for meetings which, to be frank, was a very tedious task but made a little more bearable because of Jack who was constantly telling jokes and stories. Plus, I had never seen him this relaxed and carefree and I doubt the others had either and it made me happy.
"So... what do you want to do now?" Jack asks me. I shrug my shoulders.
"It's your, um, home. What do you want to do?" I reply and he smirks.
"You really are this awkward aren't you?" I grin. "Come on, I've got a few films somewhere" he says and offers his hand in that oh so polite way that makes me think he's before his time. Jack leads me into the meeting room. He puts on a film called 'Fright Night', one I had never heard of before. It's a good film though and Jack laughs when I scream after this vampire explodes in the sun. This turns into me trying to playfully hitting him on the shoulder and him simply lifting me over his shoulder and laughing at my failing attempts to wriggle free.
"Jack... put me down!" I gasp breathlessly. He drops me to my feet and I smooth my hair out the way. He looks at me, trying and failing to hide his smile. I try to look cross at him but I can't and we end up bursting out in laughter together, so much so that Jack soon has tears rolling down his cheeks and my sides hurt a little.
"Well," Jack says, getting a bottle of brandy out of the cupboard along with two glasses. He sets them down on the table before pouring out a glass and handing it to me before pouring one for himself.
"To companions in the night" I say with a grin and raise my glass. He smiles and gently clinks his glass against mine.
"To companions in the night... and thank you" he replies.