Title: After The War
Spoilers: Captain Jack Harkness (only because a lot of what's mentioned in the episode is commented on)
Prompt: Jack Harkness/Jack Harkness
Copyright: I do not own Torchwood, the fake Captain Jack Harkness or the real Captain Jack Harkness.

"Hi, I'm looking for a Captain Jack Harkness, I was told he'd be here tonight"

"He's over there" the barman grunted, pointing over to the booth where said man was sat with two women, one on each side of him.

The two women were stunning, absolutely beautiful and were no strangers to male attention. What they had, they flaunted. One was a blonde, a gorgeous honey colour, cut into a short bob style that bounced when she moved. The other a dark brunette, long wavy hair styled in a sophisticated up do and littered with fake diamonds.

Both women were dancers at the club, wearing very little clothing and covered from head to toe in glitter and feathers. The blonde was dressed in white, the other in red. The Devil and the Angel, one on each shoulder.

Up on the small stage of the club, one of the young male singers stood in front of the band, his hand on the microphone stand, his posture radiating nervousness to the crowd. His three piece white suit was a little too big for him, and despite his obvious talent, the boy looked incredibly uncomfortable.

He was performing his version of 'A Little on the Lonely Side', originally by Frankie Carle. As beautiful as his version was, the audience at the club knew that it in no way compared to the style and grace of the original, but the young man tried his best.

Everyone was happy, all content in the post-war euphoria. The women glad their men were home safe, and the men glad to see their girlfriends and wives again after the time they had spent away from them. Some of them had been out there for the full duration, 6 years out in the field. Despite how long they'd stayed away their women stayed faithful, waiting for them and praying that they would return home safely to them.

As the young man made his way through the crowd of dancing people, his eyes dead set on his target, he planned his speech in his head. He knew exactly what he was going to say to Captain Jack Harkness. He had been thinking about it ever since Ryan, a young lad he once went to school with, mentioned there was someone in town with that name. His speech was playing over and over again in his mind.

Harkness was not a common name, and especially not common in 1940s Wales. The only Harkness' that were known of around this time were Peter and Charlotte Harkness, and their family. Even then, there were no distant cousins with the name, and only Peter's son was left to continue on the Harkness line. But this man, this Captain Jack Harkness was not Peter Harkness' son, and if the rumours were true, this man was an American, and Captain Jack Harkness was definitely not an American.

"Jack Harkness?"

"I believe there should be a Captain in there somewhere," came the arrogant reply, "Oh, hello handsome."

"You're Captain Jack Harkness?"

"Why yes I am, and who might you be?"

"I'm Captain Jack Harkness."

"Oh, r-right, yes… Babydoll, Sweetie," the bewildered looking Captain stuttered, looking at the two women who seemed to be rather confused as to what was going on, "Would you give us some time alone to talk for a while please?"

The two women exited the private booth that the American had reserved especially for him and the two dancers, in order to have some privacy, grumbling about hoping they'll still get their pay, and wondering what they were supposed to do now. The two women had been booked by the Captain for the night, Jack promising them both a large sum of money to be his all night long, tending to his every will.

"You were saying…?" the American Captain turned to face the man who had interrupted his wonderful evening, quickly thinking of ways that he could get out of this situation.

"Captain Jack Harkness of the 133rd Squadron."

"Ahh yes, this could be a problem…"

The two men had an immediate attraction towards each other, the both of them could feel it and there was no use in denying it. Despite the fact that there was a state of confusion between them, the chemistry was noticeable. So when the older American Jack suggested that they both go and find a more secluded spot in order to 'talk things through' the younger man could not refuse. They both went to one of the private rooms upstairs, the one that the American had booked especially for tonight, although originally it was going to be used for different reasons than this.

"It's not my real name, well obviously. It's your name. I just simply needed a false identity, I was undercover, and your name was just convenient. Although I didn't realise how hot you are." Attempting to lighten the mood, the Captain smirked, trying his best to flirt with the other Jack. They were both alone in the small room that only contained a bed. The room, despite holding very little inside, did not come cheap. The club made rather a lot of money from these rooms, having at least 5 of them upstairs ready for the party goers who couldn't make it home quick enough.

"Flattery will get you nowhere." the original Captain deadpanned, despite the blush that was slowly forming on his cheeks, he glared at the other Captain.

"Look, I was a conman; I am still a conman actually. I was on the run, from where I originally come from you see. I had to adopt someone else's name, but I couldn't just make a name up. Too much paperwork, too messy. I saw that you were reported missing in action, and I just- I didn't think." The Captain explained, taking a seat on the bed, patting the other side for the younger man to join him.

"What's your real name then?" he asked, ignoring the older mans invitation to join him on the bed. He had been in a situation like this before, and it had not ended well. He would not have this evening end that way, despite how attractive the other man was.

"I can't tell you, I'm sure you're a very trustworthy guy and everything, but I just can't tell you. I can't risk them finding me."

"Who finding you?"

"The people who I'm hiding from. I've done some bad things Jack, unforgivable and unforgettable things. Things that I am definitely not proud of."

"And what would these things be exactly?"

"Tell me about you," Jack asked, looking up at the other Captain, ignoring his question and changing the subject, "Why are you so sad?" Jack wanted to know more about this man he had just met, he had told him information that he had sworn to keep a secret, to protect himself, and now he needed something in return.

"I was trapped in a straight relationship. I was afraid of who I was, you know?" The younger man began, not understanding why he suddenly trusted this conman, but feeling like he could finally open up to someone who would understand what he was going through. How the other Jack knew that this man was sad was unknown, maybe it was the way the younger man carried himself, the fact his eyes looked older than a man of age should, or just his general character.

"Nancy Floyd her name was, gorgeous little thing. Blonde hair, blue eyes, absolutely perfect. But not for me, as awful as it sounds I was just using her. I couldn't have my family know, and with just going to war, I couldn't let anyone around me know. Who knows what would have happened to me out there if they knew? The prejudice and discrimination that there is in this time. Anyway, the night before I left, January 20th 1941, the 'Kiss the Boys Goodbye Dance' it was, we were in that nightclub, The Ritz. I remember it as if it happened yesterday, that night has been playing over and over again in my mind. It was all I could think about when we were out there fighting the Germans. I thought she was in love with me, no. No, I knew she was. I didn't like leading her on. That poor girl, she never did anything wrong. I wasn't in a good place at the time, the pain of having listened on the radio a friend on mine, trainee pilot Albert Richards, shot down by a German Messerschmitt stayed with me, and I was an absolute mess. Stuff like that stays with you. I also saw a young boy shot through the eyes, as he died he yelled for his mother. Do you know what it's like to witness that, Captain?" as the younger man poured his heart out to the man he had only just met, he could no longer stand, the painful memories taking a toll on him, so he finally took a seat down next to the Captain on the bed.

The American man nodded his head in agreement with the younger man, sadness etching his features as he remembered his best friend, the best friend he had persuaded to enlist who ended his life being tortured by the enemy, killed right in front of his eyes. He knew exactly how the other man had been feeling. Why he had done what he had with Nancy.

The two men's attraction was strengthened, they both had war experience, they had both witnessed friends dying. If it wasn't for the younger Jack's reluctance and fear of moving their sudden relationship to a more sexual level, then they would not longer be sat there talking. This was something he knew he had to get over, he wanted to get over.

"Anyway, I don't know why I'm telling you all this. Probably that post-war honesty thing everyone talked about out in the field. You come home and just pour your heart out, even to total strangers. Just tell them all your secrets, everything you did wrong and all your regrets. I don't know why I trust you either, you're using my name, and you're a conman!"

"What had happened to you out there, why were you reported missing?"

"It was just a routine training exercise," The Captain sighed, giving up on his mental battle with himself, he trusted this man he just met, he didn't know why, but this wasn't a time for over thinking.

"I was there leading my men in and they ambushed us, the Messerschmitts, a surprise attack. I managed to kill three of them before they shot down my plane. My men all made it back to safety, but my plane burst into flames. I got out alive fortunately, only a few scratches and burns, nothing major, but I couldn't go back into the battle field after that, so I ran away. Ran home, not that when I got there I actually had a home anymore. Somehow my father had found out about my running away, and my sexual orientation, I don't know how. He told me I was a coward and disgusting, then sent me packing."

The two men fell into silence, there was nothing left to say. Despite everything that had happened, it was a comfortable silence. They were not awkward around each other, they had no need to be. They both had experienced what was being described, and knew that no amount of apologises or comforting words would ever change what had happened.

The music from down in the base of the club could still be heard in the bedroom, it had changed now from the upbeat music from before, and was now a romantic slow song, perfect for dancing to. The older man stood up from his seat on the bed and offered out his hand to the younger man, who took it without question. He pulled him towards his chest gently, without a word passing between the two of them, and they fit perfectly together in a tight embrace. The American, taller only by a couple of inches, rested his head on the younger mans shoulder, whilst the other Jack nestled his head into the warm chest of the Captain.

"I can't believe I'm falling for the man who stole my identity…" the younger man whispered, before he was silenced by soft lips enclosing onto his gently.

fin

Authors Note: It was rather hard to distinguish between the two Jack's, throughout it I kept getting confused, so if it makes sense then yay!