Author's Notes: And here is the prologue in the final story of the Birthright series. Just as a reminder, this is a finale of the Birthright series … think season finale, rather than series finale (just like Children of Earth and Miracle Day). As of right now, the first story in the next series, Something Like Forgiveness, will be titled Changeling. Actually, Something Like Forgiveness is also a working title. The title of this story, Lay My Honor in the Dust, comes from Psalms … the seventh Psalm, to be exact, and it reads, "Lord my God, if I have done this, if there is guilt on my hands, if I have maltreated someone treating me equitably or even despoiled my oppressor without cause, then let my enemy pursue and overtake my soul, and lay my honor in the dust." When I read it, chills ran down my spine, and I knew that I had the title for the final Birthright story. The original prologue is now a later chapter; while it's been retooled, the more I read it, the less I liked it as a prologue. So, instead we have Lucas North receiving a cryptic phone call from Carlyon Tregarth while visiting an old friend. The Nevada contingent may make an appearance in this (in fact, they probably will). Make sure all arms and legs are inside the ride, and all seats and tray tables are in their upright and locked positions … this will get bumpy.

Disclaimer: Captain Jack Harkness, Rex Matheson, Owen Harper, Esther Drummond, Toshiko Sato, Ianto Jones, Suzie Costello, Rhys Williams, Koschei/The Master, and Rassilon do not belong to me. They are the property of the BBC and Starz. Lucas North (as well as any other characters from MI5/Spooks) also do not belong to me, they belong to Kudos (although, I still think I take better care of Lucas). The Tregarths, their neighbors, and their environs belong to me, as does Daniel Martinelli's name, even though he's a canon character. Oh, and Dite belongs to me as well. You can borrow them, just ask first and return them to me intact.

Prologue

Cry for Yesterday

Kenseth Green Cemetery,

London, England

First week of June, 2013

He'd received the phone call from Carlyon Tregarth while visiting the grave of Ros Myers. It was his first visit to her grave since he regained his senses, and he had a hard time knowing what to say to her. In the end, he said nothing … just sat cross-legged before her headstone, lightly tracing the letters. There were only her birth and death dates, along with her name, which made him both happy and sad. Sad, because the woman who sacrificed so much should have had more to show for her life than just those simple items … and happy, because he couldn't imagine Ros' reaction if her father had chosen some inspirational quote to put on her headstone. Then again, while he'd never met Sir Jocelyn, it was extremely unlikely that he would have put such a quote on her stone, unless he meant to piss off his daughter in the afterlife.

The light vibration against his thigh distracted him, but when the caller-id indicated that it was Carlyon Tregarth, Lucas North pushed himself to his feet and stroked the top of the stone, murmuring, "See you around, Ros … my new life calls. Try not to be too difficult for the angels and Adam." He could almost see her exasperated expression and smiled to himself, before pulling his mobile out and answering, "This is North."

"Good day, Agent North … I do hope I haven't awakened you. Yes, I know it's two pm in London, but I was uncertain of your sleep schedule," Tregarth observed. Lucas smiled as he began to head back to the cemetery entrance, keeping a careful eye out for anyone who might not belong there. He was entirely too aware of the people who occasionally met in these places. He'd been one of them in the past. Your instincts never completely eroded, no matter how long you'd been out … whether it was eight months or eight years.

"Not at all, Colonel Tregarth, I was merely visiting an old friend. Archie told me to expect your call," Lucas answered lightly as he passed the threshold of the cemetery. As he did, he switched more fully into agent mode. As he had told Tregarth, Archie called him earlier in the week, advising him to expect a call from the head of Torchwood South. That got his attention, since he was already speaking to the older man on a monthly basis … and he'd already spoken to the other man only ten days earlier. As he reached his car and checked it for anything that looked to be wrong, Lucas added, "He also told me that it was time to start my new position with your firm. How soon do you need me in the States?"

"Can you get a flight out tomorrow?" the current director asked. Lucas answered in the affirmative, as he'd done research after getting off the phone with Archie, and already had a flight in mind. Tregarth sighed, "Excellent. Agent North, I cannot stress this enough. The documents that you and Archie prepared … you must bring them with you." The former MI5 agent's skin crawled, but he didn't ask which documents he meant. He knew exactly which documents were necessary. He still didn't know what Tregarth needed with them, but he had them, thanks to Malcolm.

"I already have them packed, sir," Lucas reassured him, and heard the other man sigh with relief. The former spook started up his car, remembering what Archie had told him on the phone the week before. 'It isn't often that I hear Carlyon Tregarth sound on edge,' the Scotsman observed, 'but it's always for good reason. The last time he sounded like that was in '65, when the 456 came the first time. He's afraid, Lucas.' He didn't have to add anything after that. Lucas knew entirely too well what frightened men were capable of doing. He had only to look at his own past to realize that.

"Thank you. I know … I know what I asked of you and Archie doesn't make any sense, but certain information was passed along to me, and I needed to make sure that information was correct before I agreed to a particular bargain. Now that I know it's true … I can take the next step," Tregarth stated, and Lucas actually felt his blood run cold, because yeah, that sounded extremely ominous to him. While they talked, he mentally reviewed the documents that he was taking with him to Oklahoma … the contents of another grave here in London, albeit in another cemetery. The grave in question belonged to a young boy, and not just any young boy, but Steven Carter, the grandson of Captain Jack Harkness. Except, the body in the grave didn't belong to Steven Carter. The body didn't even belong to a human being. That was important somehow … not just to Jack, but to Carlyon Tregarth as well.

However, all he told the older man was, "It doesn't matter, sir. I'll be there sometime tomorrow or the next day. The office that you mentioned the last time we spoke … is it close to being done? I'm used to working on the Grid, so if it isn't, I'll be fine." Actually, from what he'd been hearing during his conversations with Tregarth since October, it sounded as if Lucas would have an entire building to himself, and he wasn't quite sure what to do with that. Tregarth reassured him that an office was set up for him in the building, for the times when he couldn't share information with Torchwood, and the rest of the building was set up for his comfort … if he was too tired to return to the main house, where he also had a bedroom, if he so desired.

The colonel actually groaned, answering, "That's the other reason I'm asking you to come now. My wife keeps wanting to redecorate it, to make it more 'homey,' as she puts it. God spare me from nesting females! We became unofficial guardians of a little girl around the same time my daughter and grandson were shot last year … unofficial because no one could locate her parents, and my wife has been nesting ever since." Lucas bit back a chuckle at that, because while it was funny, but it was also not a good idea to aggravate your new boss. Tregarth added, sounding both annoyed and amused, "You can laugh, son. I won't be offended."

Lucas allowed himself a snicker, adding, "Sorry about that, sir. I'm just having a really hard time picturing you as the hen-pecked husband." He was rewarded with a laugh from the older man, who was obviously very much in love with his wife. The young agent went on after a moment, "In addition to the documents, is there anything else you need me to bring with me to Oklahoma?" Again, he thought of staring down into the casket which supposedly held the mortal remains of Steven Carter and shuddered. Because if that wasn't Steven's body (and it wasn't … he still wasn't sure what species that was, really), then where was the boy? Was he even dead? He had a feeling that the answer was 'no,' but couldn't figure out how it was possible. On the other hand, this was Torchwood, and as if he'd learned anything about Torchwood, it was that the dead didn't always stay that way-especially if they weren't dead to begin with. Tregarth told him that would be all, and Lucas offered, "Then I will see you in a few days … I'll email you with my flight details once my arrangements are made."

He ended the call and turned his attention to driving back to his flat, humming along to Duran Duran's Ordinary World on the radio. He had a lot of work to do before he left for the States. It was the beginning of a whole new life for him. And despite his unease about those documents, Lucas couldn't help looking forward to what this new life would bring. Far more than what he was anticipating, he was sure. He was entirely correct.

TBC

Additional Notes: The chapter/prologue title comes from the song Lucas is humming along with in the last paragraph, Ordinary World. I think I've used it as a chapter title before, but when it works, it works. I return to work tomorrow, so I have NO idea when I'll have chapter one up. Twill depend on the characters … they're the ones really in charge.