Hello all! Well this is my second TW fic but it's been a while since 'Sleeping Dogs' so who knows how this will turn out! Of course, I own nothing etc etc etc! Also I beta-ed this myself and double and triple checked it so at this stage if there is a mistake I don't really wanna know! Hehe. Enjoy! Cheers!
Make Your Escape
You couldn't ask for a more beautiful day to be buried. The morning sun shone over most of the city and countryside of Cardiff while a cool summer breeze caressed everyone and everything that was lucky enough to be outside.
Captain Jack Harkness was one such lucky individual. As were a group of mourners that were gathered by a graveside in the county of Glamorgan. The Captain stood perfectly still out of plain sight, far behind the mourners, while they openly cried and embraced one another as the ceremony ended.
The crowd disbursed slowly leaving what the Captain instinctively thought was the immediate family of the deceased, two women and two men. It was countless further minutes until they too left the cemetery and the Captain finally approached the graveside alone.
Talking a deep breath, he crouched down in front of the head stone. 'Hey' he breathed out as he read the black writing.
Ianto Jones
Beloved husband, father and friend
**********************************************************************************************
It was several more weeks before Jack gathered the courage to go to the Joneses house. Locating it wasn't hard of course, he was Torchwood after all. With a swift and surprisingly confident knock on the door, he swung back slightly as his heartbeat increased with nerves. It was a beautiful two storey house located just north of the city, just a walk from the cemetery where Ianto Jones' body now lay. As he continued to survey his surroundings, Jack didn't hear the door in front of him swing open.
'Hello?' the female came through Jack's body as he snapped his head back to met her gaze.
'Hello' he repeated taking in her appearance. She had straight black hair just past her shoulders with crystal clear blue eyes. She couldn't have been more than nineteen. She smiled encouragingly at Jack and he couldn't help but smile back.
'Oh sorry' Jack shook his head. 'I'm…I was a friend of your fathers.' he said hurriedly.
The young women's crystal blue eyes became heavy with a sadness Jack knew all too well.
'I'm very sorry for your loss' he said with a sympathetic smile.
'Thank you' she nodded. 'Would you like to come in?'
Jack stepped into the house and stood awkwardly in the hallway.
'Who was it Em?' a older female voice came from a room further into the house.
The young women led Jack into the kitchen where a women of about fifty was washing up.
'Mum, this is…actually I didn't catch your name' she gave a little laugh.
The older women continued to wash the dishes and kept her back to both Jack and her daughter.
Jack smiled. 'It's Jack Harkness'
The older women stopped instantly and turned slowly towards Jack and looked him straight in the eye and Jack couldn't help but feel just a bit threatened though he could not explain why.
'Well Mr. Harkness here says he was a friend of dads' he young women nodded in Jacks direction.
The older women suddenly smiled widely and taking off her marigolds she walked towards Jack extending her right hand to shake his own. 'Pleasure to met you Jack, I'm Jennifer'
Jack took her hand and instead of shaking it, kissed the back of it gently. 'It's wonderful to meet you.'
'Emlyn' Jennifer kept smiling as she turned towards her daughter 'will you make some coffee for Jack and I.'
Jack looked down to the ground and gave a small smile at the mention of coffee.
'no prob' Emlyn shrugged 'Oh, Ced text me saying he'd definitely be home for dinner tonight.'
'of course' Jennifer rolled her eyes. 'it's pizza night after all!'
**************************************************************************************
*************
Jack was now sitting rather comfortably in an armchair in the Joneses living room, taking his time to look at the pictures on the mantelpiece and walls around him. He wished to walk about the room, pick up the pictures of Ianto's wedding day, of him holding his newborn children, of the family enjoying themselves on holiday but the presence on Jennifer Jones on the seat beside him stopped him from doing so.
He glanced over at her to find she was paying as much attention to him as he was to the photographs. She nodded at him as if prompting him to talk.
He knew in a normal situation, a person in his place would explain how he knew the deceased but, perhaps surprisingly (and rather idiotically), he had not thought that far ahead.
'Coffee' Emlyn entered the room suddenly taking the emphasis off Jack's lack of words. 'hope its alright Mr. Harkness'
'It's Jack and I'm it will be' He took a quick swig 'wow' he looked up at her. 'perfection.' He hadn't had a good a cup since…well…
'Em does make a mean cup of coffee' Jennifer agreed 'got it off her father.'
'It's a piece of cake' Emlyn shrugged. The phone began to ring and Jennifer gave her daughter the 'get that' look before Emlyn disappeared out of the room.
'Seems like a great kid' Jack watched her leave.
'oh she is, reminds me so much of her father as well' Jennifer said sadly. 'broke her heart to watch him die' she breathed lowly. 'broke all our hearts' she whispered and Jack instinctively reached out to take her hand in his.
'It's the hardest thing in life' Jack spoke softly 'to watch those we love leave us, to lose someone we love so much and for us to remain behind.'
Jennifer held his hand tighter and looked him intently in the eye, but there was a new emotion, affection. 'I doubt there's anyone in the world you understands that as much as you do, Captain'
It took Jack a couple of seconds to understand what she meant. 'How…wait…Captain? I never mentioned my title.' he shook his head in confusion.
Jennifer gave what could best be described as a smirk 'I know who you are Captain Jack Harkness' she laughed 'and I know all about Torchwood.'
**************************************************************************************
So that's chapter one, next chapter will probably be a flashback so we'll get some Ianto in!
