The Return Of Jack Harkness
Owen looked out from the café at the Bay. It was another rainy day in Cardiff and the cocky Londoner was fed up with sitting around doing nothing. Well, he wasn't exactly doing nothing. He was on duty, so to speak. Keeping a watchful eye out for Captain Jack Harkness. Gwen had ordered him to do so.
The Captain had disappeared after the end of the earth was obverted yet again. One minute he was there, in the Hub and when the team got back with coffee and donuts from Starbucks, he was gone. Vanished into thin air. Tosh had looked at the CCTV footage, but came up empty. Owen guessed that he'd used his vortex manipulator and left gallivanting to who knows where.
This sort of thing wasn't his bag; sitting around, watching, but the young Welshman…or Tea Boy, as Owen like to call him, was slowly pinning away for the Captain and however he might feel about Ianto and Jack's 'relationship', Owen didn't like seeing the younger man in so much pain and aguish.
'He's not worth it, mate,' he'd told Ianto, running a hand through his hair. 'He's gone. Get over it.'
'He'll be back, I know he will.' Ianto told him.
Tosh looked at Gwen and they both looked away. The sadness in the Welshman's eyes was too much to bare.
'He's a tosser and he doesn't deserve your…your whatever…'
Ianto walked toward the kitchen.
'Ianto, wait!'
'Love, Owen! I love him!'
'Okay, okay.'
'No, it is not 'okay'.' he elaborated, using his hands. 'Whatever it is, it must be important for him to just leave without saying a word.'
'You know Jack, Ianto. He doesn't need a excuse.'
'Owen!'
Owen tutted, remembering, lifted the cold cup of coffee to his lips and drank.
"Arh!"
The girl behind the counter smiled at him. Owen tried not to respond, but it got the better of him.
TWTWTW
Jack moved along the road towards the building at the end of the row. It was different form the rest. Larger. Brighter. As he neared the wrought iron gate, he put his hand in his left trouser pocket and brought out a small brass key. Pushing the gate open, Jack strode towards the impressive wooden front door. He put the key in the lock and turned it. The bolt clicked and he was able to push down on the handle and open the door. He stepped inside, wiped his feet on the 'welcome' mat and shut the door behind him.
"Craig, is that you?"
Jack just stood there.
"Craig?"
A young woman came out of the kitchen to stand before Jack.
"Dad!"
"Alice."
She wiped her hands on the tea towel she was holding. "What are you doing her? Craig is due home any minute." She looked beyond him to the front door.
"Tell him I'm your brother."
Alice looked away, then back at Jack. "He knows I don't have a brother and I told him my father is dead."
Jack shook his head. "How's Stephen?"
Alice crossed her arms over her chest, very Jack-like. "Craig's picking him up from school."
"What is he now? Seven? Eight?"
"He's nine, dad."
"I thought maybe I could take him out for a milkshake or something."
"No." She shook her head. "It's not fair on him. He doesn't know who you are."
"Then tell him."
"And have him asking questions about how his Grandfather looks almost the same age as me? I don't think so."
Jack looked around and shrugged.
"How did you find us anyway?"
"It took a few months. Trial and error mostly."
"Haven't you got aliens to fight? Universes to conquer, or whatever the hell it is you do?"
Jack laughed. "You never did understand my line of work."
"Because I didn't want to. I hated what you did. What you are."
"I'm sorry."
"It drove mum mad, seeing you stay the same while she aged."
"She knew what I was when we got married."
"But she didn't accept it, did she?"
"No."
Alice frowned. "Who did you get the key from?" She smiled. "On second thoughts, I don't think I want to know."
Jack turned to look at the front door, on hearing a car pull up outside.
"Please, just leave."
"Is that what you want?"
Alice sighed, nodding.
"Okay."
Jack turned to leave.
"Do you have other kids out there? I mean…were you married before?"
Jack didn't answer.
TWTWTW
It was another day at the office for Ianto. He tried not to think about Jack. He busied himself in the archives during the day and at night, did paperwork. He slept most nights on the battered old couch by the cog door. When he did venture down to Jack's bunker, he'd hold Jack's pillow and cry into it. He looked tired and was losing weight, but he knew in his heart, that his lover would come back to him.
Gwen watched as Tosh ran nimble fingers over her beloved laptop, running a new security programme. New CCTV cameras had been installed in the Hub and she wanted to try them out.
"It's a wonder you haven't installed one in the Gents," said Owen, grinning.
Tosh gave him a look that said 'Don't tempt me'
The Londoner held up his hands in mock surrender. "Go easy."
Ianto appeared at the entrance to the kitchen, with a tray full of coffee cups. "Boardroom!" he announced.
"Since Jack has been gone, Ianto has got very domineering!" said Gwen. "It suits him."
Tosh smiled at her young friend. "Coming, Ianto."
"Coming, Ianto!" mimicked Owen.
The Welshman frowned. Owen arched an eyebrow and Gwen tittered.
"Now!" ordered Ianto, walking off.
"Get 'im."
"Owen," chided Tosh.
"Who put him in charge, anyway? I don't remember voting."
"Let him be, Owen. He's doing a good job." Gwen told him.
"Yeah, right."
TWTWTW
Jack dropped the key to Alice's house down the nearest drain and walked along the tree-lined street towards a grey car, parked about two hundred yards away. Getting in, he sighed, then started the engine. He looked in the rear view mirror and drove away.
Getting onto the motorway was easy. Keeping his concentration was not, however. Several times on his way back to Cardiff, he almost lost control of the car.
Parking by the Tourist Office, Jack locked the car and stood beside the chain barrier, looking out over the Bay. Turning, he moved toward the office door, unlocked it and went inside.
Once inside the main Hub area, Jack looked around. It was deserted. Going up to his office, he turned on his computer, brought up a split screen view of key areas and smiled.
Ianto was stood in the boardroom talking to the other team members. He looked in charge.
Pushing back his chair, Jack stood up and made his way to the door. Going down the stairs, he made his way to the boardroom. He knew there would be questions to answer. He was prepared for most of them. But he wasn't quite sure how Ianto would feel. After all, he'd been gone two months.
"Are you paying attention, Owen? This involves you, too."
"Yeah, yeah, I know."
Ianto sighed, rolling his eyes.
"Go on, pet," encouraged Gwen.
Ianto nodded. "The Weevil spray we have now, seems to work on the Blowfish, of sorts…"
"Of sorts," interrupted Owen. "It makes them sneeze and vomit." He screwed up his nose. "You can clean out the cells, Tea Boy."
"Coffee King," came a voice from behind them.
"Jack!"
Gwen was out of her seat, arms around the immortal, before Ianto could blink.
Jack smiled, returning the hug, but his eyes were on the young Welshman.
"Where the bloody hell have you been, Harkness?" asked Owen.
"I'll explain later."
"You bloody better!"
He released Gwen and moved to stand next to Ianto.
"Don't let me interrupt. Carry on."
"Er…right." Ianto looked at the table. "The spray…if we can perfect it a little more, Blowfish will be easier to contain as well."
"That means back to work for me then," said Owen, pushing back his chair.
"Yep," answered Ianto.
Owen left the boardroom, taking Gwen and Tosh with him.
Ianto and Jack were alone.
"I'm sorry I left in such a hurry."
Ianto looked at the older man. "Where did you go?"
"To look for my daughter."
"I didn't know you had a daughter."
"And a grandson."
"Right."
Jack sat down, indicating to the seat next to him. Ianto sat.
"I guess there's a lot I don't know about you."
Jack smiled. "Her mother couldn't come to terms with what I am. It was hard on her."
Ianto was silent.
"One way or another, I always lose the ones I love."
"Not me," Ianto whispered.
"What?"
"Not me. I won't leave you."
Jack extended his hand to the young Welshman, who took it.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
"Just…talk to me, Jack, please. You don't have to tell me everything. I don't like being left in the dark."
Jack smiled, squeezing Ianto's hand gently. "I will, I promise."
"Right then," said Ianto, smiling. "Better get on."
"Gonna fill me in on what's been going on?"
"Oh, you know. Fighting off aliens. Trolling through flotsam and jetsam…the norm."
Jack laughed. "The norm?"
Ianto got up and walked toward the door.
"Ianto!"
THE END