Trusting the Impossible

Two worlds that shouldn't exist. Two people that shouldn't meet. Two impossibilities that become reality.

Chapter 2; The Impossible Boy


Jack hurried along the dark London streets, the comforting weight of his Webley balanced in one hand and his heavy coat flapping out behind him. He was barely concentrating on finding the alien the London Rift had dumped somewhere, he was far more preoccupied with the gorgeous young man he'd left in his hotel room that morning. He was debating whether or not he'd still be there by the time Jack got back. He doubted it somehow. He'd seemed pretty keen to be off.

Jack hadn't really gone out for any particular reason last night. He'd been sat at the bar, sipping his water and watching the dancing, thinking something or other about the Messalina Galaxy when he saw Him.

He was dancing around wildly, white shirt open to his belly-button, sweat making it cling to his back and chest, leather trousers clasping his legs. His eyes were shut tight, head thrown back as he just let himself move. People were watching him everywhere - girls with appreciation; boys with a little bit of jealousy and of course, there was whathtefuckishedoing? Looks. But Jack... Jack had just stared at him, completely and utterly captivated by the spectacle the boy created.

And he was that, a boy. He couldn't have been older than eighteen but things like that had long since ceased to matter to Jack and he'd found himself pushing his way through the crowd to get to him. He was just... just so... so like the sun, burning brighter than everything around him, putting them all in darkness as he just burnt.

Jack had planned on, well, Jack wasn't sure what he'd planned on. He certainly hadn't planned on all-but raping him in the middle of the dance-floor. Jack suppressed a laugh, Sirius certainly hadn't been complaining at any rate. Jack had been a little dismayed at how drunk he was, he normally stayed away from them – too much guilt and ? the next morning but he was glad he'd made this exception – it had been entirely worth it. He let a filthy grin paint his face as he thought about it.

And then, in the taxi on the way back to Jack's hotel, how wonderfully innocent and young he'd seemed, babbling away non-stop, chattering about everything and anything and reminding Jack so painfully of how he'd once been! It had been exhausting just talking to him, just trying to keep up with his energy. He'd made Jack feel so old! But some of the stuff he was saying...

If Jack had been anybody else, he would've just crossed Sirius off as the regular physco but Jack, Jack had seen everything that was supposed to be impossible.

But...

Invisibility cloaks?

Spells? Magic?

A school that nobody else could find?

Now that was strange and it was Jack's responsibility to investigate that sort of thing, that was the only reason he wanted Sirius to stick around, right? It was for purely investigative reasons and not because Jack was starting to get lonely in his old age, right? He nodded to himself, almost missing the shadow that flickered as he ran past it.

Back-tracking, he thrust his gun in first and shouted for the alien to show its-self before he decided to shoot it. He'd have to think on Sirius later.

.x0x.

The room was dark when Jack got back. He didn't bother with a light and sighed, disappointed that Sirius wasn't there. He'd half expected Sirius to be stretched out naked on the bed or something. He certainly wouldn't have been complaining.

"Captain Jack Harkness," a voice said from the direction of a chair, making him jump – and that didn't happen often, "He's a strange kinda man. Comes and goes every couple of months and stays for three or four days at a time. Always strides around in that weird military coat of his. Likes to appear at odd times of the night and leave suddenly. Often covered in blood or slime and carrying extremely funky looking objects and more likely than not, a gun. Drinks water or coffee, never alcohol. Flirts a lot but never seems to have anybody in his room. Been arrested once or twice but they don't hold him for long and don't use handcuffs. Hear the word Torchwood a lot when he's around – strange people in suits and sunglasses with briefcases and guns. Obsessed with aliens and sci-fi. Is definitely bisexual."

Jack, stunned, didn't say a thing.

"Anything you'd like to add?" Sirius asked cheekily, getting up and flicking the light on himself. He still had the leather trousers on, Jack noted, but he was wearing one of Jack's dark blue shirts. "Oh, and half of the receptionists are in love with you as is one of the porters and some of the other guests as well."

"What have you been up to today?" Jack replied, smiling now he'd gotten over the initial shock. He was kinda worried that people associated him with Torchwood. It might be time to swap hotels again.

"I was asking around." Sirius sat on the end on the bed, swinging his legs childishly, "Strange thing is, you're not known for bringing people back here." He stood up, helping Jack out of his coat and eyeing him suspiciously, "Apparently, I'm a first and they were just as interested in me as I in you. Some of the girls were very interested." His eyes glittered. "I might've shared a few details. I hope you don't mind."

Jack laughed, pulling his shirt and under-shirt off quickly, trying to disguise the bullet holes in the back. Too many questions.

Sirius saw the blood though. There was no hiding that. He winced. "What happened there?"

"My job." He took the gun off next, putting it down on the chair and kicking his shoes off. "What're you still doing here anyway? I thought you had a boyfriend to get home to?"

Sirius' chin tilted defiantly, reminding Jack very strongly of his age. "I do. I did." He sighed. "I'm not sure anymore. It's not as though we live together anyway, we're staying at a friend's house for the summer. Boarding school in September."

Jack's eyebrows rose, "Boarding school, huh? Bet you've got some good stories about what the boys get up to there."

Sirius rolled his eyes and shoved him lightly, "And my friends think I'm bad."

"Nothing wrong with a dirty mind, Sirius."

"Not saying there is." His eyes followed Jack as he tidied up, watching the muscles on his back and noting his comfort at being half-naked. "So are you really a captain?"

"I was. A long time ago. Not so much these days, I just like the title."

"Oh. So why don't you drink alcohol then? Can't understand that one at all."

"Gotta be ready at a moment's notice. This job's pretty unforgiving and well, you never know when you might be needed to travel." He opened what Sirius had taken to be a window and stepped outside.

Sirius leapt up, half-expecting to see Jack sprawled out on the pavement below. But he wasn't. He was still breathing and grinning at Sirius' panicked expression. "It's called a balcony," he teased, motioning for Sirius to join him outside.

He wrapped his arms around Sirius' chest and Sirius leant back against him. "God, you smell wonderful," Sirius murmured unthinkingly, the scent enveloping him and making him relax.

Jack chuckled softly in his ear, "51st century pheromones. Don't get better than this."

"51st century-?"

"Don't believe in time-travel, Sirius?"

"Well, yeah. But only backwards. You can't go forwards. You just can't."

Jack tensed lightly, barely a flicker but enough that Sirius knew. "And you know that for a fact?" he asked with interest, nuzzling his neck.

"Yeah," Sirius replied, eyes closing, wondering what was making his tongue so loose all of a sudden, "They only work one way."

Jack was definitely interested now. "What do?"

Sirius snorted and pulled away from him. "Nothing. So where are you from then, Jack?"

Jack leant on the wall, hands clasped in front of him as he looked up at the sky. After a while, he pointed at some far away, distant star. "There."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Oh, really? And I was born on Mars."

"Nah. Not possible. Humans never truly colonize Mars though they do try."

"One guy told me today that I should probably stay away from you. That you're a little bit of a nutter. For some daft reason, I told him you seemed completely sane to me!" Sirius leant next to him, "But now I'm not entirely certain. It's impossible for you to be from there." He pointed in completely in the wrong direction and Jack would've been mildly offended at the galaxy he did point at if Sirius had known what he was doing.

"Why?"

"What?"

"Why can't I be from there?"

"Because-" Sirius almost pouted, frowning as he was, "Because you just can't."

Jack laughed, voice all low, "Oh, there's so much out there that you don't know."

Sirius snorted. "Yeah? Well perhaps there's a lot down here on earth that you don't know about."

Jack raised an eyebrow, "Yeah? Like what?"

Sirius shrugged and walked back inside. "Just saying that you can't presume to know everything that goes on."

Jack followed him back inside. "No," he said softly, "no, you can't."

Sirius was playing with the gun, picking it up and pretending to fire it. Jack knew that really, he should stop him before one of the walls got short or worse, he did. But Jack liked watching his fascination with it, the way his long fingers kept stroking its barrel and the way he pouted when he was pointing it at things.

"So what did you argue with your boyfriend about?" he asked casually, sitting down on the chair and swinging his feet up onto the desk it was near.

Sirius dropped his gun and Jack winced, half expecting it to go off. "Because – because I want to tell people about us, but he doesn't. Says people look at him with enough disgust at it is." Sirius shrugged, "I get all that. I'm just – It's like the other week after the –" he swallowed slightly, Jack noted, "- when he was ill. I wanted to pick him up and kiss him and be able to sit with him and stroke him and all that stupid sentimental stuff. But I couldn't. Because James was there and he wouldn't have wanted that. Hell, Remus shouted at me as it was because I'd held his hand for a couple of seconds." Sirius looked distraught. "It's all sneaking around and snatched kisses. I mean, I wouldn't mind all that – I know what a buzz it is! – I've done it tonnes of times before with girls but..." he trailed off, looking miserable.

"So are you bisexual then?"

Sirius looked up at him, as though it was the last question he'd expected - especially from what he'd learnt about Jack's personality. "I – I don't know. I don't care, really. If I like somebody then that's enough, right? Gender... Species... Be damned and all that, right?"

Jack cocked his head to one side. Species... What had made him say that? "Yeah," he replied, "Exactly."

God, he was so much like Jack used to be. Full of swagger and bluster and confidence and so... so... intense.

"Do your friends know that you like guys as well?"

Sirius shrugged. "I'm not sure. They probably – they probably have their suspicions. I mean, I've never gone out of my way to hide it. I'm not ashamed, you know?"

"You shouldn't have to be." Jack got up and sat down next to him, putting an arm around his shoulders and a hand on his thigh. "Do you want me to take you back?"

Sirius looked up at him – or more accurately, at his lips – and shook his head. He lifted a thumb and traced Jack's mouth before pressing a kiss to his exposed shoulder.

"Let me stay just a little while longer."


So, the mystery revealed ;)

Not too happy with this chapter at all but I felt like I should update and besides, I could do with a few nice reviews to cheer me up (hint, hint ;))

,Paddington