The Immortality of the Deathless

Author: Milady Dragon

Disclaimer: Everyone should know by now I don't own this stuff

Author's note: Another chapter is here. I thought I'd get this posted before leaving for my business trip last week, but that didn't happen. Better late than never, though. I don't think I'm so happy with his chapter, but it gets them on the road.

We're going to skip ahead a little bit, to keep the story moving. Just so know you….you guys are amazing. Thanks for all the support. Keep it coming, you make me very happy!

Chapter Ten

The first two days of their journey seemed to set the dynamic for the entire team, and Jack wasn't so sure he liked what he was seeing.

He was partly to blame, of course. Being so distracted by what Master Ianto had told him was in that scroll had made him think about a lot of things that had been buried for a very long time. Usually he was quite good at shoving all that stuff back into its closet in his mind, but for some reason this time it kept coming back to haunt him, and it made him distracted and short-tempered. Of course, snapping at either Owen or Suzie meant they'd just snap back, but Tosh just accepted it, and Master Ianto…well, of course the archivist hadn't known where he stood with the team, and had just retreated into quietness, keeping to the back of the group near the pack horses as they made their way north. Jack had seen it, but honestly hadn't paid attention.

He couldn't believe how pissed off he was at himself over it.

But, thank the Gods for Tosh. While Suzie and Owen blatantly ignored their newest member, Tosh had apparently decided to take it upon herself to make Master Ianto feel welcome when she appeared to notice his withdrawal. Jack caught them more than once, talking as they rode, and he realized that it made sense for them to have the most in common. After all, the Elves had forgotten more about magic than humankind had ever known. Tosh wasn't a magic-user per se, but she could keep up with the subject. It helped that she had trained as a druid, and what she didn't know about natural lore simply wasn't worth knowing.

And so, Jack let Tosh do what he should have been doing, losing himself in thoughts of his past.

As contemptuous as he'd always been about the tales spread about the Deathless, they actually had the benefit of helping Jack push the remembrances of those days away, so he hadn't had to deal with them anymore. But now, he found himself watching the events he'd long thought buried, playing against the backs of his eyes like pictures dancing in the candlelight. He remembered Lady Rose, and how beautiful she'd been; Master John, whom he'd respected and admired – and even loved; and worst of all, the feelings of horror and betrayal as the truth of his changed nature had begun to reveal itself.

Jack had long ago come to terms with what he'd become. He'd had to, because to do anything else would have driven him mad. He'd made allowances for his unchanging state: moving on once it became obvious that he wasn't aging; never getting too close to people, knowing he'd lose them one day; staying out of the way of any major events that might become recorded history. He'd traveled the world two times over, finally settling in what was now called the United Kingdom when he'd gotten tired of the wanderlust for a while. Someday, he'd move on once more. Already he'd begun thinking about that time, even before these new developments; and knew he'd one day fake his death so his team would believe him gone. Suzie and Tosh had been with him the longest, at almost five years; Owen had joined them not long after. Someday they'd begin to wonder why Jack didn't seem to be aging, and then he'd know it was time.

Jack Harkness wasn't his first name, and it certainly wouldn't be his last. That was the way of his existence.

He also thought back on the story of the Wizard, the one who'd decided that Jack's not being able to die was an abomination. It wouldn't be the first time he'd ever heard that term applied to him, and it was amazing that after all this time it still hurt. He hadn't asked for this. He'd blamed Rose for the longest time, but then he'd come to terms with her bringing him back to life. She'd only cared about him; she'd only done what she'd thought was right…even if Rose had managed to completely cock it up.

But this other Wizard had taken it upon himself to attempt to find a way to destroy Jack, for the last and final time, for no other reason than Jack shouldn't exist. And he'd supposedly found it, with this Gauntlet and Dagger. It made Jack consider if he'd actually take that way out, if it meant ending his existence. He'd long ago come to accept his lot, and had gone out of his way to make himself fairly invisible. Would the world miss him if he was gone? Did Jack finally want to pass on beyond the veil of life, to whatever lay beyond?

That was the question, wasn't it?

And so, he was lost in his thoughts as his team settled into their traveling routine. By the time he really noticed, Jack hoped it wouldn't get in the way of the mission. Because, no matter what his final decision would be, he'd do his damnedest to complete this job, it was a matter of pride.

It was on the second day, as they were packing up, that Jack heard Owen call Master Ianto "Coffee boy." That was when Jack knew things had gotten really out of control.

The thing was, Master Ianto didn't seem to mind all that much. He simply shrugged, and handed the battle surgeon a mug that steamed in the cool morning air, his face schooled into a pleasant expression.

In fact, the closer Jack watched him, the more he realized he'd missed a lot in the time he'd pretty much ignored the team.

It led him to approach Tosh. "How's he doing?" Jack asked quietly.

The Elf looked surprised that Jack was even asking. "I have it under control," she answered, just as quietly.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Jack was frustrated.

Toshiko looked at him strangely. "Well, I knew you could be oblivious, Jack…but you can't tell me you didn't notice?"

"Humor me."

She sighed. "Jack…Ianto hasn't ridden a horse for long distances before. You know how hard that can be on a person. He could barely move that first night."

"Damn." Jack was angry for not seeing it; but he also wanted to know how Tosh had earned to right to call the archivist "Ianto" without the "Master" attached. "Is he okay now?"

"I know of some herbs that help with the soreness," she answered. "But despite how he was feeling, he was up before all of us that next morning, helping around in camp. And I admit…his coffee is to die for."

Yes, it was…Jack shook his head to dismiss that thought, because honestly it wasn't all that relevant to the conversation. Of course, what was seriously telling of his distraction that he hadn't actually had any sort of improper thoughts toward their newest team member at all, since they'd started out from Cardiff.

"He's trying, Jack," Tosh went on. "But he's not very sure of his place with us, and it certainly hasn't helped that you haven't defined that place, beyond the obvious coffee-making skills. And the thing is…you haven't done anything to define that role to the rest of us, either."

"So, you're saying….I suck at the whole leadership thing." He tried to make is light, but he was disturbed by what Toshiko was saying.

"No, I'm not," the Elven woman sounded put upon. "I'm just saying you didn't think this through. And I have to seriously wonder if you asked Ianto along because he can be a serious help to us…or because you have an itch you'd like to scratch."

"Actually," he answered sharply, "I thought his presence would be the tipping point as to whether we succeed or fail. He has skills, Tosh…skills we're going to need if we want to make this work." He wasn't about to admit that he also had that certain "itch", as she put it…but that was none of her business, really.

Toshiko looked at him sideways, as if debating on whether to believe him or not. Then she shrugged. "Then you should figure out just what his responsibilities are, because until you do he's going to just be dangling out there, not sure of where he stands."

Jack nodded. "I'll do that."

"You better." She smiled softly. "I've grown fond of him, to be honest; in just the short time I've known him. I'd like to see him survive this."

Jack didn't add that he wanted that, as well.