It didn't take long for the events of the camping trip to sink in. NG would sit in his room in his parents' house for hours, not doing anything but listening to the boring programs that were on the TV while trying to learn all he could about Torchwood. He would bring files, texts and manuscripts he had started to unearth in the archives to his bed via the Hub's computer system that he accessed from his laptop. He needed to know all he could about his family's past. The one thing that held him back was clearance to the files he needed the most. He tried, but he wasn't a hacker like Leon was. He thought about calling him to come over and help him, but that would raise too many questions and he didn't feel like coming up with answers. So he gave up and sullenly watched TV while lying in his bed.
When NG was at the door a week ago with Jack right behind him, Mark just knew something had happened. NG just looked at him eyes pleading. "Please Papa; can I stay here for a bit? I promise I won't interfere with Dad and you. I will clean up after myself and stay in my room, just don't turn me away." He was looking at the stairs when Mark took hold of his youngest.
Mark didn't ask NG what happened as he guided him in the house. He would get it out of Jack later. But what he did know was as NG sank into his arms, he could feel that his son understood that he loved him.
"Don't be silly, you can stay here whenever you want." Mark shot Jack a look of anger when he assessed what kind of state the immortal had brought his youngest home in. He beamed an "I'll be talking to you later," at Jack before he guided NG into the house, leaving the Captain outside.
Jack stared at the door for a long moment before turning and walking away. He didn't understand what was going on. And on his way home he decided he was just too tired to care. When he got to his bed, he undressed before crawling under the covers. Smelling Ianto still on his pillow, Jack grabbed the picture off the nightstand and curled up ready for a fitful night's sleep.
Jack swore to Mark some days later that he didn't have any more about what NG went through than what the scanners showed at the camp site. As far as Jack knew, only NG could tell them what happened beyond the site tests that had been done on a temporal level. What physically went on in the displacement was something only NG was aware of.
As for NG, he couldn't tell Mark what happened. He would just stay in his room. Mark and John grew worried and Jack's explanation had them more concerned for NG's mental and physical stability. If NG was awakening and if a moonstone had something to do with it, then maybe it was time to level with NG. Mark decided after much talk with John and Jack that it was time to tell the NG the whole truth well most of it anyway. There were still many things that they just couldn't share with NG because it was part of security protocols. But Mark knew that his youngest would hack into the systems as some point.
Mark also thought that it was best that the story came from him; it was his to tell, after all. So John took Jack out for dinner and drinks in order to try to forget the wrong he may have caused NG by trying to protect him.
Mark knocked on his son's door and to his surprise NG said, "Please come in."
"I was wondering if you wanted to come into the living room with me. I made too much popcorn and there is a Better Housewives of Brighton marathon on. It is a lot more fun with popcorn and company." 'Please NG, I want to talk to you,' he concentrated his thoughts at his son.
"Sure, why not? I haven't left this room really in a week. Papa, I know we have to talk. Popcorn is a great incentive to move." He smiled warmly at his Papa. "After a shower, first. I don't smell too good. Can you keep the popcorn warm?" He laughed a little.
"You heard what I thought? NG that is marvelous!" The warmth in the hug between father and son was felt deep inside both party's minds.
It was after the shower, some popcorn and a few laughs over yet another show with catty women that NG finally let the iceberg melt. "It was there in the displacement, with Doris, a 'Creature," Papa. They mated and had a girl child." He took a swig of the beer he had been ignoring for most of the evening. "Papa, why didn't you tell me, about them, about what they made you do? I know about Ramanh. Do Jolein and Leon know?" By the look on his Papa's face he wished he never had asked that question. Mark suddenly looked like he had aged 10 more years for every lie he was about to undo.
"Yes, they grew up with him. I did you a disservice; we taught them that you were never to know. But they would go and play with him. It went on for a few years after you were born. I would see him as well, when you would go with your Nana to the park. I would travel to see Ramanh. Then one day, we couldn't get through. It was a year after we got back from Paris. He was just gone as well as his father Loyalwin. I never found out what happened to him. I was such a mess with my emotions that your Dad asked Gwen and Rhys to look after the three of you for a bit. You all got along with Rhys Jr. and Harry, so they took you to Normandy for a holiday. You remember that? Silvia was also there visiting. It was right before she passed away in that car wreck on the Autobahn. God, it was one of those summers. I cried so much that year. I lost three people I loved." Mark paused, leaning his head back on the couch.
It was with that pain Mark told the whole truth to NG. For the most part, all NG could do was to hold his Papa afterwards. He also came to the conclusion that his Papa went through so much in his life and had made it out in one piece. NG didn't earn the right to feel sorry for him self because his Papa held all that in. Those around him loved him enough to protect him from the pain. That said something. So now it was time to give back some of that special love. He owed it to his family. He also knew it was time to stop running from what he was meant to become. Even if the dreams scared the shit out of him.
He returned to his room and slept with the shard of moonstone in a locket around his neck. He dreamed in images of his alien brother running on a beach with a small creature child that when it glanced in NG's direction had his Papa's eyes.
With a sense of purpose and the need to improve, he returned to the Hub to become a better agent. He was on a quest to find the path best suited to the use of his talents. So he started to train.
Sometimes though, in the wee hours of the morning bits of a life with Jack that in his opinion was not meant to be would let itself be known. They had a house in one dream, with a garden much like the one Doris would toil in as she waited for Hal to come back to her. In the dream, Jack knew NG took a fondness to the remains of it when they first stumbled upon it. So he gave NG a similar place as a present when they agreed to live together. There was also the warmth of Jack as they lay in bed together. NG would wake, half expecting Jack to be next to him. But that wasn't the case. He would do his best to block the wave of uneasiness while he got ready for another work filled day with Torchwood.
There was also the field training with his Dad. John Hart was determined that if his son was going to be caught with his pants down it would be because NG wanted it that way, not because he was unprepared for events that this job could throw at him. NG was willing to be trained, but not because his Dad wanted bonding time. It was because he needed it to survive. Too many have fallen in the past. Death by Torchwood was not a known cause of death since his Dad recovered and trained the group above the weapon lessons that Jack gave them.
NG still remembered Jack's smell as he held his arm straight, trying to unnerve him while he pointed his weapon at the target. Whatever Jack thought he was trying to do in the land of seduction NG threw back at the Immortal, making him unsteady as his odor gave away his lack of willpower and showed NG just how turned on Jack became.
That brought a smile to NG's face as he got into the shower. He liked to make Jack sweat for a change. It made knowing Jack was in bed with another right now a little better. He had that over Jack, that one bit that if he had wanted, NG would be sleeping with Jack right now at this moment instead of some nameless warm body of the week. Even Simon had been one of them, now he was just some guy that worked at a Tesco with an IQ barely above a Weevil. Retcon was like that, sometimes it destroyed too much of the memories. Look at poor Tom. He was now a janitor at the school he used to teach at. The staff referred to it as a car accident, for that was how the police found him. NG knew better now that he worked for the group that ruined a man's life. What he did to Tom was wrong and he didn't deserve what had happened to him.
"It should have been me. They should have punished me, not him. I led him on." He frowned.
If he had known what his actions could lead to he wouldn't have been such a jerk about it and stood up for Tom. But then it was all about getting John Hart to have a major hissy fit. He loved egging his Dad on, just hoping one day John would have hit him. But now in the training room he could best his Dad by catching him off guard. NG knew the one thing that worked was the unexpected. So when John caught him in a chokehold NG did the only thing he could think of doing. He let his body go limp. It was then that John panicked, thinking he went too far with his youngest.
"NG, hey don't fool around." He slapped NG's face, trying to revive him. NG didn't move. "Oh dear, NG damn it don't play games, this isn't funny!" John shook him once before leaning in to check for a heartbeat. There wasn't one. John began to shake. As John stood to go to the com link on the wall to ask Anna for help, he didn't notice NG breathing. John's fear that he had hurt his son was all NG needed. He charged his father silently, picking John up and flipping him on to his back.
John went wild eyed as he watched NG come down at him effectively pinning his arms to the floor. John winced a little at the impact. He saw the fury in his son's eyes and he said their safe word. "Apple pie." NG stood and walked out of the room. John lay there on the floor still trying to catch his breath. It wasn't long before he laughed. He didn't expect the little brat to catch him off guard. He was suddenly very proud of this new side of NG he didn't know ever existed.
That night he explained to Mark how proud he was of their son.
"When he is bad, he is my son. But when he acts all violent and throws the great John Hart on his ass, he is now our son. I'm all about being creative John, and you are brute force and guttural passion. How does that make him our son when he was channeling you?" Mark moaned as John rubbed a tense spot on his shoulder. "Besides, I should be doing this to you."
John grunted when Mark began to snicker at him. "Oh, you think you're a funny man. How about a little cave man and the lost time traveler tonight? I'll give you primitive!" He manhandled Mark onto his back and began to run his hands over the smooth skin resting on Mark's belly. "Me like traveler, me will make you howl at the moon and forget your science. Cave John say so. You mine, my Lovely!" Mark eyes slanted as his body responded to John's heated gaze. He moaned as John attacked his lips, thankful that they were alone in the house again. They needed a good night of role-play.
NG for the most part, put the camping trip out of his mind and concentrated on learning all he could. One of the lessons was trying to figure out his Dad, the other was his strong growing feelings for Jack. He needed to decide what he should do about both men. He thought how much he missed his first two and a half years when his Papa and he were in Paris; it seemed so much easier then. Why did things get so complex as one grows up?
But as he put his mind more into Torchwood activities he found less time to dwell on his problems with both men. His Dad was not an easy man to get on with. Leon seemed to get on with John Hart better and Jolein was his princess, so she had bonded to him. NG for the most part would pretend to work while he watched his family interact. He thought maybe somehow he could learn in time how to get his Dad to really love him.
His Papa seemed to understand him. Mark for the most part was protective. NG wished at times he hadn't been so shielding. NG just needed to fall and make a mistake every so often. He learned the best via the hard way. It was good that his siblings had been there for the most part. But even then the Twins seemed to always be so much older than NG in their wisdom. This further isolated him.
"I wish sometimes we never left Paris, Papa." He leaned his head against the tile with the water growing colder. "Stayed in too long again, thinking. At least that solved the Jack problem for now. I really should see if we could get bigger furnaces in here to heat the hot water. It would make sense. I could ask Leon if there is an alternate power source." There he was thinking for Torchwood. It felt good. "Uncle Ianto, I want you to be proud of me more than anything." After all, he could only do his best in the memory of a man he had loved so much.
"NG, this is your trainer Captain John Hart, please report to the gym. You are 20 minutes late!" The speaker squealed, making NG jump to attention. "I hate this thing, Leon how the hell do you shut this ancient piece of shit off?"
"Dad, why do you use it if you don't know how it works?"
"Don't know, just seemed like the thing to do."
"I wish you would both shut up!" NG yelled at the ceiling. He almost fell getting out of the shower before running to his room to get dressed. He was sure it was going to be a long day. His Dad had that "Oh, you will suffer for your tardiness" tone in his voice. He let his hair stay wet as he hit the hall running to the other side of the Hub where the Torchwood members went to train.
Jack stepped out of another room as NG's wet adorable head ran past him. He watched the graceful trot of the young man before he attended his business. He knew that with those thoughts in his head it would be a hard day again to be around NG. He went to the main room smiling and gave all a good morning before walking up the stairs to get a cup of coffee.
Gwen was reading the newspaper with a pair of reading glasses on. To Jack it made her have a "Grand Dame" look and he giggled at her.
"I have no time for your silliness today, Captain Harkness; we have a serial killer in Cardiff. According to sources, he could be alien." She handed Jack the article.
He borrowed her glasses. "Cheeky!" She scolded before she too giggled.
"I think I know something about this. I have to meet a friend for lunch. He may have something for us to go on. But for now, just let the police do their work for a change, Gwen. You left that life a long time ago when you joined Torchwood. Wait, you really didn't leave it, didn't you?" He looked at her with the glasses hanging on the bridge of his nose.
She grabbed the glasses, returning them to her face. "You don't need them, you're still not aging. If anything, your eyes are stronger. You spotted that piece of paper we needed to complete that shredded letter at the bottom of the garbage pile last week. Also you can see anything gorgeous a mile away. Jack, what is really bothering you?" Gwen saw through her friend yet again.
"Nothing, except the obvious. But I'll get used to him not being here, it has only been a few months. I'm not going to break, Gwen, just cry myself to sleep every so often. Thanks for caring. But I will get use to it." He kissed her forehead very lovingly before getting his coffee.
"That is a real shitty way of saying you miss Ianto, Jack. You'll never get used to him not being here. You were with him for more than just your married life. That was what - 32 years? That is something you don't get over." She stood moving in for a closer argument.
"More like 31 years. I don't count the that first year, it was more or less just sex." He didn't expect the slap or see the second one coming; he was still in shock from the first. He watched her walk away from him. Becca stood frozen were she stood on the stairs as Gwen breezed past her.
"Well, I guess she sees me better than I do." He half smiled at Becca. "So kid, what do you have for me?" He pushed his darkened thoughts aside for just a moment. But he knew they would return at some point. He also knew he would have to explain it all to Gwen. Their friendship had always been about honesty. Gwen Williams didn't expect anything less.
NG decided by the seventh hour of work that he was in love with Jack. Passing Jack in the hallway that morning, NG had felt Jack's loneliness. The immortal was with just Ianto for so long that he was lost. That was part of the reason that they shared the bed at the inn together. Jack didn't want an empty bed. It would explain his need for seeking out a warm body every night since NG moved back into the Hub. At least that was what NG thought.
After training, he found himself heading for the medical bay. His Dad spent his time trying to get NG back to the level he was at the other day. John lost yet again to his son. The old man grumbled as his youngest helped him off the floor after yelling apple pie three times. NG got a yelling about if the safe word was uttered it was to be taken for real.
"Do you have something for a headache? My Dad just choked me, stopping some of the blood from going to my brain and now I can't think. He will need something for his back pain later. He'll wait until no one is around and ask you very quietly." NG smiled as Anna gave him some tablets.
"Lunch would be better, if you're anything like your Papa, you have forgotten to eat today, or chose not to. So lets do lunch, now!" She grabbed her purse and NG's arm and dragged him to the invisible lift.
"Awesome, I have never been manhandled by a woman before. I guess there is a first time for everything." She gave him a look like he had two heads before smiling back at him.
"You are too much like both your parents. I'm paying. So my choice; Thai food it is." They walked to the restaurant that was about two blocks away from the Hub, arm in arm.
NG was quiet throughout the meal as Anna chatted away. She was talking about past stories, trying to coax NG out of his walled off self for a moment. She watched the young man go through the motions of one pretending to be listening but she knew his mind was somewhere else.
"Why didn't you marry again, Anna?" He asked before taking a small bite of his spring roll.
"I just never found anyone. Besides, this job gives me all the family I ever wanted. I don't think I would want to have someone to love that I couldn't share Torchwood with. I love my job too much. So I'm a career girl." She took a sip from the wine glass, watching NG look out to the street.
"But you must be lonely? I mean everyone has someone here, you should as well." He sighed, thinking of Jack again. He dug in the salad trying to avoid thoughts of Jack and replacing him with inventorying the parts of the salad.
"NG, you all are all the love and life I need. I'm so happy to know every one of you and for Jack to give me this opportunity to shine; I'm content and happy. Besides, I was able to complete nearly my research about my people. That was an answer a lover wouldn't have been able to give me. Isn't that better than someone I have to answer to or maybe fall out of love with? Your parents were lucky. They can handle Torchwood. Jack, Sally, Dan, Gwen, Rhys, Nick and even Ben are together because of Torchwood. Me, I'm happy to be the Aunt to you children and the sister to the others. It is more than some ever get. That is real love NG, we are family." She had his attention now.
"If you are content, then that is all that matters. I have to say Anna, you never seem like an Aunt to me; that is for an old woman. But if I was closer to your age and you were a man, not that your woman form isn't appealing" he laughed when he saw her wide eye look, "I would so be your lover."
She swatted at NG in a good-natured way. Both laughed and continued on with their meals.
"But in confidence, Ianto was the first one I could feel love from. I miss that feeling." He waited for her reaction before taking a piece of tomato to his mouth.
"Wait, you can feel emotions all these years and you never told your Papa? What else can you do that he isn't away of?"
NG smiled, feeling very good of letting go of one of his secrets. "To that I plead the fifth. But the emotion part up until recently was just Ianto." He leaned back in the café's seat, folding his hands behind his head with a smirk on his brat face.
"You can't plead the fifth, you are in the UK." She swiped at him.
"Then I will become an American citizen so I can!" He laughed but his laugh was over shadowed by a very familiar voice out laughing him.
NG turned his head, as did Anna to see Jack engaged in a very loud gesturing conversation with a man in his late thirties. The man had dark hair and was very attractive. NG turned away from the scene to what Anna would only describe to Nick later as shutting down.
"Well he has been busy. NG, is something wrong?"
"No," he lied. "I just remembered there was something I have to do. I promised someone I would come by and say hello. Thanks for lunch, my headache is somewhat better, so later then." He stood, thrusting his hands in his pockets and strolled on long legs briskly passing Jack.
Anna watched Jack watch NG walk by without a word. He heard the stranger remark. "Jack, is that him? You are still as stupid as you look; live a little, my friend. Well, go after him. I'll pay the tab." The handsome stranger winked at Jack who as if his seat was on fire quickly fled the scene, yelling he would get the tab the next time.
"Sure you will, you have been saying that line for a hundred years now. Go and tell me all about it next time. Well hello there!" He said as he noticed Anna staring at him. She had slowly moved closer to the man to catch more of the conversation. "Anna Billie, have a seat. Jack has told be all about you. Do you want a drink?" He stood and pulled out the chair that Jack had vacated for her.
"Who are you, may I ask?" She sat watching the handsome stranger. "You just said a hundred years. You have know Jack for a hundred years?"
The stranger laughed. "Give or take a few, but Jack isn't important. You and I getting to know each other, that is." He caught the waiter's eye and asked that Anna be served the same as him. "It is a Slow Gin fizz. I think you will like it. So Anna, how did your alien research go? Did you find the connection you were looking for within your people back home?"
Anna blinked, wondering how this stranger obviously alien knew so much about her. But as the saying goes, a friend of Jack's is a friend of yours, she found herself telling this handsome alien everything.
The rest of the conversation went very much like that. Questions and answers but Anna couldn't find out just who the man was but she took him up on a dinner date at some point. She vowed some day to ask Jack why he shared so much of her with the stranger. All she could do was wonder and enjoy a fantastic afternoon with a very appealing alien.
The Brat could run and Jack soon lost him. So the Captain decided to be smart and headed back to the SUV. He could find NG on the GPS unit via his tracking device quicker and save some wear and tear on his boots. He jogged back to the café, spying Anna chatting to his friend. "Well romance is in the air today. I should have thought that those two would have made an excellent couple." He started up the engine and waited for NG's signal to come up on the screen. "That was a no brainer; of course he would go to Ianto for a chat." Jack headed to the cemetery; this time he would have an answer from NG. It had better be yes this time. No more running for the young man. It was time for both of them to continue to put down roots.
NG removed the locket with the moonstone shard in it and dug a hole in front of Ianto's gravestone. He placed the moonstone into the hole and patted down the earth. "There, I'll leave it for you to keep it safe. Ianto, it happened; I've fallen in love with Jack. I don't want to take your place. But if I don't do something about this, I won't be able to stay here with Jack so close. He has gone back to his old ways again. I also really want to stay home now. Papa has let me into his past and I want to stay near him. It reminds me of Paris again, just the two of us." He sat down and waited.
Jack found NG near tears at Ianto's headstone, holding a stick that he used to bang out his frustrations on the grass below. The young man smelled Jack behind him and for once his barriers slipped and he let his feelings be known. Jack stood by listening; feeling like the world was falling apart.
"It is like I see things, the future when I get close to people. It really is a pain because I can't stay around anyone for to long without knowing something that will happen with him or her. Take Bo for an example. I could have stayed or brought him here for a bit. Dad and Papa would have loved him. But I saw what would happen. He is going to find someone else someday. It was easier to just walk away and that is what I do best."
Jack watched NG break the stick apart he was holding and go grab for a piece of grass to mutilate next. "Is that what happened with Ianto? You saw something and that is why you took that position in Australia all of a sudden?"
NG flicked the remaining shard of grass to the side and raised his eyes to Jack. He loved the way Jack had endless eyes. There was no beginning or ending, just undying waves of blue in a sea that was eternal.
"That came many years later. I told him, but he just said, 'I can't stop what will be, NG. Thanks for the warning, but I just want to live what ever amount I have been given.' He was laughing on the other end. But that isn't why I left." He looked away at the trees down the hill. This was a nice place to rest in. Jack picked an excellent plot of land for them to spend the rest of Time together.
"Your Grandma said that you had to find your bearing, that you needed to leave to find what matters. She looked at me saying that was how I grew up. I may have wormed some of that thinking into your Papa's head. But in the end, he followed his heart." He watched NG's face for a sign but there was nothing. "You left because of something else. Was it me?" Jack had to know, Ianto always joked about how NG would be a great replacement for when he died. It wasn't a funny joke in Jack's mind and it often would send him off brooding. Ianto would come around somehow finding him with a big blanket and a thermos full of coffee and they would talk, watch the stars and just feel close.
NG frowned as he replaced his gaze back onto Ianto's headstone. He spoke to it when he responded to Jack's question. "Yes. I know what happens and I left. I don't want it, you and I; I can't do that to him, to his memory. Jack, we fall in love at some point and…" He finally met Jack's eyes that were moving back and forth with his thoughts.
Jack closed his eyes, not wanting to look at NG face as the youth spoke. He knew what his heart said but it was still wrong. He was there for all of this kid's life and right now he wanted to take him in his arms. Hoarsely he replied. "And what NG, tell me please."
"I was happy, really happy in your arms." NG stood, looking at Jack's face once more and with no a sound he walked away towards the woods. It dawned on him that he just needed to feel his feet on the earth and not his mind in a future that was meant to be.
Jack reopened his eyes and stared at the spot where NG was. He felt his body temperature rise and he suddenly felt like he ate too much sugar, a little sweaty and his hands shook slightly. He licked his lips, feeling the moisture leave his mouth. He couldn't find his voice to call after the young man. It seemed he feared the worse and it kept him for using words. That he just let someone walk away that he didn't want to. His regained his courage and ran down the hill towards the trees where NG disappeared. He was out a breath when he finally caught up to NG.
"NG!" He huffed. "I won't let you go. Please, I don't want to be alone. Not now not ever. Ianto knew this, and whether he put ideas into our heads or you really do know the future. I don't know. I just know that I care about you a great deal. Please, just look at me!"
NG stayed facing away from Jack. His shoulders slumped slightly. Hot tears left his eyes and trailed down his cheeks. He didn't want to be alone either, not now. Jack's smell was on the air and he did the only thing he could do. He gave into his heart for the first time in his life.
"To hell with the future, I want the present!" He shouted as he whirled around and ran into Jack's arms.
Jack snuggled the younger man to his chest, feeling the warmth of NG's body connecting with his. The sun and the autumn breeze left their imprint on NG's hair. Jack kissed the top of his head and waited, just content to hold NG.
It was NG that broke contact and went for Jack's mouth aggressively. There was no need for gentle kisses, as both men knew what they wanted. It wasn't long until they lay next to each other on the bed of leaves the trees provided, each seeking the other in a tangle of hands and clothes. The hands removed the clothes until each lay there naked. Jack took his time; having the edge of age he was the first to have his way. He rolled NG onto his back and shifted his eyes from his amazing face down to his legs. From glancing it moved to his hands that he used to explore the spots of NG's body.
NG became restless, not wanting to be the center of attention like this. "Jack," was all he managed to say before Jack was on top of him. There was no pain and it was effortless to both men. But it was as quick as they both thought it would have been.
They lay there for some time just taking in the rather unusual fall warmth, saying very little. It was NG who smiled and decided it was time to make things fun. "Well, that wasn't really anything to write home about. Old man, I thought I would at least have seen a super nova or something gauging from the stories you've told." He laughed as Jack went to tickle him without mercy.
"This old man still can run circles around you. Let's see how long it takes you to beg me to stop." He found NG's lips on a face red with desire and flushed with joy. They were sweet and he drowned in the moist mouth.
NG gave into Jack many times on the floor of the forest. He hoped somewhere Ianto watched and was happy for them. After all, Ianto seemed to have played matchmaker, it was only fair that he got to see two people he loved find happiness in each other.
End Chapter 11
TBC
