Big thanks to my lovely beta lastincurableromantic! Big hugs. One chapter left after this one and I unfortunatley still don't own Doctor Who or Sabrina. But if I win the lottery, I am throwing money at David, Bille, Catherine, John and whoever else I can to get them to remake this movie!
John was in no mood to be messed with. He had come into the office very early that morning, not that he had slept. At least he didn't look like he was in hell, even if that's how he felt. Slightly bleary eyed and sleep deprived, he had on a freshly pressed suit, his hair was smartly done and he was clean shaven. Might as well look well-groomed while his life was spiraling out of control and he was about to make a move that could destroy his company.
So far his morning had been filled with telephone conferences with the lawyers about how much backing out now was going to cost them, of how badly this would affect their standing in the markets and how big their donations to charities should be in those towns that would no longer be getting factories. Millions upon millions, billions really, of lost revenue and potential earnings and it was not important to him. Somehow he couldn't see how it had ever been important.
And soon his career was going to be all that he had. Donna, Lee and the entire staff at the Estate might never speak to him again because of what he'd done. Not that he blamed them one bit. Jack was going to run away with Rose, and his brother hardly ever checked in with the family when he was off cavorting with a woman. And Rose, he dropped his head into his hands, she would never dare look at him again. Never again would he get to spend an afternoon picnicking with her. Or a night stargazing, or dancing. He would miss the dancing. And he would never get to properly kiss her. The two they had already shared were tainted, the first, although he had meant it fully, she hadn't. She had most likely been thinking of Jack that time. And the second was under false pretenses.
Why hadn't he just actually gone with her to Paris? He really had wanted to, but this stupid company had taken precedence. And now even that seemed moot compared to the crushing weight on his chest. If he could take it all back he would. Unfortunately, he didn't have a time machine. In a fit of anger, he shoved all the papers piled on his desk to the floor and slumped into his desk chair.
Tish knocked on his office before entering. "Good morning, sir. I brought your usual morning tea." She set his deep blue mug down on his desk. With one long finger he pushed it away. It now reminded him too much of the dress Rose had worn the other day. He had a sinking feeling that a very many things would remind him of her now.
His assistant was unfazed by his quiet dismissal of the tea and began picking up the papers strewn all over the floor. "I have confirmed that the Baron de Souza is on his way. The board of directors will be here soon. Your sister is in the building and is in a mood. You'll want to steer clear of her for as long as possible."
"That's not bloody likely," John mumbled under his breath. "I'm glad that everything else is going to plan." Jumping to his feet, he began pacing nervously. "I need you to keep calling the house. I've been trying to get in touch with Jack all morning. No one at the Estate seems to be answering the phone. I need to make sure that Jack makes it on that plane."
"Yes, sir." Tish turned to leave and ran straight into Jack, who had been standing in the doorway. She quickly scampered around him, not wanting to get in the middle of a family argument.
"I heard you were looking for me." Jack crossed his arms over his chest and glared at John. "What did you want?"
"Go home and start packing. You're going to Paris, today," John said, not meeting Jack's eyes.
"Am I?" Jack questioned. "Why would I do that?"
"You're going with Rose. I'm calling off the merger, and don't worry, I'll handle Christina and her parents." John bent over his computer, staring at nothing in particular and continued to talk. "Make sure to let Tish know if you need any money. I want you and Rose to have a good time. She deserves to have a nice time."
Neither of them noticed that Donna was now standing in the doorway. Her arms were crossed over her chest and a scowl was deeply embedded in her face. As much as she wanted to jump into the fray, she needed to see how this played out between her brothers.
"Hmm, and what makes you think she'd want to go with me?" Jack asked and John's head snapped up. "Because I talked to Rose last night. She told me she was going alone. Sounded a little sad about that but it didn't seem like she wanted me to go with her."
John waved a hand dismissively. "Don't be stupid. She's wanted you her entire life."
Across the room, Donna switched on the video camera on her phone.
"Until you started paying attention to her," Jack said, taking a step towards John. "You know, I'm not stupid. I see what you've been up to these last few days. Things started to add up, two champagne glasses, the de Souza merger and Rose, and you know what I got?"
"What?"
"This!" Jack drew fist back and it collided with John's jaw in a sickening crunch. John collapsed in a heap on the floor, his hand coming up to cradle his face. Both men wouldn't have been surprised if John's jaw had been shattered. Jack's fist had left a deep red mark on the other man's face that was sure to leave a nasty bruise.
"I'm glad I didn't miss that," Donna said with a smirk. Neither of the men seemed to have heard her.
Jack towered over John and he yelled at his older brother, "What gives you the right to mess with my life like that? With Rose's life?"
"I pay for your life. Don't you remember?" John spat as he stood up. "I spend the majority of my life in this building, protecting the legacy of our family, of our company. I keep people employed and keep you in the lap of luxury. And to what end? So you can flitter away your life and still gain the one thing, the one person that means more than anything."
John took a deep breath. "I have given you every opportunity to prove yourself and you have failed every single time. So, don't you dare judge me. Now get out of my sight. I have a company to run and you have a plane to catch."
"Oh, don't worry," Jack snarled. "I'm not going to miss it."
For a few minutes the pair of them stood there both steaming with anger and staring daggers at the other. When Donna clicked her phone off and cleared her throat, both men turned to look at her. She raised an eyebrow in Jack's direction and inclined her head towards the door. Taking the hint, Jack turned and began to walk out the door. Luckily, John didn't notice the wink Jack gave her on his way out.
"Are you here to hit me as well?" John asked before collapsing onto a sofa.
"You deserve what you got and more." Donna stalked over to the mini fridge and pulled out a few ice cubes. Filling a cloth with the ice, she handed it over to John.
"Ta." He winced as the cold touched his sore jaw. "Hopefully this won't bruise too badly."
"If you didn't have to speak to the board of directors, I'd give you a black eye to match," Donna hissed icily. Her fingers twitched, itching to punch him herself. "How dare you? And to Rose of all people. That woman has been there for you when you needed her. You do remember what you were like when Mum and Dad died? What we both were like? And that young woman, the one whose heart you shattered last night, was the one who picked up the pieces."
"It's not me that she wants anyway," John meekly protested, sitting up.
She ignored him and continued her tirade. "I thought I knew you, John. Thought you had a heart. I mean, you're the business man that goes out of his way to help people keep their jobs. Harkness Enterprises is the most charitable company in Britain, but when one sweet girl gets in the way of your precious merger, you set out to destroy her and to buy her off. There were better ways to have handled this. And had I known that this was your intention, I would have never let you near her."
John recoiled under Donna's verbal attack. Honestly, he wished that she would just hit multiple times and be done with it. It would certainly hurt less. "You think that this is how I wanted things to turn out?" he asked and this time she heard him.
"Oh no, I don't, and that's the worst of it." Her voice lost its heat but it was still harsh. "I think that you, dear brother, have loved Rose Tyler for years. And you had the chance to have what you want and you blew it like the GREAT BIG DUNCE THAT YOU ARE!"
Donna turned to leave and John opened his mouth again. "I don't love her," he said softly.
"Oh, you don't, do you?" Donna asked quietly. "Then why are you cancelling a huge merger and risking the entire company just to try and give her what you think she wants?"
"It's too late." His voice was barely audible.
"Only if you think it is." Donna walked back up to him and stomped as hard as he could on his foot with the pointed heel of her shoe. He screamed in pain. She muttered several things under her breath as she stalked out of the room. Distinctly he made out the words skinny idiot, doesn't deserve her and same DNA my arse.
The tension in the room was palpable. Around the long black conference table, the board of directors of Harkness Enterprises whispered amongst themselves. All of them were wondering why they had been dragged in here this morning. Baron de Souza gently twisted his chair back and forth. John was pacing anxiously in front of the window and Donna stood at the rear of the room with a smirk on her face. The real show was soon to start and she didn't want to miss it.
"Can someone please tell me what the bloody hell is going on here?" Patrick de Souza asked, leaning back in his chair.
"Well, Patrick," John began nervously. He looked down at watch and nodded. "It's time. I regret to inform you that my brother Jack is currently…"
"Running late." Jack burst through the door clutching Christina's hand. Ianto was slowly trailing behind them. "Sorry about that and now that we're here, let's talk about this merger."
"Jack!" John's voice rang out from across the room. "Where is Rose?"
"Who is Rose?" Patrick asked, obviously not remembering her from the party.
Shrugging, Jack said, "I don't know. Probably on her way to Paris."
"You left her all alone?" John asked quietly. "How could you do that?"
"Who is Rose?" Patrick asked again.
Jack looked in his future father-in-law's direction and smiled broadly. "She's just the chauffeur's daughter."
"Don't call her that," John growled.
Christina came over and placed a hand on her father's shoulder. "She was after Jack for a while but then switched to John. Apparently she decided that HE had the money and the power."
"Is that what he told you?" John glowered at Jack. The older Harkness was beginning to lose his temper. Anyone who knew him well could see that he was about to explode. Suddenly Donna wished she'd brought popcorn.
"He told me everything, John," Christina purred. Donna had to hold her hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing. These two were just too good.
John looked at his younger brother. "Did you talk to Rose before she left?"
"I think I wished her good luck. Maybe not. I told her I had a little trouble accepting my brother's hand-me-downs." Jack grinned and John's hand clenched into a fist. Shaking her head, Donna couldn't believe the plan was working. John was taking the bait and forgetting the things that Jack had said earlier.
"I told her," Jack continued, "that you have been incredibly generous to your women in the past. And that she would be well compensated for…whatever kink you had been into."
John drew back his fist and hit Jack square in the jaw. Staggering backwards slightly but still staying upright, Jack started to laugh. "See, I told you he loved her."
"Who?" Patrick asked.
Every person in the room except for John answered in unison. "Rose!"
Donna stepped forward now and looked at Ianto. "Is he packed?"
"Is who packed?" John asked, confused.
With a curt nod towards John, Ianto said, "Yes, just the one bag. It's down in the car, his passport is in the front pocket."
"You packed my things? You were in my bureau?" John asked, looking for all the world like he couldn't figure out what was going on.
"Yes, sir," Ianto acknowledged. "I was up to my elbows in your pants. It was like touching the Shroud of Turin." The corners of his lips twitched in amusement.
"Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on here?" John demanded.
"Here, sign this." Donna set a stack of papers in front of him. "It's your authorization for me to be the acting CEO in your absence and it allows me and Jack to complete the merger."
Absentmindedly, John signed and Jack slid another one onto to the pile. "This one," Jack said, "transfers the CEO power to me when Donna is out on leave after the adoption." He clamped a hand on John's shoulder. "There's a car waiting downstairs to take you to a private airport, where the company plane is on standby."
"Do not ask how," Donna warned, "but Rose's plane will be slightly delayed in its departure. So if you hurry, you may just beat her there."
Jack took a step back. "It's time you ran away from home, big brother."
John finished signing the documents and looked up at his family. "What if she doesn't want me?"
Donna gave him an encouraging smile. "Trust me, she does. But there may be a large amount of groveling involved to get her to forgive you."
For a few moments, John stood there staring back and forth between his siblings. His mouth was opening and closing mouth with no words coming out.
"Don't think, John," Christina said with a mischievous smile. "Just run."
A wide grin broke out on John's face and he turned to the executives in the room. "If you'll excuse me, it seems I have a plane to catch." And he bounded out of the room.
Chuckling, Donna sat down in John's normal chair at the head of the table. Jack crossed the room and picked up a large stack of presentation folders from a side table and began distributing them. "Now, Patrick, the debt burden this merger will accumulate will make it necessary to restructure some divisions. I've done a very quick review of last quarter's performance of each division of both companies."
"What?" Donna asked, mouth agape. This hadn't been a part of the plan.
"Donna." Jack smiled. "You've copied me on the financial standings of this company for a decade. You just assumed I couldn't read. Now ladies and gentleman, let's get down to business."