The Love is never lost as our house burns away with all our memories.
Muffled voices pierced the silence that held Mark in sleep. He moaned lightly enough to not alert the voices that he had indeed awoken. They were hushed, almost garbled and the language was human. There should be no humans where he was. His eyes opened in small slits waiting to take in the room as his reduced vision became clearer. There were three of them, human by their smell and one was extremely strong and familiar. He breathed in shallowly so as not to alert those near by. Yes he knew that one, but how?
His head hurt, his left arm ached and the unborn was quiet, too quiet. Mark's eyes flung open just as he became aware that the hush tones were talking about the child as well. "Termination" was a word that struck the most. They wanted the unborn dead. That much he understood, but the rest he was unsure of. He was so long with his Master's kind that his native language was a bunch of noise to him. But one thing was sure. He would not let them take his child. So, despite the pain and the wires, tubes and electrodes he had attached to his skin he sat up and began to get out of the bed.
"Sa loe toenwqa leaetan nata san." He whispered causing the three heads to turn in his direction. He winced in pain as he went to stand slipping a little on his feet as his equilibrium gave up. He watched as the one that smelled familiar came running to help.
He hissed at the intrusion into his space and glared at the trespasser. A snarl and the words "Aleen cao too humain squieln tate" followed by another hiss and what sounded like a chirp or click.
"Mark, it's okay." John reached out as if Mark was a wounded animal. "Lovely, you're hurt." John moved closer, which caused Mark to growl and lunge at John. John seeing the fear and conviction in Mark's eyes retreated a bit.
"Nick, what is he on about?" Anna asked.
"I think Mark is now Andy and he thinks we are going to hurt NG somehow." Nick scanned Mark while he was focused on John, unaware of Nick trying to get through. "That's all I got." He shook his head. "It must be the concussion."
"Mark, it's me John, your partner and father of your children."
His head tilted at the mention of children. "Sowolen?" He glared at John and jutted his chin out telling, him to continue.
"We have two children and you carry our third." He pointed to Mark's belly. Mark automatically reached for his middle.
It wasn't a good thing for Mark to hear. He screamed much like the sound made by the "Creatures" before they launched their missiles. He whirled around and went for John's throat grabbing a syringe along the way that lay on the counter near the examination room.
Nick was there in moments, blocking Mark's path to John who just stood there waiting for Mark to attack. "What is wrong with him?" Nick asked John. "You can't let him just attack." Nick watched Mark snarl and bare his teeth. It was then that Nick was ready to defend himself. John pushed Nick out of the way.
"Nick, NG, we can't hurt Mark or we hurt NG. Let him have at me." John pushed Nick out of the way allowing Mark to slam into him knocking him down on the floor.
Mark snarled, hissing out words in an unintelligible anger. He went for John's face with the syringe. John blocked it with his arm. It stabbed deep, making John to yell out. Mark pulled it out and targeted John's eye as he writhed in pain.
"Nuye, Humane, swoana yetes un Children."
"Andy! Sateen!" A strange deep alien voice commanded.
Andy's head twisted sideways at his Master's command. He dropped the weapon and glanced at John one more time, recognizing something in the stranger's eyes. He blinked and after standing he took one more look before he limped over to his Master.
John lay there while Anna and Nick came to stop the bleeding from the gash in his arm.
Great wings folded around Mark as he cooed his contentment. Relaxed, he felt his tension slip away with the sweet smell and let his Master's secretions calm him. "Ilove teneeof Loyalwin!" He smiled and drifted off to sleep.
Loyalwin picked up his charge and put him on the bed. He smoothed back his hair and glanced at Jack who had moved into the room and stood on the other side of Mark's bed. Jack nodded and Loyalwin put his hand on Mark's forehead.
"No, don't touch him. Haven't you hurt him enough?" John tried to struggle away from Nick and Anna as they tried to attend his wound.
"John, it's all right. He is bringing Mark back to you and to us. Right now he is stuck as Andy. It is a long story but somehow the time lines got messed up." Somehow the words that came out of Jack's mouth didn't even convince him. He was more confused than anything, even if he was once a Time Agent.
Loyalwin breathed heavily, a hand on Mark's head. He brushed his face before moving away from Mark. He raised his glance to look at John and fell to his knees.
"The mistake was made. The child in him, I had no idea, we were late. But in some many ways we were on time. He is free of me again and is your partner now. The Child is fine, but there will be a long-term effect from being exposed to the moonstone's energy. Once again, I'm sorry for the mistake, my life is now yours and his." He gestured to Mark who was moaning softly in his sleep.
"Effect, NG… something has happened to him?" John went white as he charged at the creature with his arm half bandaged and still bleeding.
Jack intervened. "John, this is over now. We don't have time for this. There is a city out there and a family in here that needs you to be strong."
John stood still but voiced his anger. "He trusted you. Mark, Andy trusted you! What has happened to NG?" He thought of the little boy not even the size of a walnut, fully conscious and now forever changed before birth.
Loyalwin just blinked at John. It was that one action that allowed John to realize why this "creature" was so sad when he met that time in the past. Loyalwin knew of this pain, the things that happened to Mark, and what he did to NG. But could never tell them any of it.
With a gruff husky thick in sadness voice, Loyalwin spoke. "I don't know how but it will change him. My life is now his, the unborn, now I am his."
Dreams in Mark's mind were never easy, now they were downright confusing. He would see Jack sitting with his back against a gravestone, but no name could be seen. Then it went to three images of what could be children playing and the smallest just walking away. John was there holding him as he said good bye. It felt like they just made love but somehow Jack was next to him instead. Grey was laughing off in the distance and Ianto faded from sight as the beach near his home on Boeshane appeared. His mother was out on the deck her hair long brown streaked with gray moved with the sea breeze. He started to cry as he remembered how much he loved her. "Momma, I miss you." Her sad face turned up to the sky as if she heard him with that she turned going back inside.
He awoke crying, in both physical and emotional pain. John was trying to calm him. "Anna, I need you here!" He yelled. "Easy Lovely, just relax, you're going to be fine."
"John it hurts, all of it, everything. Gods, help me. NG is he alright?" Mark's body rocked back and forth, trying to fight the pain.
John pinned the man down onto his pillow, careful of his wounded arm. "Mark, look at me. You are going to be fine. NG is fine, you just have to remain calm and the pain will pass." He reached into Mark's mind and reassured him. "There you go, much better." Mark calmed down as John wrapped the mental image of his love around him.
"I'm sorry I made you fear the worst, John. You should have known I wouldn't have left you before I got that painting done. Strange I did start it a few days ago." Mark smiled up at John eyes, free of pain. "How is the world?"
John let go of Mark. He didn't answer; just brushed his lips on Mark's dry ones. Mark didn't need to hear the answer just yet so he merely said, "that bad" before closing his eyes and drifting back to sleep.
"The lipstick works still?" Jack's voice softly said. "I remember that stuff, you used it on me. I think that was our first date." He half smiled.
"No our second and that was because I wanted to steal that Broolen Crystal from you. But you looked so yummy all unconscious that I just had to have my way with you first." He winked at Jack before washing off Mark's face. Mark snored a little, deep in sleep and John hoped dreamless for a bit.
"You didn't take the Crystal if I remember. We used it to get transport out of Landoen if still have my memory straight. God you were very inviting then, I just wanted to follow you anywhere. I hope that what you did when I was passed out did something for you?" Jack looked at his ex partner and smiled.
"Of course it did. It made me want to stay with you, truth be told. I think I fell for you with your unconscious charms then and there. How is it you know to react even in a chemical coma?" The laughter from John was welcome after all the shit this day offered.
"I rise to every occasion, even if I am stone cold passed out. So why the lipstick on Mark?" He stared at Mark with a new view of his friend. Loyalwin's intrusion into his mind left a strong imprint there. It was with this new insight that Jack found his views about these "creatures" changing. After all the pain and destruction they could love and it was a pure love.
"Anna said that painkillers might harm the baby. The lipstick is not toxic. I didn't want him exposed to Loyalwin's secretions too much so I figured this was a way for him to rest, for both of them that is. He will sleep for a bit. Anna said because of NG's age and I agree on this that the Nanites might harm him so Lovely is going to have to heal the old fashion way. Poor Anna, she really is having all of it thrown at her at once." Jack acknowledged this with a nod of his head. "Oh and you should know we have guests. You were too busy so I took it upon myself to bring them in. Hunter and Ben, you remember Ben? Well he found Mark on the street and got a hold of Nick. In return for his kindness, I said they could stay here. That is okay with you Captain?" John watched for Jack's reaction.
"Sure, of course." Jack suddenly felt tired. "Tell Mark I love him when he wakes up. John, I think I need to lie down. Loyalwin's down below so he is secure. Grey is missing and I believe Dan said that there is no trace of him here; his tracer was found near the Weevil cages. The monitors are working fine and the rest save Nick and Ianto are out in the field helping out. Those two are collecting data from the battlefield. I told them all to report in three hours from now. I know you want to stay with Mark, but I need you in the main room in charge while I get some sleep. Loyalwin was running around in my mind and it wore me out. I would like to close my eyes." He smiled sadly suddenly looking old.
For the first time John was aware of how this Jack was different form the one he fell for what seemed like so long ago. Somewhere deep in Jack's soul, he was battle weary and almost conquered. It was hard for someone like John not to be aware of the change in his friend. They were both cut basically out of the same Time Agency mold and things of late seemed to bring it all back. Those wild days, the double-crossing deals and the Time Travel still seemed vivid if he thought about it. "I still wonder how we stayed alive as long as we did, knowing all the trouble we got up to. Did Loyalwin say something that got to you?" He whispered softly, still focused on Mark's breathing.
"He knew I was immortal and asked if Andy knew or did I leave him to pick his own destiny. Gods, I hate this John. It is driving me nuts. He said he could give me my two years back. And then cryptically said that I may not want them back. He's right; I don't want to know anymore. What happened is not what I am now or is it what made me what I am now? So if I remember is it going to make a bit of difference?"
The turmoil in Jack's voice hit John hard. "No it won't and if it were me, I would let it go." It was sincere and straight to the point. Mark stirred a bit and John went to smooth back his brow. "He is really a beauty isn't he?"
Jack closed his eyes for a moment, too tired to argue with John. "You are right to both things. Now watch the place for me. I really need to crash." He turned to go; weary of the day's events and hoping a certain Welshman found him in bed and would play at undressing with him.
"Sure thing, Captain." John saluted. "I'll tell Ianto to meet you in bed. Speaking of which, our house is gone. Rhys phoned that news in while you were with Loyalwin. So I'll do some makeshift rooms here and check on the Twins. We are overloaded. Nick gave Hunter and Ben a room near the archives. Ben said they could help Anna out if that is okay with you."
"Whatever you want John, you're in charge right now. Night!" He slowly walked out of the room.
He went to his old room; the one under his office. It held all those memories of Ianto when they had first gotten together. He stretched out onto the bed that was not really more than the size of a cot and started at the dark ceiling. He sniffled a little when he thought of Ianto and their bed, burned, gone. "It is just a bed Jack, get a hold of yourself, you can get another." His inner self wasn't working so he closed his eyes a wept anyway. At some point sleep did find him.
Sometime later he was awoken by a noise that sounded like something falling down the ladder. It was followed by a steady left foot right foot pattern of a slow moving body easing its way down to the bottom. He tried to focus but it was too dark and he didn't want to call out. If it was Grey coming back to finish the job then he best pretend to be asleep. He froze as he heard the intruder stop picking and hefting up what was deposited at the base. The shuffle was small feet making their way to the bed.
"Uncle Jack, it's Leon, Jack Bear can't sleep. I was wondering if he could stay here. They won't let us see Papa. Uncle Jack, are you awake?" Leon walked closer to the cot.
Jack started to giggle. His godson was frightened but he was just too cute to get upset at. "I'm awake little man, he can stay here and it would be an honor to nap with Jack Bear." He rose up and reached for the bear, placing it gentle on the bed. With a flick of his VM he turned the lights on dimly, just enough to notice Leon's tear stained face. He reached for the boy and sat him in his lap as he rested himself on the back of the bed with the pillows moving Jack Bear closer to them.
"Hey little man, your Papa is going to be fine. I promise you that and tomorrow when he wakes up you can see him. Remember I'm Captain here, and what the captain says, goes." He kissed Leon's forehead as the boy sobbed into his chest.
"Our house went away, everything is gone. Jack Bear's friends are all gone. Uncle Jack, is NG gone as well? I can't feel him." Leon was really crying now.
Jack realized that maybe one of the changes in NG was he was not able to talk with his siblings. Of course Leon reached out to his brother, why wouldn't he? If anything, he would as a way to find Mark. He closed his eyes before he turned Leon's face to look at him.
"Leon, NG is fine, it is just something happened; something that changed him. He may not be able to talk with you anymore. Not until he is born. But he is fine as is your Papa. You have to believe me, little man, I wouldn't lie to you." With a soft "no" from Leon, he pulled the boy closer to him. "Now let's turn off the lights and get some sleep. But first how did you get out of your room?"
He didn't hesitate just gave Jack a straight answer. "Oh, I picked the lock with the security system. It was easy like a game. Did I do something wrong?" Leon giggled as he heard his Uncle laugh out loud relieving a lot of the tension that had been on his shoulders.
"No not this time, but I wouldn't make it a habit. But if you are good there is a job for you in Torchwood when you get older. But you are only going to grow up if you get some sleep." He watched the boy beam up at him.
"Okay Uncle Jack, I'll be good and go to sleep so I can work for you when I get older." Jack settle down with Leon lying next to him and let his mind drift away.
End Chapter 23
TBC