Our love is never ending as it circles around the ones we share it with.
Jack was trying to sleep with his arms wrapped around Mark. He was resting his eyes listening to the hum of the machinery of the Hub and the low current drone from the Rift itself. For the most part the Rift was quiet and that could be a little discerning when you were used to something being active almost always 24/7. But that was only one reason he was awake. He was finding sleeping with Mark a bit of a distraction.
"This feels so familiar. Andy why do you always feel right? But we can't feel like this, it is just everything is going wrong and with so many things wrong, us like this just feels right." He pulled Mark in tighter, feeling his bump and remembering a time before the Universe in its cosmic joker fashion ripped him apart and put him back together again; well both of them. Jack snuggled into Mark's warmth, kissing his neck. The next thing that happened wasn't so much a surprise as something natural. Mark turned around and went for Jack's lips. The two men went after each other, not wanting for things to stop. It didn't take long for clothes to be discarded and bodies to be touching and rubbing parts together. It was sleepy, warm and exciting and very normal for these two men to react this way.
"Jack, we can't. I won't, but this feels so natural and I've missed you so much." Mark began to cry.
Jack stopped and felt guilty about his behavior. It wasn't right, but it yet it was. But what had been started would not be completed. Jack kissed Mark's tears away and hushed him back to sleep. Naked, they slept that night but nothing further happened. Nor would it ever.
Darby was interested in John for a moment when he was shown into the common room of the mansion where Darby was living. He asked John to stay and ogled Ben for a split second before making an excuse that he had a little bit of business to take care of but that he would be back in a bit.
John sat on the couch, pulling Ben down on his lap. He rubbed the young man's thigh using the chain to bring Ben's lips to his. It wasn't like John wasn't hot. Ben swooned from the kiss, it was just amazing the way John tasted and it was wrong. He knew they had to behave this way in Darby's house. It was a pleasure palace after all and it was suppose to be sexually inviting. The decor of multiple couches and chairs designed and bent for pleasure and intercourse alone told the room's story. Naked statues of exotic creatures in all stages of foreplay and intercourse were placed around the room with sex chairs and sexy paintings of people touching them selves. Ben shifted his position so that his torso was smashed into John's crotch. He went with the role-playing and grounded into John making the ex Time agent moan.
John followed suit and pulled Ben's lips to his. Sucking on his bottom pouting one, John smiled at Ben's face, enjoying the pleasure of just letting go. It was so long since it was just sex and not love that for a brief instance, John forgot about Mark and why they were here. He went on instinct and that meant to only find pleasure by the blond on his lap that was now seeking his lips.
"John, god, this is amazing. But what is that smell?" Ben asked as he attacked John's neck.
"Incense and good old fashion 51st century pheromones. Now why don't we get more comfortable? I want to give you something." Ben let John move him down on his back as John lay on top of him.
Both men stopped for a moment looking at each other. As John explained before, they were being watched. He leaned into Ben feeling sad about what they had to do next. Whispering in his ear, John said. "When in Rome, but I will make sure you enjoy it. But once it happens, we can't tell anyone. This is to get Ianto back and for us to return home. Ben, I'm sorry." He found Ben's lips kissing down the rest of his chest. Their clothes fell to the floor and they did something that had to be done in a world that had no morals.
Satisfied that John was here on business, Darby watched the men couple from the other room. He rubbed the head between his legs before pulling up the beauty to his face. "They are wonderful together. But never will those two be as good as you are. Mark, I love you, like I have never loved anyone in my life." He sat Mark down on his lap facing the TV screen to watch the two guests make love in the main room.
"He is the one, John, that hurt you, Darby?" Mark asked, feeling Darby's hand in between his legs.
"Yes, but I'm glad now. First because he is here so I can repay him with pain and second, because his leaving brought you to me, my love. God, my life is complete."
Watching the lovers on the screen didn't do anything for Mark. Darby was excited enough to push Mark up bending him over the desk in front of the screen. Mark closed his eyes and let his mind go somewhere faraway where he didn't have to feel the pain.
Darby rejoined them in the room sometime later. They were offered refreshments as Darby talked about how wonderful his life was. He talked to John about how great business was, John commenting that it was not hard to notice from the way the place looked.
"And you John, what a nice toy you have, you must have had some luck yourself. Where did you find him?" Darby wet his lips as Mark entered with a tray of drinks.
"Oh, I got him from a friend. Nice deal really, he just kind of gave him to me." He tugged on Ben's chain. Ben smiled. He was still feeling the affect John had on his body. But he was well aware that he had to stay sharp as well. John watched the younger man with a great remorse. Some people should never have to see what the world was really like. It just wasn't fair. John blocked his thoughts as Mark handed him his drink. John didn't look into those eyes. He didn't want to see what the universe had done to him, he knew and that was enough. But he did find his finger touch Mark's briefly when he went for his drink.
Darby noticed but kept his rage to himself.
"Lovely isn't he?" Darby asked observing the direction of the men's gaze. "I was supposed to sell him off but I decided to hold onto him. Been having that bed warmer for around four years now. He is well trained living with "them" as a pet for a few years." Ben watched as Mark kept his eyes averted, depositing their drinks with a bow before he exited the room. Darby held his glass up in the direction of the young man before he downed his drink.
"Yes he is. But you always had such great taste." John held back the urge to tear Darby in two or being sick by Darby's use of "Lovely" when he referred to Mark's looks. "But it is time we get to business. I need to find something that was stolen and I was told you would know something about it. My sponsor has many credits to pay in order to get his merchandise back." He handed a picture to Darby. "I was told that you were given this man to sell. I just want to know where he is heading and I will pay you handsomely."
Darby stared at the picture. Oh this was too good for words. John was sent on a wild goose chase and sent here. But didn't Grey say John may come looking for something?
"Ah yes, I could help you with this. You know me. I never forget a face. But I have so many leaving here on a daily basis that is will take a little time to get the flight he was on and where it was going. I don't really do the bookings, just the sales. But I can have my assistant look into it in the morning." He got up and looked at John with an honest smile.
John blinked before he got up to shake Darby's hand. "I knew you would be easy as always to do business with." Something in the handshake didn't feel right. John let it slide thinking it was just his reaction to Darby and Mark. But before their hands let go John saw something dark behind Darby's eyes. He hated John. But why unless something happened, someone told Darby what John had done? John shook to the core when he finally put it together. He reached to hug Darby pulling him in tight in order to throw Darby off balance. "Hey, I should have explained why I left. I didn't mean to hurt you."
Darby melted into the embrace for the briefest of instances before pushing away.
"Well, it is late." John got what Darby meant. "If you want stay the night, I'll see what I can do for you in the morning. Mark, come here please and show our guests to their room. I'm sure you want a bit of rest about now." Darby smirked before he got up to leave.
Mark appeared once again and signaled for them to follow. He walked in the direction of the room without even a glance back making John long to reach out for him now that Darby was out of the way. When they arrived at the room Mark spoke mechanically, allowing no emotions to surface. "Everything you may need is in that room. We like our guest to be happy. Good night." He didn't so much as look up when he left them standing at the open door.
Ben went to say something as John grabbed him dragging him to the room. Ben yelped at being man handled, not sure it the rough housing was for show. But John didn't seem to notice.
He shut the door and put the lock on with his VM sweeping the room for CCTV cameras and listening devices. Just as Ben was going to say something he was silenced by John's fingers on his lips until he was sure the room was clear.
When the Vortex Manipulator beeped the all clear John let go of Ben. "Okay, we're good. What was on your mind?" Like he didn't know the answer.
"Mark, he should have recognized us in the future, right? Did we damage the past, well our future? I mean, damn I don't know what I mean."
"Psycrotrops. He is on Psycrotrops, now I know why he was so messed up with his memories. There must be a point when Darby took him off them. He went from an intense dose from his Master's chemical make up to Darby's special blend. I'm surprised Mark maintained any sanity at all, well you should have seen him before Nick started to really work with him." John trailed off as his body sagged into the mattress on the bed with his weight.
"Oh, I didn't realize that. Mark never talked much. Well, not about his life." Ben trailed off realizing John wasn't listening.
He was scowling in thought. Darby didn't react the way he had wanted. The man seemed repulsed by John's play for intimacy. This was bad, very bad. It could mean life or death for them. He needed to find out just what Darby was up to before it was too late.
"Got it!" He jumped up from the bed. "Darby must have been part of an effort with the Agency to get some of the POW the "Creatures" returned. Something must have gone wrong. Somehow, someone realized that they had an easy market selling off people that were already listed as dead. No family ties to go looking for them as they were already told or assumed that their loved ones were dead." John looked at Ben who was scribbling on a pad. "What the hell are you doing?"
"This is awesome stuff! I would be daft not to use this in a story. I'm not a science fiction writer per say, but I always wanted to try. Coupled with the stuff you gave me on the train, this is mint! A dashing hero and his side kick save a lost lover in the stars." His writer's enthusiasm ended with him being slammed into the wall by John's full strength. Ben was shocked to a dumbfounded stare before he felt any pain.
"What the fuck…?" He blinked at John.
"This is not a joke nor is it fodder for your silly writings. This is real. One mistake, just one slip here or back home and the whole things tips over and we fall into paradox." He snarled, letting Ben fall to the floor. John turned away from Ben to gain his composure. He didn't want Ben to notice how scared he was. Darby knew something and he was going to make sure that John would pay. As for Ben…. he shook his head and turned back to his associate for lack of a better term, hiding his terror from Ben the best he could.
Ben rubbed his back as he stared at the floor. "I'm sorry; I just got carried away with the moment. Let me help you find the answers so we can find Ianto and go home. I'm good with plans. In writer's terms it is called brainstorming. I'm rather first-rate at it."
John laughed as the thought 'we aren't going to get home,' raced around his mind. He was suddenly aware of just how innocent Ben was, like a big goofy kid that just thought this was a game. He decided to not tell Ben the truth. It was best that John stay on his toes and right now, Ben could sleep the sleep of a baby for one more night, if they even had that. Right now he would talk about Darby out loud, but planned away out in quiet.
So he knelt in front of the blond and used his finger to raise the youth's chin to look at him. Their eyes met, sparing thoughts of desire in each man. John kissed Ben tenderly, in forgiveness. Softly he said. "You are crazy, but I like you. So if you were a crazed, sadistic ex-Time Agent gone Black Market boss, how would you get rid of a person that was considered hot and that isn't in the sexual way, more like in an illegal way?"
"You find someplace or someone that can make it, well him, vanish. I don't like where my mind is going there. I hope we can still find Ianto. John, I'm a little nervous here, I mean, I'm not like you. I just can't turn sex on and off. I feel like I should say something to you." He stopped talking, as John looked right at him. "You did it because you wanted to know why Mark did, I mean why he slept with me more so than to impress Darby. Am I right?"
John didn't react to Ben's words, he simply nodded yes, thankful for Ben's simple question. "Go get some rest. I need to think a bit. You're right, we could have just fooled around but I needed to know, and Mark was right about you. You feel like a slice a heaven." He smiled, getting up to get his notebook. He was beginning to wish he were at home in bed with Mark. Ben was too close for comfort and John was just a man after all.
"Wow, thanks! I think you're pretty heavenly as well. Night John, see you in the morning." Ben shuffled out of his clothes and curled up in bed with a sigh.
Mark mumbling in his sleep awoke Jack. He snuggled around his friend's naked form, smoothing back his hair. He reached for his pregnant belly and rubbed it. "You should let your Papa sleep, little one." He leaned in and whispered to New Guy.
Mark bolted awake. "Jack, I just saw John. It was like I was looking through my eyes at a forgotten scene. I think he was with Darby." He shook Jack off to lie on his back.
"I really don't need to hear that. Hey, you okay? You don't look so good." He got up to go to the sink to soak a towel in cool water. He returned sitting on the bed as he folded the cloth and placed it on Mark's forehead.
"Yeah it was just strange, it was like I was there, not me now, but past me. Gods, I just want them back." His eyes stared at the ceiling letting his mind relax. "Before, we came so close… Jack I love you, but we can't let that happen."
Jack grinned at his friend. "But when they get back and NG is born, we could talk about a foursome. That would be interesting!" He leaned in and kissed Mark gently as a friend just as Mark's eyes fluttered back to sleep.
Jack watched for some time to make sure Mark was indeed back to sleep. He rose, kissing his friend's warm cheek, checked on the twins who snuggled up together before he got dressed and headed to the main room of the Hub. He was going to find Dan. There was a lot he needed to tell the youngster about the mess his part in the 51st century was in. Dan was great at planning. Jack needed a plan to make sure that the Black Market was stopped and all it would take is a letter informing the world what was going to happen. With nothing to bargain with there wouldn't be anything for them to take. So it begins, Jack thought. Now they needed to learn how to fight back.
Ben slept little that night. He was feeling uneasy about his decision to leave with John. And now that John and he had sex, things were becoming complicated. "You had to look like a hero. I bet Nick thinks I'm really silly and will hate me if he finds out about John. But with this lot, anything can happen. God, listen to me, I'm talking like they do. This life in the 51st century is insane. Is there anyone for monogamy? And with all this promiscuity, Nick wants me to live with me." Sometimes his life moved like the tortoise and then bang, it ran like the hare. Maybe Nick was what he needed to set a proper pace for his life. He settled down, hoping he would get back to find out that he wouldn't have to play "love slave" anymore. John was too much of a turn on. "And what is with all the tender stuff earlier? I wish I could figure this out!" He closed his eyes, hoping he would sleep.
Mark kissed the twins on the head as Sally came to get them for breakfast. She called it practicing which made Mark laugh. "You getting a lot of practice with the Terror Twins. Though I have to say, little man is growing up fast. Jolein, I wish she wouldn't grow up at all. But that is the problem. They have too much around them that is adult. I hope when this is over we can just get them to a proper school."
Leon was chasing his sister around in the hallway telling her she had Weevil Breath. "See what I mean?" Mark rose out of bed causing Sally to gasp.
"My God, you are twice as big as yesterday. What does Anna say about this?" She pointed at Mark's rather large stomach.
"I'll find out soon enough. That is where I'm headed. But my guess is I'm around 7 months, which means at this rate NG will be born around the end of this week. Wow, too bad I can't bottle the moonstone for consumer sale. 'Give birth in two months! Our product guarantees to shorten your pregnancy with little side effects or your money back!' It would be one way for Jack to increase the budget around here. We still need to upgrade our equipment." He waddled to the chair and wrapped the oversized robe around him. "And I have nothing to wear!" He began to laugh, causing Sally to join in.
"Can I… you know… touch him?" She held her breath trying not to seem creepy. Mark walked over and placed her hand NG's head.
"That is his head. He stays there for most of the morning. By afternoon he'll turn so his feet are there. He is very good, not really an issue making him a lot like Leon. At least he didn't sing like Jolein did. She was grown up even in the womb. Be happy your child will be normal!" He watched her shining face, with a slight freckled nose as she tenderly touched Mark's middle. NG moved and she giggled.
"He is strong, maybe a football player. Oh Mark this is marvelous. He is so warm and so are you. Can you breast feed? How is the birth going to be?" She was beside herself with excitement seeming like a young schoolgirl.
Mark laughed. He loved Sally; she had such a curious streak. "I could breast feed, but I don't know, he is developing but my body is a little behind. That is why I'm going to see Anna to find out if the birth canal formed otherwise I'll have a C section."
Her eyes went wide. "The birth canal needs to form? You don't come with one?" She tilted her head trying to understand. "God, I really should have read more of James's notes."
"Well, I'm male, kind of. Really I'm in the middle that is from a bit of alien blood that my family picked up somewhere. One in twenty men can get pregnant in the 51st century. But we don't carry the parts around with us. The womb is there but it is small and we go into heat, not have a period. So when we conceive the birth canal starts to form in the third month. It doesn't always work. So mainly we have C-sections. Male pregnancy is very dangerous. You need to be near a doctor or you can run in to complications. But for the most part it is safe. But things do wrong, more often than not. Some still say it is gods' will that men don't give birth. Who is this God and his will anyway? We are nature's way of continuing the population." He held his back has he began to walk. "But the symptoms from being pregnant I can do without." They walked arm and arm out the door. "Come my minion children, breakfast time. Leon, go find your Uncle Jack and make him come to breakfast. He is starving himself again. Sometimes I think he forgets to eat unless Ianto tells him to." He watched Leon run ahead playing at being an airplane again. Jolein stayed behind, holding her Papa's hand.
"Papa is Daddy coming home soon? I can't find him in the future?" She pouted, making her cheeks look rounder.
"Loyalwin said we shouldn't go to that part of the future, he made sure we have been block with a barrier." He looked down at Jolein watching the words run through his daughter's mind.
"Barrier?" She asked crinkling her nose.
"It was set up so little girls with the curious bug don't go where they aren't allowed. It won't be for long and I have a path we can follow later on in Loyalwin's future, but right now, we stay here. Okay, Princess?"
"I want Daddy! NG wants Daddy!" She started to sniff.
Sally bent to pick her up when Mark made a failed attempt to bend his body. He was starting to feel the change again that happened with each time NG took one more step into the world. He smiled at Sally turning his attentions to his daughter.
Mark smoothed back his daughter's light brown hair. She watched him with John's eyes that made Mark gulp a little. "Jolein, you are John Hart's daughter, and your Daddy is a strong man and can take hold of the bad and make it good. That is what he is doing, making the world good again. And he loves his little princess more than anything. So he will come back with Uncle Ianto and make us a family again." He kissed his daughter, making her face shine with a little smile just like her Daddy.
They made their way down the hall, Sally still carrying Jolein, Leon running around being an airplane as Mark complained about the swelling in his ankles. Anna almost fell over when she saw Mark's size.
"What the hell did you feed him? He is twice as big as yesterday, Mark! Have a seat and we'll take a look." Anna shook her head as she got Mark ready for the tests.
"How is the cure for the virus going?" Mark asked.
"Not good, I'm afraid, and the number of cases have increased. But so far not the death toll and Cardiff has water again." It was a normal conversation; well as normal as can be given the life they were leading. Anna was thankful to have this distraction.
Sally excused herself to follow the twins. Jolein ran to breakfast but Leon played airplane and much to the surprise of the adults in the room, Jack joined in making his engine louder than Leon's. Rhys was laughing as he looked at his wife. "Well that's it, I'm in." He said as he revved up his engine and joined the pair for a much needed bit of play.
End Chapter 32
TBC