A/N: I've edited 64 chapters in the last three days and I'm still no where near done. I have written so much over the years, and to be going through and editing and uploading them like this is really throwing that in my face and these are only a percentage of the stories that I've started and continued writing over the years.
A/N 2: I've got another two stories under a different author handle, plus another 23 active stories I am working on. So, with the work on the stories I am posting on both accounts, plus the other active stories I've got waiting in the wings, and with work and my studying there will be along period of time between uploads when I finally finished editing and uploading all the stock chapters I've been holding back.
A/N 3: So, enjoy what I've written and the uploads you're getting now, because it might be a long time before you get a new one with the way Pokemon, Percy Jackson and the Hobbit have stolen my creative attention.
Chapter Fifteen
****October 18th 2007****
After that night on the sofa in Jack's office I had started spending most nights in the bunker under his office. Most would have thought he would have an army camp bed, but the bunker was where he retreated. A place where only he was allowed (normally). And he wanted to be comfortable. Somehow, he had managed to get a double bed in the bunker. It was one of the most comfortable beds I had ever slept in.
We still hadn't gone all the way, but I was comfortable enough with Jack to fall asleep in his arms. I quickly realised that although Jack didn't need as much sleep as a normal human, he didn't mind lying in bed with me for the four or five hours a night I had started to sleep (only sleeping my old pattern of two hours or not at all, when a case required it). He had gotten very good at calming me after a nightmare, but I still couldn't get back to sleep afterwards.
But I wasn't the only one who suffered from nightmares. On the nights when Jack did sleep, he would regularly wake from nightmares. It took a couple of attempts but I had eventually found a technique that worked. When I was younger, I used to sing my younger sisters too sleep or to help calm them after dad had one of his rampages. For Jack, he didn't need help going to sleep, but when he was fighting the terror of his mind, it was my voice that helped pull him out and calm him.
Because of the regularity of Jack's nightmares, it wasn't a surprise that I woke in the very early hours of the morning to Jack's irregular breathing and his restless movement. It was the only sign of distress he would show unless he was woken suddenly and then his old war instincts would kick in and he would pin me to the bed. It was one of the reasons he never stayed with any of his bedpartners – at least he never fell asleep when they were through even if he was still there in the morning.
"Jack," I spoke his name softly, gently touching his cheek. When that didn't work, I realised how deeply he was caught in his nightmare. The likelihood of him waking in his right mind were slim unless I was able to gentle pull him from his dream.
"Many years I have waited
For a gift like yours to appear
Why, I predict the wizard
Could make you his
Magic grand vizier!"
I gently ran my fingers through Jack's hair as I sang softly, my free hand resting over his heart. This position wasn't restraining, instead it was meant to be comforting and familiar since I always lay with my hand or head over Jack's heart – needing to hear his calm heartbeat. The hand through his hair meant he always knew where both my hands were at all times and that neither was in a position to restrain him before he could stop me.
"My Dear, my dear
I'll write at once to the Wizard
Tell him of you in advance
With a talent like yours, dear
There is a defin-ish chance
If you work as you should
You'll be making good"
Jack started awake, his eyes snapping open and his breathing increasing as though he had just run a marathon. I didn't stop singing though. I knew that this was one of Jack's favourite songs that I sang for him because it reminded him of the Doctor. He wanted me to change the lyrics, to better fit their story, but I didn't know the whole story yet and I wasn't the best at adapting lyrics. When Jack spoke of the Doctor, he would sometimes call him a wizard – the good wizard in fairy tales who would stop the evil and free the people.
"Did that really just happen?
Have I actually understood?
This weird quirk I've tried
To suppress or hide
Is a talent that could
Help me meet the wizard
If I make good
So I'll make good"
Jack's breathing evened out and he closed his eyes, just listening to her sing and the feel of fingers through his hair. He wasn't sure how he copped before, but he couldn't imagine calming himself down from a nightmare without Raven's voice. He could remember the panic, the raising heartbeat, the sweat and the fear. How he could never calm himself – it was why he didn't sleep often anymore. He hated the feeling. But she was making it better, easier.
"When I meet the wizard
Once I prove my worth
And then I meet the wizard
What I've waited for since, since birth!
And with all his wizard wisdom
By my looks, he won't be blinded
Do you think the wizard is dumb?
Or like Munchkins so small-minded?
No! he'll say to me
I see…" I trailed of, holding the word for a long moment before smiling at Jack who had opened his eyes. "Do you want to talk about it?" I asked him quietly.
It was a routine, whenever one of them was woken from a nightmare the other always asked if they wanted to talk. They weren't obliged too, and we were both perfectly happy to let the matter drop. Because we both new that, sooner or later, it would come up again – when they were ready.
"No." Jack responded.
"Alright." I accepted.
"Have I said how wonderful your voice is?" Jack asked, lifting himself up off the bed slightly so that his face was inches from mine.
"Yes." I responded, fighting a smile.
"And how beautiful you are?" he asked, rising one hand to grab the back of my neck.
"Well… let me think…" I said softly. "Yes, I do think you have."
"Well, I don't think I've said it enough." Jack said, flipping me so I was lying on my back on the bed with Jack on top. He leaned down and captured my lips in a passionate kiss. "You..." he kissed me again. "Are…" kiss. "So…" kiss. "Beautiful…"
"And you're very handsome, my captain." I responded, dodging his next kiss and kissing his neck on the pressure point. Jack let out an involuntary groan.
Since neither of us were going to be going back to sleep and the rift hadn't alerted them to any activity, I pulled Jack out of bed at four thirty so that we could go for a run. Jack grumbled since there were other physical activities he would rather be doing, but followed me anyway. However, our plans were derailed when Jack spotted a single rose petal on his desk and froze.
"Jack?" I asked softly, gently touching his arm to bring him out of whatever daze he had fallen into.
"We're about to have a very serious problem." Jack said tightly.
"What is it Jack? What does the petal mean?" I asked him worriedly.
"It's a warning." Jack responded quietly. "They've come for the chosen one."
"Who have?" I asked him concerned.
"The fairies." Jack responded deadly serious. "They aren't like the fairies you've heard stories about. These ones are dangerous, very dangerous."
"Is there any way of tracking them?" I asked, powering up my computer.
"No. They are undetectable to anything we have. But they like playing with the weather." I brought up the local weather report for Cardiff, then I brought up the current weather map.
"When Tosh gets in, we'll have her set up an alert so that we know when something odd happens." I grabbed Jack's hand. "It'll be okay."
"I know it will." Jack agreed, smiling slightly in gratitude. "I think it's time you met someone from my past." Jack said, straightening himself out.
"Oh?" I questioned.
"Her name's Estelle. She's very into fairies. She's sent me an invitation to her presentation today. I was wondering if you would like to come, as my guest?"
"I would love too." I smiled brightly. I knew Estelle was probably one of Jack's past lovers, someone he cared enough for that he never lost touch with. But I didn't mind getting to know her, anyone Jack loved that much was worth getting to know. I refused to be the type of person who got jealous of passed lovers – especially when Jack had lived such a long life already and he was a man who loved being touched by people. It helped ground him and make him feel alive even when he was at his lowest.
Jack led me to a lecture theatre on the outskirts of Cardiff. On a small billboard outside the lecture theatre was a post announcing that Estelle was talking about fairies and whether they were fact or fantasy. Jack and I slipped into the back of the darkened room so as to not disrupt the presentation.
"I suppose I'm one of the fortunate few who's been allowed to see our little friends. And it's been no easy task. One needs to have the patience of a saint and the blind faith of a prophet. But for me the long wait has been worthwhile." She changed the slid to show an amateur picture of lights with little human like shadows in the middle.
"This is my first picture. Not that clear, I know, but the ring of stones can be seen quite distinctly." The light of the camera flash had completely obscured everything but the stones which were stood in a circle.
"Well, of course, I'm not the world's best photographer, but this little person is just about visible. I was so lucky to have seen them, so privileged to witness such a magical moment. Because fairies are shy, you see. But I know in my heart that they're friendly, loving creatures. Thank you."
As the screen turned black there was a polite round of applause from the few people who had turned up.
"Wrong. She always gets it wrong." Jack muttered sadly.
We waited for everyone to leave before Jack approached his old lover.
"Estelle, when did you take these?" he asked, shifting through the photos.
"A couple of nights ago." she responded. Her voice was soft and kind, the sort of voice I always imagined my grandmother would have had.
"Where?"
"In Roundstone Wood."
"Not far from here." I informed Jack. Despite the fact that Jack had lived in Wales much longer than me, I had learnt the layout better because it had helped me survive my time on the street. Jack knew the roads, the best clubs and the most likely places for an alien to be found, while I knew the abandoned places, the safe points, the rough areas, the best places to dumpster dive and how to lose the copes.
"So good to see you again, Jack. Oh look, there's the wood." Estelle said, pointing to one of the photos. She was refusing to look at Jack, as though she knew what he was going to say.
"What's wrong?" I asked concerned.
"Oh, Jack and I have always disagreed about fairies. I only see the good ones. He only ever sees the bad." Estelle responded.
"They're all bad." Jack said stubbornly.
"No, I refuse to believe that." Estelle shook her head stubbornly.
"Well, I suppose one person's good could be somebody else's evil." I said, hopping to stop some kind of argument from happening. I knew Jack was still slightly on edge from his nightmare - he always was until he was completely distracted by a mission. But it seemed that this mission was related to whatever that nightmare had been about otherwise he wouldn't have been so on-edge immediately upon seeing that petal.
"That's what his father used to say." Estelle said before turning to Jack. "Oh, Jack, if only you had seen them there in the wood. They were happy, they were dancing, and the fairy lights were shining."
"Do you have any more photos?" Jack questioned, not acknowledging Estelle's statement.
"Yes, at home." Estelle nodded, knowing what was coming next.
"Right. I need to see them all."
Since we weren't far from Estelle's house, Jack and I carried her screen and projector back for her.
"Oh, thank you, Jack." Estelle said when they placed the items down in her living room. "This is Moses." She motioned to the black and white cat that was curled up on the sofa. Estelle picked a folder up and handed it to Jack.
"They're mostly just pictures of the area. Come on, my darling, it's quite time you went outside, isn't it?" Estelle picked her cat up and took it outside. A photo on the mantle caught my eye. It was a picture of Jack in full army uniform.
"This is you." I noted.
"Sorry. No, that's my dad." Jack responded automatically, looking through the photos.
I raised an eyebrow at him.
"Sorry." Jack said, realising what he had just said and who he was talking to. He was so use to lying about his immortality that it just fell from his lips without thought.
"What happened?" I asked him.
"It was wartime, I was posted abroad, she volunteered to work on the land. It just happened that way." Jack shrugged sadly.
"How often do you visit?" I asked curiously.
"As often as I can. But it's hard, seeing her age." Jack admitted. I placed a comforting hand on Jack's shoulder before we headed out into the garden after Estelle.
"Estelle, when you next see these creatures you call us immediately, understand?"
"Mmm hmm." She hummed in agreement.
"Night or day, it doesn't matter, just call us. And be careful, it's important to me." Jack pulled her into a hug.
"But, Jack, I've nothing to worry about." Estelle responded returning the hug.
"Just be careful. Please." Jack said, kissing her forehead.
"Estelle shouldn't be living in town. She belongs in the countryside." Jack said as they headed back to the SUV.
"She seems like a lovely woman. Although the fairy business seems very troublesome."
"She calls them fairies. I don't." Jack shook his head, pausing at the door to the SUV.
"What do you call them?" I asked him curiously.
"They've never really had a proper name." Jack responded.
"Why not?"
"Something from the dawn of time. How could you possibly put a name to that? They're part of us, part of our world, yet we know nothing about them. So, we pretend to know what they look like. We see them as happy. We imagine they have tiny little wings and are bathed in moonlight. But they're dangerous. Something you can only half see like a glimpse, like something out of the corner of your eye with a touch of myth, a touch of the spirit world, a touch of reality, all jumbled together. Old moments and memories that are frozen in amongst it. Like debris spinning around a ringed planet. Tossing, turning, whirling. Then backwards and forwards through time. If that's them we have to find them, before all hell breaks loose." Jack said, the both of us getting in the car silently.
I sent a message to the others, telling them to meet us in the conference room while also asking Tosh to gather research on fairies. Everything she could find – no matter how unimportant it may seem.
