Title: Coming Together
Disclaimer: I don't own Dawson's Creek. I just play with them from time to time.
Synopsis: My version of how Jack and Doug got together.
Rating: PG-13
Warning: Some violence, references to adult subject matter, homosexuality.
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Chapter 2: A Midnight Caller
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A week after the attack, Jack lay awake in bed. He'd been back to school for three days now, always escorted by either Pacey or Doug. He thought back to the day he'd gone back.
When he stood up in front of the class, he'd been well aware of the gasps of surprise from some of his students, and the knowing looks on other faces. Though that didn't mean that they had been involved, just that they'd heard what had happened. Which didn't surprise him in the least - news had traveled fast in Capeside back when he was in high school, and things hadn't changed much in the time he'd been away from the small town.
His mind drifted back to the present and he sighed. He'd be lucky if he got three hours of sleep tonight. Since the attack he'd had a hard time falling asleep because every time he closed his eyes he was assaulted by memories. Memories from that cold night a week ago, and another night years before.
He shook off that thought. No, he definitely didn't want to go there. He refocused on his current problem - sleep. Once he finally did manage to get to sleep he was, without fail, awakened by his memories, in the form of nightmares. He shook his head. This had to stop. Maybe he'd see about getting sleeping pills.
He glanced over at the clock and sighed. Just after midnight. Morning - and the comfort of daylight - was still hours away. He sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. Maybe a glass of water would help. Somehow. Maybe.
Just as he stood up, he heard a thump downstairs, and froze. Again, he shook his head. "You're imagining things, McPhee. Chill out. He took a step toward the door and heard another noise. No, he was definitely not imagining things. He spun around and grabbed the cell phone off his nightstand. Quickly punching in the speed dial number for Doug's cell, he hit send and held the phone to his ear.
Doug picked up on the second ring. "Witter."
"Doug, I - it's Jack."
The Sheriff was awake instantly. "What's up, Jack?"
"There's someone in the house, Doug."
Doug could hear the panic in his voice. "I'm on my way, Jack."
"What do I do, Doug?"
"You're on your cell, right?"
"Yeah."
"Hide somewhere. Under the bed, in a closet, in the bathroom. Does your bathroom have a lock?"
"Yeah."
"Go there and lock the door, keep the phone with you, and don't hang up." Jack could hear the sound of a door slamming shut. "I want to be able to know right away if anything happens."
"All - all right," Jack stammered. In the background, he heard an engine start.
"I'm in my car, Jack. I'll be right there. Two minutes."
"I'm scared shitless, Doug." Silence. "Doug?" Jack whispered fiercely, suddenly afraid that the sheriff had hung up.
"I'm here, Jack. I know you're scared. Look, I'm right down the street. I'm gonna hang up now. Stay where you are, don't open the door, unless you know it's me."
"All right." Jack heard the sudden silence that told him that the connection had ended.
He inched over to the door and pressed his ear to it, trying desperately to hear what was going on in his house. After a few moments of silence, he heard a crash, and then muffled shouting, followed by another crash. Jack shrank back against the wall, wondering when he'd become such a weakling - and lost control of his life.
In the silence that followed, he watched the minutes roll by on the dimly lit window on his cell phone, and grew consistently more frightened. Then he heard footsteps in his bedroom and his heart nearly stopped.
"Jack?"
Jack jumped to his feet and fumbled with the lock on the door. He flung it open, and went limp with relief when he saw Doug. "God, Doug!"
Doug caught his arm and guided him over to the bed. "He got away, Jack."
Jack stared at him, trembling. "Got away?" he echoed.
"I'm sorry, Jack. He heard me come in and took off running. I never had a chance to catch up."
"Damn." Jack stared at him. "What am I gonna do?"
"You, my friend, are going to get some clothes together and anything else you need, go with me to the station to fill out a statement, and then you're coming home with me and stay with me and Pacey until we catch whoever's after you."
"Doug, I can't do that."
"You aren't safe here. That's been made painfully clear."
"I can't impose on you and Pacey like that. You barely have room for the two of you as it is."
Doug shrugged. "I'll give you Pacey's room. He's practically living at the Icehouse anyway. Now get your stuff together."
Jack cast another glance at Doug, but finally gave up and walked over to his dresser. With shaking hands he pulled a few things out of the various drawers and tossed them on the bed. Then he walked past Doug to the bathroom and picked up a few necessities. Still moving on autopilot, he dropped those things on the bed too, then passed by Doug again to get to his closet. Jack picked up the duffel bag that was sitting on the floor.
He turned and started to walk toward Doug yet again, but somehow, probably because he was shaking so badly, managed to trip over his own feet. Doug stepped forward quickly, catching him before he fell.
As soon as Jack felt Doug's hands on him, he completely lost what little was left of his composure. The tears that he'd been holding back for the last week fell freely now, soaking Doug's sweatshirt.
Slowly, Doug guided him over to the bed, never letting go of him. He'd been waiting for this breakdown. Jack was just dealing with too much to keep it all inside forever. They sat down, his arms still around the younger man.
"It's going to be all right, Jack. I promise you, it'll be all right." He rubbed Jack's back gently, and just held him until the other man had regained control.
"I'm sorry," Jack murmured, pulling away from Doug.
"It's okay," Doug said softly. "You needed that." He looked into Jack's eyes and saw none of the spirit there that he usually associated with the other man. He just looked.beaten. He hugged Jack tightly and stood. "Come on. Screw the report. I'll take you down to the station in the morning. You need sleep."
Jack looked up at him. "Thanks, Doug. You don't have to do this."
"I know. Come on. Let's pack your stuff and get out of here."
Disclaimer: I don't own Dawson's Creek. I just play with them from time to time.
Synopsis: My version of how Jack and Doug got together.
Rating: PG-13
Warning: Some violence, references to adult subject matter, homosexuality.
*********************************
Chapter 2: A Midnight Caller
*********************************
A week after the attack, Jack lay awake in bed. He'd been back to school for three days now, always escorted by either Pacey or Doug. He thought back to the day he'd gone back.
When he stood up in front of the class, he'd been well aware of the gasps of surprise from some of his students, and the knowing looks on other faces. Though that didn't mean that they had been involved, just that they'd heard what had happened. Which didn't surprise him in the least - news had traveled fast in Capeside back when he was in high school, and things hadn't changed much in the time he'd been away from the small town.
His mind drifted back to the present and he sighed. He'd be lucky if he got three hours of sleep tonight. Since the attack he'd had a hard time falling asleep because every time he closed his eyes he was assaulted by memories. Memories from that cold night a week ago, and another night years before.
He shook off that thought. No, he definitely didn't want to go there. He refocused on his current problem - sleep. Once he finally did manage to get to sleep he was, without fail, awakened by his memories, in the form of nightmares. He shook his head. This had to stop. Maybe he'd see about getting sleeping pills.
He glanced over at the clock and sighed. Just after midnight. Morning - and the comfort of daylight - was still hours away. He sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. Maybe a glass of water would help. Somehow. Maybe.
Just as he stood up, he heard a thump downstairs, and froze. Again, he shook his head. "You're imagining things, McPhee. Chill out. He took a step toward the door and heard another noise. No, he was definitely not imagining things. He spun around and grabbed the cell phone off his nightstand. Quickly punching in the speed dial number for Doug's cell, he hit send and held the phone to his ear.
Doug picked up on the second ring. "Witter."
"Doug, I - it's Jack."
The Sheriff was awake instantly. "What's up, Jack?"
"There's someone in the house, Doug."
Doug could hear the panic in his voice. "I'm on my way, Jack."
"What do I do, Doug?"
"You're on your cell, right?"
"Yeah."
"Hide somewhere. Under the bed, in a closet, in the bathroom. Does your bathroom have a lock?"
"Yeah."
"Go there and lock the door, keep the phone with you, and don't hang up." Jack could hear the sound of a door slamming shut. "I want to be able to know right away if anything happens."
"All - all right," Jack stammered. In the background, he heard an engine start.
"I'm in my car, Jack. I'll be right there. Two minutes."
"I'm scared shitless, Doug." Silence. "Doug?" Jack whispered fiercely, suddenly afraid that the sheriff had hung up.
"I'm here, Jack. I know you're scared. Look, I'm right down the street. I'm gonna hang up now. Stay where you are, don't open the door, unless you know it's me."
"All right." Jack heard the sudden silence that told him that the connection had ended.
He inched over to the door and pressed his ear to it, trying desperately to hear what was going on in his house. After a few moments of silence, he heard a crash, and then muffled shouting, followed by another crash. Jack shrank back against the wall, wondering when he'd become such a weakling - and lost control of his life.
In the silence that followed, he watched the minutes roll by on the dimly lit window on his cell phone, and grew consistently more frightened. Then he heard footsteps in his bedroom and his heart nearly stopped.
"Jack?"
Jack jumped to his feet and fumbled with the lock on the door. He flung it open, and went limp with relief when he saw Doug. "God, Doug!"
Doug caught his arm and guided him over to the bed. "He got away, Jack."
Jack stared at him, trembling. "Got away?" he echoed.
"I'm sorry, Jack. He heard me come in and took off running. I never had a chance to catch up."
"Damn." Jack stared at him. "What am I gonna do?"
"You, my friend, are going to get some clothes together and anything else you need, go with me to the station to fill out a statement, and then you're coming home with me and stay with me and Pacey until we catch whoever's after you."
"Doug, I can't do that."
"You aren't safe here. That's been made painfully clear."
"I can't impose on you and Pacey like that. You barely have room for the two of you as it is."
Doug shrugged. "I'll give you Pacey's room. He's practically living at the Icehouse anyway. Now get your stuff together."
Jack cast another glance at Doug, but finally gave up and walked over to his dresser. With shaking hands he pulled a few things out of the various drawers and tossed them on the bed. Then he walked past Doug to the bathroom and picked up a few necessities. Still moving on autopilot, he dropped those things on the bed too, then passed by Doug again to get to his closet. Jack picked up the duffel bag that was sitting on the floor.
He turned and started to walk toward Doug yet again, but somehow, probably because he was shaking so badly, managed to trip over his own feet. Doug stepped forward quickly, catching him before he fell.
As soon as Jack felt Doug's hands on him, he completely lost what little was left of his composure. The tears that he'd been holding back for the last week fell freely now, soaking Doug's sweatshirt.
Slowly, Doug guided him over to the bed, never letting go of him. He'd been waiting for this breakdown. Jack was just dealing with too much to keep it all inside forever. They sat down, his arms still around the younger man.
"It's going to be all right, Jack. I promise you, it'll be all right." He rubbed Jack's back gently, and just held him until the other man had regained control.
"I'm sorry," Jack murmured, pulling away from Doug.
"It's okay," Doug said softly. "You needed that." He looked into Jack's eyes and saw none of the spirit there that he usually associated with the other man. He just looked.beaten. He hugged Jack tightly and stood. "Come on. Screw the report. I'll take you down to the station in the morning. You need sleep."
Jack looked up at him. "Thanks, Doug. You don't have to do this."
"I know. Come on. Let's pack your stuff and get out of here."