You can treat this as a sort of intermission if you'd like.

CHAPTER SEVEN: PHONE CALLS

A woman's voice, vaguely northern: "Hello, this is Torchwood. How did you get this number?"

"Can … can I speak to Jack, please?"

"How did you get this number?"

"He gave it to me. Look, could you just pass over?"

"Who are you?"

"A friend. I'm Jack's friend. Tell him it's Remus."

"... just one moment."

"..."

"Hey, Remus. What is it?"

"Jack."

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah. I … I got a letter today. My old teacher has offered me a job." Remus wasn't sure whether the ache in his chest was relief or pain.

"...isn't that good? You've been trying to find a job for—"

"I'll be teaching him. He won't remember me, Jack. And do I tell him?"

"Remus, I don't know what you're talking about."

"My friends who were killed. It's their son. I'm to teach their son."

"Oh. Do you want me to come to London and we can talk?"

"No. No, don't. I'm a mess. I just … I wanted to tell someone. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I will be."

"..."

"Thank you. I'll, uh, see you soon, I guess. Might be a little while."

"Yeah, see you. Just … you can always call. I'm not going anywhere."

"Bye, Jack."

Jack's voice was softer than he'd ever heard it before. "Look after yourself, Remus."

Six months later:

"Hello?"

"Hey, Jack."

"Remus! How are you?"

"I'm … coping."

"Good. How's the job?"

"Brilliant. It's brilliant. All I've ever wanted, really. To teach like this."

"That's good."

"What about you? How's alien hunting, or whatever you do?"

"You're not meant to know about that. But it's good."

"Good. I was just checking in. I'll see you, I guess."

"Did I tell you he escaped?"

"You mean—"

"Yeah."

"Damn. You okay?"

"I'm not sure."

"Jack, do you think either of us will ever see the Doctor again?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen him for … for a very long time."

"..."

"He's a busy man."

"Yeah."

"Look, I can't say much, but everything's changed. He didn't kill them, Jack. He was innocent, and now he's so sick, so ill. He's so different."

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know. And I'm sorry to throw this onto you now. You're not a therapist. I just … I don't have anyone to speak to, really. I'm happy, though. I think I am."

"That's good. That's brilliant, Remus."

"Well. I lost the job. And there's all sorts of shit on the horizon. But I'm still relieved—is that wrong?"

"No, I don't think so."

Remus couldn't remember the call after Sirius died, but there was one.

He knew he must've called, because the next day Jack Harkness intercepted him as he walked down a road in Edinburgh.

"I wasn't sure where you were living, but I needed to see if you were okay," Jack said to him.

"And how did you find me?"

"Security cameras."

"And am I?"

"Are you what?"

"Am I okay?"

"Well. Clearly not. Look, there's a coffeeshop down the road. Let's grab some drinks and we can talk, all right?"

Remus caved, and they sat for two hours over tea and coffee. It was just like old times, expect Remus started crying, and Jack pulled him into a hug without making any lewd suggestions, and Remus reminded himself that yes, perhaps he was the only Marauder left, but he was not alone.

"Look, I don't know if we can meet anymore. Not for a while, anyway."

Jack looked up at him, frowning.

It was a miserable day, and Harry was in his sixth year, and Remus was feeling old.

"Things are happening, Jack. In my world. We can meet again, when it's all over." Each word carved deep into his chest, and it hurt.

"Okay," Jack said.

Remus frowned, taking a particularly large gulp of tea and avoiding Jack's eyes. He was almost disappointed by the ease of it. Part of him wanted Jack to refuse, and then he'd never have to do this, never have to separate himself from his friend like this. "Okay?"

"Yeah. Just … let me know you're alive every once in a while, okay? Don't you dare die on me."

There was one phone call after that, a brief message and some exchanged pleasantries. Remus knew how terse his voice was. He told Jack that everything was going to shit, and that his wife was pregnant ("You're married? You didn't even—") and that it was nearly over.

"I'll be able to see you soon, I think. It's nearly over. You can meet the baby," he said, unable to resist the laugh bubbling from beneath his voice.

"I can be that one weird uncle," Jack said. Remus could hear the grin in his voice.

"Yeah, you can. You will. I'll see you, all right?"