REVELATIONS
TEN
"What do you mean he told you I'd know what to do?!"
The TARDIS had landed at the center of the Torchwood hub. It was the middle of the night in Cardiff and Jack had crawled out from his private quarters wearing tattered boxers and pulling on a scruffy old sleeveless t-shirt over his head.
"I don't know! That's all he said. He said 'Go find Jack.' The TARDIS came here on its own, like it was pre-programmed or something. Why don't you come inside?" Rose nodded her head towards the ship. "Maybe there's a message in there for you with additional instructions."
Jack folded his arms across his chest and looked around the facility. He was alone; no one else was there. If he left now, he wasn't sure when he'd be back and that wasn't a good thing. "I don't know," he said. "It's not a great time for me to leave right now."
"Jack," said Rose, reaching out for him. "He's disappeared. He'd do the same for you, you know. Drop everything and go after you."
He shook his head. "Damn it. I know, I know. Still, this is just really bad timing. Not that with him its ever good timing, but especially now, this is just a terrible time."
There were things going on, things related his past that Jack didn't want to tell Rose about; didn't want to tell anyone about. But they were so very important, and if he missed his chance the opportunity could be lost forever, and for him forever was a very long time…
Rose's eyes flashed with impatience. "Someone has taken The Doctor!" she hissed.
Jack felt his heart thump hard in his chest; his determination wavered and then evaporated.
"Okay, okay, I give up!" He looked at her and smiled thinly. "Make me a coffee, will you? I'll go change – it wouldn't do for me to go gallivanting around the universe in my small clothes."
She looked at him, noticing for the first time he was partially, mostly, naked.
"You have nice legs," Rose said, despite herself.
He chuckled ruefully as he turned away. "Flattery will get you anywhere...
"And get that coffee going – make it a double; no wait! Make it a triple!"