Chapter rating: K.
A/N: I know that according to cannon, the following events for the next few chapters are way out, because Children of the Earth happened during the 10th timeline, but bear with me, it's, somewhat, explainable… I think?... and in all honesty, I just can't let Ianto die, it's just unfathomable to me!
The dialogues and scenes are approximate as I don't remember everything spot on and do not have enough internet access to re-watch or download the episodes. Please be indulgent?
The Doctor's Child
12. Like A Painted Target
2 days. 48 hours. A shitload of minutes. That was the time that had passed since the Doctor had last walked off to his Time Machine, after a thorough tongue-lashing from Amy and very painfully leaving Evan in Ianto's arms, looking both determined and indubitably grim.
And it was like someone had flipped a 'safe' switch somewhere in the Universe and the Earth was back to having a big ole target with its centre on the U.K. Something was wrong with the children, all over the world. All the children old enough to speak had all been pulled into some kind of mind control and become the spokesperson for some mysterious entity that was claiming their return.
Jack, Ianto, Gwen and baby Evan, who just couldn't be left in just any hands (order from, in order, the Doctor, Amy and Ianto), were sitting around in a park, watching the children from afar.
"We would need a child to better understand what's happening…" Jack said pensively, picking up Evan from Ianto's arms, looking down at the baby with a rueful smile. "You can't tell us anything, can you, Evan? Uncle Jack would really like to speak baby right now…"
The baby just gurgled back at him, with a slight, toothless smile. Jack sighed and shook his head before turning his attention back to his team. Ianto was looking as cool and collected as usual and Gwen looked slightly concerned.
The Immortal smiled reassuringly at his friends, as he picked up the baby's diaper bag.
"I have something to do, you two, go home, get some rest, I'll see you tomorrow at the Hub…" He said with a nod to both before heading off, Evan in his arms.
Even though he hadn't visited in months, if not years now, the way to Lucy's house was still etched clearly at the back of his mind and Jack soon found himself standing outside her door, waiting for her to answer. He couldn't help but feel slightly foolish, in his billowing WWII coat, a diaper bag on the shoulder and the little one safely snoozing against him, having fallen asleep on the way there.
Lucy opened the door to him and he recognized easily the mixed feelings showing on her face as if she'd spoken them out loud, wry joy and suspicious hostility.
She let him in with a slight smile.
"It's been some time since you last came around to see us…" The woman said with a hint of rebuttal and scorn in her voice.
"Lucy, you know you were the one that told me never to come back… I would have come every other week if not every other day if you'd have let me…" Jack replied gently, knowing from experience just how volatile the younger woman could be, even with her placid exterior.
His daughter opened her mouth to retort but was interrupted by her son barging in and embracing his grandfather with a joyous call of "Uncle Jack!". The captain laughed a little as he patted the boy on the top of his head, having pulled the baby in his arms a little higher to avoid collision with the little boy.
"He's getting handsomer every time I see him!" The man stated, smiling crookedly as he observed his grandson running outdoors to play in the garden. "How is Tom?"
"Okay. He's in Spain at the moment. Sends Stephen a letter every now and then, pays alimony and fills a bank account for Stephen, regularly." He dark haired woman replied with a wry smile of her own. "As far as fathers go, I guess Stephen got lucky…"
"You know you can come to me for anything… Money, toys, anything!" Jack told her as he rocked the baby in his arms.
"I think what you give us is already is much more than I could hope for." His daughter replied with a snort, before looking at him inquisitively. "You haven't aged at all… I understand now why mum was always so angry with you… And you wonder why I had to tell Stephen that you were my brother rather than my father..."
Jack's easy smile gradually slipped from his face. He'd known when he came here that this would have been a hard conversation but he'd still hoped for smoother.
"Why are you really here, Jack?" The woman asked with a sigh.
"Did it happened to Stephen?" Jack asked softly.
"Yes, he was in school when it happened but every parent was alerted and we had to pick them up." Lucy replied.
Jack hmm-ed softly, trying to find the right way to bring his question up that wouldn't send his estranged daughter into a fit of anger.
"So, how are things in Torchwood?" The younger woman asked, breaking the slightly uneasy silence that had fallen on them.
"As usual… but I'm not here about that…I just wanted to drop by and see how you were doing." Jack lied with a slight smile. "And I thought maybe Stephen and I could go for a ice-cream or something…"
"So all the children on Earth react to some alien and suddenly you want to spend time with your grandson? Give me another! You're not taking Stephen, Jack, Mom was right! She was always right! You're dangerous! To yourself and to anyone around you!" His daughter told him in a soft yet steeled tone.
Jack sighed again, he'd known since the start that she would not agree, but still he'd had to try, for the sake of the planet.
"And whose baby is that? Don't tell me you fell in love again!" Lucy's tone was biting and tinged with scorn, making Jack wince slightly with a hurt he knew all too well.
The woman must have noticed something in his expression, because her traits soften and she apologized in a murmur.
"An old friend left him with me for the time being, while he has other matters to see to…" Jack explained, as informative and vague as he could make it. "and I have to ask you a favour…"
"What else would you want?" She asked in return.
"I'll be on my way after I ask you one thing…" Jack retorted, looking down at the baby sleeping in his arms and then at the woman standing before him. "I want you to keep Evan with you, at the moment, it would be safer than having him at Torchwood with me…"
Lucy looked back at him with surprise.
"You can't just hand me over your friend's baby!" She protested weakly just as he put him in her arms.
"He will probably have my head for this… twice." The Immortal replied with a wry smile, landing a gentle kiss on the babe's forehead. "But with how things are developing, it's the only way he'll be in security until we find out more. The don might change later on, but for now, having him here with you, anonymous, is better than having him with me, in danger."
His daughter glared thinly at it before looking down at the baby, a soft smile making its way on her face.
"How old is he?" She asked her estranged father, softly.
The man smiled at the picture of his Lucy with a baby in her arms, it reminded him painfully of times long gone.
"Going on 3 months soon." He replied quietly. "He's not a fussy baby but never, ever give him aspirin or any form of paracetamol, he's deadly allergic to them. If he cries too much, just read to him, he likes physics and astronomy books."
"You know, I've actually raised another boy before, I think I can handle this…" Lucy retorted with amusement. "Any other medical conditions I should know of?"
Jack debated with himself, unsure if he should reveal any more about Evan, but decided that it was for the best. Lucy had heard stories of the Doctor while growing up, she knew what he did for the sake of the Earth and how dangerous he could be. She'd understand the utmost importance of keeping his child safe.
"He's… Evan the Doctor's son… He is not completely human…" He finally said, staring at her and waiting for her reaction.
Lucy had grown up, the daughter of 2 Torchwood employees, one being a misplaced 51st century con-man, she'd learn very early how to regulate her emotions and her expressions, but he still could see as clear as day, when the astonishment and slight disbelief etched themselves onto her face, quickly followed by a calculative gaze and finally a blank look, wiped of all expression.
"So he's an alien baby…" She asked, blankly.
"And then some… but I can't…" Jack started before trailing off with a wince, making Lucy roll her eyes.
"You can't tell me anything more, fair enough. From what I know of your Doctor, I think I can hope that he won't suddenly decide to crawl away or try to eat us?" She posed, succinctly.
"No, if Evan does anything alien, it'll be in the range of broadcasting his emotions and wants to you while you're touching him. His father and he are from a touch telepathic race." Jack explained calmly.
He still remember the first time he'd felt emotions coming from Evan, he was singing for him, about a week before the Doctor reappeared and suddenly as the baby wrapped his tiny fist around one of his fingers, he felt this strange mix of confused contentment and foggy sleepiness, it had taken him near an hour to realize that it had been the infant.
"And how long is Evan going to stay here? Jack, if I remember correctly what you told me about the Doctor, leaving his baby son with someone he doesn't know might not be your best idea!" Lucy stated with the beginning of a frown.
"As long as he's not safe with me and the Doctor is not here." Jack replied grimly.
The rest of the conversation was stilted and uneasy, soon enough, Jack was leaving, after having dropped Evan's diaper and toys bag on the kitchen counter. He drove back to the Hub, already missing the quiet presence of the baby around, and he just knew a certain Welshman was going to rain fire on him for this stunt, but something told him it was best this way.
The next morning came quickly and the 51st century man left the headquarters on a call from their newest source in Cardiff General, that young doctor that had seem interested in learning more about Torchwood, and that they'd been considering for recruitment.
Replacing Owen and Toshiko was essentially unimaginable for all 3 survivors of the team, but they still needed someone with medical training and someone with extensive informatics skills, even if the two late agents and friends would always have a place in the other three's hearts.
And then he was shot from behind in the morgue of the hospital and went back to the Hub, with even more questions and no answers.
Jack had often been accused of being mysterious, dangerous and even once, omniscient. But as he watched his lover being taken up by the elevator, knowing there was only a slim chance he'd be spared by the explosion, he couldn't help but smile a bitter smile. Even an immortality like his would be put to the test with this last strike of fate. Being strapped with a bomb would be tedious any day, but knowing someone actually went to the extent of putting that bomb inside his body was just insidious and plain evil, for they would have known he'd have been back to the Hub by the time it detonated and thus would take his HQ and his friends in the blast. He could only pray the Doctor would find his son back and Ianto and Gwen be safe.
Those were his last thoughts before suddenly, everything was darkness
4 days… mighty late I am. The fic had to be put on backburner for the sake of education. Ugh. I'll try and write at least 4 or 5 chapters for today as an apology..
Reviews plzkthxbai x)