Title: Ghost Story
Prompt: On a Halloween night, but centuries after COE, Jack gets visited by a ghost. Is it real, or just a dream?
Characters: The man who used to call himself Captain Jack Harkness and Ianto Jones' ghost.
Rating: PG-13, for some touching.
Warnings: None that I can think of.
Summary: In a very far future, on a small alien colony, a traveller is brooding when everyone around him is celebrating.
Word count: 1 192 more or less.
Note: I proposed different prompts for the Halloween Fest on Torchwood Fest Community and decided to write what came to me from it. It doesn't mean I'm going to do all the prompts I proposed or that I'm not going to take others' prompts.
Beta: Jooles34
…..
The unknown traveller sat down on parapet apart from the other guests. Pirates had attacked the small colony, and with the help of the Stanger they had managed to fight back and drive the pirates away. Now they were celebrating their victory.
"Another glass?" The voice was deep with a familiar accent. The words were in English, a language he hadn't heard for a very long-time. A human hand moved swiftly over his empty glass, and the glass was now full.
"I only drink water," the traveller said not bothering on looking up.
"It is water," the ghost said sitting by the traveller's side. "You should be celebrating," he added.
"I'm not really in the mood," the traveller replied.
"Yes. Because you know what's coming next, right?"
"I do."
"And what are you going to do?"
"I'm taking the next transport," the traveller said watching the ghost. "Why are you here? And why now?"
"Oh. I've always been there. You just never knew. Rules and regulations, that kind of thing, you know?" the ghost explained briefly. "So, you're running away, once again?" he asked.
"It's a text book case; first thing we're taught at the Time Academy. I can't do anything. I would cause a paradox," the traveller answered. "You didn't explain what is it about today that means I can see you?"
"Just me breaking the rules."
"Oh. Is there a reason?"
"Apart from being tired of just watching? No"
"Will it cause you problems?" the traveller worried.
"I'm dead, Jack. I'm a ghost. Nobody can hurt me anymore."
"Excuse me, I've been dead a bunch of times, but I've never been a ghost," the traveller said staring intensely at the too familiar ghost. "Can...?"
"Can we touch?" the ghost ended the question. "Close your eyes."
The traveller obeyed without thinking about twice. He felt a sweet faint brush against his lips; a ghostly kiss. When he opened his eyes again the ghost had sat back, or had he?
"It feels nice," the traveller said, his finger fumbling gently on his own lips looking for the memory of the intangible kiss. "Are you going to vanish at sunrise?" he asked.
"I'll be here."
"But I won't see you."
"You will," the ghost replied with a mischievous smile. "But, I'll ask you a favour."
"Oh. I should have guessed," the traveller said. "And what's would that be Mister Jones?"
"Stop running from life," the ghost replied. "You're immortal, not dead. You're still part of the world. You've got your part to play."
"I can't."
"Why? Because it hurts too much?" the ghost asked. "Does it hurt less when you run?"
"No, of course not," the traveller hastened, "And if, as you said, you've been there all the way, you sure know that."
"Yes, I know. And that's why I decided to break the rules and step in."
"If only I could do the same," the traveller said looking back at the party still going on, not very far from them. "Within two weeks they will all be dead, as dead as you are."
"You know what's going to happen and you can stop it. So why don't you?"
"I can't do that."
"Why? Because the Doctor told you so?"
"It's not about the Doctor. It's about changing the future. The future I'm coming from."
"Oh, stop it Jack," the ghost cut him off. "You know better. You've travelled with the man and you know he does that all the time; stepping in, changing events."
"He is a Time Lord. He knows what can be changed without damaging the time continuum."
"And you were made immortal by his time machine—"
"Don't call the Tardis a time machine, she is so much more."
"Okay, but you make my point here," the ghost said. "The Tardis made you immortal by linking you with the time-vortex. You've got a direct access to it. You can see into it. You just have to look."
The traveller looked at the ghost in puzzlement.
"Just look into the vortex Jack, and tell me what you see." He waited a moment watching his companion as he was searching the answers he needed. "Tell me Jack, will saving them cause major damage to the continuum?"
"No." Jack replied. "It won't," he added, standing up, ready for the next fight. He turned toward the ghost. "You're going to leave right?"
"I'll be there."
"You know what I mean."
"I'll come back."
...
Epilogue
It had been a long day, but it was over. The colony was safe now, and for a very long time. He had left before the beginning of the huge party they planned to hold for him. He didn't need that; he was content with leaving unnoticed. He threw his bag on the single bed of his cabin and headed to the shower. The Talusian transport would take him to Richina. Why Richina? Just because it was the next port.
Water, running water on his skin. That was good. The colony had to conserve water so showers there were sonic. He'd missed the water. When he turned it off he felt a chill running down his spine.
"Close your eyes," a deep voice said.
"I want to watch you."
"Close your eyes. You won't regret it."
He felt a trail of furtive and light kisses running across his shoulders and on his neck. The presence against his back was so faint, so light that he did not dare to move in fear that it would vanish if he tried to reach for it. The sensation was both soft and electrical, unnerving his senses. Soon, he was panting and the desperate need for more contact was becoming a sweet torture.
"Ssssh" the ghost calmed him.
"Want you," he hardly croaked.
Hands and lips were dancing frantically all over his body, but he could not take a hold on that body, even if he could feel it twitch restlessly against him. He was so eager to give back every kiss, every caress. It was both frustrating and exciting, He was desperate and finally he came in an agonising need for more, exhausted and shivering with pleasure.
When he opened his eyes the ghost was sitting in front of him in the shower.
"When did I get on my ass?" he asked.
"Didn't want you to break your neck," the ghost replied.
"And what about you," Jack asked. "Can you...?"
"Feel?" the ghost said. "Yes I can feel through you."
"So when you make love with me, you make love to yourself?"
The ghost laughed.
"It's nice to see you." Jack said. "I missed you."
"I know."