Adrift
Responsibility
The bay was coated with menacing rain clouds though shafts of light shot through. Jack stood beside the water tower with Gwen and Nikki. Nikki hadn’t been into the Torchwood base (Jack would never allow that) but Jack had. In his pocket was one small, white tablet. Retcon.
“I can make you forget.” Jack promised. He knew that he should retcon her as a matter of security protocol but, if that wasn’t what she wanted, he wouldn’t force her to forget. He shouldn’t have given her a reason to forget in the first place. Gwen’s stubborn nature had ruined this woman’s image of her son.
“Forget my son? I could never do that.” Nikki was more than shocked by the suggestion.
“Not forget him. Forget finding him.” Jack clarified.
“No.” She said, unsure at first but gaining certainty when she repeated it. “No. I’d rather know the horrible truth than live in fake hope. I want to keep my memories.”
“I understand.” And Jack did. He knew what it was like to lose someone. And he knew that, if he were given the chance to know what happened, he’d want to know. Even if it was as horrible as the torture of Flat Holm. “I’ll get Gwen to drive you home now if you want.”
She nodded and turned to leave whilst Gwen shot daggers at Jack. Ianto, who had come up invisibly through the tourist’s entrance to hear the conversation, stepped forwards and, in an action that Jack had used on his team on countless occasions, placed his hand on the older man’s shoulder.
“You did the best you could.” Even Ianto knew that the words sounded false.
“But is that enough? Is any of this enough? Couldn’t I do more?”
“No.” Ianto said firmly. “There’s nothing more you can give them. You’ve given up everything you have.”
Slipping his hand into his lover’s, Ianto pulled Jack away from the tower, removing his from the thoughts which Ianto knew would be circling Jack’s head – worries about Nikki, Jonah and Gwen. He still felt guilty for what happened to Jonah and the many other victims of the rift even though he knew it couldn’t be controlled.
“Come on. I know this great little place right on the water’s edge.” Ianto tugged gently on Jack’s hand. “You promised me another normal date, remember? Tonight let’s have no talk of Torchwood: just me and you.”
“I can live with that.” Jack replied as he clung to his lover’s hand. Ianto smiled at him and, as Jack had done for him a dozen times, like Rhys would be doing for Gwen, took Jack away from the responsibility he shouldered.
“I can make you forget.” Jack promised. He knew that he should retcon her as a matter of security protocol but, if that wasn’t what she wanted, he wouldn’t force her to forget. He shouldn’t have given her a reason to forget in the first place. Gwen’s stubborn nature had ruined this woman’s image of her son.
“Forget my son? I could never do that.” Nikki was more than shocked by the suggestion.
“Not forget him. Forget finding him.” Jack clarified.
“No.” She said, unsure at first but gaining certainty when she repeated it. “No. I’d rather know the horrible truth than live in fake hope. I want to keep my memories.”
“I understand.” And Jack did. He knew what it was like to lose someone. And he knew that, if he were given the chance to know what happened, he’d want to know. Even if it was as horrible as the torture of Flat Holm. “I’ll get Gwen to drive you home now if you want.”
She nodded and turned to leave whilst Gwen shot daggers at Jack. Ianto, who had come up invisibly through the tourist’s entrance to hear the conversation, stepped forwards and, in an action that Jack had used on his team on countless occasions, placed his hand on the older man’s shoulder.
“You did the best you could.” Even Ianto knew that the words sounded false.
“But is that enough? Is any of this enough? Couldn’t I do more?”
“No.” Ianto said firmly. “There’s nothing more you can give them. You’ve given up everything you have.”
Slipping his hand into his lover’s, Ianto pulled Jack away from the tower, removing his from the thoughts which Ianto knew would be circling Jack’s head – worries about Nikki, Jonah and Gwen. He still felt guilty for what happened to Jonah and the many other victims of the rift even though he knew it couldn’t be controlled.
“Come on. I know this great little place right on the water’s edge.” Ianto tugged gently on Jack’s hand. “You promised me another normal date, remember? Tonight let’s have no talk of Torchwood: just me and you.”
“I can live with that.” Jack replied as he clung to his lover’s hand. Ianto smiled at him and, as Jack had done for him a dozen times, like Rhys would be doing for Gwen, took Jack away from the responsibility he shouldered.
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That's all of it!