genessia | [Action]: Jack at Work and at Play

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[Action]: Jack at Work and at Play

[Work]

[Jack hummed as he poured drinks and took money. Work was becoming a breather from all the drama from his life. He loved his TARDIS family he really did, but even he, with his affable nature, had moments of needing to be somewhere they weren't. So whenever he worked a shift he threw himself into it completely making people feel comfortable so that they would drink more. So he would sing, chat and charm anyone he could to keep them coming back.]

[Playing in the TARDIS]

[Jack had never grown up around plants. He hadn't seen anywhere green until he'd turned 20 and the second he'd seen flowers he'd fallen in love. That love for color and peaceful quiet made the TARDIS garden one of his favorite places. Currently he was sitting on the grass under what looked like a willow tree jotting his thoughts down in his journal. For once his body language is relaxed and calm even though he is still fighting the urge to lay down and take a nap. He sets the journal aside and gives into the urge closing his eyes with a quiet sigh.]

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[It hadn't really been difficult to track down Jack Harkness, so having a quiet word with him just meant waiting for him after work. The Doctor wears a lighter tweed than what he'd had on when he arrived, and waits leaning against the side of the building casually, only speaking up as Jack's passing by.]

Mind if I walk with you? Been meaning to have a word.

[He smiles as he glances over, but it's one of those enigmatic, mature smiles his previous face had rarely ever managed, and this one seems to specialize in.]

[Jack had been hoping for a quiet walk home, those last few moments of peace to give him the strength to deal with the drama in the TARDIS. Seemed like he wasn't going to get that tonight. He nodded at the Doctor.}

Like I've ever been able to stop you from doing what you wanted. What do you want to talk about?

When was th'last time you thought you should?

[If you're going to be saucy, Jack, you should know to expect the same. At least, when you're not dealing with Doctor Mope.]

And that's what I was wondering, actually, thought you might've been having a rough time, considering... you know who. Figured it might help to talk to someone who's got the background already as well as a new perspective, who's not personally involved, but cares about everybody who is.

[He pauses just a tick, then waves a hand as though introducing himself, since that was pretty much his point, there.]

Hello.

[Jack is ready to snap that he's fine and leave it at that when he considers it for a second. His shoulders slump and he sighs.]

When did I become the adult in the TARDIS.....honestly Doctor sometimes I just want to tell him, but then I remember what it was like when he found out the first time and I stomp that idea hard. And now there's Gwen and she doesn't KNOW.

[He yells this last word then flinches at the sound of his own voice.]

I hate this damm place sometimes.

[The Doctor raises his eyebrows at how fired up Jack gets, but takes it mostly in stride, reaching over to patpat his shoulder.]

...yeah, sorry 'bout that, I was... volatile, back then, well, you remember. Burned through two regenerations in, what, four years? Five?

[He shakes his head with an exasperated sigh.]

When we say "foreknowledge is dangerous," we don't just mean for the timestream; it's dangerous for us, too, and he's had... whew, quite a bit, now.

[A brief tick, and he peeks over at Jack again sheepishly, making another sort of expression that would be strange and unfamiliar on his previous face.]

......no, sorry, hold on, tell him what?

[Probably best to make sure they're on the same page before expounding any more on... anything, really.]

He doesn't know about the Master....or what he did to Donna. I've hinted at some things and Rose told him about the Meta Crisis but she left the details blurry. But he has no idea he isn't the last of the Time Lords.

[Jack bows his head.]

And he doesn't know what I did....during the 456. Gwen doesn't know any of that either. Rose does....because I had a break down when I saw your oldest self and she pushed it out of me. I made her promise not to tell him.

[...ah, right, exactly the things he was worried about. At least it's some relief those things haven't been tossed in his younger face's.... face, and he smiles a little, at that--especially bittersweet at what Jack mentions after that pause.

Although he makes a just childishly forlorn face at the mention of being shocked at the sight of Twelve, not really making the connection Jack probably is.]

Eugh, I know, eyebrows like that, and he's so.. gray.....

[He shakes his head and sighs, collecting himself, looking pensive for a moment before he casts a concerned smile over at Jack again.]

Anyway, maybe when Shandshoes's got his head on a bit straighter, might be worth sharing, but...

[The 456 Incident, at least, wasn't so much a facet of the Doctor's own timeline--he was preoccupied having his own really bad time, during those events--so it wasn't so problematic to share it... except that Ten might blame himself for letting it happen, since that's basically his MO. Tragic loss and terrible decisions is something the Doctor can sympathize with very personally, though.]

Don't think I ever got to say how sorry I am. ...or that I understand.

[He's spoken a lot more freely with Amy and Rory, after all, than he ever did with Rose, or Jack, or even Martha and Donna, about the Time War and his part in it. There's not much he can do to fix things for Jack, but he can at least make sure he knows he's not alone in what he lost, or what he did.]

He'll understand, too, when he's... stabilized a bit.

[Of course, he doesn't really know Gwen all that well, so he can't speak for her...]

Sorry to have you keeping secrets, I know how that is, too.

[Jack waves off the apology and shakes his head]

I know....I know you couldn't have been there...fixed points and all that. I figured that out later. Same with Miracle Day. though I wish...but s my mother once said wishes are fishes and what's done is done.

I knew I would have to keep secrets as soon as I realized how far apart I was from Fluffy and Rose.....but the more he falls apart the more I want to tell him it wasn't all bad. There was Ianto and Estelle and the real Captain Jack Harkness. Losing them hurt...but they made me stronger because they loved me. If the Bad Wolf hadn't changed me I wouldn't have met them.

[The Doctor gives him a quirky sort of smile at "Fluffy" as a nickname for his earlier self--but he's a bit taken aback at all the rest Jack has to say, glancing downward and smiling a bit more earnestly. Not only is it something his younger self doesn't know, it's one of the things that's been weighing on him, as well.]

...ah. Well. Glad to hear it.

[...not that he's about to openly admit just how significant it is to him...]

Although... seems as though Sandshoes's got the impression he did something, or, well, I did something later in his timeline than when he's from. ...not sure what, maybe to do with when you lot left the TARDIS after the Crucible.

[Okay, so maybe he'd sort of tricked Rose off, a little bit, but he didn't really have any better options... he might have said something to Jack that'd explain it, though.]

Any ideas?

[Jack chuckles softly]

I left with Martha because I wanted to, because we'd just saved the world and I felt like the biggest hero ever. And I promised Ianto and Gwen I'd come back. For some reason he's got the idea he burned us up. And I can't tell him that Martha married Mickey instead of Tom because of Davros, that they trained with me and became their own mobile unit because I went back. I can't tell him how proud of them I was. How I started looking after all the others because it made me happy. How for years on her birthday I'd be Donna's hug o gram, because it gave Donna's grandfather hope.

[Jack's fist clenched.]

I think whatever he did to get the TARDIS messed with his head. Now no matter what Rose or I or Martha say he sees the worst of it. If I told him about the Master or the Miracle or Steven....he'd snap. Hell just hinting about Donna made him....break a little. I promised the TARDIS I'd look after him...after all of you and dammit I will no matter what.

[The Doctor gets one of those enigmatic smiles, obviously having some powerfully mixed feelings at the mention of Donna--as Jack can probably guess... although he makes an exasperated face at the mention of how the TARDIS was acquired.]

...been wondering about that, myself. He does seem to be handling it worse than I'd remembered he should have done.

For whatever it's worth, I do remember what happened, after the Crucible. Hated to see you lot go, of course, but glad you had your lives to return to, good works to be done, all that. ...always been bad at that, letting go at the right time, tried to do better with the Ponds...

[More or those mixed feelings he's not about to express in detail.]

[Rose sits down back to back with Jack, without a word, just laces both her hands in his with a deep breath. She sounds confident, tired, but rock-steady, and even her bond is projecting that at least.]

Putting in my final two weeks notice already.

Got the capital and reputation to make Torchwood now I think. 'm excited. [Quiet.]

[But she feels hopeful if he checks the bond.]

[Even if she is locking pretty much all of her anxiety and the 24/7 tempest that is her and the Doctor(s) away from even Jack.]

[Jack does prod the bond gently because he always pokes it a little bit no matter what with all the drama he wants to make sure Rose is alright just as much as the Doctor. He also is feeling slightly raw given the conversation he just had with Bowtie on the way to the TARDIS.]

Good...not that working at the bar hasn't been nice, but my hands are itching for some work I know.

Good. [The recent calm is probably new from Rose then. The last month has been extra hard on her to the point of outright avoiding the Doctor, something Rose has never ever EVER done before. Then again, it wasn't like he didn't hide from everyone else, except her before. Things changed.]

Party at the Fairy Tale Guild headquarters, you're not allowed to do any bartendin'. Mirajane said she'd give all o' us a free first round on her. Just the one though. [Laughs.] I mighta mentioned that I recently befriended some youkai, that seemed to scare her a bit. 'pparen'ly they can really drink a lot.

Still gotta find a headquart-- [Stifles a yawn into a fist.] Ers. Tower preferably. Gonna send Demyx on it as his first job, see how he does.

[Jack revels in the calm of Rose's mind and the peace draws a quiet smile out of him.]

Party it is. It's been a while since I've had a drink rather than served them.

[Jack smiles.]

It does mean a lot.

Haha, ohh...

[He reaches up to patpat Jack's cheek when he smiles at him like that, the gesture strangely almost grandfatherly in spite of the extreme babyface. He's really just beyond pleased to see Jack brightening up a bit, looking for at least a moment not quite so worn-down.]

Much better, now, I'll see what I can do with Sandshoes, but in the mean time, what about you, how can I help?

[Jack smiles sadly. He hates that he apparently missed the chance to travel with this Doctor.]

Oh.....what's wrong with me is more emotional than anything. The last few years have been a struggle. I did get to be mortal for a while....so there is that.

Ahh... ...well, had a rough patch or two, myself.

[The Doctor casts a bittersweet sort of smile over at Jack; it's mainly simple, pure sympathy for losses he knows they can both identify with, but with a bit of embarrassment at some of the ways he slipped up, himself, since Jack saw him last.]

Don't have a magic wand to make it go away, but, well... if you should ever need to talk to someone who's got some idea how you feel.

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[Action]: Jack at Work and at Play

After work

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TARDIS ofc

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