Ghosts [RP]

[the_coffee_god]

Who: Ianto Jones, Captain Jack Harkness
When: Some time before Blackest Night storyline (Not Quite There AU)
Where: Torchwood Cardiff
Rating: PG-13 (language)
Thread is Closed.


They cut the power. Damn. Never a good thing at the best of times, even worse when we have a Hub full of Rashhokans who consider pitch black corridors to be the local equivalent of the takeaway shop. They’re probably placing their orders with the group matriarch right now.

Reminder to self: Don’t piss off the power company when you’re doing maintenance on the backup generators.

Fumbling in my pocket for my iPod—this process would probably be easier if I switched my gun to my left hand but when you start working for Torchwood logic’s the first thing to take a hit—I finally pull the thing out and unlock it, the shiick echoing sharply off the old Victorian brickwork that makes up this part of the Hub. Quickly pulling up the flashlight app and picking out the brightest one I can find, momentarily blinding myself in the process, I hold the thing out at arms length and turn in a complete circle to make sure nothing—including Jack—is sneaking up on me. When I’m certain there’s nothing out there, I continue on my way down to the archives; one hand holding the iPod so I can keep from tripping up on the uneven floor, the other holding the gun over the top edge of the iPod. After a few steps, I’m convinced something’s going to jump out of the dark behind me and sink their claws into my back while they rip me open with their teeth. Mind you, Rashhokans have about as many claws as a worn out teddy bear and they have a big sucking orifice instead of a mouth with teeth but the results would still be the same-- with me a big bloody smear on the floor.

Just like Lisa.

Ah, why did I have to think of that now?

All that blood. All my fault. I can hear the echoes of the gunshots that took her down when I’m alone in these corridors. Couldn’t do it myself, no; couldn’t shoot her myself even though Jack was right—it wasn’t Lisa anymore. Couldn’t put her out of her misery even when the body she was in wasn’t even her own, it was one she had stolen.

Why didn’t I just let her go after I found out what the Cybermen had done to her? She wouldn’t have survived if I hadn’t hooked her up to that damn machine; the same machine that they’d used to destroy her in the first place. But no, you had to keep her alive, had to put her through all that agony and for what? So you didn’t have to say goodbye? Is that why you’re with Jack now? Because you’ll never have to do that with him?

No, you know that’s a lie. Your whole life has been a lie though, hasn’t it? You lied to yourself, you lied to Jack, you lied to Lisa…

Oh God, so much blood… there was so much blood. All my fault. Why?

God, why did I try and save her?


Inspired by the early May parlour_treats prompt 3c. They cut the power. Ripley, Aliens

Comments

[cjharkness]

Jack blinked then laughed before jogging after Ianto. Falling into step, Jack said, “Yeah, they do tend to get a little pissed off when they realize Torchwood’s calling. At least this time we weren’t calling to tell them we were about to crash the gird again to save the world. I’ll give them a call and try and smooth things over. Try being the operative word there.”

[the_coffee_god]

“Thanks.” We walk the rest of the way in silence and even though the corridor’s wide enough for four people to walk side by side, Jack moves close enough to brush again me. I’m surprised at how well that minor touch helps me push those final bloody memories of Lisa I have to the back of my mind. The next time Jack’s hand comes close to mine; I catch it and entwine my fingers with his. I can see a grin appear on Jack’s face in my peripheral vision and he gives my hand a squeeze as he bumps against me. This, I know, is not a lie.

I smile back.