Hidden Identity- Chapter 1
Title: Hidden Identity- Chapter 1/13 + Epilogue
Author: Iantojjackh
Rating: PG
Summary: It began in a bar on a cold fusion cruiser with a stranger named Alonso. From there Jack's life takes a turn he never expected.
Characters: Jack Harkness, Alonso Frame, Gwen Cooper, Rhys Williams, Rhiannon Davies, Ianto Jones, Tenth Doctor, Twelfth Doctor,
Spoilers: CoE compliant fix-it and The End of Time (DW)
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me. I just borrowed them for a short spell. I wish I owned them so there wouldn't be the need to write fix-its like this.
Total Word Count: ~26k
Beta: timelordshines
Notes: this originally started off as a prompt from jo02 from the torchwood-fest member created fest way back earlier this year. After several starts and stops, I finally finished this. Written for the longliveianto big bang. Since the deadline for that came and went a long time ago, I'm posting this now.
Chapter 1
Jack looked at the paper in front of him: His name is Alonso. He turned to look at the man seated next to him and gave an awkward smile. Then the grieving Captain looked at the one who had given him the note. Jack's eyes flashed with betrayal, wondering where the Doctor had been when the world needed him most. Their link through the TARDIS meant there was no need for a verbal conversation.
It'll be all right. He's my final gift to you. I'm sorry for everything.
Sorry? Do you have any idea what I've been through? I can't. I don't...
Trust me, Captain. Later, ask him his story and check out the chip in the back of his neck. Then you'll thank me.
Jack frowned when the Doctor vanished, leaving him to uncomfortably let the stranger down. He was angry at the Time Lord's arrogance that he would think that Jack would jump into bed with the first pretty thing put in front of him. Though the man next to him was very attractive, Jack did not feel right flirting or doing anything other than getting away as fast as he could, even if a man in uniform was a major turn on.
"Was he a friend of yours?" Jack showed Alonso the note the Doctor had left him. "I take it you're Alonso?"
"That's me," the man replied. 'For now,' he added silently. "I travelled with him for a bit after he saved my life."
"And he just left you too. He has a habit of doing that in case you didn't notice," the bitterness oozed with every syllable.
"He didn't leave me. This is all part of the plan." Alonso said as he downed his drink in one gulp.
"So I'm part of your plan? Sorry I'm not interested in whatever it is you are selling," Jack shook his head. "I don't know what game the Doctor is playing but I don't want to play. I don't need or want any gift from him." Jack's nostrils flared as he started to get up but the stranger grabbed his arm.
"Wait, Jack, don't leave," Alonso pleaded. "What did the Doctor tell you about me?" He knew if it had been the whole truth this conversation would be going very differently.
"He called you 'his final gift'. I don't mean to sound rude, but I can't accept. Before I would have, but I'm not the person he thinks I am. I can't. I just can't. Not after..." Jack flinched when a soft finger was pressed against his lips.
"I know," Alonso said in a hushed whisper. He quickly replaced his fingers with his lips for a soft quick peck, hoping Jack would recognise it.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Jack wiped his mouth in disgust at the foreign lips on his own.
"Close your eyes." Alonso pleaded, hoping that not seeing his face would help Jack remember.
"No." Jack growled threateningly. "Who are you? How many times do I have to say I'm not interested?" Jack stood up and started to yell. "I don't know what game you are trying to play Doctor, but I'm not that person anymore."
"Let me help you. I can help you heal your broken heart," Alonso was desperate to get Jack alone. The Doctor had said he could only reveal his secret without a crowd watching and a packed bar was really not the place.
"I don't have a heart.” Jack replied bitterly, “It died seven months ago. So whatever you are trying to pull, it stops here." Jack got in the face of the presumptuous stranger and was so worked up, he spat as he talked.
"Ti'n llawn cachu," Alonso retorted, returning the anger thrown at him, slipping into a language that by appearances he should not know. It was a phrase he knew would get Jack's attention and it did because seconds later Alonso found his face pressed into the bar so hard that he could hardly breathe and a gun cocked to the back of his head.
"What did you just say?" Jack's anger boiled to epic proportions. "Who told you to say that? How do you know Welsh?" There was only person who told him he was full of shit and in Welsh no less.
"Because I say that when you are being thick headed and unreasonable." That was clearly the wrong answer because the butt of Jack's gun met with Alonso's skull and everything went black.
When Alonso began to come to he felt one eye swollen shut and the coppery taste of blood in his mouth. His hands and feet were bound to a chair and from what the battered man could see he was in his posh room on the cruiser. Alonso opened his mouth to speak but no sound came.
"Now maybe you can give me some answers." Jack was clearly unhinged and rational thought had long been lost. "What are you going to do? Your Doctor isn't here to help. He said to ask you about your story. What fabrication do you intend to weave for me? What about that chip in your neck?"
"Hhhhh...holograph," Alonso slurred and barely got the word out. If he had to assess the situation, Alonso knew he had a moderate concussion at the least. His eyes went wide as a knife blade was pressed into his neck just over where the chip was imbedded. If it was removed without properly being disconnected, he was in for more pain than he had ever known before.
"This image is only a projection? If I remove the chip then I'll see who you really are. Sounds like a good plan," Jack pressed the blade tip just far enough to begin to draw blood.
"No!" The words barely came out above a whisper before what felt like a million volts of electricity surged through Alonso's body as the chip was cut from him. His body seized and bodily fluids were expelled from every orifice: piss, shit vomit and everything in between.
Jack watched as the image of Alonso faded and gave birth to the true from underneath.
“Ianto?” Jack asked in a small voice. Was this all part of the game? Ever since he woke up in the makeshift morgue, Jack had been dreaming of this moment. But this couldn’t be right. The rational part of Jack’s brain took over, beating down his already battered heart. Ianto was gone. The dead do not come back to life. That curse belonged to Jack Harkness alone. He was destined to live an eternity of losing everyone he held dear. This was not possible. Ianto could not be here. It had to be someone’s idea of a sick joke.
To be continued...
To Chapter 2