Revelations and Recollections Chapter four
Hour four.
It was decided to keep Jessica and Gwen apart. Although to be fair, nobody wanted to be near Gwen when she finally climbed down. Ianto had not been kidding when he declared that the nest had not been cleaned out.
Toshiko, using the Alien lock pick had managed to get the shower room door open before the power supply on it ran out. Of course, it did not mean that the shower would work but at least Gwen had a place to attempt to clean up. They had also been discovered that Owens clothes more or less fitted Jessica. Gwen had just completed the long climb down when Jessica emerged sporting Owens spare set. Even Owen had to admit that his shirt and Jeans looked cosy.
"Well , another set of perfectly good set of clothes that are going to be all stretched out of shape." Owen groaned. "Girls should just not wear my stuff. They never fit right after."
"Claim it on expenses." Jack said.
"How's your head?" Ianto asked as he passed Jessica a glass of water. He guided her to a chair as she leaned into him, the water spilling as her hand trembled.
"Better, whatever was in that shot really helped." She replied. Ianto helped her drink the water.
"Tired?" Ianto asked as he noticed her trying to stifle a yawn.
"No, " Jessica responded a bit too quickly, "Yes, " she admitted, "Don't want to go to sleep though, "She gave another hand gesture, a double tap on her ear.
"Ah, " Ianto replied, "Come on." He offered her his arm and she took it. Ianto guided her away, she wrapped her arm around his waist.
"Poor kid, " Toshiko said.
"Yeah, " Owen agreed.
Jack decided that his shaken team needed a drink. Which was somewhat ironic in itself when Jack paused to think about it? Considering this all started with a visit to the local and Jack did not want to finish that thought. He located two bottles of something. He opened the bottle and identified it as whiskey. He decided that the occasion called for it. He also located six clean glasses and a tray. He collected the items together and made his way back down. Jessica and Ianto appeared deep in something , again, involving a stopwatch. Jack could not tell what as he left two glasses and the emptiest bottle with them. He was about to turn to leave when he heard a clap of hands.
"You blinked." Jessica declared and with that, Ianto pressed the button.
"Thirty seconds" He said, using the backlight on the stopwatch to see.
"Grgh, you win again, " Jessica replied. She yawned again.
"What you kids up to?" Jack asked, setting the tray down on the table.
"No blinking games, " Ianto replied, sounding slightly embarrassed.
"Yvonne used to have us doing them in case we encounter a situation that we couldn't blink in, " Jessica added.
Owen and Toshiko sensing alcohol had gone to join them. They had discovered some sleeping bags which they were now carrying. Old, tatty army sleeping bags but sleeping bags none the less.
"No blinking games?" Owen asked. Both Toshiko and Owen looked slightly bemused and exchanged a look.
"Weeping angels, " Ianto supplied.
"Kalakh halvah warriors, " Jessica added.
"Time lords, " they both supplied together.
"Of course they are perfectly safe to blink around, " Jessica sighed.
"If not messy. The entire window. Why the window?" Ianto asked.
"Apparently it was some sort of demonstration. So it was you that had to clean it up?" Jessica exclaimed.
"And your department that had to analyse it, " Ianto surmised.
"Yeah, " Jessica replied, "And the rest. Well what was left of us after."
"Ah, " Ianto said.
Jack poured out a glass of Whisky for everyone. Jessica contemplated the glass picked it up and glared at it. In any other situation she would have gulped it down in one go. Instead, Ianto gently took the glass of her.
"Not a good idea," Ianto gently told her.
"I know. Still tempted though,” Jessica replied. She closed her eyes. " Not helping." She shuffled aside and Owen sat down next to her. He immediately put his feet up on the coffee table. Ianto glared at him and Owen smirked. Jessica sighed, leaned over and swiped his legs off the table saving Jack the effort. Jessica yawned again as she leaned back on the couch.
"Its late, we are stuck here, I figure we may as well get some sleep, " Owen declared as he dumped the sleeping bag on the floor.
Jack checked his wrist band. "That's not a bad idea. If nothing else, it will pass the time for you folk, " he said.
He hid a smile as he noticed that nobody else had refused the alcohol. Jessica was still looking her glass. She noticed Jack looking.
"I have had what could, and excuse the swearing , be described as a
shit day. Well what related to a day. Possibly. Grgh time travel. That whisky is so tempting. I need that drink " she offered in explanation. She sounded almost defeated, slurring with the effort of staying awake.
"I am not going to argue with that, " Jack kindly said.
" I am. Not immediately after an operation you don't" Owen said even as he put his own glass down. Owen moved Jessica and Gwen’s glasses out of Jessica's reach even as Jessica give out a frustrated groan.
"Not fair. " She protested.
"You folks try to get some sleep, I will keep an eye on what's happening," Jack said.
Strangely, nobody argued with that.
Gwen came back from the bathroom, complaining loudly and Jack listened to her with half an ear. He got her calmed down and she soon dropped off. His team plus one had retreated to separate areas to sleep. He discovered that Gwen sleep walked and stopped her before she tried to raid the fridge. He made sure Gwen stayed settled on the couch. In the medical bay, he discovered that Owen snored loudly and drooled in his sleep. He heard Toshiko babbling away in her sleep . He didn't understand what she was saying , as she spoke in Japanese but she sounded happy. A quick check put Jacks' mind at ease as she smiled in her sleep. He adjusted the blanket over her as she slept on the floor near Owen. He half expected to find Ianto asleep near the kitchen. Instead, he discovered him using the boardroom table as a bed. Or attempting to, as he dozed in the space between asleep and awake.
It did not come as that much of a surprise to find Jessica curled up on the floor in his office. A ghost of a smile played across her features as she heard Jack come in.
"You don't mind do you? " She asked. "I'll move if you want me to."
"I don't mind. " Jack replied.
"What's going to happen to me?" She asked. "I know this place and I shouldn't. Retcon really does not work. So I guess I'm going to be disappeared right?" she said. She sounded almost resigned to the fact.
"Disappeared?" Jack asked, playing dumb.
"Yeah, you know, " she paused, "killed." She whispered.
"Jessica Jackson is already officially dead so who are you?" Jack replied.
Jessica looked at him confused. "I don't, I don't understand." She replied. She seemed scared. Jack sat down next to her and wiped away the lone tear that trickled down her face.
"Who do you want to be for your new identity? You could be anyone now, " He wiped away another tear as she stared up at him looking completely lost.
"Don't. I know what's going to happen so why pretend?" she replied.
Jack sighed, almost exasperated now but she knew better than most what should happen. She was ex Torchwood after all.
"What will it be? Bullet through the head, poison or hanging?" she asked.
Jack looked shocked at that.
" I know how this works. Hell even had to do it myself a few times. Still that's the Torchwood way right? Might be for the best. To be honest things seem wrong , " Jessica continued.
"Not anymore. Not here, not now. And time travel can make you feel out of sorts, " Jack replied, "If it was half that lot would be dead by now."
"Huh?" she said. She used her sleeve, Owens sleeve, to wipe her eyes.
"You said it yourself. Gwen wouldn't have lasted because of her questions. I would have killed Owen for his disobeying of orders, and Ianto..." he paused.
"Cyberwoman in the basement, " Jessica supplied for him. She sighed. " I figured it out kind off. I, God, She paused.
"Go on." Jack said kindly. He wrapped the blanket around her trembling form.
"It was awful that day. They found us, we were hid in a mortuary drawer, me and Ianto. Stuffed a Traske in the front to try to throw them off, it didn't work. They still found us, was nothing else we could do, it was getting towards , " She paused and sniffled, "the end. The Cybermen where just converting whole bodies. And then, it was over. I guess the Doctor had opened The Void then. Things started flying about. We had to crouch down in a storage cupboard as everything started going mad. Madder. Then afterwards we went to see if they was anyone, we could help. Most people were too far gone. We got separated, I found Sophie."
She broke down then. Neither of them had heard Ianto slip into the office.
"And I found Lisa, " he croaked out. He joined them on the floor, leaned up against the wall.
"She was just on the table. They both were. But it was her, it was Sophie untouched. We lost track off each other but I managed to get Sophie out, we went to the medical wing. I guess nobody had bothered
hiding there. She told me what to do. She was, she seemed like Sophie still so I trusted her. " Jessica continued.
"Like Lisa did. She told me how to set things up" Ianto said.
"I thought that I could help her. I thought maybe I could use the technology somehow and she would live. That the cancer wouldn't kill her after all."
"Cancer?" Ianto asked shocked. Apparently, he had not known about that.
"It came back, was spreading. Terminal, she told me that day. It was awful. She was in so much pain but then four days after she couldn't take it anymore. She said that she couldn't fight it anymore. Then , then it wasn't her , the programming took over. I didn't notice she had an one of those," she gestured to her ear, "I should have been able to tell, and they was signs."
Ianto looked sick, Jack reached over and give his shoulder a comforting squeeze.
"She took out five people before there was this woman. She had this thing, device, like a glove. Sophie just stopped dead at the sight of it and the woman pulled a gun out. Shot her over and over again. I didn't know what else to do so I grabbed a fire axe and started hacking into Sophie. Wanted to end it quick , tried to get to her head. Failed miserably though. But it wasn't her, she kept on going on about being upgraded and how I was not compatible. Then this woman said she was called Susie,"
"Susie Costello? "Jack interrupted her to ask.
"Yeah, that was her," Jessica confirmed.
Ianto swore quietly at that. He summed up what Jack thought at that point. Jessica had not noticed the exchanged look between the two men.
"She said that she was there to help. She helped me incinerate what was left and give me these pills. Retcon and she said to take them. Said it would sort everything. I took them and she took me out of the building to this place. Nice it was, a hotel. And then I fell asleep and was in Cardiff. This flat and at first I couldn't remember anything and I thought the Retcon must have finally worked. I knew I must have taken them because of the muggy feeling. But then I remembered being Retconned so I knew it hadn't worked after all. I didn't have a clue what was happening, just that Susie would come round and check on me. She was treating me okay and I just didn't have to think. Spent most of the time drunk because I still remembered everything and I didn't want to. She looked after me like she said, well sort of. Its all kind of a groggy mess, like I want to remember but I have it all mixed up. But there was other people there and I think it was some sort of therapy type of thing,, " Jessica paused, trying to gather her thoughts.
The two men remained silent, knowing that she would continue.
"Maybe not exactly therapy, more a self help group, religious name, Pilgrim, like a lot of talking and hugging. It was somewhat interesting as they got onto metaphysics and stuff. Really nice people, Mark said I was staying in his flat and I could for as long as I needed. Susie visited a lot, like nightly. Then one night Susie didn't come back. Next thing I know I woke up in the bloody Void. "
She sobbed harder and harder. Ianto handed her a tissue.
"And Susie was there and she was just smiling, like she was in her element. She was mad. Said she wasn't staying, said she had a plan. Said there was something in the darkness and it was coming for us all. But the fighting and monsters just did not stop, constant, and there was no way out. Just pain and torture and screaming but nothingness. But I found the darkness, I followed the voice to it. Susie said to go, said she had misjudged me and that she made a mistake. Said because of that she had to stay but she didn't mind. But it was not frightening, the darkness, it was safe because there was no monsters. It was nice and friendly."
Both her and Ianto were crying, Ianto did not try to hide it now. Jessica clung on to Ianto but he was too numb to respond. Jack shifted about until he was knelt down on the floor in front of the pair. He held them both. It was not the most comfortable of positions but sometimes, he figured, needs must.
"The monsters weren't there. Well the not scary ones were but they were so nice. Stopped the scary ones coming in, like guard dogs. And Lisa and Sophie was there and they were okay. They told me there was no pain for them anymore. That they were waiting, but I shouldn't be there. It was the wrong time. They seemed happy though. They said they were safe and they didn't have to fight. Lisa said to say she was sorry but wouldn't say why, said that when I found you to pass something on. I
cannot though," Jessica stopped.
"What was it?" Ianto's voice was hoarse.
"A kiss." Jessica replied. "Um..." She hesitated like she was struggling with a decision. Then Jessica kissed him, brief, fleeting soft and chaste yet somewhat passionate all at once. It was almost over before Ianto could register it.
"Oh." Ianto replied. He seemed stunned for a moment. Jessica looked down at her feet.
"They took me to this man and he said that next time his friend appeared I had to follow the light and I would go back. He was funny. It was him that told me to tell Captain Jack he was sorry. So very sorry. But he didn't say who he was. Big ears and goofy grin and leather jacket. That seemed important to remember , but don't know why though."
Neither Ianto nor Jessica saw Jacks reaction. The look of heartbreak on his face or the sharp intake of breath. He felt like someone had kicked him hard in his stomach. All them long years waiting and he sent a message with a virtual stranger. Jack could not deny that it hurt him. The old feelings of rejection and resentment came flooding back to the surface.
"Did he say why he was sorry?" Jack asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"No, just that he was sorry. Oh and that you were fantastic, " Jessica said.
Jack laughed at this. It was bitter and sharp, the kind of laugh that was half hysterical and half sob. He forced himself to pull himself back together, he could fall apart later but for now, he still had people to look after and responsibilities weighing heavily on his shoulders. He shifted his position and ended sat in-between Ianto and Jessica.
"What happened next?" Jack asked, still looking for answers.
"His friend appeared but only for a moment so he threw me toward him. Towards the light. And well here, I am. Woke up in the factory district and discovered the Cybermen and the man with big ears whispered me to find Torchwood. Said they would sort of everything else out from that point. " She concluded.
They sat in silence for a while, all processing what she had said.
"Is this even real?" Jessica asked eventually, "It seems so dream like."
"Its real, " Jack confirmed.
"I'm, I'm not mad?" She whispered.
"No, " Ianto replied automatically.
"I did good, " Jessica mumbled.
When Jack looked down again he noticed her eyes had drifted shut, as she fell into exhausted sleep.
"The man, was that your right kind of Doctor?" Ianto asked.
"I don't know. It could have been or it could have been hallucinations," Jack replied. "Her mind trying to protect her."
"Oh. So Lisa could have been a hallucination to?" Ianto sounded disappointed, " What is going to happen to her?" Ianto asked indicating to the sleeping figure.
"I was thinking that we could give her a new identity, a new life but now I am not so sure, " Jack replied.
" Flat Holm?" Ianto asked.
" Maybe. I think that may be best for her. We still have no indication of what happened to her and she is not coping with her sister’s death. Either way I want Owen to have another look at her before I decide anything. If she's been in through the Void ...," Jack did not have to finish the sentence off. Ianto knew what he meant.
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It was decided to keep Jessica and Gwen apart. Although to be fair, nobody wanted to be near Gwen when she finally climbed down. Ianto had not been kidding when he declared that the nest had not been cleaned out.
Toshiko, using the Alien lock pick had managed to get the shower room door open before the power supply on it ran out. Of course, it did not mean that the shower would work but at least Gwen had a place to attempt to clean up. They had also been discovered that Owens clothes more or less fitted Jessica. Gwen had just completed the long climb down when Jessica emerged sporting Owens spare set. Even Owen had to admit that his shirt and Jeans looked cosy.
"Well , another set of perfectly good set of clothes that are going to be all stretched out of shape." Owen groaned. "Girls should just not wear my stuff. They never fit right after."
"Claim it on expenses." Jack said.
"How's your head?" Ianto asked as he passed Jessica a glass of water. He guided her to a chair as she leaned into him, the water spilling as her hand trembled.
"Better, whatever was in that shot really helped." She replied. Ianto helped her drink the water.
"Tired?" Ianto asked as he noticed her trying to stifle a yawn.
"No, " Jessica responded a bit too quickly, "Yes, " she admitted, "Don't want to go to sleep though, "She gave another hand gesture, a double tap on her ear.
"Ah, " Ianto replied, "Come on." He offered her his arm and she took it. Ianto guided her away, she wrapped her arm around his waist.
"Poor kid, " Toshiko said.
"Yeah, " Owen agreed.
Jack decided that his shaken team needed a drink. Which was somewhat ironic in itself when Jack paused to think about it? Considering this all started with a visit to the local and Jack did not want to finish that thought. He located two bottles of something. He opened the bottle and identified it as whiskey. He decided that the occasion called for it. He also located six clean glasses and a tray. He collected the items together and made his way back down. Jessica and Ianto appeared deep in something , again, involving a stopwatch. Jack could not tell what as he left two glasses and the emptiest bottle with them. He was about to turn to leave when he heard a clap of hands.
"You blinked." Jessica declared and with that, Ianto pressed the button.
"Thirty seconds" He said, using the backlight on the stopwatch to see.
"Grgh, you win again, " Jessica replied. She yawned again.
"What you kids up to?" Jack asked, setting the tray down on the table.
"No blinking games, " Ianto replied, sounding slightly embarrassed.
"Yvonne used to have us doing them in case we encounter a situation that we couldn't blink in, " Jessica added.
Owen and Toshiko sensing alcohol had gone to join them. They had discovered some sleeping bags which they were now carrying. Old, tatty army sleeping bags but sleeping bags none the less.
"No blinking games?" Owen asked. Both Toshiko and Owen looked slightly bemused and exchanged a look.
"Weeping angels, " Ianto supplied.
"Kalakh halvah warriors, " Jessica added.
"Time lords, " they both supplied together.
"Of course they are perfectly safe to blink around, " Jessica sighed.
"If not messy. The entire window. Why the window?" Ianto asked.
"Apparently it was some sort of demonstration. So it was you that had to clean it up?" Jessica exclaimed.
"And your department that had to analyse it, " Ianto surmised.
"Yeah, " Jessica replied, "And the rest. Well what was left of us after."
"Ah, " Ianto said.
Jack poured out a glass of Whisky for everyone. Jessica contemplated the glass picked it up and glared at it. In any other situation she would have gulped it down in one go. Instead, Ianto gently took the glass of her.
"Not a good idea," Ianto gently told her.
"I know. Still tempted though,” Jessica replied. She closed her eyes. " Not helping." She shuffled aside and Owen sat down next to her. He immediately put his feet up on the coffee table. Ianto glared at him and Owen smirked. Jessica sighed, leaned over and swiped his legs off the table saving Jack the effort. Jessica yawned again as she leaned back on the couch.
"Its late, we are stuck here, I figure we may as well get some sleep, " Owen declared as he dumped the sleeping bag on the floor.
Jack checked his wrist band. "That's not a bad idea. If nothing else, it will pass the time for you folk, " he said.
He hid a smile as he noticed that nobody else had refused the alcohol. Jessica was still looking her glass. She noticed Jack looking.
"I have had what could, and excuse the swearing , be described as a
shit day. Well what related to a day. Possibly. Grgh time travel. That whisky is so tempting. I need that drink " she offered in explanation. She sounded almost defeated, slurring with the effort of staying awake.
"I am not going to argue with that, " Jack kindly said.
" I am. Not immediately after an operation you don't" Owen said even as he put his own glass down. Owen moved Jessica and Gwen’s glasses out of Jessica's reach even as Jessica give out a frustrated groan.
"Not fair. " She protested.
"You folks try to get some sleep, I will keep an eye on what's happening," Jack said.
Strangely, nobody argued with that.
Gwen came back from the bathroom, complaining loudly and Jack listened to her with half an ear. He got her calmed down and she soon dropped off. His team plus one had retreated to separate areas to sleep. He discovered that Gwen sleep walked and stopped her before she tried to raid the fridge. He made sure Gwen stayed settled on the couch. In the medical bay, he discovered that Owen snored loudly and drooled in his sleep. He heard Toshiko babbling away in her sleep . He didn't understand what she was saying , as she spoke in Japanese but she sounded happy. A quick check put Jacks' mind at ease as she smiled in her sleep. He adjusted the blanket over her as she slept on the floor near Owen. He half expected to find Ianto asleep near the kitchen. Instead, he discovered him using the boardroom table as a bed. Or attempting to, as he dozed in the space between asleep and awake.
It did not come as that much of a surprise to find Jessica curled up on the floor in his office. A ghost of a smile played across her features as she heard Jack come in.
"You don't mind do you? " She asked. "I'll move if you want me to."
"I don't mind. " Jack replied.
"What's going to happen to me?" She asked. "I know this place and I shouldn't. Retcon really does not work. So I guess I'm going to be disappeared right?" she said. She sounded almost resigned to the fact.
"Disappeared?" Jack asked, playing dumb.
"Yeah, you know, " she paused, "killed." She whispered.
"Jessica Jackson is already officially dead so who are you?" Jack replied.
Jessica looked at him confused. "I don't, I don't understand." She replied. She seemed scared. Jack sat down next to her and wiped away the lone tear that trickled down her face.
"Who do you want to be for your new identity? You could be anyone now, " He wiped away another tear as she stared up at him looking completely lost.
"Don't. I know what's going to happen so why pretend?" she replied.
Jack sighed, almost exasperated now but she knew better than most what should happen. She was ex Torchwood after all.
"What will it be? Bullet through the head, poison or hanging?" she asked.
Jack looked shocked at that.
" I know how this works. Hell even had to do it myself a few times. Still that's the Torchwood way right? Might be for the best. To be honest things seem wrong , " Jessica continued.
"Not anymore. Not here, not now. And time travel can make you feel out of sorts, " Jack replied, "If it was half that lot would be dead by now."
"Huh?" she said. She used her sleeve, Owens sleeve, to wipe her eyes.
"You said it yourself. Gwen wouldn't have lasted because of her questions. I would have killed Owen for his disobeying of orders, and Ianto..." he paused.
"Cyberwoman in the basement, " Jessica supplied for him. She sighed. " I figured it out kind off. I, God, She paused.
"Go on." Jack said kindly. He wrapped the blanket around her trembling form.
"It was awful that day. They found us, we were hid in a mortuary drawer, me and Ianto. Stuffed a Traske in the front to try to throw them off, it didn't work. They still found us, was nothing else we could do, it was getting towards , " She paused and sniffled, "the end. The Cybermen where just converting whole bodies. And then, it was over. I guess the Doctor had opened The Void then. Things started flying about. We had to crouch down in a storage cupboard as everything started going mad. Madder. Then afterwards we went to see if they was anyone, we could help. Most people were too far gone. We got separated, I found Sophie."
She broke down then. Neither of them had heard Ianto slip into the office.
"And I found Lisa, " he croaked out. He joined them on the floor, leaned up against the wall.
"She was just on the table. They both were. But it was her, it was Sophie untouched. We lost track off each other but I managed to get Sophie out, we went to the medical wing. I guess nobody had bothered
hiding there. She told me what to do. She was, she seemed like Sophie still so I trusted her. " Jessica continued.
"Like Lisa did. She told me how to set things up" Ianto said.
"I thought that I could help her. I thought maybe I could use the technology somehow and she would live. That the cancer wouldn't kill her after all."
"Cancer?" Ianto asked shocked. Apparently, he had not known about that.
"It came back, was spreading. Terminal, she told me that day. It was awful. She was in so much pain but then four days after she couldn't take it anymore. She said that she couldn't fight it anymore. Then , then it wasn't her , the programming took over. I didn't notice she had an one of those," she gestured to her ear, "I should have been able to tell, and they was signs."
Ianto looked sick, Jack reached over and give his shoulder a comforting squeeze.
"She took out five people before there was this woman. She had this thing, device, like a glove. Sophie just stopped dead at the sight of it and the woman pulled a gun out. Shot her over and over again. I didn't know what else to do so I grabbed a fire axe and started hacking into Sophie. Wanted to end it quick , tried to get to her head. Failed miserably though. But it wasn't her, she kept on going on about being upgraded and how I was not compatible. Then this woman said she was called Susie,"
"Susie Costello? "Jack interrupted her to ask.
"Yeah, that was her," Jessica confirmed.
Ianto swore quietly at that. He summed up what Jack thought at that point. Jessica had not noticed the exchanged look between the two men.
"She said that she was there to help. She helped me incinerate what was left and give me these pills. Retcon and she said to take them. Said it would sort everything. I took them and she took me out of the building to this place. Nice it was, a hotel. And then I fell asleep and was in Cardiff. This flat and at first I couldn't remember anything and I thought the Retcon must have finally worked. I knew I must have taken them because of the muggy feeling. But then I remembered being Retconned so I knew it hadn't worked after all. I didn't have a clue what was happening, just that Susie would come round and check on me. She was treating me okay and I just didn't have to think. Spent most of the time drunk because I still remembered everything and I didn't want to. She looked after me like she said, well sort of. Its all kind of a groggy mess, like I want to remember but I have it all mixed up. But there was other people there and I think it was some sort of therapy type of thing,, " Jessica paused, trying to gather her thoughts.
The two men remained silent, knowing that she would continue.
"Maybe not exactly therapy, more a self help group, religious name, Pilgrim, like a lot of talking and hugging. It was somewhat interesting as they got onto metaphysics and stuff. Really nice people, Mark said I was staying in his flat and I could for as long as I needed. Susie visited a lot, like nightly. Then one night Susie didn't come back. Next thing I know I woke up in the bloody Void. "
She sobbed harder and harder. Ianto handed her a tissue.
"And Susie was there and she was just smiling, like she was in her element. She was mad. Said she wasn't staying, said she had a plan. Said there was something in the darkness and it was coming for us all. But the fighting and monsters just did not stop, constant, and there was no way out. Just pain and torture and screaming but nothingness. But I found the darkness, I followed the voice to it. Susie said to go, said she had misjudged me and that she made a mistake. Said because of that she had to stay but she didn't mind. But it was not frightening, the darkness, it was safe because there was no monsters. It was nice and friendly."
Both her and Ianto were crying, Ianto did not try to hide it now. Jessica clung on to Ianto but he was too numb to respond. Jack shifted about until he was knelt down on the floor in front of the pair. He held them both. It was not the most comfortable of positions but sometimes, he figured, needs must.
"The monsters weren't there. Well the not scary ones were but they were so nice. Stopped the scary ones coming in, like guard dogs. And Lisa and Sophie was there and they were okay. They told me there was no pain for them anymore. That they were waiting, but I shouldn't be there. It was the wrong time. They seemed happy though. They said they were safe and they didn't have to fight. Lisa said to say she was sorry but wouldn't say why, said that when I found you to pass something on. I
cannot though," Jessica stopped.
"What was it?" Ianto's voice was hoarse.
"A kiss." Jessica replied. "Um..." She hesitated like she was struggling with a decision. Then Jessica kissed him, brief, fleeting soft and chaste yet somewhat passionate all at once. It was almost over before Ianto could register it.
"Oh." Ianto replied. He seemed stunned for a moment. Jessica looked down at her feet.
"They took me to this man and he said that next time his friend appeared I had to follow the light and I would go back. He was funny. It was him that told me to tell Captain Jack he was sorry. So very sorry. But he didn't say who he was. Big ears and goofy grin and leather jacket. That seemed important to remember , but don't know why though."
Neither Ianto nor Jessica saw Jacks reaction. The look of heartbreak on his face or the sharp intake of breath. He felt like someone had kicked him hard in his stomach. All them long years waiting and he sent a message with a virtual stranger. Jack could not deny that it hurt him. The old feelings of rejection and resentment came flooding back to the surface.
"Did he say why he was sorry?" Jack asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"No, just that he was sorry. Oh and that you were fantastic, " Jessica said.
Jack laughed at this. It was bitter and sharp, the kind of laugh that was half hysterical and half sob. He forced himself to pull himself back together, he could fall apart later but for now, he still had people to look after and responsibilities weighing heavily on his shoulders. He shifted his position and ended sat in-between Ianto and Jessica.
"What happened next?" Jack asked, still looking for answers.
"His friend appeared but only for a moment so he threw me toward him. Towards the light. And well here, I am. Woke up in the factory district and discovered the Cybermen and the man with big ears whispered me to find Torchwood. Said they would sort of everything else out from that point. " She concluded.
They sat in silence for a while, all processing what she had said.
"Is this even real?" Jessica asked eventually, "It seems so dream like."
"Its real, " Jack confirmed.
"I'm, I'm not mad?" She whispered.
"No, " Ianto replied automatically.
"I did good, " Jessica mumbled.
When Jack looked down again he noticed her eyes had drifted shut, as she fell into exhausted sleep.
"The man, was that your right kind of Doctor?" Ianto asked.
"I don't know. It could have been or it could have been hallucinations," Jack replied. "Her mind trying to protect her."
"Oh. So Lisa could have been a hallucination to?" Ianto sounded disappointed, " What is going to happen to her?" Ianto asked indicating to the sleeping figure.
"I was thinking that we could give her a new identity, a new life but now I am not so sure, " Jack replied.
" Flat Holm?" Ianto asked.
" Maybe. I think that may be best for her. We still have no indication of what happened to her and she is not coping with her sister’s death. Either way I want Owen to have another look at her before I decide anything. If she's been in through the Void ...," Jack did not have to finish the sentence off. Ianto knew what he meant.
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