[Torchwood: Children of Earth] "Akedah (Binding)" (PG-13)
Author's Note: Written for "fic_promptly" author's choice, author's choice, when duty contradicts desire Title refers to the name in the Rabbinic tradition for the Binding of Isaac, in the Old Testament. WARNING: Implied character death involving a child.
This had to be done, but Jack could feel his heart aching in his chest as he typed the commands necessary to program the transmission.
Though he had kept a friendly distance between him and his daughter along with her son, there was still a part of him that was looking forward to watching his "nephew" grow up. It had been tricky, those short years, pretending that he was only Steven's uncle, but it was necessary, given how slowly he was aging, relative to his daughter. He'd kept a distance, because he dreaded seeing his family aging, but he still loved the kid, and he was looking forward to seeing the boy growing up, looking forward to teaching to the boy to defend himself, and when the boy grew into a young man and was ready for it, he was looking forward to teaching him how to please the ladies (or the gents, if he shared the same tastes as his grandfather).
He felt his heart scream within him and he had to set his jaw like flint as a soldier carried Steven, still yelling, into the makeshift control room and set the boy on his feet. Steven ran to Jack, the only adult in the room who he trusted, and clung to his leg.
"Uncle Jack, what are they doing? What's going on?" Steven begged.
It took an act of the will to keep from bending down and hugging the kid. Instead, Jack put a hand on Steven's shoulder and pulled him away.
"Steven, remember those stories I told you about being a soldier?" Jack asked.
"About being brave, no matter how scary things get?" Steven asked, still wobbly, but trying to sound brave.
"I need you to be a soldier now. I need you to carry an important message behind enemy lines."
"What's the message?"
"It's a special kind of message that I'll have to transmit into your brain so it can reach the enemy."
"Like the telly?"
"Something like that."
"Will it hurt?" the boy asked, the scared boy in him showing briefly.
"Yeah, it'll hurt, but that's what soldiers do: they let themselves get hurt to protect the people who can't fight." People like the rest of Earth's children.
"Okay, Uncle Jack," Steven said, picking up his chin and throwing out his small chest in determination.
Jack led the boy onto the transmission plate in the middle of the relay he'd set up and positioned him for the clearest transmission.
He was about to step away when Steven looked up and lifted his hand to his brow in a salute.
Jack set his own jaw and returned the salute before turning away to send the commands for the young soldier's first and final mission....
This had to be done, but Jack could feel his heart aching in his chest as he typed the commands necessary to program the transmission.
Though he had kept a friendly distance between him and his daughter along with her son, there was still a part of him that was looking forward to watching his "nephew" grow up. It had been tricky, those short years, pretending that he was only Steven's uncle, but it was necessary, given how slowly he was aging, relative to his daughter. He'd kept a distance, because he dreaded seeing his family aging, but he still loved the kid, and he was looking forward to seeing the boy growing up, looking forward to teaching to the boy to defend himself, and when the boy grew into a young man and was ready for it, he was looking forward to teaching him how to please the ladies (or the gents, if he shared the same tastes as his grandfather).
He felt his heart scream within him and he had to set his jaw like flint as a soldier carried Steven, still yelling, into the makeshift control room and set the boy on his feet. Steven ran to Jack, the only adult in the room who he trusted, and clung to his leg.
"Uncle Jack, what are they doing? What's going on?" Steven begged.
It took an act of the will to keep from bending down and hugging the kid. Instead, Jack put a hand on Steven's shoulder and pulled him away.
"Steven, remember those stories I told you about being a soldier?" Jack asked.
"About being brave, no matter how scary things get?" Steven asked, still wobbly, but trying to sound brave.
"I need you to be a soldier now. I need you to carry an important message behind enemy lines."
"What's the message?"
"It's a special kind of message that I'll have to transmit into your brain so it can reach the enemy."
"Like the telly?"
"Something like that."
"Will it hurt?" the boy asked, the scared boy in him showing briefly.
"Yeah, it'll hurt, but that's what soldiers do: they let themselves get hurt to protect the people who can't fight." People like the rest of Earth's children.
"Okay, Uncle Jack," Steven said, picking up his chin and throwing out his small chest in determination.
Jack led the boy onto the transmission plate in the middle of the relay he'd set up and positioned him for the clearest transmission.
He was about to step away when Steven looked up and lifted his hand to his brow in a salute.
Jack set his own jaw and returned the salute before turning away to send the commands for the young soldier's first and final mission....