In Search of the Hotel Counselor

[wicked_west]

Who: Elphie and Jack
Where: Jack's room or wherever he feels is best
When: After her thread with Anna
What: Bothered by what's happening, Elphie visits Jack

Comments

[capj_harkness]

Jack opened the door, becoming concerned when he saw the look on Elphie's face.

"What happened?" he asked immediately. "Are you alright?"

[wicked_west]

"She's back... The hotel took Chistery, and she's back... and she won't leave me alone. I can't get her to go away."

As if to illustrate her crazy, the Witch started talking. And why would you want me to go away dearie. I told you I could help you. You wouldn't be upset now if you would just stop fighting me.

"Not now... please go!" Elphie pleaded to the air behind her right hear.

[capj_harkness]

Jack watched her talk to the air behind her, not really sure he was equipped to deal with this sort of a problem.

"Why don't you come in?" he suggested warily, stepping back to let her in.

[wicked_west]

Elphie moved into the room when Jack stepped aside, but she wasn't sure this was the best place. What could he do for her? See! You count him as a friend and he doesn't know. Elphie gritted her teeth and closed her eyes... determined not to talk back.

When she found some small control, she opened her eyes again. "The Witch" she started explaining, "feeds on me being alone... and with Chistery gone, she's trying to come back." She paused to breath. "Ford keeps her away... something about Ford. But I can't stay with Ford 24/7. And spending the night with him isn't enough."

[capj_harkness]

"Really?" Jack remarked. "How does he know how to fight a witch?" he asked curiously.

[wicked_west]

"He doesn't know how," she mumbled. "But he's a huge obstacle to the Witch. She can't get to me as long as she perceives that there is someone else in my life. That was Chistery. She didn't count on there being someone else." She stared holes into the floor, unable to look at Jack as she said it. The subject was too uncomfortable.

[capj_harkness]

Jack thought about that.

"So... she can't read your mind when she's not controlling it?" he guessed. Elphie had talked to Jack about Ford often. If the witch didn't know about him...

[wicked_west]

" She... she knew about him... but she thought he wasn't sincere." She swallowed. "She played on my fears that he didn't care..." She wasn't quite sure what that meant.

[capj_harkness]

"I have been," Jack admitted freely. "Or, I guess I should say that sometimes I am. Not lately."

Ianto's previous disappearance had shaken him more than he cared to admit and he was very wary of doing anything that might cause them to part on bad terms if one of them was taken away again.

[wicked_west]

"Oh?" she asked. She realized, quite suddenly, that she knew next to nothing about Jack, other than the fact that he had died before. For some reason, they always talked about her.

[capj_harkness]

Jack nodded towards the suit jacket hung neatly over the back of the desk chair.

"He's from the twenty-first century. I... respect his more conventional views on monogamy."

[wicked_west]

Elphie glanced at the jacket and back at Jack. She didn't have much to say about monogamy. She was, after all, the other woman in her last relationship. And she had no idea with Ford what would happen. "What's he like... Ianto?" She couldn't be sure if Jack had mentioned Ianto in more than passing before.

[capj_harkness]

"Don't let the hotel push you into something you don't want to do," Jack urged her. "If you want a new life here, then take it."

[wicked_west]

She nodded. That was easier said than done though. How was she going to take a new live with an incorporeal Witch following her around? She yawned and looked out the window. "It's dark." The statement was an obvious one. Slick... "I should be getting back to Ford." She stood to go. "Thank you though. I know you said it's what friends do... but... thank you."

[capj_harkness]

"Any time," he told her firmly, looking at her to make sure she understood it was an invitation - an order, if necessary - and not just a platitude.

[wicked_west]

She nodded again. She understood. Whether she would follow up was another question.

"I'm sure we'll see each other again," she said as she turned to go. She could already feel the Witch rising up in her head. It was going to be a long walk back to Ford's room.