My Immortal 2. Interlude: Secret Santa.
I was going to post this Monday... Better late than never, right?
Before we plunge into the darkness of ‘Children of Earth’, a little interlude. This was originally written as a standalone Christmas fic in 2008, so before I had actually finished the first story (original edition here). I have edited it a bit, and added a few extra scenes so that it ties in better with the current timeline.
However it is still mostly standalone, Christmassy fluff - hope you enjoy! :)
Index post for the whole ‘verse here. And the first chapter of this sequel (with Important Notes) here.
Summary: The Immortal is Captain Jack Harkness. This is what happened next. (This part: A Christmas card brings trouble...)
Setting: This chapter, Christmas 2008.
Spoilers: Torchwood, up to, and including, Children of Earth (eventually).
Rating: PG-13. (Some swearing.)
Genre: FitB, character study, BtVS/AtS/Doctor Who/Torchwood crossover, humour.
Pairings/characters: Buffy and Dawn, and Jack and Ianto.
Word count: 1000+ words
Disclaimer: Joss and RTD own these characters, I'm just playing with them.
Thank you: To Promethia for the thumbs up!
Feedback: Go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on...
Interlude: Secret Santa.
Ianto: If you're interested... I've still got that stopwatch.
Jack: So?
Ianto: Well, think about it. Lots of things you can do with a stopwatch.
Jack: Oh, yeah. I can think of a few.
Ianto: There's quite a list.
23rd of December 2008, Buffy’s house, London
“Dawn! You came early just like I asked!”
Finding herself wrapped in a crushing Slayer-sister hug, Dawn waited patiently and then raised an eyebrow as Buffy let go.
“Of course. So... what’s the emergency?”
Buffy bit her lip, then ushered her in, taking her coat and bags before guiding her upstairs.
“It’s not an emergency. It’s just...” she stopped halfway up the stairs and turned, the look on her face unreadable.
“The Immortal sent me a Christmas card and I have to show it to someone. And you’re the only someone there is.”
Dawn stared, feeling the cogs in her brain slowly connect.
“The Immortal? What? How? Why? I mean...”
Buffy waved a dismissive hand.
“Spike and I ran into him in the... spring? Summer? We kinda exchanged addresses and... stuff.”
“And you were planning on telling me this... when exactly?” Dawn asked indignantly. She’d always liked The Immortal - even back when Buffy had thought he might be evil - and felt rather cheated. But Buffy just shrugged and kept walking up the stairs, piquing Dawn’s curiosity.
What could he possibly have written?
Watching Buffy pull out an envelope from a box under the bed, she tried to prepare herself for anything, and took the card with some trepidation. But the image on the front was surprisingly tasteful and low key, a standard Christmas tree with ‘Merry Christmas’ emblazoned in gold letters.
Then she opened it, and her jaw dropped.
“Holy crap!”
Slowly, unable to truly take in what she was seeing, she looked up at Buffy to see her sister shaking with laughter.
Dawn stared at the card again, opened her mouth, and then closed it. Because what could she say?
‘I can’t believe he sent his ex-girlfriend a picture of himself wearing only a Santa hat?’
Firstly, clearly he had, and secondly - she could most definitely believe it of him. Especially since...
“Is it...” she started, and Buffy nodded firmly. “Oh yeah. No photoshopping.”
“Wow.”
Buffy smiled smugly, and Dawn felt very tempted to make sure Big Sis got nothing in her Christmas stocking except coal. (Although maybe rocks would be better. Or demon eggs. With gremlins in.)
Why did Buffy always get the best guys? Even her exes were incredible. (Not that Dawn’s current boyfriend was in any way lacking, but...)
Idly turning the card over, Dawn discovered a PS on the back. She didn’t get further than ‘Thank you so much for the list. Number 17 was new to me, which is something I rarely get to say! And, since you asked so nicely-’ before Buffy snatched the card from her, the laughter overtaken with panic.
“Don’t read that!” she snapped, and Dawn’s eyes narrowed.
“Why? What is it? What’s the thing about a list?”
“Nothing! Just... it’s nothing.”
At that moment the phone rang and Buffy walked off to answer it, the card clutched in her hand.
***
It took Dawn almost 24 hours’ worth of stealth-search before she found the card again - Buffy’s hiding skills had improved quite spectacularly.
But instead of more info about the mysterious list, the PS contained something far more intriguing... The rules to a game called Naked Hide-and-Seek.
As she took in all the exciting possibilities that opened up, Dawn decided that Buffy’s problem wasn’t unfair luck - it was an unwillingness to share. Then she glanced at her watch and grabbed her coat, praying that the shops were still open.
***
“Dawn - where have you been? Everyone’s here, the food is on the table, and you took off without a word!”
No hug this time, only glares.
“Sorry... had to run out and get a last minute present for my boyfriend.”
“But you told me you’d bought his present weeks ago!”
Really, there was no need for that tone, Dawn thought - just because she was organised, and Buffy wasn’t. OK, so maybe she’d rubbed it in a little...
“Well this is more of a shared present...”
She grinned and pulled out the gift box before lifting the lid a fraction, allowing Buffy to glimpse the stopwatch inside.
Buffy’s mouth fell open, but before she could speak Willow called out from the dining room.
“Are you coming yet? The food’s getting cold!”
“You are so going to pay for this! I told you not to read it!” Buffy finally managed in a hissed whisper, and Dawn laughed.
Family feuds were supposed to be a holiday staple, right? She was just following procedure.
Buffy didn’t share Dawn’s amusement however, grasping Dawn’s arm, eyes narrowing.
“Dawn! Swear to me that you won’t tell anyone about the card!”
Dawn sighed.
“Fine, I won’t tell. But you’re being way touchy.”
With another Glare of Death Buffy let go, before plastering on her Happy Hostess smile and making her way back to the dining room, as Dawn shrugged out of her coat.
Sisters. Although maybe she could blackmail the list thing out of Buffy?
On the other hand, had Buffy given any thought to the fact that other people might like to know that The Immortal had sent a card? To know that he hadn’t just vanished off the face of the planet without a warning, like Illyria...
Because people who disappeared without a trace were very inconsiderate, and Dawn would be sad to see The Immortal put in the same bracket as the Bitchy Blue Ice Queen.
Opening the door to the dining room, and realising that she’d walked straight into another ‘exchange of opinions’, Dawn sighed deeply, and tried not think about what The Immortal’s house would look like now - there would undoubtedly be beautiful and extravagant decorations everywhere, and a giant Christmas tree, and servants cooking fantastic food and heaps of presents and...
***
Same time, Cardiff, Wales
“I hate weevils. If this damn vortex manipulator worked properly I’d go find their home planet and blow them all up, so they couldn’t come here and screw up goddamn Christmas Eve!”
For a moment the only sound was the squelching of their shoes, then Ianto, his torch flickering across the damp bricks, coughed slightly, and said:
“Well on the positive side, I suppose this is one of the nicer sewers, all things told...”
Stopping dead in his tracks, Jack turned on his heel and shone his own torch straight into Ianto’s face.
“How do you do that?”
“Do what?”
“The Jeeves thing! My servants in Rome have had countless generations' worth of training, so by now they're pretty much born carrying trays and talking softly - where the hell do you get it from?”
Ianto raised an eyebrow.
“If you are trying to suggest that my mother had an affair with Stephen Fry, I'm afraid I have to disappoint you.”
Jack burst out laughing and grabbed hold of his gorgeous tea boy, kissing him as thoroughly as possible in the circumstances.
When he pulled back he saw that the smooth butler-y facade had now crumbled, and a smile was deeply embedded in the corner of Ianto’s mouth. Jack grinned widely at the sight - he had the power to kiss the Beauty to life, to see what lay behind the carefully maintained facade, and it was a power he relished very much indeed.
“Number 17 on Buffy’s List when we get back to the Hub?”
Ianto's smile turned positively wicked, not at all dimmed by the glum surroundings.
“Certainly Sir. And remember - Gwen brought in mince pies!”
“Even better...”
Screw the rain, screw the dirt, screw the bloody weevil - soon enough he’d be celebrating in the best way possible.
***
And everyone had a very merry Christmas.
Chapter 5.
(If anyone's curious about the rules to Naked Hide-and-Seek, sam_storyteller wrote a *genius* fic: Not What You're Thinking.)
Before we plunge into the darkness of ‘Children of Earth’, a little interlude. This was originally written as a standalone Christmas fic in 2008, so before I had actually finished the first story (original edition here). I have edited it a bit, and added a few extra scenes so that it ties in better with the current timeline.
However it is still mostly standalone, Christmassy fluff - hope you enjoy! :)
Index post for the whole ‘verse here. And the first chapter of this sequel (with Important Notes) here.
Summary: The Immortal is Captain Jack Harkness. This is what happened next. (This part: A Christmas card brings trouble...)
Setting: This chapter, Christmas 2008.
Spoilers: Torchwood, up to, and including, Children of Earth (eventually).
Rating: PG-13. (Some swearing.)
Genre: FitB, character study, BtVS/AtS/Doctor Who/Torchwood crossover, humour.
Pairings/characters: Buffy and Dawn, and Jack and Ianto.
Word count: 1000+ words
Disclaimer: Joss and RTD own these characters, I'm just playing with them.
Thank you: To Promethia for the thumbs up!
Feedback: Go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on...
Interlude: Secret Santa.
Ianto: If you're interested... I've still got that stopwatch.
Jack: So?
Ianto: Well, think about it. Lots of things you can do with a stopwatch.
Jack: Oh, yeah. I can think of a few.
Ianto: There's quite a list.
23rd of December 2008, Buffy’s house, London
“Dawn! You came early just like I asked!”
Finding herself wrapped in a crushing Slayer-sister hug, Dawn waited patiently and then raised an eyebrow as Buffy let go.
“Of course. So... what’s the emergency?”
Buffy bit her lip, then ushered her in, taking her coat and bags before guiding her upstairs.
“It’s not an emergency. It’s just...” she stopped halfway up the stairs and turned, the look on her face unreadable.
“The Immortal sent me a Christmas card and I have to show it to someone. And you’re the only someone there is.”
Dawn stared, feeling the cogs in her brain slowly connect.
“The Immortal? What? How? Why? I mean...”
Buffy waved a dismissive hand.
“Spike and I ran into him in the... spring? Summer? We kinda exchanged addresses and... stuff.”
“And you were planning on telling me this... when exactly?” Dawn asked indignantly. She’d always liked The Immortal - even back when Buffy had thought he might be evil - and felt rather cheated. But Buffy just shrugged and kept walking up the stairs, piquing Dawn’s curiosity.
What could he possibly have written?
Watching Buffy pull out an envelope from a box under the bed, she tried to prepare herself for anything, and took the card with some trepidation. But the image on the front was surprisingly tasteful and low key, a standard Christmas tree with ‘Merry Christmas’ emblazoned in gold letters.
Then she opened it, and her jaw dropped.
“Holy crap!”
Slowly, unable to truly take in what she was seeing, she looked up at Buffy to see her sister shaking with laughter.
Dawn stared at the card again, opened her mouth, and then closed it. Because what could she say?
‘I can’t believe he sent his ex-girlfriend a picture of himself wearing only a Santa hat?’
Firstly, clearly he had, and secondly - she could most definitely believe it of him. Especially since...
“Is it...” she started, and Buffy nodded firmly. “Oh yeah. No photoshopping.”
“Wow.”
Buffy smiled smugly, and Dawn felt very tempted to make sure Big Sis got nothing in her Christmas stocking except coal. (Although maybe rocks would be better. Or demon eggs. With gremlins in.)
Why did Buffy always get the best guys? Even her exes were incredible. (Not that Dawn’s current boyfriend was in any way lacking, but...)
Idly turning the card over, Dawn discovered a PS on the back. She didn’t get further than ‘Thank you so much for the list. Number 17 was new to me, which is something I rarely get to say! And, since you asked so nicely-’ before Buffy snatched the card from her, the laughter overtaken with panic.
“Don’t read that!” she snapped, and Dawn’s eyes narrowed.
“Why? What is it? What’s the thing about a list?”
“Nothing! Just... it’s nothing.”
At that moment the phone rang and Buffy walked off to answer it, the card clutched in her hand.
***
It took Dawn almost 24 hours’ worth of stealth-search before she found the card again - Buffy’s hiding skills had improved quite spectacularly.
But instead of more info about the mysterious list, the PS contained something far more intriguing... The rules to a game called Naked Hide-and-Seek.
As she took in all the exciting possibilities that opened up, Dawn decided that Buffy’s problem wasn’t unfair luck - it was an unwillingness to share. Then she glanced at her watch and grabbed her coat, praying that the shops were still open.
***
“Dawn - where have you been? Everyone’s here, the food is on the table, and you took off without a word!”
No hug this time, only glares.
“Sorry... had to run out and get a last minute present for my boyfriend.”
“But you told me you’d bought his present weeks ago!”
Really, there was no need for that tone, Dawn thought - just because she was organised, and Buffy wasn’t. OK, so maybe she’d rubbed it in a little...
“Well this is more of a shared present...”
She grinned and pulled out the gift box before lifting the lid a fraction, allowing Buffy to glimpse the stopwatch inside.
Buffy’s mouth fell open, but before she could speak Willow called out from the dining room.
“Are you coming yet? The food’s getting cold!”
“You are so going to pay for this! I told you not to read it!” Buffy finally managed in a hissed whisper, and Dawn laughed.
Family feuds were supposed to be a holiday staple, right? She was just following procedure.
Buffy didn’t share Dawn’s amusement however, grasping Dawn’s arm, eyes narrowing.
“Dawn! Swear to me that you won’t tell anyone about the card!”
Dawn sighed.
“Fine, I won’t tell. But you’re being way touchy.”
With another Glare of Death Buffy let go, before plastering on her Happy Hostess smile and making her way back to the dining room, as Dawn shrugged out of her coat.
Sisters. Although maybe she could blackmail the list thing out of Buffy?
On the other hand, had Buffy given any thought to the fact that other people might like to know that The Immortal had sent a card? To know that he hadn’t just vanished off the face of the planet without a warning, like Illyria...
Because people who disappeared without a trace were very inconsiderate, and Dawn would be sad to see The Immortal put in the same bracket as the Bitchy Blue Ice Queen.
Opening the door to the dining room, and realising that she’d walked straight into another ‘exchange of opinions’, Dawn sighed deeply, and tried not think about what The Immortal’s house would look like now - there would undoubtedly be beautiful and extravagant decorations everywhere, and a giant Christmas tree, and servants cooking fantastic food and heaps of presents and...
***
Same time, Cardiff, Wales
“I hate weevils. If this damn vortex manipulator worked properly I’d go find their home planet and blow them all up, so they couldn’t come here and screw up goddamn Christmas Eve!”
For a moment the only sound was the squelching of their shoes, then Ianto, his torch flickering across the damp bricks, coughed slightly, and said:
“Well on the positive side, I suppose this is one of the nicer sewers, all things told...”
Stopping dead in his tracks, Jack turned on his heel and shone his own torch straight into Ianto’s face.
“How do you do that?”
“Do what?”
“The Jeeves thing! My servants in Rome have had countless generations' worth of training, so by now they're pretty much born carrying trays and talking softly - where the hell do you get it from?”
Ianto raised an eyebrow.
“If you are trying to suggest that my mother had an affair with Stephen Fry, I'm afraid I have to disappoint you.”
Jack burst out laughing and grabbed hold of his gorgeous tea boy, kissing him as thoroughly as possible in the circumstances.
When he pulled back he saw that the smooth butler-y facade had now crumbled, and a smile was deeply embedded in the corner of Ianto’s mouth. Jack grinned widely at the sight - he had the power to kiss the Beauty to life, to see what lay behind the carefully maintained facade, and it was a power he relished very much indeed.
“Number 17 on Buffy’s List when we get back to the Hub?”
Ianto's smile turned positively wicked, not at all dimmed by the glum surroundings.
“Certainly Sir. And remember - Gwen brought in mince pies!”
“Even better...”
Screw the rain, screw the dirt, screw the bloody weevil - soon enough he’d be celebrating in the best way possible.
***
And everyone had a very merry Christmas.
Chapter 5.
(If anyone's curious about the rules to Naked Hide-and-Seek, sam_storyteller wrote a *genius* fic: Not What You're Thinking.)