We Can Never Die (3/?)
Title: We Can Never Die (3/?)
Rating: PG.
Word Count: 1,528
Author’s Notes: This one was, indeed, the hardest chapter that I've written ever. It went from having Angela to Nathan, and both of them were really tough characters to write, in my opinion. Enjoy!
Chapters: Chapter 1: Recent Additons || Chapter 2: A Bond
Jack listened for a moment to the sound of a dial tone as the phone disconnected them, the two only known humans with this ability. He was willing to go to America and meet Claire, to be with her for as long as it took for them to be safe again.
He pressed a few buttons on the phone to be connected up to the office where Ianto was.
"Sir?" Ianto asked as he picked up the receiving end after the third ring. He had just finished assisting two older men, visiting from America; find their way back to a train. He found that whole ordeal ironic in its own right.
Jack smiled to himself. He had always liked it when Ianto called him 'sir', but that was neither here nor there.
"Ianto, can you find the next flight to Houston, Texas leaving from London? Claire said it's important that I leave Torchwood for a couple of days," he started out, but secretly hoped that it would be weeks or even months before he returned. "She mentioned that her dad and another man - the Haitian, I believe his name was - are coming for me, because of what I can do," he explained.
The other man frowned slightly, his heart sinking, but understood where Jack was coming from. He wished that he could go with him, to be there for him in case things went wrong, but knew that he was needed at the hub.
"Of course, sir. I’ll get that right on that. But with you being gone, who will be in charge?" Ianto asked a slightly puzzled tone in his voice.
Jack knew that this seemingly few minute conversation for Ianto to tell him how much a flight would be and when it leaves was going to turn to this direction.
"Yes. Gwen will be the leader of the team while I'm away, Ianto. Look at it this way, it's better than leaving Owen in charge," he pointed out. It wasn't that Jack didn't trust Owen, because he did. It was just the fact that the other man had a rather large ego and if Owen was left in charge of the operation, it would go to the figurative hell in a hand basket. Torchwood was best left in the capable hands of their newest recruit, with the egotistical doctor as a second-in-charge.
"Yes, sir," Ianto said as he positioned himself behind the computer and typed in a few keystrokes, his attempt to find Jack the next flight out to America. "Sir, I found you the flight. It leaves early tomorrow morning at 7:55 and won't be there until after supper time for Miss Bennett at 8:05."
The immortal man listened as his confidant read off the information. "That's perfect. Book it for me. I've got to call Claire and let her know,” Jack stated. "Oh, and Ianto?"
"Yes, sir?" the other man inquired as he began to enter Jack's information
“First off, could you fill a thermos with your coffee for tomorrow before you leave? You know how I like it. And second…Thank you. I couldn't do this without you," Jack said as he looked for Claire’s cell number. A smile appeared when he had found it.
"Of course I will, sir. I will actually be arriving earlier than usual so the coffee could be fresh for your trip. But it’s no problem at all, sir. Did you need anything else?" Ianto queried.
"No, Ianto. That'll be all," he stated, hanging up the phone and began dialing the teenager's phone number.
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"Dad's going to murder me again and again when he looks at my cell phone bill," Claire said under her breath as she dialed Nathan Petrelli's phone number and listened as it rang. She needed money to get to New York, and had a feeling that Nathan would be happy to have her and Jack there.
"Petrelli?" Nathan answered the phone. He half-wondered who would be calling him, but he had a feeling that it was Claire.
"Hi Nathan. It's Claire. Listen, I need to borrow some money. My dad gave me my allowance, but it’s not enough," the cheerleader said as she continued to gather clothes from her closet and stuffed them in the duffel bag. She wasn’t sure how long they’d be gone for, and it was better to have too many than not enough.
"Why do you need the money?" Nathan asked inquisitively. "It's no object, but I think I have a right to know."
Claire bit the inside of her lip slightly and paused, trying to think up a good enough lie to tell him. If she told, it'd ruin Jack's chances of laying off the map for a while. But if she didn't, Nathan would never give her the money for this excursion.
"I went on my dad's computer earlier today," she started. "And I found somebody that's exactly like me. Well, minus the fact that they're older than I am, from Wales, and a guy. His name's Jack Harkness. We need to come to New York City for a while. Dad and the Haitian are on a business trip, and I have a feeling that they're coming for him. I was wondering if you'd be willing to lend me some money so we can fly up there and stay with you for a while?" Claire asked sweetly.
"Alright," Nathan said as she reached for a glass of water, though he was a bit concerned as to why Claire would be with an older man. "I'll get you the tickets and they'll be waiting for you two at the airport. meanwhile, I'll see if Peter will be able to pick you two up from the airport. It's an awfully long way to take a taxi," he continued as the cold glass touched his lips and the rush of the liquid filled his mouth and throat. "You can stay with me, Heidi, and the boys, but Jack's going to have to stay someplace else."
A slight frown crossed Claire’s features. "Either Jack stays with me or we're staying somewhere else," she said stubbornly. "I'm not leaving him by himself in New York."
It was Nathan's turn to frown. Claire had known about him and his involvement in politics. If this came out into the open, it could mean bad news for him and the Congressional seat that he held. He sighed inwardly, knowing that he was losing a battle against her.
"I'll put you two up at the Marriott on the East Side...with two bedrooms," he agreed. "But before you go anywhere, I'm meeting this Jack. No arguments."
The cheerleader smiled. "Thanks, Nathan. I promise to pay you back when I get the money," Claire said. She needed to get a part-time job, and vowed to herself that when she returned back to Texas from this vacation, she’d start putting in applications for employment.
A beeping sound in Claire’s ear notified her that she had a call waiting to be answered.
"I have to go. Jack’s calling me," she said hurriedly in an attempt to get off the phone with him. "Thanks again."
"You’re welcome," Nathan replied. "See you and Jack soon."
*****************************************************************************************
Claire pushed the button to drop the call that she was on with Nathan and to answer Jack's.
"Hey, Jack," she greeted the man on the phone. "What's going on?” Claire continued. A slight puzzled tone could be heard in her voice.
"I got the flight. Rather, Ianto booked it for me. So I'll be coming into town around 8:05 your time...tonight," Jack said rather nonchalantly. "Anything you want?"
She thought about the question for a moment before giving her answer.
"Nothing I can think of," Claire responded. "Nathan's buying us the plane tickets up to New York City, and said we can stay at the Marriott on the East Side while we're there. Either him or Peter's going to be picking us up from the airport, unless you know how to drive in America," she said with a slight laugh at the end of her statement.
"Course I know how to drive, Claire."
"I wouldn’t know! It’s not like I’ve been a part of your team - ever. But I suppose not..." she answered. "So, the question remains. Have Peter or Nathan pick us up, or drive there ourselves?"
Jack paused for a moment. She was a feisty one, he had to admit that.
"Let's just have one of the two pick us up. After all, I want us to be able to save our money and go to a Broadway show," Jack said with a smile.
"Broadway, seriously? Why?"
"We'll make something like a date out of it," he explained to her.
Claire smiled for a moment. A date. A real, honest-to-goodness true date. And without Noah playing overprotective dad, asking a load of questions before she and her date could even leave the house.
"I'd like that," she agreed. "You better go and pack. You've got a long flight ahead of you," she continued.
A genuine smile crossed Jack’s features. "See you soon, sweet Claire Bear."
"See you in a few hours, Jack...And don’t call me that either."
Rating: PG.
Word Count: 1,528
Author’s Notes: This one was, indeed, the hardest chapter that I've written ever. It went from having Angela to Nathan, and both of them were really tough characters to write, in my opinion. Enjoy!
Chapters: Chapter 1: Recent Additons || Chapter 2: A Bond
Jack listened for a moment to the sound of a dial tone as the phone disconnected them, the two only known humans with this ability. He was willing to go to America and meet Claire, to be with her for as long as it took for them to be safe again.
He pressed a few buttons on the phone to be connected up to the office where Ianto was.
"Sir?" Ianto asked as he picked up the receiving end after the third ring. He had just finished assisting two older men, visiting from America; find their way back to a train. He found that whole ordeal ironic in its own right.
Jack smiled to himself. He had always liked it when Ianto called him 'sir', but that was neither here nor there.
"Ianto, can you find the next flight to Houston, Texas leaving from London? Claire said it's important that I leave Torchwood for a couple of days," he started out, but secretly hoped that it would be weeks or even months before he returned. "She mentioned that her dad and another man - the Haitian, I believe his name was - are coming for me, because of what I can do," he explained.
The other man frowned slightly, his heart sinking, but understood where Jack was coming from. He wished that he could go with him, to be there for him in case things went wrong, but knew that he was needed at the hub.
"Of course, sir. I’ll get that right on that. But with you being gone, who will be in charge?" Ianto asked a slightly puzzled tone in his voice.
Jack knew that this seemingly few minute conversation for Ianto to tell him how much a flight would be and when it leaves was going to turn to this direction.
"Yes. Gwen will be the leader of the team while I'm away, Ianto. Look at it this way, it's better than leaving Owen in charge," he pointed out. It wasn't that Jack didn't trust Owen, because he did. It was just the fact that the other man had a rather large ego and if Owen was left in charge of the operation, it would go to the figurative hell in a hand basket. Torchwood was best left in the capable hands of their newest recruit, with the egotistical doctor as a second-in-charge.
"Yes, sir," Ianto said as he positioned himself behind the computer and typed in a few keystrokes, his attempt to find Jack the next flight out to America. "Sir, I found you the flight. It leaves early tomorrow morning at 7:55 and won't be there until after supper time for Miss Bennett at 8:05."
The immortal man listened as his confidant read off the information. "That's perfect. Book it for me. I've got to call Claire and let her know,” Jack stated. "Oh, and Ianto?"
"Yes, sir?" the other man inquired as he began to enter Jack's information
“First off, could you fill a thermos with your coffee for tomorrow before you leave? You know how I like it. And second…Thank you. I couldn't do this without you," Jack said as he looked for Claire’s cell number. A smile appeared when he had found it.
"Of course I will, sir. I will actually be arriving earlier than usual so the coffee could be fresh for your trip. But it’s no problem at all, sir. Did you need anything else?" Ianto queried.
"No, Ianto. That'll be all," he stated, hanging up the phone and began dialing the teenager's phone number.
*****************************************************************************************
"Dad's going to murder me again and again when he looks at my cell phone bill," Claire said under her breath as she dialed Nathan Petrelli's phone number and listened as it rang. She needed money to get to New York, and had a feeling that Nathan would be happy to have her and Jack there.
"Petrelli?" Nathan answered the phone. He half-wondered who would be calling him, but he had a feeling that it was Claire.
"Hi Nathan. It's Claire. Listen, I need to borrow some money. My dad gave me my allowance, but it’s not enough," the cheerleader said as she continued to gather clothes from her closet and stuffed them in the duffel bag. She wasn’t sure how long they’d be gone for, and it was better to have too many than not enough.
"Why do you need the money?" Nathan asked inquisitively. "It's no object, but I think I have a right to know."
Claire bit the inside of her lip slightly and paused, trying to think up a good enough lie to tell him. If she told, it'd ruin Jack's chances of laying off the map for a while. But if she didn't, Nathan would never give her the money for this excursion.
"I went on my dad's computer earlier today," she started. "And I found somebody that's exactly like me. Well, minus the fact that they're older than I am, from Wales, and a guy. His name's Jack Harkness. We need to come to New York City for a while. Dad and the Haitian are on a business trip, and I have a feeling that they're coming for him. I was wondering if you'd be willing to lend me some money so we can fly up there and stay with you for a while?" Claire asked sweetly.
"Alright," Nathan said as she reached for a glass of water, though he was a bit concerned as to why Claire would be with an older man. "I'll get you the tickets and they'll be waiting for you two at the airport. meanwhile, I'll see if Peter will be able to pick you two up from the airport. It's an awfully long way to take a taxi," he continued as the cold glass touched his lips and the rush of the liquid filled his mouth and throat. "You can stay with me, Heidi, and the boys, but Jack's going to have to stay someplace else."
A slight frown crossed Claire’s features. "Either Jack stays with me or we're staying somewhere else," she said stubbornly. "I'm not leaving him by himself in New York."
It was Nathan's turn to frown. Claire had known about him and his involvement in politics. If this came out into the open, it could mean bad news for him and the Congressional seat that he held. He sighed inwardly, knowing that he was losing a battle against her.
"I'll put you two up at the Marriott on the East Side...with two bedrooms," he agreed. "But before you go anywhere, I'm meeting this Jack. No arguments."
The cheerleader smiled. "Thanks, Nathan. I promise to pay you back when I get the money," Claire said. She needed to get a part-time job, and vowed to herself that when she returned back to Texas from this vacation, she’d start putting in applications for employment.
A beeping sound in Claire’s ear notified her that she had a call waiting to be answered.
"I have to go. Jack’s calling me," she said hurriedly in an attempt to get off the phone with him. "Thanks again."
"You’re welcome," Nathan replied. "See you and Jack soon."
*****************************************************************************************
Claire pushed the button to drop the call that she was on with Nathan and to answer Jack's.
"Hey, Jack," she greeted the man on the phone. "What's going on?” Claire continued. A slight puzzled tone could be heard in her voice.
"I got the flight. Rather, Ianto booked it for me. So I'll be coming into town around 8:05 your time...tonight," Jack said rather nonchalantly. "Anything you want?"
She thought about the question for a moment before giving her answer.
"Nothing I can think of," Claire responded. "Nathan's buying us the plane tickets up to New York City, and said we can stay at the Marriott on the East Side while we're there. Either him or Peter's going to be picking us up from the airport, unless you know how to drive in America," she said with a slight laugh at the end of her statement.
"Course I know how to drive, Claire."
"I wouldn’t know! It’s not like I’ve been a part of your team - ever. But I suppose not..." she answered. "So, the question remains. Have Peter or Nathan pick us up, or drive there ourselves?"
Jack paused for a moment. She was a feisty one, he had to admit that.
"Let's just have one of the two pick us up. After all, I want us to be able to save our money and go to a Broadway show," Jack said with a smile.
"Broadway, seriously? Why?"
"We'll make something like a date out of it," he explained to her.
Claire smiled for a moment. A date. A real, honest-to-goodness true date. And without Noah playing overprotective dad, asking a load of questions before she and her date could even leave the house.
"I'd like that," she agreed. "You better go and pack. You've got a long flight ahead of you," she continued.
A genuine smile crossed Jack’s features. "See you soon, sweet Claire Bear."
"See you in a few hours, Jack...And don’t call me that either."