Jack laughed again. A full laugh, loud and obvious and so very very false. It seemed to shatter like glass, barely even a veneer over the wealth of emotion underneath the surface, aching and bursting to break forth
( ... )
They walked easily together, hand in hand. It occurred to Reinette that whatever rumors they had been attempting to fan before? They certainly cemented now. Though she had dismissed the stable staff, and would have been able to witness their argument on the stable green, as well as the subsequent scene that followed.
Strange she did not care nearly as much as before.
"Then I shall but great effort into determining the firm that retaliation shall take."
Reentering Versailles, she remained close to Jack. She would have liked a great deal to share the kitchen gardens with him -- s small idea for what was actually countless acres of land. But it was winter, and many of the plants were dormant and asleep.
Instead she lead Jack to a small blue sitting room that faced the morning sun. There was a sideboard there suitable for serving small meals. She ordered a breakfast to be delivered for them both, as well as the presence of her chef.
"Well in that case I'll look forward to seeing just what you come up with," he said, watching her from the corner of his eye, his lips still turned up into a smile.
He walked with her, stayed with her, and he found he really didn't care where it was that they walked. He didn't care to bump into others (in fact he'd much prefer that they didn't). He simply cared for spending time with her.
In the new room he again stood himself gazing out of the window. He stared into the morning light as though he might find something in it, some sort of answer or explanation. But nothing was forthcoming; perhaps it was better that way.
As soon as she was done dealing with her staff, Jack shifted attention back to her and away from the window. "The chef so soon?" he asked, an eyebrow raised in suggestion.
Reinette settled onto a long, low settee beneath one of the many window and looked up at Jack as her hands moved to smooth her skirts. Her staff was set to the talks at hand but for the moment she had a moment of privacy.
Eventually the ease between them would have to be put away as the room again grew crowded. While she was very nearly certain she could trust Jack, the same could not be said for others.
For now, she smiled, enjoying the warmth of the windows against her exposed skin. She felt rather like a cat.
"Well, if you are going to leave me in a fit of passion for my servant, surely it is better to know sooner rather than later?"
The compression of her mouth suggested she was not entirely certain of it. If it truly was as Jack said, and he could not die, then the time would again come when he would be ready. Reinette understood self imposed isolation and hurt all too well. But she also understood time.
She watched him move, and kept her gaze on his face.
"And you find that comforting in your travels? That no matter where you are there is recognition?" She had a habit of asking a great many questions. Jack would grow accustomed to it. "Or is it irritating in your attempts to leave certain things behind?"
"Sometimes," he admitted as he sat himself down a foot or two from her. "But then it means you can't run. It's..." he waved a hand, "... complicated. "I'm not really from anywhere any more."
He turned his head again, back to the window, looking at the light, but there were no answers in it.
"I used to do this a lot," he said, still looking out the glass, "travelling. I used to go everywhere. I never really took life seriously. But then," he took a deep breath, "things changed. I changed. I'm not sure if I remember how to do it any more."
And there, Reinette observed, it was again. Jack inserting himself fully into a space. She smiled softly. Surely he was aware of it. She could not imagine otherwise. She suspected that a normally light demeanor was in place to cover a keen intelligence. Reinette was familiar with the phenomena. She employed it quite often himself.
Jack's words from the stable green rose up again. Yes, they were quite alike.
Carefully she removed the long pins that held her hat in place, setting them next to her. Then she removed the hat as well, as it was no longer required.
"Perhaps the point is not to attempt to remember how you did so then, but to learn how to travel again as you are now. Which it seems to me you are managing even as we speak."
"Am I?" he asked on a half laugh. "Well I'm glad someone thinks so." And then, in complete opposition, almost because he was displaying himself too much, more confidently, "Course I am. I always manage."
It was funny, he'd often contemplated on the fact he had forever, and he'd already lived long enough to learn ten times over that things don't last. But in his little world, the little world he'd constructed over the last few years, he'd somehow lost sight of that. The 21st Century is when everything changes. Well, it was, for him. Everything changed.
"The world is very small, in the end," he said quietly, almost to himself.
Reinette smiled again as Jack composed himself. Not that she was laughing at him. Hardly. But she appreciated the sentiment, and was especially familiar with the concepts of masks. She watched as this particular one was tried on. How long he would keep it on between them remained to be seen.
After all, they had yet to even know one another a full day.
She looked at him closely as she fully considered her own thoughts, and just how much she had revealed to him outside. She had requested Jack stay, on multiple occasions now. But at her core Reinette knew she spoke to him as she did because ultimately she believed he would not.
"Perhaps it is at that. After all, there are those in Paris that would envy my life. All of my homes, my apartments here. There is the pottery and the school as well. But ultimately? I have never stepped onto a ship much less seen outside of France with my own eyes."
Her hands folded carefully and correctly into her lap.
"And yet I cannot help but think how much is there. Madame leBon. Louis. The men of
( ... )
The sentiment made him almost sad. It reminded him of what he'd thought what seemed so long ago now. It was a positive outlook really, to think our actions in the world would lead to something, or leave their marks on the world. Not like scars but like veins or creases.
He used to think he could do that. But now? Now he was jaded and the tunnel that had once had such a bright light at the end now had nothing but darkness.
"I could have gone anywhere," he said, "anywhere and somehow I end up here. I wonder why that is."
He didn't expect she'd have an answer; he didn't expect there was an answer.
Quite suddenly, realisation fell on him. Exactly what she'd said. She hadn't been outside France.
"Would you like to?" he asked, just as sudden. "See places, I mean."
Reinette could not answer why Jack was in France, let alone in her particular part of it. So she held her silence on the matter. Though she would vehemently deny it to anyone that pressed, she was a woman long accustomed to waiting. It was where she perfected the art of filling the time between. The Doctor was there. Louis. Jack, even. Take full advantage of the time that they were.
Instead she offered one thing she did know.
"Despite my actions by the stables, I am glad that you are here Jack
( ... )
Jack watched her, watched and as she spoke; ducked his head.
"Yeah," he said, and if someone could read his face well they'd be able to notice the crease near his eyes, the twitch of his lip. An almost smile, but never fully realised.
"Yeah," he nodded as he repeated himself. And though he didn't say it in so many words, he was agreeing. Yes, he was glad he was there too.
He looked at her again as he waited for her answer. His position had shifted, forward a little, closer a little to the edge of the couch. A near imperceptible inner enthusiasm.
Upon her words, he nodded and shifted yet again. This time he tapped a finger against the strap on his wrist. "You see this thing? Well this thing is how I got here. This thing could take me away again. It could take me anywhere. It could take you too, if you like."
With only the briefest glances for permission Reinette reached to take Jack's wrist between her two hands, pulling it close so the she could better examine it. Her fingertips brushed lightly over the aged leather. It seemed such a small thing to hold such power. But she did not doubt his words.
She explored the small device one final time before looking back at Jack, aware that her hat was in eminent danger of being crushed. Truly it did not matter, though.
Her eyes for his.
"You hardly know me Jack. Do you really wish to take me with you? What of the timelines you are so protective of?"
It was strange to have someone touch his manipulator. It was one of those things he held as dear as his secrets. He didn't let people touch it, he rarely spoke about it. It was his only constant, and his absence from it in the six months post the events in September 2009 only highlighted how alone and without even himself he was.
But perhaps stranger was the fact that but for perhaps a slight bristle, he didn't mind Reinette paying such attention to it. Quite the opposite, in fact.
"Open it, if you like," he said with a nod towards her, looking at her hand and his wrist before his gaze returning to eyes.
"It doesn't have to do anything to timelines," he said, somewhat naively. "That's the beauty of it. And who said anything about me taking you with me. I'm talking about going for a trip. A holiday. Bit of sightseeing."
After one more glance in his direction, Reinette moved to deftly open the small device. There was more of it then, another wave of leather and whatever it was that made Jack Jack. It seemed to be kept in there, rather like a compact. Her fingers continued to move over it even as her mouth compressed.
She had not imagined his offer, but she appreciated his playful denial. Saying one thing and meaning quite another. Yes, he would do well at court.
Reinette lifted her head up to smile at Jack.
"And whereever you are going on this holiday? You will be hiding behind more tress, I imagine? That is hardly tempting anyway."
Reply
Strange she did not care nearly as much as before.
"Then I shall but great effort into determining the firm that retaliation shall take."
Reentering Versailles, she remained close to Jack. She would have liked a great deal to share the kitchen gardens with him -- s small idea for what was actually countless acres of land. But it was winter, and many of the plants were dormant and asleep.
Instead she lead Jack to a small blue sitting room that faced the morning sun. There was a sideboard there suitable for serving small meals. She ordered a breakfast to be delivered for them both, as well as the presence of her chef.
Reply
He walked with her, stayed with her, and he found he really didn't care where it was that they walked. He didn't care to bump into others (in fact he'd much prefer that they didn't). He simply cared for spending time with her.
In the new room he again stood himself gazing out of the window. He stared into the morning light as though he might find something in it, some sort of answer or explanation. But nothing was forthcoming; perhaps it was better that way.
As soon as she was done dealing with her staff, Jack shifted attention back to her and away from the window. "The chef so soon?" he asked, an eyebrow raised in suggestion.
Reply
Eventually the ease between them would have to be put away as the room again grew crowded. While she was very nearly certain she could trust Jack, the same could not be said for others.
For now, she smiled, enjoying the warmth of the windows against her exposed skin. She felt rather like a cat.
"Well, if you are going to leave me in a fit of passion for my servant, surely it is better to know sooner rather than later?"
Reply
"Oh I think I'm all done with fits of passion," he said honestly, lowering his gaze a little.
Almost cautiously, he took a step forward, a little out of the light and a little into the room.
"It could be anywhere, this place," he said thoughtfully, "like a moment trapped in time."
Reply
She watched him move, and kept her gaze on his face.
"And you find that comforting in your travels? That no matter where you are there is recognition?" She had a habit of asking a great many questions. Jack would grow accustomed to it. "Or is it irritating in your attempts to leave certain things behind?"
Reply
He turned his head again, back to the window, looking at the light, but there were no answers in it.
"I used to do this a lot," he said, still looking out the glass, "travelling. I used to go everywhere. I never really took life seriously. But then," he took a deep breath, "things changed. I changed. I'm not sure if I remember how to do it any more."
Reply
Jack's words from the stable green rose up again. Yes, they were quite alike.
Carefully she removed the long pins that held her hat in place, setting them next to her. Then she removed the hat as well, as it was no longer required.
"Perhaps the point is not to attempt to remember how you did so then, but to learn how to travel again as you are now. Which it seems to me you are managing even as we speak."
Reply
It was funny, he'd often contemplated on the fact he had forever, and he'd already lived long enough to learn ten times over that things don't last. But in his little world, the little world he'd constructed over the last few years, he'd somehow lost sight of that. The 21st Century is when everything changes. Well, it was, for him. Everything changed.
"The world is very small, in the end," he said quietly, almost to himself.
Reply
After all, they had yet to even know one another a full day.
She looked at him closely as she fully considered her own thoughts, and just how much she had revealed to him outside. She had requested Jack stay, on multiple occasions now. But at her core Reinette knew she spoke to him as she did because ultimately she believed he would not.
"Perhaps it is at that. After all, there are those in Paris that would envy my life. All of my homes, my apartments here. There is the pottery and the school as well. But ultimately? I have never stepped onto a ship much less seen outside of France with my own eyes."
Her hands folded carefully and correctly into her lap.
"And yet I cannot help but think how much is there. Madame leBon. Louis. The men of ( ... )
Reply
He used to think he could do that. But now? Now he was jaded and the tunnel that had once had such a bright light at the end now had nothing but darkness.
"I could have gone anywhere," he said, "anywhere and somehow I end up here. I wonder why that is."
He didn't expect she'd have an answer; he didn't expect there was an answer.
Quite suddenly, realisation fell on him. Exactly what she'd said. She hadn't been outside France.
"Would you like to?" he asked, just as sudden. "See places, I mean."
Reply
Instead she offered one thing she did know.
"Despite my actions by the stables, I am glad that you are here Jack ( ... )
Reply
"Yeah," he said, and if someone could read his face well they'd be able to notice the crease near his eyes, the twitch of his lip. An almost smile, but never fully realised.
"Yeah," he nodded as he repeated himself. And though he didn't say it in so many words, he was agreeing. Yes, he was glad he was there too.
He looked at her again as he waited for her answer. His position had shifted, forward a little, closer a little to the edge of the couch. A near imperceptible inner enthusiasm.
Upon her words, he nodded and shifted yet again. This time he tapped a finger against the strap on his wrist. "You see this thing? Well this thing is how I got here. This thing could take me away again. It could take me anywhere. It could take you too, if you like."
Reply
She explored the small device one final time before looking back at Jack, aware that her hat was in eminent danger of being crushed. Truly it did not matter, though.
Her eyes for his.
"You hardly know me Jack. Do you really wish to take me with you? What of the timelines you are so protective of?"
Reply
But perhaps stranger was the fact that but for perhaps a slight bristle, he didn't mind Reinette paying such attention to it. Quite the opposite, in fact.
"Open it, if you like," he said with a nod towards her, looking at her hand and his wrist before his gaze returning to eyes.
"It doesn't have to do anything to timelines," he said, somewhat naively. "That's the beauty of it. And who said anything about me taking you with me. I'm talking about going for a trip. A holiday. Bit of sightseeing."
Reply
She had not imagined his offer, but she appreciated his playful denial. Saying one thing and meaning quite another. Yes, he would do well at court.
Reinette lifted her head up to smile at Jack.
"And whereever you are going on this holiday? You will be hiding behind more tress, I imagine? That is hardly tempting anyway."
Reply
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