02- From Bad to Worse

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

[Jack appears on the Astral plane, his coat gone. The front of his shirt is covered in blood, and he looks more dazed than anything, half wondering half stumbling. He mumbles to himself as he walks, an almost blank look on his face] Their dead. I couldn't even save Rhys for Gwen, and now so man people are dead. Why doesn't the blood come off......

[ooc: *cough* Do to his recent interaction with Simm!Master, Jack's mental state has gone from somewhat bad but manageable, to  a few steps from just loosing it completely. Which, of course, reflects on his reality, which in turn makes things worse >>

Oh, and just for the record; any post before this is basically pre!return, so he'll be his normal self there u-u]

Comments

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

[doesn't even bother to free his arm] I could've died and it wouldn't have made a difference; I couldn't save any one of them.

Not one.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[It is bizarre and unnerving to hear her own words paraphrased back at her.] Jack...

[She puts her hands on either side of his face, forcing him to look at her.] Jack. Tell me what happened.

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

[doesn't answer, just looks vacantly at her] You can see the blood, can't you? They can't see, but you can, right?

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[Gently,] Yes, Jack. I can. Are you hurt? Physically, are you hurt?

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

[shakes his head, pulling away] Not my shirt. [raises his hands as if to show her; their completely clean] Don't you see the blood?

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[She holds up her own hands.] Do you see it on me? Because it's there.

[She takes both of his hands in her own. Very quietly,] Jack. Whose is it? What happened? I need you to talk to me. Tell me what happened to you. To them. Can you do that?

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

[his eyes seem to focus more, just the tiniest bit, on her face] This is Rhys' blood; I'm the one covered in it, Gwen doesn't have a drop on her.

As it should be.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[Gives his hands a comforting squeeze. She doesn't try to convince him that he's not to blame, or tell him that it's going to be all right, because she knows from experience that neither one of those things will help one damn bit.]

Can you tell me what happened? Can you tell me how the blood on your shirt got there?

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

[actually stammers a bit at first, not sure he can even the words] The Weevils.....they went crazy, attacked. We were so distracted inside the Hub, had nobody checking the monitors...didn't have a doctor for the injured. [he seems to smile suddenly, but it's a sick sort of smile, more pain and desperation than anything] No Weevil King this time around.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[Is only half making sense of what he's saying, but he's talking, and that's something.]

You were attacked. You didn't see them coming, didn't have anyone to care for the injured. What happened next?

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

No survivors, not outside of Torchwood; the city's empty now.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[And that takes her breath away. It's too much like South America--too much like what could have happened at Hell's Gate. She pulls his head down onto her shoulder and puts an arm around his back, a little woman trying to brace someone twice her size.

Very quietly,] You're not alone, are you? The others. In Torchwood. They're still there.

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

[part of him actually notices what she's doing and he kneels down, his own arms wrapping around her waist as he holds her close] Gwen's alone now, because I couldn't even save Rhys...

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[It's unnerving, seeing a grown man like this--cultural differences, and all. But she can't bring herself to pull away, so she kneels down instead and puts her hands on either side of his face again.]

Are you going to leave her by herself?

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

[he let's his eyes fall closed, turning his head so that his face is half-pressed against one of her palms; his body craves physical contact right now] She has Ianto, doesn't need me...

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

Enough. [Very quietly, very gently.] Don't disrespect her--disrespect Rhys--by making that choice on your own.

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

[He let's out a long sigh, opening his eyes again] I can stay here, though. Sty here until I can look her in the eye again....

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

Yes. [She doesn't move her hands, just keeps looking straight at him, waiting for him to meet her eyes.] Do that. Do what you have to--take the opportunity this plays offers to recover. But don't you leave the ones you have left. Then you really would be betraying them.

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

[nods, finally raising his eyes up to meet hers; their a lot more focused now, less dazed] I'll come back to them, I always do.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[Relief. She relaxes a bit and gives him a tiny, tired smile.] There you are. Good. Good.

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

[returns the smile, though only slightly] Thank you.

[chasingstars201.livejournal.com]

[Gives his shoulders a squeeze.] Do I even need to say you're welcome?

[itsthecoat.livejournal.com]

[shakes his head. He gives her a hug, holding on for a moment then letting go, standing on his feet again]