[ace, doctor, cuddy]

[more_flexible]

He'd talked to House. That was...what was today? He'd talked to House on Monday. That had to be days ago.

Jack was in his hut. He'd been there...days, maybe. He had some water, and he'd eaten something. Maybe a while ago, he couldn't remember.

Is this what it was to have a broken heart? Had he done this to people? Had he done this to people all over time and space?

Had he done this to people here?

Fuck it. Jack rolled over and pulled the sheet up over his face. If anyone needed him, they'd know where to find him or who to ask. It's not like he was going anywhere.



[dual duty because I'm lazy. this is for ace, cuddy and the doctor. he's still not talking, so I'm really sorry if these go short or die.]

Comments

[pawnoffenric.livejournal.com]

"Alright." She'd gotten so used to the lie that she didn't even blink, tugging out her thermos and some more food. "I've food and coffee if you want it." Her eyebrows rose when she looked up. "... Nice beard." She didn't really know what to say - she didn't do these things, and-

"How're you, Jack? And don't BS me." She wasn't sure if she could deal with him lying to her at the moment without turning around and taking his head off, which would likely be a very bad reaction to have.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I feel like shit, Ace," he said, pushing himself up to sit. "And trying to make things better just made them worse, so...I'm here. Did you say...coffee?" he asked, brightening a little.

[pawnoffenric.livejournal.com]

"Ianto's coffee." She flashed a smile, and ran her hand through her hair. "You can't just- .. Sorry. You can have coffee, first." Her eyes softened, and she held out the Thermos. "It's still hot." She looked away, her brows knitting briefly. "I- I wish I could do more. That I could fix it." I wish that I could fix you-

No. She wasn't doing what the Doctor had done to her, what Jack'd done for House- That wasn't- "... When was the last time you had something to eat?" Her voice was quiet, quieter then before.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I don't know. Yesterday? I don't really know," he replied. He unscrewed the Thrmos and poured some, sipping it slowly. "Ace, there's nothing to fix. It's okay. I'll...I'll be fine. Really. Just tired right now. Tired of fighting, you know?"

[pawnoffenric.livejournal.com]

"I know." She tugged out some food, and moved to sit on the edge of his bed, even the few steps making the color drain from her face. "Eat something, okay? It'll make me worry less." She lightly touched his hair, before looking back down into her lap. "I know. I know there really isn't anything much to do besides relaxing and letting yourself just... rest." Tired of fighting.

"Do you still want me to move in?" She offered him the only slightly-squashed sandwich that was from her rucksack. "If nothing else, it'll be something different then just sleeping."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I do, yeah. If you still want to," he said as he took the sandwich and took a bite. He didn't really want to, but it's make her feel better, so he did. "I'll change the sheets and stuff. I've been in bed for I don't know how long."

[pawnoffenric.livejournal.com]

That actually got her to laugh, shaking her head. "I think that when I stayed in the treehouse I changed my sheets... four times? Maybe? But alright." She looked at her fingers, her voice quieter. "I- It's... it's different. Living without you there." She looked over at him, and instead of touching him like she wanted to, her fingers wound themselves in her shirt.

"So- So yeah, I'll move in. Stay here. Thanks, Jack." She ran her hand over her face. Nightmares - she'd been having them since the attack, would wake up drenched with sweat and panting for breath, and now she'd have to tell him- Later. She could tell him later. "I'm at the point where I can walk short distances without the crutches." Obvious, Ace. He just saw you. "So that's something?"

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"That's really good," he agreed, taking another bite. His stomach rumbled as the food hit it, and he hadn't noticed he'd actually been hungry. "I've missed you. I'm really sorry I haven't come back to check on you. I haven't done much of anything."

Not even when Stu stopped by and told him to get his head and his ass wired right.

[pawnoffenric.livejournal.com]

"No, that's okay. I know- I know you have your own stuff." Important stuff. "Just take care of you, yeah? That's what's important." She skimmed her fingers over his knee for a second, before her arms moved around her waist. "Like eating more, and things. Not to sound like an idiot, but the last thing you need is to get sick."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

He actually smiled, really, a real smile, at her concern. He should have known if anyone would be here, it'd be her. He reached out and caught her hand, pulling at her gently. "Ace...you can touch me. I like it when you touch me," he said, brows knitting together. "I mean...unless you'd rather wait until I take a shower," he teased...poorly.

[pawnoffenric.livejournal.com]

She shifted closer, and shifted to hug him. "I don't bloody care." She just hugged him tight, before pulling back. "What happened? Things weren't this bad - they weren't this bad on Saturday morning." She skimmed her fingertips over his cheek, her eyes dark with concern. This wasn't how things were supposed to be.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

He laughed bitterly. "I missed Greg so fucking bad, Ace. I tried. All week I tried. Then I had those great tits and a killer body and when I ran into him..."

He paused and sighed. "Okay, I'm sure you don't want the details, but I woke up with him Monday, back to myself. We fought. Talked. Sort of came to an agreement. But he doesn't love me. Not like he did, I don't think. I ruined what we had, and there's no fixing it."

[pawnoffenric.livejournal.com]

The first two things she thought?

Oh, Fuck.

"Oh, Jack-" She didn't stop touching him, her fingers slowly slipping through his hair again and again. "It's not you. His feelings changing aren't your fault. You didn't ruin it, it's just- Both of you don't fit anymore." To see him blame himself like this-

"I know it's horrid. I do. Believe me, I know, Jack. I- It doesn't make it your fault that things are different."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"You know, I'm sure I'm old enough to know that's the truth? But I've gotten this far in life without getting really attached to anyone. I thought it was bad when the Doctor and I agreed to...quit...or whatever. Greg? This is tearing me up inside, Ace. There's a really short list of people who could possibly make me feel this way, and now that it has, I really don't think I can take it again."

So much for lies and half-truths. Jack just let it all tumble out.

[pawnoffenric.livejournal.com]

"It's horrible, Jack. The feeling, it hurts and there's nothing like it, but- but you have to realise that it's not normally like this." She didn't want him pulling away from everyone. "You loved him. Love him. I know, Jack. You did everything you could. It's alright to feel like it ripped your heart out-"

She pressed her lips to his fingers.

"But it's not something that's going to happen all the time. It's not, I promise."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"It..." he paused, searching for just the right word. "It sucks."

[pawnoffenric.livejournal.com]

"It does. I know it does." Her eyes searched his, her own dark. "I know it sucks, and it's awful and- I know. But you have to keep on moving - just sitting here and letting the world go buy isn't what you need to do." She poured him some more coffee, pressing the cup into his hand.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

He took it gladly and drank. "I just can't seem to get up. I don't know. Maybe I should go diving or something. Something."

[pawnoffenric.livejournal.com]

She chewed on the inside of her lip. "I- I'm going to need help." She hated asking for it, wasn't going to have asked for it, but- "With... walking. To be able-" To be able to do it again.

She had been going to try and manage on her own. "To not need the crutches anymore."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

His eyebrows went up as he watched her over the rim of his cup. "Okay," he agreed. "I can do that."

Something he could do. Pretty hard to fuck up helping Ace.

[pawnoffenric.livejournal.com]

She swallowed hard, mumbling. "I'm kind of afraid." She looked away, and then changed the subject as she looked back at him. "I honestly think Ianto's coffee can fix anything. Feeling better, even just a little?"

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I am," he agreed, letting her admission slip past. Of course she was, but platitudes wouldn't help. "Thank you. I mean it, Ace. Thank you."

[pawnoffenric.livejournal.com]

Her brows knit. "... For coffee?" She.. She wasn't used to being thanked. Not really, when you got down to it.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"For coming and finding me. I could have, in theory, moped and slept and wasted away...like some smelly Romantic poet. Minus the poofy shirt and syphillis," he said, absolutely seriously.

And then...he smiled.

[pawnoffenric.livejournal.com]

"I'll always come and find you. And someone else would have roused you far before the point of you wasting away, but I'm glad I have the honors." She smiled at him, and wrinkled her nose. "Although I must say I'm a bit grateful about the lack of the last bit."