WHO: Jack Donovan & Mark Sheffield WHAT: Jack can't sleep 'cause his mom is alive. Oh, and here.
Jack was up. It was four in the morning, and he was up. He was staring at his PDA while in bed, naked except for his boxers. His mother was alive. Not only was his mother alive, but she was here. She'd been an Active for over twenty years. She'd been tangled up in this whole Dollhouse system almost Jack's whole life. Did she abandon him for this? Did she get caught up like Mark? He didn't know. Of course not. He didn't know what to feel. She didn't remember him.
Just like Mark didn't remember his sister or his old life. He had no idea who this woman was. It was likely a joke, likely a lie. Things didn't work out like that.
Mark was asleep, for once. He had trouble with it, often staying up until he passed out of exhaustion. Even then, he tossed and turned, worrying about one thing or another. His excitement at being back in his own body disappeared when his sister showed up. He wished he could give her what she wanted. There just wasn't enough memory yet.
Stirring, Mark turned over, facing the light from the PDA. He made a face and groaned, rubbing his eyes. "Jack...?"
Jack looked over, taking in a slow breath. He didn't know what the hell to say.
Pushing himself up on his elbow, Mark squinted. "What, babe?"
"The new woman, who just arrived."
"Mmhm?"
"This is going to sound nuts, okay? But I... she's my mother," Jack breathed. It rattled him when he said it, acknowledged it.
"...Your what?"
"My mother."
"...What?"
Jack shook his head. "I----I don't know. She shows up, Alpha says she's my mother, I don't believe it... file confirms it, and I----I mean..." He was shell-shocked. He couldn't really grasp it.
Mark sat up. "Oh, honey..." Shifting, Mark tucked himself underneath Jack's arm, wrapping an arm around him and squeezing.
Jack ran a hand back through his hair. "And I don't----she abandoned me. She ran off. I have no idea who she is. And she has no idea who I am, really. I don't even think she remembers having me. And I'm wondering if I should even pursue it."
"She's your mom. I'd want to know." But Mark wanted to know a lot of things.
"There's nothing she can tell me. She doesn't know who I am. It's like... it's like the way you look at your sister. I feel like that's how she'll look at me," Jack said.
Mark was quiet for a bit, gently rubbing Jack's stomach. "You need that file."
"It's sick, that I need a file more than I need her." Jack rubbed his face, set his PDA down.
"A little," Mark admitted. "But you have the right to know what happened. If she abandoned you, maybe you shouldn't bother, but if it was something else..."
Jack glanced at him. "My father said she up and left. You think the Dollhouse had something to do with it?"
"Maybe. Maybe not."
"I'll have to ask about the file. And get up the courage to talk to her." Jack wasn't a child. He was an adult, now. He could do this.
"I'll be right behind you if you need me," Mark promised.
Jack nodded, waved a dismissive hand. "Not a big deal," he lied. "She's... I mean, she's just another woman, to me. I never knew her. So if she's my mother, I... don't know what'll change."
"Everything." Obviously. "That's your mom. This could be your chance to get to know her and actually have a mother, Jackie."
Jack nodded. "Hn. I just... yeah." He wasn't a kid anymore. What could she offer him, give him? What could he give her? "I just have to talk to her."
"Everything is going to be all right." Mark leans up, kissing Jack's cheek. "Go back to sleep."
"Go back to sleep? Are you serious? I can't go back to sleep."
"Or you'll be dead on your feet in the morning."
Jack shook his head and rolled over onto his side, lying down. "True." Not like they had a schedule of any kind.
Mark wrapped an arm around him, tenderly kissing Jack's neck. "Sleep now. I'll be right here when you wake up."
"You have no idea how grateful I am for that," Jack muttered. "No matter what happens, you're always here."