InsaneJournal

WHO: Jack Harkness [Gray, Franklin, Mum]
WHAT: The day the Invasion hits
WHERE: The Boeshane Peninsula
WHEN: In Vas - Day 25 | For him - 51st Century
RATING: PGish [really. PGish. Swear to god]
STATUS: Complete



One thing was certain: something was very wrong and Jack didn't have to open his eyes to realise that. The bed felt cold and when Jack had 'fallen asleep' last night, he had been curled around the sated body of one Ianto Jones. Jack's nose had been buried in his lover's hair, ignoring the whole notion that their relationship had become stronger through the events at Vas Captio. Jack swallowed, not wanting to open his eyes, realising his hands were clenched in the sheets rather than around Ianto's torso. And by torso he really meant... right. Fill in the blanks.

Not to mention... the scents were all wrong, or rather, they were very right. Latent memories began to stir as Jack began to recognise the sweet smell that lilted through an open window. Cherlaw blossoms, God he hadn't smelled those in years. Hadn't --

Jack's eyes snapped open as he came to the grand realisation. He was home. Not back in Cardiff but..

"Brith! Are you planning on staying in bed all morning? You promised your brother you'd go down to the beach this morning."

"Yeah, yeah -- I'm coming!" Jack shouted in return, sitting up in bed and scrubbing at his face. His body felt all wrong, not to mention hearing a name he'd locked away in the deepest recesses of his mind. Looking down at his hands, Jack soon realised that he was not himself, but rather back in the body of a child.

Then... then it all hit.

This was the date his world had been shaken upside down. The day the invasion had finally come and he had stupidly let go of Gray's hand. Ideas warred in his head, emotions fighting against the knowledge that he couldn't screw with time. But what if he warned them? What if he managed to get word out -- keeping everyone inside and avoid the situation entirely. Well, for one, he might not ever meet the Doctor, wouldn't see Rose, wouldn't become immortal... and then there was Ianto. But to keep his family safe -- could he sacrifice everything?

The simple answer was yes, yes he could.

Swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat, Jack silently said goodbye to the life he had known and set out on a course to fix his life the way it should have been and ignored the ache in his chest. Ianto would understand. No, Ianto never would -- but at the same time, Ianto wouldn't ever know. And maybe this would fix things for him too. One never knew how time worked and Jack never professed to be an expert; he just played one on the telly (figuratively speaking of course).

Dressing quickly, Jack moved awkwardly down to the kitchen where his parents and Gray were waiting for him. God how good it was to see them again, people he'd endeavoured to forget for the memories were far too painful to remember. He still felt awkward, like his mind wanted his body to be bigger; the teenage form was too small for his mind.

"I don't want to go."

"Brith, why not?" his father asked. "You and Gray have been planning this for weeks!"

"I don't care," Jack replied, crossing his arms like the petulant teenager he was. "I don't want to go. And everyone should just... stay in today. It's going to be a bad day."

His mother rolled her eyes, setting down a plate of freeze-dried food in front of him. She placed the cover over it momentarily, then lifted, the plate transformed into omelette and homefries -- though the food didn't smell quite like it should have. Oh how the simple Sunday breakfast had been bastardised over the course of a few millennia.

"The report came through a few minutes ago. Sun all day long," his mother said, tossling Jack's hair. "Now, would you just go?"

Being shoved out of the house didn't leave much by way of argument. And so, the two brothers walked the long path away from their house and down to the beach. Gray was talking to him but Jack wasn't listening. His mind was a million miles away, trying to figure out how to keep Gray with him all day long. His father, Franklin, walked a few paces behind, keeping an eye on the two boys.

"Are you even listening to me?"

"Of course," Jack replied.

"Then what was the last thing I said?"

"'Are you even listening to me?'" Jack parroted back.

Then, he had it. Ignoring the fact that his mother would brain him for destroying his clothing, Jack tore a strip of fabric from the bottom of his tunic.

"We're going to play a game," Jack said, holding out the material. "Hold out your hand." Gray did as he was asked and Jack tied one end around his brother's wrist, then the opposite end around his own. Ignoring Gray's quizzical expression, Jack soldiered on once they were tied together, heading down to the beach. "The point of the game is to not let the fabric get tight. If it gets tight, imagine you or I gets shocked."

Stupid game, but it had to work, right? From above, Jack heard the horrible screeching and his mind was transported forward in time: sneaking across the border with Karyitne and watching as they tortured his friend to death, making him watch. Jack drew in a breath, wondering how much he was going to fix by one simple event --

"Run! Take Gray. Keep him safe!"

It was starting. He had one chance.

"No, no, Dad. Come with us."

"No, I've got to go get your mother. Run!"

Grabbing Gray's hand with the insurance of the fabric, Jack took off running. He kept his pace slow enough that Gray could keep up, but even this time he never heard it. One moment they were perfectly in step with one another, the next he was gone -- fabric hanging limply from his wrist. Jack stopped this time, immediately turning to look for Gray.

But he was nowhere to be found. Jack stood still on the beach, watching the events of the day play out. The creatures ignored him, they knew there would be time with him in another five years.

And all he could hear were screams.