Captain Jack and Captain Jack [for slayers_desire]

[fractured_agent]

It's been a few months since the team got their first lessons in psychic shielding, and once again, the Hub is open to April's expertise. Though he knows they're having guests, Jack doesn't push anyone to clean up the clutter so it looks better. The Hub is still a work space, and a chaotically changing one at that. They're all used to it by now, and Jack knows April won't mind.

Ianto is manning the tourist information office upstairs, as usual, and he knows that April is coming.

Comments

[fractured_agent]

Jack guesses what she's waiting for, and goes upstairs with the captain and the others, to keep attention off the stragglers. Tosh waits behind with April, and once almost everyone is gone, she digs in her laptop bag for something to put the papers in, coming up with a ziplock baggie. "It's got to be airtight, the ink is going to fade as it is," she explains.

[slayers_desire]

"I sensed that an electrical box outside would be the safest place to leave the equation."

[fractured_agent]

"Good thing I've got something to protect it from the elements then... a lot could happen to it in sixty-six years," Tosh says, with a nervous smile. "Lead on."

[slayers_desire]

April tunes to her voices, then leads Tosh to where she sensed the electrical box. "Do you have everything you need?"

[fractured_agent]

"I think so." Tosh carefully folds the papers with the equations on them, and slips them into the bag, sealing it shut.

[slayers_desire]

"Good." April hopes they can leave these equations in the right place. Her voices have proven true again, since that brief lapse... but she still worries. A little.

[fractured_agent]

Tosh finds a good spot in the electrical box where the papers will be safe, mostly out of sight and protected, but obvious enough that hopefully Gwen or one of the boys will spot it. "Now what?"

[slayers_desire]

"Now we wait for the others to open the portal."

[fractured_agent]

"That could be in a few minutes, or a few hours," Tosh says. It's out of her hands now, and she's conflicted on how to feel about that. Relieved that some of the pressure is off her, but also slightly frustrated that there's nothing else she can do.

[slayers_desire]

"Unfortunately, we don't know how long the others will piece things together."

[fractured_agent]

"I guess we should head back inside. That's where the Rift took us through, and that's where the coordinates should be."

Inside the dance hall, it didn't take long for the party to get back in full swing. The air raid is all but forgotten already, as the men and women get back to drinking and dancing.

The two captains are staying off the dance floor, hanging out in one of the rooms next to the main dance floor.

[slayers_desire]

"Our Jack and the other Captain are close by," April softly informs Tosh.

[fractured_agent]

"Should we intrude?" Having spent a few years around Jack, Tosh knows well his tendency to flirt with absolutely everyone, and while nothing has been so overt here, she can see the spark between them.

[slayers_desire]

"They have a connection. Give them the time they need... to say goodbye."

[fractured_agent]

Though he's trying not to show it, Captain Harkness has been thinking about what April asked him. About what he would do if he knew it was his last night alive. He's not sure that his fellow captain feels the same way, but he wants to know all he can about him. Especially since they seem so similar, the more they talk... this other man who's seen the same horrors of war, who knows what it means to be a leader of men who are little more than boys, who has that same haunted look in his eyes that Harkness sees in the mirror every day. He'd never really believed in kindred souls before. And this could be his only chance to find out if there could ever be something more for him.

Tosh nods a little bit at April's response. "I wish there was something we could do to make it easier for either of them."

[slayers_desire]

"The Captain just needs a little push... but it would only be right if he did it for himself." April at least concentrates, projecting the music into the room where the two Captains are alone.

[fractured_agent]

Under normal circumstances, Jack would notice April's subtle attempt to play matchmaker. But he's sufficiently distracted tonight that it doesn't strike him as unusual.

Captain Harkness, too, does not notice a sudden increase in music in the room. It seems natural and expected, even. And it's appropriate that April has chosen to do this during a song for slow-dancing between couples.

"I might have to leave before the night is over," Jack says, half-hoping that it takes a little longer for his team to open the Rift, and knowing that it won't be.

Captain Harkness calls on all his courage, feeling like he's doing something even more brave than flying sorties against the Germans. He takes a breath, and reaches over to hold Jack's hand. "Then make the most of now."

((bedtime))

[slayers_desire]

"They are having one last dance..." April whispers to Tosh.

[fractured_agent]

They are indeed. Captain Harkness takes a chance, glad for this moment alone in private, although after tonight he might have thrown caution to the wind and danced with his fellow captain in front of everyone. And Jack... he knows that the captain can't possibly know what he's done, but here in each other's arms, it feels an awful lot like forgiveness. And his heart breaks all the more for this beautiful man, that tonight is his last night alive.

[slayers_desire]

April finds a sit and wait, for that is all she can do right now. She has given the Captains their moment alone. And guided Tosh to the electrical box. She is not sure how long before the portal will open, but stays hopefully that they won't have to wait for long.

[fractured_agent]

Jack takes a chance and moves in for a kiss...

And that's when the portal opens. A blazing blue-white light, drowning out almost everything else, coming from the doorway into the main dance hall. Most people in the dance hall don't seem to notice, despite the brilliance.

Tosh grabs her laptop bag immediately. "Come on, we need to go!"

[slayers_desire]

Jack! The portal is here! She hates to interrupt him at this moment, but April doesn't know how long the portal will remain open.

[fractured_agent]

The captains look at each other, neither one wanting the moment to end. "I have to go," Jack says, reluctantly. "It's my duty."

The captain nods, not understanding, but accepting it all the same. There's a shared moment of regret as Jack turns to go with Tosh and April.

Hell with it. If he doesn't do this now, he'll regret it forever. Jack turns back around and kisses the captain, wishing it could last longer, glad that they got the chance to at least let Captain Harkness know that he will be loved and remembered. One last kiss for the dying man.

[slayers_desire]

April can sense the passion and Jack's intent behind the kiss. It almost takes her breath away.

"He is coming... let's go..." She tells Tosh, heading for the portal.

[fractured_agent]

Tosh hurries through, unsure how long it will stay open. To her, the room around her fades until it's empty of people, and the room is derelict and dusty.

Jack heads for the portal, but turns around one last time before heading through. Captain Harkness snaps to attention and salutes in farewell, the best gesture of respect he can give for his fellow captain. Then he too fades from sight, bringing all three of them back to the present day.