Sacrifice [for slayers_desire]

[fractured_agent]

The city of Cardiff is eerily quiet in the aftermath of Abbadon's passing. Those who died beneath his shadow had their life forces returned once the demon died... all but one.

Captain Jack Harkness lies in the Torchwood Three morgue, cold as stone. Gwen sits at his side, waiting patiently for him to revive. But where he only took minutes to come back from the dead before, there isn't even a whisper of life from him now.

Lost without their leader, who they so recently betrayed, the team drifts in uncertainty.

It's Tosh who finds April's contact information in Jack's antique Rolodex, and gives her a call, not sure if this is a plea for help or a final death notice.

Comments

[slayers_desire]

April wasn't expecting a phone call, and there is a rush of uncertainity when she reaches for it.

It is Jack's number on her PINpoint. But for some reason, she is not expecting to hear his voice.

"Hello?"

[fractured_agent]

Tosh's voice is shaky from grief, and she has to wipe away tears as she answers. "April? This is Tosh."

[slayers_desire]

"Tosh. What is wrong?"

[fractured_agent]

Tosh can't even think about how to soften the news. "Jack's dead."

[slayers_desire]

"He can't be..." After all, Jack is immortal.

"I will be right there."

[fractured_agent]

Tosh nods, although April can't see her. And she hangs up the phone.

No one is tending to the tourist information office upstairs, but by now April knows where the button is to open the secret door, so she can let herself in.

Ianto is slowly tidying the Hub on autopilot, still in shock. There's a fresh bloodstain on the floor in front of one of the Rift monitors, but Ianto is avoiding it like it spooks him.

Owen sits at his desk, staring into nothing. He, too, is stuck in a cycle of shock and grief, and massive amounts of guilt. He knows he fucked up today, and he fucked up bad.

Gwen isn't in sight, but Tosh is still at Jack's desk, unable to think of what to do while waiting for April to arrive.

[slayers_desire]

She walks in without any worry on her face. There is a slight frown from the bloodstain. "That is Jack's blood..." She knows that by scent.

She can sense the shock from all three who are in sight. The grief. And the guilt from Owen.

"Where is he?" And she doesn't say where is the body.

[fractured_agent]

"In the morgue," Tosh says quietly. "Gwen's with him."

[slayers_desire]

"Thank you..."

April heads to the morgue. She knows the others are upset, but first she needs a handle on the situation.

[fractured_agent]

Jack is laid out in one of the morgue drawers, pulled out so Gwen can watch him. He's almost blue in color, cold to the touch, and his usual sense of unending life and time is so diminished that she probably won't even sense it right away. There's only a tiny spark left at the core.

Gwen sits on a stool next to the body, so sure that he'll come back. He did before. But it's been so long now... and a part of her wonders if she's in denial.

[slayers_desire]

"He shouldn't be in here..." April gently touches Jack's face. She doesn't react to the coldness of his skin (since she is almost used to, being around other vampires so much).

She is concerned when she doesn't sense his usual sense of unending life at first. But is comforted by that tiny spark.

"You all know... don't you? About his ability?

[fractured_agent]

"Owen shot him," Gwen says, not looking up from her vigil. "He came back in front of everyone."

[slayers_desire]

"No wonder he is feeling so guilty."

"He still has a spark of life."

[fractured_agent]

"He's been out for hours," Gwen says, almost too calm.

[slayers_desire]

"What happened?"

[fractured_agent]

"Bilis. He tricked us into opening the Rift. It let out a demon thing... Jack let it feed on his life until it died, but... maybe it took all of it."

[slayers_desire]

"No. There is still a spark of life left in him. It just needs to be ignited."

[fractured_agent]

"How?" Gwen will grasp at anything right now. Anything to bring Jack back to them.

[slayers_desire]

"Good question..." April leans to place her forehead on Jack's, concentrating on that little spark within him.

Jack?

[fractured_agent]

Jack doesn't reply, cold as the grave. There's not enough of him there to even know she's here. The spark flickers a little bit at the touch of her mind, brightening a tiny amount.

[slayers_desire]

When the spark flickers, April breathes a sigh of relief.

"Call the others in here." She is going to try something a little more supportive.

[fractured_agent]

Gwen is reluctant to leave Jack's side. She'd planned to stay on vigil until Jack returned, no matter how long it took. But... at least he has someone who will stay with him. She nods slowly, and moves towards the main room of the Hub to get the others.

[slayers_desire]

"Jack... you have so many people who love you. I am going to bring us all together..."

[fractured_agent]

Tosh is the first to join April. Ianto trails behind her, his clothes looking as impeccable as ever, but his eyes are red like he's been crying. He thought he'd witnessed a miracle when Jack came back. Another chance to say what needed to be said... and then Jack died again. No one comes back once. Why would someone come back twice?

Owen doesn't want to face Jack again. He'd handled the body long enough to confirm there were no vital signs. But then the guilt was too much to even look at the consequences of his own weakness. So he hangs back near the door, not quite entering the room.

[slayers_desire]

April pulls a hair-band out of her pocket, pulling her long blonde hair off her face. "I sense a spark of life still inside Jack."

"When I touched his mind, it flared in response."

"And I am confident that if we all reach out to that spark of life, it will bring him back to us."