FIC Torchwood: "About Death"

[fajrdrako]

Title: About Death
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack, Gwen
Challenge: theatrical_muse prompt #227 - recommending a book.
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine, no claims, all property of the BBC.
Notes: Spoilers for Torchwood 2x13, "Exit Wounds". Cross-posted to theatrical_muse, torchwoodgwen, and to my LJ. 434 words.


About Death

A few days after Tosh and Owen died, Jack found Gwen crying silently in the autopsy room, cross-legged on the floor. Without a word, he sat beside her, and gathered her into his arms. After a while she subsided and he said softly to her, "Yeah. Me too." His breath was tickled her left ear.

"It isn't fair," said Gwen.

"No." He entwined her fingers with his. "I know you can't talk about it, but I know you loved Owen."

She held his hand tightly as she snapped, "Not just Owen. Both of them. I loved both of them."

"I know," said Jack. "Me too. Me too. It's never simple."

They were silent for a while.

She said, "You've been carrying on with the work, haven't you?"

"It's important," said Jack. "The Rift is still there. The dangers are the same as always." Then, after a moment, "It's my duty."

"How can you bear it?"

He was leaning his cheek against her hair, so that she could feel his smile, though couldn't see it. "I've had some help. Ianto was reading to me just now."

"Did it make a difference?"

"I suppose. His voice is very... melodious."

"What was he reading from?"

"The Prophet," Jack said, and quoted gently:

You would know the secret of death.
But how shall you find it unless you seek it in the heart of life?
The owl whose night-bound eyes are blind unto the day cannot unveil the mystery of light.
...Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.
And when you have reached the mountaintop, then you shall begin to climb.
And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.

"Nice," said Gwen.

"Owen would have scoffed, but I think he'd have liked it, secretly. Tosh... she would have cried and smiled."

"Tosh was a closet softie," said Gwen. "Do you think it's true?"

"No. Not literally. But anything can be true metaphorically, or psychologically, and everything is connected... People are connected. You, me, everyone. Sometimes in paradoxical ways. Time and space aren't different, really. It just seems that way."

"Pop physics?" she teased, gently. "Or is that just pop philosophy?"

"More like wishful thinking.' Smiling at her, he wiped a tear off her cheek. "If I could end suffering, I would."

"You'd save us all, wouldn't you? If you could?"

"It's a work in progress," admitted Jack. "I've a way to go."

She took a deep breath. "No one ever said you weren't ambitious, Gunga Din. Okay. Give me some Torchwood work to do."

Comments

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

Wow, you're being prolific at the moment. Guess I should thank the Foot?

And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.

An absolute dead perfect quote. It gave me shivers. (Though I'm not sure if it makes Ianto a bit tactless for reading that to Jack or if he's making a point.)

"You'd save us all, wouldn't you? If you could?"

"It's a work in progress," admitted Jack. "I've a way to go."

I liked those lines of dialogue a lot. And I like Gwen pulling herself back together and getting on with it at the end.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

you're being prolific at the moment. Guess I should thank the Foot?


Yes, and hoping or trying to finish some longer stuff.

Guess I should thank the Foot?

Yes. It doesn't move, but it's good for something.

Though I'm not sure if it makes Ianto a bit tactless for reading that to Jack or if he's making a point.

Making a point, I imagine, though my idea was that he'd been reading it for himself before Jack asked him what he was reading.

I like Gwen pulling herself back together and getting on with it at the end.

I think it's like in the police station with Rhys: Gwen sometimes needs encouragement, but, given that encouragement, she can carry on.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

His voice is very... melodious

;-)

Owen would have secretly liked it --or at least understood it-- but only after he died.


If I could end suffering, I would

That's one thing I love in him. Was it Burn Gorman who described Jack as "morally whole"?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

His voice is very... melodious ;-)

You can't deny it, can you? Jack is as much a sucker for that lovely voice as we are.

Owen would have secretly liked it --or at least understood it-- but only after he died.

I think he would also have understood it when he was with Katie. But between Katie's death and his own death - no, I don't think he'd have been able to cope if he had tried to understand. He was teaching himself denial and was busy rebelling against the dark.

Was it Burn Gorman who described Jack as "morally whole"?

What a wonderful description - I hadn't heard that one. It's perfect. Yes.

[raissad.livejournal.com]

That was lovely. :)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[namastenancy.livejournal.com]

I've been meaning to write and tell you how much I am enjoying this series. I'm just now recovering from the gallery weekend - which went wonderfully well - but was exhausting.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I've been meaning to write and tell you how much I am enjoying this series

Thank you!

I'm just now recovering from the gallery weekend - which went wonderfully well

I am delighted to hear it!

Rest up, now.

[dameruth.livejournal.com]

Very nice. Jack's "work in progress" comment is perfect.

I will say this for the TW season finale -- it's great for inspiring fic, isn't it? ;)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Jack's "work in progress" comment is perfect.

That's one of the quotes from the show that I particularly love. Not just that he said it - I love the comment and its implications, that Jack isn't entirely sure what he's doing or how he'll do it but he's certainly committed to the job.

I will say this for the TW season finale -- it's great for inspiring fic, isn't it? ;)

That is so very, very true. I could write a dozen stoires (and maybe will) based on odds and ends of things from "Exit Wounds".

Thanks for commenting!

Torchwood Declassified

[raissad.livejournal.com]

These cover the finale -- great details:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=WhBnInpIzLk

http://youtube.com/watch?v=raV_whBYwBY

Re: Torchwood Declassified

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Oh. wonderful. Thank you!

[of-too-minds.livejournal.com]

Excellent ficlet. You did a great job capturing their grief and their determination to forge ahead.

[kel-reiley.livejournal.com]

i really really liked that
it made me smile and kind of want to cry at the same time

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Aww. I'm so glad. Thanks for commenting.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Fic Rec -- Heroes/TW Xover

[raissad.livejournal.com]

Check this out; it's very cute:
http://squills.livejournal.com/11022.html

Re: Fic Rec -- Heroes/TW Xover

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Thank you!