RP for mrsharker

[quitehomoerotic]

It's early evening and in the half light the Bay has a comfortable quiet. Jack sent the team off to have a little social time. They've all worked so hard lately and they could do with it. He went for a walk, somewhere with a high roof and a vantage point for him to look over the city.

He's back on his way home now, taking a slow stroll down Lloyd George Avenue and back towards Butetown and the Bay. Outside the Millennium centre are couples and people milling around, all preparing for an evening of entertainment. It makes Jack smile as he seems them all, all safe in this city he loves so much.

On his way across the Plass he takes a slight de-tour to one of the poster boards, to take a look at just what these people are waiting to see. The sight before him though is not one he expects, and one he's far from prepared for.

The face is familiar, oh so familiar, and his breath gets caught in his chest, taking him a moment or two to realise he isn't breathing at all.

"It can't be," he whispers, but there's nobody there to listen.

Jack's eyes are swimming and he's glued to the spot. This can't be right, he's sure this can't be right. Just an odd co-incidence. Someone who happens to look similar. It has to be. It can't be her.

But it doesn't hurt to make sure. So instead of back to the Hub, Jack heads into the Millennium center and with the aid of the word 'Torchwood', he goes backstage.

Comments

[mrsharker.livejournal.com]

"Well, good: that is rather the intention," Mina teases warmly. (She feels almost girlish again: that's surprising.) "I have something of a fanbase, my beloved, and I would so loathe to disappoint."

She tucks her handbag over one shoulder and takes up her cane again. Unseeing, she misses the offered hand and takes a moment to re-orient herself in the room with the pattern of the ceiling lights. A careful, light sweep of the cane taps one of his feet, revealing his nearness to her and she half-turns her head towards him. "Believe me, I'd skip the reception if it wouldn't be intolerably rude."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

"Well as long as they know that I'll be standing there watching them all," Jack teasingly warns. "And trust, me, I can be menacing when I want to." He laughs slightly and looks down with a smile.

Immediately he recognises his error. Foolish of him not to realise that she can't see the proffered hand. He reaches it forward, touching her arm lightly. "Here, take my arm."

"Well," he smiles, "I'd hate for you to be rude. And besides, I'm just happy to watch you."

[mrsharker.livejournal.com]

She remembers any number of occasions when his last comment had a more lascivious edge to it and turns her face to hide yet another blush. With the higher heels, she's almost tall enough to lay her head upon his shoulder as she takes his arm.

"There's never been anyone else," she tells him suddenly, unable to keep it in any longer. "I never remarried, or... no. Not ever."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack smiles as he sees her attempt to hide her blush. There's something warming in knowing he can, after all this time, still have that effect.

He keeps his arm strong, holding her delicately as he guides her from the room. "Where's this reception then?"

Her words take him off guard though. It's a little unexpected, and it makes him feel guilt too, when he considers the lives and loves he's had since. "I'm sorry," he whispers. "I should have been there."

[mrsharker.livejournal.com]

"You don't need to apologize," Mina makes a face. "I don't want sympathy or apologies or pity.... I just wanted you to know."

She half-turns back and pulls the dressing room door shut. "It should be out in the lobby. Carolyn's probably having a fit wondering where I am."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack nods briefly, "Okay," understated and whispered. He still feels bad by it, feels the need to apologise, more than just once. A simple word can't really make up for it, can it?

"The lobby it is then!" Jack holds her arm and gently directs her along through the corridors. "And good. Keep them waiting." He laughs slightly, his grin evident in the tone of his voice. "Does that mean I'm going to get in trouble with this Carolyn person?"

[mrsharker.livejournal.com]

"Carolyn's my publicist, and, yes, quite likely. Or at least I will be scolded. She's a little highly strung," Mina offers a crooked smile and draws them to a stop just before the doors from backstage to the lobby (she memorized the pattern of lights). She's not quite ready to emerge into public yet.

"I still can't believe you're here," she murmurs.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

"Well I'd hate to keep Carolyn waiting." Jack says, utterly sarcastic, and very Jack, before seemingly retreating back into himself.

He turns his head to her and smiles softly, "But I am. And you are. And that's wonderful."

[mrsharker.livejournal.com]

"It is," Mina agrees. She steps around carefully finding her way to stand before him, tucks her cane against a nearby wall and puts her arms around him.

"You sound very American sometimes," she observes, remembering his comment that he'd been 'lying to her since they first met'. "Is that the real you?"

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack ducks his head a little sheepishly. "Yeah. Yeah it is." He takes a deep breath, goes on. "But I'm not American. It's... complicated."

It's hard, but he whispers, "But I'll tell you the truth. Anything you want to know, I'll tell you."

[mrsharker.livejournal.com]

"I'll hold you to that," Mina smiles tenderly. She feels the shift in the air currents when he ducks his head and hears how close he's standing from his whisper; one hand cups his face -- mostly for guidance -- and she presses a sweet little kiss to his lips.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

The kiss is unexpected but just wonderful, even in it's briefness. Lips he hasn't touched in such a long time. He savours it, pressing his own lips back against hers with a delicateness that seems hardly possible from a man such as Jack. He can't wait to spend time with her, and they have forever.

[mrsharker.livejournal.com]

She breaks the kiss after a moment and smiles privately, "Let's do this and then just go."

Mina leads the way out to the reception and is duly fussed over by a woman that could only be the infamous Carolyn. She's ushered over to a meet-and-greet table, champagne and a pen pressed into her hands, programs and CDs to sign. It seems interminable, the smiling and the small-talk.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack follows beside her, keeping close. He gets a glare from Carolyn which he dutifully ignores. He moves behind the table and stands there with his arms behind his back looking as though he's security. Out of the doors he can see the base of the water tower. It seems odd how two very different lives are clashing like this, so sudden and surprising.

He watches as people come along, gushing and praising Mina. His Mina. It warms his heart, and a smile spreads across his face, warm and happy.

[mrsharker.livejournal.com]

When the programs are all signed and the hands all shaken, and one or two offers of dinner politely and sweetly refused, she rises from her seat and informs Carolyn that she would arrive at the theatre for her call at 6:30 tomorrow night and until then, not to call.

"Unless the theatre's in flames or something similar," Mina smiles. "Goodnight Carolyn."

She glances around, unsure, remembering that Jonathan had given her the name he goes by here, but not remember what it was. "Are you there?" she calls out.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

"I'm here, I'm here." Jack calls, only a step or so away, as he's been all evening watching her. It's dark outside now, and the lights from the Plass glisten in the moonlight.

He reaches his arm out and takes hers, letting her latch on to him. "Would you like to go for dinner?" He smiles softly.

"Because I'd love to take you."

[mrsharker.livejournal.com]

There had been a slight panic in her voice there, the possibility of losing him again so soon after finding him vivid in her mind. Mina relaxes visibly when he takes her arm. "I'd love to. As I said, I'm all yours."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

"Perfect." Jack smiles and reaches over to where he left her coat. "Here, put this on. It's cold out." He holds it out open for her and gently directs her arm towards it.

"There's a little Italian place, just over the bay from here, it's lovely, we'll go there. I hope you'll like it."

Part of him wonders if he should feel guilty in suggesting it. The Italian in question after all is one which is his usual favoured date location for he and Ianto. But what can he do?

[mrsharker.livejournal.com]

"I love Italian food," Mina assures him as she buttons her overcoat.

She feels more out of control than she has in lifetimes. There are very few situations in which she's not two or three steps ahead of everyone else in the room -- a side-effect of her age and the fact that she's been increasingly tending towards 'control freak' (in Galvin's words) since the loss of her sight. This, however, is rather nice, yielding the lead of the situation to her husband...

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

"Great." Jack smiles as he leads her outside into the breeze of the Cardiff evening. They walk out and towards Mermaid Quay, past the water tower and around. He looks up at it as it glistens in the night. The cascading water breaking the silence in the air.

"I'm glad you still play your music," he whispers softly. "I remember when you used to. When we'd sit in the drawing room and listen to you. Despite it all, we had some wonderful times, didn't we?"

[mrsharker.livejournal.com]

"Of course we did." She leans her head on his shoulder a little as they walk, her ridiculous heels making soft clacking noises on the pavement. "Fighting the forces of darkness, maintaining the Stacks -- they still stand, love, your proud legacy -- and just being young and in love. That was... a long time ago."

Mina sighs faintly, but refuses to let her mood fade into regrets and loss. "Is it a pretty night?" she asks.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

"Oh I wasn't young then," Jack sighs with a slight shake of the head. "I think I felt it at times. You made me feel it. But I wasn't. But those years..." he smiles as he thinks of the good times, and the bad ones too, "those memories, they'll live with me forever.

As she sighs his grip on her arm tightens, just a little. "It's beautiful," he whispers back. "From here you can see out to the bay, the water shines in the moon. And you hear that noise? That's the tower just beside us. A shining beacon raising high into the sky. I love it here." He smiles as he looks around. His affection for this place is clear. "But... all I see tonight is you."

[mrsharker.livejournal.com]

"Well, yes, I imagine that regardless of how long you live, dealing with the Lord of Vampires is a memorable occasion." Her hand raises of its own accord to her throat, -- a gesture she tries to play off by touching his cheek fondly.

"Romantic," she accuses tenderly.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

"Mina," he whispers back softly. "I was talking about you, not him. You're the memory that matters." His face turns into her hand a little, just enough so that his lips can brush her fingers and place a soft kiss.

He laughs now, more fully, "Well I try." He grins, his eyes glinting, though she can't see them.

He leads her along, rather hoping that none of his team are still around in the Hub below. Hoping to minimise the chance of an unplanned encounter. That would be a rather hard one to explain.

[mrsharker.livejournal.com]

"No longer just a memory," she points out. "For good or ill... I'd-- " Mina closes her eyes for a split second's hesitation. "I would like to be a part of your life again, sweetheart. I know things have changed -- and I have a whole new you to get to know... but I would very much like to get to know my husband all over again."