Tuesday 26th February
22:08

“I’m tired now,” Buffy said, sleepily rolling towards Jack’s side, her hand roaming over his bare, sweaty, panting, chest.

“Me too,” Jack admitted. “You really have stamina.”

Buffy grinned into his flesh as he rubbed her bare, equally sweaty, shoulder with his hand, drawing circles on the skin. It was strange. Lying with a small, feminine body didn’t feel quite right anymore. Not since he left Estelle.

No, it was more recent than that. It had started feeling not quite right a few days before. He shrugged it off, deciding it was, maybe, his subconscious rebelling against the intimacy he was sharing with the young girl in his arms. She knew a lot about him. Too much, almost. He found it easy to talk to her, easy to open up and admit how he felt about things.

But, for the life of him, he couldn’t quite remember what things he told her he felt what about. That was odd. It was like he had gaps in his memory.

He kissed her hair, gently, as he felt her falling asleep in his arms, her small, naked form curled up against his side. He’d been planning for them both to get back to work after a quick, frantic shag in his office, but it had lead to his bed and slow, luxurious lovemaking. But a lot of it ... and now he was tired.

He yawned and closed his eyes, the hand not around Buffy’s shoulder finding its way above his head as he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Cruel laughter, pain, the Master sneering with a baby in his arms. Shouts of anger. Ianto. Ianto on the ground. Bleeding. A name. Cole. A scream. A flash. Pain. So much pain. Panic. Give him back. Give him back to me. Don't send him down there. Please. Don't hurt my ...

His eyes shot open again and he blinked hard a few times for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. “You were crying out,” Buffy said, softly, propped up on his chest, gazing at him, concern radiating from her eyes. “Were you having a nightmare?”

Was he? It didn’t feel like a nightmare. It felt like something from long ago. A buried memory, like Gray. Gray ... memories of him had been coming back recently. Little bits bleeding through into his consciousness. A small hand slipping from his larger one, sandy beaches beneath his feet ...

“I’m fine,” he lied. “It was just a strange dream.”

Buffy nodded and rested her chin just below his right nipple, still staring at him, intently. “You seem different,” she said, slowly.

“Different?” Jack enquired. “Different how? Older? Oh god, do I have a grey hair?”

“Idiot,” Buffy scolded, hitting him on the arm, gently. Her voice softened, “No,” she said. “Just different. As though something has changed.”

“Like what?”

“I don't know.” She stared at him, then blinked and lay down again. “Go back to sleep.”

“No thanks,” he said. “I’d rather watch you.”

“You like to watch, huh?”

Jack grinned. “Only if I get to participate later on.”

“Then sleep.”

He rolled his eyes. “You sound like ...” The name vanished from his mind. All he remembered was someone else, a distinctly masculine voice telling him to sleep, that he’d be there in the morning and they’d have breakfast together for the first time. Who was he?

“Like who?”

“I don't know.” Jack rubbed his eyes with his free hand. “It’s strange,” he said. “It’s like something’s changed.”

“Told you,” Buffy said.

“I don't mean about me. I mean about everything.”

Buffy raised an eyebrow but said nothing but, “Sleep.”

“If you insist.” Jack closed his eyes again, willing the dreams not to come. But they did.

Breakfast. I’ll make you toast. I’d like that. We can eat together. The rough texture of toast scraping against his tongue. Laughter. Talking about work, family. I have a sister, Libby. Did you tell her about us? Of course, I tell her everything I can. Everything? About who I like, who I care about ... who I love ... who I date ...

A shrill ringing broke into the dream and he opened his eyes again. “Tell it to shut up,” Buffy whimpered, rolling away and hiding her head beneath the pillow, muffling her ears.

“It’s a phone. I can’t tell it to stop ringing,” Jack said.

“Haven’t you heard of silent mode?” Buffy said, her voice muffled.

“Isn’t that a contradiction in terms? Hearing of silent mode?”

“Ha, fucking, ha,” Buffy whimpered.

“Watch your mouth,” Jack said.

“You like my mouth.”

“Exactly, so don't get it dirty.” Jack picked up his phone and pressed the small ‘answer’ button. “Hello?”

“Jack!” Gwen’s voice came down the line.

“Gwen, is something wrong?” Jack was instantly concerned by the tone of her voice and felt the bed move as Buffy sat up next to him, letting the covers fall from her chest to pool around her waist. He was glad it was Gwen on the line. Her voice alone was enough to stop him from wanting to ravage Buffy on the spot.

“Yeah, someone’s broken into my flat. He had a key; he knows my name ... Shut it!!” Jack pulled the phone from his ear at Gwen’s shout and gestured to Buffy that she needed to get dressed as he reached for his own trousers. “Shut it!” Gwen continued. “Can you hurry, Jack? He’s a nutter.”

“We’ll be right there,” Jack promised, hanging up. “We have to go,” he said, turning to Buffy.

“I guessed as much,” she said, fastening her bra, trousers already on. She reached for her shirt. “What’s going on?”

“Apparently there’s some guy in Gwen’s flat.”

“Oh!” Buffy moved faster, tossing Jack’s shirt his way. He nodded his thanks. “She’s okay for the moment, right?”

“Oh yes,” Jack said. “If Gwen can do anything, it’s look after herself.” He stood up and fastened his belt, reaching for his coat and webley. “Ready?”

Buffy nodded, buttoning her shirt as Jack headed for the ladder. She followed moments later, ascending and climbing out. They walked out into the hub together, her still fastening her buttons.

“Gwen’s got a problem. We need to head over to her flat now,” Jack said.

“I’ll come with you,” Adam volunteered.

“Okay, sure, fine,” Jack said.

Adam shot Buffy a smile, which she returned, and the three of them headed for the invisible lift, together.


Next: Chapter 3b