Thasmin - Love Is Always Wise

Chapter 26: Redemption

Jack was lying on his bed, the head buried between his hands, cursing himself. He'd hear knocks on the door, but he wouldn't care since the door was deadlocked. He knew he should have never went for Jenny, but he just couldn't control it until it was too late. Five minutes later, just when he thought the silence behind the door meant that Jenny returned to the console room, knocks were heard once again on the door, and for a moment, the Captain even thought of answering before repressing this idea. Little did he know, Jenny returned to the console room and it was Yaz and the Doctor behind this door. If he didn't care about the knocks on the door, the sudden opening of the door, however, startled him. He sat on his bed, but not before the two Time Ladies notice his sadness and confusion about the whole Jenny situation.

DOC: Jack? Are you feeling okay?

JACK: I'm sorry Doc, I didn't mean to ... I should have never done that to Jenny ...

DOC: What does Jenny have to do with any of this?

JACK: Oh, she didn't tell you about the ... Ahem, the thing that happened?

DOC: What thing? Jack, what did you do?!

JACK: Well ... I was to tell you ... More to ask you ... Look, since I saw Jenny, I can't repress a feeling ... A feeling I didn't have often in my long life ... As you know, I can't have anyone to attach to, not without having to see them growing old and die, but your daughter ... She won't die, I won't have to lose her ... I'm sorry, I know I should have talked to you about my feelings for her, but you went on your honeymoon and I thought it wasn't a good time, and then everything happened so quickly ...

The Doctor, who literally started seeing red when hearing Jack's speech about his feelings for her daughter, was beginning to lose her temper.

DOC: Jack, my patience and understanding are wearing thin, what did you do?!

JACK: Well, it's possible that I didn't really behave myself and we ... kissed ...

DOC: You what?! Are you telling me you snogged my daughter?!

Luckily for Jack, Yaz stopped her wife from rushing on the old Captain.

YAZ: Calm down darling, let's take a walk in the corridors, shall we?

The door opens again and Yaz and the Doctor were about to go through, but in the last second, Yaz turns around to face Jack.

YAZ: I didn't let her vent her anger on you, but just a word of warning, you should be careful when it comes to snogging the daughter of your best friend! Now, you better fix this situation ASAP!

After this, Jack was left alone in his room, with just his conscience for only company.

Back in the control room, Jenny, left alone with the Master, tries to wrap her mind around what happened. She however got interrupted in her thoughts by a voice she found disgusting, the Master's. The Master apparently saw her reaction because he winced.

MASTER: Come on, how many more time will it take for y'all to forgive me? Anyway, what is it with Jack? Did you two ...?

JENNY: Shut up.

MASTER: I hit a sensitive point I see. Did he snog you?

JENNY: I told you to shut up!

The 'Jack and Jenny incident' caused everyone to stay in a bad mood for a few days. Jack would barely get out of his room to sleep and as soon as Jenny would try to talk to him, he'd run away. Jenny and Yaz would make sure the Doctor and Jack never stay alone in a room or a corridor, and even the Master, who would probably love to witness a fight between the two immortals, curious of who would win, was playing his part in separating them, usually by annoying the Doc so much she would go after him and not the Captain. During the few times the whole team would be in the console room together, the only sound that would break the silence was the sound of the breaks and the time rotor. The Doctor's resentment against Jack was beginning to become unbearable for the three other team members, and even the TARDIS tried to make them stop, whining and shaking as soon as the atmosphere would become too tense between the two of them.

After a week, the situation hadn't evolved. At this moment, Jenny was coming towards Jack, under the angry eyes of her mother. The Master was smiling, almost laughing, Yaz was holding the Doc's hand, trying to reassure her, and the Doc was squeezing hard her wife's hand whilst staring at Jack with a cold glare. As soon as he saw her coming his way, he was about to run the other way, down the corridors, as usual, when the doors closed in front of him.

JACK: What the hell?!

Jack hits the door with his foot in anger before feeling a hand on his shoulder. He turns around to see Jenny in front of him and the Doctor behind, ready to jump at his throat, with her look clearly saying 'don't you dare'. Jenny, on another hand, was smiling at the console.

JENNY: Thanks for closing the door, old girl.

JACK: Jenny, I'm sorry, I should have never done what I did alright, it's just ... It's been a long time since I've ever felt what I'm feeling for you, I couldn't resist it, I'm so sorry ... The last person with whom I've felt that way was Ianto ... It was such a long time ago, centuries maybe, I stopped counting, the thing is, he was mortal and he died, and I swore I'd never feel that way again, but there you came ... I'm sorry, it's my fault and I should have known it was wrong but–

Jack's monologue has been stopped by Jenny, putting a finger on his lips. She was looking at him, smiling, as he was getting even more embarrassed.

JENNY: Jack, what I've been trying to tell you for a week now is that I understand and I'm not angry with you. I must admit for a while I was surprised and upset that you did that without thinking about what I wanted before running away, but here's the thing, and I didn't say it to anyone, not even my mom, because I wasn't sure, and I was ashamed, but I know now, I know what you make me feel, and I understand what you're feeling because I feel the same way for you. I'm tired of seeing your running from me or my mom, and I'm tired of you too ruining every moments we have together, so please, mom, please, stop being mad at Jack, I'm begging you, he's a good man, and he his the man I love ...

Jenny, who had turned towards the Doc in the end of her speech, had now tears in her eyes, as for the Doctor, she was stunned, not knowing what to do. The anger in her eyes was gone, replaced by utter surprise, and then maybe a bit of shame. She walked towards Jenny and took her in her arms, kissing her on the forehead, before walking towards Jack, slowly and unsure. Jack seemed suspicious, almost as he expected her to slap him any moment, but what he didn't expect at all is being hugged, and yet that's what happened. He felt the warm embrace as the Doc's firm grasp wouldn't let go of him.

DOC: I'm sorry Jack, I just wanted to protect my daughter ... No hard feelings?

JACK: Of course not. I'm glad you take it well after all, I was starting to think you were working on a way to make me mortal again.