Apocalypse Rising (Book Six)

Return Trips

Let's see what Jack and his group think of the Eleventh Apocalypse!

***

"And exactly how many of those have you downed?"

Captain Jack Harkness raised an eyebrow and looked at who had just sat next to him. He scoffed and turned away from the rather pretty brunette and downed his . . . umpteenth shot of the night. "I don't know," he admitted.

"And that tells me all I need to know," she smirked. "Not being able to count. Don't blame you there."

"I can count just fine, thanks," Jack scowled at her.

"That was rude," the brunette frowned. "We both were. Sorry," she shook her head, frowning. "Still trying to get my head back together."

"Rough night?" Jack asked.

"You could say that," she muttered. "Well, rough day, more like it. I have horrible timing, I've figured out."

Jack laughed. "That sounds like my sister."

"Really?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, if you only met her," Jack snorted, waving at the bartender for another shot.

"Your friends look concerned," the brunette noted.

Jack looked behind him to see his daughter, Alice Carter, and Ianto Jones were watching him worriedly. "Rough last week," he muttered.

"Understandable," the woman smiled. "Met this girl a few hours ago. Poor dear went through four psychiatrists in twelve years."

"Seriously?" Jack's eyebrows shot up.

"She kept biting them," the woman giggled.

Jack laughed, surprised. "That would do it."

"Yes, it would," she nodded in agreement. "Then again, she knocked me out with a cricket bat."

"A cricket bat," Jack frowned at her.

"Horrible timing."

"Apparently very horrible."

"Oh, very," she winced before looking back at Ianto. "He looks very worried."

"I don't blame him," Jack sighed, smiling gratefully at Ianto, who slowly nodded and went back to talking with Owen Harper and Toshiko Sato, Gwen Cooper and Rhys Williams in a booth nearby. John and Anna Frobisher, along with Johnny and Rhiannon Davies, were watching the children in another corner. "We've had some . . . " He paused, looking at the woman next to him oddly. What was it about her that was making him talk to her like this? "Family issues lately," he finished carefully.

To his surprise, she snorted. "Oh, don't get me started there," she tapped her fingers on the bar. Jack frowned, seeing the sleeve of her jacket slide up to reveal a silver wristwatch that looked familiar . . . "My brother's probably lost forever now, and I found out I was tricked by my superiors into believing the two most important people in my life were dead."

And with a shock, Jack realized exactly where he had seen that watch before. His shot glass fell from his hand as he stared at the woman, stunned, his blue eyes wide. "Jack?" Ianto noticed immediately, starting to walk over with Alice.

"Oh, my God," Jack simply stared at the woman.

She raised an eyebrow, then followed his gaze to her watch. "Oh, yes, the watch," she nodded, starting to smile. "I was wondering when you'd get the hint."

"Calypsie," Jack realized, tears stinging his eyes.

"Like the new look?" she winked.

In a flash, Jack engulfed her in a huge hug, which she instantly returned. "You're alive," he whispered, just relieved she wasn't dead. Well, it was obvious she had died. She had just regenerated.