Continue from The Empty Child - II
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Lily groaned and rolled onto her side. She slowly opened her eyes to see a man's back towards her, sitting in a chair.
A light illuminated the room making Lily's eyes squint. She slowly got off the bunk and stood, looking around at her surroundings. "Where am I?" She asked herself but got a response.
"My ship." Jack spun around in his chair to face her. A sad smirk on his face but a shocked look on Lily's.
"Hello, Lillian. It's been a while."
"Wha-" Lily took a step back. She didn't know what to do. So many emotions were running through her head. Happiness. Sadness. Confusion. But most of all . . anger.
"What the hell, Jack!" She shouted and took a step forward. "How are you here? Where have you been? Why-"
"Maybe you should ask one question at a time, babe." He lounged back in his chair and bit his lip. They used to fight all the time about how stubborn and outspoken she was. But now? He never knew he missed it this much.
"Oh no!" Lily pointed at him and advanced so they were a foot away. "You don't get to call me that! You lost that privilege after you left me three years ago."
"Can I please explain before you go all redhead crazy on me?" Jack pleaded.
"Why should I even give you the time of day?" Lily snapped, crossing her arms as a way to shield herself from him.
Jack tried to not look dazed by her answer. He sighed and stood up from his chair, walking towards Lily. "I had no choice, Lily. I didn't know that when I joined the Time Agency romantic relationships were not allowed."
"Who the hell is that?" Lily eyebrows arched together confused.
"They were the people who hired me before I met you." He confessed. "If I continued dating you something terrible would happen. To you and even Jackie and Rose." He tried to reach out to her but she backed further away. He wouldn't be lying if he said it hurt him. "The only way to protect you all I had to break your heart. After that, they sent me away."
"Are you still with them?"
"Yes." Well . . what's one more secret? "They sent me here for an important mission. Wait a minute." His eyebrow raised. "How are you so calm hearing about this." He looked around him. "And how are you here?"
"A Time Agent I met brought me." Jack lied once again.
"A what?"
"Yeah. Seems like I have an attraction for them." She glared.
Jack sighed and scratched the back of his neck. "Finally." He continued his lie. "I've been waiting on those guys for months."
She didn't know what to think. What to say. How to feel. While she was thinking Jack looked over at her hands to see them red. They were raw due to the rope she was holding onto.
"What happened to your hands?" He asked.
Lily looked down and knew the burns were from the rope. Not wanting to be any more of a burden she shrugged. "Must have been the rope. I'll deal with it later."
Jack wasn't having it. He took a scarf from around his neck and took both of her wrists in his hand.
"What are you doing?" Lily exclaimed.
"Just be quiet for a second." He then started to tie her wrists together.
She raised her eyebrows noticing how weird this looks. "Okay, um . . Jack? I don't know what you're planning on doing but - "
"Relax Lillian."
She bit her tongue and nodded. Sometimes her sass can get a bit too much. She waited for him to press a button and gasped when she witnessed little gold things seem to dance around her palms.
"Incredible." She said in delight. "They look a bit like stars?" She noticed. "What are they?"
"Nanogenes," Jack replied, admiring Lily's smile. "Sub-atomic robots. The air in here is full of them. They just repaired three layers of your skin."
"Well then," She spoke as Jack untied her wrists. "Tell them I said thank you."
"Do you . . forgive me?" He seemed nervous to ask.
Lily was taken back. "What?"
"Do you forgive me?" He repeated. "Do you forgive me for making you feel like you were worthless?"
Lily's breath caught in her throat. "I mean it's kinda hard to given how you left me. It's taken me three years to forgive but I think . ." She paused.
"You think what?" Jack pressed on with a hopeful look.
She took him in with a frown before answering. "I think-" She took in a breath. "I need more time. You really hurt me, Jack. Do you understand that?"
Jack took a long look at her then sighed, shaking his head. "Well then, guess I gotta change your mind, huh?" Come on."
"No, Jack-" She watched him open a hatch from the roof and let it descend. "Um, where are we going?" Lily asked.
"To change your mind." He called out as he climbed the steps. "Bring the glasses."
Lily looked over at the champagne glasses and sighed. She had no choice but to follow him.
"You coming, Lillian?" Jack called out from the roof.
Grabbing the glasses she rolled her eyes and made her way to the steps. "Can you stop it with the Lillian? It's worst than Red."
-
Her jaw dropped when she seemed to be standing on air. "Wait? I know I'm standing on something?
Jack seemed proud that he stumped her. He pulled out a remote and pressed a button making the spaceship appear under their feet.
"So you have an invisible spaceship? Tethered up Big Ben for what exactly?" She asked.
"The first rule of active camouflage," He popped open the bottle of champagne and started to fill up their glasses. "Park somewhere you'll remember." He took a sip out of his and smirked at her over the rim. "Have I impressed you, Miss Carter?"
Lily grinned and shook her head. She thought back to the TARDIS and knew no ship could be as beautiful as she was.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Mr. Harkness."
-
The duo found Nancy storing food she got from the kitchen into a shack. The Doctor smiled and waiting for her to notice them. When she did she seemed annoyed. "How'd you two follow me here?"
"I'm good at following." He replied. "Got the nose for it."
"Yeah?" Nancy snorted. "That's why it's-"
When she stopped abruptly, The Doctor tilted his head. "What?"
"Nothing."
"What?"
"Nothing." She gave them a little smile. "Do your ears have special powers or something?"
"What are you trying to say?"
Rose stifled in a laugh, knowing what Nancy was trying to say.
She shook her head. "Goodnight Mister."
The Doctor blocked her path when she tried to leave. "Nancy, there's something you and the other kids. Looks like a boy and it isn't a boy, and it started about a month ago, right?" By the look on her face, the Doctor knew he was right. "The thing I'm looking for, the thing that fell from the sky, that's when it landed. And you know what I'm talking about, don't you?"
She nodded slowly. "There was a bomb. A bomb that wasn't a bomb. Fell the other end of Limehouse Green Station."
"Take us there."
"There are soldiers guarding it. Barbed wire. You'll never get through." She exclaimed.
"Try me."
"You sure you want to know what's going on in there?"
"I really want to know."
"Then there's someone you need to talk to first."
"Who's that?" Rose asked.
"The Doctor."
The Doctor and Rose looked at each other, both with the same look of confusion on their faces.
-
The two of them sat on the ship looking out onto the city, casually sipping on their glasses.
"So you say that this Time Agency takes away your memories. They did it before you met me?"
"Correct." Jack nodded
"Why didn't they take away your memories again after they sent you away again?" Lily asked then took a sip out of her glass.
"Because," Jack shrugged and took a drink out of his glass before responding. "They didn't want me to fall in love again. They wanted me to learn my lesson and I can't do that if I forgot you."
Lily nodded then looked over at London and realized what she was doing. "It's getting late." She came up with an excuse, standing up. "I should go."
"No, you don't," Jack said. "I know you, Lily. You're just trying to find a way to leave. Aren't I right?"
"Can you blame me?" She let out a short laugh. "I was just getting over you and here you are! Confusing me."
Jack took a few steps closer to her. "I don't think you can get over me." With his free hand, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Like I never got over you."
"There's this guy!" She quickly shouted
Jack took a step back, not wanting to believe what he just heard. "Who?"
"The Time Agent I came with." She admitted.
"What's his name?" Jack tried to hold his composure.
Lily had to think fast. "Mr. Spock?"
God. Couldn't think of anything better Carter?
"I see." Jack couldn't hide how disappointed he was. "I bet he's a great guy."
"He's the greatest." She smiled thinking back to her Doctor. When she started talking about him she completely forgot she was talking to her ex. "It's not just his looks but it's his personality. We travel a lot and every time we go to a new place his eyes light up. He's so kind, brave, generous to others around him. He loves to help people."
"You love him, don't you?" It physical hurt Jack to ask that but he had to.
"I don't know. I haven't thought about it." She looked at him with a confused look, "I've been running from every guy who wanted a relationship with me because of you but now that I think about it-"
She paused for a moment. Her eyes widen when she finally realized something. "Yes. I love him. I've only known him a short time but, that time was long enough." She had a smile on her face like a child in a candy store. "I love him. Oh my God! Am I crazy?"
Jack shrugged and took a very long sip out of the champagne bottle until his glass was empty. "The same thing happened to me. Except it took only an hour," he looked at her. "and I was yours."
Lily realized who she was talking too about this and she instantly felt regret. "Jack. I'm so sorry. Really I am-"
"No. It's okay." Jack forced a smile. "Just remember. You may move on but I don't think I can."
"Jack-"
"How about we change up the mood in here? You like Glenn Miller?"
She yelped when Jack pulled her waist to him and Moonlight Serenade begins to play. To make Jack happy she went along with it and they started swaying to the music. "I'd like to make a deal with Spock."
Lily's eyebrow raised. "What kind of deal?"
"It's 1941, the height of the London Blitz, the height of the German bombing campaign, and something else have fallen on London. A fully equipped Chula warship." He spoke as her eyes grew in shock. "The last one in existence, armed to the teeth. And I know where it is because I parked it. If the Agency can name the right price, I can get it for you. But in two hours, a German bomb is going to fall on it and destroy it forever. That's your deadline. That's the deal. Now, shall we discuss payment?"
"I know you, Jack. You're bluffing."
"Am I?" He smirked. "Two hours and the bomb falls. They'll be nothing left but dust and a crater."
"Why are you acting like this?" This wasn't the Jack Lily used to know.
"I'd like to think of myself as a criminal now." He pulled her closer making Lily's face turn red. He knew she loved the Doctor so why was he doing this?
"So you're not a time agent anymore? You're just a freelancer?"
"Yep. So relationships are available?" He gave her a cheeky grin.
"Seriously?" Lily pulled back a little. "I just told you I was in love with someone else. I thought you were okay with that?"
"Eh. A guy can dream?" Jack let go of her and went to open the hatch again. "Now, this Time Agent you're in love with? How can I get the money from him?"
"Well, I guess you can come with me?" She looked out onto London and groaned. "Shoot! How can I find him in this city?"
"It's fine." He shrugged. "I'll do a scan for alien tech."
Lily's jaw dropped. "Yes! Finally!"
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- KleeAlise11