124 Howls: Loss and Hugs

[Jack isn't cursed today but he is out and about enjoying the benefits of the curse. He spies the woman who had talked to him the first day he arrived here across the square. Saying hello to her could go either way, he suspects, since their first conversation wasn't so good.

But, he decides to stubbornly try again. A woman can't hate a guy who doesn't even know her forever, can she? Surely not. So he crosses the way and waves to her, smiling broadly.]

Great day to be out, isn't it? All the hugging and the endless possibilities that go along with the hugging.

[Jack was the last person Mercy had expected to see. Part of her just wanted to run, but she was cursed, so she found herself flinging her arms around him in a hug.

And then bursting into extremely embarrassing tears.]

[Well, maybe she doesn't hate him, which would be a relief to Jack. Bipolar is much less confusing. He's ridden the emotional roller-coasters of a few people before and even enjoyed it at times. So bipolar is much better than loathing. He can work with emotionally unstable.

He holds onto her tight in return for a few moments, then kisses what he can reach, which his her forehead.]

Hey, I didn't mean to make you cry. Just a good day to be out. You should be smiling about it really. It's a happy cry, right? Hugs should make people happy.

[Mercy attempted to pull away, trying to stop the tears from coming and failing miserably.]

Please, I can't -

You don't understand. I can't do this.

[Once she tries to pull away, he lets go. He'd rather have a willing party than an unwilling one. And he doesn't really understand her reaction, so he even goes so far as to take two steps back just to make sure that she understands that he isn't making her do anything. He doesn't even point out that she hugged him first, although he's thinking it.]

Hey, it's alright. [No it's not because he really doesn't get it.] Hugs aren't for everyone. Just thought I'd say hello, see if we could get off on a better foot than before. But making you cry wasn't on the agenda, I promise. In fact, I make it a point to try not to make people cry, unless its with happiness, or arousal, or because they're glad to see me after so long.

[Mercy shook her head, grateful for the small distance he'd given her, even though all her body wanted to do was go back into his arms. He felt like her Jack, he smelled like her Jack, he held her like her Jack.]

I'm sorry.

[If she sounded utterly wretched and miserable, well, it was because she was.]

None of this is your fault.

I...

[It wasn't fair, and Mercy was, of all things, fair. She had to tell him, no matter how pathetic and embarrassed it made her feel.]

I... look...

Before you arrived here there was another Jack Harkness. He'd been here for quite a while.

[This was incredibly, miserably hard.]

We were - I loved him. And he cared enough about me that I was the only one he slept with. I didn't care about the flirting and casual kissing, but the sex part I did - and he cared enough that he was okay with that.

[She knew that any Jack Harkness would understand how much that agreement meant - and how much she must have meant to that other Jack.]

I never dreamed he would - but he did and we... we were very happy. It was all very new and special even though we'd lived in the same house together for six months or more before anything happened between us.

Then he... disappeared from the City, which had happened before and - well, when you showed up I thought you were him and when you weren't - when you flirted with me just like I was any random stranger you'd met, I thought -

I thought I'd just fall into a million pieces.

[Well, this was awkward. And sad. And now he understood, kind of. He still couldn't because he had no context to have any of the emotional additive onto this that Mercy did. But he understood now that this was very real for her, or whatever had been between her and whatever version of him who had been here before was very real to her. And of course he looked like himself. He was himself. He couldn't help it.

But everything clicked now. He could understand. And he got it. And he wasn't sure what to say now. Jack Harkness was rarely at a loss for words, but he was now.

He stood there, eyeing her for several moments, turning everything she'd just told him over in his head. He would apologize but he wasn't sure what for. He would tell her it would be okay but he didn't know that it would be. Mercy seemed very distraught right now and Jack couldn't think of any way to fix it.

But at least for this brief moment, he was completely serious, no jokes, no snark, no rambles or random thoughts or run on sentences of thought that had nothing to do with the topic at hand.]

Well... I understand now. And I have to say I'm not sure what to do about it. I can try to stay away from you so that you don't... become upset like this. I don't like being the cause of people's upset unless I have good reason to be so. This is... new to me.

[Mercy shook her head.]

No, it's fine. I... I know you're not him. Just -

[She closed her eyes.]

This stupid curse. I can't stop hugging people and once I was in your arms...

I would have been okay otherwise.

[She made a face.]

All right, not quite okay, but I'm getting there, I swear. I knew another Jack before... before my Jack and, well... damn this City is weird - but both of them were good men and...

Just... be patient with me, okay? I don't - none of this is about you.

[Rose is running some errands as well. She smiles when she sees Mercy and heads in for a hug.[

[Mercy hugged Rose back happily.]

Rose! Haven't seen you in a while.

[Penny is out and about and generally running around like a very busy chicken with its head cut off (as usual). She catches sight of Mercy--she has only seen her on the network--and goes to introduce herself in person.

Before she can get an introduction in, she finds herself giving Mercy a hug.]

[Mercy hugged her back, a little surprised, but she was cursed herself, too.]

Hi. Penny, right?

Yeah s'been a while. How're you doin'?

Yep, I'm Penny--and that wasn't exactly how I meant to say hello. Mercy?

[ Ignore the fact there is a complete stranger throwing his arms around him. This is a special moment. ]

You're right about this place being weird. I don't much like the idea of other me's running about. Although there was that one dream I had where there were two o--...

[Back to joking and feigned light-heartedness in a situation that was probably anything but for Mercy. And he realizes this. He shouldn't be making light of the situation, no. But he doesn't exactly have the memories to make him be all emotional about it either. He's from a time where he isn't looking to get attached. In fact, he's from a time when he's running from anything remotely resembling attached.

His hands in his pants pockets, he rocks back and forth on his feet a few times, trying to get back to the seriousness that this conversation and the emotional woman in front of him demands.]

I'll be patient. I have all the time in the world Ms... you know you never even told me your name the first time we spoke.

Hanging in, you know? More friends left. The usual.

How about you?

Yes, that's me. Nice to actually meet you in person.

Sorry.

[She blushed a bit.]

I'm cursed today, which means I'm hugging everyone who walks by

[Mercy blushed.]

I'm sorry. My name is Mercedes Thompson. Mercy.

I live in the beach house where the other access to the mini-hub is and all sorts of other Torchwood stuff.

And, thanks. I appreciate it.

I'd like to see if perhaps we could become friends, but... when I see you, I think - well... it's hard to keep remembering you're not my Jack.

[It felt odd to hear someone say the words 'my Jack' as if someone owned him. Torchwood had pretty much owned him for awhile back in the day when it had been corrupt, and since then Jack had never let anyone claim him like that. He had somewhat regretted that he hadn't with Ianto but then again he had only regretted it after it had been too late.

Nevertheless, it was strange and Jack looks at Mercy with a curious silence for a few moments before speaking again. He gives her a fantastic smile and and bows at the waist in a most dramatic fashion.]

Well, Mercy. I can't say it hasn't been interesting meeting you, both the first time and now. And let me add that you give excellent hugs. And despite our rough beginning and the emotions that went with them, I'm pretty sure you would have to be spectacular for any version of me to befriend you in any way.

[He winks.] But how about we let you dictate the friendship, as it were, any way you want it. The speed at which it progresses, I mean. Then you can see me or not depending on the kind of day you're having. That way I'm not at fault for any discomfort you may feel. Does that sound like a good plan?

The same to you. Oh--and I promise I'm not usually quite so touchy-feely. Curse. You know how it is.

[Mercy couldn't help but laugh a little at the bow, even as her eyes welled up from the way his words touched her. She spoke lightly, as jokingly as she could manage through the emotions.]

As if you wouldn't befriend anyone who smiled at you. But thank you.

That sounds like a very good plan. But please know that I wouldn't in any way hold you at fault for anything. That's all on me.

Trust me, I understand. I'm not usually like this either.

Good! Great! Then this totally isn't awkward.

[Actually, it kind of is.]

How're you doing?

124 Howls: Loss and Hugs

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