Chapter Text
Just a Perfect Friendship
Chapter One
Never as Planned
Disclaimer: Jack Harkness belongs to the BBC. Theodore (T-Rex) Galloway belongs to Transformers (specifically Revenge of the Fallen, though he’s not such a creep here); The Mikado belongs to Gilbert and Sullivan, and Anything Goes belongs to Cole Porter. Everyone and everything else belongs to me. . .including UWP and its environs.
Western Pennsylvania
Off-Campus Housing of University of Western Pennsylvania
June 1995
“Do I even want to know where you learned to dance? Or is that one of those state secrets where you’d have to kill me if you ever told me?” As opening lines went, that wasn’t too bad. Not as good as one of his, but good enough. His guide rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath about stupid grad students, but led him into what looked like a living room or den. He thanked her with one of his more brilliant smiles. She blinked, returned the smile, and then wandered off, allowing him to observe his quarry from the shadows. Standing in the middle of the room was a dark-haired young man, maybe twenty-five or twenty-six, who was the most likely owner of the voice. In his arms was a very familiar young woman, head bowed as she studied the placement of their feet. At least, he hoped that was the case. ‘Cause if it wasn’t, well. . .
After a moment, the dark head came back up, she adjusted the man’s grip on her. . .which somehow it migrated to the curve of her hip and was inching around to her posterior. Next time, break his wrist, Lace, the watcher thought. Lacey instead trod on the boy’s foot as an object lesson and replied, “A family friend. Same reason I occasionally say something about ‘posting the mail’ or something similar. He lived in Cardiff. . . that’s in Wales, by the way. Anyhow, he taught me to dance. Among other things.”
“We do know where Cardiff is, Lacey, we aren’t total idiots,” another, slightly older man said, “and I thought you used British terms on occasion because you lived there.” Lacey Keller tossed a rather dark look over her shoulder at him, adjusted the younger man’s grip on her again, and made a motion to the second man. He obligingly turned on the CD player, only to wince when Metallica blasted from the speakers. The watcher grinned and shook his head. Amateur. This time, he saw Lacey’s dance partner slide his hand to her rump. Lacey turned her attention back to him, slapped his hand, and then moved it back to her hip.
“Honest to Christ, David, you do that one more time and I’ll break your damn wrist! People talk about Jack being bad!” Lacey huffed, sounding more like her father than her mother. Not that this was necessarily a bad thing. The newcomer smiled softly, just waiting for the right moment to reveal his presence. Lacey went on, “No, T-Rex, Dad was never stationed in Britain. Italy, yes, but not Britain. And while I’m thinking about it, do either of you boys know how that crap got in my CD player? ‘Cause I deliberately chose Cole Porter for this particular dance. Or is someone trying to pay me back for last week’s entertainment?”
“I wasn’t trying to grope you, Lace, my hand just slipped. And you keep talking about this mysterious friend of yours, ‘Jack,’ when do we get to meet him?” the young man named ‘David’ asked. Lacey bought that excuse as much as the watcher did: not at all. The young man added, “And no, I don’t know who put Metallica in your CD player. No, neither of us were trying to pay you back for dragging us to see ‘The Mikado’ last week, and. . .OW! Lacey! That hurt!” Was he sulking? Yeah, it sure looked that way. Good girl, the watcher thought, just like I taught you. Just give his arm a very small twist the next time you use that move.
“I did warn you, David. And you’ll meet Jack when I can be sure he won’t terrify you. I trust him, but I don’t think either of you are man enough to meet him face to face. Might make you feel lacking,” Lacey responded, stepping back. Now he could see her face, and while she was irritated with the man she was trying to help, she wasn’t actually angry. But he was curious to hear what would come next, given the way both David and ‘T-Rex’ were glaring at her. Lacey simply smirked, adding, “Jack is utterly gorgeous, incredibly charming, and very dangerous. You could learn a few lessons from him, David, in terms of charm. I’m kinda glad Jack isn’t here right now. If he saw you groping me, he’d either break your arm or ask if he can join in.”
“Now that’s the best offer I’ve heard all day. Happy birthday, Alexandra,” Captain Jack Harkness said, leaving the shadows. The two men actually yelped, and David shot across the room, well away from Lacey. . .who looked surprised, but not even close to being shocked. Hmm. He would have to work on that. Later. Jack smirked, re-focusing his attention more fully on the dark-haired young woman standing before him. She was dressed in black jeans and a white camisole, her dark hair loose across her shoulders, reminding him that yes, she was a young woman, not a little girl. And she was beautiful. Lacey bounced across the room and right into his arms. Jack laughed aloud, spinning her around. As he did, he took note of the completely gob-smacked expressions of the two men. Excellent.
At last, he settled Lacey on her feet once more and kissed her forehead, repeating, “Happy birthday, Lacey-girl. I’m impressed; it’s not like you to suggest a threesome. Have they been corrupting you?” Lacey rolled her eyes at him, and Jack was pleased to note that the two men were even more gob-smacked. Then he returned his attention to Lacey, looking over the changes in her over the last two years. . .and changes, there were. For one thing, she was far more comfortable in her own skin. There was none of the awkwardness he remembered in the stray moments when she forgot she was supposed to be keeping her distance (before she kissed him, that is). And, the girl he encountered in Kentucky two years earlier would have never talked to her friends the way she just did. . .and, he found, it was appealing. Very, very appealing. This girl took very little nonsense.
“I suppose you could say that. Jack, this is Theodore Galloway, a doctoral candidate in the political science department. But I call him ‘T-Rex.’ Don’t ask why, just go with it. I think the explanation would even break your brain. And Mr. Groper here is David Wesley, a doctoral candidate in Criminology. I’ve been trying to teach him to dance. . .but maybe you could do a better job of it?” Lacey queried, arching her eyebrow at him suggestively. Oh. This was definitely not the girl he remembered. He liked it even more when the dark-haired young man introduced as ‘David’ squeaked. Lacey grinned, adding, “Boys, this is Captain Jack Harkness, who taught me to shoot, to defend myself, and to dance.”
“All very true. I gave her a well-rounded education,” Jack observed with a suggestive grin. Walked right into that one, Lacey-girl, he thought. Lacey evidently didn’t disagree, as she simply rolled her eyes again and swatted his shoulder affectionately. He grasped her wrist and pulled her against his side in a one-armed hug, kissing the top of her head as he added, “And since today is her twenty-first birthday, I thought I’d take her out to dinner and a show. Any suggestions?” Lacey’s hand came up to cover Jack’s hand over her shoulder, something else that was new. While she was always affectionate while she was growing up, and even demonstrative, she always kept the touches to hugs and kisses. Yes. . .yes, he liked the changes in Lacey very much.
“Uh. . .uhm. . .well, there’s a production of Anything Goes in town. Lacey’s already seen it, that’s how she dragged us to see The Mikado, af. . .OW! Galloway, quit with the smacking, you’re as bad as Lacey!” David replied, glaring at the innocent-looking doctoral candidate. Innocent, except to someone like Jack, who recognized the mischief lurking in the other man’s eyes. He should, he saw that expression when he looked in a mirror. And now that he noted the changes in Lacey, he turned his full attention to her two companions, giving each an appreciative once-over. David was in his middle twenties, perhaps twenty-five or twenty-six, with smooth dark hair, chocolate brown eyes and a baby face: a fellow pretty boy. Not really Lacey’s type, to the best of his knowledge. . .and why was he thinking about Lacey’s type anyhow? Ah yes, because he cared for her and didn’t want to see her hurt.
He switched his attention to the man who was intriguingly called ‘T-Rex.’ He was, as Lacey observed, a doctoral candidate, so he was about a decade older than Lacey. Like David, he had dark hair and dark eyes, but the lines of his face were more. . .interesting. He wasn’t as pretty as David, but he was still quite attractive in an understated way. In a way, that made him more intriguing. Yes, they were both good-looking men, and he was more than a little curious about their relationship(s) with Lacey. He didn’t think she had a romantic interest in either, but asked, “So, would you like to tell me why Lacey is teaching a future Criminologist how to dance?” For the first time, he noticed a wedding band on David’s hand, and refrained from asking any embarrassing questions of his young friend. She likely wouldn’t appreciate it.
“I dunno, would you like to ask why I’m teaching him?” Lacey retorted, her eyes dancing with merriment. Jack bit back a grin. . .that’s my girl! Lacey continued after a moment, “David did something mind-bogglingly stupid, and he’s trying to woo back his lady love.” T-Rex snickered, quieting only at a Keller Glare. Lacey returned her attention to Jack, explaining, “Since I’m such a nice person, I agreed to help him. . .at least, try to help him. . .although I’d do better if he wasn’t more interested in my rear than in the moves I’m trying to teach him. You want to win Allie back, David, not pick up Mrs. Wesley Number Two. And no comment from the peanut gallery, Harkness, I have absolutely no issue with using your own lessons against you.” T-Rex roared with laughter, David turned pink, and Jack simply smirked at the girl.
“But it’s such a nice rear! Curves in all the right places!” Jack teased and Lacey rolled her eyes, swatting him once again. Jack shook his head, adding, “Okay, saying that just felt so wrong. Sorry, Lacey-girl. However. If you’re done with the dancing lesson, perhaps you’d like to accompany me to your birthday dinner and show? What time does the show start? And would you two fine gentlemen like to recommend a nice restaurant?” In all the years he traveled the United States during his exile, he’d never been to this part of Western Pennsylvania. And one thing he learned was to listen to the locals with regards to the cuisine and local attractions. They lived here, after all.
“Take her to Carlo’s. It’s an Italian restaurant down the street from the playhouse and they know Lacey there,” T-Rex suggested. Oh, really? He was quite sure there was a story there! Jack smirked at Lacey, who responded with the time-honored tradition of sticking her tongue out. He considered telling her that he could find far better uses for her tongue, but decided against it. She was liable to hurt him very badly. He taught her, after all. And her means of inflicting pain would be exceedingly unpleasant. T-Rex added, “And she’s right about one thing. . .you really don’t want to know how I ended up the nickname of ‘T-Rex,’ Captain Harkness.”
“Then I won’t ask. Pick you up at seven, Lacey-Lace?” Jack asked the brunette. She consulted her watch. . .it was currently four thirty. . .and nodded once. Jack leaned down and kissed the top of her head, saying, “Then I’ll pick you up at your apartment after I make preparations of my own. Oh, don’t give me that look, Alexandra, of course I know where your apartment is, and of course I went there first. Your roommate’s. . .interesting.” Her eyes narrowed, and Jack braced himself for the swat he knew was coming. What she did was far worse: she pinched his cheek. The upper one, that is, and he responded with an outraged glare. What was that for?
She simply smirked at him, replying, “You’re just so cute when you’re annoyed with me!” Oooh, she would so pay for that later! Before he picked her up, he would have to check at this Carlo’s, see if they would sing ‘happy birthday.’ Lacey hated getting attention like that. He smiled at her sweetly, drawing a suspicious look. Good. He liked to keep her guessing; it kept her attention. Jack leaned over and kissed her cheek, before waving cheerfully at the two men. T-Rex smiled back, and just for fun, Jack winked suggestively at them both. David choked and turned dark pink, while T-Rex just rolled his eyes. Evidently, Lacey told him enough about Jack so that it didn’t take him off guard. Fine. Spoil his fun.
“Drive careful, Captain Harkness,” the ever-polite David called as Jack turned and left the room. He responded with a jaunty wave, already making plans in his head. Aside from the staff at Carlo’s singing ‘happy birthday’ to Lacey, he wanted to make sure that this evening went off perfectly. His Lacey was turning twenty-one, and he wanted everything wonderful for her birthday. . .damn near perfect, if possible.
Of course, it never quite worked out that way with them.
TWTWTWTWTW
After Jack left, Lacey and David did a few more turns about the front room before Lacey gave up on the lessons for the day. Besides, David had some work to do, and so, Lacey said good-bye to her friends at five thirty. . .or rather, said good-bye to David, since T-Rex drove her back to her apartment. On the way back to the apartment, Lacey thought about Jack’s unexpected visit. That was a lovely surprise. . .she never expected Jack to turn up on her birthday, although maybe she should have. Over the last twenty years, he only missed one birthday, four years earlier. . . and that was because he suffered a particularly agonizing death, and was still recovering his strength. However, he made up for it by buying her a small handgun and teaching her to use it.
This year, she anticipated not seeing him because he was supposedly in South Africa, following up on a lead regarding some old friends of his. Not the Doctor. . . Jack told her more about the Doctor the previous year, though not why there was such a haunted look in his eyes when he spoke of the man who changed Jack from a con artist to a good man. His words, not Lacey’s. Her dad told her that the Doctor helped Jack to get his priorities straight, but he didn’t make Jack into something he wasn’t already. They traveled together for a matter of months, and it wasn’t possible to change an adult male that much in that short period of time. Rather, Dad said, he reminded Jack of whom he truly was. And that was reason enough to be grateful to him.
Strangely, she wasn’t that surprised to find that Jack was once a con artist. He told her more than once while she was growing up that there were times in his life when he did things he wasn’t especially proud of. If her memory served (which she thought it did), he didn’t want her thinking that he was something he wasn’t. So yes, she knew about some of those things of which he wasn’t proud, including the actions which led to his exile in the nineteen sixties. And as for those things which she didn’t know, well. . . Very little about Jack surprised her, at this point. After learning the man couldn’t stay dead, everything else was. . .well, you learned to expect just about anything. And then when you took into account that he was born three thousand years in the future, traveled through time, and went through World War II twice (as well as World War One), mundane took on a whole new meaning. So did passé.
She grimaced a little as her mind drifted to her roommate. Her roommate, whom Jack met. Mundane, passé. That was often how Anika described anyone who wasn’t her. Admittedly, she got along all right with Anika at first, but that was when Kara lived with them as well, and she was a buffer between the other two girls. Lacey was glad of the adjective Jack used to describe Anika. If he said anything about how pretty she was or how charming or anything of that nature, she probably would have slapped him.
As T-Rex pulled up in front of the apartment building, he said softly, “Don’t let Anika get to you, Lace. She’s jealous of you.” Lacey raised her eyebrows and he repeated, “She’s jealous of you. You have everything she’s ever wanted. Your parents have been happily married for nearly twenty-five years, you and Kara were extremely close, your grades are consistently better, and even if he’s just a family friend, Captain Harkness clearly adores you. Don’t let her upset you.”
“You scare me sometimes, T-Rex, you really do,” Lacey said, shaking her head. He responded with his best ‘who, me’ look, utterly spoiled by the mischievous glint in his eyes. She smiled at her friend, kissed his cheek, and murmured, “Thanks. I’ll try to keep that in mind. See you tomorrow? I don’t think David’s gonna let this thing with Allie go.” Not that she blamed him for trying to hold onto his marriage. However, there were times when she really wondered about her friend. She expected Jack to be Jack. He wasn’t from this time or place. But David was another story entirely.
She shook her head, smiled at T-Rex again, and then got out of the car. Dinner at Carlo’s, then the playhouse. While it didn’t matter to Jack what she wore, it mattered to her. So. A variation on what she was wearing right now. . .a white blouse and black trousers, maybe the trousers that she and Kara bought the last time they went shopping together, right before Kara moved out? That would work. Lacey nodded thoughtfully. Her outfit was settled, which brought up the question of her jewelry. White and black. . .maybe the opal necklace and earrings her dad brought back for her during one of his TDY assignments? She mentally visualized it, and liked what she saw. Shoes. They had to be dressy but comfortable. Even innocent outings with Jack could turn. . .ah. . .messy. He wasn’t a Boy Scout, but he also couldn’t turn away from a problem. So. The black moccasins? Dressy, but very comfortable and she learned the hard way that she could run in them, when she realized she was late to class after lunch one day. Excellent.
So, the only thing left to do was grab her shower and hopefully Anika wouldn’t annoy her. To be fair, Anika did try to be a good roommate. . .however, she had a nasty habit of talking down to Lacey, as if she was a none-too-bright five year old. Considering Lacey never talked that way to Cissie even as a baby, it was more than a little insulting. Both Kara and Lacey warned her about it, but Anika just sulked and pouted and otherwise ignored the other two girls. Not for the first time, she thought she should have gone home to her parents as soon as the semester ended, but Kara needed her help and Lacey never could say ‘no’ to a friend in need, not with everything Kara did for her while they lived together, especially after Lacey first arrived in the Keystone State.
She would be leaving next week, though, to spend two months with her parents and sisters in Indiana. Fort Ben would be her father’s last posting. . .he was fifty-seven years old, with thirty-five years in the Army. He was ready. And, it was rumored that Fort Ben would be closed with BRAAC. The only question in Lacey’s mind was if her mother was ready. In the twenty plus years of their marriage, her father spent almost as much time away as he did at home, and to suddenly have her husband underfoot? Lacey was now old enough for her mother to start confiding in her, which sometimes made the girl a bit uncomfortable, but at the same time. . .at the same time, she was proud that her mother thought she was mature enough to be a confidant. She felt as she did when Jack told her things about his past, things that made it clear that he trusted her. And speaking of Jack, she needed to get her shower! Although, knowing him, he’d probably enjoy seeing. . .ah, no. Let’s not go there, Alexandra Elizabeth!
The apartment was blessedly free of her remaining roommate. Lacey made short work of obtaining the outfit in question, undressing (finding in her back pocket a twenty dollar bill. . .so that was what David was doing!), chose her favorite body wash, and commenced her shower. She was excited about tonight, incredibly excited. Being out with Jack was always fun. Even when she was a child, simply being around Jack was an adventure, but if he took her someplace, with or without her sisters? The man could even make a trip to the grocery store lots of fun. Lacey remembered sitting in the basket of the buggy as a very small girl, giggling as Jack played secret agent in the aisles of the grocery store, complete with sound effects, eyes darting around comically. He was good at that, good at those. When she thought about it, there wasn’t much he couldn’t do.
He was one of the few men she ever met who had no issue with playing dolls with little girls. Cissie told her during their last telephone conversation that Jack played for hours with her. Lacey smiled, remembering the awe and joy in her baby sister’s voice. While she was thinking these pleasant thoughts, the change in water pressure alerted her to the return of her roommate. Lacey rolled her eyes. Oh well. It was nice while it lasted. At least Anika had the good sense not to barge into the bathroom. Usually. Still, just to be safe, she finished rinsing, turned off the water, stepped out of the shower and began drying herself. Her precautions paid off when, as she finished buttoning up her blouse, the door to the bathroom flew open and Anika inquired, “Have a date tonight? With that dishy guy who came here looking for you this afternoon? Did he find you?” None of your damn business, was Lacey’s initial thought. However, she merely smiled.
“Jack’s taking me out to dinner, a birthday celebration for the big two-one,” she replied, pulling her shoulder-length hair away from her face and into a barrette. . . another gift from one of Dad’s temporary duty assignments. In the mirror, she caught sight of Anika’s face and groaned silently. Terrific. She had her ‘concerned friend’ face on, which meant it was likely that Lacey would want to punch her in about two minutes. Maybe something along the lines of how Jack was out of her league, and she should really focus on boys closer to home? Most likely. She would say she was telling Lacey all this as her friend, but during those conversations, Lacey always heard the edge of something else in her voice. And that lifelong companion inside her mind that told her how to react in certain situations, that saved her life almost as often as Jack had. . .that voice confirmed what T-Rex said. That Anika was jealous of her.
She was proven right a moment later when Anika began, “Lacey, I’m only saying this as your friend and because I care about you, but you do realize he’s not interested in you that way, don’t you? I mean, you’re a nice girl and all, but he. . . he’s absolutely gorgeous, to say nothing of being several years older than you are and much more sophisticated.” In other words, a plain little nothing like you couldn’t possibly offer Captain Jack Harkness anything that he might want. Lacey called it right. She desperately wanted to deck Anika right now. However, her mother raised her to be a lady and she wouldn’t punch her. Yet.
“I’ve known Jack my entire life, Anika, and he’s interested in just about everyone that way. Before you say anything else, he’s shed blood defending my life and my honor. My family has been honored to be his friend for years,” Lacey replied. Which told the other girl absolutely nothing, but it wasn’t really any of Anika’s business. And, she knew she should probably thank Anika for being ‘concerned,’ but right now, she wasn’t in the mood to be nice. She had to finish getting ready for her celebratory dinner with Jack, and Anika was dangerously close to pissing her off. To drive her point home, she brushed by the other girl, heading for her bedroom and her jewelry box. Unfortunately, Anika followed her.
“I just don’t want to see you get hurt. You’re so sensitive and soft-hearted. . .” the other girl said. Lacey stopped dead in her tracks and pivoted to face her roommate, hitting Anika with the full force of the Keller Glare. Anika swallowed hard and backed up a few steps. Satisfied, Lacey turned back around, resuming her strides toward her room. Hitting Anika was out, but if she continued pushing, Lacey would roll out the big guns. . .The Kiss. And yes, she mentally capitalized those words when she remembered that day in the storage room of the skating rink. She might have initiated The Kiss, but Jack wasn’t exactly fighting her off.
In fact. . .forget Anika pushing further. She settled herself on her bed, sifting through her jewelry box, and informed her remaining roommate, “And just so you know. . .two years ago, when I was home from college, my parents noticed that things were strained between Jack and me.” She opted not to tell Anika why things were strained between them, choosing to continue, “They locked us in a room together and while we were working out our issues, I kissed him. On the mouth. With my tongue. And he kissed me back.” She made sure she stressed all three points. . .Anika tended to resist/dismiss anything that threatened her view of Lacey as an innocent, dim-witted rural hayseed chick. Evidently, she missed the memo that her innocent hayseed roommate grew up around the world. Typical.
It was supremely uncharitable to take pleasure in Anika’s wop-jawed expression, but she did it anyhow. Lacey merely smiled serenely and put on the finishing touches. . .her favorite perfume (a gift from her mother), the opal set given to her by her father and the watch Jack himself gave her for her sixteenth birthday. And showing that incredible timing Jack often demonstrated, the door bell rang and Jack called, “Hi honey, I’m home!” Lacey snickered and slid her feet into the moccasins. Trust Jack to make an entrance. She rose to her feet, brushing past Anika, and picked up her purse on the way to the staircase. At the bottom of the stairs, Jack waited, face upturned. She gave herself a moment to enjoy the sight of her oldest and dearest friend, attired in his customary greatcoat. . .and in a suit and tie, rather than his ‘uniform’ of black trousers, blue shirt, white undershirt, and suspenders? He looked even more gorgeous than usual.
She descended the stairs, having learned a thing or two about timing and drama from Jack himself, and was pleased to see that his eyes never left her. She reached the bottom step, and Jack murmured, “You look amazing, Alexandra. Need to take a picture of you to send to your mom and dad and sisters.” He raised her hand to his lips, brushing a kiss across her knuckles. Then he looked past her, most likely to see Anika at the top of the stairs, and his eyes grew cold briefly. But only briefly. In the next moment, Jack’s eyes flickered back to her, and they warmed by several degrees. But what really surprised her was what he did next. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. And Lacey promptly lost all capacity for rational thought. She was only vaguely aware of her hands knotting in his suspenders, as they did the first time she kissed him, and of the moan she made deep in her throat as the kiss deepened. When he pulled away, himself looking a bit dazed, Jack smiled at her softly and murmured, “Ready to go, then?”
Lacey bobbed her head, blinking the stars out of her eyes, and he continued, “Then your chariot awaits, m’lady.” He drew her down the last step, offered her his arm, and they walked out of the apartment together. Jack, showing the manners she knew he had (and used when he wanted to), opened the car door for her, waited until she was comfortable in the front seat, then closed the door. When he joined her in the car a moment later, he said softly, “I hope you don’t mind my entrance. . .or the kiss. . .but I really didn’t like the way she talked about you when I first went to your apartment.” Lacey blinked in shock. Mind? The kiss? Was he INSANE????? However, she restrained herself. For now.
“You’ll get no argument from me. I came awfully close to punching her while I was getting dressed, since she kept harping on how gorgeous you are, and how you couldn’t possibly be interested in little ol’ me,” she finally responded, buckling herself up. She ran a hand lightly over the dashboard, murmuring, “Oh, very nice. Very classy. Rental or something else?” Jack merely smiled at her, eyes twinkling with mischief. Lacey, picking up on the game immediately, added, “Ahhhh, so it’s for you to know and me to find out. Okay, boyo, I’ll play that game.”
The first place she checked was the glove compartment. Not that she expected him to put any information in there. . .that was the first place most people checked, and Jack most definitely wasn’t most people. Her companion simply laughed softly, the one that could turn her into a drooling mess, and she shot him a mock-glare.
“Have fun, sweeting. It’ll keep you occupied until we get to Carlo’s. Nice place, by the way. Reminds me of Pompeii before Vesuvius blew in some ways,” he replied, easing the SUV (black, naturally) out into traffic. Lacey didn’t bother asking him for details. Jack was a time traveler, after all. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, and then sulked for a while. Lacey bit back a grin and continued to search for the information on the car as Jack began detailing adventures he had in a toga (and out of one, too).
Since The Kiss two years earlier, he stopped hiding that part of him from her. . .and oddly enough, their friendship only improved. Or maybe not so oddly. Jack no longer had to protect her from his pheromones or from his darker side. He could relax, be himself. By the time they reached the restaurant, Lacey still hadn’t found the paperwork (surprise, surprise), but she heard countless stories about Jack through space and time, sometimes with clothes and sometimes without. He rarely told her stories about the Doctor though, or Rose, whom he also mentioned. The more Lacey thought about it, the more she thought her mom was right. . .he didn’t tell stories about those two because he genuinely loved them. She could understand. They were kinda sacred, the way she rarely talked about The Kiss.
Anika was a rarity. . .in more than one way. As he had when they left the apartment, Jack opened the door for her and offered his arm. At the door, they were met by Carlo himself. . .and that alone warned her that Jack was up to something. Probably payback for pinching his cheek. That was okay. She could live with that. Twould be an interesting night, no matter what happened.
TWTWTWTWTWTW
She had a habit of looking at him, as if trying to figure out whether she should believe him or not as he told her stories of his travels, then giving what amounted to a mental shrug. Her way of saying it didn’t really matter, he supposed. But she listened intently, and answered his questions about this upcoming semester, her last year in college. No, she hadn’t made any decisions about what she would do once she finished her schooling. . .she knew from listening to him about the gap year, but didn’t that generally come before university in Europe?
It did, he acknowledged, but she was American, as she reminded him every time he corrected her on the great ‘suspenders vs. braces’ debate. That made her laugh, as it was meant to, then returned her attention to the even greater question of what came next. She might teach, although the idea of dealing with unruly youngsters really didn’t thrill her. Jack couldn’t blame her there, although he did believe she had the patience for the job. That led to a conversation about her baby sisters. Bronnie was twelve now (!), even more of a tomboy, and heading to middle school or was it junior high? It seemed to vary and Jack was still working out the American school system. Cissie was six and very much the little princess. Jack loved watching Lacey’s expressions change as she talked about her sisters, remembering that combination of affection, indulgence, and exasperation from those years before Gray was taken.
After dinner was cleared away and the staff ever so obligingly sang ‘happy birthday’ to her (although not so the entire restaurant could hear), the bill was paid and they began a leisurely stroll toward the playhouse. They had thirty minutes before the show, and it was a five minute walk. Lacey’s hand was tucked into the crook of Jack’s elbow as they continued to talk. Eventually, conversation turned to Jack. . .what he was doing, if he could talk about the most recent mission. One thing about the Keller family: their acceptance when he told them that there was something he couldn’t share was priceless. Once he mentioned classified, the subject was dropped. . .there was no pressure or questions of trust. For that alone, Jack loved the Kellers.
Dinner was outstanding, the musical was as enjoyable as ever and Jack delighted in the sound of Lacey’s giggles, just as he delighted in the sensation of her head resting against his shoulder trustingly. After the show, they left the playhouse together, hand in hand, Lacey singing slightly off-key. Jack simply smiled and listened, swinging their joined hands as they walked back to the car. Of course, it couldn’t last. They were in the car and headed back to Lacey’s apartment building when something bipedal and decidedly not human, or Earth-based animal, ran out in front of the car. Jack swore and hit the brakes, pausing just long enough to make sure Lacey was okay, then gunned the engine and began chasing after. . . whatever it was.
Lacey choked out, “What is that thing? It’s heading toward the college!” Jack didn’t answer at first, keeping his quarry in his sights and in the headlights. Bipedal, obviously intelligent based on the way it left the road once it noticed it was being followed. Not good, no matter how he sliced it. It was highly unlikely that it came through the Rift in Cardiff, unless it somehow stowed away on a freighter. Which he didn’t think especially likely, but ‘unlikely’ was a far cry from ‘impossible.’ And, to her credit, Lacey didn’t ask again, trusting him to answer in his own time. . .time which was delayed when Jack ran out of drivable terrain. He swore under his breath, slammed on the brakes, and put the car in ‘park.’
“I’ve never seen anything like that, but I can tell you it doesn’t belong here,” Jack finally replied, unbuckling and racing to the back of the SUV. He wasn’t sure if he would need a weapon, but if he did, the one he needed would be in the boot. Lacey, may her god bless her, followed suit and joined him at the boot of the SUV as he sifted through the contents for what he needed. No, no, no. . .what the hell was that doing in here? Dammit, Clay! He saw Lacey blink at an obviously familiar bag lying to one side, and added, “Your mother’s idea. She seems to think that I’m a trouble magnet and wanted something for you in case something like this happened. She may have a point there.” An involuntary smile quirked at the corners of her mouth.
“Remind me to thank her for that later, on the second; and as for the first observation? Kinda figured that one out on my own, Jack, but thanks anyhow,” Lacey pointed out in an admirably calm voice. Jack smiled at her as he withdrew the gun he would need if things went pear shaped. The trouble was, if he didn’t know what it was or how it got here, it was highly likely that things were already pear-shaped. But, he had to at least try to communicate with it, not just for his own sake, but for Lacey’s and for Earth as a whole. With the way his luck often ran, it would end up being the offspring of the monarch of a planet that didn’t much care that Earth was a class five planet. Of course, if he didn’t have to kill it, there would be other complications, but those were easier to live with. Lacey added, rubbing her hands up and down her forearms (never mind that it was hardly chilly out this evening, much less cold), “So what’s the plan?”
“Do you want the truth or should I lie to you?” Jack inquired, half in fun and full in earnest. She merely glowered at him. Right. Stupid question. After all, she was John and Corinna’s daughter, and neither was known for their patience with falsehood. He sighed, “Okay, truth it is, then. I’m gonna try to talk him or her or whatever it is into leaving or at least surrendering to me. The trouble is, there’s a very good chance that won’t work and things will turn violent. Extremely violent. That’s why I need you to remain hidden. If I’m right and things go pear-shaped, I have to know you’re safe. You want to know how you can help me? You stay safe. I’ll die, but I’ll come back. You won’t. Can you do that for me?”
She wanted to argue. He could see it in her eyes. Could see the mulish desire to stay and fight at his side. And he could see the moment when that mulish wish gave way to acceptance. She didn’t like it. He didn’t like it either, for that matter. But there was a good chance any attempt she would make at helping him would end up back-firing. Not because she wasn’t smart, but because she didn’t have the experience that he did. And if he didn’t know what this was, what chance did Lacey have? Finally, Lacey said softly, “Where do you want me to hide?”
Jack looked around, and saw a copse of trees in the opposite direction from where the being was headed, and Lacey nodded, sighing, “Just promise me that you’ll be careful, please? I won’t ask you not to get yourself killed, but try to be careful?” Jack reflected a bit ruefully that he was the only person he knew who ever got a request like that, but understood what Lacey was asking. No foolish risks. That was one promise he had no trouble making. The only thing that generally hurt worse than dying was coming back to life.
“Do my best, kiddo. That’s the most I can do,” he promised, cupping her face in his hands and pressing a light kiss to her forehead. Lacey’s hands came up to cover his, and for a moment, Jack wished he could kiss her properly. But her safety was more important and so he whispered, “Go. Break cover only if you have no other choice, understand?” Lacey nodded, blinking back tears, and Jack swatted her bum to get her moving. He’d pay for that later, judging from her glare, but it was worth it. Once Lacey was a safe distance away, Jack called, pitching his voice just loud enough for the unexpected visitor to hear him and carefully speaking in Standard, “HELLO! Welcome to Earth. My name is Captain Jack Harkness, and you are?”
Much to his surprise, his quarry turned and responded in the same language, “Here to kill you, Jack Harkness, and one other, oh companion of the Doctor.” Oh, shit. Jack swung up the weapon, but before he could even aim the gun, the bounty hunter (most likely) re-materialized in front of him, swatted the gun out of his hand, and ripped open his gut, all in one motion. Jack slumped back against the car, struggling to remain conscious as his killer gloated, “I was told that you protected Earth, Companion, but hadn’t hoped to find you here. It would seem that my primary mission will be even easier to accomplish with your death. However, since you tried to be honorable, I will not take a trophy, and I will leave your little one alive.” Little one? Lacey. Lacey, stay hidden, stay safe, he thought as his vision grayed.
Stay safe. . .
TWTWTWTWTWTW
It was hardly the first time she saw Jack die, but this was probably the most horrific way yet. Lacey watched in silence from behind a tree as Jack called out to the alien. It looked like a cross between the ‘Predator’ in the movies of the same name and Boba Fett in the ‘Star Wars’ trilogy. That was freaky enough, but when Jack called out to it and it answered, Lacey was horrified to see Jack rock back on his heels a little. It surprised him, badly. That didn’t bode well for either of them. Not at all. Trust him, she told herself, because if you don’t trust him, you’re both dead. And she couldn’t do that to Jack, not after all he’d done for her and her family.
If seeing Jack’s obvious shock and even more obvious concern was bad enough, it was even worse when Jack brought the heavy-duty gun at his side up to bear toward the alien. But nothing was as shocking as the alien disappearing, reappearing in front of Jack and swiping the gun out of his grasp. A nanosecond after that, the monster eviscerated her friend and Lacey literally bit down on her hand to keep from screaming. She didn’t even remember moving her hand to her mouth. She watched Jack collapse against the SUV and the alien saunter away. It wasn’t running away. . .but moving purposefully. Toward the college. For a moment. . .a long moment, really. . .Lacey thought about staying put. Jack had more experience against the weird and bizarre than she did, and he was dead. Temporarily, but still dead.
But she was still John and Corinna Keller’s daughter, and they taught her to stand up to evil. Maybe her roommate and others would have issues with calling the being that killed her friend ‘evil.’ Right now, she didn’t care. And yes, it was possible for Jack to come back in time to stop that thing himself, but did she really want to take that chance? She wasn’t sure how long it would take Jack to resurrect, and it might be time the students at the university didn’t have. She didn’t want to move from her shelter. She didn’t want to risk her own life like this. She really, really didn’t. But she also knew she couldn’t live with herself if people died because she was too afraid to leave the safety of the trees. She at least knew what that was capable of. . .how many would die because they simply froze?
And so, Lacey crept out of the copse of trees which sheltered her. The alien that killed Jack had its back to her, so she was able to make it from the trees to Jack’s side. He was still dead. . .oh, God, poor Jack! She shuddered in horror and sympathy. However, she focused on the being striding toward the dorms of the innocent students. And then, she focused on the gun lying beside Jack. The damn thing was easily bigger than she was. . .maybe even twice as big, and looked heavy. Twice her weight? Lacey’s mouth firmed with determination. You can do this, she counseled herself, Jack taught you how to use a gun, even ones that are bigger than you are. You can do this. You will do this!
It took a little more work than she anticipated. It was heavier than she was, as well as bigger, but Lacey managed to lift it, find the trigger, release the safety and fire it at the retreating figure of the alien. It missed. Naturally. It turned back and seemed to be leering at her. Leering! It began to approach them both, saying something in the language it and Jack used earlier in a rather mocking tone. If this was the movies, if she was Jack, she would have had a smart-ass comeback for him, would have taunted him in her own language. But this wasn’t the movies, she wasn’t Jack, she was a scared college student who was trying to save other college students. As the alien drew within striking distance, Lacey adjusted her hold on the gun, so that more of the weight rested on the ground, and fired again.
This time, her aim was true and the upper half of the alien disintegrated. Lacey put the safety back on, eased the gun to the ground and crawled over to Jack, drawing his head to rest in her lap. She leaned back against the SUV, exhausted, and waited for Jack’s gasp back to life.
TWTWTWTWTWTW
Lacey!
Jack Harkness drew in a deep gulp of air, bolting upright. The good news. . .he was lying in more or less the same place where he died, which meant he wasn’t taken as a trophy. And that also meant whoever wanted him dead didn’t know of his inability to stay dead. The bad news, he was moved, which meant. . . He looked around wildly, finding that the girl whose safety was paramount in his mind was safe and reclining against the SUV. That was the first welcome discovery.
The next welcome discovery came when he noticed the alien who killed him was lying a few feet away, quite dead. As in, blown apart dead. Jack looked around, taking note of his own position and where Lacey reclined. His head, he realized, was resting in Lacey’s lap when he came back to life, and he collapsed backward once more. Lacey began to stroke his hair once his head rested against her thigh, saying in a distant voice, “I broke cover, despite what you told me, Jack. I had to. It killed you, and then started heading for the college. I had to kill it.”
It took a few seconds for the words to penetrate Jack’s resurrection headache, but when it did, he sat up straight once more. He winced at the crack of pain that shot through his entire body at the sudden motion, but he ignored it. Lacey was alive. That. . .bounty hunter. . .was dead, and rather spectacularly at that. The math should have been simple, but he was too relieved to find Lacey alive to think about it when he awakened. He pressed one hand to Lacey’s cheek. . .her skin was far too cool for his liking, and it was highly likely she was going into shock. Dammit! He shrugged out of the greatcoat, which was thankfully free of blood, and carefully wrapped it around Lacey’s shoulders to warm her up.
“Lacey, sweetheart, look at me,” he coaxed gently, kneeling in front of her. Her dark eyes shifted to his face, and he smiled at her tenderly, murmuring, “There’s my girl. Can you tell me what happened after I died?” He knew what happened, but he needed her to re-focus her attention. There were no marks on her, but shock could kill, and he wasn’t willing to take that chance with Lacey’s safety. A pink tongue darted out, wet her lips, and Lacey swallowed hard. Jack hated himself for asking her to relive something so traumatic, but he was more afraid of what would happen to her if he didn’t do this.
“I. . .I was hiding in the trees, like you said, and heard you call out to. . .to whatever that was. It looked like a cross between the Predator and Boba Fett. It. . .it answered you, and I saw that whatever it said, it shocked you. . .even maybe scared you a little. That. . .that scared me. And then. . .and then it killed you,” Lacey recited, her voice breaking as she reached his death. Jack stroked her hair back from her eyes with one hand, caressing her cheek with the other, trying to soothe her any way he could. She managed a small smile and went on, “I didn’t want to break cover, Jack. I knew what you told me, but I was afraid of what would happen if I stayed. I was afraid of what that thing would do to the other students.”
She broke off, shaking her head a little, her expression almost confused. Jack waited patiently, and after a moment, Lacey continued, “I broke cover. I know you told me not to, but I wasn’t sure how long you would be dead. It was already heading away, so it didn’t see me. And I was careful, Jack, just like you taught me. The gun. . .the gun was too big for me. I tried to lift it, but it was too heavy and it threw my aim off. So, I propped it up while it was heading back toward me, and this time. . .this time. . .when I fired, its torso just vanished.” She stopped, mouth working, then looked up at Jack and asked, “Why didn’t it re-materialize in front of me, after I missed the first time? Why did it walk back?”
“Shhh, I’m not mad at you. Yes, I told you not to break cover. . .but I also said, unless there was no other choice. What you did saved a lot of lives, and more to the point, you weren’t stupid about it. You didn’t take any foolish risks. I’m not mad at you at all, Lacey. . .I’m proud of you,” Jack reassured her. That was the first and most important thing. He had to assure her that he wasn’t angry with her for disobeying him.
Technically speaking, yes, she did disobey him, but under the circumstances, he couldn’t really blame the poor kid. Because she was right, on all counts. . .she had no way of knowing how long he would be dead, and given that thing’s ability to teleport, he was afraid of what would have happened if she didn’t act. Her eyes cleared a little and Jack went on, “Now, to answer your question. . .do you want me to tell you the truth?” She needed a minute to think about that. Again, he wasn’t at all disappointed in her. It was to be expected. But finally, she bobbed her head once and Jack admitted, “I don’t know why it walked back. It was here, in part to kill me, but also to kill someone else. It’s possible that it was just a sadistic bastard. . .or bitch. . .who wanted to see your fear before it killed you.”
He wasn’t telling her that to frighten her. He knew that it would frighten her, but it wasn’t his intent. And she did ask for the truth. Lacey nodded slowly, and then said, “Like I said, I propped up the gun, and this time, everything from the waist up disintegrated. I dropped the gun-I think I remembered to put the safety back on-and pulled you into my lap, waited for you to wake up.” She blinked back tears, the shock now giving way to horror, and whispered, “I killed it. I’ve never killed anything but an insect before. I killed it, and I’d do it again.” Unspoken was her fear that this understanding made her a bad person. He would deal with that later, when she was somewhat more rational. For now, however, Jack smothered a curse and simply pulled her into his arms, letting her cry. He dropped a light kiss on the top of her head, wishing he had the words to comfort her.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. As soon as I saw that thing, I should have taken you home and gone after it alone. You shouldn’t have had to deal with this on your birthday,” he whispered. The trouble was, even as he said the words, he knew there was no way he could have managed that. He never would have found the damn thing a second time. Yes, it might have come looking for him, but its other target may have died in the meantime. And that just wasn’t an acceptable outcome for him. Even if it did traumatize Lacey. Yes, he knew he was a ruthless bastard, but when all was said and done, this was the best possible outcome. Lacey pulled back, still sniffing, and her expression told him that she knew that particular truth.
“It would have been too late. We did the best we could, Jack, with everything that went on. You can’t take responsibility for everything that happens in the world. You’ve got broad shoulders, but not broad enough for that. You wanna blame someone, blame that turd of a bounty hunter or whatever it was, not yourself,” she told him. Jack had to smile. She was still pulling herself out of her shock, yet she was trying to comfort him. Her expression was clearing, but Jack knew it wasn’t over, not yet. This was just the first stage. . .over the next few weeks and months, she would continue to deal with what happened tonight. He’d call John and Rinna later to tell them what happened. They’d probably want to shoot him a few times, and he would let them, but someone needed to watch over Lacey once she returned to Indiana.
He wiped away her tears with his thumbs and Lacey asked hoarsely, “Are you okay? Will you be okay to drive. . .oh. Do you have a cell phone with you?” Jack silently dished out the small, compact mobile and handed it to Lacey. She blinked, obviously expecting the bulky bag phone, but shook her head and quickly dialed a number. While she was doing that, he put the gun back into the SUV's boot. He had to give her credit: her voice shook only a little as she said, “T-Rex? Yeah, it’s me. We ran into some trouble after we left the playhouse. . .do you mind if we come by the apartment and clean up before we head back to my place? No, nothing like that. Yeah. Thanks. No, I’ll make dinner for you next week, before I leave for home. Yes, even that. . .I told you I don’t mind making it if I have plenty of time to prepare. See ya then. Thanks again.” She flicked the mobile shut and returned it to Jack, saying, “We can get showers at his place. Do you want me to drive?”
Jack was on the verge of saying ‘no,’ when a wave of dizziness swamped over him and he gritted his teeth. Lacey’s hand touched his shoulder, and she said quietly, “I’m driving.” There would be no arguing with her when she had that note of determination in her voice, and Jack really wasn’t feeling up to arguing with her anyhow. She made another executive decision by rising to her feet and wrapping her arm around Jack’s waist, drawing one of his arms across her shoulders. He breathed out, his resurrection headache returning in full force, and didn’t object to leaning against her. Right now, he just didn’t have the strength for anything else.
She walked him around to the passenger’s side of the car and helped him inside, murmuring, “That’s right, I left my purse in the car when we got out. Okay, I don’t have to go back into the woods after it.” There was a wealth of relief in her voice. Jack closed his eyes and leaned his head against the headrest, relaxing for the first time since he first saw the alien bounty hunter. He ached all over and he was still worried about Lacey, but for now, she was holding things together. She said softly as she got into the driver’s seat, “I need to remember to thank Mama for that spare bag. . .do you have one?” Jack nodded, not bothering to open his eyes. The engine started up and she went on softly, “I wonder who else it was here to kill?”
“No idea,” Jack murmured, “didn’t say.” Lacey hummed and fell silent for several moments as she drove back to the road. As she drove, her breathing grew steadier, more regular, as if the task of driving served to focus her attention. That was good. It would hit again later, the shock of what she had to do, but he would make sure that even if he wasn’t around, there would be someone to take care of Lacey. The best idea might be to accompany her back to Indiana when her business here was wrapped up. He would ask her about that the following day.
“Jack? Why did I succeed?” Lacey asked, startling the immortal into opening his eyes. He looked over at her, and she continued, looking troubled, “I’d never even handled that gun before, couldn’t handle it properly, don’t have the training or experience you do. . .so why was I able to kill that. . .Predator type thing? I should be dead as well.” Jack shuddered at her statement, but he understood where she was coming from. And, he had an answer for her. He just hoped she would accept what he had to say, because, he acknowledged, it could be hard.
“You were lucky,” he answered, “but there was more to it than that. Yes, you were lucky, but you’re also wrong when you say you’ve had no training. I’ve taught you to defend yourself, and I know your father has done the same. I died because I attracted its attention, trying to ascertain its intentions. You knew its intentions, it didn’t regard you as a threat, and you used the element of surprise to your advantage. So yes, you were lucky, but you were also smart. Not just in using the element of surprise, but in finding another way to use the gun. You weren’t strong enough to lift the gun properly, so you found another way.”
Lacey nodded once more, still looking troubled, but he was growing more confident that she would be all right. He relaxed again, but not so much that he was in danger of dozing off. Lacey would need to talk about what happened to her tonight. She would need to talk to someone, whether it was him, her parents, or anyone who understood the stress and agony of taking a life for the first time. This time, it was he who broke the silence, saying softly, “I am sorry about tonight, sweetheart. I really wanted your twenty-first birthday to be wonderful.” He carefully avoided any reference to ‘special,’ ‘memorable,’ or anything other than ‘wonderful’ or ‘perfect.’ Unfortunately, tonight would be entirely too memorable for the poor girl.
“Jack, if you’re afraid that you spoiled my birthday, you did anything but. You took me to one of my favorite restaurants, to a show I’ve loved since the first time I saw it. . .even if I didn’t get half the references the first time around,” Lacey answered dryly. He grinned at that and Lacey went on, “So. No feeling guilty about ‘spoiling’ my birthday, ‘cause you didn’t. And if the choices are between an uneventful birthday without you or tonight with you. . .I’d choose you. You are totally worth every minute.”
Jack looked at her, completely wrong-footed not just by the words, but the rock-solid conviction in Lacey’s voice. She meant it. She meant every damn word she said, and that odd feeling of warmth returned to Jack’s chest. He didn’t examine what it meant too closely. . .it scared him too much. They were both silent for several months, then Lacey added, almost under her breath, “You know, that line in Friendship about ‘if they ever put a bullet through your brain, I'll complain,’ takes on a whole new meaning with you.”
Jack did a double-take, staring at her in shock. It wasn’t funny. Or rather, she wasn’t trying to be funny, she was one hundred percent serious. And more than likely, she didn’t even mean for Jack to hear what she said (although, if that was the case, she should have known how excellent his hearing was). But as her statement ran through his mind, the immortal burst out laughing. It took her a minute to realize what she said, then the corners of her mouth turned up and she began to laugh as well. Another release of tension, but Jack would take laughter over tears any day of the week. Still giggling, the girl told him, “I wasn’t trying to be funny, you know. . .and stop laughing like that! I damn near ruined a pair of panties the first time I heard you laugh like that!”
Oh really? Lacey just blushed, and Jack was sure that if she turned any redder, the roots of her hair would change color as well. He winked at her, making her laugh again. Small giggles continued to escape Lacey as she drove. Jack did nothing more to make her laugh, knowing that there was a fine line between laughter and tears, and an even finer line between laughter and full-blown hysteria. Nor did he tease her about laughing so quickly after taking a life. She would deal with that when she was ready, and not a second before. Which reminded him. . .he withdrew his mobile and sent a text to his old associate Clay, who was in town for his own reasons, with the coordinates of what remained of the alien bounty hunter. There was no point in borrowing trouble at this point.
With the text sent, and Clay’s acknowledgement (what the hell did you do this time, old man, or don’t I want to know? Never mind, I’ll take care of it), Jack relaxed once more. Lacey seemed to be all right, though he was nearly sure now that he would wait until she was safely home in Indiana before he took his next mission. He thought again about the song which prompted Lacey’s statement, and had to smile. No, the friendship he shared with the entire Keller family wasn’t a perfect one. But it was the closest to a perfect friendship he’d ever come. And that was more than good enough for him. Jack closed his eyes and let the wind, the movement of the car, and the sound of the engine lull him.
When they reached Theodore Galloway’s apartment, he’d get a shower and ask the intriguingly-nicknamed T-Rex to keep an eye on Lacey for those times when Jack couldn’t be there until they left. Taking a life for the first time was never easy, should never be easy, and despite her laughter a few minutes earlier, Jack knew it would haunt her for some time. It was his fault she had to kill, and he would make sure she was all right. It was what friends did.
TBC
Additional author’s note: I don’t know if it’s canon, but ever since I came across Jack having resurrection headaches, it made perfect sense. Sure, he resets, but that’s got to be a shock to the system, and he did say in Everything Changes that his resurrections hurt (like being dragged across broken glass, I think is how he put it). So if it’s not canon and it was originally your idea, I apologize. Let me know your name (or if you know who originated it), and I’ll be more than happy to give credit where credit is due in later stories.