Another Life - Part 20
Aug. 16th, 2014 03:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
diandrahollmanI was hoping to have this and at least one other fic done in time for Lost Day (8/15), but I just can't find much time to write these days. Also, this fandom seems to have disappeared, so I guess I'm mostly finishing these for myself and the few readers who already know me and can find my personal livejournal. That being said, this story is almost done and I hope to have it finished by the 10th anniversary of the premiere in September (the 22nd?). Enjoy.
Another Life
by Diandra Hollman
Rating: PG-13 to R this chapter.
Keywords: slash, Jack/Sawyer, Alt!Verse, first time
Spoilers: Nothing really detailed or time specific. This just lives in the sideways verse of season 6. Sort of (see author's note).
Disclaimer: I don’t own them. I'm not really sure anyone *technically* owns them anymore but Darlton blah blah Bad Robot blah ABC blee blee don't sue.
Dedication: To ellel for inspiring me to write this story. And to the cast and creative team behind one of the best damn shows ever televised. You will be missed.
Summary: “In another life, I would make you stay so I don’t have to say you were the one that got away.” The One That Got Away - Katy Perry
Author's note: Much as I loved the finale and thought it was totally appropriate this story will henceforth assume that Daniel's "let's detonate a hydrogen bomb" plan worked and follow my crackpot version of quantum suicide theory. In other words, when the bomb went off, our characters were split into two different universes. One where the bomb didn't go off, and one where it did. Both universes are very real and neither is purgatory.
Previous entries
*************
****************
Six months later
'I am getting too old for this,' Jack thought as he tried in vain to stretch a particularly stubborn kink out of his back. The idea that everything would be faster and more efficient now that it was done by computer was laughable. Paperwork was still just as time consuming as ever and required just as much time spent cramped behind a desk - time that was made bearable only with regular coffee breaks. There was a coffee shop in the hospital that had drinkable coffee, but when he wasn't totally swamped, he preferred the one down the block. The barista that worked the afternoon shift knew exactly how he liked his coffee and was always just the right amount of friendly without being artificially perky.
"Hey, stranger," she said by way of greeting. "I was beginning to think that hot boyfriend of yours was keeping you hidden away somewhere."
Jack laughed as he fished change from his wallet. "How are classes going, Kelly?"
"There aren't enough hours in the day for all the homework I have. And it's almost midterms. But that's what coffee is for, right?" She took the money Jack handed her, barely glancing at it to verify it was the correct amount before dumping it in the till.
Jack smiled. "Right."
"Any big surgeries today," Kelly asked as she moved over behind the hissing, industrial sized coffee makers.
"No. Just consults and paperwork."
"Sounds exciting. Better hurry so you can get back to that." She rolled her eyes and smiled as she handed him his coffee.
"Thanks."
"So where is James and why is he not bringing you your coffee today?"
Jack glanced around the shop. It was well past the morning and lunch rush, so there were only a couple business people on laptops and college students buried in textbooks scattered around the seating area. For all intents and purposes, they were alone. Which meant she was probably bored and eager to talk to him. And since he wasn't in any hurry, he was willing to oblige. "He's working a case. I don't know the details. He just got a call this morning." Jack had gotten a voice mail about an hour earlier that he had considered listening to on his way to the coffee shop. He had decided to ignore it since he had learned the hard way that Ford's messages were usually not something he wanted to hear when he was in public or at work. He could imagine this one included a graphic description of just how good Jack's lips felt wrapped around his cock that morning before they were so rudely interrupted and a detailed account of what he planned to do to return the favor later.
"Sounds like he's having a more interesting day than we are."
"Maybe."
The door to the shop dinged as a woman in a business suit entered.
"It's nice to see you again, Jack," Kelly said, reluctantly backing toward the register again. "Say hi to James."
Jack gave a small gesture of acknowledgement. "Good luck with the midterms."
****************
Jack was just settling back behind his desk when the phone perched in the corner of it rang.
"Jack Shephard,"
"Jack! It's Miles. Jim's been shot."
For a moment, Jack forgot how to breathe. He almost didn't hear Miles' next words around the rush of blood in his ears from his racing heartbeat and the frantic stream of thoughts tumbling through his head. 'Shot he's been shot dying he can't be dead just saw him this morning can't be dead.' "Where," he finally managed even though his mouth felt numb, his tongue too thick to form the words he needed.
"We're almost at your hospital now." Jack could hear the ambulance sirens in the background. "Jack, he's..."
Jack hung up before Ford's partner could say anything more and rushed from his office, the paperwork he had been working on forgotten beneath the half-full cup of cooling coffee.
****************
There is a very good reason why doctors don't operate on loved ones. Jack knew this - knew that he wouldn't be able to stay calm and detatched if it was Ford's skin he was cutting into, his blood spilling onto the sterile operating room floor - but that didn't stop him from thinking that he *should* be in there.
"He's going to be fine," Miles said for what must have been the fortieth time. It had taken the better part of a half hour for him to calm Jack down. They sat in plastic chairs in the waiting room, Jack bent over with his head in his hands, Miles' hand on his back, partly to reassure him and partly to keep him from getting up and pacing anxiously again. The other occupant of the waiting room was obviously nervous enough waiting for news on the poor soul she was keeping vigil for. Seeing a man with a hospital badge lose it would hardly help either of them.
"Why wasn't he wearing a vest?"
Miles sighed. "It was a deep cover operation."
Jack rubbed the bridge of his nose. "What happened?"
"I can't tell you any of the details," Miles said hesitantly. "But we should have enough to put the man who shot Jim away for several lifetimes."
Jack nodded numbly. He knew he should find that reassuring, but he didn't. He knew the doctors who were working to save Ford, but if it was too late... He stumbled upright suddenly, muttering something that might or might not have been fully coherent about using the restroom and heading for the nearest men's room.
He splashed water on his face and stood over one of the sinks in the mercifully empty bathroom for several minutes, his fingers gripping the cool porcelain, drops of water making lazy trails down to his chin. It wasn’t until then that he remembered the message Ford had left on his voicemail earlier.
He fumbled the phone from his pocket, suddenly desperate to hear the man’s voice even if it was some awful, cliched filth Ford left just to annoy him.
“Doc,” Ford’s voice drawled in his ear. “Just needed to hear your voice. Uh...” His voice became distant for a moment as he directed his next sentence to somebody nearby. “Just a minute. I gotta go, darlin’. I love you.”
Jack’s breath caught in his throat and he had to play the message one more time to be sure his mind wasn’t playing tricks on him. Yes, for the first time outside of their bizarre shared dreams, Ford had said the words neither of them had been brave enough to say yet.
I love you.
The words echoed in his mind, over and over, until finally Jack couldn’t hold back the tears anymore.
Another Life
by Diandra Hollman
Rating: PG-13 to R this chapter.
Keywords: slash, Jack/Sawyer, Alt!Verse, first time
Spoilers: Nothing really detailed or time specific. This just lives in the sideways verse of season 6. Sort of (see author's note).
Disclaimer: I don’t own them. I'm not really sure anyone *technically* owns them anymore but Darlton blah blah Bad Robot blah ABC blee blee don't sue.
Dedication: To ellel for inspiring me to write this story. And to the cast and creative team behind one of the best damn shows ever televised. You will be missed.
Summary: “In another life, I would make you stay so I don’t have to say you were the one that got away.” The One That Got Away - Katy Perry
Author's note: Much as I loved the finale and thought it was totally appropriate this story will henceforth assume that Daniel's "let's detonate a hydrogen bomb" plan worked and follow my crackpot version of quantum suicide theory. In other words, when the bomb went off, our characters were split into two different universes. One where the bomb didn't go off, and one where it did. Both universes are very real and neither is purgatory.
Previous entries
*************
****************
Six months later
'I am getting too old for this,' Jack thought as he tried in vain to stretch a particularly stubborn kink out of his back. The idea that everything would be faster and more efficient now that it was done by computer was laughable. Paperwork was still just as time consuming as ever and required just as much time spent cramped behind a desk - time that was made bearable only with regular coffee breaks. There was a coffee shop in the hospital that had drinkable coffee, but when he wasn't totally swamped, he preferred the one down the block. The barista that worked the afternoon shift knew exactly how he liked his coffee and was always just the right amount of friendly without being artificially perky.
"Hey, stranger," she said by way of greeting. "I was beginning to think that hot boyfriend of yours was keeping you hidden away somewhere."
Jack laughed as he fished change from his wallet. "How are classes going, Kelly?"
"There aren't enough hours in the day for all the homework I have. And it's almost midterms. But that's what coffee is for, right?" She took the money Jack handed her, barely glancing at it to verify it was the correct amount before dumping it in the till.
Jack smiled. "Right."
"Any big surgeries today," Kelly asked as she moved over behind the hissing, industrial sized coffee makers.
"No. Just consults and paperwork."
"Sounds exciting. Better hurry so you can get back to that." She rolled her eyes and smiled as she handed him his coffee.
"Thanks."
"So where is James and why is he not bringing you your coffee today?"
Jack glanced around the shop. It was well past the morning and lunch rush, so there were only a couple business people on laptops and college students buried in textbooks scattered around the seating area. For all intents and purposes, they were alone. Which meant she was probably bored and eager to talk to him. And since he wasn't in any hurry, he was willing to oblige. "He's working a case. I don't know the details. He just got a call this morning." Jack had gotten a voice mail about an hour earlier that he had considered listening to on his way to the coffee shop. He had decided to ignore it since he had learned the hard way that Ford's messages were usually not something he wanted to hear when he was in public or at work. He could imagine this one included a graphic description of just how good Jack's lips felt wrapped around his cock that morning before they were so rudely interrupted and a detailed account of what he planned to do to return the favor later.
"Sounds like he's having a more interesting day than we are."
"Maybe."
The door to the shop dinged as a woman in a business suit entered.
"It's nice to see you again, Jack," Kelly said, reluctantly backing toward the register again. "Say hi to James."
Jack gave a small gesture of acknowledgement. "Good luck with the midterms."
****************
Jack was just settling back behind his desk when the phone perched in the corner of it rang.
"Jack Shephard,"
"Jack! It's Miles. Jim's been shot."
For a moment, Jack forgot how to breathe. He almost didn't hear Miles' next words around the rush of blood in his ears from his racing heartbeat and the frantic stream of thoughts tumbling through his head. 'Shot he's been shot dying he can't be dead just saw him this morning can't be dead.' "Where," he finally managed even though his mouth felt numb, his tongue too thick to form the words he needed.
"We're almost at your hospital now." Jack could hear the ambulance sirens in the background. "Jack, he's..."
Jack hung up before Ford's partner could say anything more and rushed from his office, the paperwork he had been working on forgotten beneath the half-full cup of cooling coffee.
****************
There is a very good reason why doctors don't operate on loved ones. Jack knew this - knew that he wouldn't be able to stay calm and detatched if it was Ford's skin he was cutting into, his blood spilling onto the sterile operating room floor - but that didn't stop him from thinking that he *should* be in there.
"He's going to be fine," Miles said for what must have been the fortieth time. It had taken the better part of a half hour for him to calm Jack down. They sat in plastic chairs in the waiting room, Jack bent over with his head in his hands, Miles' hand on his back, partly to reassure him and partly to keep him from getting up and pacing anxiously again. The other occupant of the waiting room was obviously nervous enough waiting for news on the poor soul she was keeping vigil for. Seeing a man with a hospital badge lose it would hardly help either of them.
"Why wasn't he wearing a vest?"
Miles sighed. "It was a deep cover operation."
Jack rubbed the bridge of his nose. "What happened?"
"I can't tell you any of the details," Miles said hesitantly. "But we should have enough to put the man who shot Jim away for several lifetimes."
Jack nodded numbly. He knew he should find that reassuring, but he didn't. He knew the doctors who were working to save Ford, but if it was too late... He stumbled upright suddenly, muttering something that might or might not have been fully coherent about using the restroom and heading for the nearest men's room.
He splashed water on his face and stood over one of the sinks in the mercifully empty bathroom for several minutes, his fingers gripping the cool porcelain, drops of water making lazy trails down to his chin. It wasn’t until then that he remembered the message Ford had left on his voicemail earlier.
He fumbled the phone from his pocket, suddenly desperate to hear the man’s voice even if it was some awful, cliched filth Ford left just to annoy him.
“Doc,” Ford’s voice drawled in his ear. “Just needed to hear your voice. Uh...” His voice became distant for a moment as he directed his next sentence to somebody nearby. “Just a minute. I gotta go, darlin’. I love you.”
Jack’s breath caught in his throat and he had to play the message one more time to be sure his mind wasn’t playing tricks on him. Yes, for the first time outside of their bizarre shared dreams, Ford had said the words neither of them had been brave enough to say yet.
I love you.
The words echoed in his mind, over and over, until finally Jack couldn’t hold back the tears anymore.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2014-08-17 02:17 am (UTC)I look forward to reading the rest - as long as I don't get hit by a bus between now and then (in joke), you'll have this Lostie still reading them. :).
I really have enjoyed this little world, and look forward to the next installment.
(no subject)
Date: 2014-09-22 08:43 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2014-08-17 02:32 pm (UTC)Good update.
(no subject)
Date: 2014-09-22 08:47 pm (UTC)The good news is: I am far more likely to resurrect characters the show's writers killed off than kill ones they didn't.
Thank you for reading!