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Anythingdrabble Challenge 72 - Draining away
Title: Draining away
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters/Pairings: Gwen, Jack
Word Count: 500 words
Rating: PG
Notes: Written for Challenge 72 - Drain at ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif){kind=small}
anythingdrabble
Summary: Gwen is on her own helping Jack to face his darkest hour.
Gwen knows she shouldn't panic, but in the circumstances there's little she can do to make the situation better. She presses a hand to the worst of the bleeding, but the cry from Jack is so full of pain and anguish that she withdraws immediately, apologising over and over.
It had all happened so fast. Too fast. Jack had assured her the alien was properly sedated as they attempted to drag it into its temporary holding cell. They'd almost succeeded, too. But it had roused at the last moment- not a groggy sort of coming around, but a sudden and explosive alertness, lashing out violently at its captors.
She didn't remember much of the brief exchange. Somehow Jack had shoved her bodily out of harm's way, landing her forcefully on her back on the cold concrete floor. It winded her hard, trying to drag air desperately into her lungs which refused to do so. Somewhere in the short melee, Jack had managed to escape himself, slamming the cell door behind him, before the creature threw itself at the clear perspex door so hard it shook, tumbling Jack forward into her arms. Its angry snarling was more than enough to indicate its displeasure at being locked up and isolated from its quarry.
Gwen was about to pant out the words "are you okay?" when Jack slumped to his knees in her grip, crumpling awkwardly against her. The large red slash across his abdomen has soaked his shirt deep crimson. It didn't take a medical expert to know the wound was fatal.
Jack is panting, in obvious pain. She kneels down and grabs his hand, trying to be supportive.
'It's okay,' she says quietly over the indignant roaring in the cell beyond. His grip is weak and clammy.
Jack's eyes glaze a little as he looks up at her, her own trying to hold back salty tears. 'Where's Ianto?' he asks, sounding confused.
She runs and hand through his hair. She can't tell him Ianto isn't here. He's hundreds of miles away on assignment, oblivious to what is happening. She knows that for Jack, dying isn't the scary part. It's the thinking you'll come back alone part that terrifies him. Ianto always holds him and promises than he'll be right here waiting for Jack.
'He'll be here soon, sweetheart,' Gwen promises. 'Neither of us is going anywhere.' That seems to calm him a bit.
She strokes his face, making gentle shushing sounds and trying not to cry. Life is draining out of his body as she watches, not just blood, but whatever that bright spark is that emanates from his very soul. She'd follow that light anywhere, a beacon burning bright on the horizon and filling her with hope. The reality is that Jack will never leave them, but eventually they will all have to leave him, despite the promises she makes him now.
All the world feels like it grows dark in those moments when finally that light goes out altogether.
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