m_findlow | Fffc Advent Calendar (Day 6)

Title: Alone on Christmas
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 300 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for Advent Calendar Day 6 - Hating the holidays and that's okay at fffc
Summary: Jack feels the pain of loneliness at Christmas most of all.

As the Christmas Eve carols wrapped up on television, Jack hit the remote and switched it off, plunging the room into semi-darkness. His gaze fell on his phone. It was nearly midnight but still there was no call, or even a message from his daughter.

Another year and more of the same, Jack thought. Why he expected her to call this year as opposed to any other was beyond him. Had she even spared a thought for him, sitting here alone on Christmas? There was no last minute phone call, a breathless daughter on the otminuted, apologising for having been so busy. Would he please come over and have Christmas with them? He hadn't seen his grandson since he was just a few weeks old. He'd be nearly five now, no longer that tiny squealing thing Jack had held for just a few minutes, marveling at the wonder of life.

He could call her but what would be the point? Thinking they could have a civil Christmas together was madness. They'd end up fighting, just like they always did. She was her fathers daughter, no mistake. She had his stubbornness and that refusal to ever conceded even an inch of ground.

She hated him for his inability to grow old. He hated the holidays for always reminding him of that fact. Never had he wanted so badly for his Doctor to appear and fix him so he could start reconciling all the years they'd lost, before they ran out of years altogether.

Perhaps tomorrow he'd just get in the car and drive to London, turning up unannounced on her doorstep. It seemed like a good idea, but he knew come the morning he wouldn't do it. Of all the days of the year he could ruin for them, why ruin Christmas?

Fffc Advent Calendar (Day 6) - Alone on Christmas

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