m_findlow

Title: Shattered fairytale
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 300 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for Advent Calendar Day 20 - Fairytale Of New York - Ed Sheeran & Anne-Marie at fffc
Summary: Jack has never regretted anything so much as hurting the ones he loves.

'In you go,' the police officer ordered, giving Jack a gentle nudge into the cell. If he thought he was getting private quarters for the night to sober up, he was sorely mistaken. Who knew the cop shop would be so busy on Christmas Eve?

'Here's cheers!' a thoroughly inebriated man cried out, toasting to his new companion. His fellow cell mates didn't join in.

Jack found an unoccupied spot on the metal bench and set down, rubbing a hand over his face as he leaned back against the wall.

'Who'd you upset? asked the man.

'My girlfriend,' Jack replied. 'I still can't believe she called the police.'

'Did you smack her around?'

'God, no.' He wouldn't ever lay a hand on Lucia like that. It didn't stop her from landing an open hand across his face for his troubles. 'I called her a slut.' He could scarcely believe he'd done that either, but she'd just made him so mad. Maybe if the pair of them hadn't been drunk, it wouldn't have happened. Or maybe it would have. They seemed to argue more often than not these days. He loved her like crazy but she drove him mad in equal quantities. It was that fiery Italian temper, and Jack never did learn how to back down from an argument.

They should have been amazing together - him, the invincible immortal, and her, the sassy Torchwood field agent. There was nothing they couldn't handle together, except for their own relationship which seemed to be imploding, and Lucia having just given him the news that he was about to become a dad.

'It's the drink does it,' the drunkard confirmed for him. 'Makes your mouth go all funny. It'll all be better tomorrow, lad. Tomorrow's Christmas after all.'

Jack hoped that was true.