Sacrifice

Word Count: ~ 6.600

Summary: What if Tommy was Jack's son? (Prompt by bookworm89)

Characters: Jack Harkness, Tommy Brockless, Ianto Jones, Toshiko Sato, Constance Brockless, Gerald Carter, Thomas Brockless Sr.

Pairing: Jack/Ianto, Toshiko/Tommy Brockless, Jack/Constance Brockless, Jack/Lucia Moretti (implied), Jack/Michael Bellini (implied), Jack/Greg Bishop (implied), Jack/Estelle Cole (implied), Jack/OMC (implied)

Rating: R

Spoiler: To The Last Man / the tiniest reference to Miracle Day (Jack in the 1920s)

Setting: Pre-series and during To The Last Man

Warnings: Canon Character Death

Author's Note: Written for bookworm89 who requested a story on torchwood_fest that showed Jack and Tommy as father and son. I've never even considered that possibility, so it was a wonderful thought to experiment with. I hope this is what you wanted.

Beta: Eleanor Harkness-Jones, thanks.

Disclaimer: I'm not making money with this fanfic. The tv-show Torchwood and the characters appearing within it belong to their producers and creators. Any similarities to living or dead persons are purely coincidental and not intended.

xxx

1.

Ianto knew Jack better than he knew himself, sometimes.

When they landed in bed together after that passionate, but rather unexpected, kiss that had stolen Jack's breath, he noticed how Ianto encouraged him with gentle touches and breathy moans, with the tightening of his legs around Jack's waist and the soft words panted against Jack's lips… he encouraged him, asked him, demanded, allowed and accepted Jack to be the dominant one tonight. Somehow knowing that Jack needed this in light of another loss he would be responsible for. He was the leader of Torchwood Three and he would send Tommy to his death in just a few hours… and it hurt so much. It hurt enough to bruise Ianto's wrists from holding them down, to leave bites that almost broke Ianto's skin, to take all he needed from Ianto and more. And in the aftermath, with Ianto lying curled up next to him in Jack's narrow camp bed and Jack's arms clasped around him as if he was afraid Ianto would vanish, Jack finally broke.

Ianto wiped away tears and kissed away sobs and he waited until Jack had calmed down a bit before he asked, "This isn't just some boy you barely know being sent back in time, right?"

Jack shook his head. "I know Tommy. I really..." He took a deep breath, forced away a new onslaught of tears. "I really know Tommy. I was there every time he woke up in the last decades. I spent most of his time awake with him."

Ianto shifted around so that he could rest his head on Jack's pillow. His hand caressed Jack's cheek, calloused fingertips brushing over stubbly skin. "I'm sorry you have to do this."

Jack closed his eyes, breathing in the scent of Ianto, so much more powerful in the aftermath of sex. "There's no way around it. We have to send him back. I know that, but..."

"You'll lose a friend," Ianto whispered. "Again."

"He's not just a friend," Jack answered and opened his eyes again to look at Ianto earnestly. "He's my son."

xxx

1893

Jack knew that he wanted her the minute he entered the restaurant of the Park Hotel and saw her sitting at one of the tables, sipping wine. She'd chosen a corner table away from the busier parts of the restaurants, safely tucked away near the window front. It was obvious that she didn't want anyone to notice her, but Jack did. The last three decades on this planet – in this time – hadn't dulled his senses for the extraordinary. And she was quite a sight to behold with her dark, curly hair framing a delicate face and bright blue eyes. Her blue dress was simple, but it accentuated her slender waist and long legs.

Jack was led to a table near her and took a seat that allowed him to keep an eye on her while not being too obvious about it. He settled in with a scotch and cake to wait and see if she was alone or maybe waiting for someone, but nobody came.

Jack knew that women able to afford this hotel weren't easy to charm, used to beautiful things and compliments. He hadn't planned on any kind of company tonight, either. In fact, just half an hour ago, he'd been convinced that, after his craving for the excellent cake they made here was satisfied, he'd retire to his room alone. But now, he felt drawn to that beautiful woman sitting all alone amidst soft lights, the upper class of Cardiff and guests residing in this hotel.

So he ordered another scotch for himself and a white wine for the lady. He watched her reaction when the waiter served her the drink and indicated Jack as the one paying for it. She looked insecure, but managed a polite smile in his direction.

Jack took that as a good sign, got up from his chair and approached her with a smile. He stopped next to her table and indicated a bow. "You looked so lonely sitting here, so I took the liberty," he said.

"That was unnecessary, really, but…" She raised the glass. "Thank you."

"May I sit while you wait for your companion?"

Her face saddened. "I'm here alone."

So he'd been right. "That's a shame," he said sincerely. "A beautiful woman like you all alone." She blushed. He sat down. Seeing that she was apparently not sending him away, he got a bit more comfortable in the plush chair. "So, what brings you to Cardiff?" he asked.

"I live here."

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You do? Your accent isn't Welsh, though." And he should know. He loved the Welsh accent and would be able to identify it anywhere.

"Oh, I was born and raised in Manchester. My husband and I moved here because he got a promotion at work."

Jack suppressed a stab of disappointment. "You have a husband."

She sipped her wine. "Yes."

"You're not wearing a ring, though," he said. She avoided his eyes carefully. Jack asked, "He's not here with you?"

"No, he's at home." Her voice was cold and distant now.

"Why aren't you?"

She sipped her wine again and seemed to think about if she should tell Jack more about her life. In the end, she seemed to decide that he was trustworthy enough. "I removed the ring for a few days, because I'm not sure if I still want to be married to him. And I'm here because he didn't take too kindly to me coming home early from my visit to my parents and finding him in bed with his secretary."

Jack raised his eyebrows in surprise. "His secretary?"

She nodded.

"How awful," Jack sympathized.

"I just… left and came here. I need time to think."

"Understandable."

For a few moments, silence spread over them, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It enveloped them like a warm blanket. They clicked. Jack just knew that she was for him.

Finally, she cleared her throat. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here on business," he said, stretching the truth. Since he'd landed here on Earth roughly thirty years ago, he'd kept himself above water by running small cons and taking on occasional jobs. At the moment, he was living from the money his last con had brought him, and living well. He raised his eyebrows. "Your husband clearly has lost his mind," he said. That brought a smile to her face. He grinned right back and held out his hand. "I'm Captain Jack Harkness."

"Captain," she said and her eyes widened in delight.

"Former Captain, to be precise, ma'am," Jack answered.

She took his hand. "I'm Constance… Constance Brockless."

"Well, Constance Brockless, do you like to dance?"

"I love dancing."

"There's a ball in this hotel tonight and it's open for guests. Would you give me the honour of accompanying me?" he asked. Constance seemed torn between the knowledge that going dancing with a stranger even though she was married was highly inappropriate and her wish not to care about it. Jack decided to give her a little push in the right direction. He winked at her. "Just because your husband isn't enjoying life with you doesn't mean that no one else should."

That brought on another blush and she nodded hesitantly. "Alright, Captain. One dance," she said, "and then it's farewell. Because I am an honourable woman."

They got up and Jack put an arm around her waist. "Oh, I know that you are. My intentions are pure."

Three hours, several dances and more wine later, they managed to get into Jack's room before devouring each other with kisses and falling into bed, their limbs tangled. The next morning, they awoke next to each other and Constance smiled.

xxx

It went on for three days. Jack enjoyed their time together immensely. Constance was smart and funny and under those neat dresses and the well-behaved manner, he found a woman who challenged, seduced and intrigued him. But it didn't last.

When he knocked on Constance's door on the third evening of their acquaintance, a man in a suit and with a clean-shaved face opened. He frowned. "Can I help you?"

Jack recovered quickly from his surprise and smiled. "I'm looking for Mrs. Brockless."

"I'm her husband," the man answered and his frown deepened. "And who are you?"

Before Jack could answer, Constance appeared behind her husband and put a hand on his shoulder. Jack couldn't help but notice her wedding band was back on her finger. She said, "This is Captain Harkness, darling. He noticed that I seemed to be alone here and took it upon himself to check up on me every once in a while."

Jack inclined his head in confirmation.

Brockless seemed sceptical, but then he nodded. "Thank you, Captain."

"It was my pleasure," Jack answered. He looked at Constance. "Does that mean that you will leave, ma'am?"

Constance's eyes betrayed her disappointment about that for only a second, but then she pasted on a smile and nodded. "My husband and I will be moving back to Manchester in a matter of days, sir. And I will go home with him tonight. Thank you for your kind attention."

Jack inclined his head. "I hope we'll meet again."

"I don't think we will, unfortunately," Constance answered. Jack knew that if Constance wouldn't have wanted to stay with her husband, she would have given him a sign. But apparently, they had resolved their issues. Maybe moving back to Manchester was their way of starting anew. He wouldn't stand in the way of that. So he just nodded, smiled at them and turned to leave.

xxx

Ianto's eyes were almost dark in the dim light of Jack's bedroom. By now, Jack was leaning back against the wall, a pillow in his back, and Ianto had arranged himself between Jacks legs, his head on a pillow on Jack's thigh so that he could look up at him. Jack saw him shiver slightly and pulled the duvet higher to cover Ianto's chest.

Ianto asked, "You didn't know that she was pregnant?"

Jack shook his head.

Ianto raised his arm to caress Jack's cheek. "How did you find out then?"

xxx

1918

"Jack," Torchwood Three leader Gerald Carter said as soon as Jack entered the Hub, waving him closer with a file in his hand.

Jack took a moment to admire the suit Gerald was wearing – obviously new and perfectly fitting his frame – then he answered, "Yes." He held up the heavy bag in his hand. "Got them all. Even though I have to admit, it was a bit tricky. But nothing my charm can't conquer."

Gerald smiled fondly. "As usual." Then he said, "I wanted to show you something." He headed for the med bay. For a second, Jack thought that something had happened, somebody was hurt, but Gerald was smiling, so he squashed that thought quickly.

He followed him into the med bay and down into the well of the room. Nobody was here, all the instruments and the autopsy table clean and unused, so Jack wondered what Gerald would show him.

Gerald said, "You won't believe what happened a few days ago. We had a spike at St. Teilo's Hospital. Serious activity, Jack. And we actually…" He turned around to Jack with a wide-eyed, fascinated look. "…actually saw time travellers."

"Time travellers?" Jack echoed. He thought of the Doctor and Rose or – though he didn't hope for it – fellow time agents. "What kind of time travellers?"

"A boy and a girl. The girl seemed to be Asian, the boy was British. And now, imagine this." Gerald walked around the autopsy table and put his hands on his hips. "They instructed us to put a patient in the hospital in cryo. The boy himself. So that he can come back in time and stop what was happening to the Rift. And just a few minutes later, while we were leaving the building, the Rift activity stopped. Apparently, it could have ripped the world apart – at least that's what Harriet says – but the future version of the boy seemed to have managed to stop it."

Jack's eyebrows raised. "You're joking."

"No." Gerald opened a drawer installed in the wall and pulled the cryo chamber out. Jack looked through the small window embedded in the top and saw a boy in it – in his 20s, cute, if a bit geeky. "We have to store him here until the time is right and then, when it is, he will travel back in time and stop the Rift here from splintering."

"Wow!" Jack said, staring at the boy. "Who's he then?"

"Tommy Brockless," Gerald said. Jack raised an eyebrow. Gerald handed him the file. "A boy from Manchester. Went to war, ended up with shell-shock."

Jack grimaced and opened the folder. "I know what that is. Awful."

Gerald nodded. Jack read the file and froze.

Parents: Thomas Brockless and Constance Brockless (born Bassett)

Manchester. And Tommy was born in 1894.

The pieces came together. Jack swallowed.

Gerald turned to leave, thankfully leaving Jack alone with Tommy. There was no reason to assume that Tommy was his son, but Jack had never been one to believe in coincidence. February 1894 was almost nine months after his and Constance's affair. He looked towards the entrance of the med bay, but nobody was coming to join him. So he quickly opened the cryo chamber and activated his wrist strap. Every time agent had their DNA code in their wrist strap. It made identification after nasty accidents much easier. Aside from that, they could always scan their vicinity to avoid running into a future – or past – self. Jack had been to Earth several times already, for missions and for leisure, and the wrist strap actually had helped him once to avoid what he assumed was a future version of himself in the Brecon Beacons. He really couldn't wait to find out what he was doing there.

The wrist strap gave a low beep, informing Jack that there was no one matching his exact DNA profile, but that there was someone here who had part of his genes – the boy. "Damn!" Jack muttered.

xxx

Softly, Ianto asked, "You knew all this time?"

Jack nodded and swallowed. He'd never before told anyone about this. Not even Lucia.

Ianto looked at him quietly for a few moments. "So, what are you going to do now?"

"What can I do? Nothing. He's going to go back to his time tomorrow and I can't stop him. They are going to kill him but I can't stop that, either. I wish I didn't know what happens when you disrupt the time line, but I do and it's too dangerous to even consider changing anything. I'm not stopping his own men from shooting him because of cowardice just because they don't understand shell-shock." He looked at Ianto miserably. "What kind of a father am I? I should tear this world apart for him. Instead I'm sending him to his death. It's a wonder he doesn't hate me."

Ianto's eyes widened. "So he knows who you are?"

Jack took a deep breath. "He found out."