fic: "Knowledge" - Jack,Toshiko

[51stcenturyfox]

Title: Knowledge
Author: 51stCenturyFox
Pairing: Jack/Toshiko
Rating: R for language only
Wordcount: ~350
Warnings: Language, spoilers for Captain Jack Harkness + Exit Wounds.
Notes/Summary: To know her was to love her. A remembrance.

--- crossposted to torchwood_decaf & Jack & Toshiko  ----


click for plain text on a white background


At a World War II dance hall in Cardiff, Toshiko Sato stood out the same way Jack Harkness did in the 21st Century, and  in other times and places.  Of the future. She held fast to her laptop as did he to his wrist strap; just a little bit too much trust in a reverse anachronism, both tool and trophy. Symbols of who they were.


Mother, beaming: "We're so proud of you, so proud"

        "Honours graduate."

                               "Chosen one."

"If only your father could have seen what you've made of yourself."


Taking time aside from the pain and guilt he felt about another man's fate, he had checked her six at every opportunity. She was strong, resourceful and smart. And scared. He had noted the intrigued stares of the men and the jealous glances of the women.


"Who's that, then?" 


Exotic. 


Jack hated that word. Just a nice way of saying there's something different about you, different enough to mean you don't quite belong. Half the room can be fascinated by you, want to watch you, be with you, bed you...but you can still be wrong.  Jack knew.


If they hadn't been able to get back, he would have taken care of her. Cherished her.  Always.


On The Valiant, over months spent stretched and struggling and dying and reviving, chained, he thought of Toshiko and how she must have felt, locked away alone in that box, away from all she knew and loved.  It would have been much worse for her, but they hadn't broken her either.


He wasn't about to let her down.


Of course, she had pined for Owen. Anybody with a set of eyes could see it, except the doctor himself, and that was so fucking hard.  Jack knew. He had a Doctor too.     


Those last words, impeccably hers, a warm, precise voice and a smile.  It was her, yet two-dimensional, an image parsed in zeroes and ones.  "And Owen... you never knew."


Jack raised a glass with a shaking hand. "You never knew either, Toshiko Sato." 


You never knew how much you meant to me.


*

Comments

[queenmidalah.livejournal.com]

Oh that was beautiful.

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I miss Tosh so much.

[rodlox.livejournal.com]

*sniffles*

I loved this - a lot!

*adds to Memories*

I love - among other things - you fit in multiple Tosh 'ships without belittling or contradicting any of them (not an easy acccomplishment in any fandom)

congratulations and thank you!!!!

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much. I appreciate the feedback. :)

This is my first Tosh piece, so I am so pleased you were happy with it.

[larielromeniel.livejournal.com]

Very nicely done!

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

Thanks for reading and feeding the writer!

[hab318princess.livejournal.com]

That was beautiful, showed her many facets so well!

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

habf318princess. I was thinking about how alike these two people really are. Glad you liked it.

[kitsune-flame.livejournal.com]

*sniffles* This was beautiful. This makes me miss Tosh even more.

Thank you for sharing.

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

You're welcome and thank you.

Me too... I hope she comes back somehow. No glove, though, please!

Flashbacks?

[mselfie.livejournal.com]

Aww... poor Tosh. You had such a delicate hand on this, it seemed just perfect. Great job.

[karaokegal.livejournal.com]

Absolutely beautiful. I SO wish they'd done more with Jack/Tosh because there was definitely chemistry there and you show all the things they have in common. Esepcially "He had a Doctor too." OUCH!!! But in such a good way.

One thing: he had checked her six at every opportunity.
Is there a typo there or am I missing something? (What is her six?)

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

It's an aviation term. "Check your 6 o'clock position" - behind you. You either check your own six or your wingman is watching out for you. I really should have spelled it out, but I figured since Jack was with pilots, he'd think in jargon (but that doesn't mean I don't have to explain it!) Maybe I'll find a way to work that in so it's clearer.

Thanks for the great feedback!

[karaokegal.livejournal.com]

OK! RAF!Jack would definitely use fly-boy jargon, and nobody else seems to have had a question, so I'd say it's not really a problem.

I really love the ficlet. Seriously-Jack/Tosh are one (of many) great lost opportunities for this show.

[elinor-godwin.livejournal.com]

That was really, really lovely :) Thanks so much for a great read! *sniffle*

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

You're welcome, elinor! I choked up when writing it, to be honest.

[stars-of-tears.livejournal.com]

*very moved*

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

*hugs* thanks!

[fififolle]

Very nice. I was recced this by rodlox and it was worth coming to see!!
*huggles Jack and Tosh* *and Owen*

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

Thanks very much. And thank you for the rec, rodlox!

[alba17.livejournal.com]

Ack, that made me teary at the end! Exit Wounds is still tough. Lovely little piece. I like the way you highlighted the parallels between Jack and Tosh, which I never thought about before.

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much alba17. So glad it had the effect that it did.

[jo02]

Very nice!

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much, jo02.

[laurab1.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's lovely. *sobs*

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

Just saw your comment. Thank you... very glad you liked this one.

[sashapotter-93.livejournal.com]

That was beautiful... I love Jack/Tosh so much...
:)

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

Oh thank you! Very glad you liked this. And thank you also for commenting. ;)

[amand-r.livejournal.com]

Half the room can be fascinated by you, want to watch you, be with you, bed you...but you can still be wrong.

AND

Jack knew. He had a Doctor too.

Oh! Oh, this is lovely. Jack ♥ Toshiko!