Oh, by the way...

[Toni Craft]

[[This takes place after the DNA test...which has yet to be done. But meh. If Future-Warren and Josh get to have their angsty bits, then so do Future-Toni and Jack and kids!]]


Toni rubs her brow as she files her way through the rebel base, Jack in tow.

“So...yeah. Unfortunately we tore down the original containment chamber a couple of years ago. We needed the resources for expanding the camp.” Avoiding the mention of the original Jack’s death was purposely done. She turns sideways to scoot by a rather large, rock-like member of the Brotherhood.

“Hey, ‘Tress.” Came the deep guttural greeting.

“What’s up, George?” She responds absently, turning a left at the next intersection before George can shoot out a reply. She didn’t receive any comments or questions, simply confused and amazed stares from those that might have recognized her lover’s younger face.

“Like I was saying, it was torn down. But we do have a number of prisoner cells down here that’ll work in a pinch. They just need a bit of modification...couple extra inches of steel plating ought to be enough.” She said, trying to distract herself from the looks that she received

“Mommy!” Toni stops and turns toward the happy cry from her youngest child. She smiles at the six year-old comes running up and wraps her arms around her legs.

“Hey kiddo!” Her smile fades as she’s struck by an internal debate. This young child had been conceived only a matter of days before Jack's death, but he had never known about her. Neither had Toni, for that matter. The timing of the unfortunate event made the young girl the last gift Jack had given her before he died. His DNA test had proved that he was, in fact, Jack. And as the kid's father, he deserved the right to know that he was her father. But Toni would have to decide if she would tell this Jack about the daughter he never met? It wouldn’t be the same as telling her Jack...would it? Having the same DNA as the man she loved didn't mean he was the man she loved.

But what about their daughter, Jackie? She would be confused so easily. She had always loved Jack unconditionally, but the love was only based on stories and pictures that had been left after his death. How would she take suddenly seeing her father alive and well?

“Hi!” Jackie said happily, waving up at the man behind her mother. Toni had been sure to teach all of her children that the base was meant to be a safe and friendly place, and that everyone could be trusted. Jackie had learned that almost too quickly for Toni’s comfort, and immediately set out to make as many new friends as possible. Usually she was under the careful watch of either of her brothers, but neither were seen. “You look a lot like my dad, mister. I never met my dad; he died before I was born, but we have pictures of him in our LQ.”

Toni cringes. She should have realized that Jackie would recognize her father despite having never met him. And, true to her six year-old nature, Jackie openly tells Jack the information that Toni had been so reluctant to divulge. Unwilling to confirm or deny her daughter’s statement, she looks up at Jack to gauge his reaction.

[Jack Russell]

It's no problem keeping up with the older Toni as Jack takes longer strides, unable to help himself as he peers curiously around, although he's still a little freaked out in the back of his mind from when the guy named Greg had started yelling at him. The matter's behind him now, though, and he's got more important things to focus on.. though, regardless.. it was still weird. So...yeah. Unfortunately we tore down the original containment chamber a couple of years ago. We needed the resources for expanding the camp.[/color] He nods, his mind working on the design he and a colleague had perfected a little while back. Xander--what a great guy.. he ended up being one of the only people Jack knew for sure he'd 'turned', so to speak. Lucky for him he had just so happened to be working on a degree in engineering at the time..

A rock-like being blocks their way, and Jack likewise shifts his body to follow after Toni, nodding politely to him as he greets Toni while they pass. The startled air that eminates from their passer-by makes Jack look back as they continue, but he lets it go. Like I was saying, it was torn down. But we do have a number of prisoner cells down here that’ll work in a pinch. They just need a bit of modification...couple extra inches of steel plating ought to be enough.

"Some uh.. reinforcement around the hinges wouldn't hurt either," Jack points out with a nod, silently hoping that whatever the group had on hand would do the trick. Not that he doubts their technology, just technology itself.

Mommy!

A blur of a blonde-headed child suddenly rushes into the hallway and wraps her arms about Toni's knees, grinning wildly. Hey kiddo![/color] Jack smiles at the display of youth, a stark difference from the military-grade faces. So Toni settles down, huh? Good for her.

Hi! It's hard to resist the little girl, and Jack drops to her level, crouching low enough to where they can almost see eye to eye. "Well hi there," he says. She's a darling child, although there's something about her eyes and the freckles on her nose that is hauntingly familiar.

You look a lot like my dad, mister. I never met my dad; he died before I was born, but we have pictures of him in our LQ. At first Jack tilts his head as the girl talks to him, but the flash of open friendliness especially reserved for children starts to disappear as the little girl explains to him about her father. Her eyes, her hair, her face; the future Toni's unease; why the base even had a containment cell in the first place starts to jump out at him. It's just a coincidence! he murmurs in his head, but unable to convince himself, he straightens all the same, looking a little pale.

He shifts his gaze to Toni, nervously clearing his throat. "I uh.." It's not me. ...it's not me. I swear to God it's not. A kid? Is she serious? No! Why am I worrying? Because it's obviously not me. Blinking furiously, he shifts uncomfortably. It's way too personal to start pointing fingers and asking questions--especially in front of the kid.

Uncertain, he crouches down again, attempting to make almost small talk. "What's your name, huh?"

Smile widening, the girl peers more around her mother's legs. "Jackie Matty Russell! What's yours mister?"

Jack feels his knees almost twist out from underneath him in sudden, abrupt fright, and it's much harder to stand the second time. Hesitantly, he meets Toni's eyes, certain she's able to read his face that is probably screaming,'WTF?!?!'. It's impossible; he barely even knows Toni! His heart picks up and starts racing a little in his chest, and he knows it's not in his nature to lose it so easily, but.. What the fuck?!

[Toni Craft]

Toni is going to kill either Timmy or Greg, depending on who was supposed to be watching their sister at the time of her escape. She’d been hoping to find the ideal time and situation when she could properly tell Jack who Jack had been and what he had meant to her.

Instead, Jack is giving her the ‘any second now and I’m going to have a stroke’ look while Jackie was smiling widely, waiting for her not-so-dead not-really-her-father to tell her his name. Toni distractedly ruffles her daughter’s hair while shooting a pleading look at Jack while — oddly enough — trying not to laugh at the familiar shocked expression. Please don’t tell her your name. She wills silently. Jackie didn’t need that sort of confusion. Not completely out of the blue like this.

“Jackie, your mom is on her way to take this man to do some very important work. Why don’t you go off and find one of your brothers? I’ll make sure you and this guy here,” Toni purposely avoids using Jack’s name. “Get lots of time to talk another time, okay?” So she had made her decision. She would tell Jackie about her miraculously reappearing father, but she wouldn’t do it now.

Everyone in the base was always so busy, and while such a young child would usually be disheartened by being unable to play with a new friend, Jackie understood the importance of the role her mother held. If her mom said it was important, then it was very important. Jackie nods while chewing on her thumbnail — the same way Matthew used to — and hugs her mother’s legs tightly again, then smiles and waves at nice man who looked a lot like her dead father.

“Okay, mom. I’ll see you later, mister!” She said, grinning from ear to ear before transforming into her wolf form and dashing off down the hall. Toni grimaces again. If that didn’t solidify Jack’s suspicions of who Jackie’s father was, then she didn’t know what would.

She frowns slightly and looks at Jack, still trying to remind herself that this wasn’t her Jack. “I’m sorry.” Toni says finally. “I should have told you sooner...”
[/b]

[Jack Russell]

Although Jack doesn't read too much into the look Toni is giving him, his utter astonishment is what keeps his mouth shut, instead trying hard to focus on more important actions--like breathing. Unaware of the tension, the child smiles up at him.

Jackie, your mom is on her way to take this man to do some very important work. Why don’t you go off and find one of your brothers? I’ll make sure you and this guy here get lots of time to talk another time, okay? Innocently enough, the girl nods to them and waves good-bye.

Okay, mom. I’ll see you later, mister! She then turns to run off to locate one of her brothers, but not before her body shifts and ripples as she effortlessly shifts into a wolf pup, tumbling down the hallway. Jack can only dumbly stare as the ball of fur disappears around a corner, his arms tense at his sides and his brow knitted hard. I’m sorry. I should have told you sooner..

"..shit," Jack suddenly murmurs, stepping back a little and holding a hand to his head, twisting his wrist until he has the heel of his palm pressed into his eye, willing this vision to go away. For a moment it's like he's eighteen years old again, standing in a hospital waiting room as a monotone doctor relays the condition of his fading mother.

This isn't happening.

He clenches his eyes shut, counting to three in his head, pressing to keep himself calm, but he knows it's not working. Pushing his hand back, he musses his hair along the way and grips the back of his neck, taking a vital interest in the dusty condition of his shoes. For several long moments, he says nothing else.

"They're both mine.. aren't they?" Jack finally says at last, meeting Toni's gaze. Without waiting to hear her speak, he knows already that he can't deny what is.

Breathing out, he drops his hand, putting both on his hips as he tries to gain stability in his own balance. Then he lets them fall to his sides, flexing them uselessly. Not trusting his own sense of center, he turns to the wall, pressing his forearm against it, letting his weight rely on the stability of its foundation. "..I.. I can't even take care of a houseplant," Jack suddenly admits, pressing his free fingers into his neck. "I had one once.. a cactus," a dry, almost laugh gets caught in his throat and immediately dies. "It only needs watering like once a week and I.. came home one day.. and it was just.. so pathetic--all withered and brown. I can't even take care of a damn cactus.."

He swallows hard and pinches his the bridge of his nose. "..and.. I have kids.. and.. I'm dead."

Shaking his head, Jack shoves his hands down into his pockets as he steps away from the wall, tilting his head back to look up at the ceiling, wondering if somewhere up in heaven God is flipping him the bird. It takes him several moments to fully process this concept, and he looks at Toni again.

"How?" The question is vague, and it could be directed at anything. How did he and Toni--two opposites--end up together? How did they manage to have kids in the middle of this war? How did he die? How did my life get so fucked up..?

[Toni Craft]

“...Shit.” Having known Jack for as long as she has, Toni expected the curse, and laughs lightly. The shock and stress that is written on his face is one that she remembers from about 18 or 19 years ago.

"They're both mine.. aren't they?"

“No. They’re both His. And there’s actually three. I remember; I gave birth to every single one of them.” Toni smirks and shoves her hands into her jacket pockets. “You’ll probably meet Timmy later.”

"I had one once.. a cactus, it only needs watering like once a week and I.. came home one day.. and it was just.. so pathetic--all withered and brown. I can't even take care of a damn cactus.." Toni resists the urge to laugh at him.

“I know. I heard that same story when we found out I was pregnant the first time. Fortunately Greg was a tough baby, so the three times He accidently dropped him the kid was fine. By the second and — by the second kid He was pretty well practiced.” She almost made the slip of mentioning Jackie. But Jack hadn’t known about her…

"..and.. I have kids.. and.. I'm dead." Toni nods slowly, sympathizing with just how bizarre the whole situation must be to him. She considers reaching out and offering a comforting hand on his shoulder, but decids against it. She couldn’t know what she would do if she touched him, even if it was as innocently as a condolence. The action would no doubt lead to things much worse. This Jack belonged to the other Toni (even if he didn’t know it yet).

“If it’s any consolation, you were a good dad to Timmy and Greg. They all love you...even Greg. He’s just had it rough since…” An awkward hand movement is meant to indicate Jack’s death. Toni also realizes that she stopped referring to her dead loved one in the third person, and was referring to this Jack directly. She strictly reminds herself that he isn’t the father of their children. “Come on. We have to go. There’s lots of work to be done if we’re going to have that cell reinforced in time for the full moon.” Toni says, walking down the hall again, having had enough reminiscing for one day.

“How?” Toni stops and turns back. She clenches her jaw and drops her head slightly. Telling him couldn’t hurt, especially if it helped stop the same thing from happening to this Jack.

“He went wolf, and in the middle of a fight, He lost control and ripped the face off of one of our teammates. Warren had to take him out.” It still left a bad taste in her mouth, just mentioning his death. And it hurt to talk of it so plainly, but she couldn’t afford to get emotional around him. If she did give into the sad emotion, it would no doubt be the first in many events that would probably end up with there being a forth child bumbling about.

[Jack Russell]

No. They’re both His. And there’s actually three. I remember; I gave birth to every single one of them. You’ll probably meet Timmy later. Three?! Jack's lucky he's leaning against the wall, otherwise, he might have fallen down. I know. I heard that same story when we found out I was pregnant the first time. Fortunately Greg was a tough baby, so the three times He accidently dropped him the kid was fine. By the second and — by the second kid He was pretty well practiced. He cringes at this new piece of information, a little more than embarrassed that his future self drops his own firstborn. It just seems like an easily instinctive thing, a child is something that is to be handled delicately.

If it’s any consolation, you were a good dad to Timmy and Greg. They all love you...even Greg. Jack questions this severely in his mind, feeling how much anger Greg radiated, especially in his voice. Obviously he had done something terribly wrong.. He’s just had it rough since… Come on. We have to go. There’s lots of work to be done if we’re going to have that cell reinforced in time for the full moon.[/i] The weight of other matters replaces the weight of everything else, and Jack nods slowly.

When he had asked her how, he had thought the worst. He went wolf, and in the middle of a fight, He lost control and ripped the face off of one of our teammates. Warren had to take him out. It was ten times as bad. Inside, Jack feels a little sick. He'd only once directly witnessed what his animal self could do to people, when he'd awoken to the corpse of Max. The guy had been so mutliated, Jack could have only identified him by his odor past all the blood. Killing someone was one thing, but taking someone's identity was another, handing them one that named them scarred and contorted.

This is too much.

Jack straightens up, inhaling. For the good of himself, for the good of all those around him, he can't worry about this now. "So uh.. these prisoner cells..," he starts forward, hesitating only slightly as he catches up with her to start walking. "..what are the dimensions like..?"

[Toni Craft]

Toni’s glad he’s decided to follow her lead and change the subject, but the sickening horrified look on his face just moments before still haunts her. She walks briskly down the hall, this time ignoring any greetings any of the passerbys shoot at her.

"So uh.. these prisoner cells...what are the dimensions like..?"

“They’re big enough, don’t worry. Before we had cells for prisoners, we had a cell for Him. Considering that thing was strong enough to hold Him back even at the worst of times, we figured it would be a good idea to model the actual prisoner cells after it.”

Rounding another corner, Toni enters the prison section of the base. It’s mostly just a long hall lined with cells on either side. There were probably about thirty in all, some with simple bars for the weaker inmates, and then solid doors for any of the stronger ones. The odd cell is occupied by a lone soldier or two that they’d rounded up after another fight with SHIELD, but most remain empty, but ready.

“Right, well, to save ourselves some work, we’ll set you up in one of the already reinforced sets.” Toni strides down to one of the solid door chambers and releases the locking mechanism. With a loud, shrill groan, the heavy door swings wide and reveals the barren inside of the room. A few thick ringed bolts are secured along the walls of the upper half, should any of the prisoners need chaining. “It’ll need a bit of work, but it shouldn’t be a big deal to do.”

Toni steps inside and folds her arms as she examines the walls carefully. There were a few claw marks already engraved at the back, thanks to the cell’s last occupant, but the thick steel plate had obviously held. It would need another sheet of metal installed on each side if it were to withstand the wolf, and the door would have to be replaced and re-hinged, as per Jack’s suggestion, but it was all doable.

“So, what do you think?” Toni asks, pretending to study a line of bolts in one section so that she could avoid looking at him, especially in such close confines.

[Jack Russell]

Toni leads him down the hallway, and Jack lags close behind, weary from the day's events, dread weighing on his mind that he will have to change tonight. They’re big enough, don’t worry. Before we had cells for prisoners, we had a cell for Him. Considering that thing was strong enough to hold Him back even at the worst of times, we figured it would be a good idea to model the actual prisoner cells after it. Convenient, Jack bitterly notes to himself, although the arrangement at the institute isn't that much different.

Rounding a corner, they continue to go deeper in the base by means of a long hall. On either side, cells--both unoccupied and not--line the walls. Jack shoves his hands down into his pockets, getting a glimpse or two of a prisoner in passing. He doesn't like the idea of other people being within such a close radius, even if they were captured from the other side; not even Max deserved the fate that was dealt to him.

Ahead of him, Toni stops at one of the cells. Right, well, to save ourselves some work, we’ll set you up in one of the already reinforced sets. She opens the door, and it opens loudly, causing Jack to wince and turn his head slightly. It’ll need a bit of work, but it shouldn’t be a big deal to do. She disappears within the confines of the cell, and he follows closely after, pausing to inspect the heavy door.

He rounds the inner perimeter, crouching and testing certain places on the walls with his hands. When he arrives to the claw marks, he absent-mindedly traces one with his thumb. The cut is smooth, shallow, and obviously the last occupant had figured out quickly that the interior didn't give way easily. Jack blinks a little slowly, thinking for a moment that he knows way too much about cells.

So, what do you think?

"Well.. um.. it's.. it's fine. It's good." Jack turns and keeps his eyes on the floor, feeling uncomfortable to look at Toni in the face. He scratches the side of his neck, nervously. "I think.. that the walls in here are already strong enough, but uh.. another sheet over it wouldn't hurt. And, yeah.. it's good.. if we can get that done and.. you know.. re-do the door."

Instinctively he wants to call up Xander and ask for his opinion, but Jack doubts he'll have much luck with that. If he's dead in this new time, undoubtedly his turned friend would be in trouble by now. He shakes his head a little, leaning back on his heels and staring up at the ceiling. Quietly, he tries not to think about all the friends and people he'd known that might be dead or something close. Even though the prospect of returning to their own time seems a good possibility, it scares him to death that he might be stuck in this time forever.

What of his students? The little blonde girl in the back of his room that hardly ever raised her hand? Did she die too? What about Michael, or even that kind, old hot dog vendor that was outside his apartment all hours of the afternoon? Philip? (Not that he cared for him that much, but still.) And Lissa? For all he knew, the lasting strings of his family could be all dead and gone. Granted, his future self had this new familiy with Toni, but they weren't rightly considered his, were they?

He coughs and clears this throat. "I.. um.. I guess you'll move the guys down the hall somewhere else or have someone watch me..? I mean.. I uh.. I know they're prisoners and everything, but you don't need anymore versions of me around here."

[Toni Craft]

"I think.. that the walls in here are already strong enough, but uh.. another sheet over it wouldn't hurt. And, yeah.. it's good.. if we can get that done and.. you know.. re-do the door." Toni nods. It was weird to hear him stumble like that. The Jack she remembered had only done it the first few times they chatted, and then he had evolved into a well-spoken individual. She doesn’t blame this Jack for being a little nervous though, he is speaking to the woman that became his lover and mother to their children.

”Not a problem. I’ll get Elliot to let the supply crew know.” Her eyes become temporarily unfocused as she fires off the order to the resident telepath. The response is quick with one too many ‘boss’s thrown in. “I can do all the work myself, but if you wanted to something to do, you’re welcome to help. It shouldn’t take all that long.”


"I.. um.. I guess you'll move the guys down the hall somewhere else or have someone watch me..? I mean.. I uh.. I know they're prisoners and everything, but you don't need anymore versions of me around here." Toni bobs her head in agreement again.

”No, we don’t. But you don’t need to worry about that. I’ll be here to keep on eye on you.” She scratches her head, staring at the ceiling, then turns to him again. “This is all assuming that you’re not tame yet…you’re not, right?”

A quick blip from Elliot lets Toni know that the supplies are on their way, courtesy of Vanisher. A moment later, out in the hall, a few thick sheets of metal along with a new, reinforced door arrive, fading in from nothingness. The efficiency of their base was still astonishes her. ”Shall we?”