onlysayinghello | [FM] November

Sound the bugle now, tell them I don't care
There's not a road I know that leads to anywhere
Without a light, I fear that I will stumble in the dark
Lay right down decide not to go on
Then from on high somewhere in the distance there's a voice that calls
Remember who you are if you lose yourself your courage soon will follow
So be strong tonight remember who you are Ya you're a soldier now
Fighting in a battle to be free once more - Ya that's worth fighting for

It's late in the evening and the streets are nearly empty. Just the echoing sounds vibrating through walls of taverns and into eavesdropping ears. The bottle is loose in Jack's hand, never fully slipping from his grasp, but the thought that it could shatter on the cobble street comes to mind more than a few times. That last bit of bitter alcohol rests at the bottom of the bottle swirling around tempting Jack for that final swallow.

The dampness in the air clings to him and his wool coat as he moves through the sleepy town. Celebrations are far from over and he's just happy to have lived through it. Of course he knows that it isn't luck, and it's not anything he did to make it through. The four new holes in his jacket from enemy fire are proof of that. But here he stands... here he wavers in the streets clinging to the bottle.

If he could laugh about it he would, but the answers he's looking for are so far away from him that he can't even think to think of the question anymore.

Just what happened on Satellite Five?

Still even though he's tired of asking it of himself, and far too drunk to even make sense of it the question echoes out into the night. His thoughts uncensored and broadcasting to the world that would listen. The barmaid had been following him for a few blocks now, Jack could pick up on the steady click of heel against stone easily. That staggered step of hesitation as she thought to herself that she's not like those other girls, but Jack wonders how different she is.

"What's Satellite Five?"

Jack stops the swish of booze hitting the side of the bottle and his step to the side turning himself around to face her is slow and a bit lopsided, "Was that out loud?"

"Sure was... so what is it?" Her sheepish grin of curiosity sparks a smirk of normalcy to his demeanor, that sly flirtatious glance that most that know him know fairly well lights up his features as he moves closer to her.

"That my dear... what was your name?"

"Abigail, Abigail Price."

"That my dear Abigail Price is so far away that it's barely a speck in our eyes right now. It's where I changed... you know Abigail?" Leaning in close to her his breath laced with alcohol and mint his voice dropped to a low seductive tone, "I can't die."

The warmth against her neck caused her shoulder to shrug up playing coy and a bit embarrassed by his actions, "That ain't possible. Everyone's gotta die someday. You get shot?"

It was a war. People got shot. Jack had been shot and even as they pulled the bullets from him in the medic tent they all said he should have been dead. Yet there he was Captain Jack Harkness... in all his glory... alive and well.

"I sure did, and I'm still standing."

"Aww well that ain't much. Lots of soldiers get shot, lots of them live too. A real soldier though takes those as evidence that he's got more to do for his country. You gonna keep fighting or is this walk here your walk outta arms?"

He hadn't even considered giving up. Death was no longer an option and even if it was he knew what was waiting for him. Nothing. Pitch black and just more emptiness. No white light. No loved ones waiting... in fact he often wondered if he died now... in the past... before anyone from his line was even a fraction of a single cell... would anyone even know back home? Would he just be another misplaced Time Agent forever lost to the Vortex?

Taking in a deep breath of the salty air Jack shrugged, "I'm a soldier... no point in giving up just yet. Still more than a few battles in me and trust me I know how this one ends, and I know when the next one starts. So I'll be here still... fighting because well... I don't have much else to do for now."