My Name Is Jack Cluster

I've loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.

[a-girl-called-jack]

Fly Away || Jack & Nate || V7 W2 Late Friday Night

[godfather-giuseppe]

In that moment, Jack sounded so much like her mother, so full of sense. Stepping backwards, Nate held her shoulders and clipped her chin lightly. “When did you get so smart?” He asked, letting a small smile grow on his lips. Nate looked up around the airport as last call sounded over the tannoy, the time had come. “You’re gonna miss your flight.” Nate reflected what Jack had said.

[a-girl-called-jack]

“Oh a long time ago.” Jack said with a sly smile, giving her godfather one final squeeze before pulling away and shifting her bag on her shoulder. “Time to go.” She said, trying to sound brave but definitely failing. Pressing a quick kiss to Nate’s cheek, Jack looked behind her to the terminal and exhaled. “Thank you, Nate. For everything you’ve ever done for me and for this and-” Throwing herself round Nate again, Jack wrapped him in a tight hug, trying to make sure she remembered what his cologne smelt like, before pulling herself away and walking down the hall backwards, waving to Nate the entire time, until he could no longer be seen and then she was gone; off to her new life, so suddenly, just like that.

[CLOSE]

[a-girl-called-jack]

Fly Away || Jack & Nate || V7 W2 Late Friday Night

[godfather-giuseppe]

“Hey now, hey-” Nate wiped a tear away from Jack’s face with his thumb, waiting until she was gone before he indulged his own need to cry. “It’s gonna be alright, I’ll sort everything out and you’ll be back here in no time. I’m so sorry Jacky, this isn’t fair, I know it’s not…”

[a-girl-called-jack]

“Nate, it’s alright.” Jack leaned into his hands, forcing a smiled and wiping away her own tears. A memory sprang to mind, something Nate had said many times. “You promised you’d protect me, right? So you wouldn’t be doing this if it wasn’t the totally right thing to do, right? I trust you, and... honestly, I’m quite excited to see Cairo.” Hugging him tighter, Jack pressed her head into his chest. “I’m gonna miss my flight...” She mumbled.

[a-girl-called-jack]

Fly Away || Jack & Nate || V7 W2 Late Friday Night

[godfather-giuseppe]

“I’m not sad.” His voiced finally cracked, holding Jack in his arms and attempting to keep composed. Running a hand over the back of her head, Nate blinked back tears; this was so much more difficult than he though it was going to be. Taking a tiny step back, Nate cupped her face in his hands and leaned down slightly to her level. “Now you call me when you get there, and I’m expecting emails and letters, okay?”

[a-girl-called-jack]

Sniffing, Jack looked up at Nate with her big green eyes, tears rolling down her cheek. Leaving Rhys, though difficult, was still doable. But Nate had raised her, he was the only parent she knew, he was the one constant in her life, and now she wasn’t going to have him, not properly anyway. “I promise.” She said meekly, nodding her head.

[crash-ash-and-burn-deactivated2]

Can't See Your Star || Jack and Rhys || V7 W2 Friday Night

[crash-ash-and-burn-deactivated2]

"Sunburned or not, I’ll still cherish any picture you send me Jack." Rhys was trying very hard to sound positive about this, even though it felt like she was ripping his insides out and taking them with her.

"I’m going to miss you too Jack. Who else am I going to buy flowers for just to see them smile? Hank doesn’t seem like the type to appreciate daisies…" He joked, mouth pulling into a mock frown.

[a-girl-called-jack]

“I don’t know, he seems like a daffodil kind of man.” Jack smiled up at Rhys, running a hand through his hair softly as she tried to commit the look of the man’s aura to memory. “Nate’s waiting outside... I should go.” Her voice was barely above a whisper, wanting to drag out time s much as possible. Finally, she managed to step away from Rhys and pick up her bag. “I’m really gonna miss you Rhys, I promise to stay in touch.” A small tear escaped as Jack reached up to kiss her friend on the cheek before walking away and towards the car, wondering whether she’d ever actually see the man again.

[CLOSE]

[a-girl-called-jack]

Fly Away || Jack & Nate || V7 W2 Late Friday Night

[godfather-giuseppe]

“Anything for you.” Nate replied, a small smile growing on his lips as he pulled into the airport car park. The two of them hardly talked as he got Jack’s luggage and checked her into for the flight. Standing by the gate, Nate blinked back tears as he looked down at the beautiful young woman standing before him. Mark and Lucy would be so proud of her, and hopefully, they would understand what he was doing.

“I thought the house quiet with you at the school.” He said, voice so close to cracking, but holding on for now.

[a-girl-called-jack]

Wrapping her arms around Nate, Jack cuddled into his chest, not wanting to leave just yet. “You can’t be sad, Nate.” She tried to smile slightly, practically clinging to her godfather. “You’re not allowed.” If Nate was sad, she’d be sad, and Jack didn’t know if she’d be able to let go if she was. 

[real-life-wolf]

[a-girl-called-jack]

Fly Away || Jack & Nate || V7 W2 Late Friday Night

[godfather-giuseppe]

After Jack came back to the car, Nate could tell Jack wasn’t quite as accepting as she had been, but that was perfectly understandable- it wasn’t like he’d expected her to take this even half as well as she had. 

“Yes.” He answered quietly, but quickly. Turning his head, Nate looked over at Jack briefly, wishing he could turn back time and make sure he never let her get in this much danger in the first place. “I wish, I wish there was something else. You have to get out of the city, and I don’t know where else you could go…”

[a-girl-called-jack]

“I trust you.” She smiled sadly back. Her godfather looked exhausted, and his aura seemed tired as well, he’d probably spent a long time thinking about this, and he was a smart man; if there was any other possibility, Jack was confident that Nate would have thought of it. 

“Please keep an eye on Rhys. I know you don’t really like him, but.. for me?”

[hammandbuble]

[a-girl-called-jack]

Fly Away || Jack & Nate || V7 W2 Late Friday Night

Having returned to the car a lot less easy about leaving than before, Jack sat quietly whilst Nate drived, not wanting to be the first one to break the silence. This was all happening so fast that she didn't even have time to process anything and find out whether she really agreed with having to leave. After all, she was 19, an adult, surely she could do what she wanted. But on the other hand, Nate had always looked after her, he knew what was best for her, even now, if he thought that going to Egypt was the right thing to do, then she trusted him. But then there was Rhys. He was so fragile at the moment, Jack was terrified that her leaving would make him even worse.

“Are you sure about this, Nate?” She finally asked, the airport just coming into view through the windshield.

[crash-ash-and-burn-deactivated2]

Can't See Your Star || Jack and Rhys || V7 W2 Friday Night

[crash-ash-and-burn-deactivated2]

"Sunburned or not, I’ll still cherish any picture you send me Jack." Rhys was trying very hard to sound positive about this, even though it felt like she was ripping his insides out and taking them with her.

"I’m going to miss you too Jack. Who else am I going to buy flowers for just to see them smile? Hank doesn’t seem like the type to appreciate daisies…" He joked, mouth pulling into a mock frown.

[a-girl-called-jack]

“I don’t know, he seems like a daffodil kind of man.” Jack smiled up at Rhys, running a hand through his hair softly as she tried to commit the look of the man’s aura to memory. “Nate’s waiting outside... I should go.” Her voice was barely above a whisper, wanting to drag out time s much as possible.

[crash-ash-and-burn-deactivated2]

Can't See Your Star || Jack and Rhys || V7 W2 Friday Night

[crash-ash-and-burn-deactivated2]

"Hey…" Rhys wasn’t sure why, but he got the feeling that he needed to reassure her just as much as she needed to reassure him.

"Of course I’ll be alright." He knew how he looked. He looked like the dead walking, and he felt even worse, but he’d hold on. He would figure this out and then when things had settled, and she came back, they’d be together again. Three words were on the tip of his tongue, but he didn’t dare utter them. He knew they were true, they had to be, but he didn’t want to scare her away. Instead he pulled back, smoothing her hair out of her face, and cupping the back of her head.

"I’m not going anywhere, I promise alright? I’ll be right here when you get back, and you’ll have all kinds of stories to tell me about Egypt okay? Take some pictures with the sphynx and send them to me so I can annoy Hank with them and post them all over my wall."

[a-girl-called-jack]

"Of course you will." She repeated, stating it like fact. Though of course he was worried for the man, Jack was totally confident that he would get past this at some point, she just wished she could be around the help out. "You're strong, and brave, and fantastic, and you will be alright." Jack smiled, kissing his cheek.

"I'll send you lots of pictures, though with the weather I'm sure I'll be sun burnt all the time." She laughed briefly, looking back up at Rhys with a slightly tilted head. "I'm really going to miss you."

[crash-ash-and-burn-deactivated2]

Can't See Your Star || Jack and Rhys || V7 W2 Friday Night

[crash-ash-and-burn-deactivated2]

"I.." Rhys knew that there were ways to stay in contact, but it wasn’t the same.

"I couldn’t ever forget you Jack." He said, one hand coming up to the back of her head, pressing her tighter to his chest. Maybe if he closed his eyes and wished hard enough, this wouldn’t be happening. 

"Can I just say I realy, REALLY don’t want you to go?" he asked, his voice wavering slightly.

[a-girl-called-jack]

"I don't much want to go either." Jack admitted, fingers wrapped in Rhys' shirt, wanting to remember how it felt to be so closely intertwined with someone else- knowing it would be a while before she was the same again. "But it'll be okay, and you'll be okay, and it wont be forever. Nate just has really bad timing."

[crash-ash-and-burn-deactivated2]

Can't See Your Star || Jack and Rhys || V7 W2 Friday Night

[crash-ash-and-burn-deactivated2]

The moment she turned that uneasy look on him, all the blood drained from his face, and Rhys wanted to run. He wanted to run away hard, and fast, and never look back because this was just too damn painful. But he didn’t. Even when the bottom of his stomach dropped out as she told him where she was going, not even when he felt like puking as her arms wound around his neck.

"I uh…" Rhys forced himself to wrap an arm around her. He couldn’t let her know just how deeply this affected him. He didn’t want her to feel bad for having to leave. "Nate knows what’s best I suppose." He said, his voice feeling tight and robotic.

"Cairo is… a long way away." 

[a-girl-called-jack]

"Hey, hey-" She stepped back slightly, looking up at him with a difficult smile whilst rubbing her thumb over his cheek. This was difficult enough for her, and look of Rhys' aura wasn't making it any easier- he was in a bad place, and this definitely wouldn't make him feel any better. "I'm not disappearing of the face of the earth. There's email and letters and a lot of different things, it'll be alright." Hugging him again, Jack shook her head. "In fact I expect email, can't have you forgetting me."

[godfather-giuseppe]

Better This Way || Nate & Jack || V7 W2 Friday Evening.

[godfather-giuseppe]

Blinking back his tears, Nate sniffed and cupped the back of Jack’s head, holding her in a close embrace whilst he rode this wave of emotion out. “Okay.” He cleared his throat, smiling down at Jack. If she’d insisted on staying he’d have sorted something out, but having her agree just made that much easier to handle. “The flights are booked… If you want to get your things I can take you to the airport tonight, if that’s alright?”

[a-girl-called-jack]

"Okay..." Jack nodded, a little unsure. In reality, she'd have liked a little more time to say goodbye to people, mainly Rhys.  Oh how was she going to tell him? This wasn't going to be pleasant, but if she was leaving tonight, it was probably going to have to be an email... he deserved better than that... She wanted to give him better than that. "I'll go pack, you wait here, I shouldn't be long." She said, smiling softly at Nate before stepping out the car, wondering how long it would take to find Rhys and explain.

[CLOSE]

[crash-ash-and-burn-deactivated2]

Can't See Your Star || Jack and Rhys || V7 W2 Friday Night

Rhys had been hoping to surprise Jack with a movie night. He’s just found some foreign film with subtitles that he thought she might like, and came over to see if she wanted to watch with him , when he found the door halfway open.

"Jack?" He asked pushing the door open the rest of the way, worried something bad had happened until he saw her packing. He felt the bottom of his stomach give out but tried to play it off.

"Going on a vacation?" He asked, forcing a smile.

[a-girl-called-jack]

Having jumped out of Nate' car, Jack had quickly started to throw her clothes into her suitcase when Rhys had come in. She looked over had him a little timidly, suddenly feeling a little more uneasy about going. She knew he still needed her, and she wanted to be with him too... but Nate knew what was best.

"I... Oh Rhys I'm sorry-" She went over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'm going away for a little while... Nate says it's not safe in New York, I'm staying with his parents in Cairo..."

[crash-ash-and-burn-deactivated2]

I'm Not Myself || Jack and Rhys || V7 W2 Late Tuesday Morning

[crash-ash-and-burn-deactivated2]

"As long as I have you Jack… I know I can make it through this." He said softly, wrapping his arms around her and burying his nose in her hair. "You’re my North Star you know that? No matter how dark it seems, I know I’ll be okay because you’re there to guide me through the night." 

Rhys wasn’t sure why he was getting so poetic, but it felt like it was something he needed to say. He needed to let her know how important she was…

"Okay now… how about you let me buy you lunch hmm?" He said pulling away and smiling down at her.

[CLOSED]

[holland-roden]