Then & Now 11a

[madbottoms]

Title: Then & Now

Author: Madbottoms

Prompt: 17 Again

Pairing(s)/Characters: Jack/Ianto, Owen/Tosh, Gwen/John Hart, Stephen, OMC’s, OFC’s.

Rating: NC17

A/N: See chapter 1 for notes and disclaimer.

Chapter 11

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Jack shoved books in his locker as John approached. He really didn’t want to talk to that douchebag.

“You like her, don’t you?” John slid up against the locker next to Jack’s.

 

“Who?”

 

“My girlfriend. She told me you were trashing me at the beach.”

 

“Leave her alone, John. She’s a good kid.”

 

“I don’t know how good she is yet but after I find out, she’s all yours.” John walked off.

 

Jack slammed his locker shut. He wouldn’t soon forget a comment like that and decided it was time for a little payback. Besides, he still owed John for setting him on fire.

 

Jack slipped inside the empty calculus classroom and slathered Krazy Glue all over John’s desktop and chair.

 

Jack sat just as the rest of the class filed in the room and gritted his teeth as he saw John kiss Gwen before taking his seat. John leaned on his desk, placing a forearm and a hand on the sticky desktop. He caught Jack looking back at him and gave him a cocky wink. Jack winked back knowingly.

 

Jack’s phone beeped. He checked it... a pix message...three perfect asses in tiny bikini bottoms. A wide-eyed Jack spun in his seat to find the Wonder Bras smiling at him.

 

Before they could say anything, Mr. Adams entered. “Settle, people.” Adams scribbled a large equation on the blackboard. This was your homework. Who can come up here and solve this for me? Anyone?”

 

Blank, uninterested faces and scattered giggles are the only answer and Adams tossed the chalk angrily on his desk. “Not one person. Fine. Miss Harkness-Jones. Come up here and dazzle us with your brilliance.”

 

Gwen rose nervously from her seat and shuffled to the front of the class. As she passed John he lifted his wet fingers from the desktop, and he placed his wet fingers to the tip of his nose and smelled. When John tried to remove his fingers from his nose, they stuck. He tried to raise his other arm but it was stuck too.

 

“Stuck!!! I’m stuck! My fingers!” John complained and stood, hunched because the chair was glued to his butt and the desk to his forearm along with his fingers that are stuck to his nose. Most of the kids and Jack burst out laughing and break out their video phones as John fumbled around, dragging the desk, in a panic.

 

“Sit down, John! Sit down!” Adams shouted.

 

“It’s glue! I’m glued to everything!”

 

Jazz bounded out of his seat, grabbing hold of John’s wrist. “I’ll get it off!”

 

“No! No! Don’t pull...!” RRRRIIIIPPPP. Jazz yanked and John’s scream echoed around the room.

 

*~*

 

Jack, wearing basketball gear and bouncing a basketball, stood in the middle of the court in the school gymnasium.

 

The doors opened and Stephen entered. “I got your text. What’s so important?”

 

“This year you’re making the team. We practice every day ‘til try outs. That gives us two weeks.”

 

“Forget it.”

 

“Yeah, you’re right. You probably don’t have any skills anyway.” Jack began to walk out.

 

“Hey! I got skills.” Jack turned back at his son’s sincere statement.

 

“So what’s your problem? Is it John and his friends?”

 

“Just leave it alone,” Stephen pleaded.

 

“You don’t need to be afraid of them, Stephen.”

 

“I’m too small anyway.”

 

“That’s why we focus on your speed, dribbling and outside shot. Remember, it’s not how big you are...”

 

“...it’s how big you play,” Stephen finished and looked at Jack quizzically. “Where did you hear that?”

 

“I don’t know? Read it somewhere I guess,” Jack lied. “Be a soldier. Show me what you got.”

Jack tossed Stephen the ball. Stephen began to dribble. Jack stepped up to defend. Stephen dribbled quicker, through his legs.

 

“Alright. You got a little game.”

 

WHAM. The doors slammed open. In walked John and his Posse. A blood speckled band-aid covered the tip of John’s nose. “What are you two queers doing in my gym?”

 

“Let’s go, Stephen.” Stephen stopped dribbling. He and Jack moved towards the door.

 

John and his Posse blocked the way. “I don’t think so. You girls wanna play with the boys then let’s play. 2 on 2.”

 

“No thanks. We’ll save you the embarrassment for try-outs,” Jack threatened.

 

John took the ball from Stephen, turned his back and dribbled. “Come on, Stephanie, embarrass me,” John jeered. While dribbling, John moved backwards, bumping into Stephen’s midsection, forcing him back.

 

“Back off, John,” Jack warned.

 

Stephen took a deep breath, tired of being afraid. “It’s okay. I got him.” Stephen threw his hands up, trying to defend the much bigger John. John easily backs Stephen down, faking left and right.

 

“You ready? Here it comes.” John spun, elbows high...POW...Stephen caught one to the head and dropped. John shot and scored. “2 points! And I was fouled!” John gave Jazz and Kevin hi-5’s.

 

Blind with rage, Jack rushed John... WHAM... tackled him hard to the floor. Jazz and Kevin threw Jack off John, punching and kicking him.

 

Coach Harvey, now in his late 50’s entered the gym, ran over to the fracas and pulled the boys apart. “Hey! That’s enough! That’s enough!”

 

*~*

 “Do what?”

 

“That thing... that rabbits do a lot of and that a girl your age should never do and should only do when she’s married.”

 

“Sex? No, that’s why he dumped me!” Gwen bawled again. Jack silently celebrated and sitting beside her he awkwardly patted her on the back.

 

“There, there now. It’s okay.”

 

“Sure he was a jerk but he was there for me. Which is more than I can say for any other man in my life.” Gwen sobbed uncontrollably.

 

Jack took a deep calming breath. “When you’re young everything seems like the end of the world. But it’s not. It’s just the beginning. And you might have to meet a few more jerks, but one day you’ll meet a boy who treats you the way you deserve to be treated... like the sun rises and sets with you.”

 

 “You really think so?”

 

“I know so.” Gwen threw her arms around Jack, hugging him tight and Jack hugged her back. A moment he can’t ever remember having had with his daughter.

 

“You’re so sweet.” And she was smitten.
 

Chapter 11b 

 

Comments

[missthingsplace.livejournal.com]

Oh boy ...

[madbottoms.livejournal.com]

Glad you commented on this one because I noticed a big oops!

[missthingsplace.livejournal.com]

I was gonna pm you and let you know, but i didn't have time, i had to go out.

[madbottoms.livejournal.com]

No worries. Thanks anyway.