Summer 1 - Greetings and Welcome - Action

[kollomods]

[ It's a mild sunny day when the first group of guests make land at Norrhamn. A gentle breeze rustle the birch trees and tangle in the bunting that's hung across the buildings in celebration of this very special occasion. Aina has been busy gathering up guests over the last few hours and now the ferry is approaching the port, waves breaking gently against the bow.

Olivia is waiting on the jetty, clipboard hugged close to her body. She's excited and nervous all at once, anxious to get to meet these people that she's read so much about, the faces behind the pleading letters. This is the first day her new job becomes hands on. Hopefully she'll be good at it.

As the ferry lands and lets the guests off, Olivia raises a hand in a cheerful greeting. ]

Hello! Welcome to Norrhamn!

Comments

[forever_jack]

Jack travels light these days; he's amassed surprisingly little over the last century and a half, mainly because whatever he's tried to keep he's always ended up losing anyway. There's just the greatcoat on his broad shoulders, the wide leather strap around his left wrist that houses his wrist computer, and a rucksack with a few changes of clothes and quite a few sex toys (just in case the island's store isn't well-enough equipped). In compliance with the island's rules he's left his revolver and its holster behind – a decision that cost him more than a few qualms but he's got to trust that these people know what they're doing.

To be fair, having the Webley is more of a comfort thing than something he actually needs. He's had it a long, long time.

1. He's stayed rather uncharacteristically quiet on the ferry. He's just lost two people who'd become very dear to him and he's not at his flirtatious best (or worst, depending how you look at it). In fact, he's spent a lot of the journey gazing out of the window at nothing, lost in contemplation.

When the ferry finally docks, however, he rouses from his reverie – and takes a deep breath of the fresh sea air as he steps out onto the quay. The scent of the sea immediately reminds him of Cardiff and his head goes up, a faint smile finally starting to spread across his lips as he look around at his fellow travellers disembarking.

This little vacation might just turn out to be exactly what he needs.

2. He finds his room in Moose cabin and spends a few minutes just taking in the view of the sea. Then another few trying out the size, height and comfort of the bed. Then he hangs up his coat and wanders downstairs to check out the communal area. He's not particularly interested in the kitchen since he is not a cook, though he's pleased to see there's a decent-looking coffee maker. He can't do anything in the mornings without his first cup of coffee!

3. Later, he goes for a wander along the cliff-top, enjoying the play of light on the water, listening to the sounds of the waves and seagulls, breathing in the smell of salt and seaweed. He's still got a lot on his mind, but already he's starting to feel a little more at peace.

Scenario 3

[notrosesshadow]

Martha had seen Jack on the ferry. Of course she saw him. But she had hoped it wasn't actually him. This was her vacation. A vacation away from everything home. Particularly those things that involved aliens and world saving.

It had been easy enough avoiding him in the hullabaloo of the disembarking and general room finding. Of course, sooner or later, she would run into him. In this case, as she made her way up towards the cliffs. Martha was tossing pebbles off the cliff, and didn't notice him til she was too close to creep away.

She found an easy enough smile for him as she called out. "Fancy meeting you here!"

Aww, poor Martha - he's sorry for intruding on her holiday! :-D

[forever_jack]

However distracted he'd been on the way over, he couldn't fail to notice Martha amongst the passengers and the sight of her had made him smile fondly, but he'd kept his distance, wanting to give her space if she wanted it and let her make the first move. Once he'd made that decision, he hadn't thought much about her at all. He had his own troubles crowding his mind, after all.

That didn't mean he didn't have a great big smile for her though when she came upon him on the clifftop.

"Martha Jones!" he cried, spreading his arms wide. "Wasn't sure I'd ever see you again!"

He hadn't been back to Earth in years, not since getting Spike re-souled soon after they'd escaped MarinaNova. Not until now (if this was actually Earth).

Oh she'll live.

[notrosesshadow]

Martha stepped into the hug with a grin. "Wasn't sure you'd ever see me again? When are you from that that's a concern?" Because that is really the only explanation for that statement.

[forever_jack]

It honestly hadn't occurred to him that she might be from a different time, which was remiss of him, considering his vast experience of time-travel.

He hesitated as he realised this, covering it with the hug for a moment and then stepping back, studying her, trying to work out if she looked younger than the last time he'd seen her, but it was a while ago and complicated further by her having been in a virtual body for most of that time!

"When are you from?" he asked, hoping she'd understand that there might be a good reason for his caginess.

[notrosesshadow]

Martha knit her eyebrows together a moment as he studied her and laughed. "You really haven't seen me for a while, have you? We destroyed the Osterhagen Key a couple weeks ago. I finally have the opportunity to take a vacation." She left the fact that she was currently out of a job unspoken. If he was from the future, he already knew.

[forever_jack]

Thank goodness for Martha also being a time-traveller and understanding how these things worked! Even so, it took him a moment to mentally track back along his own timeline and work out how everything fitted in.

"Right, I'm a good few years ahead of you, then," he said eventually. Also potentially now from an alternative dimension, given how he, Spike and Ianto had headed out from MarinaNova instead of going back to their own previous timelines. If nothing else, Ianto and Spike both cheating their own deaths should have changed a few things, but none of them had been back to check. There were some things you just didn't want to know.

He shrugged, grinning. "It's good to see you, though! And good for you, making the most of being on the open job market to take a vacation." He definitely approved of her taking some time for herself for once.

[notrosesshadow]

"A good few years! I'd ask you what you've been doing in all that time, but I imagine you won't tell me," she exclaims.

Martha looked out over the the horizon and squeezed his hand.

"It definitely felt like it was time for a vacation. I haven't had one since I was a kid. Didn't think it'd ever happen actually. But it was time."

[forever_jack]

"Ianto, mostly, although not exclusively!" he grinned, because some quips were automatic even when he was lost and grieving. At least he wasn't mourning Ianto this time.

Not that Martha would know about Ianto's impending (for her) death, he realised. He was going to have to be careful to keep his timelines straight - something he'd got out of practice at over the last few years of linear living.

He squeezed her hand right back. "I'm really glad," he said sincerely, his gaze swinging in from the horizon and round towards the quay and the little cluster of cabins. "This is place is quite a find, isn't it? No idea how they know to offer us sanctuary, but..."

[notrosesshadow]

"An answer worthy of you," she replied with a laugh. "He's not here too is he? For a romantic getaway?"

Martha of course didn't know what was up and coming, and she was curious if she had somehow missed the other man on the boat ride over. There's weren't that many of them.

Her gaze follows his to the cabins. "But they definitely chose the right time. I'm not going to let it bother me. And I have to say, I'm intrigued by these lily pads they've warned us to keep away from. Might have to take a look after a couple days rest."

[forever_jack]

He laughed. "No, he's--" with Spike. Which relationship she wouldn't know a thing about, so no point in even mentioning it. "He stayed home. It's just me."

He gave her a smile to show her he was fine with that, but it came out a little bit unconvincing. Not because he wasn't fine with being without Ianto just now, but because he was grieving for two other lovers, and talking about Ianto couldn't help but remind him of Saavi and Taiana.

Gratefully, he latched onto the second subject she had raised. "Aw, come on, don't go trying to find mysteries and danger where there isn't any! This is supposed to be a sanctuary! We're not travelling with the Doctor any more, you know."

[notrosesshadow]

The hitch about Ianto caught her attention and she searched his face at his unconvincing smile. She almost asked about it... opened her mouth and took a breath to even when he instead latched onto her second subject. Martha took another beat to consider before ignoring his unspoken discomfort.

"Perhaps not, but I still do love mysteries. But you're probably right. There's likely nothing there other than maybe some obnoxious bugs that like them or something."

[forever_jack]

Yeah, he knew he hadn't completely fooled her with that smile (even without all the extra time in MarinaNova, Martha was probably the one of the Doctor's companions who knew him best, and besides she wasn't stupid) but he also trusted her not to push it. At least for a while, until they'd settled in, which should be long enough.

Eventually, he knew he'd want to talk to someone about his loss, but not yet. It was all far too recent and raw.

"Oh, I really hope it's not obnoxious bugs!" he declared, with a deliberately outrageous shiver. "I was planning on doing a lot of swimming while I'm here - I don't want to come out of the water all covered in bites! That's really not a good look on me."

2.

[burntviolet]

[ Hanako has just put her bag down before noticing someone else exists inside the cabin she has been assigned to. With her frame tensing up, hands squeezing the front of her shirt, she calls out to the man's attention with a quivering tone that still transpires politeness. ]

E-Excuse me, sir... are we, ah... rommates?

[forever_jack]

[He turns from the coffee maker with a bright smile - which softens slightly when he sees how petite, young and shy the newcomer is, though it's still potentially rather overpowering because he has that kind of personality.]

Looks like it! [Expansively, spreading his hands to encompass the living room that appears to be here for - at the moment - just the two of them.

He puts the coffee jug down and comes towards her, offering a hand.] Captain Jack Harkness. It's good to meet you!

[burntviolet]

[ His personality is already... quite overwhelming for her. For a moment she remembers Misha behind the man's grand greeting, so loud and chewing the scene merely by speaking. Hanako's jaw stiffens as she looks down at his hand and withdraws further, giving out an apologetic look. Her non-scarred hand is covering the other one with urgency.

Instead of a handshake, she humbly bows her head. ]

... Hanako. U-Um... Ikezawa Hanako. I hope w-we get along...

[forever_jack]

[Jack is not normally particularly aware of being overwhelming, but he already feels massive and hulking beside her and the way she withdraws makes him take a closer look, taking in the way her hair is styled to cover half her face and the way the hand he'd reached for is being covered by the other one. It doesn't take more than one, swift, searching glance to realise the reason, and he makes certain not to stare any more than that. He's known more than his share of damaged people in his long life; he knows better than to start off by drawing attention to scars, especially when his own skin is so excessively perfect. All his scars are internal.

He's also kicking himself for offering his hand anyway instead of bowing, to someone of her culture. Probably would have helped if he hadn't started by trying (however unintentionally) to get her to expose her scars!

Rather belatedly, he bows his own head, grave and apologetic.]

I'm sure we will. I'm - well. I've been told I can be a pain to live with, but I'll certainly do my best! [He gives her a big, disarming grin and then, in an attempt to take the pressure off a bit, turns back towards the kitchenette.] I was just going to make some coffee. Would you like some?

[burntviolet]

[ The tension in the air is self-made, the fault only lays on her and she feels a pang of guilt because of it. But the man, Jack, seems to navigate through with an ease that surprises her a little. People tend to send her pitying looks or give out a sense of uneasiness that naturally comes when dealing with someone like her. However, she gathers no such a thing from this man. Maybe it's her mind fogging quickly from the desire to run away, cruelly playing with her at this moment.

Then again, she came to Norrhamn for the exact purpose of wiping that nonsense off her system, take it all away so she can be normal and happy and not so damn broken all the time.

Jack takes the spotlight off her and it helps, a mightly lot. She nods her head, although his back is turned now. ]

I would like some- uhm... what sort of coffee?

[forever_jack]

[To be fair, he's not always this sensitive to others - she's just lucky that this is one area in which he actually has some insight!

He's also very aware that everyone else is almost certainly here for similar reasons to his own, and he's determined to at least try to help other people heal and not trigger anything untoward.]

Uh... it's just your basic filter stuff - I don't know what the brand is but it smells heavenly!

[He tosses another quick grin at her over his shoulder.] It won't be as miraculous as the coffee my boyfriend makes, but it should be drinkable, at least.

[burntviolet]

[ The smell? Hanako takes a deep inhale, focusing on something that isn't herself or how intimidated she is by the man's presence. It works, a little bit. Coffee sure smells nice, despite the bitter taste. ]

I see... ah, u-uhm, please put a bit extra sugar on mine.

[ She needs something a little sweet after all that travelling. ]

[forever_jack]

[He chuckles, and nudges the sugar bowl along the counter in her general direction.]

You might want to do that yourself, then. I take four sugars as it is - you might actually want less than me!

[Flicking her a quick grin before hooking down a couple of mugs and pouring the coffee.]

[burntviolet]

Ah... sure, that's b-better.

[ Hanako shrinks a little, drawing the sugar bowl to herself and pouring her amount into the mug once Jack pours the coffee in. Tea would have been a better choice, but she can't express her desires for something different without feeling her chest constrict with fear. She's aware that she really needs to work on that.

Inhaling the scent at first, and after blowing on it a little to cool it down, she takes a little sip.

A small nod is her indication that the coffee isn't bad. ]

[forever_jack]

[Jack has no idea what it's like to be as timid and unsure of yourself as Hanako is - he's damaged in his own ways, but he's always been blessed with physical perfection and that definitely brings its own level of self-confidence with it. So it doesn't even occur to him that she might have preferred tea instead, but was too scared to ask for it.

He takes a sip himself, and inclines his head in acknowledgement that it's not too bad.] Mmm, nowhere near as good as Ianto's coffee, but it'll do. Should still hit the spot!

[Glancing at her, he makes the decision to take the pressure off again by taking his coffee over to the window, gazing out at the other cabins, and one or two people straggling by on their way to their own. There's only a tiny glimpse of the sea from down here, but that's fine.] It's really rather lovely here, isn't it? Quite a sanctuary!

[burntviolet]

[ In the meantime, as Jack wanders off to the window, Hanako decides to sit down on the couch, the mug carefully nestled in her hands. The smell is quite good, and helps her relax the tension off her shoulders. Despite sharing the room with another person, as long as she's given space, she thinks she'll be alright. ]

I-It's... quite nice here, I agree. [ She was surprised by the "paradise" feel Norhamn gives out. It wasn't a lie when she was told it was a great vacation spot for people like her who needed it badly. ]

Never been outside of my... c-country, before. I'm a little... lost.

[forever_jack]

[He'll have to try and remember to give her space. He doesn't have a terribly good understanding of personal space, and does have a tendency to get right in it.

Also, wow. Never been out of her country? They really couldn't be more different, could they?]

Your country? Japan, yeah?