[ He tries not to let his eyes wander from her face, because really, he doesn't want to be caught taking in how Elizabeth is doing so obviously. Getting to know her better than the daughter he had projected, he had at least figured out that she didn't like that kind of thing. She gets defensive in the face of his worry, but he also can't really help it. He sees the paleness, those less than pristine clothes, and he worries for her. He wants to reach out to her, but—
She reaches him first.
For a moment, Jack is so surprised that Elizabeth was the one to embrace him that he stands still, but that's truly only momentary. As soon as the shock passes, he wraps his arms around her and hugs her tightly. He hugs her in a way that probably subtly feels strange, because it's so tight that it's almost like he's afraid of her letting go. After all, in truth, though she's mostly separated from Angel now... There's still some of that grief that he can't help but project, even if he's aware of it and sees now how it reflects upon him more than anyone else.
For a moment, he thinks he'll tell her, and there's a "I'm sorry" on his lips, but as soon as Elizabeth shifts, his grip lessens to let her. Jack thinks she'll pull away, but he's surprised again as her fists hit his chest. He raises both of his arms up neutrally, not wanting to touch her as she rages, but her words just pull out a smile. It's not a full one, but he nods to her words all the same. ]
...Y'know, I'll probably get hit again, but, yeah, you're probably right.
[ He can't even deny it at all. Jack hadn't painted those targets for anyone else, and he'd even denied it when doing so might have come off as being self-sacrificing. It didn't suit him, and he knew that, but he also just never liked that kind of narrative. The hero that dies fighting was the hero he wanted to be, not the hero that dies in vain for others.
Jack doesn't hug her fully when she presses back, just an arm looped around her shoulders, but he bows his head against hers. It's very gentle, and it's the kind of fatherly gesture that's so automatic that he almost doesn't think about it at all, but he kisses her hair as if it's something to soothe her. ]
Hey- Hey, no need to apologize, though. It's- uh. It's not what I expected, that's for sure, but. Dunno. Doesn't feel like the end to me.
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She reaches him first.
For a moment, Jack is so surprised that Elizabeth was the one to embrace him that he stands still, but that's truly only momentary. As soon as the shock passes, he wraps his arms around her and hugs her tightly. He hugs her in a way that probably subtly feels strange, because it's so tight that it's almost like he's afraid of her letting go. After all, in truth, though she's mostly separated from Angel now... There's still some of that grief that he can't help but project, even if he's aware of it and sees now how it reflects upon him more than anyone else.
For a moment, he thinks he'll tell her, and there's a "I'm sorry" on his lips, but as soon as Elizabeth shifts, his grip lessens to let her. Jack thinks she'll pull away, but he's surprised again as her fists hit his chest. He raises both of his arms up neutrally, not wanting to touch her as she rages, but her words just pull out a smile. It's not a full one, but he nods to her words all the same. ]
...Y'know, I'll probably get hit again, but, yeah, you're probably right.
[ He can't even deny it at all. Jack hadn't painted those targets for anyone else, and he'd even denied it when doing so might have come off as being self-sacrificing. It didn't suit him, and he knew that, but he also just never liked that kind of narrative. The hero that dies fighting was the hero he wanted to be, not the hero that dies in vain for others.
Jack doesn't hug her fully when she presses back, just an arm looped around her shoulders, but he bows his head against hers. It's very gentle, and it's the kind of fatherly gesture that's so automatic that he almost doesn't think about it at all, but he kisses her hair as if it's something to soothe her. ]
Hey- Hey, no need to apologize, though. It's- uh. It's not what I expected, that's for sure, but. Dunno. Doesn't feel like the end to me.