-1A/N: A few things needed to know before reading this. A bit of Jodie's history…Yeah I make up a whole history for my characters. Jodie's real name is Johanna, and she was fostered by Ruth when she was quite young and calls her Mum, but still knew her biological mother: Ann. And Jodie wants Ann out of her life forever…and this is how she does it!:

Parallel Freedom:

Jodie's POV:

'What is it?'

I didn't answer. I couldn't answer. Andrea may be my best friend but there are some things I cant talk to her about - this is one of them.

'Jodie please tell me what's wrong'

I looked at her, she was worried about me. She knows me inside out, she knows the thing that caused this problem now, but I cant tell her why it's a problem now. I don't know why. I guess it's just one of those things I have to deal with on my own. 'Don't worry' I said finally, possibly too calmly 'I can handle it. I have to handle it'

'You're scaring me' Andrea said. 'You're here and you were all worked up about something, now you tell me to just not worry. Well I cant'

'She wants a meeting' I said hoping Andrea would know who "she" is

'Oh' Andrea said, obviously she did 'Are you going to meet her?'

'I don't know. I don't know if I'm that brave. To tell her to her face'

'You are' Andrea replied 'You may not feel it but you are'

'You're right, or maybe you're not. Either way I think I need to do this' I said only just realising how true it was.

'Do you want me to come with you?'

'No, I need to do this alone'

'Hello Johanna' Ann said when I saw her.

'I agreed to meet you, it doesn't mean I have to be friendly' I replied, 'Now what do you want?'

'I…For…Jo, I don't want to lose you forever' Ann stuttered. A look of hope and dismay all over her face. A fake look. I could tell it was fake, even if I hadn't been able to tell I would've known it was fake. And even if it was real it was too late.

'You arranged a meeting to sat you don't want to lose contact?' I said 'I should've known you'd never accept it. I am 16 in a matter of weeks, and when I turn 16 I never want to hear from you. Ever again. I'm fed up of your life interfering with my so much. I'm fed up of you lying and your crap letters. When you were writing them what did you think? That you'd rub in that you love these kids the way you never loved me. Or were you so deluded that you actually thought I was interested? Did you think I wanted to know that they have a cat, when I never had a pet. Or that you were doing all these great things with them, all the things you never to with me or for me. Cards saying "Special daughter" like you care but you don't. And "Special Sister", I bet they don't even know who I am. Did you not take the hint that wanted nothing to do with you when the letters Mum have to wri…'

'I'm your Mum' Ann interrupted.

'NO. No you are not. You're the woman who gave birth to me and nothing more' I insisted. 'Just...Just sty out of my life. If I never see you again it will be too soon' I started to walk away.

'I don't want to lose you' Ann called after me.

I turned back to her 'You lost me over 10 years ago. I'm just making it official now' I replied and started walking again.

'How can you just leave it like this? Johanna? I'm sorry, Johanna please'

I just ignored her and continued walking. I knew even after all these years she didn't know what she was saying sorry for. She would never know how much she hurt me. That's why I kept walking and didn't even look back.

'Jodie' Mum said as I got in.

'Hey Mum' I said and hugged her 'You're the best'

Mum just smiled. 'Are you all right?'

'I will be' I replied.

'How did it go?' Mum asked.

'It's over now.' I said, truly believing it. 'Any news from Torchwood.'

'Jodie, you know I'm not supposed to tell you things' Mum answered 'You cant work there until you are 18'

'I wont tell if you don't. Now spill' I replied.

'We aren't sure yet, but we heard something from Torchwood-Cardiff that there's another world - A parallel world - trying to connect with this world' Mum explained.

'Would, if the parallel world did connect itself to this world, would people be able to travel between them' I asked.

'John said that would be impossible' Mum said, 'But then again John said a parallel world connecting to out world was impossible, but its happening'

'Could it be dangerous?' I asked. 'If people from that world were very different from us, could it be dangerous?'

'Well, yeah, but don't forget Jodie, it's only parallel. Which means its almost the same, just slightly different. They'll be humans.'

'Is that supposed to be a comforting thought? Humans?'

'Don't worry, Torchwood will do everything in their power to stop any danger that may come with the parallel world'

'Can I come to work with you tomorrow? It's the school holidas and I'l only be bored t home otherwise' I asked. 'Please me?'

'Oooh' Mum sighed. 'Go on then. But no…'

'Hunting aliens, working with dangerous equipment, or touching the computers.' said, smiling all over my face. 'Thank you'

'Hey John' I said at Torchwood the next morning,

'Jodie?' He answered. 'What are you doing here?'

'School holidays, I'd be bored crazy otherwise' I explained. 'So tell me, what can I do that doesn't involve hunting aliens, working with dangerous equipment or touching computers?'

'Not a lot' John replied.

'Oh' My smile faded.

'But I wont tell if you don't. There's a spare computer, see what you can find out' John said and explained about the parallel world.

'Yes boss' I said, and went over to the computer. Torchwood computers, are much more advanced then your average school or home computer. And much more confusing. After what seemed like ages, I had found out nothing more than what John and Mum had told me. - 'Hold on' I said quietly to myself. 'That cant be right'. The computer as telling me there would be a way to travel to and from this parallel world. That there was some sort of connection, that could be stepped through. That's impossible..

…No this is Torchwood, nothing's impossible.

'Where is it?' I whispered to the computer as I tried to find out. The computer said it was in this building, in the next room actually. It was in John's office.

I got up from the computer and went in the next room. I had expected John to be there but he wasn't. What was in there was what looked like a glass mirror. It was almost the height of the room, but only the width of a normal mirror. I knew instantly it was the connection. If I hadn't known instantly, I would've when I tried to touch it. My hand went straight through. 'Wow'

I realised it was very VERY unlikely I would ever get this chance again, so I stepped right through. As I did I heard John call 'Jodie don't' but I didn't listen.

On the other side I was standing in the middle of a street. I couldn't tell here I was, I could've been anywhere.

'This will seem a stupid question, but where am I?' I asked someone passing by.

'This is Chandler Street' The person answered. He paused and added 'Exeter'

'Right, yes, of course. Thank you' I replied. Chandler Street? Does Exeter have a Chandler Street? Oh well, this is a parallel world. Slightly different.

'Jodie' I turned to see John standing by the connection. 'How stupid can you be?'

'I'm not being stupid' I answered. 'I'm the sort of person who takes a chance

'You didn't even find out if it was safe. You just went through' John said 'It could've been dangerous.'

'But it wasn't' I replied. 'Come on then' and I stepped back through the connection.

John came through directly after e. 'Don't do anything like that again'

'Yes boss' I answered, but we both knew I would.

'Jodie' Mum said as we were walking home.

'Yeah?' I replied.

'If you want to work for Torchwood when you're 18 ,you cant do things lik you did today' Mum said.

'I know' I answered, 'And I wont. Today I just saw the opportunity, and took it. I'm not going to make a habit of travelling to parallel worlds.

'Good' Mum said 'What's that?'

I looked to where Mum was pointing, and saw exactly what I saw in John's office. 'A connection to the parallel word. Mum, are we the only people who can see it, look' I pointed to the connection, and the people around it 'that family's about to walk right into it' As I finished speaking, they did walk right into it, and through into the parallel world.

'Hold on and I'll call John' Mum said.

'There's hardly time for that' I insisted, 'they've already gone through' I looked over at the connection, 'I have to bring them back'

'Jodie wait' Mum called as I ran through the connection into the parallel world.

Ruth's POV:

'JODIE' I called as she disappeared thro,ugh the connection. I didn't know what to do. I had the option of running after her, or calling John, or just to wait.

I decided on calling John.

'Ah Ruth' He said as he answered. 'I was just about to ring you. We've found a way to close off the connection. We're just about to'

'Don't you dare' I said.

'Why not?' John asked

'Jodie' I said. 'A connection formed on our way home, but others couldn't see it, and a family waked through and Jodie went after them.'

'Oh my. Does she have any sense?' John asked

'She just wants to help them' I insisted. 'Just don't close it off'

'We wont. I'm coming, where are you?'

'Bottom of South Street' I answered.

'All right, I'll be right there' John said, and put the phone down.

Jodie's POV:

'Oh for heaven's sake. It had to be you didn't it. It just had to be you' I said, when I saw the family who had gone through the connection was Ann, her partner Darryl, and their kids.

'Johanna what is going on?' Darryl asked, his voice threatening.

'You wont believe me but I'm going to tell you anyway. You're on a parallel world. In Exeter in our world you - without realising - walked though a connection to this world'

'Don't be ridiculous' Darryl said.

'I didn't expect you to believe me' I insisted. 'This is Exeter, but not the Exeter we live in. We're in a world parallel to our own. Meaning it's the same but a little different.'

'Say we believe you - which we don't - but say we do, how do get back' Daryl asked.

I turned and pointed to the connection. 'We go through that'

'Through what? There's nothing there' Darryl said.

'You cant see it, that doesn't mean its not there' I answered. 'But if you don't believe me you can always stay here'

'Of course we don't believe you' Darryl said. 'A parallel world where is slightly different. I mean its stupid.'

'Ok then stay here. I don't care. If you stay here you';; be out of my life forever' I replied. 'You'll believe me when you find no one knows you'.

'More like you'll admit it's a load of rubbish when you next see us' Dattyl said,

'Whatever' I said and walked back through the connection.

'JODIE' Mum called and ran and hugged me. 'Never do that to me again'

'Sorry Mum' I answered.

'Can I close the connection now?' John asked.

'Yes' I answered

'What about the other people' Mum asked.

'Close it' I insisted.

'Close it' John said through his mobile to the others at Torchwood.

'Its gone' I said as the connection disappeared.

'Who was it Jode?' Mum asked.

'Ann' I answered. 'Now she's gone forever. I'm finally free.