Disclaimer: I do not own Torchwood nor any of its contents.
Genre: Family
Type : Song Fic
Song: If I Die Young by The Band Perry
Pairing: Jack/OC
Background Story: One of Captain Jack Harkness's many secrets is the existence, or lack there of, of his daughter, Mia. After so many years, Jack remembers her last moments and happy memories in her 50th death anniversary.
Author: Unshod Black Tears
If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in a river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song
"Daddy, daddy, where's Mimi?" 5 year old Ben Harkness jumped into his tired father's arms.
Jack only managed to catch his son at the very last moment, his exhausted limbs supporting the extra weight with the barely non-existent strength he still had in him after the recent events. His eyes shut as he took a deep breath, readying himself to tell his young son what happened to his big sister. His dull and lifeless blue eyes met his wife's equally depressed ones and he nodded towards their bedroom, silently telling her he would handle the situation and she could rest for a moment.
"Benjamin, Mia isn't coming back." He told his son.
The youngster's face turned into a confused frown. "Why? Where's she?"
"Mimi's with God now, champ. She's with Him now." Jack's voice trembled as he caressed his son's untamed dark brown hair, tears ran down his cheeks and the small, muffled sobs told him that Benjamin had understood every single word he said.
Lord make me a rainbow, I'll shine down on my mother
She'll know I'm safe with you when she stands under my colors, oh,
Jenny Harkness wiped away the tears as she stared down at the picture in front of her. Her baby was gone, but she was safer than ever, wasn't she? Jenny liked to believe so, it was the only way to comfort her besides her husband's fake confident assurances that their daughter was now in a better place. Although she wasn't worried about that. If Mia was there with them, she would be scolding them for being depressed over her death, and Jenny knew her daughter would probably just want them to support Spencer and help him take care of their 4 months old granddaughter. Jenny was worried about Jack, because if it was hard for her, it would be 10 times worse for her immortal husband, who would have to watch his family die over the years.
And life ain't always what you think it ought to be, no
Ain't even grey, but she buries her baby
"I never thought this day would come so soon." Jack spoke behind the wooden podium with swollen eyes. He closed them for a moment and then his focus was back on the people who cared enough to show up at the funeral of his beloved daughter. "No one deserves to bury their own child. Mia was an amazing young woman with a great future ahead of her. I like to believe that she is now watching over us, watching over Benny." His voice broke and his tongue darted out to lick his dry lips. "I'm depressed, sad and mournful over her tragic death, but above all, I'm proud that I was her father, that I was part of the reason she became who she became. Thank you." He sniffed quietly and approached his wife, family-in-law and granddaughter as the sorrowful claps reached his ears.
The sharp knife of a short life, oh well
I've had just enough time
"If only I was faster." Jack muttered absentmindedly as his index finger swirled the glass of scotch, it was now of a light brown after being mixed with his own salty tears.
Everything seemed to slow down as Jack's eyes widened and he tripped onto the floor with shock, the only thing his mind kept replaying was the Weevil's wild grunts and face coming down to Mia's neck, a loud, ripping noise was heard and the Weevil's face pulled up, savage eyes and bloody snout just a few inches away of the young woman's ripped neck. Jack felt the bile coming up his throat as he saw what might as well have been her collar bone, white and tinted of blood.
If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song
"Daddy?" 6 year old Mia called out, her braided hair flying with the wind as did her adorable, baby blue dress.
"Yes, princess?" Jack grinned down at her as he threw her in the air.
"How do people know if the angels like their funerals?" The young girl asked, leaving her daddy speechless. The lack of an answer didn't seem to bother Mia as she continued, oblivious to her dad's distant eyes. "When I die, I want a small funeral with pretty flowers, all white and maybe you can put my favorite Cinderella pillow so I can have good dreams." She opened her arms wide open and beamed with excitement. "Do you like flowers, daddy?"
And I'll be wearing white, when I come into your kingdom
I'm as green as the ring on my little cold finger,
"She looks peaceful." Spencer noted as he approached his wife's coffin. Her face was relaxed and her hands were entangled together atop her stomach. Jack had insisted to have her dressed in white, Spencer wanted her to be dressed in something meaningful, that's why she was now dressed in her white wedding dress, the loose and comfortable one with the long sleeves that reached her ankles.
"Indeed." His father-in-law nodded with a lugubrious face.
I've never known the lovin' of a man
But it sure felt nice when he was holdin' my hand,
There's a boy here in town, says he'll love me forever,
"I do." Mia beamed up at her soon-to-be husband.
"You may now kiss the bride." Said Uncle Hugo with a joyful smile, after the official priest had canceled on them, Spencer's godfather became a lifesaver by volunteering to act as the priest.
Cheers and applause were heard as the blonde pulled up the veil and smiled at the love of his life before grabbing her by the waist and giving her a loving kiss, beams broke the kiss as the happiness could no longer be kept inside.
A penny for my thoughts, oh, no, I'll sell 'em for a dollar
They're worth so much more after I'm a goner
And maybe then you'll hear the words I been singin'
Funny when you're dead how people start listenin'
"What's that?" Jack asked as he grabbed the small , old diary Jenny had thrown at him with his right hand since his left one was holding an ice pack to his cheek. It had been a rather stressful day that ended up with the immortal captain punching his late daughter's ex- high school boyfriend. The imbecile had been beaten up already once by Jack when Mia confessed he insulted her and even slapped her sometimes, and after the funeral he began to brag about being her boyfriend and saying she was an amazing woman, especially in bed.
"That's Mia's diary. I know that if she wanted someone to read it, that someone would be you." Jenny smiled softly.
Uh oh (uh, oh)
The ballad of a dove (uh, oh)
Go with peace and love
Gather up your tears, keep 'em in your pocket
Save 'em for a time when you're really gonna need 'em, oh
Captain Jack finally decided to open the old, brown diary after weeks of his wife giving it to him. His eyes quickly scanned all the pages, smiling softly at the love lyrics about Spencer and beautiful melodies of unofficial songs about her own daughter, Jamie, and her family, most of them being directed to Jack. He felt something wet on his cheek and knew he was crying only by reading the lovely words about a perfect father, the man who danced with her and always had time to spend with her, if only she knew Jack wasn't as perfect or brave as she made him out to be.
"Dear daddy." It read at the final page, a tribute maybe. "You may not believe it, but you're the best dad ever. If you're reading this, I'm probably dead by now. Don't be depressed over my death, the only thing I ask for you to do is to never forget me no matter how many years have passed, and yes, I know about your immortality. Don't let it get you down. Knowing you, you probably live by replaying past mistakes and hurtful events all over your mind, don't. Live the moment, enjoy the perks of never having to die. Sure it probably hurts more than it should, but that's no reason to be depressed all the time. Love, your baby girl."
The sharp knife of a short life, oh well
Jack sighed, he tried. He honestly tried, but, as always, he ended up messing it all up. His daughter's death ached in his chest since the moment he saw her natural bright eyes become lifeless. He had Torchwood, his family, but it wasn't the same. He hunted aliens for a living, saving people, but it was just a second nature now. His first mistake was letting Jenny go, then letting Spencer go and just like that his whole life seemed to become a never ending hellhole. He was alone, his daughter was dead, his son died in a car crash with his mother and his step father and his son-in-law was in another country with his granddaughter.
"If you're watching over me now princess, just know that I hope you're happy." He said out loud. "Because I'm not." Came the quiet, almost inaudible mutter a few seconds later followed with a heavy sigh and the sound of a glass bottle shattering all over the floor as Jack slumped over his chair.