Chapter 3: The Grudge and The Secret
"Who's the girl?" Rhys asked, as he turned to face the platform. "And where's Gwen?" he asked, getting nervous. "Here!" Gwen panted, coming down the stairs. "This is Odessa," Jack told Rhys, stepping off the lift and reached out his hand to help Odessa down. She smiled and took his hand. "Odessa, this is Gwen's husband, Rhys," Jack introduced.
Gwen huffed over to her husband, who was staring at the blonde in front of him, a little too closely. Gwen hit him, knocking him back to Earth. "What?" he whined, rubbing his arm. "Where's the baby?" she asked. "Oh, you have a baby!" Odessa cooed. "Yeah, a little girl," Rhys smiled, pleased that the cute blonde was talking an interest in him. "I have two little brothers at home, but they're not babies anymore," she said, somewhat sadly. "I just LOVE little ones!"
Gwen rolled her eyes and posed her question again. Rhys pointed to the Conference Room; Gwen turned on her heel and headed for the room, glad to be away from the blonde. As she walked through the door to the Conference Room, she heard Odessa laugh loudly; the sound was sweet and musical. 'Even her laugh is cute!' Gwen thought angrily. She shook her head, trying to forget about the bubbly blonde outside. She looked down in the small crib holding her sleeping daughter and smiled. She reached a hand in and rubbed the baby's back softly. The baby stretched and opened her eyes widely; she looked up at her mother, smiled, and started to scream loudly.
"Need some help?" Gwen heard from behind her. She frowned, recognizing the sweet, musical voice of the bubbly blonde. "No, thank you," Gwen retorted, through clenched teeth. "Okay," sang Odessa coolly. Gwen huffed; she reached down and picked up her screaming daughter. She pulled the baby close and bounced the baby softly. She rubbed her back gently. "You're okay, baby," she repeated, somewhat frustrated; but nothing Gwen tried seemed to sooth the howling infant. Gwen turned and looked briskly at Odessa; who smiled and shrugged knowingly. Gwen sighed and rolled her eyes heavenward. 'You're punishing me, aren't you?' she thought silently. Gwen nodded toward Odessa.
Odessa stretched out her arms and Gwen handed her the still wailing child. Odessa fidgeted with the child a few seconds, trying to find the perfect hold. She placed her hand flat on the girl's back and swayed ever-so-slightly; she began to hum softly. Gwen watched in awe as after only a minute or two, the baby had calmed down and stopped crying. Odessa smiled at both mother and baby and continued to hum her lullaby; Gwen saw that the baby's eyes began to grow heavy and soon shut and she could hear her daughter sleeping soundly. Odessa moved her hand over the baby's back. She then carefully, not wanting to wake the sleeping infant, placed her back in the small crib.
She pulled the flowered-pink blanket over the baby. She bent down and kissed the baby's head gently. "Good night, sweet princess," she whispered, "and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!" She straightened and turned to leave the room; Gwen followed dumb-founded. When the door closed behind them both, Gwen turned and stared at Odessa. "How did you do that?" Gwen asked, trying to keep her mouth off the floor. "I guess I just have a knack with babies. I get it from my father; he was great with me and my brothers when we were younger," Odessa giggled; she turned and walked down the stairs, back to the two men at the center of the Hub.
"What about the song? It sounded beautiful," Gwen inquired. "What song?" Rhys asked not wanting to be left out of the conversation. "The song she sang to put the baby right to sleep." Gwen restated for the other two. Jack and Rhys nodded. "It's just a little lullaby that my father used to sing to me when I was little; he still sometimes sings it for my brother," she remembered. "It sounded so unfamiliar and foreign," Gwen thought out loud. "Like it was from another world."
Rhys turned to his wife, confused. Jack glanced at Odessa, gauging her reaction; there wasn't one. "Not that it wasn't beautiful," Gwen added blushing. "Thank you," she said honestly. Odessa smiled and blushed pink. "It was nothing," she waved her hand for emphasis.
"So your dad, he sings to you kids?" Jack stretched, attempting subtle small-talk and failed. Odessa looked at him quizzically. "Well, he tries to," she stated. "Sometimes, it was just horrible; most nights he would just tell us stories."
Jack nodded. "What kind of stories?" Rhys asked, intrigued. "Well," Odessa thought about the right answer. "Adventure stories, mostly; saving the world, rescuing the damsel in distress, that type of thing," she answered rapidly. "Stories about me?" Jack asked, eyeing her curiously. She smiled. "Yes, stories about you, Jack," she shook her head, laughing.
"Now just wait a minute!" Gwen stepped up in front of Odessa. "You don't personally know Jack, right?" Gwen asked, starting to pace. "Right," Odessa nodded. Gwen frowned. "You've just heard all these stories about him? Then you decided to come and meet him?" Gwen stated. Odessa nodded without speaking. "Well, then how do your parents know Jack?" Gwen retorted coldly, forgetting about the help she had received concerning her daughter. Odessa blinked and hesitated a fraction of a second. "They saved the world together," she stated matter-of-factly, sounding slightly irritated. Jack blinked and was taken aback. Gwen turned to face him, her eyes questing his face for an answer.
Jack stopped to think. "Could you be a little bit more specific, please?" he suggested. "I have saved the world a time or two," Jack snickered in amusement at himself. Gwen snorted. "Or twelve." Jack rolled his eyes and smiled his charming smile. "Remember anyone is particular?" Rhys posed. Jack scrunched up his face in thought. "Well, there were all the times with you guys and…" he trailed off, a tear coming to his eye; he blinked it away quickly. "Then there were the couple of times with the Doctor and Rose, and then…" Jack stopped short. He turned and stared at Odessa. Rose; she looked just like Rose!