Id like to get a special thanks to Lady Emma Wentworth who is a lifesaver. She is a genus and really helps me with my spelling and grammer. Her inserts make everything flow so much better and give inspiration for more things.
PLEASE READ AND REVIEW. I love hearing what people think
Jack and Ianto rejoined the Doctor in the main control room after getting a couple of hours rest. "Feel better, Jack?" the Doctor asked coming out from under the console. He smiled at the two men whose hands were intertwined.
Smiling at the Doctor, Jack said, "I should be asking you the same thing." Ianto gave his hand a squeeze before heading off for the kitchen, leaving the two men to talk. "But, yeah it's been a very emotionally draining couple of days. Doc, have you figured out how we are going to find her? If I know Daisy, unless she's ready to go home, the minute we show up she going to hop out on us."
Jack and the Doctor looked at each other, both struck by the same thought at the same time: Rose! "She's just as stubborn and headstrong as Rose ever was, Doc, I swear!"
The Time Lord just smiled at Jack and kept fiddling with the console. "I'm not even sure where she would go," Jack continued. "I'm just afraid she's going to go messing around in her own time stream and screw something up."
Ianto returned at that moment with a tea tray. He handed Jack a mug of his industrial-strength coffee before pouring tea for the Doctor and himself. The Doctor stopped adjusting the controls, accepted the cup from Ianto, and sat back on his chair to think. He knew they couldn't just go running willy-nilly after the girl. Jack was right; she would split long before either of them could get close enough to talk to her. He wanted her back as much as the immortal did. The longer she was out there alone, the greater the risk something could happen to her. He needed to find a way to get her to want to go home on her own.
Although the Doctor knew it would be for the best to wait for her to return,he didn't want to tell Jack tosit back and be patient. The Doctor had a feeling Jack would tear apart time and space looking for his daughter, and they would end up in a game of chase that would last longer than necessary.
A plan instantly came to the Doctor; after gulping the rest of his tea, he walked over, flipped a switch on the console and sat back in his chair. "We are going to need some help; the universe is a vast place." Doctor said, listening to the TARDIS land. Motioning for Jack and Ianto to stay there he stepped out of the TARDIS.
"Hello, sweetie." He was greeted by a sexy voice the moment he shut the doors on the blue box.
"River, I've come to steal you away for a bit," he said, flashing her a smile. "I hope you don't mind." Jumping at the chance to get out of the storm cage, the strikingly beautiful woman quickly grabbed up her things and waited for him to open the cell door.
Jack and Ianto jumped up when the Doctor returned after only a few moments, noticing immediately that he wasn't alone. "Shall we do diaries then, my love?" She asked, before noticing the two men standing there. Jack noticed that she was waving around a small blue diary that was the exact colour of the TARDIS. "Oh we have company," River commented upon noticing the men.
"River, this is Captain Jack Harkness and Ianto Jones. Guys, this is Doctor River Song."
Jack heard her name and took a step back, his eyes wide.
"Now that's a first. Jack Harkness not flirting with a complete stranger." The Doctor said, walking over and grabbing a blue book similar to River's. He started patting his jacket and digging in his pockets. Like the TARDIS, a Time Lord's pockets are bigger on the inside, and in his search for a pencil, he pulled out a yo-yo, a banana, "Banana's are good," he commented, throwing it to the side and continued rummaging. Next to appear were several spark plugs from a 1959 Chevy, "I was looking for you back in 3067; thanks for showing up now," he told them before tossing them onto the console.
"Ah-ha!" he proclaimed, holding up the stub of a pencil as though it were an Olympic torch. "I knew I had one!" He realised that the other three were staring at the small pile of 'stuff' that had accumulated on the console. "What? I always save things for a rainy day."
Jack shook himself back into reality. "Doctor, would you please tell me what you are doing? And why is she here?" he asked, pushing Ianto protectively behind him as if he were ready at any moment to jump into a fight.
"Well, Jack, first off, River and I never meet in the right order, so we are trying to figure out where we are so not to mess up the future for either side…"
River nodded. "Spoilers, sweetie. Can't have them."
"And I already told you we need help and here it is," he concluded, pointing to River.
River smiled, doing her best not to seem all that offended by Jack's actions. "So sweetie, where are we?"
The Doctor closed his book and set it back down. He didn't really need it; he knew precisely where in their time-line they were. Taking her Journal from her hands, he slowly pressed his lips to hers. "We're right here, Melody." A smile crossed her face; he still knew who she was. "It's odd calling you that; I'll stick to River."
Her face fell and sadness filled her eyes. That meant that he had only just learned the truth and next time she saw him he wouldn't know who she was.
"Wait," Jack said, interrupting the two. "Melody? As in the baby we just dropped off?" he asked. The Doctor nodded and Jack stood there in awe. He had never known the Doctor to be like this towards anyone.
"How are my parents?" River inquired with a smile, noticing how uncomfortable Ianto was looking.
"Good! I just gave you a Gallifreyan rattle; hopefully you're not driving them up the wall with it." The Doctor set a dial, whirled a knob and set the TARDIS in motion.
River chuckled at this comment, and the Doctor had a feeling she knew exactly what her baby self was doing. "So, you need my help? May I ask with what?" River walked around behind the Doctor, fixing things on the console. Jack had to admit the TARDIS was flying a lot quieter and much smoother with River at the controls.
"Jack's daughter has run off and we need someone with a vortex manipulator to help us look for her." The Doctor reached behind River when she wasn't looking and re-adjusted a couple of knobs and switches, and the moment he wasn't looking, River reset everything he had touched.
Jack didn't like the idea one bit. He had always trusted the Doctor, but this was pushing that trust to its limits. Jack smiled at the Doctor as he took River's arm and led her as far from the man as the confines of the console room would allow. Jack pulled her inclose to him so they would not be overheard.
"I don't like having you here one bit, but if he is willing to trust you with Daisy's life, then who am I to argue. Just to let you know, I am watching you. Hurt one hair on my daughter's head…" He tightened his grip on her upper arm to the point of bruising. "And I swear on her life, I will. Rip. You. Apart."
River's face showed pure shock at the ferocity of Jack's words and at the depth of emotion behind them. She knew with certainty that he meant every single one.
Jack gave her a rather unpleasant, vindictive Jack-the-rogue-Time-Agent-and-heartless-con-man smile that was all teeth and never went higher than his mouth. "What, didn't think anyone would know who or what you are?"
Letting River go, they walked slowly back over to the centre console. As he passed Ianto, Jack gave him a reassuring smile and a wink. Ianto nodded in return. He still wasn't sure what was going on, and he found it very frustrating to feel so out of the loop.
"So Doctor, when did you start busting people out of prison?" Jack asked him. The Doctor looked truly shocked that Jack knew where they had just come from. "51st century Time Agent, remember?" Jack smirked, pointing to himself.
The Doctor had, indeed, forgotten that Jack originally came from the time in which River was incarcerated. He was just so used to seeing him on Earth in the 21st century. River's face flashed a sudden look of understanding.
"I forget you were a Time Agent, Jack. Guess I'm just used to you working for Torchwood." The Doctor snapped the last word as though to prove a point in a curious but ridiculous game of one-upmanship.
"So,would someone tell me about this girl we are looking for?" River asked, trying to break the stare-down between the two men. The Doctor handed River a picture of Daisy that the TARDIS had printed out.
"Daisy took off with Jack's vortex manipulator. She could be anywhere in time or space, but I can't go looking into Daisy's past for fear I'll bump into myself. Jack and I are going to check some planets. I need you to go Earth, 21st century, and check along the lives of a couple of people."
Ianto was lost in all the talking. He wasn't going to ask anyone to explain; he really didn't need to know right now. Plus, he knew that Jack would answer his questions when they were alone. He decided he would just slip quietly into his normal role of butler and Tea-Boy extraordinaire, and help them out the best way he knew how.
Noticing Ianto's confusion, the Doctor began explaining. "I have spent a great deal of time in London during the early 21st century. That means Daisy could be somewhere in my personal past and it's very bad, end-of-the-world bad, if I run into my younger self. So to prevent that from happening, I'm sending River to look for her there." Ianto nodded; Jack had explained to him about the dangers of a paradox long ago.
The Doctor led River to the door of the TARDIS. Due to her piloting skills, the time machine had landed so gently that no one even noticed. "Sorry about Jack. He's just worried about Daisy." The Doctor knew full well what had transpired between River and Jack a few moments ago. "Now, before you go there are some things you should know." The Doctor lowered his voice so Jack couldn't hear, not that Jack was paying him any attention. He and Ianto were headed for the kitchen, tea tray in hand, and their heads together as they spoke softly to one another.
"One. Try to avoid Jack and meon Earth. If you do see me, don't speak to me. Two. Jack isn't Daisy's real father; a human clone of myself was her father. Three. Daisy is a Time Lord like me. Daisy's mother travelled with me before circumstances forced me to leaveher and the clone behind. They died when Daisy was an infant."
River saw the look of sadness and loss that crossed the Doctor's face, and she gently squeezed his hand. "Oh, sweetie, I am so sorry," she murmured.
The Doctor handed her a piece of paper with several names on it. "These two names here," he said, pointing to Jackie and Mickey. "They were Daisy's mom's friends and family. This one here," he pointed to Donna Noble. "She's a woman I travelled with;she made the clone possible and he went on to take her name, treating her like a mother of sorts.
"Then there is Jack and his past. Jack's been on Earth for nearly two hundred years, so that one is going to take a while to go back down. Save it for last. I don't see her really going there, but it's there just in case."
River looked at the paper; it had every bit of information on it she could think to ask for, except one. "How has Jack been alive for almost two centuries?" River asked.
The Doctor really didn't want to go into that long, drawn-out story again. "He's immortal. Accident caused by Rose and the heart of the TARDIS," he said, succinctly.
River was putting the pieces together. "You really should put up big signs on this ship, sweetie, warning people about what it could do to you." River joked, pushing the buttons on her strap and flashing out with a white light before the Doctor could say anything more.
Daisy woke the next morning wondering why Jackie hadn't called her for dinner, but she did feel a lot better. Leaving Rose's room, she found Jackie sitting in the living room sipping her coffee.
"Hey! Sorry but you looked so peaceful last night I didn't want to wake you. Coffee is in the kitchen." Jackie motioned in that general direction. Daisy went in and poured herself a cup of coffee, adding a generous spoonful of sugar and a hearty dollop of milk. She wasn't a fan of the bitter drink, but she certainly wasn't going to complain. Jackie was being extra kind even though she had no real reason to. Daisy wasn't much for eating breakfast so she was glad the woman hadn't made her anything. Joining Jackie back in the living room, she sat on the sofa. There was so much she wanted to know but she didn't feel comfortable asking.
Looking at Daisy over the rim of her coffee cup, Jackie spoke first. "When I went to wake you for dinner, you were sleeping so peacefully, and it made me miss my Rose so much, so I stood there watching you for a few minutes, and suddenly something clicked in my head."
Jackie reached down beside her chair, grabbed a photo album and moved over to the sofa next to Daisy. "I got to looking at this old family picture album of me and Rose. You want to see?" she asked, opening the cover. Daisy was intrigued by the chance to see more of Rose. Jackie continued. "These are of Rose when she was no older than you I'm guessing." Daisy looked down at the pictures; she could see just how beautiful her mother had been as a girl. Rose had a way about her in photos, as in life, that drew your attention to her straight away.
Jackie turned towards Daisy. "Why didn't you tell me?" The resemblance between the two girls was uncanny and undeniable.
Daisy's eyes filled with tears and there was a lump in her throat; she didn't know what to say. "You look just like her. I'm not as thick as Imight appear. I know you're my Rose's daughter; I can see it."
Jackie continued flipping through the book, taking Daisy on a journey through Rose's life as theimages grew younger and younger. One of the pictures caught Daisy's attention; it was of Rose when she had to have been about eight or in the background was Jack. He was standing across the street clearly looking at Rose. Anyone else wouldn't have noticed him standing there in that picture. As they flipped through more pictures, it was like the game 'Where Is Waldo'. Jack kept popping up in the background. Daisy didn't point him out; she just kept scanning each picture closely.
"Now can I have the real reason you're here?" Jackie asked, closing the book after they looked through all of the pictures. Jackie had enjoyed telling Daisy little stories about most of them.
"I can't tell you about the future, Jackie. I'm sorry." Daisy said, wringing her hands in distress. "I really wish I could."
Jackie nodded. "Well, judging by the hungry look on your face as you looked at those pictures, I can guess that Rose wasn't around in your life, so let's leave it at that." Jackie looked at Daisy, who was trying her hardest to give nothing away with her face.
With a sad smile, Jackie took Daisy's hands in hers. "Sweetheart, you already said it has always been just you and your dad. So my guess is, you came here to get to know her." Daisy shook her head no at Jackie. Jackie just stared at her newly discovered granddaughter in confusion.
"I don't need to know any more about her than I do right now," Daisy told her with conviction. "I just… I wanted…" She struggled to find the right words and then shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not really sure why I came here I guess. I suppose that the last few days have been harder on me than I realised what with finding out about my mother and everything. I probably shouldn't even meet her."
Jackie set the book on the coffee table and gave Daisy her 'mother' look. "You said you were lost and needed them to take you home. You can't leave your father waiting for you forever,"she pointed out.
"Oh, that." Daisy fidgeted uncomfortably. "Yeah, I'm not really stuck here. I can go home any time I like. I'm sorry I lied to you." Daisy flashed the wrist strap at her. "It's how I got here. It's my dad's; I sort of swiped it from him when he was asleep." Daisy confessed to Jackie as she messed with tightening it.
Jackie regarded Daisy in silence, and Daisy squirmed with guilt beneath her grandmother's intense scrutiny. "Would you like something to eat?" Jackie asked her, placing the book away on the self. Daisy shook her head in surprise; she had been certain that Jackie was going to yell at her.
"Never really been the breakfast type." Daisy told her, setting down her cup and fiddling with her locket. Jackie went to refill her coffee cup and Daisy could hear her talking to herself in the kitchen. It was normal for her to react the way she did; it was a lot to take in. Daisy wasn't sure how she would react in the same position as Jackie. Jackie came back in the room with a wide smile across her face, but Daisy could tell she was hiding behind it.
Daisy was wondering if she should use the Retcon she had found in her pocket yesterday. "You do know you can't tell Rose about me, right?" Daisy told Jackie. Jackie just nodded silently, sitting down in the armchair again.
"You know what I realized just now in the kitchen? You showing up here lets me know that one day, Rose will stop travelling with that bloody Doctor." Daisy just smiled at her. She would have never guessed that her grandmother disliked the Time Lord so much. "Do I like your father?" she asked. Jackie was pretty sure that Daisy wasn't going to give too much away.
"I don't know if you liked him or not."
Jackie looked down at her coffee cup. "I take it in your time I'm dead?" Jackie asked, looking heart-broken by the thought that she wouldn't be around for her Rose, and now her granddaughter in the future.
"We don't know; it's complicated and I can't tell you too much without giving away the future. If I were to tell you what happens, you could try to change it and mess up time. It's too much to put on someone's shoulders." Daisy told her grandmother gravely.
Jackie looked at her granddaughter, wondering how she could not bea part of her life in the future. "You know I could change what happens just from what little you have told me already. I won't, I promise, because you seem adamant that what happened was for the best." Jackie smiled at her. Coming to sit beside her on the couch, she placed her hand on Daisy's cheek "I just can't understand how I could ever walk away from you. I raised Rose alone and she was my everything, so seeing you here telling me neither of us is around baffles me."
Tears were starting to form in Daisy's eyes. She was beginning to think she had made a mistake in coming to Jackie's flat. Again, her thoughts went to the Retcon she had hidden in Rose's room last night.
"I don't mean to push, sweetheart. So, what can you tell me about yourself? I'd like to know a little bit about you; you are my only granddaughter, after all!" Jackie smiled at her, warming Daisy's hearts instantly. 'I would give anything to have Jackie in my life all the time, to be my grandmother for real,' she thought to herself.
"I just turned sixteen, and I graduated last week. I'm studying to become a doctor." Jackie had a look of pure shock mixed with happiness on her face.
"That's wonderful! Your mum never finished high school. She would be so proud of you. I'm proud of you." The phone rang, interrupting them. Jackie answered it and mouthed 'Rose' to Daisy. "No, dear, I'm not upset. I was watching a sad show on the telly, that's all." Jackie went on with a few no's and yeah's. Daisy couldn't hear what was being said on Rose's end of the line, but she was getting more and more nervous sitting there. She knew it would only take her seconds to disappear if need be, but she was still in Rose's clothes and didn't really know where hers were at the moment. Plus, she had to retrieve the items she'd hidden around Rose's room last night.
"Yeah, alright sweetheart. I love you." Jackie hung up the phone and smiled at Daisy. "Rose just wanting to know if I wouldn't mind doing the laundry she left." Daisy let out the breath she had been unconsciously holding; her nerves were currently wrecked.
As if in tune with her granddaughter, Jackie suddenly spoke. "Sweetheart, relax! You asked me not to say anything so I didn't. I would die before I would do something that would hurt you." Jackie knew that hadknown this girl for less than a day, but instinctively, she was willing to do whatever she could for was family and that's just what you do.