Chapter 4: The Secret Revealed

"No," Jack shook his head vehemently, stepping back from Odessa. "No, no, no! You can't be…" he trailed off, staring into her deep blue eyes. Odessa shifted her eyes slightly under his scrutinizing gaze. Gwen looked from Jack to Odessa and back to Jack again; Rhys just looked lost and dumb-founded, not knowing or understanding what was happening.

Jack's mind was reeling. He took a breath and placed a hand over his eyes, thinking. He shook his head to clear it; it didn't help; his mind was still racing. He opened his eyes again and looked into Odessa's eyes. Their eyes met briefly; she quickly stared at the ground.

"It's not what you think…" Odessa tried to start but Jack put up a hand to stop her. "If you really are… then that would make you a…" Jack couldn't finish the sentence. "How did… how did you get here? I mean, I thought that she was…" he asked after a few seconds hesitation. Odessa smiled and looked up at Jack's face.

"The Rift," he whispered, barely audible; he then laughed out loud. "Of course, it's so obvious!"

Gwen didn't know what to do or think. "What did she mean 'The Rift'?" Gwen shot at Jack; she then turned to Odessa. "Are you saying that she CAME THROUGH the Rift? Because that would be –- that would just be impossible!" Gwen sputtered, shocked.

"Nothing is impossible, Gwen; you should know that by now," Jack voiced, placing an arm around Odessa's shoulder and clapping a hand on her back. "Any daughter of the Doctor and Rose is a friend of mine and is welcome here anytime!"

Odessa smiled weakly and shrugged Jack's hand away. Jack clapped his hands behind his back and took a step back from her. "So…" He rocked back onto the balls of his feet. An awkward silence filled the room. Odessa bit her lip again; Rhys stared at his shoes and Gwen stared angrily at Odessa.

Gwen took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. "How exactly did you get here anyway? I mean it you came through the Rift, how did you do it?"

Odessa looked to Jack for assistance, but he just stared at her quizzically. She shrugged. "I don't really know. One minute I was getting ready for bed and the next I'm on the ground up there," she gestured upward. "I don't know what happened, let alone how."

"It's alright," Jack placed a hand on her shoulder. "We're going to help to find a way to get this pretty little thing home," he grinned broadly.

Gwen looked wide-eyed, her mouth falling open. "And how do you propose we do that, Jack? Just open the Rift, push her in, and hope for the best?" she threw up her hands in exasperation.

Odessa suddenly stiffened; she looked up toward the surface. "Oh, god, what now?" Gwen retorted rudely. "What is it?" Jack asked, nervously. "He-he's coming!" she stammered with no expression. The room was silent. "Who's coming, darling?" Rhys asked, stepping towards her. Odessa said nothing, she just kept staring heavenward. A strange sound broke the silence of the Hub; it was a strange whirling sound. Jack recognized the strange at once and gasped. Odessa looked at Jack. "He's here…"