Delilah: Jeeze my hands hurt tonight… Maybe it's the two really friggin long chapters I've managed to crank out… Nah couldn't be! Any who, this will be the last chapter that is really of my own making, the others will be following along the lines of season three and four… mostly… I may change a few things, add some others. Don't really know yet, I'm kind of letting this story take me where it wants to. Let me know via review if there is a specific episode you want to see Rose/ Jack/ Twyla in though, I'll be happy to write it up and dedicate the chapter to ya! Any who, don't own Doctor Who, don't own David and Billie… Do own Twyla, s'about it. Enjoy!
What Ten Seconds Can Do
Chapter 6: What Is Forever, Really?
Twyla wouldn't stop writhing in pain and nightmares the entire time the Doctor and Rose checked her out. She had to be restrained at one point- not a fun thing to do Rose actually had to leave the room -and sedated another moment. Jack finally got back- an hour later and covered in soot -and walked right through the chaos. He moved the Doctor and Rose aside, shooed them out and locked the door, and shirked off his jacket. He started whispering, murmuring and cooing to Twyla and she stopped moving. She calmed at his voice and even responded a little against the sedation. Jack toed off his boots and crawled into bed beside her. Twyla curved her tiny body- better now that the Doctor had soniced away most of her injuries -and began to cry.
"It's okay Twyla… I'm here…" Jack said over and over again. Twyla managed to fall into a real sleep a few moments later, but Jack never stopped murmuring to her. He told her about his version of Torchwood, he told her about Gwen and Ianto, Tosh and Owen. He told her about his curse, the gift of immortality and the reason he was as he was. He told her his versions of the Doctor's adventures, and how he hadn't know about the regeneration until right before the big fiasco at Canary Warf." I've been through so much Twyla… But nothing can compare to the look I saw in your eyes when you ran into me, on that ship…"
He saved telling her about the Gorgon until later; he had imagined so many ways to torture them, so many ways to make them pay for what they had done to the beautiful little Princess in his arms. She was sound asleep now, but Jack still prattled on, telling her stories of his past cons, his travels alone, and some with Martha more recently. It wasn't until about two hours later- after Rose had checked in twice and Jack had talked himself nearly out of stories -that Twyla spoke and scared the man a little.
"In all those travels… none of the companions, lovers, you had lasted…" Twyla said softly. Jack jumped a little at her timid voice, but sighed content that she was awake and well. He ran a hand up and down her spine, tracing patterns on her back to as if to soothe away the pain she had endured." Why? You know as I do that there are ways to immortality… Ways to have made these people live on with you… Why not?"
"None of them wanted to give me forever," Jack said softly," None of them could take that burden, even if they said they could at the time… I know, I know because I have that burden, I know what it's like to just live…"
"What is forever, really?" Twyla said. She lifted up a little, her chin now propped up on Jack's chest and her eyes dancing between a honey gold and a light green color. She tentatively wrapped her hand around Jack's free one and pondered her next words." What is forever to an immortal? A blink? A measly ice cube to the ice berg of out lives? No, not even that… Forever is a curse… Unless you have someone to share it with…"
"I'm starting to think I might…" Jack said to himself. Twyla didn't argue this, just tightened her grip on his hand. She didn't speak for another moment, but when she did, her voice was cold and sad.
"What did you do to them?"
"Do you really want to know?"
"I think I have to…" Twyla's eyes were a sad brown now. She sniffled a little and Jack smoothed a hand over her hair." I want to make sure they had some kind of… retribution for what they did to me… To my people…"
"I sent them into the vortex…" Jack said after another moment. He was staring at the ceiling as he said this." I gathered them all up, and then used their time portal to send them into the one place they would die the most slow and painful death ever… In the Vortex between time and space, there is nothing… I split open the veil and sent them in, one by one… There is no resources, no food, and no chance of life… They will all die, one by one and they will all know it was done in the name of the Rorek lives they stole… And in the name of the beautiful Princess they almost killed…"
"Thank you…" Twyla said a few minutes later. It wasn't saving her she was thanking him for, it was the fact that in one- albeit malicious -move he had avenged her entire culture. Jack nodded and the two allowed themselves to slide into a gentle sleep.
~*DW*~
Rose and the Doctor were chatting over tea the next morning when Twyla and Jack came out of the room. The tiny redhead had showered and was wearing a fresh black dress, but still had to be half supported by Jack. The thing that shocked Rose the most, however, was the light and almost free look behind her ever changing eyes.
"Rose, Doctor… Can I talk to you?" Twyla asked. Rose nodded and the Doctor let her answer for them both. Twyla sat on a bar stool beside them as Jack kindly got her some tea as well." First of all… Thank you for helping to rescue me… I would have been dead if it weren't for you guys… And second… If you would let me…"
"We would love you to join us!" Rose said. She had wanted to wait for the girl to ask, but she couldn't. She liked Twyla so much and she really wanted the girl to join them. And Jack seemed attached to her hip, so maybe that meant that he would join them too. Twyla gave a giggle and then jumped to hug them both. The Doctor mumbled something about being mobbed by affection, but chuckled good naturedly when Jack joined the group hug." Oh you'll love it!"
"You know I'm coming too, right Doc?" Jack asked as the girls gushed together. The Doctor nodded, his eyes on Rose." I mean… I want to keep an eye on Twyla and-"
"No need to explain to me, Jackie-Boy…" the Doctor said into his tea. He smiled when Rose turned to meet his gaze and grabbed his hand on the table." I'm a taken man too, I understand what we must do for out women…"
Jack began to argue that Twyla wasn't his, but then she glanced up from her conversation, giving him a smile so warm it melted his heart, and he stopped. Suppose she was his, forever… whatever that really meant…
~*DW*~
"Do you have the tools from C.O.R.E?"
"Yes Doctor…"
"What about those fabrics and sketchbooks?"
"Yes Rose…"
"Medicine?"
"Yes Jack," Twyla repeated. She gave the trio a tired look but smiled. She had three bags packed; one held her design materials, the other was full of tools she had nicked form C.O.R.E. and the last one was all her clothes. She had a small messenger bag of files and pictures from her house. She had let the Doctor take whatever books he wanted, and Rose search the wardrobes for clothes, but Twyla's entire life was packed into three bags and a messenger bag." Can we go now?"
"Well once we're all changed yes," Rose said with a grin. She nodded at Twyla's pajamas and bare feet. Twyla sighed and went to change. Twenty minutes later, Twyla came back wearing a purple tube top with a black vest over, zebra print jeans, her knee high converse, and purple and black gloves. She wore a silver choker and a purple ring, and her hair was yanked back away from her face with a headband. Rose herself had doned a black and yellow sundress with mathcing yellow trainers, a yellow cardigan, her TARDIS necklace and engagement ring, and her hair pulled back with a black headband." Alright, ready now?"
"One last thing…" Twyla said. She turned towards the silver mirror at the front of her house and glared at herself. She took a last survey of the house, the empty home she would keep here for image and in case the group needed a homestead. She was ready.
"So, where to Doc?" Jack asked as the group piled into the TARDIS. The Doctor shrugged and watched the other man help the tiny girl carry her bags into the new room the TARDIS had made for Twyla.
"Why not let our new companion chose?" the Doctor asked. Twyla grinned and glanced at the TARDIS console as if for the answer to appear there.
"Let's go to Aubertide," Twyla said," I hear they're famous for this crazy shape shifting Family… I'd love to meet them!"
"Aubertide it is then, Princess," The Doctor grinned.
~*DW*~
Delilah: In case you didn't get the reference, the next chapters will be my spoof off of Human Nature, with our little group. Reviews are loved, and I would love to hear what episodes you guys would like to have written ^_^
Twyla's outfit here:
http:/www[dot]polyvore[dot]com/twyla/set?id=38782908
Rose's is here:
http:/www[dot]polyvore[dot]com/cgi/set?id=38830780