Hey, it's been a while. I've been busy and all that usual crap but I also had a really good idea for a new story. It's called Transferred and it basically about a fangirl (yes I'm the fangirl) getting transferred into her favourite show Doctor Who and being unable to go back home… Anyway, I don't really have a plan for this chapter it will probably be more Jack and Charlotte getting to know each other. Please remember to review! Love ya, ShellyMay...
The Man Who Gave Me Meaning Chapter 7
"Oh Charlotte, if I'd known." Jack had been pacing as I told this part of the story but now he stopped to kneel next to the chair I was in. He brushed some hair away from my face.
"You couldn't have, my mother made sure of that and part of me hates her for that." I told him honestly. "Anyway, after months of denial at the orphanage a lady came to see me. She was very nice her name is Valerie, you would have liked her. She helped me move on, to live with the memory of watching my family die. She supported me and when the orphanage finally deemed me fit, she adopted me."
"What happened?" He asked leaning on the desk and sipping his drink.
"Well after a little while she met someone, Vincent. They started dating and after a few months he proposed. They're engaged now, he's been really good for her but he started abusing me about a month ago. It was because I had stayed the night at Calvin's house to help him babysit his little brother and sister whilst his mum was out of town. Vincent assumed that we had done 'stuff' and started beating me for it. I ran away after he pushed me down the stairs and Valerie wouldn't believe me when I told her everything that had happened. That's when the Doctor found me and brought me here to you, my real dad."
Jack had gotten angry as I talked about my abusive history but he was holding it back. I think he knew that it wouldn't help me spill my guts. "I have something else to tell you but need to ask you some things first."
"Go ahead." He said loosening his grip on his coffee mug and taking a deep breath.
"Is there anything special about you? Like healing and stuff…" I said looking at my hands, it was something I didn't tell anyone; my mother had made me swear to never tell people. Telling the Doctor had been absolutely necessary and Valerie had figured it out when she found me with a broken arm and it had healed completely a little over a week later.
He looked surprised by my question but answered anyway. "The Doctor didn't tell you? I can't die, at least not permanently. Why do you ask?"
"I have accelerated healing. Vincent broke my arm over a month ago; it healed perfectly, no cast, in less than two weeks." I told him quickly, afraid that if I didn't tell him now I'd never be able to.
"That's strange, very strange. I need you to know that I have lived for a very long time and I did love your mother very much but I have another daughter. Her name is Alice and she is in her late forties. She doesn't have the ability to heal; she's completely normal and one hundred percent human."
"What does that make me?" I said, slightly panicked at the idea that I wasn't actually human.
"I don't know, I'd have to run some tests to find out but that's up to you. The other possibility is that there was a spike in rift activity when you were being conceived." He told me.
I blushed when I realized what he was saying. Yeah, yeah I know, but it's awkward enough when parents talk to you about sex little own when you've only known them for a few hours and there talking about your status as a human being. "Um I'd rather not be tested, for a little while at least. I'd just, feel like a lab rat, maybe if we give it some time."
"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea." He agreed and brushed his hand over my cheek. "I can't believe you're real."
"I can't believe I'm not alone anymore, I have family." I told him as tears burnt my eyes but didn't fall.
"You'll never be alone again if I can help it." He whispered as I flung my arms around his waist and he clutched me to his torso. I buried my face in his coat and a very pleasant smell drifted into my nose.
"Tell me some of the simple things." He told me after we had both gotten a hold on our emotions.
"What do you want to know?" I asked sipping from my mug.
"The basics, you know birthday, favourite colour, movie and music. What do you want to be when you grow up?" He said an exited gleam entering his eyes.
"Oh, that stuff. Um what's the date? I don't know how far the Doctor travelled when bringing us here." I asked him.
"Oh umm, it's the 24th of August, 2012." He informed me looking confused.
"I'm sixteen, today is my birthday and I just got given the best gift in the world." I told him grinning.
"Really, happy birthday, what was the gift?" He asked looking shocked that it happened to be the exact date for my birthday.
"My father silly," I laughed. "As for the other questions, I love the colour purple, my favourite movie and music those are harder. I like Disney but I'd have to say Beauty and the Beast is my personal favourite. I like so many different types of music that I don't think I'd ever have a favourite, at the moment I really like the song Anything Goes from the musical of the same title. As for what I want to be, anything to do with art or the arts. I love drawing, painting, singing and performance."
"Sounds very nice," He told me. "I have to go and talk to Ianto about something and then I'd like you to meet the rest of my team, I'm sure you're wondering what Torchwood and the Rift are.
"Alright, I should probably go see how Calvin's doing." I said getting up and hugging him again, just to make sure he was actually real and I hadn't just dreamed him up.
I let go and walked to the door with him following behind me. As we got to where the others were sitting and just chatting about nothing in particular Ianto stood and asked "Does anyone want a refill?"
"Yes please." I said smiling as he took my mug and he and Jack went into the kitchen. I then went and sat next to Calvin and asked, "How are you handling this?"
"Okay I guess," He said just staring at me. "It's a lot to take in. What about you? You have a dad and I can see that he's already wrapped around your little finger…"
"I don't believe he's real." I said.
"I've been talking with the Doctor, he said I could come and travel with you." Calvin said eyes glued to the floor.
"Yeah?"
"I can't my mum and brother and sister need me. I know about the time travel part but I have to think about how dangerous it is and I'm not ready to leave home. The Doctor will take me back when we're finished up here.
"Oh, alright." I said as I locked eyes with him, his bright green eyes screaming apology. "It's okay, I understand. You want and need you family, besides Miles and Rachel need their Cally."
He grinned at the name that was given to him by Rachel when she was a baby and couldn't pronounce his name. I laughed for a long time, I hadn't been so happy since before my family died and now, I had a new family and my biological father.
Jack came back in with Ianto and some other people and handed me my mug. "Charlotte, I'd like you to meet the rest of my team. You already know Ianto. Here we have Dr Owen Harper our medic." The man in question nodded at me. "Toshiko Sato, computer and technology genius and finally Gwen Cooper, our police liaison."
"Nice to meet you all." I replied a grin spreading across my face as they shuffled in and sat down.
Owen grimaced a little and said, "Oh god, she has his grin, tea-boy."
I think he was talking to Ianto but I'm not sure, Jack just laughed and sipped his drink.
Some sort of alarm rang out and Ianto left telling he'd return shortly. I looked at Jack questionably. "He's gone to get the pizzas."
"Um, okay." We went back to idle chatter as we all waited for Ianto to come back. I really liked Tosh and Owen; they were really funny and nice. Gwen was alright but she was very full of herself and liked flirting with Jack even though it was really obvious he and Ianto were either very close to having something or were already in a relationship of sorts. After a particulally funny retelling of one of torchwood's many crazy adventures, something about a blowfish driving a sports car Ianto came in carrying multiple cardboard boxes. He set them down on the table and took the top one into the kitchen then came back so we could all eat dinner.
One all of the pizza had been consumed Ianto went back to the kitchen and brought the contents of the other cardboard box out. It was a cake! They had gotten me a cake. It was done in dark purple icing with black floral piping and the words 'Happy Birthday Charlotte, I love you, Jack'
Tears were streaming down my face as they lit some candles. I jumped up and practically crushed Jack. "Thank you, Dad."
Well I'm very happy with this, I hope you guys are too. I don't know when I'll update again, I'm going to have to figure some plot things out with the whole, does she stay at Torchwood or travel with the Doctor… If you have any ideas please let me know! Love, ShellyMay.