Jack jumped awake as he heard Mel snuffle in her sleep. He smiled as she looked so much younger and more innocent when she was asleep. He knew he had to wake her so shook her shoulder, he chuckled as she swatted him away and murmured "Nogoaway!" He shook her shoulder harder and smiled as she opened her eyes. She snorted as she sat up, and asked "What's the story, morning glory?"
Jack froze. That had been a common line back in the Korean War, used by the soldiers as a form of greeting to lovers and mooses. He had never heard it anywhere else, which was very odd. He asked, "Wh-where did you pick that up?" She turned to him and frowned.
"I hard it on MASH. Loved the line, so kind of used it ever since," She explained. There had been a short silence beforehand, and Jack wasn't sure if it was a silence where she wondered what lie to feed him or if she had just been surprised. When he continued to stare at her, she shuffled uncomfortably and murmured, "You know MASH – Mobile Army Surgical Hospital." Jack suddenly stopped breathing. "It was a TV show in the seventies. Followed the 4077 MASH. I think Trapper said it to one of the patients in one of the early episodes. I loved Trapper, BJ and Hawkeye – the main characters. I have all the box sets. Ianto will tell you, whenever I'm here we always watch a couple of the episodes!"
He knew something wasn't quite right about that but he let it drop. Ben, Jen and Ianto came down to the medical and spotted that Mel was awake and sitting up. They ran down and Ben immediately began to check her over. Ianto brought Jack and Mel their drinks. Jenny was the first to ask the question, and Jack had to stop himself from groaning at the delicious Irish accent. "Mel, what happened to you? One minute you were dancing the Lindy with Jack, and the next you were on the floor!"
Mel closed her eyes, drew her knees up to her chest and whispered in a raw tone, "They're here!" Jack frowned as he saw the three other people shudder. He frowned and snapped, "Ok tell me why you three shuddered!" He suddenly felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He saw Mel smile, and frowned at it. She looked up at him, and he took a step back at the look in her eyes. It was one of relief, he had seen that look in the eyes of people who he had chased and executed; it was a look of acceptance, relief and anger.
"They're called the Shadow Hunters. You remember the legends of the mighty Phoenixes, one said that they were wiped out by a race that wanted to use their power. Well, that one was right! The Shadow Hunters rounded up the Phoenix in family groups, tried to get them to tell them the secrets. All Phoenix live for millennia, and the Shadow Hunters wanted the secrets but there wasn't anything that they could use just a riddle that only a Phoenix or someone very clever could figure out." She got up and began pacing.
"What was the riddle Mel? Tell us, maybe we can figure it out together!" Ianto said. However, he jumped when Jack spoke. "No, we can't do that, Yan! If we figure out the code then they'll use it against us, then take Mel and use her in whatever way they need to. Besides Yan, she hasn't finished. Mel, please continue."
She nodded at him, giving a warn smile. "Anyway, they succeeded in wiping out every family of Phoenix. Except for Aurora! And before you ask Jack, Aurora is the name of the Phoenix who has merged with me. She gave herself that name when she merged with me, as I wouldn't be able to pronounce her real name. It means 'dawn' in Latin." She rubbed her arms a few times before continuing. "The Hunters were after the riddle because it means that they can tip the balance between light and dark in life. Ying/Yang; Good/Bad; Right/Wrong; Light/Dark :- the balance of life! And if they can manipulate that then they could control life itself."
She looked up and everyone jumped as again her eyes were red with flames leaping in their depths. When she spoke, her voice was completely different. It was steeped in knowledge, experience and wisdom only age, thousands of year's worth of age, could get. "IT IS SAID WHEN THE STAR AND THE CIRCLE FIT PERFECTLY, AND THE SIX ELEMENTS ARE PRSENT THEN THE KEY MUST BE IN THE MIDDLE FOR THE BALANCE TO BE ACCESSED. YOU MUST LOOK INSIDE YOURSELF TO FIND THE KEY!" Mel snapped back, shaking her head and swayed slightly. "Sorry, she wanted to talk directly to you. Never happened before!"
Jack got up, as all the others were shocked into immobility. He went over and placed a hand on her shoulder, while he tipped her face up to his with the other. He kissed her forehead when he saw the tears in her eyes, and hated himself as he asked, "What are the elements? And do you know the solution to the riddle?"
She threw herself at him and sobbed into his chest. "Yes, yes. I know the solution to the riddle, but so do they. And I can feel it. They have three elements here, and the key! So I'm their last stop. And the elements are Earth, Space, Time, Life, Love and Friendship. Oh God Jack, I should never have come here. I knew it! But Yan needed me, so I came anyway!" She was crying now, sobbing uncontrollably.
"They made contact with you in the bar, didn't they? That's why you fell. They're coming for you, aren't they?" he asked. His cheek was on top of her head, rubbing her hair, and his arms were around her rocking her gently. She nodded, sobbing still. They stayed like that for several minutes; Mel crying into Jack's chest while Ianto and Jack both hugged her, and Ben and Jenny sitting quietly in the medical bay hugging one another. Gwen and Martha were in the Hub itself, but thought it best to leave those closest to Mel to be with one another. At some point, Sable had gotten up from his resting place and was now sitting at Ben and Jenny's feet looking at Mel, sending her comfort through their mental bond.
She suddenly stiffened in their embrace. She wiped the tears from her eyes and cheeks and whispered hoarsely, "They're here!"
Sorry for taking so long! but i've had a large writer's block. i'm working on the ending too. Don't forget to review - they are welcome and loved.