Apologies for the delay life got in the way. as always Torchwood and jack belongs to the bbc. I"m just playing with them

Enjoy

Ah.

Chapter 11

Jack looked uncomfortable.

"1908, I was asked to pull off a scam, theft, whatever you want to call it, the agency needed the money, Since Victoria had died Torchwood had been left out in the cold. It had discovered certain facts about Her Majesty her son didn't want anyone to know. Not that we would have divulged but he was afraid, and frightened men do things for no reason. So I tootled off to Lahore. I took control of a bunch of soldiers, all bored out of their brains, mainly due to lots of doing nothing with minor scuffles in between. They were so bored they used to pay for people to try and rob the diamond mine they were supposed to protect. Made my job easier, we'd protect a shipment of diamonds, somewhere along the line, the shipment and I would disappear.

I kept the men happy, brought in beer, women, whatever they wanted they got. Then I started noticing things, stupid things, the slavery, the child labour, and the poverty. I got to wondering if I was doing the right thing, why not steal it and give most of it to the people. I became distracted, and let the men out of the compound. They were drunk, half of them couldn't stand. They took a truck, drove it through the village that surrounded the compound and ran over a girl, she was just a child. And they ran her over. They were laughing about it.

For weeks after it was unbearable, the hatred from the women and the unease of the men, rumours of unquiet spirits all made it a boiling point. I was glad when that shipment came and we were on the train. We went through a tunnel, it was pitch black, couldn't see a thing, and then came the silence. When we came out of the tunnel all 15 men were dead, I was the only one that came out of there alive. The men had choked; petals had been rammed down their throats. That was a warning. The Mara found me again, not long after I disembarked – well jumped off the train, it wasn't going to stop, I had to jump, otherwise, there would have been uncomfortable questions. Did you know that pockets full of diamonds really dig into you when you land on them? I woke up with a Mara standing over me. It gave me an ultimatum, I had to replace their chosen one. I found them one. She was 8, I think, very pretty, living hand to mouth, both parents had been killed, her uncle was abusing her and she was about to be married off to her uncle's brother's brother in law or some such so I stole her, and left her with them, along with the Key and a stash of diamonds – they like shiny things, but don't like things of power. The Key is the ultimate power. Can stop and restart time with a single note. They probably have realised that by now and it scares them. I can't take it back. If I do the world will be in much more trouble than a war"

He sighed remembering the time all too vividly and turned away, watching through the small window the lights at the edge of the horizon. So close to land, yet too far for comfort.

~oOo~

The boat bobbed alongside a small rowing boat, all three of them looked down at it in disappointment. "If I have to get in that; I promise you I will be violently sick" Cornelia was already green. Phire shook her head "Get over it, we have no choice, we can't get closer to shore and if you want Sarah this is the only way"

"I know" Cornelia growled, "Just because I say I don't want to doesn't mean I won't" She swung over the side and dropped into the little boat beside Jack, "You get the honours of rowing Jack."

They went quiet as a something flew overhead and splashed into the water not far from them, sending up a column of water. "Get in the boat we have to leave now" A crew member almost pushed Phire over the side "Captain, Leave now, they're off"

Phire, Cornelia and Jack sat in the little boat bobbing in the middle of the sea watching the only friendly boat in the area slowly disappear, being followed by columns of water as each shell the German ships lobbed at it missed.

"Which way?" Phire asked, Jack looked towards the lights on the horizon and the tinge of sunrise in front of them.

"Dunno." He paused, then spoke again "When we were in the café you told me I had told you I wasn't to go home. What did you mean?" Phire looked at him and raised an eyebrow, "You must have miss-heard me Jack, I said no such thing" She glanced at Cornelia who although looking uncomfortable in a small boat in the middle of the sea, seemed to enjoy Phire's unease at Jacks question.

"I'll try to row over towards the rising sun. This may sound strange, but it looks more real than the other way. I remember the last time the Mara found me everything on their side of the world was bright, loud and happy." Jack pulled on the oars, turning the boat until they could direct him

The little row boat bobbed violently as another shell landed close spewing up water into the boat. As Jack rowed the boat surged further forward than it should have.

"That's not you I take it?" Cornelia gave Jack a sickly smile

Jack shook his head. "I'm good but not that good."

Phire smiled "Looks like the Europans have found you again Jack. They are pushing us towards the Mara. They like you for some reason"

"Don't ask you won't be told" he scowled. He was thankful that they were pushing them close to a place of safety, but he didn't want to be reminded of his time on the Jupiter his belly ached at the memory.

~oOo~

The boat ground to a halt against a shore surrounded by blossoms, the sand was impossibly soft, the scent in the air filled with promise and various flowers. Everything around them was intense and colourful. Birdsong filled the air. The three of them climbed out and splashed through the shallow water. Phire looked around, "There's no one here"

She was silenced immediately by both Cornelia and Jack. "They are watching us"

"See the tree line, they are in there, watching us to see what we do first. Drop any weapons you may have." Cornelia shook her head, "They are mine, and I've fought bloody hard for them" She walked forward "Where is Sarah?" She yelled at the figures in the trees. "Give me my daughter!" she started to un-holster her weapons

"Drop them NOW! Do you want to survive to use them? The Mara have ways of parting them from you – permanently" Jack barked the instruction at Cornelia and walked towards the tree line. He stopped just in front the largest tree, knelt and bowed his head, before calling out to the hidden Mara.

"We wish passage through your lands. We need to go to the place of the Nervii" he called out.

"You cannot go. There isss a war there, if we open our landss to let you out the war will sspill in. Anyway who are you to ask passage?" As the voice hissed over the shore they could see a figure moving from behind the tree. Even from the shore line Phire could tell the Mara distrusted Jack.

"You know me. You tasked me with finding your second. Is she still well?" Another smaller figure moved slowly out of the trees and towards him.

"I am well Boshane. Come here, Ginklas and flame hair can come closer too."

Jack rose and beckoned Cornelia and Phire towards him. "She likes you two. More than me."

They slowly walked towards the sound of an elderly voice, as they got closer to the trees the sky became darker, the canopy of leaves blocking out the sun.

They knelt before a wizened woman with mischief in her eyes. She winked at Cornelia

"You're just a child!" Cornelia exclaimed.

"And your point is exactly? You are not all that you think you are, you have hidden depths." She looked at Phire, "and you shouldn't be alive and here"

Phire shrugged, "Technically I'm not… but we can gloss over that for now"

The child looked at Phire for a moment, before a wicked smile crossed her face, "Does he know?"

Phire shook his head. "It's not his time yet, we'll let him deal with one problem at a time."

The child turned back to Jack, the slap she delivered across his face took him by surprise. "You owe us Boshane. You tricked us. You tricked me"

"You were better off here. I could have left you to your fate. The villagers would have been glad to let you go if I had asked. You had an aura they didn't understand" he rubbed his face, the shape of her small hand was visible on his cheek.

"I'm not talking about that you stupid man. You left that thing here. He's already tried searching for it along our borders"

Jack looked up fearful of an answer to the unspoken question.

"We diverted him, but it's no longer here. We cast it out. A child with a song heart has it now for a little while, she has to pass it on to the metal man as only he can wield it properly, and then she will come here and take my place. It will be safe with him for a while and then you have to take it back and keep it safe in those big files of yours in Caer Didi"

Cornelia could feel tendrils of dread rise from her stomach. "This child with a Song Heart is her name Sarah?"

The child looked at Cornelia intensely and put her hand on Cornelia's head. Images flashed before her eyes, Sarah as a baby, Sarah toddling though her ship, laughing at the sentient ships funny noises. Sarah's first kill, The Rhetonklodyke gasping his last breath. Then something else… A man's face looking down at her telling her to run. Trees, thousands of trees, the smell of pine trees filled her nose, fear rose in her, she could hear her own feet running through the trees, and behind her she could hear the sounds of pulsars. She was running away from the sounds of screams. The trees were closing in on her, pulse fire seared across the skyline. She could hear other feet following her, calling something she couldn't make out. She fell face first into the forest floor…

Cornelia batted the child's hand away from her, breathing heavily and fighting down the fear that had risen "What the Hell was that?" she demanded.

"You must be tired Ginklas when did you last sleep?"

"What? What did you just do? Where is Sarah?" The old child just smiled and beckoned the three of them into a clearing. A small wooden house stood at the edge. In the front of it stood more Mara. The clearing was obviously a gathering place for them. But one stood out. A human male was sat on a large stone. He clapped delightedly as they came into the clearing. "Ah new blood I take it… will I get to see you dance now my dream is becoming boring."

Jack stepped forward and held out his hand "Captain Jack Harkness, at your service, this is the Lady Phire Velon and…" he paused, "Well I know her as Cornelia, although I don't think that is her real name and you are?"

The man studied him, carefully as if judging his worthiness before speaking. "I make it a policy not to give out my name to dreams, but for such a charming man in the company of such beauty just this once I will change it. Charles. My name is Charles, forgive me if I don't stand, I can't without help."

"Charles, this is no dream" Cornelia snorted. "Admittedly it's strange, but it's not a dream"

"It is. I know I have fallen asleep at my desk again, the medicine is somewhat strong." The seated man replied his confidence in his truth made Phire wonder if they were in fact within a dream of sorts.

The wizened child looked at him and then took Phire to one side. "Be gentle with Charles. He has seen the pictures of the blank warriors. He will be required to make judgements that your history will penalise him for. He only knows of one way to do what is made of him. Do not judge him too harshly. The future will do that for him.

Phire looked back at him. Jack was openly flirting with Charles and Cornelia was scowling at the whole scene. A cup was placed into Phires hand and the warming smell of tea filled the air. Jack looked at the tea cup, it looked too delicate in his hand "Tea?"

"Would you prefer Coffee Captain, I believe that they can make it from acorns" Charles smiled up at Jack who shook his head "I'll stick to tea thank you. I've tried their coffee before."

Cornelia stood "This is all very nice and hospitable, but I need to know where Sarah is? My Daughter has been taken by you and I want her back"

"Sarah is safe, she is guarded by the Mara, they will not allow her to come to harm"

"She is ill, she needs…"

"She needs nothing here, but there in your place and time, that will be the death of her. This place, this, for want of better words, dream place, holds another time, what can harm her here?"

"I want my daughter back" Cornelia clenched and unclenched her fists in anger,

"Did you have any tea?" The Child asked.

"Sod your bloody tea!" Cornelia threw the half empty cup into the distance. "I want answers! I want my daughter back. Your tea has nothing to do with my daughter."

The child smiled "Sleep" She whispered. Cornelia strode forward un-holstering a pistol; as she did so several Mara stepped forward, their intent clear in their eyes, the child bowed her head momentarily then raised her voice, "I said Sleep!"

As Cornelia stepped forward again, her eyes rolled upwards and she fell, only to be caught by the closest two Mara. The looked at the child who simply nodded at them before they took Cornelia into the small hut.

"She will be safe, she is just tired. Now then Mr Charles it will soon be time for you to wake up, you will be able to come again to visit soon." Charles pouted, "Here things make sense to me; my world is too full of strangeness lately. They want me to change my experiments so that they can build…"

He bit his lip before carrying on "I can stop it surely? Build new legs instead to help people like me walk? To help with this blasted affliction? What do you think dream?"

"I think that is a wonderful hope Charles" Phire replied.

"I will tell you a secret, oh dream of mine. They told me they had found something. Something never seen before, something that could fly, a machine of metal that could carry people in. Then inside that they found information, diagrams and pictures of men made of metal. Metal armour to protect the man inside, but nothing like the knights of old, but something more. They want…" he stopped, "No I cannot tell any more even to a dream as beautiful as this."

Phire smiled. "One day Charles you'll be able to tell Jack everything, and no one will judge you no matter what"

"And you pretty dream? Will I ever tell you?"

She leaned forward and whispered "I already know all about it Dr Ritter"

Charles settled back against the log her was leaning against and closed his eyes, within moments he was asleep. Two Mara gently lifted him from his resting place and walked towards the beach. For a moment the world around them turned grey, and Jack caught a glimpse into a room as they moved aside the firgel, placed Charles on the couch and returned to the shore.

"Well?" Phire turned towards the child, "Where is Sarah? What have you done with her?"

"Little mother do we have to tell thissssss one? Can we not play with them?"

She turned towards the speaker "Not the lady, I need to speak with her, play with him" she pointed at Jack "Just make sure you don't play too harshly with your food"

Jack turned sharply towards the closest Mara. "Since when has the Mara eaten people?"

"Not people you ssstupid bossshane, emotions we likessss them, and you have lotsss of emotionssss"

Jack spun round as Mara surrounded him, his eyes wary, "What exactly are you going to do?"

"Have Fun – Come play with us halfbreed"

Phire turned away as Jack was pulled back into the trees, His protests shortly turned into short yelps of pain, "And they are doing what?" she asked the child who simply shrugged, "nothing of note, He will soon enjoy it. His mind is used to its effects, his body remembers the craving, and he'll welcome it. Although ours will be less harsh, more fun"

Phire grabbed the child's arm and growled "Call them off, if you drug him, they will come through, and nothing will stop them ripping your world apart. Take it from me they like to start small and work their way up to the big stuff"

The child looked deep into Phires eyes before turning pale, "So it's true, they hide inside him" She whistled loudly and almost immediately a Mara appeared alongside her. "Play something else, Keep him away from the blood of Osaka – No flowers either. He has to live." The Mara opened its mouth to say something but thought better of it, nodded and fled back into the woodland.

~oOo~

Inside the Cottage Cornelia tossed and moaned in her sleep, as her dream turned into a nightmare:

The room was unrecognisable, between them they'd destroyed half the furniture, pictures had fallen from walls; glass lay strewn across the white carpet. Although Phire had once been a Seventh grade agent, she'd honed her mental abilities more than her physical skills, and was not used to Cornelia's way of gutter fighting. Within a short time Cornelia held the knife close to Phire's throat, the tip of the blade pushing slightly against the skin making an indentation, yet not breaking that paleness.

"Where is the bastard?" Cornelia growled.

Phire squirmed trying to back herself away from the knife.

Instinctively Cornelia knew that there was something wrong with this situation, but couldn't place her finger on it. Fed up with waiting, Cornelia pushed the knife in further and pulled it across the throat. Pain blossomed through her, she found it hard to breath her neck felt wet, raising her fingers to her neck they felt sticky, Cornelia staggered towards a mirror. Dark red blood seeped from a deep wound across her own neck, as it dripped down the suddenly white suit she was wearing it brought a high pitch scream. She covered her own ears and closed her eyes tightly as the sound pierced her soul. She could feel herself fading, becoming weak. The high pitched scream forced blood to run from her ears and from her eyes. She fell to her knees at the feet of Phire opened her own mouth and attempted to scream.

~oOo~

A scream woke her. She sat up panting in fear; sweat dripped into her eyes before she realised the scream had been her own. She looked round the dim room, there was just a bed and an empty fireplace. Gingerly she felt her neck, there was nothing there. A voice made her jump

"Well that was interesting… how long have you felt like that?"

From the shadows the child rose and strode towards her, "It's not healthy you keep all your emotions tucked away, they will harm you eventually"

"I take it, the dream was your fault?"

"Not my doing, all I did was encourage you to sleep, your own mind brought the dream forward. To dream is a way of knowing yourself, You feel as though you are fighting yourself, that everything you do only harms you. But you want to know more, why you are who you are, and what you are in fact are."

Cornelia shook her head "I know who I am, I have belief in me. All I want is my daughter back and well. What have you done with her?"

The child pointed at the fireplace and a spark leapt up, before long, despite there being nothing on the hearth a roaring fire was going. From outside they could hear laughter, deep and throaty. "Did you know he's ticklish? He's full of contradictions and emotions. Don't let them get the better of him.

"Sarah is safe, she is now with Lady Phire, in the other world. They are taking the key somewhere safe. We have skills that will help her with her illness, but only for a short time in the other world. If she stays there she will die and you will never know what you are.

"I will not let her die. There is a doctor who can help, so it is said, he has travelled a long time and knows many things. I have been told to contact him. I know what I am. I am Human…ish, I was orphaned and taken in by a traveller"

"No you are Ginklas, Twice stolen and left behind. It was not his intention to bring you up. The children of time can be tiresome

Cornelia paced back and forth, "What is 'Ginklas'? I keep hearing that name, People keep calling it me, I've travelled millions of miles, through time and through space, and I am constantly being called that."

The old child looked at Cornelia, sadness flit across her face and for a moment she considered the truth of the name. Footsteps broke her thoughts and she looked up towards the man who had entered the room.

"Welcome Ruthann, I expected you sooner." The child smiled warmly at him. "May interest you in coffee or tea? I am afraid we have none of those little cakes you liked so much last time"

Flick smiled slightly at the memory before nodding at her, "I see you are harbouring them, you know this invalidates the deal we had. You were meant to give him to me as soon as they came, my masters requested his presence several times."

"Councillor Ruthann you know that the Mara are fickle, it was rather amiss of you to make a deal with them instead of me. I have only Ginklas here. Your masters have lost their tamed agent."

Flicks eyes narrowed "I was promised him. His tyranny has been foretold throughout time. He is ours." He stepped forward, his body language threatening, his skin crawling as though something was trying to pull itself out of his body. The words were not spoken but they were heard throughout the cottage. "We will take this world apart first, stone by stone, flower by stinking flower, and when the Mara have fled through the furgel unto the world beyond, we will cause them to be hunted beyond extinction, to remain as stories in the night."

Cornelia placed herself in front of the child, "Leave now Ruthann, whilst you still can walk out of here"

He smiled, or rather the thing within him smiled. "I doubt you have the ability to make us leave, we are everywhere"