Chapter 21

After a moment of reflection, Rose headed off.

XX

Screaming people were running down the corridors of the palace, followed by the ticking droids. They were armed.

XX

Reinette was staring into the fireplace in her bedroom, her face was a mixture of worry and pleading hope, "Jack!" she cried.

"We must go. No one is coming to help us," the King said, trying to urge her so they could escape.

One of the droids appeared in the doorway. Reinette stood and turned. When she saw it, memories flashed through her head of that nightmarish encounter with them as a child. Her eyes widened with fear. Two other droids flanked the first.

"You are complete. You will come," the Droid said.

XX

In the ballroom, the droids advanced, backing the guests against a wall as they cowered and screamed.

XX

The Doctor and Jack were working frantically as Rose joined them at the time window.

"You found it, then?" she asked.

"They knew I was coming," Jack said, frustrated.

"They blocked it off," the Doctor said quickly as he ran into the TARDIS to get something off of the console.

XX

One of the droids had Reinette by the arm as it lead her roughly away.

"Where are we going?" Reinette asked.

"The teleport has limited range. We must have proximity to the time portal," the Droid replied.

"Your words mean nothing. You are nothing," She snapped.

Behind her, two more droids had King Louis between them.

XX

Rose looked through the time window into the ballroom.

"I don't get it. How come they got in there?" she asked.

"They teleported - you saw them," Jack answered, still working.

"As long as the ship and the ballroom are linked, their short-range teleports will do the trick," the Doctor finished for Jack as he came running out of the TARDIS.

"Well, we'll go in the TARDIS!" Rose stated.

"We can't use the TARDIS, we're part of events now," the Doctor answered.

"Well, can't we just smash through it?" Rose asked.

"Hyperplex this side, plate glass the other. We need a truck," Jack replied.

"We don't have a truck," the Doctor muttered.

"I know we don't have a truck!" Jack shouted back.

Rose flinched slightly at how loud his voice was, "Well, we've gotta try something!" she yelled.

"No, smash the glass, smash the time window, they'd be no way back," the Doctor said.

Rose stared at him; she then turned her attention to the scene in the window.

"Can everyone just calm down? Please," Reinette paused then went on, "Such a commotion, such distressing noise. Kindly remember that this is Versailles. This is the Royal Court. And we are French." She turned to the droids.

"I have made a decision. And my decision is 'no' - I shall not be going with you today. I have seen your world, and I have no desire to set foot there again," she said brave and strongly.

"We do not require your feet," the Droids said.

Two of the droids came up on either side of Reinette and pushed her to her knees. They pointed their maiming instruments at her neck. The 'chief' droid approached her and also pointed his weapon at her. Reinette looked up at him.

"You think I fear you, but I do not fear you, even now. You are merely the nightmare of my childhood. The monster from under my bed, and if my nightmare can return to plague me, then rest assured," she lowered her voice to a whisper, "So will yours."

The sound of a horse whinnying was suddenly heard in the distance.

Reinette, the droids, and the guests all looked around for the source of the sound. It was followed by galloping hooves - and after a few moments, the horse leaped through the glass of a large mirror on the wall, Jack on his back. The guests shrieked and Reinette's mouth dropped open.

Jack winked as he trotted past her. The horse came to a halt and Jack dropped down.

"Madame de Pompadour. You look younger every day," Jack said with a cheeky grin.

Reinette smiled.

"What the hell is going on?" King Louis asked.

Reinette looked to Jack, "Oh - this is my lover, the King of France," she said.

"Yeah? Well, I'm the Captain of Time and Space!" Jack approached the chief droid, "And I'm here to fix the clock," he finished.

He removed the mask of the droid, revealing the clockwork underneath, which elicited a gasp from the crowd. The droid pointed its weapon at Jack.

"Forget it. It's over. For you and for me," Jack glanced up at the broken mirror. There was only a brick wall behind it.

"Talk about seven years bad luck. Try three thousand..." he murmured.

The droid cocked its head to look at the mirror.

XX

On the spaceship, there were only shards of glass and the interior of the spaceship where the time window into the ballroom used to be. Rose stood before it. She looked to the Doctor than to the window, a single tear ran down her cheek. The Doctor noticed this and walked over to his lover and pulled her into an embrace, where she sobbed that night for her friend. The friend she would never see again, and he had been so helpful in turning her into a twenty-first century woman, teaching her the ways.

XX

The droid repeatedly tried to use its teleport, to no avail. It turned to Jack.

"The link with the ship is broken. No way back. You don't have the parts. How many ticks left in that clockwork heart? A day? An hour? It's over. Accept that. I'm not winding you up," a moment after Jack finished, the clockwork wound down and the droid went dead. The other droids followed suit and slumped forward.

One of them fell backwards causing the clockwork to smash over the floor. The guests whispered amongst one another as Jack held out a hand to Reinette.

"You all right?" he asked. Reinette nodded and took his hand. He pulled her to her feet.

"What's happened to them?" she asked.

"They've stopped. The Doctor said it would happen..." Jack trailed off as he looked at the destruction with Reinette, their hands linked together.

XX

Rose was still in the Doctor's arms, sobbing.

"Rose don't cry love, he wanted to be with her. He's happy now," the Doctor said, trying to soothe her.

Rose raised her head from the Doctor's chest and looked up at the stars overhead. The Doctor followed her gaze.

"It's alright now," the Doctor went on.

XX

Jack was standing by the window, holding a glass of wine and looking up at those same stars, knowing he'd never touch them again. Reinette came up behind him, also holding a glass of wine. She followed his gaze.

"Do you know all their names?" she asked.

"What's in a name? Names are just titles. Titles don't tell you anything," he answered.

"Like, 'Captain Jack Harkness'" she stated.

"Like, 'Madame de Pompadour'," he replied, Reinette laughed.

"I have often wished to see those stars a little closer. Just as you have, I think," she went on.

"From time to time. It's not a bad life saving the universe with a few good mates," Jack said.

"In saving me, you trapped yourself. Did you know that would happen?" she asked.

"Yea, pretty much," he answered.

"Yet, still you came," Reinette said.

"Yeah, I did, didn't I?" Jack smiled his famous cheeky grin, "Catch me doing that again."

"There were many doors between my world and yours. Can you not use one of the others?" Reinette inquired.

"When the mirror broke, the shock will have severed all the links with the ship. There'll be a few more broken mirrors and torn tapestries around here, I'm afraid. Wherever there was a time window. I'll-- I'll, er... pay for any damage."

Reinette laughed.

"Um... oh, that's a thought, I'm gonna need money. I was always a bit vague about money from this period.. Where do you get money?" Jack asked.

"So, here you are, my lonely angel, stuck on the slow path, with me," Reinette said.

"Yep. The slow path," he grinned and held up his glass, "Here's to the slow path."

Reinette laughed and they chinked their glasses together and sipped their wine.

"It's a pity... I think I would've enjoyed the slow path," Reinette said, a bit sadly.

"Well, I'm not going anywhere," Jack said.

"Oh, aren't you?" She set down her wine, "Take my hand," she ordered softly.

Jack took her hand and she led him out of the room. They entered Reinette's bedroom and stood in the doorway.

"You've just been through a traumatic event, you really have that on mind right now?" he inquired with his smile caressing his features as usual.

Reinette followed his gaze to the spot her bed was placed, "No Captain," she commented, then she changed her gaze to the fire burning her wooden fire place.

"It's not a copy. It's the original. I had it moved here and was exact in every detail," she explained.

He then followed her gaze,"The fireplace..." he walked forward slowly, "The fireplace from your bedroom. When did you do this?" he asked.

"Many years ago, in the hope that a door once opened, may someday be opened again. One never quite knows when one needs one's Captain," she answered.

They both smiled at each other, "It appears undamaged, do you think it will still work?" she asked.

"You broke the bond with the ship when you moved it. Which means it was off-line when the mirror broke. That's what saved it. But..." He moved closer to the fireplace, "the link is basically physical, and it's still physically here," Jack explained.

Reinette watched him, not saying anything but with a hint of sadness in her eyes.

Jack began to tap the woodwork, "Which might just mean, if I'm lucky... if I'm very, very, very, lucky..." Jack seemed to find the spot he was looked for, he beamed.

"Aha!" he cried.

"What?" Reinetted asked.

"Loose connection!" he replied.

Jack searched his coat and found the Sonic Screwdriver there, he held the screwdriver to the 'loose connection'.

"Need to get a man in!" he said.

He banged on the mantelpiece, then stood ready for the fireplace to turn.

"Wish me luck!" he said, still smiling.

"No..." Reinette said quickly.

Jack's grin faded from his face, but it was too late - the fireplace was already starting to revolve. As soon as he was on the other side, he crouched and called through the flames.

"Madame de Pompadour!" he called.

She crouched on the other side.

"Still wanna see those stars?" he asked.

"More than anything," she said, a smile caressing her features.

"Give me two minutes. Pack a bag!" Jack replied.

"Am I going somewhere?" Reinette asked, her smile growing wider.

"Go to the window. Pick a star. Any star," he answered..

Jack stood and dashed off to his friends.

Reinette rushed to the window and looked up at the night sky, breathless with anticipation.

XX

Jack had pulled Rose into a tight hug.

"How long did you wait?" he asked.

"Five and a half hours!" both Rose and the Doctor answered.

"Right, ya know what that means Doc? Make a note of it, always wait five and a half hours," Jack replied.

He then pulled the Doctor into a bone-crushing hug.

"Where've you been??" Rose asked.

"Explain later. Into the TARDIS, be with you in a sec," Jack answered as he let the Doctor go.

He rushed back to the fireplace.

The Doctor and Rose both rushed into the TARDIS, Rose sat on the Captains Bench with the Doctor as they awaited their friends return.

"Reinette?" he called, Jack kneeled before the flames, and tried to peer through, "You there, Reinette?" he called again.

He triggered the fireplace again and it revolved again.

Jack found himself back in the palace - except the room was completely dark. He paused, then wandered out into the halls.

"Reinette?" he called again.

There was no one around except for King Louis, who was standing by the window, looking outside.

"Oh. Hello..." Jack trailed off.

"You just missed her. She'll be in Paris by six," the King said.

"Ah," Jack muttered,

The King stared at the Captain and took a few steps towards him.

"Good Lord... she was right. She said you never looked a day older," Jack raised his eyebrows, "So many years since I saw you last, yet not a day of it on your face," the King went on.

He walked slowly over to a sideboard and opened a drawer. He took out a letter.

"She spoke of you many times." Jack's smile began to fade as he began to understand.

"Often wished you'd visit again. You know how women are."

Louis held the letter out to Jack, he took it and looked at it. The King was distracted by the thrash of a whip, a neighing from outside and then the sound of hooves. He went back to the window.

"There she goes..." Louis trailed off.

Through the rain, the King watched the hearse carry Reinette's coffin away through the gates of the palace.

"Leaving Versailles for the last time. Only forty-three when she died."

Jack walked slowly up behind the King to watch the hearse, face solemn with a pain that he couldn't hide.

"Too young... too young. Illness took her in the end. She always did work too hard," King Louis explained.

His eyes were glistening with tears. He turned to the Captain.

"What does she say?" he asked.

Without a word and without looking away from the window, he silently tucked the letter inside his jacket.

"Of course. Quite right."

After a few more moments, Jack turned and walked away.

XX

He was now closing the door of the TARDIS wearily behind him and then he walked slowly up to the console.

"Why her?" Rose was asking the Doctor.

"Why did they think they could fix the ship with the head of Madame de Pompadour?" Rose went on.

Jack looked up, he was curious himself to see if the Doctor had an answer.

"We'll probably never know. There was massive damage in the computer memory base. Probably got confused," the Doctor stood and went to the controls, "The TARDIS can close down the time windows now the droids are gone. Should stop it causing any more trouble," he explained as he began to enter a random coordinate.

He tapped on the computer, not noticing the pain etched on his friends face.

But Rose could tell something was bothering Jack.

"Are you all right?" Rose asked as she approached him.

The Doctor looked up and followed Rose with his eyes as she approached Jack.

"Yea I'm fine, I'm just gonna...you know, go to my room," he replied.

He smiled briefly, and then walked down the hall.

Rose continued to watch him, aware that he's keeping something to himself.

Rose sat back down on the Captains Bench, "Something's the matter with him," she murmured.

XX

Jack closed and locked his bedroom door and then sat down on his bed, he pulled out the letter and looked at the neat cursive writing on the front of the letter he turned it over and broke the seal. Then Jack began to read the letter;

'My dearest Jack,

The path has never seemed more slow, and yet I fear I am nearing its end. Reason tells me that you and I are unlikely to meet again. But I think I shall not listen to reason. I have seen the world of which you live in, and know that all things are possible. Hurry though, my love. My days grow shorter now, and I am so very weak.

God speed, my beloved angel.'

Jack, finished reading, and set the letter onto the bed beside him.

He bit back a sob, he really did want to try a relationship with someone, and he loved the way Reinette was, and in the few short hours they had known each other, he had fallen for her. He shuddered, not wanting to start crying, then he put the letter away into his nightstand drawer and then left his bedroom. Jack wandered into the control room,

"Hey Doc forgot to give ya your screwdriver back," he said.

"Oh good you have it, I thought I misplaced it somewhere," he said.

"So you ready for another adventure?" Jack asked.

Rose could still tell he was keeping something to himself, but decided not to say anything.

"Sure thing Captain," the Doctor replied.

XX

Outside the TARDIS, a wind picked up as the engines began to grind into the life as it dematerializes. Just behind where it was parked was a portrait of Reinette, labeled 'Madame de Pompadour 1721 - 1764'.

XX

The now truly deserted spaceship revolved slowly in space. On the outer hull was engraved the name 'SS Madame de Pompadour'.

XX

A/N- Gosh that was sad, I think I shall hug my computer now for putting Jack through that...there I hugged it...yes I'm a loser, but your talking to the girl who hugged her telly more than once during the episode of Torchwood titled 'Captain Jack Harkness' so whatever. Ok please R&R, I love you even more if you review!!!!!!

Take free cookies!! or a banana, which ever floats your boat!!

LOVE YA!!!

Beccs!

PS thanks to Suki for betaing, Sabrina and Josh for helping me with Jack's lil comment in the bedroom...hehe...love ya! Yea you know who you are!