Author's Notes - Takes place where the last chapter left off. Yes, it's mostly domestic, but I wanted readers to have a chance to take a breath and accept that Melissa now bears a striking resemblance to River Song before the next twist, which is the one that the entire story revolves around. Hope you enjoy. Thanks to dwatlaskrhtcm for reviewing the last chapter.
Jack woke up in the TARDIS with no idea how he had gotten there—which was somewhat strange, since he decidedly remembered that they hadn't bothered to drink the wine. Not that they'd needed it. Hell, they had all been so eager, they hadn't really needed the chocolate, but he'd savor those images of the Doctor and Melissa for a very long time.
Thinking of his bond mates put a happy grin on his face, and it was easy to ignore the aches and stiffness that had accompanied such a strenuous activity. Lying on the bed, he realized it was the same one that had been near the pavilion, and decided that the Doctor must have materialized the ship around it.
Idly, he studied the room. It was larger than the Doctor's bedroom, but it had a cozy, comfortable feel. The walls were a deep, rich mocha, and the decor was accented in TARDIS blue, which was most likely a subtle hint from the ship herself. Sometimes, she liked to remind them who was actually in charge.
He'd have to find a proper way to thank her for such a thoughtful gift. The room was obviously meant for them. In addition to the spacious bed, there were three oversized chairs nestled around two reading lamps and a library table. Two of the three doors were open; from what he could see, one led to a massive bathroom suite and the other to a nursery complete with cheery yellow paint.
The identity of the nursery was confirmed when he heard Hope's cries coming from within. Painstakingly, he got out of bed to check on her. Relying on his crutches, he walked haltingly towards his daughter's demanding wail.
Melissa beat him to her, but not by much. She'd appeared from the bathroom with an apologetic expression on her face.
"Sorry, the TARDIS has made our closet the wardrobe room, and I think I got a bit carried away."
Scooping the wailing child from her cot, she sank down onto one of the two rocking chairs in the room. "Alright, alright, my love, I know you're hungry. You don't have to be quite so insistent."
Easing himself into the chair next to her, Jack kept her company as she tended to the baby. He liked her most recent choice of clothing. She wore brown pants and a burnt orange blouse that managed not to clash with her hair, which was pulled back with a simple, brown comb. Her brown suede boots were much more stylish than the combat boots she'd worn in her previous regeneration, although they looked to be sturdy enough for running.
Gallantly, he offered to change Hope once she had finished feeding, and Melissa agreed with alacrity. Bracing himself against the changing table, he had the baby babbling happily in no time.
It was inevitable, really, that Hope finally said, "Mama," while Melissa was bent over the dresser looking for a clean outfit for her to wear to her brother's birth. Jack's grin brightened the entire room as his wife rushed to his side to encourage their daughter to say it again. Predictably, she wouldn't, although she was more than happy to say "Dada" repeatedly.
"She's doing it on purpose," Melissa complained as she quickly changed her into a pleated, pastel polka dot dress and then placed her on the floor. Hope took the opportunity to roll under the cot, laughing all the while.
"Well, I told you she was going to be a handful."
Jack's words were belied by his pleased smile and indulgent tone. He was smitten with their little girl, and couldn't have loved her any more if she had been his own. From the way the Doctor had been carrying on about Owen's second birth, the Captain knew that the Time Lord felt the same. In spite of all the terrible things that had happened as a result, the Bad Wolf had gotten one thing right. She'd made them a cohesive family, and he knew the next few years would be fantastic.
"Jack?"
He started. Melissa stood in front of him with a worried expression on her face, Hope in her arms. "Sorry, I was thinking."
Jumping to the wrong conclusion, she hastened to reassure him. "Owen's going to be fine. The process of removing him from the artificial womb isn't nearly as traumatic as birth."
"I know. Actually, I was thinking about the future. This is definitely the one adventure the Doc and I never thought we'd have. It's fantastic, Sweetheart."
Remembering the trials of caring for Susan and Matthew as infants, she couldn't help but joke. "Remind me of that after a few months of nighttime feedings. The twins were colicky, and Mark was always gone, and at one point I thought I was going to lose my sanity."
Mentioning Susan and Matthew, however, quickly turned her wistful. "I wonder if Susan would have accepted my pregnancy this time."
They would never know, but Jack did his best to comfort her. "She matured so much during that last year. I'm sure she and Matthew would have been thrilled."
She pretended she hadn't heard. It was still too painful to discuss at times. Instead, she donned a forced cheerfulness. "We had better get going. We shouldn't be late for our son's birth."
Understanding her reaction, he didn't press. Instead, he struggled to his feet. Walking had not yet become better with practice, and it was a slow journey to the infirmary. Melissa stayed by his side the entire time, trying in vain to get Hope to repeat her earlier utterance of 'Mama'.
The Doctor met them at the birthing room. Practically bouncing with eagerness, he took their daughter from his wife's arms, entertaining the infant with a complicated explanation of the mechanics involved in the sustainment of artificial wombs. She shrieked in delight at the sound of his voice.
By taking Hope, he allowed Melissa and Jack to fully experience the joy of their son's emergence into the wide world. While the actual process was anticlimactic compared to his birth, their joy at holding him for the first time was no less profound.
"Oh, Jack, he's beautiful."
Owen Alistair Harkness had deep blue eyes that held the possibility of turning brown. His dark hair was silky, barely covering his head, and his chubby little face was scrunched up as he protested against his abrupt departure from a safe and secure environment.
He quieted quickly at the soothing sound of familiar voices, and Melissa held him close for several minutes before allowing the healers to take measurements and perform a variety of routine tests. Once they were satisfied that nothing was amiss, the now complete family was allowed to take him home, or in this case, back to the TARDIS.
Jack sat with him for a long while that first evening, counting his fingers and toes and feeling the reassuring beat of his single heart. There'd been no public fanfare surrounding his homecoming, no solemn ceremony to mark his name, but it didn't matter. Owen was healthy, and Jack gave thanks for small, impossible miracles.
"Your son is loud."
Opening his eyes, the Captain regarded the Doctor's brother blearily. "And, I see rudeness runs in the family." Then, he flashed him a tired grin as he straightened in the recliner. "How are you doing, Brax?"
"I have to admit that I have been better."
Taking a seat next to his bond brother, the High Lord President of all Gallifrey handed him a blue gift bag stuffed with gold tissue paper. Regarding it suspiciously, Jack reached his hand in to pluck out a small plush bear wearing a light blue shirt emblazoned with the letters UCLA stitched in gold. Amused, he reached in again to pull out several white cotton infant bodysuits adorned with the same logo. Digging in the bag a final time, he found a set of matching baby booties.
"Well, I'll say one thing; when you go native, you do it like a pro. Why UCLA?"
"I attended medical school there. At least, I did on the parallel Earth. I thought you might appreciate having a traditional Earth gift for your son."
"Thanks," he replied, and meant it. It was a nice gesture, even if he'd never seen a UCLA Bruin.
"It's just a trifling, but you're welcome nonetheless. I hope you don't mind me waking you. Emma said you'd only fallen asleep an hour ago, but the Doc informs me that you are all soon returning to Earth. I won't have time to visit until my term of president is over."
Jack read between the lines and understood that Brax wanted to say goodbye before he regenerated. "I wish we could stay longer, but our friends need us."
"There is no need to make excuses, Captain. I certainly understand. Besides, it would be best if the Doctor and the Emissary leave Gallifrey for the next few weeks. Both are quite stubbornly refusing to run for president, but if they're present, I can't prevent the majority from drafting one of them for the job."
"And we certainly don't want that."
"Indeed."
Jack thought that Brax would immediately leave, but the president continued to sit in the chair, appearing like a man who had something to say but didn't know how to say it. Since that was entirely out of character for someone who'd spent his life managing the Celestial Intervention Agency and manipulating politicians, Jack almost dismissed the idea as sleep-deprived paranoia. When the Time Lord finally spoke, however, he knew he'd been right.
"My brother refused protection, as did my bond sister. However, I would like to make the offer to you as well."
The Captain carefully considered his answer. Like the baby gift, he knew it to be a nice gesture. Unfortunately, it was also an extremely arrogant one. Yet, he had to admit it had a certain appeal.
"Thanks, but no thanks. Unless you've heard of a specific threat?"
"Nothing specific, no." Guessing he might have insulted the proud man, Brax immediately explained his reasoning. "I'm well aware that the three of you are more than capable of defending yourselves. But, Earth is such an unpredictable planet. And, I worry about the safety of Hope and Owen."
That revelation put everything in an entirely different light. "This is about Amathow, isn't it?"
"Perhaps," he grudgingly conceded. "Although, his range is somewhat limited. He is currently restricted to the Citadel. If he were the only threat, you would all be safer on Earth."
"Okay, Brax, cut to the chase. Are you trying to scare me into accepting a few bodyguards or do you know something you're not telling me?"
"I don't know anything. And, that's the difficulty. In the last three weeks, two operatives have failed to return from routine surveillance assignments. I have sent an inquiry to the Shadow Proclamation, but they are little inclined to hasten to our aid after Emma humiliated the Shadow Architect on a live vidstream transmission."
That was troubling news, but it wasn't enough to go against his bond mates wishes. "Thanks for the heads up, but I've got to say the answer's still no. If you hear of a specific threat, I'd like to hear about it, though."
"That goes without saying, Captain."
Bidding the Doctor's brother goodbye, Jack reflected that it didn't go without saying at all. While he was glad that Brax had mellowed considerably, he was still somewhat wary of the man's arrogance. The Time Lord truly believed he knew best, which meant he was often loath to share information, even with those closest to him. And one day that habit might just get them all in trouble. With those disquieting thoughts, it took him a while to get back to sleep.
"Ready, Captain?"
"Not really, no."
He didn't know why that had popped out of his mouth. He should be ready to return to his adopted planet, but he truly wasn't. There were too many unpleasant reminders of his failure as a leader, lover, brother and friend. From the look on the Doc's face, he understood completely.
Melissa briefly hugged him before practically pushing him into the jump seat. Wanting to help the Doctor pilot the ship, she let Jack hold the pram. Hope and Owen were both sleeping, which would no doubt prove to be a rare occurrence. It was the perfect time to return to Earth. Well, as perfect as anytime considering what they were about to face.
"Shouldn't we strap them in?"
He joked wearily. For once Jack could appreciate the Doctor's long history of running. He wasn't sure of Gwen's reaction. She was the only one left from the Torchwood he had tried to mold with his own hands, and in the deep recesses of his mind, he worried that she would blame him for Ianto's death.
"You don't really think my ship would give the children a bumpy ride, do you, Jack? She's thrilled to have so many hearts beating inside her."
"Guess not. Hadn't really thought about it like that."
Melissa added her reassurance to the Doctor's. "The TARDIS knows she needs to be gentle." Then, her mouth curved upwards. "Besides, I'll make sure the Doctor doesn't keep the parking brake on."
"Em, for the last time, a type 40 TARDIS does not come equipped with a parking brake!"
This time, she hid her smirk. Instead, she answered patronizingly with a hint of disbelief. "Of course it doesn't, Beloved."
The ride through the Vortex was the smoothest that Jack had ever experienced. Even the noise of the time rotor seemed to be more harmonious. As soon as they landed, however, there was a loud knock on the door.
For once, the Doctor didn't dash across the room to see who was waiting for them. Carefully, he studied the outside video display. Then, he stroked the console, expressing his gratitude as a tender caress. "You never cease to amaze me, Old Girl. I'm sure you've put us here for a reason, but you couldn't have picked a better choice."
"Where are we?" Melissa demanded as she helped Jack stand. She wasn't sure either one of them could yet stomach seeing the remains of the Hub.
"We're in Sarah's attic."
Ealing, not Cardiff. Stifling an impulse to kiss one of the coral struts, she let the Doctor go ahead with the pram. He could answer some of the more obvious questions while she accompanied Jack out of the ship.
By the time she and Jack appeared, Sarah Jane held Owen and Luke held Hope; both had unfortunately woken at the sound of Mr. Smith announcing their arrival. Melissa wasn't sure if Sarah Jane or Luke looked more awkward, and had to stifle a grin as her friend swiftly handed Owen back to the Doctor in order to envelope Jack in a comforting hug.
"Oh, it's so good to see you, Jack. When the Doctor stole you from the hospital, we all feared the worst."
"Sorry, I think the Doc was a little panicked by that time, not that he didn't have reason."
"I can see that," she answered wryly, letting go of him to squeeze her friend briefly in a delighted hug. "You look wonderful, Melissa. Or do you prefer to be called the Emissary now that you've regenerated?"
"Definitely not that," she replied just a little bit too quickly. Seeing her friend's startled expression, she attempted to explain. "My full title is the Emissary of the Bad Wolf, and I'd rather not be reminded of it, if that's alright with you. I have to put up with it enough on Gallifrey."
Luke, who had seen his mother squeeze her friend's arm in understanding, felt he was missing something important. "What's the Bad Wolf?"
Sarah peered at her son, hoping to convey the sense that the topic was not one for open discussion, but he didn't quite understand her expression. When he continued to look bemused, Melissa herself answered.
"She's someone who helped the Doctor a while back, Luke. Unfortunately, she didn't always think before she acted, and she had almost limitless power."
"Like the Krillitanes if they had unlocked the Skasas Paradigm." Seeing Melissa's look of surprise, he hastily added, "Mum told me about meeting the Doctor at the school with all the Krillitanes posing as teachers."
"That's not a bad comparison, although the Bad Wolf's intentions were nobler."
Melissa added her agreement to the Doctor's, if only to forestall any more questions. While she might agree that the Bad Wolf's intentions were good, her methods had proven to be dangerous more than once. As quickly as she could, she changed the subject.
"Have you heard from Donna?"
Sarah Jane's expression clouded. "Not since Alistair's funeral. Wilf's been ill, and I know she's spent most of her time in Chiswick helping her mother."
"Alistair's funeral?" Jack immediately glared at the Doctor in accusation. "Just how off from three days are we, Doc?"
He steeled himself to give the unwelcome news that he had so recently learned from Sarah Jane. "It's been three weeks, Jack."
"Three weeks?"
The color drained from his face so fast that Melissa threw her arms around him, fearful that he might faint. He didn't. But, she could feel his entire body trembling with hurt and anger. After a few seconds, he gently pushed her away, his emotions tightly in check.
"We've got to go back. You have to be at Alistair's funeral, Doc, and I need to . . . ."
He couldn't quite say it, so he dropped his gaze to the floor instead. Now that they were on Earth, it was too difficult to acknowledge the reality of Ianto's death. Three weeks—what would Gwen think? That he'd abandoned Torchwood and her again? Was there even a Torchwood left to abandon?
"We can't," the Time Lord answered quietly, his voice and demeanor suffused with regret. "I'm already there."
"We didn't even recognize you at first, did we, Mum? Mum guessed because she noticed the TARDIS nearby. And, when we asked you why you were alone, you said it was time to say some goodbyes."
An uncomfortable silence settled in the spacious attic as Sarah Jane Smith doubted that her son would ever understand the word tact. It was impolite to mention a subsequent regeneration to a Time Lord, and she had made it a point to tell Luke. Worse, it was heartbreaking to think that the Doctor would somehow end up alone yet again as he stood amidst his wonderful family.
Jack wasn't thick. He grasped the implications immediately. His anger melted as he and Melissa shared a long look. "I guess the TARDIS needed some extra time to give the kiddos a smooth ride."
Then, before the silence could stretch, he added, "We should pay our respects to Doris, though."
"Quite right. Sarah, do you think you could make the arrangements?"
"Of course, I've been meaning to call and see how she's getting on. Would you like to come downstairs and have a spot of lunch? Or were you planning on going back to Cardiff immediately? Martha and Mickey are still there, as is John Hart, although UNIT is handling anything to do with aliens."
"Hart? What's Hart got to do with anything?"
The Doctor had that deer caught in headlights look. To be perfectly honest, he had quite forgotten about John Hart and what the Bad Wolf had done to him during those anxious days when it was unclear whether either one of his bond mates would survive. He ran his fingers through his hair agitatedly before turning grim.
"Hart led me to Emma. The Bad Wolf had burned a set of temporal spatial coordinates in his mind so I could find her. But, that's not the worst of it. She also completely shredded his timelines until there were only two left, obedience or death. He was supposed to protect Torchwood from the danger the digilitum possessed, not warn us."
"Shit."
Apologetically, Jack glanced at Sarah Jane for the use of foul language in front of Luke, but the indomitable Ms. Smith didn't comment on his choice of vocabulary. Instead, she pragmatically reissued her lunch invitation.
"It's a problem that's not going away anytime soon. You might as well stay for lunch, and then visit the Nobles before travelling to Cardiff. By then, I might have reached Doris."
"Lunch it is," the Doctor replied easily.
Melissa warily eyed the stairs, wondering if it would be easier for everyone involved if they simply entered the TARDIS and materialized closer to the ground floor rather than the attic. From the stubborn expression on Jack's face, she highly doubted he'd appreciate the gesture. It was a good thing that the children were the perfect excuse.
"I can't imagine getting Hope and Owen and all the baby paraphernalia downstairs in one trip, Doctor. Do you think the TARDIS might be persuaded to move to the back garden?"
He thought that was a fine idea, and said so. He even managed to get Jack to agree with very little fuss. Five minutes later, they were exiting the TARDIS, which now sat atop what would have been a lovely flower bed. Luckily, there was very little growing in the middle of February, so the ship hadn't ruined much.
The trip to the dining room was still difficult for Jack, but at least it didn't involve a couple of flights of stairs. By the time they were seated for lunch, Owen wailed with hunger while Hope did her best to wiggle out of the Doctor's arms. The meal was more than a bit chaotic, but the babies gave the adults a welcome excuse to laugh and focus on the positive.
Luke was fascinated with Hope's rapid development, and spent almost an hour interrogating the Time Lords about their species growth and development. Jack sat there quietly, watching the exchange, wondering how Owen would compare at that age. He might not be an archetype, but there was no refuting the fact that his mother was positively brilliant. Besides, his upbringing would be far from normal. He could only hope that Owen would display the same earnest, polite curiosity as Luke. And, if he managed to charm all the girls-or even the boys-while doing so, then so much the better.
"Do humans mature more quickly in the fifty-first century, Captain Harkness?"
Drawn back into the conversation, Jack admitted that humans still developed at much the same rate. "Although, you've got to understand that we know a whole lot more about the learning potential of children than you did in the twenty-first century. Most kids are brought up knowing four or five languages, and introduced to higher mathematical concepts at a much earlier age. As long as they think it's fun, there's no fear of overstressing them."
"Actually, Jack. The human brain is evolving at a much faster pace in the fifty-first century than it is in the twenty-first. Children are able to understand the concepts of applied mathematics and physics by the age of six because they're able to utilize more areas of their brain." Sniffing, he added somewhat pompously, "Still miniscule compared to a Time Lord's brain, mind you, but just you wait until the human race evolves to the point of downloading their consciousness into computers. Now that's when the real learning begins."
Melissa smirked at Jack. "You have to forgive him; The Matrix was one of his favorite movies."
"Which brings up another question," Jack said quietly; he had noticed that Hope was finally beginning to settle sleepily against the Doctor's chest. "How did two Time Lords become such experts on Earth? I mean, you know a heck of a lot more about Earth culture than I do."
"We both specialized in Muggle Studies." Grinning flippantly at Luke, she saw that he instantly understood. Jack, however, was still confused.
"Okaaay, Is that some species I'm not familiar with?"
Sarah Jane shook her head. "How can you have lived through the last twenty years without being familiar with Harry Potter, Captain?"
"Jack can't even name the football leagues, much less the teams, Sarah. I think he spent too much time underground." The Doctor held his breath, hoping that Jack wouldn't be uncomfortably reminded of the Hub's destruction, but the Captain took his comment in the manner in which it had been intended.
"Hey, that's not entirely true, Doc! I'll have you know that I was too busy studying pre-colonization interpersonal relationships to bother with popular culture."
"Which simply means you were too busy shagging anything that moves to pay attention." As soon as the playful joke escaped her lips, Melissa colored in embarrassment. "I apologize, Sarah Jane. I shouldn't have said that in front of Luke."
The teen immediately attempted to reassure her. "That's okay, Mrs. Harkness. I understand what the word shagging means. Mum told me that I couldn't engage in sexual intercourse until I was older, but it would be interesting to hear of Captain Harkness' experiences. He could tell me how the process differs between Time Lords and humans."
The Doctor choked on his tea, necessitating Hope's removal from his arms. The heavy-lidded child made no protest as Jack settled her against him, even though his entire body was tense with pent-up laughter. Sarah Jane simply rolled her eyes at her guests.
"We are not discussing that right now, Luke." Glancing at the Captain, she added forbiddingly, "Or ever. It is not appropriate table conversation." Then, her eyes found Melissa, and her stern expression turned into a wry smile. "And, you're not reserved at all this time, are you?"
Smugly, she gazed possessively at her bond mates. "Would you be with these two?"
Eyes dancing with amusement, Sarah Jane admitted that she would not. As the conversation turned back to popular culture, she observed her friends fondly. It was reassuring to see them so content.
Three weeks ago, she had been more than troubled when the Doctor had appeared alone at Alistair's funeral sporting a new, much younger looking face. He wouldn't even discuss Melissa or Jack's whereabouts, except to bitterly say 'spoilers'—an infuriating expression if she'd ever heard one. When she had finally sussed out that the Doctor was farther along on their timeline, she'd been more insistent. In the end, he'd privately admitted that he was alone once again, but refused to explain further.
She'd done the only thing she could do; she'd given him a hug. She'd almost cried as he'd trembled against her. It was impossible to know how much older that particular version of the Doctor had been, and she could only hope that it had been extremely far into his future.
The trio plus two stayed with Sarah Jane and Luke for the rest of the day, deciding to pay a visit to Donna and her family in the morning. Doris was visiting her sister, and unfortunately, wouldn't be home for another two weeks. Clyde and Rani were invited to dinner; both enjoyed seeing the Doctor and his family.
Naturally, Rani and Clyde understood the social graces better than Luke, and managed to refrain from asking too many embarrassing questions. From the eager look on Clyde's face, however, Melissa suspected he would be grilling Sarah Jane's son for information as soon as the teens were alone. She smiled wistfully; Matthew had been much the same.
Tending to Owen at three-thirty that morning, Melissa's thoughts again turned towards her children now gone. For once, her memories were a balm to her tired mind. While Athena, Susan, Matthew and Joy could never be replaced, she finally realized that the presence of Hope and Owen took away some of the sting of their absence. In the privacy of her thoughts, she did something she thought she'd never do-she thanked the Bad Wolf.
