Chapter eighteen

The ship of dreams

Ianto stood at the console, he turned to see Nyx walking in wearing a dress, her hair was pinned up neatly. "Wow..." Ianto took all of her in. "You look lovely."

"Of course she looks good," Owen played his hand down the suit he wore. "So where is our destination now?" He asked moving towards the console trying to understand what was going on.

"Why do you want to spoil the surprise?" Nyx turned to Ianto, "Remember we want our date to be set..." She thought about it, "April eleventh sounds good." She moved around typing things. "Can't stay too long, but enough to see the beauty of it." She kept moving not focusing on Ianto or Owen.

Owen did a double take, "No!"

"Now that is going to be fun..." Ianto was following Nyx's lead, "You want to place us here, not here." Ianto typed over Nyx's shoulder. "We'll end up in the sea." He pointed out.

Nyx's eyes snapped to Ianto, "You've been my co pilot nearly a month, and you're already trying to know more than me." Her voice was light, so you could tell she was joking.

"I find it amusing that you keep forgetting that I know things," Ianto was walking around the console. "I learn things very quickly." He pointed out while feeling Nyx was smiling at him.

Nyx titled her head to one side, "Always surprising me Ianto," She could see a sore expression on Owen's face. "Come on Owen, this is meant to be a fun time." She playfully poked his stomach.

"All the fun..." Owen felt himself being the odd one out, and was wondering why he agreed to join them. "Why can't I just wallow in my self pity?"

Ianto rolled his eyes, "We'll be setting off soon." He pointed to Owen, "Don't ruin this for me." He carried on.

Nyx stood beside Owen, her hand brushed his shoulder, "I just wanted to take your mind off things." Her eyes were locked on his, she knew that it wasn't going to be easy, but she just wanted them to be safe, and she did that. "Just give me this..."

"Or maybe I'll throw myself off the ship," Owen's dark humour didn't really register with Nyx as her head titled to one side. "I'm not going to do it." He added trying to understand what was going on.

"Okay, everything is set," Ianto spoke into the silence, "Just hold on tight." He pulled a lever and the TARDIS came to life, and started to go into the past.

The TARDIS was now blended as part of the ship as Nyx stepped outside, she took a deep breathe looking from one end of the first class corridor to the next. She smiled as a steward walked towards her, he looked confused for a second. "Ma'am..." He stopped, then did a take back at her, he was good at remembering faces, and he didn't recognise her.

Nyx reached into a pocket, she took out her physic paper, "My tickets for myself and my two male companions." He glanced over to see the three first class tickets and felt stupid.

"Sorry Ma'am..." He blushed red before rushing about his business.

Owen poked his head out, then glanced down to Nyx, "I need to know how you did that." He stepped out feeling odd, he could see the people walking about their business.

Ianto was next out into the corridor, "Physic paper," Ianto straightened his waist coat out again. "You need to have a clear mind to work it," He added in a way to show that he knew more than Owen did.

"Are you implying I am too stupid to work it?" Owen could see that Nyx was walking in front of them. "I could have a clear mind..." He muttered.

Nyx chuckled to herself listening to Owen and Ianto, "You two would both fail at it."

The corridor seemed long, but Owen kept behind Nyx, but his eyes drifted over to Ianto, "You hoping to find a Jack..." He laughed thinking of the Movie.

"You know the movie is fiction..." Ianto kept close to Nyx, he didn't know where they were going until he a door labelled deck. "But this is real." He took in everything as the door opened, and the smell of sea water hit him.

Owen was the last to walk onto the deck, he took in a deep breathe, "That is vile..." He turned to see Ianto and Nyx both staring at him. "What?"

"You are standing on a ship, sailing and all you can say." She rolled her eyes, "The sea is so pretty." She walked over to the side to see the water.

Ianto placed a hand to Owen, "She's a little strange," He whispered to him, but then even with the time alone with her, he was still trying to work it out.

"A little strange?" Owen kept close to Ianto as he watched Nyx standing at the railing looking out to the sea, but Owen couldn't understand what Ianto could mean. "Details."

Ianto was standing at Owen's side, he knew that it was hard to explain. "She's fine now, but then she startles easily, she doesn't like loud quick noises, and when she does sleep," He shook his head, "Well it's not pretty." He glanced to see Nyx still staring at the water.

"She's suffering from PTSD," Owen felt odd watching the other people walking the deck, some seeming to stop and watch Nyx waving randomly to the decks below them. "I mean Natalie must of been the easy part." He quickly rushed to stop Nyx from climbing over the riling.

Nyx felt Owen stop her, "I want to go down there," She turned to face Owen, she felt his hands holding her waist.

"There is a gate, and stairs," Ianto was with them, he knew that people were staring now. "Also remember low profile..." He playfully brushed his finger against her nose.

"And I don't think we want to be bringing too much attention to ourselves." Owen added, he knew that wasn't right to have a woman with two men.

Ianto kept close, and Nyx knew it, "Sorry..." She took a breathe, she stepped away from Owen and Ianto heading to the gate.

Both of them watched as Nyx walked to the lower deck, both of them watching as she went to get a better view of the sea. Owen felt his eyes going over the details of her, and he could tell that Ianto was standing by him with that face. "Just say it!" He spat out in a huff.

"She travelled for so long trying to find a better way to save you," Ianto didn't want to fight with Owen, he wasn't going to try and push the point more than he already had. "You can be mad at her, but she didn't want us to be gone."

Owen smirked, "But then what about Tosh, funny she didn't want us to die, but Tosh..." He waved his hand in a way to she he didn't believe Ianto.

"She cried for Tosh," Ianto stepped closer, but he was paying attention to Nyx carefully, "We tried many ways to help, but nothing would work, and we only had the one shot to do anything if we could." Ianto placed a hand on Owen's shoulder. "So if you're going to keep holding a grudge." He took a step away from Owen heading to the gate. "Just remember your last moments before she saved you, and think of your words." He walked away leaving Owen on his own.

Standing on the first class deck Owen could see Ianto joining Nyx, he could see how they were together, and part of it unnerved Owen. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but he focused on how Nyx's attention went from Ianto to himself, he felt frozen under her gaze. Turning he went to walk back into the ship, he wasn't sure why he agreed to this.

Nyx kept at the side of the ship, she was looking over the calm of the sea, it was getting cold, and she could taste it in the air. Ianto stood up feeling the cold getting to him, he could see that Nyx was watching the water, she hadn't moved for three house, and all Ianto could do is wonder what Owen was up to. He walked over to Nyx placing a hand to her shoulder. "Are you going to just stand here?"

"I thought I'd watch the sun setting," She kept her focused forward, it was if someone had switched the emotion off in her voice. "The TARDIS is safe?" She asked, but then stopped turning to Ianto, "I mean we didn't leave it at the front of the ship?" Her eyes kept looking to where they were.

"We are more to the rear..." Ianto spoke slowly, "Nyx, did you mess with my dates on the system?" He watched her turning to walk towards the front of the ship. "Nyx!" He started to follow her.

Nyx kept moving, she smiled, but it was a strange kind of expression. "I might of," She kept moving, but stopped for a second to turn to Ianto. "Owen needs to witness something." She glanced around them, "Where is Owen?"

"He must of gone to explore on his own," Ianto kept walking with Nyx now, "For all we know he could be anywhere..."

"He's in the smoking room," Nyx opened her eyes, she opened a door and started to walk in the right direction. She didn't know why she was feeling annoyed with him, but then it was easy for her moods to switch.

Ianto was struggling to keep up with her, but placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her, "I think it's best I get Owen."

"I am fully capable of talking to Owen!" Nyx snapped.

Ianto pointed to a sign on the door, "Yes, but it's a men's only room." He held a hand out, "I'll need to go in there and fetch him." He felt her hand in his, "Don't worry." He squeezed her fingers before letting them go.

Ianto opened the door to the room filled with smoke, he could see Owen sitting at a table with three other men, he had a cigar in his mouth, and cards in his hands. Ianto was careful with his approach. "I think we need to leave..." He whispered close to Owen, but coughed with the cigar smoke. "These things will kill you!" He waved his hand.

"Not a problem with me," Owen flicked some ash of the cigar, "And I am not going anywhere..." He glanced down to the pile of money in front of himself.

Ianto wanted to roll his eyes, "Nyx needs to see you." He kept his voice low, but he could tell he'd got the attention of the other men at the table.

"Doctor Harper, why has your man servant interrupted us?" The man who spoke had a big bushy moustache.

Owen smirked to Ianto, "As you can clearly see I am busy, please leave." He took a long pull of the cigar before blowing the smoke into Ianto's face. "I am with these fine Gentlemen, and I will not be leaving until dinner." He waved his hand, "Be gone..."

Ianto narrowed his eyes, he couldn't believe Owen, "It's an important matter, to do with your patient." His voice tried to stress that he really needed to speak alone with Owen.

Rolling his eyes Owen grunted, "I think this is my last hand," He felt annoyed, but got to his feet. "Gentlemen." He placed his cards down picking up his winnings.

"Doctor Harper, we hope you return, as we have a special brandy open tonight." One of the men spoke, but gave Ianto an evil glare.

Walking towards the exit Owen stopped Ianto, "What is going on?" He knew Ianto's serious face.

Ianto kept himself calm, "I think Nyx brought us to the day the titanic sinks..." He whispered to not draw attention to them.

Owen glanced around them, "I know," Owen pointed out, "When you wasn't paying attention I switched your one to a four." He shrugged. "And I'm guessing she saw it."

Ianto felt lost, "Why would you do that?"

"Because if she is going to mess with fixed points in time, I am going to too." Owen laughed, but it was a dark laugh that made Ianto nervous.

He could only stand still as he went over everything in his mind, "Why do you always have to do this?" Ianto kept himself calm, "What do you expect to do?" He kept following Owen as they both were moving through the room.

"I am going to save the Titanic..." Owen opened a door, and he jumped seeing Nyx standing on the other side.

Nyx knew Owen was going to try and use the back door, so she was already waiting at it. "The Titanic falls under the waves at two twenty am on the fifteenth of April nineteen twelve." Her arms crossed, "You can't save this ship." Her eyes going to Ianto, "Does he ignore everything he's been taught?"

"I'm not ignoring anything!" Owen pointed into Nyx's face. "I was meant to be dead, I was in that room to be..." He laughed again, "I'm in hell." He pointed around. "This is hell."

"Not hell Owen," Ianto was grateful the hall was empty, "This is not hell," He kept trying to work out what was going on now.

Nyx kept her face serious now, she could feel how Owen was feeling towards her. "This isn't a joke Owen, and if you want to be pissed with me. Fine be mad, but there is no way you can save this ship." Her voice was dark, and her eyes were dead set on Owen. "I can't believe how stupid you are."

"How stupid I am!" Owen scoffed, "I am not the one who twisted up time and space to stop two people dying, but what about Tosh!"

Nyx pulled a face of showing she was done, "I am not going over this again, I am not going to have to keep explaining that I tried."

"Not fucking hard enough!" Owen pushed Nyx back, "You are just a selfish, self-centred bitch!"

Ianto opened a door pulling them both inside with him, he closed the door, he was happy that no one was using the gym. "You two need to stop it now!" He pointed to both of them. "We're all stuck together, and I am not going to spend the time waiting to see Jack again watching you two keep going at each other." He rolled his eyes. "I'm not in the mood." He then walked to the doors locking them, he turned to see both of them looking confused. "You two just get it out of your system."

Nyx felt herself sitting down, "Ianto, this isn't like your going to snap, and this is going to be fixed." She played with her fingernail ignoring Owen's glare. "He's made it clear he's not going to forgive me."

Owen grunted, he sat next to her, his hand on her knee. "Tell me what happened." He kept focused on her for once, and noticing her face. "Because I don't understand why you saved me and not her..."

"I found enough mite tech for you and Tosh, but the fact when Tosh was dying, I couldn't get to her, and I didn't realize that the Teselecta would be taken with it still holding Ianto's face." She sighed, "They took all the victims of the 456 and incinerated them to stop possible contamination of the earth." She tried to laugh, "I thought of swapping Tosh with a flash double, but I knew the second it was damaged it would revert back to..." She grunted, "I went through so many plans, but I knew I had one shot, and I failed." Nyx's eyes snapped to Owen. "So you saying that I didn't try, well." She shook her head. "I know fixed points in time, but I also know how to make it seem like the event happened."

Owen now felt himself staring at his hands, "What about Gwen?" He asked, he didn't know why he was just thinking of her now.

Ianto laughed, "I'm guessing a mum, and her and Rhys should move to the countryside." He thought about it, but then he knew he'd never be able to see Gwen again. "She's happy."

Nyx nodded, "Little girl, and soon after that, a little boy." Her eyes closed for a moment, "I think it's best to let her live her life as normal as possible." Her hands went to her face covering her eyes.

Owen felt like shit, he placed a hand to Nyx knee. "I'm sorry..." He spoke sincere for once. "I guess that I was so focused on me." He stopped talking seeing that Nyx was watching him. "I assumed the worse."

"I guess I've been alone for so long," Her attention to Ianto as he moved closer to her, his hand on her shoulder. "I just didn't want to watch you die, and I didn't want it to be like..."

"It's not the war," Ianto said calmly, he focused on Owen. "We're not going to die." He laughed, "Well I am hoping I am much older than I am now." He pointed out.

Owen laughed, "So what killed you?"

"Debris from the hub exploding." He shrugged it off, "Killed me, and I guess Nyx didn't know that since I was recorded as dying by poison admitted into a building by an alien known as the 456." He turned to Nyx, "Saved my life..." He thought about it, "And you manage to impersonate me enough to fool everyone." He couldn't help but chuckle a little.

Owen pointed, "You saved Ianto, before me?"

Ianto was now to laugh, "Are you jealous?"

Nyx got to her feet now, "Does it really matter, we are here together." She thought about it for a moment. "And I think I want to enjoy some food before we leave." Her eyes going to Owen now. "I wish I could save everyone on this ship, but a lesson was learnt with the lose of these people." Her attention to Ianto. "Just lucky Owen didn't mess up and put us on the other Titanic..." She walked to a door opening it. "Well come on!"

Nyx poked the food on her plate, she didn't know what to think of it. Her eyes were trying to make up something, "What is this?" She whispered to Ianto, the table they sat on was with three other confused people.

Owen tried to keep himself focused, but he could see Nyx just pushing the food around, "What's wrong?"

Ianto touched his temple, he turned to Nyx, "It's chicken..." He replied to her carefully. "Stop playing with your food. It's not very lady like." He added placing his hand on her knee under the table.

"I don't like it," Nyx pushed the plate away, "Eating the flesh of the dead is gross." Her eyes going to the strangers watching, "I beg your pardon, but I believe staring is considered rude in your time."

Owen felt his hand touching his face, he couldn't believe this, "Doctor Owen Harper." He spoke to the table, "She's my patient, mentally disabled, I am taking her to the best hospital in New York."

The table went back to eating now, and Ianto looked to Owen with a smile, "Thank you." He could see that Nyx wasn't going to be eating. "I'm thinking we have one more round, then I think we should..."

"No," Nyx stood up randomly, "Oh, no, no, no..." She was glancing around the dinner hall, and it seemed more people were taking notice. "I am going to dismiss myself." She picked up her dress to start a run, it seemed like her eyes were looking for a clock, but stopped at the grand staircase.

Ianto and Owen used this time to chase after her, they knew something wasn't right, but neither of them spoke until they got to the grand staircase seeing Nyx standing by the clock. Owen stepping forward, "Nyx, what is wrong?"

Nyx's eyes kept to the clock, "I knew I could smell it, but I didn't want to admit it," She turned to face Ianto and Owen. "You can't smell that?" She asked going back to the clock seeing the time. "Well?"

Owen side glance to Ianto, "What are we meant to be smelling?" He asked confused, but thought maybe Nyx wasn't with it.

Ianto stepped forward, "I can smell salt, but that is the sea, paint..." He was trying to be helpful.

"No, that," She put her finger in the air, "I need to see the crew." She turned on the spot, but stopped, then turned the other way. "Oh this is just fantastic!" She now started to run towards the front of the ship.

Owen wanted to roll his eyes, but could see Ianto was already chasing after her, "Always with the bloody running!" he shouted after Nyx, but froze seeing the time, it was nearly eleven o'clock and it wasn't long until the ice burg.

Nyx stopped at the bridge, she pulled the door open, she rushed into the room seeing a man at the wheel. "I need to see your route plan!" She pointed out.

Robert Hichens froze at the wheel, "Ma'am you should not be here."

"And there is something that shouldn't be here!" Nyx was walking around the Bridge, it seemed the crew were too scared to touch her. "Just am I the only one who can smell that?" Her voice was stressing.

Owen walked in, he could see that Nyx had in fact snapped, he held up the physic paper, "Doctor Harper," He focused on the truth, he was a Doctor. "I'm sorry my patient had run off." He walked to Nyx holding her arm. "We need to go."

"No!" Nyx kept looking to Robert, "I know you think I am a hysterical woman, and maybe I am!" She turned to see all the men watching her. "Please I need to see your route!" She waved her arms.

Ianto felt lost, "Nyx..." He was the first to address her, "Can you calm down." He placed a hand to her shoulder. He'd not seen Nyx like this before, and normally she was in control.

"I can't be calm, I." She felt that everyone was staring at her, "I need to go." She felt her hand push Ianto off her. "Owen, you and Ianto stay here." She snapped her fingers. "I'll be right back." She went to walk away, but then stopped. "Wait, Ianto you stay here." She pointed out, "If we don't come back, you need to get off."

Ianto felt lost, "Why do I have to stay here?"

"Because I don't want you to get hurt," Nyx touched his cheek softly. "Please." She brushed a kiss as the men in the Bridge looked confused. Nyx pointed to them all, "Don't do anything stupid."

Owen felt her grab his hand, "Well I'm guessing I'm off..." He felt her pulling him away.

"What is going on?" Owen kept in sync with Nyx, he didn't understand what was going on now. "Nyx!"

She stopped getting to a door, "I am not losing it!" She then opened the door, she could tell it was the way to the engine room. "I can't believe you can't smell it!"

Owen stopped her moving, "I don't know what you are on, but I do know that you are trying to make an excuse." He knew that the crew must of called the master at arms to deal with Nyx. "So tell me what is wrong?" He held her arms still.

"I need to help them," She whispered, "I mean, I have to." She stopped feeling her eyes pulled onto Owen's. "You was right, we can try."

Owen shook his head, "You said the ship needs to sink, but what are you trying to save?" He didn't know what else to say now, his eyes kept on her face seeing her look of confusion.

Nyx smiled, "They are the most precious thing in the galaxy." She felt her eyes going to the ship, "And someone is exploiting them."

"Put a side that I have no idea what you are talking about." Owen started, "What are you smelling?" He could see Nyx had already started to descend into the engine room.

Owen grunted, "Okay, so I am going to need to get used to being ignored." He glanced to see she was still going down the ladder. "And I am the idiot to follow her!" He felt awkward.

Nyx watched Owen had followed her, she stood in the engine room, "I am going to love this." She couldn't help but laugh seeing Owen joining her. "I'm guessing my better sense of smell," She sniffed the air. "They are here..." She kept walking towards the energy in the air she could feel.

"What?" Owen followed her, he could only feel the heat coming from the coal burning in the boilers powering the steam engines moving the ship. "What time is it?" He asked feeling nervous about being this part of the ship.

Nyx kept moving through the boilers, she didn't pay much attention to it, but the fact she was following her nose. The feeling was hitting her closer to home, but she needed to keep moving forward.

Owen had given up asking question that Nyx wasn't going to answer, his mind kept trying to think what was going on, he felt himself looking to the boilers, and he couldn't understand what could be wrong.

"I haven't made a habit of remembering everything in my history class, but why are you so worried about a ship you said." Owen stopped talking seeing that Nyx had stopped walking and was standing still. "They're not here..." She whispered feeling lost, but she was trying to save something, but it seemed her mind was pushing her into danger. "The time is..." She reached her wrist pulling up her watch, "Eleven thirty." She spoke softly, her hand touching a piece of metal, her eyes going up scorch marks. "I can't stop it..."

Owen took a few steps forward, he placed a hand on Nyx's shoulder. "You know you can't stop this happening." He pulled her back. "Nyx," Owen tried to keep himself from shouting, "We need to get out of here now." He knew he had to help her see.

Nyx tried to push something, she closed her eyes trying to push away the feeling. While her attention kept on the mark, "This ship was always doomed, there wasn't a chance..." She spoke softly, her eyes opened.

"Nyx..." Owen couldn't explain it, but he knew they needed to leave. "Come on..." He now felt her finally giving in, and he was able to get her to leave the engine room.

Owen felt better in his own clothes now, he was sitting at the console looking over all the controls, mostly the fact he was going to learn all he could. He held a cup of coffee to his chest looking over the monitor showing the outside of the TARDIS, they were floating randomly in space, and Owen was trying to wrap his head around it.

"I watched a ship sink," He spoke still fancying forward.

Nyx moved close, she pulled a chair sitting beside him, "How did you know it was me?" She asked looking over the screen.

Owen turned to face her, "Reflection." He pointed out, "Also I notice you don't have a manual for this thing."

"They don't really make them," She lent forward pressing some buttons, "This isn't like the space ships from your works of fiction." She kept typing, but her focus was torn between herself and Owen. "TARDIS, when we get it." She ran her hand over the console, "It's like a you become one with it." She smiled for a second. "I was still young when the war started, and I was told I would command a group of soldiers."

"Natalie told me about what she saw in her dreams," Owen didn't know how he could say her name, she was real to him, and would always be that way.

Nyx nodded, "I was told that I would be free to roam space and time, that my reward for helping defeat the Dalek army." She shook her head, "But there was going to be no end, we would of fought each other until we destroyed everything in our paths."

Owen reached over the gap, he placed a hand on her knee squeezing it lightly. "But you know that is over now."

"It's over because The Doctor," Her voice dropped, "He thought for so long that he killed us all, but he didn't kill us." She smiled, "He saved us from ourselves." Her attention went back to the console typing more. "I was so young, and still am."

"Well I mean twenty seven is pretty young in a scale of things." Owen drank some coffee.

Nyx snapped her face to look at him, "I'm ninety seven."

Owen spat the coffee out, "You're what?"

"I'm ninety seven," She laughed at Owen's reaction, "I know, I'm still a baby." She found a cloth to clean the coffee up.

Owen was looking dumbfounded, "In my terms that age isn't young, but..." He studied over her face, "How do you age?" He asked seriously.

"If I don't get seriously hurt, this part can live at least five hundred years, but then I get twelve regeneration cycles." She was speaking honestly now.

Owen chuckled, "What about me?" He thought about it, but then didn't want to dwell too much. "I mean I am like Jack."

"Not like Jack," She turned the chair, "He was brought back by Rose Tyler, she used the time vortex of The Doctor's TARDIS, and with that she messed up." Nyx knew Owen was paying close attention. "With that, she gave him permanent life, but with every death, it's pulled a little bit of his form." She titled her head a little. "You on the other hand are still you, but the mite tech has bounded with your DNA, and that it's keeping all your cells as they are, you will be young forever, but then also still have the same brain capacity, so after so many hundred years your memories will fade to keep new ones." She reached over picking up a notebook, "You might want to start keeping a journal."

"What about Ianto?" Owen took the note book, "He's still human? I mean mortal."

Nyx nodded, "Yes, I've gone through Jack's timeline, and for a while he is very erratic, some bad things, some good." Her face smiled, "But for a time Jack is no where, and that I am going to know that it's he's with Ianto." Her face lit up, "I'll give them a little place, and they can live Ianto's life together." She turned to the Console. "And I just want to make him happy."

Owen nodded, "So I am guessing for now, you've not got anything planned?"

"Well we've got a lot of space a head of us, but nothing is stopping us from exploring it together."