1999

Date: January 3

"Jenny, is Shayne coming for my birthday?"

Jenny looked down at her little sister's wide, pleading eyes and sighed. "No he isn't, sweetheart."

"Why not?"

Jenny tried to control the rush of feelings that question brought to the surface. She could still see that moment where things had all fallen apart so clearly in her mind.

"Can we still be…?"

"No. We can't."

Those words had broken her heart. And although she knew that she should be grateful that Shayne had still agreed to promise never to tell her family's secret, all she could feel was that heartbreak.

She shook herself back into the moment. "Because Shayne had to move away for work." That wasn't a lie. Shayne had finally gotten the promotion he so rightly deserved and had to move to Newport to accept the job. She smiled at her sister then. "Hey, you didn't tell me what Mummy and Daddy brought you this year."

Mara grinned and turned to reach into the small, all pink, sequin covered purse she insisted on carrying around everywhere. It had been her gift from their parents last year.

She pulled out a large, bright red feather with blue spots near its tip. "See! It's a Phu—Phuly—"

"A Phuylnez feather," Jenny gently finished the word and took the feather as Mara handed it to her. "It's beautiful."

The Phuylnez birds came from a planet over 3 million light years from Earth. They were the only creatures that could survive on their desolate world; so consequently, they were also creatures that lived alone. Jenny could remember her dad telling her about the time one had stowed away on the TARDIS and wreaked havoc on Earth. That particular incident sparked the Phoenix legend on this planet.

She may have been reading too far in to the feather, but part of Jenny believed their parents had given it to Mara as a message to her. You will both make it through this.

Jenny smiled to herself and handed the feather back to Mara before she took her hand. "C'mon, we've got cake to eat!"


Date: October 22

Jenny sighed with relief as she pressed the down button on the elevator. It was Friday, which meant she would have two whole days to be with Mara after a hellish week at work. This was one part of taking the slow path she was absolutely not going to miss. She didn't know how more of the universe hadn't gone mad. Working for someone was a nightmare, and dealing with customers was even worse.

"Jenny!"

She bristled, but turned around with a polite smile on her face. "Yes, Gladys?"

"Mr. Jones wants to see you in his office."

"Alright," she said with a heavy sigh. She shuffled back the way she'd come until she was in front of her boss' door. She gave it a light knock.

"Come in."

She opened the door. "Mr. Jones? You wanted to see me?"

Her boss straightened up. "Yes, Jenny, come in. Take a seat."

She quickly closed the door behind her and sat in the chair across from him. "If this is about the Northampton presentation, I'll have it on your desk by Monday. I was only waiting on a report from their office."

Mr. Jones leaned forward and folded his hands on his desk. "I'm giving the Northampton project to Lance."

Jenny straightened up as shock shot down her spine. "What?"

Her boss sighed heavily. "Jenny, I don't know how to tell you this. There have been some budget cuts recently, and corporate wants me to fire three members of the team."

"So you chose me?" she demanded. "Sir, with all due respect, I'm the best employee you have!"

Mr. Jones raised a hand. "I understand, but this is based on seniority. You are still one of the newest members of the team, I'm sorry."

She snorted. "Well by that logic then you should fire Lance before you fire me."

"Miss Tyler—"

"Oh, we're on a last name basis now?"

Her former boss cleared his throat. "Jenny, I'm sorry, but there's nothing more you can say. Please pack up your desk and leave your files with Lance. Thank you." He straightened up and returned his attention to a stack of papers on his desk.

Jenny's jaw ticked, but she nodded. "Alright then."

She stood and left his office without another word.


Date: December 16

It was when the electricity got shut off that Jenny knew she needed to find a job quickly.

She'd had a small savings account that she had started shortly after she was promoted at HC Clements, but after bills and food, those funds had quickly dissipated.

"Jenny!"

She sighed, and stumbled out into the hall. She could feel her sister's fear as clearly as she could her own. It's alright love, she said in an attempt to soothe her little sister. It's just the dark. I'll be right there.

Her sister had recently developed a fear of the dark. Jenny had been able to placate her fears a little when she purchased a night light for Mara's room, but without electricity that measure was pointless.

She opened Mara's door. "I'm here, sweetheart."

Mara jumped up from her bed and ran to her sister. Jenny leaned down until she was eye-level with Mara. Her little sister sniffled. "What happened to the lights?"

Jenny swallowed. She couldn't really tell her sister that the reason the lights were shut off was because she'd diverted the money for the electricity bill to their food instead. "I don't know, baby. I'm sure they'll come back on soon."

Mara wrapped her arms around Jenny's neck and hid her face in Jenny's hair. Jenny closed her eyes when she felt her little sister shaking. "Can I sleep with you?"

Jenny let out a soft sigh. "Of course you can." She got a better grip on Mara and hoisted her up onto her hip. "Oof. You're getting so big." She carried her out into the hallway. "Pretty soon I won't be able to lift you."

Mara stayed quiet as Jenny carried her into her room and let her down by her bed.

"You crawl in. I'll be right there," she said, and turned back towards the hallway.

"Where are you going?" Mara whined.

"Just to the hallway," Jenny said as she opened the hallway closet and pulled out a couple of candles and a lighter. "See?" She held up the candles as she stepped back into her room. "I'm back. That didn't take so long, did it?"

Mara didn't answer as she crawled into Jenny's bed.

Jenny lit the two candles and set them on her dresser before she pulled back her covers and got into bed beside her little sister.

Mara immediately snuggled into her side, and she smiled at her gently. "Why are you scared of the dark, sis?"

Mara was quiet for a moment. "Because the monsters are in the dark."

Jenny swallowed. Her little sister had no idea how true that statement was. "Yeah? What monsters?"

"The stone monsters that live in the old house down the street," Mara said matter-of-factly. "I see them in the windows when we pass by."

Jenny froze, and her hearts stopped. She swallowed, and forced herself to put up a wall between her emotions and Mara's. "What do those monsters look like?"

Mara shrugged. "Like…like the angels Mrs. Reese puts up at Christmas time. But…scary."

Jenny pulled her little sister closer to her. "Mara, can you promise me something?"

She felt Mara nod against her shoulder.

"Promise me you won't ever go near that old house, okay?"

Mara was quiet for a moment, and Jenny cursed silently. She could tell that her sister had picked up on her fear.

"I promise, Jenny."

Jenny let out a slow breath of relief. "Thank you. Now go to sleep."


Date: December 31

Jenny knew she must be desperate to be standing here.

Her father would be furious with her if he knew she was here, staring at the spot where she knew the perception filter for the lift that would take her down into the Torchwood hub would be.

Jack had told her once, just before she'd left to save the universe from being eaten by a paradox, that should she ever need anything she should find him. She just hoped the him from before he'd met her would feel the same way.

She took in a deep breath, and stepped onto the lift.

It took a moment, but eventually the slab of concrete started to move beneath her. She braced herself for what she would find below, or really, who she would find below. She crossed her fingers that the current employees would think to ask questions first rather than just shoot her on sight.

But the cavernous hub was empty, save for one person. The man she'd come to see.

Jack already had a gun aimed for her forehead. "State your identity and purpose before I shoot you between the eyes."

Jenny held up her hands as the lift stopped. "My name is Jenny Tyler. I'm the daughter of the Doctor and Rose Tyler. I'm here because I need your help."

Jack stared at her warily, and didn't lower his weapon. "How do I know you're really their daughter?"

Jenny slowly lowered her right hand and reached out towards him. "I can show you."

"You can fabricate memories," he shot back.

She sighed wearily. "You met my parents in 1940 during the London Blitz. You danced with my mum on your spaceship in front of Big Ben. She told you hello. Twice."

Jack blinked, and slowly lowered his gun. He stared at her for a long moment. "I think I can see it. In the cheekbones. They're very like your dad's."

She chuckled. "Technically speaking, I don't have any influence from my mum at all. And I do mean that literally."

Jack raised his eyebrows. "I'm sensing a story."

She grinned. "I'll tell you it, on one condition."

"And that is?"

"I need a job."

"And you want one here? Where you could easily be found out and captured by people who would like to cut you open and dissect you?"

She nodded. "Sounds about right."

"No way." Jack shook his head.

Jenny crossed her arms. "And why not?"

"Because your parents would kill me."

She snorted. "Well my parents aren't here, and I need a job." She grinned at him. "And you can't die."

Jack swallowed, and cocked his head to the side. "I suppose you're right about that."

Her grin morphed into a triumphant smirk, and she held out her hand to him. "Do we have a deal?"

Jack studied her for a moment before he stepped forward to take her hand. "Welcome to Torchwood, Jenny Tyler."