Okay, I should probably just say here, this story is AU set post series 2 but Army of Ghosts/Doomsday never happened. Just over seven years have passed since Fear Her happened. It probably makes more sense if you read Sad Songs Say So Much but I'm not going to force you to do that, it's not imperative, just helpful in establishing timelines. Torchwood, despite the seven year gap, is set during Series 1 but no particular spoilers, mainly cause I haven't seen any of the episodes since they first aired so can't remember any.

Thanks for the reviews so far, hope this is an interesting enough 2nd (3rd) chapter.

The drive had been long and tiring. As Gwen had predicted, the motorway had been jammed full of fed-up hot angry drivers, their hands never far from their horns though they knew it would make no difference. Gwen had ignored the irritation coming off all the other vehicles in waves and simply turned the radio up.

Jack had whipped out a hand as fast as lightning and changed the station. "No way, I'm not listening to that."

"Why not?" Gwen gave him a teasing grin. "You've always struck me as a Katrina and the Waves fan."

Jack couldn't help smiling back. "Well, I've struck you wrong then," he concluded as he found a classical music station and settled back in his seat to the soothing sounds of Pachelbel's "Canon in D".

It was practically the first time he'd spoken since they'd left Cardiff, and Gwen took advantage of his sudden change of mood.

"Jack, where are we going?"

"London, I told you that."

"It may have escaped your notice, but London's a pretty big place," Gwen said sarcastically.

"The sat nav will kick in."

"Oh, Jack no! Not that bloody woman!" Gwen exclaimed. "It's useless, it wouldn't know its way out of a paper bag!"

"It's fixed, Tosh had a go with it, it's all up and running again now."

Gwen looked doubtful. "Well, if it directs me into the Thames, I'm blaming you.""Fair enough."

Gwen decided to try one last time. "Jack, what are we doing in London?"

But Jack wouldn't be drawn on it, and so they'd managed to get to this council estate, with the satellite navigation unit's help, all without Gwen having a clue why they'd ever left Cardiff. As she got out the car now, stretching her aching legs and trying to find some small breeze, she glanced at her watch. It was half-past seven. She was supposed to be meeting Rhys at the restaurant in half an hour. She knew she should have called earlier.

"I'm just going to call Rhys," she told Jack, pulling out her phone. Jack didn't reply, but he didn't tell her not to, so Gwen dialed his mobile number.

"Hey babe."

"Hey." Gwen bit her lip anxiously, hating letting him down again. Especially in front of his parents.

"I was just going to call you actually, do you know where my blue shirt is?"

"I think it's in the wash," Gwen replied automatically. "You wore it for Andy's stag-do last week, I haven't got round to putting it in yet."

"Oh yeah." She heard Rhys rifling through the wardrobe. "Well, I suppose red it'll have to be then. How are you?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Good. Are you going to be alright to get to the restaurant on time, or has some big emergency come up at work?" He was teasing, but the bitter undertones weren't lost on Gwen.

"Actually…" She took a deep breath before continuing. "Rhys, I don't think I'll be able to make it tonight."

"You don't think?"

She sighed. "Okay, I know. There's this… thing come up and it's going to take all night."

"I thought you had tonight off?"

"Special ops doesn't really work like that," Gwen reminded him, as if she needed to. "I'm really sorry, babe, I did try and get out of it." Not that hard. "It's a bit tricky though."

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

"Rhys?"

"Yeah, doesn't matter, whatever. You can't help it."

"I am sorry."

"Yeah, me too." Rhys, usually so cheerful, sounded more than a little annoyed. "It doesn't matter, me and Mam and Dad will still go out, if that's all right?"

"Yeah, of course. Say hi to them for me."

"Sure. Well, take care."

"I will. Love you."

"Love you too."

Gwen hung up and let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. She felt bad, of course she did. This wasn't the first time she'd let Rhys down at the last minute, and despite any promises she made to herself now, she knew deep down that it was nowhere near the last time she'd do it. Rhys didn't deserve to be treated like this, he was a wonderful man, her rock. In the first few weeks after joining Torchwood, his arms were the only place that Gwen could properly relax and begin to forget the horrors of the day. But then even his arms couldn't banish the demons from the corners of her eyes. The hours had been getting longer, the job more demanding. And Gwen loved it, she loved the team and the adventures and the helping people. She loved Rhys and her family and watching the rugby with a pizza and a beer. But the two seemed increasingly less compatible.

Trying to shrug off the guilty feeling, Gwen turned to Jack now.

"You do take me to the nicest places, Jack Harkness," she teased, sounding more light-hearted than she felt. She looked around at the graffiti on the walls all around the council estate: Chewy woz ere. Ricky's a poof. Bad Wolf. Kids these days were certainly getting more obscure. "So why are here exactly?"

"Is Rhys alright?"

Gwen snorted. "Like you care."

Jack shot her a look. "Of course I care. Is he okay about you missing this meal?"

Gwen hesitated. She didn't know how Jack managed it, but one look from him always made her want to spill her heart out. It would be nice to share her problems with someone, someone who would understand the problems between balancing Torchwood life and a normal life. Not that Jack was really the right person for that; as far as Gwen knew, he had no life outside Torchwood. He'd never mentioned a flat or a house. For all anyone knew, he could live down in that dank dark basement office. Anytime he began talking about friends, he always broke off quickly, or changed the subject, or turned it into a joke. Torchwood was his life.

"Fine," Gwen lied smoothly, nodding. "It wasn't a big deal. Now, are you going to answer my question?"

Jack regarded her for a long time before smiling. "You're a hell of a cop, Gwen Cooper."

Gwen grinned. "Thank you. But compliments won't let you off the hook."

Jack turned away from her again, his disappearing into his pockets. He sauntered across the tarmaced court in front of a block of flats. Gwen followed after a moment's hesitation. It was strange; it was like he was looking for something, but Gwen was equally as sure that he'd never set foot on this estate in his life. Yet still he looked around him, not leaving any corner of the estate untouched. Then finally he stopped his ambling.

"Right. Up we go then." He banged the door to the stairwell open and began striding up the stairs, taking them two at a time without any effort. Gwen jogged alongside him, not asking any more questions as she tried to conserve energy for the journey.

Jack pushed through another door without any warning as he got to the floor he wanted. Gwen paused for a second to catch her breath; it had been a few days since their last big chase through Cardiff and already she was getting out of condition. She didn't know how Jack managed it. She'd heard the rumours about a gym down in one of the vaults of the Hub; maybe it was time she asked if they were true. Not before she caught up with Jack though.

"Jack, seriously, what's going on?" she called after him, as they hurried past various multi-coloured doors. "It's not funny anymore, Jack, you're always so vague. Well, I want answers. I've just seriously pissed my boyfriend and his parents off so I could drive you here and now you won't even tell me why!" She drew level with him as he stopped outside a house. "So?"

Jack nodded towards the door. "We're here." He knocked on the door.

"And where's here?" Gwen demanded, but Jack once again avoided having to answer her as the door opened.

A woman, Gwen would guess around her mid-forties, stood in the doorway. She had blonde hair scraped back off her face into a ponytail, and was wearing more make-up that Gwen felt was strictly necessary for half-seven on a Tuesday evening. Her low-cut top showed off a considerable cleavage, which Gwen had to drag her eyes away from more than once throughout the evening, and she had on tight stonewashed jeans. The main thing that hit Gwen about the woman though was the air of anxiety around her.

"Mrs Tyler?" Jack spoke. The woman nodded, and Jack broke into a smile. It was comforting, if not his usual mega-watt knock 'em dead grin. "I'm Captain Jack Harkness, this is Gwen Cooper."

Mrs Tyler gave them a quick look up and down before pulling the door wider open and stepping back. "Come in. You'll have to excuse the mess, I haven't had a lot of time to tidy up, been a bit busy."

"Of course." Jack led the way. Gwen followed, and she had to admit the flat was a bit untidy. There were children's toys scattered all over the place, and the kitchen just visible off the living room had plates piled high on the draining board.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" Mrs Tyler looked between the two of them.

"I'm fine." Gwen shook her head, when Jack didn't respond.

"I'll put the kettle on anyway," Mrs Tyler decided. She headed into the kitchen and spent the next few minutes bustling around in there.

Gwen drew closer to Jack. "Jack?" she hissed. "Are you going to explain or am I going to have to beat it out of you?"

"Sackable offence, that, Gwen," Jack replied.

"Do you take sugar?"

"No, thanks, Mrs Tyler," Gwen called back.

"Call me Jackie, everyone does." Jackie returned with two cups of tea. "Have a seat, do you want some biscuits?"

"Jackie, we can't stop long." Jack put his cup of tea down without even tasting it. "You said they'd gone missing, how long has it been?"

"I left it a couple of days," Jackie admitted now, sitting down. Gwen instinctively sank down to sit next to her. "I thought they might just have gone off, they do that sometimes. Well, they used to, not since Tala was born, but they used to."

Jack nodded. "But they haven't?"

"Like I said, they haven't done that since Tala. Even he's not that irresponsible." Jackie spoke disparagingly about someone, Gwen wasn't sure who. "So I guessed it was time to call you."

Jack nodded. "I came as soon as I could. Have you heard anything from them?"

"Rose left her phone behind." Jackie gestured to a mobile phone on the table behind her. "She never does that. I'm not happy about this," she added, suddenly throwing a glare at both Jack and Gwen. "I think she's crazy. And him. I think Tala would be much safer here, but who am I to argue?"

"I think you're doing the right thing," Jack insisted. "He knows what he's doing. This could all be over in a few days, Jackie, they could be back before we know it."

Jackie gave him a sad look. "Don't lie to me, Captain Harkness. We both know it won't be."

Jack didn't reply to that.

Jackie stood up. "She's just getting changed for bed, it's getting late. I thought she could sleep in the car on the way back." She led the way back along the hall they'd come down. Jack followed.

Gwen stayed behind in the living room. Nothing was any clearer now than it had been all afternoon. The tea was strong and sweet, even though Gwen had said no to sugar. It was clear that Jackie had her mind on other things than getting tea orders right. Gwen stood up and walked over to the mantelpiece. There were numerous photos all clamouring for attention. There was a picture of a pretty girl, blonde with dark eyes and pouting lips. She had a big grin on her face and a party hat on, her arms flung round a handsome young black boy, with an equally as big grin on his face. The next photo showed the same girl, older, holding a baby. A third photo showed the same girl older still, the signs of a few laughter lines just beginning to appear around her mouth. She was cuddling a little girl, with huge brown eyes and masses of blonde shiny hair. There was a man in this photo too, a thin dark-haired man with eyes which seemed slightly unearthly and an infectious grin.

Footsteps down the corridor made Gwen jump. She turned to face the doorway. She wasn't sure if Jackie would be impressed by having someone look at all her photos, going through her stuff while she was out of the room.

"Is this your daughter?" Gwen asked, hoping to avoid a confrontation. She didn't hear the answer though as, behind Jackie, came Jack, and in his arms he was holding the same little girl from the picture.

"Are you sure you don't have time for something to eat?" Jackie was asking now, looking even more anxious than before.

"I'm sorry, we've got to go." Jack shook his head, even as Gwen was thinking she wouldn't mind some dinner. Rhys and his parents would just be sitting down to eat by now; Gwen loved Italian food.

Jack nodded to Gwen. "Can you bring Tala's things?"

Gwen frowned. "What?"

"Gwen." Jack raised his eyebrows, and Gwen picked up the two small holdalls that Jackie held out to her, still with her eyes fixed on Jack and the little girl.

"Jackie, are you sure you don't want us to find you somewhere else to live?" Jack asked. "It wouldn't take us very long, we could find you a whole new house, a new name, everything. You just have to say."

Jackie gave Jack a fierce glare. "I've already lost my daughter and my grand-daughter. You're not taking my name away from me as well. And anyway, what would they want with me?" She reached out a hand and stroked the little girl's hair back off of her face. "Now, you be good, Tala, listen to what Captain Harkness has to tell you. Remember to wash behind your ears and don't wander off."

Jack smiled. "She'll be fine." Then he took a deep breath. "Right, we need to go. I'll be in touch, Jackie, and if you hear anything…"

"I'll let you know." Jackie nodded. As Jack headed down the passage to the front door she added, "Take care of her."

Gwen answered for him, with a smile. "We will." She wasn't sure how to take her leave of the other woman and stood awkwardly for a few seconds. "Well, goodbye, nice to meet you, Jackie."

"Gwen." Gwen turned back to look at Jackie. "Is he safe?"

"Jack?" Gwen thought the question over in her mind. There were a lot of words that could be used to describe Jack Harkness. Brave, fun, handsome, mad, sexy, clever, dashing, strange, mysterious, dangerous, exciting, as well as some terms coined by Owen which Gwen didn't want to repeat, even to herself. As yet, though, safe had never been one of the adjectives applied to him. She opened her mouth, unsure what was going to come out, when Jackie spoke again.

"Oh, daft question, wasn't it? Of course he's not safe." Jackie sighed. "Go on, you better get going, love. Take care."

"You too."

The little girl on the backseat was fast asleep by the time they hit the M4 again. She was buried underneath Jack's thick coat, one thumb in her mouth and clutching a grubby looking toy cat under her arm. She looked about seven or eight, Gwen guessed. She wasn't pretty in the traditional sense, she wasn't about to enter any cutest child contests. Her eyes were too big for one, and strangely dark against her fair skin and hair, and her mouth was too wide. But she was attractive, there was something about her that made you want to keep looking. Gwen had wisely kept her mouth shut until now, not wanting the girl to overhear what she had to say. Now she was ready to let rip.

"So?"

Jack half-jumped, as though he'd forgotten Gwen was with him. Lost in his thoughts, Gwen supposed. He certainly seemed to have enough thoughts to keep him going through them for all of eternity. Right now though she wanted answers.

"So what?"

"Are you going to explain what's going on?" Gwen jerked a thumb over her shoulder. "Who's she?"

Jack continued gazing straight ahead of him, effortlessly overtaking a slow moving lorry. "Her name's Tala."

"I'd gathered that. But who is she?"

Jack pulled a weary face. "Not now, Gwen."

"Yes, now!" Gwen snapped, then lowered her voice as she saw Jack's eyes flicker to the rearview mirror to check Tala hadn't woken up. "Jack, you've been behaving oddly all day. I've come this far with you, I've kept my mouth shut all afternoon, I cancelled on Rhys for you. I think I deserve some answers."

Jack glanced across at her. Then, without warning, he signaled to move across the lanes of the motorway and headed along a slip road to a service station. "You're right," he said.

Gwen hadn't expected that, but she didn't complain. As they parked up, she could smell the fat-rich odours wafting across from the drive-thru MacDonalds and her stomach rumbled, reminding her that dinner had been unforthcoming and lunch had been a very long time ago. She hadn't eaten since those biscuits in the Hub this afternoon; that seemed another time ago now.

Jack cut the engine, and glanced over his shoulder to check on Tala. He smiled. "Dead to the world."

Gwen was unable to resist looking back at the sleeping child. "It's got a bit cold now. Good job you brought that coat."

"Always be prepared, see? Old Baden Powell had a point." Jack turned back to look out ahead of him. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel thoughtfully, then turned to Gwen. "Go on then. What do you want to know?"

Gwen should have known he wouldn't just open up and tell the whole truth to her. "Tala. She's Jackie's grand-daughter, right?"

Jack nodded.

"And her mum, that's this Rose?"

Another nod.

"Is she yours?"

"No."

"You don't seem shocked I asked."

"I'm pretty unshockable."

"You seemed pretty shocked when you heard Rose's name." Gwen realised she'd hit upon something, a way into this conversation, as a nerve tightened almost imperceptibly in Jack's jaw. Most people wouldn't have noticed it; it scared Gwen that she did. It was the kind of thing only people who knew each other well would notice, people who'd known each other years. Couples. Hastily, Gwen pushed on. "Who is she, Jack? Why has she given you her daughter to look after? Where's she gone?"

"Is there a particular order you want me to answer them in?" Jack answered flippantly.

"Do you ever stop messing around?" Gwen asked in wonder.

Jack turned to face her, and she saw a look in his face she'd only seen a few times before in her life, always on him. It spoke a thousand words, all just out of reach and none of them quite managing to describe it. He looked both hollow and solid, both empty and full. It told of unimaginable joy and unthinkable despair. It was like all the thoughts and feelings in the world condensed into one look.

"None of this is messing around, Gwen," he said softly. "This, this whole life, everything, everybody. None of it's a game. None of it's a trial run. This is it, Gwen, this is all you get. One chance." He gazed out the window, his blue eyes softening as he stared at the service station, still busy with people at this time of night. "All those people out there… they have no idea. They just go on their way, driving their cars, eating their burgers, buying their sweets. They've got no idea that it could all just end, just like that." He snapped his fingers.

Gwen followed his gaze. "People know they can't live forever," she pointed out.

"But do they?" Jack turned to look at her. "Do they really? How often do they think about it, think that today could be their last day? All the things they leave unsaid, all the things they don't do… they don't ever believe it'll happen to them."

Gwen watched as a family returned to their car. The mother was carrying a car seat, its inhabitant firmly tucked up against the now distinctly cooler breeze. The father was carrying a little boy, his blonde hair glowing as they passed under the floodlights in the car park. "I guess people don't want to think about it."

"And that's what's so wonderful about them. That they know in the back of their minds that ultimately, they're just a grain of sand, a millisecond in time, and yet the things they do…" Jack sounded in awe, and Gwen was taken along for the ride. He was so right. The things she'd seen since joining Torchwood, the aliens who she'd been involved with, the planets she'd heard about. They dwarfed her little human life on this insignificant little planet; time kept marching on. And yet she kept living, she kept fighting, she kept loving, just like everyone.

"And that's who Rose Tyler is," Jack said after a long pause. Gwen waited for him to say more, but in the next second, he'd slipped the key back into the ignition and started the engine. "It's still early. We might get you home for dessert."

As they re-entered Cardiff at ten-forty-five, Jack supposed Gwen wasn't going to make it to the restaurant in time for a treacle sponge or whatever it was she liked. She'd fallen asleep some fifty minutes ago, her head resting against the passenger seat window, her face illuminated by the headlamps of oncoming cars. With two slumbering passengers, Jack found himself delving further and further into his own thoughts for company. Even whilst Gwen had been awake, there hadn't been much conversation, as she silently sulked that he hadn't shared the real story with her. No, not sulked, he thought, looking across at her again as she let out a whisper of a snore. Gwen didn't do sulking. Not like Owen, that guy could sulk for England. Or Wales, depending who he aligned himself with that day; it usually depended on who'd won at the rugby. Gwen didn't do that. She wasn't being nosey, Jack knew that much. Gwen was never just curious for curious sake. Well, apart from the way she'd stumbled into Torchwood in the first place. But about people, it wasn't malicious gossip she was after. She cared. She genuinely cared and wanted to understand just why Jack had set off across the country this afternoon to go and fetch an old friend's child that he'd never seen. An old friend who he never spoke about, didn't have a photo of, never once even referenced her name in a conversation. She was right; she did deserve answers. Only Jack wasn't ready to give them.

He glanced in the rear view mirror at Tala, her thumb still in her mouth. His first thought on seeing her had been how like Rose she was. He felt sure that if he hadn't been told who her mother was, he'd have known instantly anyway. It wasn't just her blonde hair and slightly heavy jaw which meant she'd never be conventionally pretty. It was something in the way she held herself, the way she looked from Jackie to Jack and how her face somehow registered recognition. Even the way she slept, curled in a ball, reminded Jack of Rose. But those eyes… They were darker than Rose's and deeper. Despite the different colour, Jack knew those eyes. They were her daddy's.

She looked like a normal child, which would have scared Jack enough. He'd faced so much, both since he'd been a part of Torchwood and before then. Aliens from far flung planets and times and human evil closer to home. This, though, this was something else. Children. Jack had no idea where to start. And Tala was no ordinary child. She was Rose's daughter. She was the Doctor's daughter. She was part Time Lord.

And that just made it more complicated.

Next time: Normality

OWEN VS WEEVIL. WHO WINS? YOU DECIDE. FIVE MINUTES. JACK