I've had some of you request that I put the Pirates of the Caribbean crossover version of this story up, in addition to the new story I have posted at the moment. I will do this in the future, but I have to rename the original story first. I will post it here, though, when it's ready.

For now, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I'm trying to keep the story moving as fast as I can. I know I ended the chapter quite lamely, but enjoy anyway! Please review if you love it. :-)

Chapter 2: I Don't Know You, and I Don't Want To

Skittering across the floor, Alix's head connected, violently, with something very hard. She lay on her back, eyes closed tightly, only finding the strength to bring a hand up to rub the sore spot.

"Owwww…"

"Jack, what in the hell is going on?" Ignoring Owen, Jack reached down to pick Alix up from the floor.

"Jack, did you hear me? Who is she? Why'd you bring her with?" Owen was just gaping at Alix, now, still glowing in her rumpled dress. She waggled her fingers at him, managing a smile, before she slumped against Jack.

"We found her at the party." Toshiko looked at Jack before continuing, "She was talking to Jack and he said she was some sort of personal interest to…"

"She's an old friend," He told them, tightening his grip on the woman beside him. Owen looked as if he didn't exactly believe this. Jack didn't care. This woman was the single link to the past he'd been so unceremoniously ripped away from. He wasn't letting her go anytime soon.

"Ianto!" Jack's call brought the man in from the kitchen. One glance at Alix, and his eyebrows shot up.

"Yes sir?"

"Get me a hot tea, plenty of sugar and milk, and my usual coffee. Bring it up to my office when you're ready."

"Right away." He gave Jack a little nod and smiled warmly at Alix.

"C'mon you." Jack swept Alix up in his arms, her head resting against his shoulder.

Owen just stood there, gaping.

"Jack, aren't you going to fill me in?"

Jack kept walking, not looking back, but managing to ask,

"Tosh?"

"Well…things got a little complicated when the sirens started to go off, but…"

Jack slammed his office door, not wanting to hear the long, complicated story. Living it had certainly been enough for him.

"You okay?" He asked, looking at Alix before sitting her down on a small couch. "Yeah, I-uh think so." She rubbed the sore spot on her head, absentmindedly.

"Let me see." Jack took a seat next to her, working nimble finger through her hair. "You have a bit of a bump, but" he paused, studying her eyes, "your pupils are good. No concussion, I'd say, but maybe we should have Owen check you out anyway."

"I'm okay, I just have a bit of a headache, that's all."

"Well, I can fix that." He gave her one of his boyish smiles, rummaging through his desk for an aspirin bottle.

"What's your name?" The question came at Alix, casually.

"If I tell you, I'm afraid I'd be screwing around with time."

"Is that what you think? Really?" Jack's tone carried a touch of playful sarcasm.

"Seriously, though. You're the former Time Agent. You tell me." Alix had thought this would get to him, but his expression remained neutral as he continued to fetch a cup of water from the cooler in his office. He handed it to her, then, along with the aspirin bottle.

"You see," he began, sitting down, "I sort of need to know these things, but, being Torchwood and all, I could find out another way." Jack quirked an eyebrow at her, almost daring Alix to challenge him.

"I don't think you really understand what I mean. In your future, we're…involved. The less information you know, the better. It would be fantastic if you could just send me on my way, no catches, no hang-ups. Time stays intact, and everyone's happy."

"Sorry, sweetheart, but it doesn't work that way. You could waltz right out of here and blow our nice little secret." Alix burst out in intense laughter.

"Are you serious?" Jack said nothing. "Who in the hell would even believe me? Plus, you said so yourself, I'm a companion. I was born to keep outrageous secrets!"

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, but that's just not going to sit so well with me." He studied Alix for a long moment. "I could just slip of a bit of Retcon in your water, leaving you with no memory in the middle of the Center. How's that?"

Alix took a heavy breath.

"My name's Alix Edwards, Jack. And don't even bother looking me up in your computers. I'm only 20 here. I haven't gone traveling yet."

"With them?" His mood seemed to change, in that moment.

"Yes, Jack. The Doctor and Rose… and you. I suppose I can tell you the basics."

"How long?" When Alix appeared confused, he elaborated. "How long have you and I been…"

"A year. We've been together for a year."

"Why'd you choose 1941?"

"It was the Doctor's choice, actually. I didn't think anything of it. I've always wanted to go back there, you know? We meant to leave before the bombing started, but we got a little…distracted."

"You said you were 20 right now, somewhere out there. How do you even know what year it is?"

Alix debated if a white lie was appropriate to slip in here. The truth, she knew, wasn't something he'd want to hear.

"What is it?" Jack had noticed her reluctance, taking it as a sign that something was seriously wrong.

"I told you, I know all about you. Almost everything. Your years at Torchwood, when you left, how you found the Doctor again." Alix stopped, realizing that she was getting dangerously close to letting something vital slip out. "Please, Jack, don't ask me anything more about it. I'm endangering our future, right now, just by being here and talking to you. I'm-I'm sorry."

Although Jack had never me this woman before, he felt an unbelievably strong pull toward her. It wasn't love…at least, not yet. That didn't stop him from placing a gentle hand on her cheek, tentatively moving in for a kiss. Alix wanted this, so bad. The familiarity for him was making her ache, and it seemed to dull the pain when they were finally locked in a soft kiss.

"It's okay," Jack reassured her, as they separated. Alix put a hand over the one that still rested on her cheek, squeezing it, gently. "I shouldn't push you. I know better."

"But so do I. I just – I – miss you. I want to know what happened back there." She stopped as with a sudden realization. "I'm alone." She tried to move away from him, but he caught her by the hand, taking it between his.

"I'm alone, too. I was just like you, left behind."

"I know." Alix's voice was sad. In her mind, she recalled the single night she had allowed herself to get drunk with the Doctor and Jack. (She usually had more reason than that, being with those two.) Swapping stories, it had all come out: Jack's days as a conman, the Doctor leaving him behind, Torchwood, and finally, his returning to find this new Doctor in the old one's place. They'd never talked about it again. Alix didn't want to open old wounds, and Jack never explained it to her any further or asked her to keep it quiet, even though Alix was sure Jack remembered every word of their conversation.

"That's right," he gave her a small smile before taking a seat behind his desk. "I almost forgot."

Alix was caught up in his smile and easily startled when Gwen barged in.

"Jack, we have a big problem." She stopped, suddenly noticing Alix for the first time. "Oh, hello. Gwen Cooper," she extended a hand toward Alix."

"Uh, hi," Alix, stood, shaking hands with her, "Alix Edwards. I'm an old friend of Jack's." Gwen shot a curious look at Jack.

"Well, it's very nice to meet you Alix," she gave her a smile, then, a small hint that she was being dismissed.

"Nice to meet you, too." Alix moved to the door.

"Wait," Jack spoke up, looking at Gwen, "she stays. I've given her clearance."

"All right."

Alix took her seat, again, giving her complete attention to Gwen.

"Well, Owen was able to open the rift, but it's causing a bit of a problem."

"What sort of problem?" Alix knew the expression on his face was one of worry. To anyone else, however, it was a look of cool calm.

"We tried to run those figures Tosh sent us, but," Gwen moved to take the seat next to Alix, "we found that some of them were scratched out. We had no other choice but to open the rift on our own."

"What is it Gwen?"

"Well, something came through that set of our radar."

"More than usual?" Jack sounded intrigued.

"Something you programmed in, actually." She dropped a stack of photos on his desk. "A 1960s blue police box." Alix had to stop herself from gasping, her gaze meeting Jack's. This didn't escape Gwen.

"You know it then?" Alix nodded,

"Yes, well, it's something of an interest of mine."

"Where is it?" Jack's question came out, eagerly.

"Just outside the city. It came through about an hour ago."

"We have to go!" Alix was suddenly spurred into action.

Jack put a hand out, indicating she stay put.

"We have to be sure first." Alix took a calming breath and remained sitting.

"What would you like us to do?"

Gwen's face was a mask of confusion, but, somehow, her attitude did not reflect this. Alix wondered if Gwen knew something about Jack that the others didn't. It almost made her jealous in a way, that he'd be willing to share his secret with a woman other than her.

"Run all the basic diagnostics. Tell me if can get a read on its origin, what's inside, how its power's being generated. Once we have all the information, I'll go down and take a look for myself."

"Do you want me to go with you?"

"No, Alix and I can handle it." Gwen looked a bit taken aback by this. Alix gave her an apologetic smile.

"All right then. I'll just run that diagnostic."

When Gwen was out of the room, Alix glared at Jack, contemptuously.

"Couldn't you have given her a better explanation? You know you just sent her off to do a bunch of useless tests. I really can't believe you! Why is this such a secret?"

"You don't ask the questions here, sweetheart, I do! I don't tell anyone anything that I don't have to. At least that's one less person that's going to get hurt, in the end, because of me!" He stood up, abruptly, making it clear that there would be no more discussion about this.

"Are you coming?" Jack demanded, impatient. He was holding open his office door, waiting for Alix to follow him out.

"I guess I really don't have any other choice," she spat, storming out the door ahead of him. Alix turned back, flashing Jack the dirtiest look she could muster.

"You owe me one hell of an explanation."

"Calm down, princess." Sarcasm dripped from his words. "I'll tell you in the car."

They nearly collided with Ianto while coming down the stairs from Jack's office. Two coffee mugs and a plate of biscuits were balanced on the tray he was holding. Alix passed him without the tiniest acknowledgement, and Ianto studied her, curiously. Jack caught him staring.

"Like what you see Ianto?" He smiled, "You can leave the coffee on my desk. We'll have it when we get back."

Ianto's face had blossomed into a look of embarrassment, following Jack's comment. He was having a bit of trouble getting out the obvious observation he'd made about Alix.

"Sir, if you don't mind me saying. Isn't she a bit…overdressed?"

In their haste to get out the door, Jack and Alix had failed to notice that she'd still been clad in her silky, red dress.

"Oh right," Alix laughed at herself.

"Gwen!" Jack called down to the main level. Gwen appeared, almost immediately, at the bottom of the stairs.

"Yes, Jack?"

"You got any extra clothes here? I think our guest could really use a touch of the 21st century."