Chapter Two: Pinkie Promises and Gumbo
The Fifty-First Century:
Twenty-one year old Jack Harkness stood outside the house where he lived with his parents and little sister, Margaret. Jack smiled because today was his first day as a time agent and he was finally getting out this god-forsaken place. Margaret was the only one telling him goodbye because his parents still blamed him for his brother, Gray, death. Even though it happened so many years go and so far away. In a tiny town on the edge of a cliff, with lavender trees, green grass, sandy white beaches and glass houses.
"You'll be back in time for my birthday won't you?" Margaret asked the twelve-year-old spinning around him.
"Yes!" Jack said, "What kind of big brother would I be if I didn't? A bad one."
"No," Margaret said, "You would still be the best."
"Good, Hey I've got to leave. Do you want to walk with me to the road?" Jack asked
"Yes." She said
Sticking his head in the door of the house he yelled
"Mom, Dad I'm going."
The only answer he received was silence.
"Come on." He said and began walking, Margaret running behind him.
They were both quite as they walked toward the road, leaving Jack to his thoughts. Around them starving children in tattered clothes scrambled up the ruins of building looking for anything to eat, alien ships zoomed overhead and every few minutes the sound of gun shots could be heard. This was no place to raise a child or any child for that matter.
"This is where I have to leave you." Jack said looking at his sister.
"You'll be back in time for my birthday won't you?" Margaret asked again
"Yes." Jack said
"Pinkie promise?" Margaret asked holding out her pinkie.
"Pinkie promise." Jack said scooping her up and curling his pinkie around hers.
Margaret wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. When she pulled away Jack saw tears in her eyes.
"Oh Sweetie," He said hugging her harder "Give me a smile."
She gave him a small watery smile.
"Not good enough." He said then started ticking her. Soon the air was filled the giggles of Margaret.
"Good," Jack said looking at her big happy smile
Just then clock bells rang making Jack look away from his sister and farther down the road.
"I have to go." He said looking back at his sister her smile fell. He set her on the ground and ran up the hill leaving a trail of dusty footprints.
When he reached the top of the hill he turned around taking his sister in. Margaret was small for her age she was only four feet nine. She had large eyes that were the same dark blue as his, pale skin, and pink lips but her hair was the most striking of all it was a curly dark brown. She was pretty but her clothes were a totally different story, she wore a mid-thigh pink dress, a pair of shoes that were two sizes too big and a military green colored jacket that was caked in mud and had holes in pockets.
"Cheer up I'll be back." Jack said
"I'll be waiting." Margaret said
Torchwood Hub:
Jack stopped talking. By now everyone had drank their coffee cups and eaten all the cookies.
"Why did you stop?" Gwen asked
"I don't remember much of what happened after that because the Time Agency erased two years of my life."
"Well tell us what you do remember." Owen said
"Okay, Jack said "I know the mission was complete and that we were in the United States of America. The state of Louisiana in fact but I don't know what time period."
"How did you know you where in the state of Louisiana?" Ianto asked
"Because no one can make better Gumbo than a Cajun." Jack said
"What's Gumbo?" Ianto, Gwen, Owen and Tosh chorused at the same time.
"Its a rue based...Do you want me explain what Gumbo is or tell you the rest of the story?" Jack asked
"The story please." They said
"Okay then." Jack said, "The heat and humidity was so bad that my partner, John Hart, I went to get drinks but, first...