7

"Owen" I remember my promise, "You have questions?"

"You said… you said there were others" he says with his pen tapping the page, "How many?"

"I am unsure but there were about twelve of us in the holding bay" I reply as I try to recall their faces but it was so long ago, "I do not know what happened to them."

Owen nods, satisfied with that as he leaned back and then he looks up again another question forming, "You are not one of us?"

"I am an alien race, yes" I agree calmly as Jack swings to place himself between me and the team. I am infinitely touched by this and touch his back gently to soothe, "I am a Timelord, you know of the Doctor? One of those."

"But no Tardis" Tosh nods.

Ah.

Jack senses my hesitation and he claps his hands, "Alright, that's enough for one day. We are all upset and confused. I suggest we sleep on it. There is a little girl who needs comfort right now, she is in a strange place and must be so scared. Tomorrow we will talk again, OK?"

They start to file out and Owen hesitates, turning to face me again, "They hurt you."

"Immensely" I agree, "But I am still here."

"Good" he mutters, I am still being surprised by his small signs of affection as he swings back and smiles, then ran after Gwen. I do hope that isn't what it looks like.

Gods.

Jack has left the room and I see him leaning over my child, the flash of anger not coming as he watches her and I know he is studying her out of interest, not morbid curiosity. Then his face lights up and he smiles so I know she is awake and must be smiling up at him, his voice soft as he gently gathers her up and holds her against him, rocking her gently.

Part of me wants to go in and take her but the larger part of me wants to go on there and join in.

So I do.

"Where will she sleep?" Jack whispers with wide eyes over her head, "She needs a bed, poor wee Squishy is so tired."

Ahhhh. He gave her a pet name.

I feel such a flood of affection and lust that I lean in and kiss him, letting him taste my desire before pulling back to see his eyes are still closed as he drinks me in.

"Wow"

"Come on, down to my office." I sigh, the last secret still coming up, I have to get it out, get it done whether I want to or not.

We enter and I turn to face him, deciding on the one final act that will either bind us or break us. I have faith. I must have faith in him. My Captain.

"Close the door Cariad."

Jack obediently pushes the door closed behind him with his foot and then looks at me with raised eyebrows. I go to my desk and pull out the top drawer, a hard task ahead of me as I must reconfigure my archives for this new development and he watches as I twiddle, flick and thump, then sit back.

"What…was than an earthquake?" Jack is looking up as he tries to understand the movement beneath his feet and I can't help but smile at his silliness. He knows what he felt, feels. Just needs to focus. A hint maybe?

I tap the desk top and release it, the console springing to life as the flight deck slowly emerges from the stacks.

"Welcome to my Tardis" I whisper softly as Jack turns in a slow circle, his face ashen.

"Emilie, also called Em. M. Get it?" I don't mean to play but he looks so sweet with his childlike wonder, "My Tardis is called Emilie. You have been hearing her song. You call her M as well, Tosh thinks it means Mainframe."

"A Tardis. A bloody Tardis right here in this room the entire time" he whispers and then to my relief he starts to laugh, large barks as his head falls back and my little one looks up at him with interest from his arms. Her little hand goes to his throat to feel the undulation as he laughs, her face glowing with glee.

"She has been dormant for a long time, the wee one on your desk started to sing and it woke her. Now you know why I had to come here with Lisa" I reach for my child and coo as her face nuzzles into my neck. I walk through the door and down the hallway to a newly developed room that will be hers now. Em did a lovely job and it is all crystals and pretty lights. Her little bed is like a nest, more Bladesinger than Gallifreyan and I know she did this from scanning my wee chick.

Not for the first time, I wonder how much of this species is in her. They may have lied about the percentages, it would not surprise me. She clearly only has one heart or Owen would have said so.

Jack has followed and I don't mind as I let him step forward to check she is happy, his hand reaching out to smooth her little curls and I feel the affection there.

"Jack, I am sorry this was all hidden from you, I know you hate that" I try to explain, "You of all people know the importance of being secretive. All things have reason, ripples must reach the shore eventually, right? In their own time?"

"Ianto, I don't need a long winded explanation…is that your name?" Jack straightens and looks at me.

"As much as Jack is yours" I feel myself snapping and grimace, "Sorry."

"No. You're right. I am Jack now. Who I once was, was another person. You are Ianto now" he nods to show he accepts it.

"Yes. She is Gemima, you are Jack and I am Ianto" I like this game, feel myself starting to perk up once more, "But I have to say, Owen is still a twat."

Jack laughs softly as he looks around, "Your Tardis is similar to his, but …not."

"Em is slightly different, a different model." I agree, "This one was my uncle's. Sitting in the garage as a spare. Seemed so easy."

"So. Here we are" Jack says as if it tells us everything and in that moment…

It did.

We were both right here.

I check the time and find it is barely nine in the morning, my smile surprising us both.

"Yes Cariad, here we are. Three impossible things before breakfast."

Then his lips touch mine and we dance to the soft singing of my Tardis.

What is there left to tell?