Chapter thirty-nine: Make up the heart

The labor was hard on her, very hard. She remembered Martha handing her son Asa to Jack and daughter Davina to Donna. She only got to see them for a moment, because things immediately stared to go horribly wrong. Jackie had begun to hemorrhage and then her body began to shut down for no reason. Martha was frantic, trying to stop the bleeding. Jack had handed Asa over to the doctor and for the first time since the doctor's announcement, he had actually taken her hand, which was glowing white. She remembered everyone had a panicked look on his or her face before she ascended into darkness. It was Jack's tears and look of despair that would be the last thing she saw.

Now…the darkness was clearing. She was dead….or lost. She wasn't sure where or what she was at this moment. Her limbs were sluggish and her eyelids were too heavy. She couldn't remember much because her mind felt as if it were floating endlessly through spade. She could hear things, faintly, but they were getting clearer as she struggled to focus.

"Jack," Martha said from a foggy distance. "I'm so, so sorry. There was nothing to be done."

"I know." Jack was crying. Of all the times she'd known him, he'd only cried no more than five times. Had her body taken on Jack's form? She hoped and prayed that she had.

"I really," Martha's voice broke. "wish I could have saved her."

At that moment, Jackie's senses suddenly came to life completely and she bolted up with a gasp of air. "Ahh!" everyone, including Jack jumped. She inhaled and clutched her head before turning her gaze to Jack. "Oh, God, is this what it's like for you every time?"

Martha gasped and ran over to her. "Jackie?!"

"Oh my God!" Donna stared at her. "She took on Jack's form!"

Jackie frowned. "Did I honestly die?"

Rose nodded, her face semi-pale. "Yes, you did. You were dead."

"If she has Time-Lord genetics, regeneration could be possible." The doctor knelt beside her as Martha checked her vitals. "Martha, anything abnormal?"

"No, this is unbelievable." Martha shook her head. "Her blood level is back to normal, her vitals are great and as near as I can see, she's back to normal."

Jackie smiled. "I feel normal as well." Gripping the Doctor's arm, she stood up carefully. She then looked to Jack, who was standing there, his stance was rigid and his face emotionless. She sighed, sensing he was upset. "Jack."

"I told you once," he bit out. "I didn't want this curse on anyone."

"But Jack-

"Anyone!" He shouted for a moment. Everyone stared at him in shock, knowing why he was acting like this, but she did. "I told you once before, I'd rather see a person dead before wishing this on them!"

"Hey easy there, Jack." Mickey says, his brow furrowed in confusion at Jack's reaction. "Your wife is back."

He jerked his head towards Mickey to spit at him. "She should be dead!"

"Shh," Jackie said gently. "calm down Jack." He turned and stared at her. She read so many emotions from him; joy, confusion, anger, relief, love, pain, regret and multiple others. No wonder he was reacting in such a strange manner towards her. "You've been alone…for so long. Too long Jack."

"It's supposed to be like that." He bit out, his voice shaking with tears demanding to be shed. "It's always supposed to be like that." with that, Jack turned and stomped out of the Tardis, slamming the door hard.

Mickey moved to go after him, but Jackie held up a hand. "It's alright, let him go. He's been used to losing so many people in his life. I know…he puts on a brave face, but…his heart is honestly so exhausted from losing people he cares about. He just needs some time to realize that I'm not going anywhere." Jack letting out a yell outside confirmed it. Everyone stared at the door in shock. She bit her lip before stepping towards Donna. "May I have Davina please?"

"Oh yes." Donna handed her daughter over and Martha approached with their son.

She breathed sharply as her heart swelled and overflowed with so much love she feared it'd burst in this moment. "Asa Gray Harkness." She shook her head as he let out a gurgling/snort sound. "Davina Jade Harkness."

"I think Jade is pretty." Donna said with a smile as she ran a finger over davina's head. "She's so sweet."

"Look," the doctor said. "as much as I love this moment, I've got to get the other's home."

"Just so you know," Jackie said with a smle. "we named our son after you."

The doctor's face brightened. "Really?"

She nodded. "Asa, means 'Doctor' in Hebrew. Jack told me that nobody knows your name, so, I got as close to your name as possible."

"Oh," he grinned broadly. "that's great."

"But, you're right, we should be going home now. However, before I go, I do have two questions though doctor."

He nodded. "I can imagine you'd have a few."

"True, will our children be like Jack and I?"

He shook his head. "I doubt it, but I could be wrong."

"Ok." Jackie nodded her head before asking. "Will I ever die Doctor?"

"I don't think so." He exhaled and studied the scanner before saying. "As near as I can tell, your body at some point already started taking on Jack's form quite a while ago, possibly even before you two were married. Almost like you two were…destined to be together." He ran his hand through his hair and exhaled slowly as he bobbed his head. "Jack's probably going to be stuck with you for over fifty-thousand years….if that isn't going to bother him."

"I don't think so. He just needs a few days and a few drinks." She smiled. "Well, the Guinness book of world record for the longest marriage is certainly going to be ours." She hugged the doctor, her grandfather, briefly before pulling back. "Be sure to come back and visit once in a while."

He nodded. "Yeah, will do." He looked down at the bloodstains on the Tardis floor. "It might take me a while though. Who's going to clean up this mess?"

Everyone laughed and Martha insisted on cleaning up the bloodstains, citing dozens of reasons why she was the most qualified. Everyone then wished her well and she'd peered outside to find Jack gone, so, the doctor dropped her back off at Torchwood, where she hoped Jack would be waiting for her.

To say Gwen and Ianto were ecstatic would be slightly exaggerated. They were overjoyed. Laughed and cried for almost an hour straight. To Jackie's disappointment, Jack wasn't there, she wasn't certain he'd be there, but she'd hoped. However, she knew her husband, he'd be back.

And he did come back.

It was almost midnight when Jackie stirred from her spot on the couch as he entered his office, removing his jacket. "Hello there." Jack spun around and stared at her in amazement. "You're late."

"Yes." He hung up his jacket, paused for a long moment to turn to face her. "Have you been…waiting for me?"

She nodded. "Yes. I've always been waiting for you." And she had been. She'd waited so long for him and it had taken them forever to get where they were. The idea, that they'd actually be able to spend the rest of their lives together was possibly scaring Jack to death. "I knew that you'd…eventually turn up."

"Jackie," he began. "I can't-

"I know." She stood up now and held his gaze. "You don't need to explain this to me. I know how you feel about this."

"If I'd known," he exhaled and shook his head. "I don't know. I couldn't let you die but… I didn't wish this on you. I damned you to my life of hell."

"Jack." she said softly as she stepped towards him and exhaled deeply as she guided his hands to the side of her face. "you didn't damn me. If I wasn't able to be with you….that would be a life of hell for me." His eyes blinked rapidly as she held his gaze. "I know, you're not happy about this, but I am."

"How?" He questioned. "How could you be happy like this? Stuck with me for all eternity?"

She shook her head. "Have you forgotten that I love you Jack? you're my husband and I want to be with you."

"It's going to be hard." He stated as he shook his head. his eyes were rimmed red, tattling that he'd been crying again. "You're going to lose so much."

"You'll be there for me Jack. She reminded him. "Not once, has there ever been something to hard for us to bear together. Yes, life at time as been rough, bumpy and hard, but it hasn't been hell."

He opened his mouth a few times, tried to get something out, but failed. He exhaled and shook his head. "Why is it…the simplest things to say…are always the hardest?

"Because nothing ever is simple for anyone." She explained simply. "The simple words are basic foundation words. They can make, shape or break the future."

"I'm sorry about today." He inhaled. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I know that Jack and I understand. It's all right."

"No, it's not alright." He shook his head emphatically. "I deserted you today. You had our children, died and then I abandoned you."

"You came back to me and I forgave you hours ago. Now, please, just take me in your arms and kiss me otherwise I won't forgive you." Jack tried to resist the urge, he really did, but he failed. She smiled inwardly as his resolve failed as he pulled her into his arms and kissed him. she moaned and instinctively moved her body against his. She flushed lightly as Jack's lips moved her face and neck. She shook her head, allowing him these few moments before pulling away slightly from him.

She gasped out as his mouth worked her neck, making her smile for a moment. "I can't believe this." He breathed against her. "I can't."

"Neither can I." She admitted. "It's a bit scary."

"To say the least." He pulled away and gazed at her, his eyes rimmed red. "I've loved you, more than I've loved any woman I've known. The thought of losing you and having your forever, fills me with such…fear and joy."

She inhaled and pulled him closer to her. "Same here. We'll sort this out Jack, we both need time, but let's do it together." He nodded and continued kissing her neck. Loathe to do so, she had to break this up. "Jack, there's a time and place for this later." He kissed her once more before resting his head against hers for a moment. she smiled and hugged him once more. "We did…just become parents."

"Oh!" Jack broke apart from her. "Right." She shook her head as they went downstairs. She smiled fondly at him and clutched his hand tightly as they tiptoed across the room. The twins were sleeping quietly, aside from a few gurgles. Jack exhaled and shook his head in amazement. "Oh honey, they're so beautiful."

"Your son Asa Gray Harkness," she murmured quietly as he ran a finger across their tiny hands. "and daughter, Davina Jade Harkness."

Jack exhaled as he took a hold of davina's tiny hand. "Davina Jade?"

"I loved the name Davina and I figured that since I'm still alive, calling her Jackie would cause unnecessary craziness." Jack nodded his head in agreement, as he gazed at their children. She sighed as she shook her head contentedly. "Thank you so much Jack."

He looked up at her, slightly in confusion. "For what?"

"For," tears filled her eyes. "oh God, everything Jack." he stepped towards her and wrapped an arm around her waist and shoulder. "God gave me everything I needed when I met you." She inhaled. "I never thought I'd have anything or anyone in this life and now…I've got everything. I'm ready to follow you anywhere you go Jack Harkness."

He squeezed her hand. "Well, it took you long enough to make up your mind to risk everything with me. Think we'll make it?"

She laughed. "Jack, I made up my mind about you the first time I saw you. I just had to make up my heart and I when I decided I was going to love you, my love was going to be unbreakable. So yes, we're gonna make. And you know that."

Jack pulled her up into his arms and kissed her. She smiled inwardly. Their love was a wild and wondrous thing; strong enough to survive death. So it was certainly enough to last for however long their special eternity would last.

The end! Hope everyone enjoyed the story, I had a lot of fun writing it. I might write another story in the future based on 'Children of the earth' and Miracle Day'. However, I've got several other stories that need to be finished, so, those two are definitely on hold for a couple of years.