Sophie shoves Jack away, as the ship comes to a landing. She races out of the ship, and continues running until she can't anymore. She finds herself in a dingy alley somewhere in London. Her legs give out, and curls up on herself, and starts to cry. After what feels like hours, when all of her tears have dried up, Sophie stands back up, and wanders away again.
Sophie isn't sure how long she walks, just knowing she wants to get away from the Master, the Doctor, and the judgement that is thrown upon her. When she eventually stops moving, she finds herself near her childhood home. She sits down in front of the fence, resting her head against one of the fence posts. Eventually, the tugs of sleep surround her, and she falls into a fitful sleep.
She slowly blinks her eyes open, and hugs her pillow to her chest. She rolls over, and stretches her arms above her head. Looking around, she freezes, finding herself in her childhood room. From down the stairs, a voice calls, "Sophie, sweetie, breakfast's ready!"
Cautiously, Sophie slips out of the room, and pads down the stairs. Standing in the kitchen is a woman who looks like Sophie's mother, except older. At the table is a man who looks like Sophie's father, flipping through the newspaper. "Ah, there you are, dearest," the man says, setting down the paper, "Any big plans this weekend?"
Sophie gulps, her eyes wide, "Uh, yes?" she squeaks.
"Well, you can't very well do that on an empty stomach," the woman states, and sets a plate down on the table.
"Right," Sophie mutters, and takes a step for the table. At the moment, she's willing to play along, hoping that whatever is going on will reveal itself.
She takes a bite of the food in front of her, and it flashes her back to her childhood. Before she realises it, the breakfast is gone. The woman smiles, "You sure are that fast, sweetheart."
"She's a busy woman, Stacy," the man laughs. "Have a good day, dearest."
She nods hesitantly, and heads back up into her room. She changes out of the pyjamas that she woke up in. She then leaves the house, taking a deep breath. She reaches for her mobile, finding a phone in her pocket. "Okay, that's weird. The Doctor destroyed my mobile, so what is this?" Nevertheless she pulls the phone out of her pocket, and scrolls through the contacts. She doesn't recognize any of the numbers in the phone, and sighs. She dials the TARDIS, and waits for a response. When the phone isn't answered, she gives up, tucking the device back into her pocket. "Right. Strange place, people who look like my parents, but can't be my parents. New phone, new contacts, and no TARDIS. What is going on?"
She wanders off down the street, and stops when she sees a bus stop. She uses her mobile to search bus routes, and finds that the next bus that'll stop is headed to Wales. Sophie doesn't want to see Jack again, not after yesterday, and the year that never was, but she doesn't see another choice. She sits down on the bench and waits, patiently.
She boards the bus as it stops in front of her, and throughout the two hour trip she wracks her brain for what could be happening. So far, nothing has made sense, except for the Doctor ignoring her call. After what happened with the Master, she can't blame him for ignoring her. When the bus stops in Cardiff, she disembarks.
Sophie wanders over to the tourist information centre, and enters. Ianto is behind the desk, and he glances up when she enters, "Can I help you, ma'am."
"Ianto? It's me?"
"Sorry, do I know you."
"Look, Ianto, I don't know what's going on, or why you've picked today of all days, but now is not the time to mess with me." The Welshman blinks at her. "Okay, I need to talk with Jack."
"Who's Jack?" he asks, but she sees him reach for the gun under the desk.
"Captain Jack Harkness. Leader of Torchwood. I need to see him."
He pulls the gun out, and aims it at the woman, "How do you know about Torchwood?"
"I work there! Please, Ianto, I need to speak with Jack!"
He keeps the gun trained on her, as he reaches for the intercom button, "Jack, there's a woman here, claims she knows you, and works for Torchwood."
There's a rustling noise through the com, and
then Jack's voice, clear as day, "Bring her down."
She lets out a sigh, "Finally, some sense in the world."
Ianto leads her through the secret door, and down to the Hub, his gun held between her shoulder blades. When she steps into the Hub, Jack is waiting, hands on his hips, "Who the h*ll are you, and how do you know about Torchwood?"
She meets his eyes, "Oh, bl**dy h*ll, not you too, Jack. What is going on in the world?"
"Okay. Not a normal response." He drops his arms at his side, and takes her arm, "You can head back up, Ianto, I'll handle this."
He leads her up to his office, and handcuffs her to a chair opposite his desk. He then falls into his own chair, "Who are you?"
She sighs, "Sophia Jaclyn McCoy."
"Right. How do you know about Torchwood?"
"I work here."
He chuckles, "I've been here for a long time, I think I'd remember someone as cute as you working here."
Sophie shudders, "Gah. Don't do that. Do not flirt with me."
He looks taken aback, "Not the response I'm used to, but fine. You still don't work here."
"I do, Jack. You hired me, December 8, last year. Please, Jack, you have to believe me."
He leans back in his seat, "December 8, that's when the Sky Gypsy showed up, and I know I don't remember you."
She sighs, and can feel tears starting to form in her eyes, "Please, Jack. You have to remember me. Tell me you at least remember the Doctor."
That gets a response from the man. He sits forward, eyes wide, "You know the Doctor?"
"Yes! He's my best friend, my brother. So are you! Please Jack, tell me you remember me!" Tears start to fall down her cheeks, and she tries to swipe them away, but the cuffs prevent her from doing it.
Jack's face softens, and he stands up to walk around the desk. "I'm sorry, kid, really I am, but I don't know you."
"Please," she begs, and the tears start coming faster.
He crouches in front of her, and wipes the tears from her cheeks, "I hate to see someone as pretty as you cry." He leans back on his haunches, "Say I believe you, Sophia, how come I don't remember you?"
She sniffles, "I don't know Jack. Maybe there was a time shift, and somehow I've ended up in a parallel universe, or a pocket universe."
"That's a pretty big maybe, kid, but I'm willing to believe you, if you tell me one thing, how do you know the Doctor?"
She meets his eyes, "I met the Doctor the same day my parents died. They were turned into Cybermen, and he saved me. I've known him my whole life, and I know all of his lives."
He nods, "Okay, Sophia Jaclyn McCoy, let's see if we can figure out what's going on."
"Can we take the cuffs off?" Sophie asks, hope filling her voice.
He sighs, deeply, "Just cause I said I'd help, doesn't mean I fully trust you, kid. The cuffs stay, unless I can prove you are who you say you are."
Sophie shrugs, "Worth a shot, right?"