The Wife of Captain Jack Harkness

Captain Jack Harkness

 It was over in seconds. I watched as a blade was driven through Merak with such brutal force it almost reached me. I believe this was what my brother was attempting to do earlier but this time it had claimed the target of the heart if indeed Merak possessed one. A voice defiantly shouted.

 “Go to Hell!”

 I saw the dread and knowledge of his imminent demise etched on Merak’s face as he screamed, exploding into a constellation of particles. Merak had vanished in the night, there was nothing left but a pile of clothes and a steel blade pointing at me, the next moment it was thrown aside with a loud clatter. I looked up and stared into a wounded face streaming with blood; it was the man who’d tried to rescue me moments before. I could feel the sadness in his battle weary eyes as he gazed into mine. I knew then that he had lived through many nights like this. We pulled ourselves back into the moment. This was no time for formalities as the stranger took Fred in his arms and spoke tenderly and quietly to him. The stranger was from Torchwood; he looked between my brother and myself and shook his head with a look of hopeless resignation. Fred’s eyes snapped open to see who was holding him and then staring straight ahead as though he could no longer see, repeatedly uttered.

 “My sister… My sister.”

 I took Fred’s hand and kissed his rain drenched brow. Then one last breath and my brother was gone. I stared at the stranger who was still cradling my dead brother in his arms. I looked at the state of his torn clothes and wondered how anyone could survive such a brutal attack. Then something miraculous happened, the wounds upon his face began to heal and fade before my very eyes. There was a pause before the stranger reluctantly released Fred. He moved towards me to help but the touch of his cold hand upon my arm reminded me of Merak, sending a wave of fear through me as I leapt to my feet recoiling from him.

 “Are you another of his kind?”

 Moments ago this man had given every appearance of being dead. I could hear footsteps approaching, I felt the blood rushing to my head, I began to sway unsteadily upon my feet. The last thing I remember was falling towards the ground but the stranger caught me.

 “Who are you?” I felt myself slipping away, my vision distorted.

 The stranger pressed his newly healed face to mine and I heard him gently whisper.

 “Bella… I’ll always be here for you.”

 Thirty five years ago, the 11th November 1905, that was the night my brother Fred Jones was killed. On that same night I also met Captain Jack Harkness and he had just saved my life… 

 When I opened my eyes, for just one brief moment I thought I was home and the horror of that evening had not taken place. It seemed too fantastical, a dark story which had happened to someone else. I’d been drowning in the darkness and I was gasping for my breath. I sat up with a start, as though a knife had been driven through my heart… I felt restraining hands holding me, to stop me from falling. It was the man who rescued me. I looked into my protector’s eyes again, they still contained sadness but instead of weariness they were shinning full of life.

 “Don’t be afraid. It’s over, you’re safe now…Captain Jack Harkness.”

 Jack pointed to himself as a way of introduction and watched me intently with grave concern as though I might expire at any moment. I struggled for a moment to gather my thoughts. The danger was gone, Merak had been destroyed but then the image of my brother dying returned to me. Even in the darkness I had seen the light extinguish in his eyes and that moment would live within me until the end of my days.

 “Fred…”

 I choked back the tears. The grief rose within me, an ungovernable wave of emotion. I truly was alone in the world now. I was on my own path to oblivion but then Jack Harkness brought me back. I felt his strong arms around me, holding me fast, anchoring me to this world. His touch was cold earlier, now in contrast I could feel the warmth exuding from Jack’s body, I was pressed so close to him it seemed our hearts were beating together. I closed my eyes for a moment and succumbed to the comfort of another.

 After a few moments I finally surfaced and becoming sensible of my surroundings I disengaged myself from his embrace. I noticed with sudden alarm that I was lying in a strange bed, wearing something which resembled a nightdress. Although I could still see traces of blood upon my skin, most of it had been cleaned away. I instinctively pulled the sheets around my body, even though I knew this man would not harm me. The harsh lighting hurt my eyes; the room seemed to pass for a study with a bed thrown in. I could no longer hear the storm outside; there were no windows it felt like we were underground. I wondered whether I was in Torchwood, although I felt secure in my cocoon and a long way from civilization. I gazed searchingly at Jack; I couldn’t help but notice how handsome he was. Jack had the air of man who did not belong to this place and it wasn’t because he was American, there was something more to him. I sensed a great mystery surrounding Jack’s life. Sitting calmly and patiently beside me in his pristine suit he certainly did not look like a man who had just been involved in a violent fight to the death. That’s when I remembered earlier, the way Jack seemingly came back from the brink of death to save me.

 “Bella I’m sorry I couldn’t save Fred…” Jack took my hand in his. I caught his look of anguished guilt as he stared at the ground. He continued speaking but it was more to berate himself, confused by my brother actions. For a moment he appeared to forget I was in the room with him. “If only… It was a matter of minutes. Why didn’t Fred tell me? He was out of his depth… I could have saved him.”

 “The creature that killed my brother. What was he?” I needed answers, an explanation for my brother’s behaviour. I knew about the risks involved while working for Torchwood but until that night I’d been left in ignorance about the true dangers of my brother’s work. “Merak wasn’t from this world…Was he?”

 If Jack was surprised by my knowledge he quickly regained his composure.

 “No Merak came from another time and place. How much did your brother tell you about his work Bella?”

 “We’re in Torchwood aren’t we?” I interrupted, being here made me feel closer to Fred.

 Jack was about to answer me but then I heard footsteps and someone impatiently clearing their throat, we were no longer alone.