THE SWAN SONG

Is this a dream?
If it is
Please don't wake me from this high
I'd become comfortably numb
until you opened up my eyes
to what it's like
When everything's right
I can't believe

You Found Me – Kelley Clarkson


The Need of a Family

"What did you see?" he asked quietly.

"I saw Mum" she said slowly. "I saw her..."

"But you said she died" he whispered.

"Don't you think I don't know that?" she snapped. "I saw it! I saw the shooting, I saw the blood, I saw everything and yet I can see her in the future and I don't mean those alternative timelines..."

"Alternative timelines?"

"I see possibilities..."

"Like what?"

"There is one..." she sighed blissfully. "The SS Madam De Pompadour never breaks down, robots never try to kill Madam De Pompadour, Mum and Dad...they're together...we have siblings JJ, sisters and brothers...it's so beautiful and loving and perfect"

He observed her carefully his brown eyes studying her face. "You really want that don't you?"

"Yes! I want a father who will tuck me in and tell me stories, I want a father who'll play superhero for me, I want a father who'll call me pet names and ruffle my hair and teach me out to pilot the TARDIS. I want siblings, little brothers and sisters to teach and look after and boss about...don't you want that?"

He looked thoughtful before smiling softly. "Yeah...yeah I do. But what about Uncle Jack and Auntie Donna?"

"That's the fantastic bit of all even in that timeline they're there, together, part of our family, we're so entwined with them" she said.

He grinned happily before sighing. "I miss them"

"Me too"

"Can I see the pictures again?" he asked pleadingly, using the puppy dog eyes that he inherited from his father.

"That doesn't work on me, you know" she smirked. She then gently pulled out the locket from beneath her shirt and opened it up; he scooted closer and stared at the pictures. "We'll be back with them again soon" she promised.

Family. It's all you really need, someone who loves you and cares for you no matter what. There was Dad, Deano and Jimbo and you needed no one else...and yet, and yet there was that craving for a mother. Just like she craves for a father and more siblings despite the family she's got.

"Family is really important and you should always look after them, protect them and wait for them" a familiar cockney accent said loudly. Carly winced as she was pulled out of her dreamy thoughts back to reality. "But sometimes you have to look out for yourself because family can betray you in a subtle heartbreaking way. I picked a chance with a man I loved and ended up with a beautiful boy but that doesn't mean I never think of your mother and you and JJ at all"

Carly opened her eyes slowly, groaning at the sparkling light coming from the windows. She was incredibly comfortable considering how much pain her head was in, she was laying on the softest bed ever.

"Ah you're awake" the blonde woman with heavy black eye makeup reminded Carly a bit of her own mother however this woman had a more mumsy air around her. "Here darling have a bit of water" the woman cooed softly pressing a straw against Carly's lip. Carly took the straw into her mouth and sighed as she sipped some cold and refreshing water.

"I'm sorry...but who are you?"

The woman looked down at her with a soft and gentle sadness. "Still don't remember?" she said tucking a strand of Carly's hair behind her ear. "I'm Jackie Tyler sweetheart, your grandmother"

DWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDW

Pete was typing rapidly on his computer; his son was drawing on the floor curled up near Owen who looked tense and agitated.

"Your name will be Eugene Harper" Pete informed him. "Twin brother to Owen Harper, I'm printing off his data for you just in case you need to learn a whole new life story. You're still a medical doctor, studied in Cardiff, travelled the world for Torchwood and now back. Any questions?"

"Yeah" Owen spat out. "Why can't I use the dimension cannon and jump back into my own world?"

"I've told you, the walls between universes closed up five years ago. You already ripped one hole between worlds, we can't risk another, especially since last time almost cost the lives of two whole universes" Pete said sternly. "You're going to have to stay here, now I can arrange a room here till you get onto your feet and your friend gets well again"

"Yeah fuck am I" Owen retorted. "Don't you get it old man? I want to go home back to my own Tosh, back to my friends, back to my Torchwood. I don't want to stay here with an arsehole who has a stick stuck up his a-"

"Oi! No swearing in front of Tony" Jackie barked from the doorway. "I don't want my boy to have disgusting habits like you"

"You make one comment just one comment and it haunts you for the rest of your life" Owen muttered darkly. "Where's the kid?" he asked louder.

"If you're talking about Carly" Jackie sniffed. "She's up in one of the guest rooms just ask Marie to show you, she's waiting outside with some clean clothes for the pair of you"

"Thanks Jackie" Owen said getting up and heading to the door, he turned and met Pete's eye. "I refuse to stay here longer than necessary" he said firmly before leaving the room and slamming the door.

Pete sighed loudly. "That guy is going to be a pain in the neck" he said rubbing his neck. "You ok love?" he asked Jackie.

"It's just awful" Jackie whispered as Pete pulled her onto his lap. "She's my granddaughter and she has no idea who I am. She so small and sickly, she's got a touch of a fever and her head hurts and she falls in and out of consciousness...she thinks her name is Carly Wicks but then she doesn't seem so sure...I-I-I don't know how to help her" Jackie felt tears fall down her face as Pete pulled her closer to him.

"Shh...Love...it's ok, she's strong and she'll get better after all she's a Tyler woman like you" Pete murmured comfortingly rubbing his wife's back.

DWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDW

Carly woke up once again from her short, brief and dreamless sleep to see Owen sitting on the bed cross-armed and sulking.

"We're not allowed to use the dimension cannon" he informed her. "Pete Tyler has confiscated it and is now working on our background stories"

"Wha...?" Carly whispered. "But I can't stay here...my br..." she trailed off remembering that cold indifferent look on Deano's face with the plastic cell wall in-between them. "I got to go home" she finished though she had no idea where home was right now.

"Same here kid or shall I say Carly?" Carly stiffened slightly. "Nice name got a surname that goes with it?"

"Wicks" Carly muttered avoiding looking at Owen. "That's who I am...or at least I thought I was"

"So who are you supposed to be?"

"Rather not say" Carly grumbled. "Just want to go back and live my life in peace"

Owen leaned over and ruffled her hair. "Whoever you are kid, you're all right person and I'll help get us back. I promise"

Back                         Home                              Doctor Who Main Page                          Next

Your Name or Alias:      Your E-mail (optional):

Please type your review below. Only positive reviews will be posted! Constructive criticism will e-mailed to the author.