The Wife of Captain Jack Harkness

New Beginnings

 Shortly afterwards my time began with Torchwood. It wasn’t as dreadful as I thought it might be. I signed the official secrets act and was put to work in administration and archives. I glanced at the artefacts and reports but it meant nothing to me, I was kept in ignorance, only aware of the history of the institution. Except for Jack Harkness and Alice Guppy, I barely saw a sole, my colleagues were shadowy beings that existed on the outskirts of society. After the terrible events I’d experienced this suited me but then I began to open my eyes, curiosity took hold. Jack Harkness was the resident expert on all things paranormal and the creatures that came through the rift. Alice would sometimes have to begrudgingly yield to his authority. As for the captured creatures, Torchwood rarely kept them alive and the ones they imprisoned I wasn’t permitted to see. Jack was the only one that ever explained anything to me although I suspect he did this to annoy his colleagues. He had knowledge beyond anyone else at Torchwood which made me believe that the rumours were true, that Jack had lived on other worlds or he had known a future time. Jack would disappear on secret assignments for Torchwood, he liked to be kept busy. Though he always returned and I believe he was happy to see me even if he sometimes kept his distance, in hindsight I understand his reasons for his behaviour. Jack was always waiting for something or someone and I discovered it was someone called the Doctor, who just happened to be an enemy of Torchwood and one of the main reasons the institution was formed. Jack would disappear suddenly if there were any reported sightings of this Doctor, I believe he was an old friend and he wanted to find him before his colleagues. You did not want to make an enemy of Torchwood.

 When I look back on my youth I realise how privileged I was to have had such independence and given my services to such a fascinating place as Torchwood. By being there I honoured the memory of my brother, it helped me through my times of grief. Although I certainly had no desire to give my whole life to the institution, I did not wish to share the same fate as my brother. Above all I craved for a different life, a more conventional one, no more loneliness, my own family, a man to love and share my life with. I had fallen in love with Jack Harkness, I knew all the time it was a foolish dream, how could I reconcile that man’s extraordinary existence with the life I wanted? Maybe I was drawn to him because we were inexplicably linked by my brother… I could not help myself, I wanted to be with Jack. Every time he went away I felt his absence, it was as though he’d forgotten me. Until I realised that Jack Harkness also wanted a life with me, that all along he was waiting for the right moment to take me away…  

 

 I still have my contacts, I wonder whether Jack has received my letter?

 “Isabella… Isabella”

 I open my eyes and see Marion standing over me, she must have been trying to wake me. There’s a moment of fear followed swiftly by relief, maybe she thought I’d died in my sleep. But I’m still alive… I’m still waiting for Jack.

 “Is there anything I can get you?”

 Marion smiles sadly at me and places her warm hand gently in my own. My throat is very dry, I’m finding it difficult to speak, a desire to see something from my past suddenly inspires me to reach towards my bedside table. Marion understanding my meaning, takes my bundle of letters and keepsakes from the top drawer. With trembling hands I sort through until I find the photograph, intrigued Marion takes the faded sepia picture from me. It is my only photograph of Jack Harkness and it was taken on our wedding day. It is typical Edwardian in composition, the dutiful young wife, hand resting on the shoulder of her seated, masterful husband. The two people in that photograph are strangers to me, I seem to recall at the time I had a great desire to sit on my husband’s lap…but that would have been rather scandalous. If I look closely at myself I can see a mischievous glint in those eyes brimming with so much joy. Marion frowns, momentarily confused.

 “Why Isabella, this is you…but Peter never said you were married before. He was so handsome and you were beautiful, little Bella definitely features you, I can see it now, she’ll grow up to be just like her Nana.”

 Marion’s starting to get emotional, she’s finding it difficult to look at the girl in the photograph and the wasted figure upon the bed. Most days I daren’t look in the mirror but today I find myself irresistibly drawn to the old woman sitting in the bed, I’m not afraid to let Jack see me this way, I am past vanity now.

 “Yes Marion dear, he was my first husband…Over the years I’ve been in contact with his surviving relatives.”

 You see there is a plan behind my recklessness act of showing Marion the photograph, if Jack Harkness does appear, he can be his own descendant and at least I have some explanation for his visit. Marion places the photograph upon my bedside table and leaves me to attend to the young Bella.