It Was Time {Torchwood Fanfic}

Prologue

_Cardiff 1902_

"I don't know about this James." Anna-Marice followed behind her brother, eying the small chapel with worry, "This feels wrong."

"You said you wanted to be part of the Boy's Club Anna-Marice." James replied, "You know the only way to do that is to climb to the bell tower, ring the bell, and get back down without being caught at night. You're lucky I decided to go with you. I, and most of the others had to go on their own."

"This is still wrong." Anna-Marice whispered, but followed after him anyways, "I can FEEL it."

"You always say you're feeling things Anna-Marice." James rolled his eyes.

"I was the one who said it was going to rain that one day that looked perfectly sunny." Anna-Marice argued, "And then the flood struck."

"That was coincidence." James brushed away.

"What about the time when I told Tommy he looked ill one day at school?" Anna-Marice pointed out, "And then he got so sick that he DIED."

"Look." James turned to her suddenly, "Do you want to be part of the club or not?"

"Yes." she whimpered.

"Then shut up and get going." he growled.

"Alright." she lowered her head and moved toward the creaky staircase that led to the bell tower, "Just... Watch your step." James sighed, knowing this was probably a bad idea. He REALLY liked his sister... He wanted her to be cool for once in her life.

"How's it going up there Anna-Marice?" James called to her. She was a little ways up the stairs. When she didn't answer, he tried again.

"Anna-Marice?" Still no answer.

He ran as fast as he could up the stairs almost running right over his sister who was lying on the stairs.

"Anna-Marice! Anna-Marice! Talk to me!" he knelt beside her and shook her violently.

"It's so strong here James." she informed, barely loud enough for him to hear. "There is such a concentration of despair, havoc and... death. There is death here, James... It's calling to me."

"It's safe, Anna-Marice" he insisted, "Come on. I won't let anything hurt you." He managed to coax her the rest of the way up the stairs and to the bell. James looked out the window to see the other members of the Boy's club standing around, waiting for them to return. He turned to tell his sister to ring the bell. Then they could get out of there. When his eyes landed on her, however, he saw her staring at something. Following her eyes, he noticed some dust moving about on the floor. In a matter of seconds, the dust started picking up and forming into a creature.

"What's going on Anna-Marice?" James questioned, never taking his eyes off the dust.

"You can't see it James!" Anna-Marice's head whipped towards him, fear in her eyes. "Look away, James! Look away! Tell me you can't see it! James!" He had become to awestruck to answer her as the dust finally stopped forming and slowly lifted its head. The creature's face was a pale white, like that of a fair woman, and she was dressed in a black cloak. Her unforgiving, silver eyes landed on James and she smirked. Reaching beneath her cloak, she produced a small flask and walked towards him.

"Watch your step." A voice that sent a shiver down his back warned. Her lips never moved, yet he knew it was hers. She pushed him, causing him to fall onto the cold floor.

"James!" one of his friends cried as they rushed to his side. Looking up, James met the eyes of his best friend Edward. Looking at him, he could hear words quietly echoing around him, as if he was dreaming.

"Don't stay out late." James croaked out, his life slowly slipping from his grasp.

"What does that mean?" Edward shook him to keep him awake, "JAMES!" Up in the bell tower, the cloaked woman reached to open her flask.

"Why?" Anna-Marice sobbed, stopping the cloaked woman momentarily, making her turn towards the young girl with compassion in her eyes. "Why did you have to kill him? He was my brother! I loved him!"

"It was time." the woman explained calmly.

"WHY?" Anna-Marice cried.

"It was time." she repeated simply. She opened the flask and the last of James' life drained from his body. With this, the wind swished around the woman. Within seconds, she was gone.