It Was Time {Torchwood Fanfic}

Chapter Five

Jack was walking out of his office, when he spotted the cloaked woman. He placed a hand over his gun, but made to other move to fire.   

"Why hello, there," Jack smirked.   

"Jack Harkness," she returned, although her lips never moved.   

"That's me," he nodded.   

"You... Understand me?" she blinked, in surprise.   

"Loud and clear," he nodded, "Why? Most people can't?"  

"No," she sighed, "It only sounds like their final warning, when I'm talking to someone else. Even Vestidia is not old enough to understand the language."  

"Maybe I am just lucky," Jack offered.   

"How old are you, Jack Harkness?" she wondered.   

"A few thousand years," he answered, "Give or take."  

"Vestidia will need to be protected until she is that old, then," the woman answered.   

"Who's this 'Vestidia?'" Jack interrogated, "And what, may I ask, are you?"  

"I am Falaxious Dæmon of the far constellation of Pandoria," she explained, "My friends call me Lax. Vestidia is the name I gave to the girl I guard over. It means 'Lover' in my people's language."  

"And who are your people?" Jack questioned.   

"We are the Crystalites, as we will be known by your people when the time comes for our cultures to meet, Human," Lax explained, "I always loved humans. It was my favourite subject in school. Earthology. They said that the humans were going to own the universe. I learned many of the Earth languages and cultures."  

"Why are you here?" Jack demanded.   

"I must protect Vestidia," Lax explained, "It is my duty."  

"From what?" Jack inquired, "You must protect her from what?"  

"The Darkness, Jack Harkness," Lax murmured, "I must protect her from the darkness."  

"Why are you killing people?" Jack demanded.   

"I must collect their life force while it is still bright," she explained, "I keep them for when Vestidia is ready."  

"Do you work with Death?" Jack wondered, skeptically.   

"Oh no!" she looked insulted, "Never! We protect others from Death."  

"Why condemn anyone to him, then?" Jack hissed.   

"We take the lives of loved ones before Death can," she replied, "We save them."  

"What about Vestidia?" Jack inquired, "Why can't she die?"  

"I'm giving her my immortality," Lax answered, "I am preparing her for eternity."  

"So... You aren't trying to hurt anyone?" he blinked.   

"I am trying to save her," she smiled, "It is my duty."  

"What about her predicting people's deaths?" Jack demanded, "Why can she do that?"  

"It is a gift I have given her," she explained, "I tried to give her a way to be less sad and surprised when I had to collect her friends."  

"You can't keep killing people," Jack informed, "Even if it is to save her."  

"I cannot let her be broken by the death of her friends," Lax argued.   

"Then... Take her away from here," Jack suggested, "Just get off this planet. I'll let you go without charges, but only if you leave and never come back."  

"But!" Lax explained, "What if she dies out in the universe?"  

"I am willing to let her go," Jack crossed his arms, "But I am not going to be having you running around killing every person she meets."  

"I would not expect you to understand, Jack Harkness," Lax glared, "Man who cannot die. Your friend would have been compassionate. I saw him once, when I was collecting the life of Vestidia's granddaughter. I almost lost her, but then he saved her. He knew what death was like. He knew."  

"Wha..." Jack contemplated.   

"He had no life, though," Lax looked at the ground, sadly, "I could not save him."  

"Owen..." Jack muttered, "For your information, he wou-"  

"I spoke to him, once," Lax explained, "Or... I tried to. All he heard was a warning that came to late. I was to late for him, Jack Harkness."  

"I..." Jack blinked.   

"You must help me," Lax pleaded, "She is breaking every time I try to put her back together. Can you not stop Vestidia from suffering? A few thousand years. That is all I ask."  

"There... Is one way," Jack mentioned, at last, "But you will need to remain in her cell, if we do this for you."  

"What is it you plan to do?" Lax stared.   

"We can freeze her," Jack explained, "She'll wake up in two thousand years and won't be a day older then she went in. When she wakes up, You and her will leave... Forever."  

"Will it... Hurt her?" Lax questioned.   

"No," Jack answered.    

"Then I will agree," Lax practically jumped with joy, "Let me take take her place."

._._._._._._._._._._._._.  

"Captain Jack?" Anny looked up at Jack for one last time until two thousand years from now, "I am scared."  

"Don't worry," Jack gave her a small smile, "It won't even feel like any time at all."  

"And the woman who's following me?" She inquired.    

"She was only trying to protect you, Anny," Jack insisted, "You are safe in her hands."  

"Captain Jack," Anny started to go a little dizzy as the medication started to take effect, "Man who will never die... You must warn your Doctor, on your last breathe..."  

"If I'm never going to die-" he started, only to interrupted.   

"You are not alone," she promised and snuck into slumber. He sighed and pushed the drawer, where she slept, into the freezer, setting it to activate in two thousand years.   

"Sweet dreams, Anna-Marice," he whispered and turned his back to her. He didn't even look back as he walked away.