"And maybe this is why when Pandora opened the box that carried such calamities which inflicted all of mankind, gentle hope emerged too."
- an excerpt of Nikita Gill's poem "Where Hope Comes From"
or in which
the timechild is saved and finds the...
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Cardiff, Wales 1868
Pandora often had doubts about her word choice, usually immediately after the words tripped off her tongue. However, she didn't often regret speaking of Captain Jack Harkness who had become something of a brotherly figure to the seventeen year old. However when her parents requested to meet the man who had the girl gushing about him, Pandora regretted every word.
Jack Harkness lived in a inn above a pub near the city centre, and he was defiantly not expecting the knocking at his door at eight am to be his young friend along with a man who was most likely to be the Fletcher families carriage driver.
"Rise and shine Jack, I need you sober for tonight." Pandora spoke pushing her way into the man's rooms. "What's tonight, Andy?" He asked his eyes squinting in pain from the throbbing in his skull.
The blonde sighed kicking at the dirty floor. "My parents have basically demanded your presence at dinner tonight, a whole formal affair, because I told them about you being the man who found me after that horse bolted." Jack's jaw slackened as he looked around his rooms.
"What time?" He asked as he began to collect parts of his best suit. "Be there at seven tonight. And Gabriel is French so expect a long night, lots of wine and desserts." Jack nodded, "okay I'll be there," Pandora lit up, bringing her hands together into a clap.
"Fantastic, I will see you then! Don't forget to stop for flowers for Abigail but no wine, Gabriel has enough." Pandora darted back through the door.
***
The evening came quickly as Abigail directed the maid in how she wanted everything to be and to the cook about what food items she wanted to be served and at which times.
When she stopped instructing and saw Pandora still in her day dress. "Pandora, go change, wear the black evening dress!" Pandora skipped up the stairs.
The dress she was to wear was black with silver piping, it was easy to get into alone. Pandora quickly unbuttoned her dress to her waist before pulling it up and over her head the black dress was made of silk, it was soft on her skin as she tugged it over her head. The buttons were easy to do on the back of the bodice of the gown. Pandora touched up her hair back into the braided bun that was pinned securely to the back of her head.
Pandora's concerns about this night was fueled by the knowledge that Jack held not only about her but of himself and his nonchalance about his own.. condition. He spoke strangely and of strange things but that was what made Pandora like him to begin with.
***
Seven o'clock on the dot a knock was at the door. Pandora wanted to maim him for taking her so literal but instead she just smiled at him when the maid brought him to the dining room. "Hello, Mrs. and Mr. Fletcher," He gave her parents a charming smile, he handed Abigail the bundle of violets he had been carrying. "Pandora." He nodded to the girl a smile pulling at his lips.
"So this is the notorious, Jack Harkness I've heard so much about." Abigail was smirking, she was doing something. Jack turned a teasing smile to Pandora. "You talk about me?" It took everything in Pandora not to roll her eyes.
"Well," she started. "I don't lie to my parents, and when they ask where I've been spending so much of my time, I have to tell them with a strange man who just so happened to find me in the forest when a horse threw me." She explained, making sure to only include human things, hoping he would catch her drift on the fact she didn't want him to bring up her healing, or his own immortality.
"Oh, of course." Jack smiled back at her.
"If your ready we can begin our meal." Gabriel spoke interuppting the staring contest Jack and Pandora had going on. At the table was just 6 chairs, Abigail and Gabriel at either end of the table leaving Pandora to sit on one side, and Jack across from her.
The food was as rich as Pandora had led him to believe, though distinctly not Italian, Ham was for the main course with a sponge cake with whipped cream and sugared rhubarb. The only dishes that Jack could discern as being Italian in origin was the appetizer which was a steaming bowl of soup. "Zuppa Toscana" as Pandora explained, tucking into the milky broth quickly.
***
"Everything was delicious, Mrs. Fletcher, please give my praise to the chef." Abigail smiled, "Will do, Mr. Harkness."
Jack then took his leave, exiting the house and quickly making his way down the street and back to his room at the inn.
Abigail turned on Pandora who was lazily leaning against the bannister for the stairs. "So, anything going on between yourself and Mr. Harkness." She asked, a indiscernible look sparked in her eyes. Pandora tried her best not to look disgusted, failing miserably.
"God no mum!" Pandora said, holding a hand over her mouth. "He's like a brother to me, we just like each others company is all."
Abigail wasn't moved despite Pandora's visceral reaction. She hummed. "Okay then, Goodnight!" She called as she walked away back toward the sitting room that was occupied by Gabriel smoking from his pipe.
