Jack's Daughter (Sequel to Torchwood)

Chapter 16

*Grandfather Max’s POV*

I am sitting at the table having my afternoon snack when I hear the doorbell ring. “Bill. Could you get…” Before I could even finish my sentence, Bill has already answered the door. I could barely hear people talking. Whatever it is, I don’t want to deal with it. I take a sip of tea when I hear the front door close. Seconds later, Bill walks in. “Sir. There is a young woman and man here. They would like to speak with you.” I sigh. “What do they want?” He shrugs. “Not sure, but… Forgive me sir. The young woman, she looks like Charlie.”

I shoot him an evil glance. How DARE he bring up my baby girl? My granddaughter Charlie passed away nearly twenty years ago. I sigh. “Ok. Show them to my office. I’ll meet them in there. And make sure they DON’T touch ANYTHING.” Bill nods and walks back out of the dining room.

A few minutes go by and he returns. “They are in your office, sir.” I nod and finish the last of my snack and tea, then I head out and walk towards my office. I had to have it moved so I could get to it easier. I have grown old and weak. It gets harder and harder for me to walk up and down the stairs. I walk towards my office. As I get to the door, I can hear someone pacing. They must either be nervous or angry…Maybe both. I open the door and what I see shocks me. I felt like I had a heart attack.

“Charlie, is that you dear?” I hear her gasp. It really is her! “No sir, I am Jaedyn.” Oh. I was really hoping it was Charlie. She looks so much like her. “Oh. I thought you were my granddaughter Charlie.” I walk past her to my desk. “H-how can I help you young lady?” I sit down and wait for her to answer. “Uh, I’m not sure where to begin.” She reminds me so much of Charlie. I chuckle. “Start from the beginning if you’d like.”

“Okay. Well, today is my eighteenth birthday.” I remember Charlie turning eighteen. I smile from the memory. “Happy Birthday dear.” She smiles at me. “Thank you.” She gets a nervous look on her face, then her expression turns more relaxed. “Today I found out that my parents aren’t my real parents. I was ‘adopted’ by them eighteen years ago.” I frown. Where is she going with this? “I did a bad thing and went through my adoptive dad’s things and found some files regarding my real parents.” She pauses. “Go on dear.”

“I found their names and where they lived, but it only says Wales, nothing else. I was wondering if you could help me find them…Well, at least my biological father.” That’s strange, why just her father. I nod. “Why just your father dear?” She lets out a sigh. “I read that she was deceased. I think it said she was shot when she was still pregnant with me.” What? My eyes widened.

Could she really be Charlie’s daughter? She found me after all of this time? I didn’t think it possible. I stand up and walk over to her. I hold out my hand, wanting her to take my hand. She takes my hand and stands up. Looking more clearly at her, she looks so much like Charlie. It explains why I thought she was Charlie when I first saw her.

My eyes start to tear up. “I thought so. You look so much like your mum…Of course, you look like your dad too, but mostly your mum.” She smiles at me. “Could you tell me about them?” She wants to know about them? I hope she’s not mad. I start to cry a little. “I can tell you what I know of your dad. It’s not much though. Your mum, I can tell you stories all day.” I start to laugh. All of the memories I have. They were good ones.

“Maybe we can get back together tomorrow and talk. I’m sure you’d like to rest or maybe even see your dad today? How long of a trip did you take to get here?” The young man with Jaedyn stands up. “I drove us two hours. Sir. We came from London.” I look over at the guy that’s with Jaedyn. “London? Hmm.” I look back at Jaedyn. She has this look about her, like she’s thinking. “Uh, I was wondering…Did my other parents pay you to get me?” I frown. “No dear. I had a scientist help me get you and keep you alive. I wanted you to grow and be born, then grow up into a beautiful young woman. I was talking to myself, but he offered to help.”

I go and sit back into my chair. He sits back down in his chair. “I found out after it all happened that he charged your parents five-hundred thousand pounds to get you.” I look up at Jaedyn and see her facial expression. “What’s wrong dear?” She sighs and sits in the chair. “I think this scientist of yours is trying to get more money from my parents. I overheard my dad yelling at someone this morning. It’s how I found out that they aren’t my real parents.”

I frown. “Dear, just because they did not conceive you, does not make them fake parents. They raised you, you are theirs. As for the other thing, I must say, I am not surprised. I’ll take care of it though.” I sit back in my chair. It gets a little hard to get comfortable sometimes. I reach for the phone that’s on my desk. I pick up the receiver and dial a number I haven’t dialed in a very long time. It rings a few times, then a familiar voice answers. “Captain Jack Harkness.” It’s good to hear his voice again after all of this time. His voice hasn’t changed any. “Hello Jack. It’s been a long time.”