Come Away Oh Human Child [Jack/TW/The Meddler]

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

That song had been circling through her head for weeks now.

Come away Oh human child

The song taught by her mother, the song that had lulled her to sleep when she was just a mere infant, the song her ma had sang to her the night before she died. She was just a mere child back then, she had not understood the meaning of the song back then.

Now she did.

But lately, the last two years it sometimes came paired with a name, a name that brought question to her. A name that she had heard the Goblin's cackle, the Brownies whisper. The Will O'Wisps sigh.

Jack Harkness

Her boots resounded softly on the pristine floor of the Meddler's TARDIS, her eyes slightly aglow. She was up to something. She found Robin in the museum, as per usual, she knew him by now. She grinned as she came up behind him, her hands clasped on her back.

"Say Robin, does the name Jack Harkness mean anything to you?" She asked suddenly, breaking the silence. Sisi always made it a game to creep up on Robin whenever she was in a good mood.

"The name has been on the whispers lately, it keeps reoccurring. 'The man who just won't bloody die' one of the Goblins said. Oh yes, I kept forgetting to mention that, I found them nibbling on the console's wiring last week. Told them if they don't leave at earth next time I'd kick them into the closet so hard they'd end up straight into Narnia.." She said lightly, smiling.

"Who is this Jack Harkness, Robin? Can we pay him a visit? We haven't been civil in weeks." She asked, her smile widening.

[The First Doctor]

"Say Robin, does the name Jack Harkness mean anything to you?" She asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

For a change, the Meddler wasn't performing longhand computations. He was, instead, cleaning the exhibits. "Jack Harkness..." he said, polishing a thrysus carved with Greek and Persian characters. "Jack Harkness..." he repeated.

He replaced the thrysus, and turned to face his Niece. "Yeah, it does," he said. "I knew a Captain John Hart. Human. Time traveler, thief, assassin. Good kisser. He told me about one of his old flames, back when he worked for the Time Patrol - or was it the Time Agency? Something like that. Jack Harkness..."

A shrug. "It might be the same person. Why?"

"The name has been on the whispers lately, it keeps reoccurring. 'The man who just won't bloody die' one of the Goblins said. Oh yes, I kept forgetting to mention that, I found them nibbling on the console's wiring last week. Told them if they don't leave at earth next time I'd kick them into the closet so hard they'd end up straight into Narnia.." She said lightly, smiling.

He nodded. "Yes, that sounds like one of the things John said about Jack Harkness." He frowned. "And we have goblins on board? And they've been nibbling at the console? Did you remind them who I am?" His smile turned nasty for a second, then returned to the distantly pleasant expression he normally wore.

"Who is this Jack Harkness, Robin? Can we pay him a visit? We haven't been civil in weeks." She asked, her smile widening.

"He's..." his voice trailed off. "You know, I don't actually know much about 'the man that doesn't die". We should go visit him.

"Come!" he called striding down the ramp and across the console room, "To the library!"

---

One of the interesting things about a time traveler's library is history books, and they are interesting because they are - from a certain perspective - histories of things that have not actually happened. ("Although," the Meddler said, nose deep in the catalog, "In a broad sense, they have. That was the whole point of the Anchoring, after all, and the Prime Lines haven't snapped yet.") The card catalog was interesting a well, but from a different perspective - it was apparently designed by lunatics who could think four-dimensionally.

Nevertheless, over the course of several hours, the Meddler managed to track down a reference to "Jack Harkness" in Bowman's Big Fun Book of Temporal Anomalies ("The 57th century's answer to Ripley's Believe it or Not"), which talked about a man named Jake Harkness, who was the legendary founder of the Torchwood Archive Society way back in the 22nd century.

That led the two to a large, leather-bound illuminated tome from the 77th Century, titled Ye Nice & Accurate Historie Of Olde Tellus, Being A Faithful & Complete Rendering Of The Past Life Of Ye Homeworlde, And Of The Circumstances That Bringeth Manne To Ye Stars ("It's a better history than you'd think"). The letters were hand-painted.

"Here we go," the Meddler finally announced. "I quote: 'Ye Captain, who be also known to historie as Jacke Harkness, & also Ye Once And Ye Future Director, & also He That Liveth And Yet Never Dieth, is known to have once walked ye soil of olde Tellus. Let those with wisdom knoweth that, in ye First Century Anno Atomicus, it was he who restored the glory of ye Torchwoode Archives, who saved the Children of Men, & who turned back the nightmares of the Miracle Day. It is he who taught all Humans that there is no shame in love and that we must love all, & it is said that even now he walketh among the stars and watcheth his children for the day that he shall be needed, for he sitteth at the right hand of the Evergreen Man."

Something about that final passage made the Meddler laugh, as he repeated "sitteth at the right hand of the Evergreen Man" several times. Finally, sitting the tome on a reading lectern, he began to muse out loud. "Torchwood, Torchwood... where have I heard that name bef- I remember!"

A grin. "When I was acting as scientific adviser for the OEI, they would occasionally discuss rival and allied organizations. One of them was named Torchwood." The grin grew broader. "They operate out of Cardiff, in the early 21st century. You remember Cardiff, right?"

He headed for the door. "Come, Niece! More practice! Take us to Cardiff, in the early 21st century!"

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

"And we have goblins on board? And they've been nibbling at the console? Did you remind them who I am?"

Sisi laughed and leaned back against one of the chairs, watching as he was cleaning the exhibits. Watching Robin do mundane work was.. fascinating sometimes. "I thought I'd leave the honor to you to do that. I could never explain your excellence to them, my dearest." She said with a smile.

It broke to a grin as she followed him to the library.

------------------------------------------------------------

She had nosed in the Meddlers personal library many times before, spending the little hours of the 'night' reading up on history, encyclopedia's, even the occasional alien romance novels. They were hilarious, the more heads to have the more to love right?

"I like big fun books" She said with a chuckle as the volume went by. She placed her finger down on the word Torchwood the moment she saw it. "I thought it was a forest they were muttering about, never thought it to be an institute.." She said with wonder. An institute on alien affairs on earth yet they knew so little of the Tuatha Dé Danann? Interesting..

Sisi listened carfully when Robin cited the book, explaining who this Jack Harkness was.

"Right hand of the evergreen man.." She whispered, almost at the same time as Robin's mocking counterpart. She eyed him "Evergreen man, they don't mean Finvarrah do they? I think the King has other things on his mind.. yet a man that cannot die, I'm afraid what they'd do to him for entertainment."

She straightened up and grinned broadly, matching Robin's own. "Cardiff eh? It's been a while since I've been there, not since I fell through the rift there"

She followed him out of the door, made a sprint to the console room. "To 21st century Cardiff it is!" She called out and went to work around the console the moment she arrived there, the TARDIS roaring into life. She smiled, she loved piloting her and every excuse to do so was a good one.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

And so they arrived, standing close to the harbor on a square of some sorts, on the right of them a large building that looked like a museum but could very well be something entirely else. On the left of them was a mirror surfaced grand pillar. She folded her arms and frowned at the pillar, there was something off here. She could feel it.

"Something weird is going on here and I can't place my finger on it." She muttered softly

[The First Doctor]

"Right hand of the evergreen man.." She whispered, almost at the same time as Robin's mocking counterpart. She eyed him "Evergreen man, they don't mean Finvarrah do they? I think the King has other things on his mind.. yet a man that cannot die, I'm afraid what they'd do to him for entertainment."

"No, not Finvarrah," he said, still laughing. "Evergreen Man is one of the names the Neo-Anglican Papacy had for the Doctor, sort of for the same reasons the Sidhe were called the Good Neighbors. They were terrified of him."

---

And so they arrived, standing close to the harbor on a square of some sorts, on the right of them a large building that looked like a museum but could very well be something entirely else. On the left of them was a mirror surfaced grand pillar. She folded her arms and frowned at the pillar, there was something off here. She could feel it.

"Something weird is going on here and I can't place my finger on it." She muttered softly

The Meddler locked the TARDIS door behind him, and pocketed his key. "I don't really see anything out of the ordinary," he commented. "Roald Dahl Plass looks the same as always. There's the Senedd, there's the Millennium Center, and there's the Oval Basin." He pointed with his cane as he spoke. "Oh, and there's one end of the spacetime rift, and... there's the stone with the crude perception filter on it."

He walked over and poked at the stone with his cane. "Now what would a perception filter be doing on a paving stone?"

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

She followed the line his cane made with her eyes as Robin pointed out various things, she knew something was off, her 'tingly senses' for energy disturbances seemed to be quite a bit more sensetive the Robin's were. She still hadn't told him how she communicated with the TARDIS she mused shortly, oh well she would sooner or later, perhaps show him. She'd love to see his face on that little experience would it ever come.

She followed him to the paving stone, holding out her hand she closed her eyes for a moment before she placed her hands on her hips. "This is where the disturbance I felt originates from. Perception filter you said it is? Perhaps there's something under it.."

She chuckled softly "We'll you're the Time Lord here, surprise me I'd say." she gave him a grin.

[Jack Harkness]

Sharp blue eyes were locked on the appearing machine as it slowly materialized on screen.
Was it even possible? Did that idiot of a Time Lord finally come back to have another adventure?

"Welcome back Doc" he quietly mused before grabbing his coat.
This was going to be brilliant.

It took him about two minutes to get up top and behind the two.
A cheeky/flirty grin on his face as he slipped his hands into the navy blue coat.

"Now what would a perception filter be doing on a paving stone?"
"We'll you're the Time Lord here, surprise me I'd say."

The immortal grinned silently, he knew it the idiot Doctor would come back one day.
It was just so weird to see him change so much. And each time another lady at his side.
"It's there because we don't like people accidentally finding out we're here...also.." he smiled warmly before stepping in and grabbing the lady her hand.
"Captain Jack Harkness, I believe we haven't met before"

The immortal pressed a feathery light kiss to the woman her hand before turning towards the time lord. Not even considering the thought it wasn't the Doctor.

[The First Doctor]

She followed him to the paving stone, holding out her hand she closed her eyes for a moment before she placed her hands on her hips. "This is where the disturbance I felt originates from. Perception filter you said it is? Perhaps there's something under it.."

The Meddler poked the stone with his cane, making a dull clacking sound. "That sounds reasonable," he agreed. Oblivious to the passers-by, he dropped down on all fours and crawled around the stone, peering closely. "Yes," he said carefully, "I'd say there is likely something under here. This stone retracts..."

She chuckled softly "We'll you're the Time Lord here, surprise me I'd say." she gave him a grin.

He stood, brushing dirt and cement dust from his knees. "Not true, Niece," he said reprovingly. "I'm not the only Time Lord here." He paused, and stared at the shifting patterns of the rift above him. "Which reminds me," he added, tapping a foot on the ground, "I really need to manufacture a Schism, one of these days. Sarah Jane wouldn't let me build her one for her Academy, but we'll need one if I'm to train you properly."

"It's there because we don't like people accidentally finding out we're here...also.." a voice said from behind them. The speaker smiled warmly, then stepped in and took Sisi's hand. "Captain Jack Harkness, I believe we haven't met before"

"Well," the Meddler observed drily, "that was easy."

The immortal pressed a feathery light kiss to the woman her hand before turning towards the time lord. Not even considering the thought it wasn't the Doctor.

The Time Lord shook Jack's hand. "A pleasure, sir. I am the Meddler, and this is my Niece, Sisilaya." He gave Jack an odd look. "And you... you are a fixed point. Fascinating. Hang on a second." Without releasing Jack's hand, he dug around in his jacket pockets and produced resembling a cigar clipper made by Apple. "Hold still, I just need to get a few samples..."

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

Sisi held her arms folded as the Meddler crawled around the stone, touching it here and there. She had to rub her eyes a few times because she was having the greatest of trouble actually keeping her eyes on him as he did so.

"I see how that perception filter works.. by Danu. It actually hurts my eyes to keep looking at you" She once again rubbed her eyes, relieved when he stood up and dusted himself off.

"Not true, Niece. I am not the only Time Lord here"

She swallowed, her gaze falling on the ground before them for a moment before she looked back at the stone again, not wanting to meet his eyes. She was going to have to tell him soon how she actually flew that TARDIS, that perhaps she didn't even need the Imprimature to fly it. That perhaps looking into a Schism was something that her mind could not survive.

"It's there because we don't like people accidentally finding out we're here...also.."

Sisi whirled around at the voice, her eyes wide. Startled. She took in the man that stood there, tall, broad, handsome and in 30s military clothing. It made her take a double retake, her green eyes locking onto his. Green eyes that were too bright to be human.

Then her hand was taken, gasping softly as his lips ghosted over the back of her hand. She blinked and finally laughed, the sound merry.

"Well, that was easy" She heard Robin's voice beside her. "Indeed! And here I hoped to surprise you" she answered after him.

She smiled at him, her smile charming, two could play that game. She swatted Robin's hand as he was pulling the man in to take samples. "He's not a guinea pig Robin, we just met him. We don't want him to get the wrong impression of us, do we?"

She turned back to Jack, the hand he had just kissed slipping out of his grasp and softly tracing the line of his jaw.

"I've been waiting to meet you, Jack Harkness" She said with a whisper, her green eyes softly aglow. Definitely not human.

It had been a while since she had used those Sidhe charms and it felt good.

[Jack Harkness]

"A pleasure, sir. I am the Meddler, and this is my Niece, Sisilaya." He gave Jack an odd look. "And you... you are a fixed point. Fascinating. Hang on a second." the time lord said while fishing something from his inner pockets.

Jack raised his brows at the name, had the Doctor finally lost his marbles? He knew perfectly well he was a meddler...the man didn't need to tell him.

Jack glanced at the device before looking back at the beautiful red head. Those bright green eyes stunning and demanding his attention.
"I've been waiting to meet you, Jack Harkness"

It was always nice to know people were waiting to meet him, in a non lethal way of course.
"Well, no more waiting for you" he flashed her one of his toothy/flirty smiles.

"Now, care to tell me why you two wanted to meet me?"
There was time for flirts and time for his serious side.
And right now his serious mind was winning the battle, curious for the sudden visit of the time lord and his companion.

[The First Doctor]

She swatted Robin's hand as he was pulling the man in to take samples. "He's not a guinea pig Robin, we just met him. We don't want him to get the wrong impression of us, do we?"

The Meddler looked irritated, almost like a small child denied candy. "I'm not certain he's getting a wrong impression of me," he countered, "and I'm not looking for a large sample."

Still, he put the iCigar-Clipper thing away.

She turned back to Jack, the hand he had just kissed slipping out of his grasp and softly tracing the line of his jaw.

"I've been waiting to meet you, Jack Harkness" She said with a whisper, her green eyes softly aglow.

"Well, no more waiting for you" he flashed her one of his toothy/flirty smiles.

The Meddler started to speak, then paused and eyed the two - and the look Sisi was giving this Jack fellow. He smiled indulgently. "And it's not even Beltaine," he said with a twinkle in his eye.

"Now, care to tell me why you two wanted to meet me?"

The Meddler shrugged. "I'll let Sisi explain that," he answered, "She's the one hearing the whispers."

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

"Well, no more waiting for you" he flashed her one of his toothy/flirty smiles.

"Now, care to tell me why you two wanted to meet me?"

"And it's not even Beltaine,"

The Meddler shrugged. "I'll let Sisi explain that," he answered, "She's the one hearing the whispers."

Sisi let out a short laugh at Robin's little comment about it not being Beltaine yet, she gave him a sly smile "I need practice don't I?'' she hushed back to him. Silly uncle, she smiled.

Turning her attention back to Jack, her eyes still giving that soft glow she gave him a smile that was tale telling. She started to circle around him slowly, seeming to want to see him from all angles now. "It's true, I've been hearing the whispers about you ever since you helped that young child away to us, chosen one's are very precious and rare these days. The song has been on the wind, combined with your name. They haven't forgotten about you, no you became somewhat of a celebrity in the other world, I just had to see you for myself. They've never placed so much focus on a single human being. They keep referring to you, the song, these days." She said softly

Then she sang, really sang for the first time in years. The energy of her healing flowing through her vocal chords as the song came forth. The sound was clear and beautiful yet strangely otherworldly, it seemed to echo all around them as if they were surrounded by the hills of olde. The sound drove away anger, fear and tension like a wash of warm water.

Away with us he's going
The solemn-eyed
He'll hear no more the lowing
Of the calves on the warm hillside
Or the kettle on the hob
Sing peace into his breast
Or see the brown mice bob
Round and round the oatmeal chest.

For he comes, the human child
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand
For the world's more full of weeping
Than you can understand.

The silence was thick when the sound died away, her softly glowing green eyes were still on the man in front of her.

"It's referring to you now these days, Jack Harkness."

[[ www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA2UnrR0lIU&feature=related Here's the melody to what she's singing, go to 3:03 for that part of the text]]

[Jack Harkness]

Jack silently stared at the fiery red head, she was no human.
He could feel the strange feeling course through his veins as he watched her move around him.

His blue eyes followed her every move. There were songs of him? And this woman was one of those creepy fearies?
She didn't look like one.

Yet the moment she started to sing he froze. The song washing through his body like warm water. As if he was being welcomed.
His mind however was signaling all the warning signs.
Jack clearly remembered the little girl he needed to hand over before.

And he wasn't very keen on handing himself over to anyone or anything.

So when the red head stopped singing his cocky smile returned.
"Well I'm glad I've inspired them to make a song"

[Owen Harper]

“Hey Jack,” Owen said coming up from the cells. “Janet is actin--“ he stopped as he saw Jack’s office was empty. “Jack?” he followed the catwalk, ran up the stairs and moved to Jack’s office. “Jack?” he wasn’t there. He moved to see if he was on the floor.

Going back the main hub area, Owen saw the image of Jack talking with a female and a male near the entrance. What’s about? He was checking the red head she was gorgeous. The man, well, he was a man.

Grabbing his ear piece, he stuck it in his ear, and talked to Jack. “You need back up, Jack? Nod your head it you do and shrug your shoulder for no. I am watching on the CCTV.”

[The First Doctor]

The music of the fae folk wasn't psychic - or, at least, not entirely. Music was nothing more than vibrations, when you came right down to it. And so were matter, and energy - just vibrations of the superstrings. And the music of the fae could alter the frequency and pitch of those vibrations, altering spacetime itself, changing chemicals and modifying electrical impulses.

To the ears of the Meddler, the music had a slightly scratchy note. Like a recording made under slightly less than optimal conditions. But it still held power. Power that he could resist, if he chose. Not that he'd always bothered. Éibhleann would have been able to attest to that.

And now he listened to her daughter sing, and chose not to resist as the song carried him away, bringing back to mind the long years he had spent as Robin Goodfellow, aide and advisor to King Auberon. And his distant, bemused smile grew broad and playful and slightly predatory.

And then the song ended. In the silence that followed, he heard Sisi say "It's referring to you now these days, Jack Harkness."

"Well," Jack answered with a cocky grin, "I'm glad I've inspired them to make a song."

"And well you should be," the Meddler said, lapsing back into the idioms of the Summer Court, "And well you should be, for music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent, and the music of the Lords and Ladies is wisdom true as sunbeams."

He rested his hands on his cane, and cocked his head at Sisi. "Truly may it be said Sisilaya, daughter of Éibhleann, daughter of Derbriu, daughter of Clothru, that you sing with the voice of your mother and of her mother before her. Aye, the three gifts do you possess: a gift of beauty, a gift of voice, and a gift of lore. Now discover to us the meaning of the words sung by the Good Neighbors, so we may know why they sing of Jack the Undying."

(OOC: Yeah, I just made up names for three generations of Sisi's maternal line. I couldn't find a name anywhere for her mother.)

[Sisilaya Vulmecura]

"Well I'm glad I've inspired them to make a song" She heard the man before her say, but before she could reply Robin cut her off.

"And well you should be, for music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent, and the music of the Lords and Ladies is wisdom true as sunbeams." She gazed back at Robin and smiled gently, she still felt the energies run through her, her eyes aglow, the air around her moving just out of sync with the rest and playing with small locks of her hair. It started to become more and more apparent what she really was.

She looked back at Jack.

"My dear uncle is right, they don't just dedicate a song to any human being."

"Truly may it be said Sisilaya, daughter of Eibhleann, daughter of Derbriu, daughter of Clothru, that you sing with the voice of your mother and of her mother before her. Aye, the three gifts do you possess: a gift of beauty, a gift of voice, and a gift of lore. Now discover to us the meaning of the words sung by the Good Neighbors, so we may know why they sing of Jack the Undying."

She took a bit of a pause at Robin's words, his words made her slip more and more into the other side of her being which she often dimmed, the Sidhe side. Looking Jack up and down the way a doe would at seeing a male stag. She raised her chin slightly, proudly.

"They.. we are grateful for what you did for the child, but your reasonings were flawed. We Seelie don't just steal human children to the other world without any good reason. That child you handed over was not a human child. She was one of us."

She took a breath before she continued.

"It sometimes happens a Sidhe spirit, a faery, gets born into a human body. This sometimes happens by accident, it sometimes happens as a type of temporarily exile. The child grows up to be stubborn, wasting away because they can see the other side but are not really any part of it. The first is what was going on with that child, and many you so call 'chosen ones' before her. We have to rectify the mistake and bring the child back to the ever lands, for it would be intense cruelty to keep it out for the rest of it's mortal life. You are celebrated, Jack Harkness, because you aided in bringing one of our own back to us. You aided her in coming home."

She looked back at Robin again, the look in his eyes, the smile on his face remembered her of how she used to knows him as a child. Robin Goodfellow, the Puck who had initiated her through the rituals as an infant, who had aided her in growing up, who had taken her by the hand to cause mischief with him when she fled the safety of her home.

"I've been hearing your name on the songs Jack and I've come out of curiosity and to give you the information on who we are so you are prepared and because I am able to do so. I'm a Sidhe, yes, but only a halfblood. My sire was a.. human," Her gaze turned to Robin for a short moment before turning back to the immortal "and thus I stand with one foot in the other world, and one foot in your world. You thought all faeries are bad, your olde friend believed them to be good. You were both right, for there are two courts, the Light one and the Dark one. The Seelie and the Unseelie. It can be vital for you to realise which one you are dealing with if you come across one again." She finished

"But let us not talk here, will you not let us in?" She eyed the pavement stone with the perception filter.



[[OOC: Holeh crapz long post. And it's fine First, I hadn't come up with them yet because I couldn't find any fitting names, they're perfect! Thanks!]]