TW 2507: Through the Rift...

[Diane Holmes (Retired)]

[Start at 7:39 ^ - or, click the link for the player to do it automatically: www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QpXJgu4uJw&t=7m39s]

---

Diane felt heartsick at leaving Owen, but... She had to do it. She couldn't stay there with him forever - especially not when there was an opportunity to possibly return home, to her own time... or if not her own time, then she could perhaps discover a new world! Who knew what awaited her on the other side of the Rift...?

There had been a bright flash of light - and then everything was dark for a moment while Diane's eyes adjusted to the darkness of the Time Vortex. She didn't know it, but that's where the Rift went - it tossed those who passed through it into the vortex, and then they wound up wherever they popped out.

Before Diane could properly adjust her senses to her new (temporary and temporal) surroundings, there was a loud THUD on the windshield of her plane.

Diane let out a loud scream and pressed herself back into her seat, staring wide-eyed at the shape on the nose of her aircraft. Thankfully, whatever it was hadn't broken through the windshield - it wasn't even cracked.

"What the Hell is that?" Diane wondered aloud inside the otherwise empty cabin.

[Deleted]

For Captain John Hart, landing on the nose of an aircraft already in flight was an entirely new experience for him. Waking up with several knots of air sheering past his body felt better than any drug he had ever taken; and he assumed he could have counted this as death number five. John merely cuddled the nose of the aircraft like a lover, as he struggled to crawl his way to the windshield - hopefully attracting the attention of the pilot.

The mere power of the air around him suddenly thrust his body forward to the windshield causing a resonating THUD, John equally dazed as he found some sort of ledge before him to grip onto. It was quite obvious however that his pelvis was now directly in clear vision of the pilot, and John lowered his head somewhat, and tapped on the windshield.

He'd ended up in worse places, but the fact that he could now live to tell the tale was rather amusing in itself.

[Diane Holmes (Retired)]

There was a man - a man out there, on the nose of her plane! His body had caused the 'thud' she'd heard but a moment ago.

"What?" Diane gasped, feeling quite helpless insofar as helping him inside the aircraft.

She was fairly certain that she wouldn't be able to breathe out there, in the Vortex, though... she didn't know that that's what it was called. It just sort of reminded her of outerspace, so the assumed it must be similar.

Which would mean that the guy who was straddling the nose of the Sky Gypsy ought to be dead.

"How?"

She was quite beside herself.

Deciding that she ought to at least try something, Diane took a deep breath and hollered as loudly as she could so that he might actually hear her from outside, "Hey! Who are you?!?! Are you alright?!?!" as her wide eyes eyed the man with concern from within the relative safety of the cockpit.

[Deleted]

Jack had been waiting for three hours now. Well, really, he supposed it might count as closer to five hundred years if you started when Diane had actually told him about her arrival. But of those five centuries, only three hours had been spent staring blankly at this stretch of ground.

She hadn't given him enough to details to disturb the timeline, which sadly meant he couldn't just pop in right before her plane was due to land. All he knew was the date and the location, and that at some point after landing, Diane had made her way to Torchwood.

Well, the way Jack figured it, why not have Torchwood come to her?

Diane was good at what she did, and he could always use another pair of hands. Admittedly, part of what she did best was fly off never to return, but nevertheless....

Well, at least his wait was over. And from the looks of things, Diane had brought him an unexpected surprise.

"Don't worry about him," Jack called out once he had ran close enough to notice Diane's visible distress. "He's like a weed, that one."

Approaching the Sky Gypsy now that he was fairly certain she was stable, Jack found himself grinning up to the pilot.

"Aren't you going to come out and meet the 26th century, Diane Holmes?"

The rest of the team that had come with him were further back. He wasn't sure if it was out of disbelief or politeness, but it didn't much matter to him.

[Deleted]

It was naturally quite strange how John found himself on the nose of the Sky Gypsy, one minute he was travelling peacefully through the Vortex minding his own business when SLAM. It had appeared out of nowhere, not even his smaller yet-lasts-longer device had picked up the incoming traveller. He'd encountered many a body slam before; but something of this magnitude had literally killed him.

As his senses started to recall his moments prior to this extraordinary meeting, John noticed through the windshield a rather distressed woman yelling at him. Naturally he couldn't really hear her – but he could read lips well enough; and her lips were worthy to be read.

He was feeling well alive now when a familiar voice had addressed him, and John merely snorted as he dragged himself off the aircraft and due to the speed of the aircraft he suddenly found himself flying further behind them as if he were being sucked through the engines themselves. Grunting, John managed to maintain speed using his Vortex Manipulator as he found his legs again and catch up to the aircraft as well as the man whom always had such a bad habit when it came to distractions.

Striding beside Captain Jack Harkness with confidence as John appeared to be now maintaining his speed, he caught up with the 'weed' statement as he grinned broadly. “Really? Well, it appears that I've become immune to your pesticide”. John then titled his head toward the pilot. “So, who's the lucky lady?” A smirk followed. “Haven't had a decent straddling this last week. Ah, Sky Gypsy...” He noted the name of the aircraft. “...a rather fitting name”.

[Diane Holmes (Retired)]

He probably couldn't hear her - they were in a place that made Diane think of outerspace, but she was sure it wasn't. It also reminded her of that odd trip she'd taken that wound her and her passengers up in Cardiff, 2007. Diane smiled, glad to know that she'd been right about that Rift, and that it was taking her somewhere new - and then in a flash, the sky opened up and was once again the familiar blue of Earth. She - and her 'passenger' - had arrived somewhere... somewhen.

John merely snorted as he dragged himself off the aircraft and due to the speed of the aircraft he suddenly found himself flying further behind them as if he were being sucked through the engines themselves. Grunting, John managed to maintain speed using his Vortex Manipulator as he found his legs again and catch up to the aircraft as well as the man whom always had such a bad habit when it came to distractions.

Diane had seen the man in the vintage uniform fly towards the back of the plane, but she couldn't see what had happened to him. Had he fallen off? She couldn't help but worry about that strange man, and she decided she may have to go out and search for him - see if he needed any help. She was partially responsible, after all...

But, before she could stress out too much, Diane had landed the Gypsy. Much to her surprise, she saw a very familiar face approaching: Captain Jack Harkness. She'd just seen him the day before - in 2007, and here he was again.

Maybe the Rift hadn't actually taken her anywhere this time... Maybe she'd been wrong.

"Jack?" Diane called out as she opened up the cockpit and looked around. "I'm glad to see you - say, did you happen to see a man in a red uniform and blonde hair falling from my plane?" she asked, concerned.

"Don't worry about him," Jack called out once he had ran close enough to notice Diane's visible distress. "He's like a weed, that one."

“Really? Well, it appears that I've become immune to your pesticide”. John then titled his head toward the pilot.

There he was - alive and well, or at least, he seemed to be quite alright. Good enough to banter with Jack, anyway. Diane smiled and said, "Glad you made it," she said, addressing John. "That was quite a fall you took out there."

“So, who's the lucky lady?” A smirk followed. “Haven't had a decent straddling this last week. Ah, Sky Gypsy...” He noted the name of the aircraft. “...a rather fitting name”.

"Yes, she's my baby," Diane replied, gently patting the side of the aircraft.

"Aren't you going to come out and meet the 26th century, Diane Holmes?"

Diane nodded. "Of course, Jack," she replied, at first missing what century he'd said - but then it registered as she climbed down to the tarmac to join the two men.

Diane shot John a winning smile and extended her hand to shake. "Hello. I'm Diane Holmes. Pilot. I made a record breaking flight from England to Australia back in 1952... not that that was all that long ago for me - you could say I've become a bit of a Rift-hopper," she informed with a smirk.

Things were certainly getting more and more interesting by the moment.

"Wait, Jack... You said '26th century'?" she asked, shooting Jack at first a bewildered look, and then one of pleasure. The Rift HAD worked, after all. She'd been transported to a new Time, far in the future.

"Haha!" she laughed. "And, I just saw you yesterday - in 2007!" she marveled.

But then... Logic kicked in. "Did you come here through the Rift, too?" she asked, assuming he must have traveled here by some means - she didn't know about his immortality, nor John's. "Is Owen here...?" she asked, trying to peek over Jack's shoulder to see if Owen - or anyone else she'd met in 2007 - was on their way to join them.

[Deleted]

Jack stood his ground, seemingly unruffled and unamused.

"Yes, that's a nice parlor trick you picked up. I wonder if there is anyway to take it back?"

His words were biting, but lacked any real force behind them. Jack had enough centuries now to at least have begun forgiving John, and Diane had more of his attention just now besides.

And if he didn't kow better, he would say Diane was flirting right back with his ex partner. Jack was really going to have to take her aside and let her know the rules when dealing with Captain John Hart.

Fortunately, her mind caught up past the distractions, latching onto the time period she found herself in. Her questions... she hadn't known about his curse before, so of course that would be her assumption, but the enormity of what she did not know yet stung him on her behalf.

"I took a slower path than you, Miss Holmes," he told her calmly. "But none of the team you knew are here."

His eyes met John's then, almost reproachful but also simply tired.

"Five hundred years have passed since you took off in your Sky Gypsy," he continued. "Almost to the day, actually. You're three days early this time."

[Deleted]

“Made it?” Retorted John with a shrug and a brow quirk as he gazed toward Jack in response to Dianne's statement in regard to his well being. “Well; I do have my dear old partner to thank in that regard!” John promptly enforced a quick right arm extension as his arm grabbed Jack around the waist and drew him fairly close to his side and then let go. “Nasty breed we are. Can't trust us. Him especially”, John pointed a thumb in Jack's direction. “I'm the weed? Well. He's the root of the problem”.

Once Dianne's hand was extended John looked at it for a minute. He'd never really encountered a moment where a woman had offered her hand so willingly, and he wasn't sure how to address it. Restraining himself with a whistle John managed to expel his name. “Captain John Hart”. He swallowed, with a nod to Jack as if to say 'Look, I'm behaving myself'.

When Jack finally piped up about John's so called parlor trick John licked his lips and smirked. “Bits of his team in me; including himself. It's all his fault really. At least I would've made a gorgeous corpse with his girlfriend attached to my wrist”. He shrugged, and started to slink his hand around Dianne's waist. “Has he told you about the no kissing rule yet..?”

[Diane Holmes (Retired)]

... [John] shrugged, and started to slink his hand around Dianne's waist. “Has he told you about the no kissing rule yet..?”

Diane let out a sort of nervous giggle - this guy hadn't been too keen on shaking her hand, but he seemed to have no trouble with otherwise sharing personal space.

"The 'no kissing rule'?" Diane asked, glancing at Jack and raising an eyebrow.

Then, it dawned on her: "Wait, Jack... You said '26th century'?" she asked, shooting Jack at first a bewildered look, and then one of pleasure. The Rift HAD worked, after all. She'd been transported to a new Time, far in the future. "Haha!" she laughed. "And, to think I just saw you yesterday - in 2007!" she marveled.

But then... Logic kicked in. "Did you come here through the Rift, too?" she asked, assuming he must have traveled here by some means - she didn't know about his immortality, nor John's. "Is Owen here...?" she asked, trying to peek over Jack's shoulder to see if Owen - or anyone else she'd met in 2007 - was on their way to join them.

"I took a slower path than you, Miss Holmes," [Jack] told [Diane] calmly. "But none of the team you knew are here."

Diane looked puzzled. "So, the rumors are true - you really can't die..." she muttered, remembering having heard that, or read that somewhere back in 2007.

"So, uhh... How long did the 'slower path' take, Jack...?" Diane slowly and carefully asked, hardly able to believe their current topic..

"Five hundred years have passed since you took off in your Sky Gypsy," [Jack] continued. "Almost to the day, actually. You're three days early this time."

Diane's face quickly became pinched and sort of worried-looking while Jack's words sunk in. She felt as if there were a sort of tightening around her chest, but that was just her anxiety - which seemed only natural, considering she just learned that she'd traveled half a millennium into the futute, and everyone she knew, save for Jack, was long dead and gone.

Her face betrayed her shock, and Diane replied, "Oh..." That was really all she could manage to muster at that moment. "Oh, my goodness..." she sort of felt like a babbling idiot, but... intelligent sentences were momentarily out of Diane's reach. "I... I just can't... Wow..." and she gulped and looked at the two men as if looking for guidance.

[Deleted]

"Oh yes", piped up John as Diane asked him about the no kissing rule. "It's rather cute, actually. Jack always gives his friends a set of rules they must abide by. Anyone would think that I'm a criminal or something..."

I'm beginning to like this one, thought John, as he flashed Jack a playful grin.

"You could always go back. I can show you with a few minor adjustments, and perhaps dinner..." He noticed how badly Diane was taking the fact that she had traveled forward in time. "You'll get used to it, anyway. This century isn't so bad, and neither is the company".

( Sorry for shortness, just wanted to post something! )

[Deleted]

((Just a quick appeal guys to not leave me behind. I AM coming, you know. School's just started so I can't do everything all at once. =/ ))

[Deleted]

Ignoring John with the ease of long practice, Jack kept his attention firmly on Diane. She didn't know it now, hadn't realized her potential beyond piloting, but Jack knew that Diane would grow into a capable agent. One that he would have someday trusted, and now was the time to shape that future past.

"Breathe," he told her gently. "And yes, definitely don't kiss John. And always keep him in front of you. But John's not the important part right now. Getting you adjusted here for the rest of your stay is."

Jack was not above giving hints, as long as they didn't cause a hole in the space time continuum.

[Diane Holmes (Retired)]

"You could always go back. I can show you with a few minor adjustments, and perhaps dinner..." He noticed how badly Diane was taking the fact that she had traveled forward in time. "You'll get used to it, anyway. This century isn't so bad, and neither is the company."

Diane gave John a bit of an uncertain smile. She was alright - it's just... 500 years sounded like so much. Her first jaunt through time had only moved her 50 years into her future, and that had been quite an adjustment - but a good adjustment.

"Well, thank God for the company," she said a little breathlessly from all of the excitement, and yet at the same time, relieved.

"Breathe," Jack told her gently. "And yes, definitely don't kiss John. And always keep him in front of you. But John's not the important part right now. Getting you adjusted here for the rest of your stay is."

"The rest of my stay?" Diane asked, turning her focus back to Jack and sort of quirking an eyebrow. But then, she understood - of course, she had plans to fly though that Rift again, someday... but Diane had only just gotten here, and she wasn't in a rush to leave just yet.

"Ohh.... I see..." she thoughtfully replied; howver, Diane didn't think, not even for even a moment, that she would ever return to the time she'd just come from: 2007ish. She didn't dare dream that she'd ever find Owen again...

Besides, the company here did seem to be rather amazing. Diane just hoped that the rest of the new Torchwood would prove to be just as excellent.

[Deleted]

"Right", added John, taking a whiff of Jack's comment with a snort. "In front, as always. You do like to watch my butt after all. Hence the reason why that rule was made".

He took a few long strides so he was as ordered in front of the pair, and it was lucky that he had a fair idea of where to go. He turned around and waited for the pair to catch up to him.

It wasn't that John was in a hurry to get to the Hub, well - perhaps he was, as he wanted to find out as much as he could in regards to Jack's friend; and what a nice looking friend she was indeed. Perhaps... too nice. Nothing like that Welsh girl anyway.

"Right, so do you think we could perhaps move this reunion inside? I would offer a round of drinks but I hear Jack doesn't bode too well when it comes to blood money..." He ended his statement with a cheeky grin.

[Deleted]

Once again choosing not to dignify John’s words with a reaction, Jack was as solicitous as ever to Diane. He knew how it felt to be trapped out of your time. He wasn’t entirely sure why Diane had left them at the end of 2007, if she was just a restless spirit or if she just wanted so badly to get home.

Whatever the case may have been, Jack would look out for her.

"Right, so do you think we could perhaps move this reunion inside? I would offer a round of drinks but I hear Jack doesn't bode too well when it comes to blood money..."

“Let’s go meet the rest of the team, shall we?” He smiled to Diane before eying John and adding, “Try to behave.”