\u201cFlash, bam, alakazam,\u201d muttered Jack under his breath.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d asked Castiel, looking at the reading on his pad.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an orange colored sky,\u201d said Jack, gesturing upward. \u201cNat King Cole?\u201d<\/p>\n
Castiel shook his head, hiding his amusement. The pad pinged at them. \u201cThis way, Jack.\u201d<\/p>\n
Falling into step beside Castiel, they crossed the rocky gray ground. \u201cGallifrey has a similar sky,\u201d said Castiel.<\/p>\n
Jack raised an eyebrow. \u201cYou\u2019ve been there?\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Castiel gave a non-committed shrug. \u201cAngels and Time Lords don\u2019t get on the best.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d imagine not. You both have a tendency to believe you\u2019re right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Castiel looked at him. \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t know anything about that, would you?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jack shook his head. \u201cWe\u2019re here to investigate a strange signal, not argue over who\u2019s more stubborn.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShould be just over this ridge,\u201d said Castiel. <\/p>\n
Jack took a few steps ahead. \u201cWell.\u201d<\/p>\n
Castiel joined him and stared down at the sight. It appeared to be a fir tree. All alone among the rocks. And it was glowing, not on it\u2019s own, but covered in Christmas lights, as if someone had decorated it and then abandoned it. There was a slight hum of power from whatever was keeping the lights on.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, that would certainly be the reason for the odd signature. I wonder if someone is trying to get attention.\u201d Jack walked down towards it. Castiel hung back, a bit wary. <\/p>\n
Jack got closer to the tree and spotted something underneath the branches. \u201cCastiel,\u201d he breathed.<\/p>\n
Cas came up behind him and stared at the infant tucked under the tree, sleeping in some kind of stasis field. \u201cShe\u2019s Gallifreyan, Jack.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRefugee from the Time War, maybe?\u201d asked Jack, ducking under the tree and reaching for baby. As soon as he crossed under the tree, the power vanished. The baby gave a little noise and woke, staring up at Jack. \u201cHey, it\u2019s okay sweetheart,\u201d Jack picked her up and cradled her, sheltering her in his coat.<\/p>\n
Castiel crouched and picked up something that had slipped from her blanket. It project a message in circular Gallifreyan. \u201cShe is a refugee from the Time War. She\u2019s been here a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat explains why it took a bit to decipher the signal, they wanted to be sure it was someone that would take her.\u201d Jack looked down at her and gave a little smile. \u201cCan we take her back to Gallifrey?\u201d<\/p>\n
Castiel shook his head. \u201cI know of a small colony of Gallifreyans, mostly hidden. She\u2019d be safe there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAll right. Somebody must have been pretty desperate.\u201d Jack cooed at the infant and carried her towards the ship.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was the time war. The fabric of the universe was being torn apart. That does tend to cause some anxiety,\u201d said Castiel.<\/p>\n
Jack inclined his head. A dust storm was starting to kick up and he orange sky above them swirled threateningly. He tucked the baby a little deeper into his coat, giving her a finger to suck. \u201cHow far away is this colony?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot too far. I\u2019ll put the coordinates in the ship\u2019s computer.\u201d Castiel kept pace by his side, and Jack knew he was sheltering them with his wings.<\/p>\n
\u201cI suppose against ultimate destruction, even Time Lords and Angels can get along,\u201d said Jack as they finally neared the ship.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot every Gallifreyan is a Time Lord or Lady,\u201d Castiel reminded him. He went in first and straight to the ship\u2019s computer, putting in some sort of complicated code Jack could barely follow. Well, he trusted that Castiel knew where he was going. Meantime, best to see about the infant.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid she have a name?\u201d Jack asked.<\/p>\n
Castiel shook his head. \u201cNot on the note, no. I can hold her during take off.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jack passed her to Castiel, feeling oddly reluctant to let her go. But no point in getting attached, she\u2019d be much better off with her own people. He guided the ship up, getting it free of the atmosphere just before the storm.<\/p>\n
Castiel rocked the baby gently as she fell back asleep.<\/p>\n
\u201cCas?\u201d asked Jack, as the ship took over.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou want to keep her,\u201d said Castiel, going over to the ship\u2019s computer to try and coax into making something approximating the correct formula for a Gallifreyan baby.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, not everyone could have figured out the signal. Besides, I haven\u2019t raised a kid in a while.\u201d<\/p>\n
Castiel sighed and went back to him, kissing him gently. \u201cPerhaps we can stay on this colony for some time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jack wrapped his arms around his waist and kissed him gently. \u201cThanks.\u201d<\/p>\n