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Owen wheeled his chair over to join Tosh at her work station along with her new puppy, Jimmy.
‘Right you lot, I do believe there is a pub missing us.’
Jimmy stared up at Tosh. ‘You fancy a drink Toshiko?’
About to say no she decided that actually, she did.
‘Why not. It was just going to be me, a glass of something and a book tonight anyway. Should we ask the others?’
Three sets of eyes looked up to see Jack having a whispered conversation on the gantry with his second in command, archivist and all round coffee god, Ianto Jones. They each shook their head.
‘No, and no point asking Saint Cooper, she’s been banging on about her anniversary for days now.’ Owen shook his head. ‘If I hear one more thing about how brilliant her relationship is I’ll dance with Janet.’
‘Should we invite her anyway.’ Tosh suggested, ever the peacemaker like the typical middle child she’d been back when it was Suzie, her and Owen on Jack’s team. ‘After all, she’s going to say no.’
Owen grinned. ‘You are right evil sometimes Doctor Sato.’
Surreptitiously watching the three of them Jack smiled. With his fifty first century hearing he heard every word and the pretty colour flushing Tosh’s cheeks at Owen’s compliment suited her.
Ianto tilted his head in silent question as Jack stood there with a beautific smile giving him a radiant countenance. Something no good could come of, in Ianto’s experience.
Leaning over the railing Jack called down to his team. ‘Right kids, bugger off and try not to get too drunk. Never know what tomorrow will bring.’ He waved his hands to shoo them away.
Tosh smiled up at him. ‘We’re grabbing a drink if you wanted to come.’
Jack shook his head. ‘Drinking leads to Karaoke Toshiko.’ Grinning as her colour deepened and Owen blanched. ‘No, you kids have fun, you’ll just have to make do without me.’
‘Ianto?’ She asked next.
‘I have plans sorry, but maybe we should pencil something in for another night, no karaoke yeah.’
‘I’d like that.’ She looked over to Gwen. ‘What about you?’
Gwen waved a hand at the other woman. ‘I’ve got Rhys, it’s our anniversary you know. He always likes to make such a fuss. Dead annoying really.’
Jack watched Gwen leave followed by the three trooping off to the pub. Leaning into his warmth Ianto sighed softly.
‘I wonder if that triangle will end well.’
‘Jimmy still crushing on Tosh?’
‘Yeap.’ Ianto popped the p. ‘But I think Doctor Harper may have developed a bit of a clue.’
‘Something to watch you think.’
‘I do.’ He turned into Jack. ‘Come on, I promised to take you up on my broom didn’t I.’
‘Remind me again that wasn’t a euphemism for sex.’
Ianto laughed.
‘But seriously, how does that even work?’
‘Between the two of us we are still well within the weight limit for my broom, you will have to hold on tight mind. They aren’t generally used for passengers.’
‘Yeah that would be the bit I’m not sure about.’
‘I could see if I can get my hands on a flying motorbike if that would make you feel safer.’
‘Strangely no. I will try the broom thing. But are you sure I can’t fly it myself?’
Ianto grinned, wondering if this was in fact the heart of Jack’s reticence towards the idea of being flown on a wizards broom. ‘Brooms are be-spelled to make them fly so it could work, depending on the magic itself. My wand definitely wont work for you but the broom.’ He shrugged. ‘I’ve never let a muggle try before so I have no idea.’
‘This whole mumble, sorry, muggle thing, it’s a bit wearing some days.’
‘The Magical Statue of Secrecy is absolute. I have a duty to ensure the protection magic and the Wizarding world in general. Especially given my obligation to the Ministry. I do think however that it does all contribute to some of the xenophobic ideas within the wizarding community.’
‘That is one part of human nature that never seems to change.’
‘Come on, we’ll pop back to mine and grab the broom. I asked Barnabus to pack a picnic and I have a spot in the Brecon Beacons National Park in mind.’
‘It’s not too lose to Brynbland I hope.’
‘Not at all. And you’ll want your coat.’
A pop and the smell of cordite lingered in the now empty Hub. Or the almost empty Hub as a voice called out.
‘Jack? You still here?’ Shrugging Gwen was sure she had heard voices while popping back to grab her jacket. ‘I must have missed him.’ She muttered to herself before heading back though the cog door.
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Jack and Ianto apperated into the Welshman’s library and moved though the quaint wizard home, heading for the kitchen. Jack immediately gravitating to the black and white cat purring loudly in greeting as he stroked the soft fur.
‘He seems really content here.’
Ianto shrugged. ‘That’s more down to the house and Barnabus than me, and you visiting him I suspect.’
‘You like him, admit it. But.’ Jack scrutinized the immaculately dressed younger man in his ever present three piece suit. ‘I don’t think I have ever seen any cat hair on you.’
Ianto laughed. ‘You think I’m the only wizard with an OCD streak? There are easily a dozen spells to repel cat hair, if not more.’
‘Does that extend to other things?’ He watched as Ianto gave him half a smile.
‘I’m a wizard Jack. What do you think.’
‘Would explain why my coat stays so well maintained.’
‘Maybe I have a really good dry cleaner.’
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A more casually dressed Ianto stepped into a secluded clearing well off the regular hiking paths deep in the National Park. For added security Ianto moved quickly around the clearing casting anti muggle spells leaving Jack to open the satchel they had brought with them.
Jack considered something that for him and all his time spent travelling with a time lord was perfectly natural as what looked like an ordinary satchel actually contained a picnic basket, blanket and Ianto’s broom. He watched as the wizard tucked his wand away, still determined to find it’s hiding place.
‘You hungry or would you like to try flying first.’
Peeking into the basket Ianto’s house elf had packed Jack grinned. ‘Broom first. Do I want to know what you were just doing?’
‘Setting a standard perimeter to keep muggles away and stop us being seen.’
‘Would it work if I left the clearing?’
‘Yeap. I’d be invisible and you would suddenly remember you were supposed to be somewhere else.’
‘We don’t want that.’ He got a gleam in his eyes. ‘And we are invisible?’
Ianto laughed. ‘To muggles, not the magical community, and bugs can still bite us.’
‘That is a shame.’ Popping a grape into his mouth, eyes dancing.
Ianto laughed. ‘Come on then.’ He held a hand over the broom.
Jack’s eyes grew wide as the broom shot straight into the younger man’s outstretched hand with a resounding thack.
‘If you sit behind me that should work.’
‘And you’ve never had a passenger before?’
‘I have a seven year old nephew and a four year old niece, what do you think.’
He laughed. ‘Oh your sister must hate that.’
Ianto shrugged. ‘Kids love it, but they usually sit in front of me.’
He was glad he’d picked a secluded location to take Jack flying as he suspected no amount of magic was capable of disguising Jack’s whoop of excitement as they rose into the air.
In Cardiff Gwen threw her phone on the coffee table, Rhys and his apology cut off. It wasn’t her fault she usually worked odd hours. Not only was she actually home at a normal time, but it was their anniversary. One he was apparently spending drinking with his mates rather than lavishing her with candle light and romance. It wasn’t fair. Well two could play at that game. Purse in hand she swept out into Cardiff and headed for the nearest bar.
She was well into her third glass of wine when a petite blonde slid into the booth opposite her, glass of wine in each hand and a relieved look on her face.
‘Before you say anything, I needed rescuing from that twat who was not taking no for an answer. It never ends well and if I punch him in the throat I’m the one barred. Be the third place this month which is a new personal best for me. You don’t mind do you?’ She smiled. ‘Next drinks on me.’
Gwen swigged back her glass and nodded. ‘Sure, it’s more than my idiot boyfriend could manage.’
‘Anniversary is it?’
‘Not that you’d notice. I’m Gwen -.’
‘Cooper, yeah, I sort of know.’
Reaching for a gun she wasn’t carrying Gwen froze.
‘It’s okay, I’m a bit of a fan actually. I mean, there’s stuff on the internet, if you know where to look. You have got quite the following in the online communities.’
Gwen hesitated as she reached for the fresh glass of wine she was being offered. ‘Meaning?’
‘Just that you’re very popular we are all sort of, collectors, most of the others are IT geeks who live with their mothers. But we all share an adoration for all things Torchwood.’ She leaned in and whispered. ‘One of them actually bragged about having an alien eye.’ She laughed as she leaned back. ‘Everyone wants to find something they can bring to Torchwood, mostly to meet you.’
‘Me?’
‘Oh yeah. I’m currently living every fanboy dream there is.’ She blushed, her smile coy. ‘And one or two of the girls. I’m Mary.’ She watched the woman brighten under the flattery and praise. She’d been hoping to have Toshiko to work on but as luck would have it she ended up with the ego known as Gwen. Necessitating a stream of pandering she could only hope to maintain.
‘What I don’t understand.’ Mary continued. ‘Is how the Cardiff Police let you slip away to Torchwood. Although it is to our gain, I feel safer knowing someone so capable is working on my behalf against. ‘ She lowered her voice. ‘Aliens.’
‘It wasn’t easy but once you know how amazing it is, the police couldn’t hold me, you know.’
‘It must be totally brilliant doing what you do.’ She reached out, her hand a light touch on Gwen’s arm. ‘I envy you.’
‘It’s not always glamorous. Today we were on a dusty building site with an old skeleton.’
‘That doesn’t creep you out?’
Gwen scoffed. ‘After some of the things I’ve seen it was nothing.’
‘I just find it so amazing and you, so brave knowing what’s out there and not running away from it. Facing it all and looking so amazing doing it.’
‘I’m just doing my job.’
In another bar Tosh laughed. ‘You two are terrible.’
‘Oh come on Tosh.’ Owen leaned over and grabbed a packet of crisps from Jimmy. ‘Are you really telling me you don’t stalk Jack and the tea boy with the CCTV?’
She blushed. ‘Doesn’t mean I want an invite.’
He turned to Jimmy. ‘What about you young Jim?’
‘Oh hell no, and I told Ianto that.’
‘He never asked.’
Jimmy scoffed. ‘Course not, not about that. Just about the gay thing, if I was okay with it.’
‘They aren’t gay.’ Tosh reached for the pork scratchings. ‘Jack will shag anyone gorgeous enough.’
Owen grinned. ‘Even I can admit tea boy is fit.’ He dodged the pork scratching Tosh tossed at him. ‘Don’t waste them.’
‘I’m just glad Ianto’s happy.’ She smiled softly. ‘He told me he had someone in London but she died, at Canary Wharf.’
Owen straightened up. ‘Didn’t know that.’ Thinking back to the day they’d flown to London to help clean up after the fall of Torchwood One. ‘Sometimes I forget he’s one of what, two dozen survivors.’
‘Yes. And I shouldn’t have said anything.’
‘Secrets safe with us.’ Jimmy added. ‘Given everything else what’s one more.’ He shrugged and finished his pint. ‘And since I got the last round in, by my reckoning it must be yours, doctor boy.’
‘Yeah all right, same again ladies?’
‘I shouldn’t.’ Tosh demurred. ‘But I will.’
‘That’s the spirit love.’ He grabbed the empty pint glasses and headed for the bar while Tosh finished her glass of wine.
She smiled at Jimmy. ‘This was a nice idea.’
‘Not that I’ve had any job this long before, but I always thought this was just what people did after work, like on the telly.’
‘I guess that would be the thing for normal people to do.’
‘Yeah, but as weird as this all is, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.’ He said with a smile.
Owen found them giggling when he returned to the table and set their drinks down. ‘Steady on you lot or they’ll cut us off.’
‘We’d have to go back to yours or mine if that happened.’ Tosh smiled. ‘You still have those hangover pills right?’
Owen gave her a smug smile. ‘Of course oh light of my life, it is a school night after all.’
‘Then we should do this properly.’ She raised her glass and waited for the others to join her toast. ‘To getting shit faced.’
‘Cheers.’
‘I’ll drink to that.’
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Dark glasses and wishful thinking led Gwen straight to Owen’s desk. ‘Please tell me you still have your magic hangover pills.’
‘And good morning to you.’
‘Oh shove it, I had a few too many glasses of wine didn’t I.’
‘Looks like it, however I’m fresh out. I’ve got a batch on the go so if you are still feeling like cold cheese on toast I might be able to fix you up after lunch. Probably.’
Gwen realised her glare would have achieved greater results if she, a, took the sunglasses off, and b, didn’t have to squint. She did take the bottle of aspirin he handed her and stomped quietly back to her desk. Head in her hands she didn’t even look up as a black coffee and a bottle of water appeared next to her.
Gwen finished the coffee and downed the water along with a handful of painkillers and waited until she began to feel mostly human. At which point she remembered the strange necklace she’d been given, pulling it out she tried to remember what Molly had told her about it. Or was it Mary. Putting it on she admired how nicely it rested between her breasts and decided to see if it really did let her read the minds of people around her. Her headache was receding and with only four team mates in the Hub she decided now was as good a time as any to give it a go.
Looking around she saw Owen staring at his skeleton and wondered what Tosh was thinking as she walked in. Never mind what she was wearing, jeans and boots, that was such a no it was almost funny. She resolved to take Tosh shopping and get her some proper clothes, that would be a nice team building sort of thing to do. Looking around for the other two she saw Jack in his office and the new kid, Johnny washing dishes. Pendent in place she braced herself for the onslaught of their inner thoughts. According to Mary it wasn’t like reading a diary, you got all sorts of thoughts, some the person wasn’t even aware of thinking so she figured this could be interesting.
It wasn’t. Owen was obsessing about the hole in the chest of the skeleton and she was never going to understand the numbers rolling though Tosh’s thoughts. John was humming some annoying song inside his head and Jack must have been too far away for her to pick anything up. She wasn’t feeling like this made anything very level and was so deep in her disappointment she didn’t hear Tosh at first.
‘Oh, sorry pet, what was that?’
‘I complimented you on your necklace, it’s quite lovely. Did Rhys give it to you?’
‘Oh, um, yes. Anniversary gift.’
She heard Owen snort to himself and his thoughts followed.
“Bloody women and their stupid anniversaries. Bet it was something daft like the first time they brought bog roll together.”
She tried not to frown, that caused wrinkles and even though she could afford botox on her wages, getting the time to get something like that done was the tricky part. Tosh’s thoughts made her smile as she heard the envy of her solid relationship in the Japanese woman’s head. So far this necklace wasn’t too bad.
Heavy thoughts began seeping into the gaps, stroking her ego about how pretty she was and how silky her long glossy black hair must be to touch. Turning she expected to see Jack but found Johnny mooning over Tosh. It didn’t take much effort to nudge her coffee cup and send it diving to the ground. It did surprise her to see it seem to slow down and land safely, rather than smash on the cold stone floor. It must have been time to take more painkillers.
Ianto appeared and retrieved the cup. She’d forgotten about him.
‘More coffee Gwen?’
‘Oh, if you’re offering pet.’ Staring after him she barely got anything and wondered if the necklace was broken or if he just didn’t actually think about much. Which she concluded was probably the case, after all, how exciting could it be, being the tea boy, even at Torchwood.
She focused her attention on him as he set a fresh coffee on her desk.
‘Did you need something else Gwen?’
‘Oh no.’ Still nothing more than a faint buzz as she played with the necklace. Maybe it was her hangover stopping her from reading anything more.
‘Nice pendent, new is it?’
She brightened. ‘Yes, it was given to me last night.’ There was something there she concentrated but was unable to latch onto anything.
‘Are you feeling alright?’
‘I’m fine Ianto, just a bit peaky, it was a late night.’ She caught a glimpse of something on the monitor that allowed them to keep an eye on the CCTV footage of the Plass. ‘You know what, I might pop out for some fresh air.’ She grabbed her jacket and left.
Ianto watched her head out, proximity alarms blaring as the cog door rolled back. He made his way to his desk to look something up, a question for Jack forming on his lips and in his mind.
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Gwen, having seen Mary on the screen headed across the Plass to where the petite blonde was lounging on a bench swinging her feet. Ever present cigarette in hand.
‘Hello Gwen.’
‘Of course you know where I work.’
Mary laughed, keeping her disdain deeply hidden. ‘Ask anyone where Torchwood is and they point here.’
‘I guess.’
‘You have questions don’t you.’
‘Well, yes. Is there anyone this wont work on?’ Holding the pendent.
Mary shrugged. ‘Some people have stronger psychic barriers or their secrets are so big they’ve developed the ability to shield them. Who doesn’t it work on.’
‘My boss and the butler guy.’
‘Ah, the impeccable Ianto Jones.’ She smiled a coquettish smile pulling on her bodies remembered life as a whore to tease the scowling woman. ‘His ability to dress well is matched only by the secrets he holds. Of course you can’t tell me what you know, I know how it is.’ She leaned forward. ‘You know Jack’s secrets so of course you know everyone else’s.’
‘Well, yeah.’
‘Anyway, I should get going.’ She rose to her feet, hand on Gwen’s arm with fluttered eyelashes of her own. ‘Will I see you later than?’
‘I suppose.’
Mary smiled as Gwen walked away, she didn’t need a pendent to know she’d given the woman more than enough to think about. Rolling her eyes as the woman reached the tourist office and vanished beneath the streets of Cardiff. Toshiko Sato would have been so much easier. She just hopped she’d given enough of a prod to get her ride home before Torchwood destroyed her chance by dismantling her transporter or locking it away in their vaults.
Gwen thought about what Mary said, about Ianto having secrets. She liked secrets as much as the next person when she knew what they were. It was the idea someone might be keeping something from her that she didn’t like. And Jack gave him far too much credit, making him second in command over her. He was the butler, not a field agent. A glorified secretary fetching things and making coffee. What did he know about running a secret organisation like Torchwood. And he clearly wasn’t any good at his job if he had to hire someone to help him. That was something she’d be changing once she got her chance. Now it was time to see if she could get this necklace to work on Jack. Maybe she’d suggest they do some weapons training, just the two of them. Only this time she wasn’t going to play hard to get.
She found Jack tinkering with his giant stapler from the construction site. At least he was alone. Tucking her hair behind her ears she waited for him to notice her. Concentrating on picking up his thoughts her fingertips subconsciously stroking the pendent between her breasts. There was a faint hint of words but they weren’t English and as she tried to push them they vanished.
Jack’s head snapped up, his cool blue eyes finally noticing her.
‘Gwen?’
‘I ah, was wondering how your alien stapler was going.’
He shrugged. ‘It’s going.’
She leaned forward. ‘And do you know what it is?’
‘Oh I’ve got an idea or two.’
‘It’s not really a stapler though, is it.’
Jack chuckled. ‘What do you want Gwen? Paperwork all up to date is it?’
She shook her head and laughed. ‘I was thinking we could work on my firearms, Jack. Just you. And me. In the shooting range.’
‘Can’t.’ He reached across the table for a screwdriver.
‘Why not?’
‘Ianto’s running Jimmy though basic weapons handling. Don’t know why he wouldn’t let me do it.’ He pouted. ‘There’s nothing wrong with how I handle a weapon, Ianto knows that. Anyway, you should get back to your paperwork or Ianto’ll be on your case.’ He put the screwdriver down. ‘Come to think of it, he left some on my desk I should probably look at.’ Standing up he shoved his hands in his pockets and started whistling. Giving her a grin he headed to his office.
Ianto had worked out a thoroughly devious way, in Jack’s opinion, to encourage him to complete his paperwork by putting random post it notes into the daily pile. Not just any old ordinary post it notes though, these ones had a spell on them. Mostly so if anyone else picked them up or more accurately, he tried to cheat and skip to the end, they were mundane paperwork related rubbish. However, as he worked though the pile and reached each one in turn they revealed his rewards for finishing the paperwork. And it worked, speeding the paperwork up significantly and he enjoyed not getting as many phone calls from Unit or the Queen’s private secretary asking for paperwork. Of course, it was Ianto’s rewards he enjoyed even more.
In the back of Jack’s mind was the knowledge someone, probably Gwen, had tried to read his mind. Not an ability he believed she had. The first post it note however left him with very different thoughts to consider instead. So he did. Until he decided it was time to find Ianto and cash in one or two of his rewards.
Gwen wanted to hit something. Paperwork set her teeth on edge. She was a woman of action not paperwork and what was the point of being above the government if they had to fill in reams of bloody paperwork. The conversation she’d had with her former sergeant hadn’t put her in a better mood leaving her wondering how hard it might be to get a weevil into his bathroom. Looking into Ianto’s background rather than her paperwork left her glaring at an uncooperative computer screen. What was the point in having access to all these databases if she couldn’t find anything on one person. Not having access to the Torchwood One server wasn’t helping. She hadn’t deleted anything on purpose, it had been an accident. The way Ianto Jones had reacted you would have think she’d poured acid on him or run his dog over.
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Deep in the archives Ianto turned to Jack. ‘Any idea what she’s doing because that is not what she is supposed to be working on.’
‘Other than a background on you and trying to read our minds?’ He shrugged. ‘Not a clue. And should I be asking why you have a key stroke logger on her computer.’
‘I don’t like to think of myself as paranoid but we are watching her conducting an extensive database search on me.’ His smile was cold. ‘Although, I prefer to think of it as self preservation, paranoid sounds so, tacky.’
Leaning against the desk Jack rubbed a hand over his face. ‘And she thought she was my second.’
Ianto snorted. ‘She thought I was the bloody butler and Jimmy’s name was Johnny.’
‘Have you been reading her mind?’
He shrugged with a smile. ‘Just returning the favour. I think it’s the necklace myself, it has to be. The woman hasn’t a psychic bone in her body and no magical ability what so ever.’
‘You checked of course, didn’t you.’
‘Of course I checked. I also found those files you asked for.’ Handing Jack a folder he pulled a digital file up. ‘We don’t have more than a mention really.’
‘I knew it was a transporter.’
‘Yes Sir, your reward will follow shortly. It is of course, a hell of a coincidence that we find this and suddenly Gwen’s psychic.’
‘Yeah, I get nervous when someone starts acting out of character, did I ever tell you about Vincent?’
‘Is she though, acting out of character.’
‘Other than the mind reading?’
‘Other than that, obviously.’ Ianto conceded.
‘It’s no coincidence, and I’ll bet dinner and a movie someone out there wants to go home.’
‘Dinner and a movie Sir?’ Ianto raised an eyebrow. ‘Is that you asking me out, on a date?’
‘We can’t all go flying brooms Ianto, but yes.’
‘So the question becomes, who is trying to go home.’
‘Not what I thought you were going to ask, and how do we find out without tipping Gwen off.’
Ianto rolled his eyes and opened a new search tab.
‘What, no masterful wand waving?’
‘If you behave at dinner I might let you wave my wand.’
Jack hmmed in response as CCTV footage of Gwen began filling the screen. ‘Don’t forget, she went outside before lunch.’
Ianto added more search parameters and began to watch images stacking into neat tiles.
Jack grew exciting pointing at the screen. ‘There, on that seat, she headed straight for her.’
Searching the footage Ianto tried to find a clear image for the facial recognition software. ‘She’s bloody good at avoiding the cameras.’
‘Or it’s a perception filter, no one’s that good at avoiding the thousands of CCTV cameras spread across Cardiff.’
‘Unless she’s magical.’
Jack shook his head. ‘I hardly think so unless you count being an alien. I just don’t remember enough to tell you what she is. I’d throw in popcorn if I knew that.’
‘You mean I’m buying my own popcorn?’
Jack shrugged. ‘We could expense it.’
Ianto snorted. ‘I’ll let you explain that to Her Majesty next time she checks the books.’
Jack suppressed a shudder. ‘On second thoughts, maybe not.’ The Queen just looked like someone’s sweet little grandmother, but she gave new meaning to the old adage of an iron fist in a velvet glove.
‘Wise decision Sir.’ Ianto had a great deal of respect for the woman and continued to scan the CCTV footage.
Jack frowned. ‘Bring that one back.’
‘The construction site?’
‘Yeah, but go back further. Our blonde must have been watching for a while, maybe we’ll catch her before the magic filter kicked in.’
Ianto scanned the data and pulled a number of stills together, each one only a partial shot of the woman’s face.
‘Can’t you make a composite of the bits we do have, to you know, get the face.’
‘This isn’t CSI Cardiff Jack, I can’t Hollywood something together like that.’
‘Well I don’t know.’
Ianto gave him a soft smile instead of rolling his eyes. ‘It does tell us one thing.’
‘Yes?’
‘Blondie has been hanging out around that work site for a while but she stopped once we showed up.’
‘And removed her golden ticket home.’
‘Exactly. So what next? Do we let her take it or go for a more traditional Torchwood approach.’
‘Depends on how harmless she is. What I remember of the culture the stapler is from, they were mostly poets and philosophers, I think.’
Ianto was about to say something when Owen’s voice sounded over Jack’s comms.
‘Jack can you come to autopsy, I think I found something.’
Jack turned to Ianto and snapped his fingers. ‘Darn, not how I planned to spend the next twenty minutes.’
‘Only twenty?’ Ianto locked his computer and began walking away, almost talking to himself. ‘First I have to buy my own popcorn now I’m only worth twenty minutes. Who said romance was dead in Cardiff.’
‘In my defense.’ Jack called out as he hurried to catch the departing Welshman. ‘I did suggest we expense the popcorn.’
They found Owen sighing and Gwen hummed from the viewing platform above the autopsy area.
‘Can I shoot her, the humming is really getting on my tits.’
‘Come on kids, you know how I feel about corporal punishment.’
Owen snorted. ‘No but I bet tea boy does.’ He gulped at the shared look on Jack and Ianto’s faces. ‘Anyway I wanted to tell you what I’ve found.’ He pulled the file up on his computer screen. ‘Turns out she’s a he. A very girly man.’ He looked pointedly at a giggling Gwen. ‘And he died from unidentified chest trauma.’
‘So no gunshot then.’ Jack stated.
‘Ah no.’ Owen admitted. ‘My initial findings out in the field where wrong.’
‘This couldn’t have been noted in your report.’ Jack pointed out.
‘Well, yeah, it could have but other than the tea boy does anyone read them? Anyway, I did some digging and this type of injury has happened more recently too.’ He moved back to the keyboard and typed “Operation Lowry” into Mainframe’s search engine. ‘It was something Tosh said actually. She was totally wrong but it got me thinking.’
Tosh nodded. ‘I thought it was a bit like that movie with Sigourney Weaver and those alien creatures that burst out of people’s chests.’
‘Yeah, we need to review your movie choices. But this file lists victim after victim, going back one a year although the records get a bit sketchy if you go back further than the seventies. Each reads “cause of death, hole punched though the rib cage, heart gone”. I wouldn’t be surprised if our John Doe here was the first victim.’ Owen turned back to his audience. ‘It’s dead creepy you ask me.’
‘Hmm.’ Jack considered Owen’s findings. ‘So something either came though the rift or via the giant stapler. 190 something years ago and it’s snack of choice seems to be human hearts.’
‘The stapler was buried 196 years and eleven or so months ago.’ Tosh pointed out.
‘Thank you Tosh.’
‘Like I said.’ Owen muttered. ‘Dead creepy.’
Jack looked at Ianto and nodded. ‘I guess that answers that question then.’
‘Yes Sir, I rather think it does.’
Tosh pushed her glasses back. ‘Do we know what we’re looking for?’
Jack considered how to answer her question. He could come right out and say yes and tell Gwen to bring her new friend in. He played it out in his head and decided he didn’t want to deal with the woman shrieking about how he’d known and being all defensive anyway. So he went with plan B and decided to drop enough crumbs and hope she figured it out on her own. Truth be told, stubborn Welsh pride was one of the main reasons he had hired so many of his team from England.
‘Has anyone been approached since the building site? Someone who knew just a little too much about Torchwood perhaps.’ He looked at Gwen who shrugged.
‘Everyone knows about Torchwood and I imagine there’s loads on the internet if people know where to look.’ Eyes wide as she smiled.
Tosh snorted. ‘Not bloody likely. I’ve got data mines and Mainframe searching so the only thing you’ll find is what we want people to find.’
Gwen pouted. ‘But.’
‘Yes Gwen?’ Jack asked.
‘Oh nothing, it isn’t important.’
‘Well if any one does start asking questions let me know. Someone must want to go home and looks can be deceiving.’
‘I think we all know that.’ Gwen agreed, looking at Ianto.
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Sitting at her desk Gwen considered the information she had available to her. She had Ianto’s Torchwood file, so it should have been an easy matter to find out his entire background, but she couldn’t. Which told her he’d done something to hide it. Which also meant they were all in danger because of his secrets. He could be hiding aliens in the basement and because Jack trusted him, they’d never know. Secrets could get people killed and she was one of those people. Maybe it was time to talk to Andy, her former partner. He’d always had a soft spot for her. Of course, none of this would have been an issue if Ianto hadn’t seduced Jack. He was probably blackmailing him for sexual favours so she’d have to watch her back. That was probably why she couldn’t pick any thing up from him, he was so busy hiding his secret there was nothing left for her to read.
Jack checked the time and grinned before calling out to everyone. ‘Alright kids, go home and I’ll see you all tomorrow.’ If he made a few phone calls he could probably book a table for him and Ianto. He’d show him he knew he was worth more than twenty minutes.
Gwen picked her bag and jacket up and headed for the Prince’s Arms, it was the local pub of choice for the Cardiff police and the most likely place to find Officer Andy Davidson once he knocked off work. She didn’t expect to find Mary falling into step beside her. She stopped and turned to the blonde.
‘I should give them the necklace.’
Mary laughed. ‘Like you’d ever give something up that can level the playing field between man and gods.’ She shook her head. ‘People like you crave the advantage something like that pendent can give. The ability to learn secrets and read hidden thoughts and desires. You wont give that up.’
‘Then I should bring you into the Hub, what are you?’
‘You do not want me to answer that, not here and not in public.’ Looking around at the people hurrying past them.
‘Maybe you should come with me.’ An idea beginning to form, of how Jack might reward her for bringing the alien in. He’d see she was someone of worth if she did.
‘I don’t think so, I go in there and I never come out.’
‘Yes you will, but I need answers.’
‘No, I’ve been locked in a cage before, I’ll not do it again. Your Torchwood doesn’t have the best record of dealing well with any one they think is an alien.’
‘It’s the only way to reveal their secrets, you have to understand, you help me with this and I’ll get you home. Please, come with me.’
Mary smiled at the desperation in the woman’s voice. ‘Maybe I will.’ Turning she headed for the tourist office letting Gwen trail after her. Finding Gwen out drinking instead of a heart broken Toshiko was working out faster than she thought it all would. As annoying as she found the woman she was predictable and useful.
Tosh looked up from her computer and frowned. ‘Jack, Ianto?’
Both men looked over her shoulder but Jack spoke first.
‘So much for going home, Tosh, you and Owen and Jimmy if he’s still here need to leave or head up to the gantry. Now.’
Checking she had her gun she nodded. Moving quickly she called out to the two men and began climbing the metal stairs where she ducked out of sight.
Ianto gave Jack a half smile. ‘Should I put the kettle on Sir.’
Jack snorted. ‘I hardly think our guest will be staying long enough for a cuppa.’
He straightened his tie. ‘Just being polite, like any good butler.’
‘If you were a good butler my newspaper would be ironed and you’d have answered the door.’
‘I’m not that sort of butler.’
Jack laughed as he headed to the table where the transporter sat.
Mary walked into the Hub, her fingertips trailing over the edge of a desk as she began speaking softly. ‘In Xanadu, did Kubla Kahn. A stately pleasure dome decree.’
Gwen looked around and didn’t see anyone. ‘No one seems to be here.’
‘Oh Gwennie, I don’t care about the others, even though they are here. I just want my ride home.’ She laughed at the look on the woman’s face. ‘They aren’t hiding so they can jump out and yell surprise.’
She walked around Gwen, her fingertips moving to the pendent. ‘Can’t you hear their thoughts? Can’t you hear what they think of you.’ Her hand moving to rest over the woman’s heart as she leaned in. ‘They think you’re stupid, bringing me in here and not telling them. Not telling your Jack I’d been asking questions.’ She turned to Jack who was now leaning on the gantry railing. ‘Have you got my transporter?’
‘Maybe.’ He began walking down the steps holding the bulky artefact they’d been calling a stapler. ‘Is this what you were looking for?’
She smiled. ‘I felt it as soon as the air touched it, buried for so long. I just want to go home.’
Jack shrugged. ‘Home. Funny story there, I worked with a chap once, named Vincent. I had this whole story about how he started acting weird until he went on holiday and came back as Vanessa, fabulous legs. But Ianto was right about one detail.’ He looked at Gwen. ‘You never acted any differently. Kind of ruined my whole story.’
She snorted. ‘That’s what he does isn’t it, ruins everything.’
Forgotten Mary laughed. ‘So much jealousy, so much hate in your heart.’
The smile made Gwen pause.
‘A heart filled with hate can have quite a bitter taste to it. Just another reason why I had been so looking forward to meeting sweet, sweet Toshiko and not you.’ She shrugged. ‘A snack is a snack all the same and I’ve a long journey a head of me.’
At the sound of footsteps on the metal floor above them Mary spun around and held a knife to Gwen’s throat. Owen stepped out of the shadows, his face grey.
‘Oh my god, it was a human fist, that’s what made the hole in their chests.’
Mary shrugged. ‘This form, as marvellous as it is, as soft and desirable, it still has needs.’
Owen’s voice was soft, only Tosh and Jimmy could hear him.
‘After I qualified, my first year, she came into the emergency room, her chest, ripped open.’
Mary reached her free hand around and pushed Gwen’s mouth closed. ‘You humans and your archaic way of communicating. It’s disgusting and rather gross to look at. Your goldfish impression isn’t helping my dear.’
Shaking Gwen tried to face Mary. ‘Why me?’
‘Like I said, not my first choice.’ She barked a sharp laugh. ‘You must be used to that by now.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘How many promotions were you passed over, at the station. How many times did Jack choose the butler over you, even the Doctor over there found himself wondering how sweet, dear Toshiko would preform in his bed in place of you.’
She leaned in, brushing her lips over Gwen’s neck. ‘Even I wondered that and it’s not your neck being kissed once the others go home. Not your secrets being kept.’
Gwen bristled. ‘I know secrets.’
Mary shook her head. ‘Maybe one or two.’ She looked around and smiled at Ianto. ‘But you sure as hell don’t know his.’
‘What secrets could he have. He’s nobody.’
‘Oh he’s so much more than that.’ Mary tilted her head to one side while studying him. ‘In fact, I’m not even sure what he is but he’s far from nobody.’ Her hand moved down Gwen’s body and rested on her hip. ‘No wonder you failed to find him out, you couldn’t even find what school he went to. Some police woman you are. Jack knows.’
Ianto weighed his options and considered everything he knew about this woman slash alien and the transporter. Given it had been buried close to 197 years the blonde had aged remarkably well and hadn’t previously been so concerned about going home. Owen’s research and her thinly veiled comments also suggested she maintained her form wholly or in part by consuming human hearts. The position of the knife at Gwen’s throat also made it unlikely anyone could move faster than the amount of time it would take for Gwen to die or at least get stabbed. Something he considered meant they would never hear the end of it if that did happen and she survived. But they couldn’t given in too easily either and just hand the blonde the transporter or they’d never hear the end of that either. Which left him one option no matter how much he wanted to avoid it.
He stepped forward and smiled at her. ‘You seem to have us at several disadvantages, we don’t even know your name.’
‘You can call me Mary, that was this bodies name.’ She shrugged. ‘It serves me well, Ianto Jones. But I’ve answered your question. What are you?’
He had faced down death eaters as a spotty school boy and flown test brooms one summer for the firebolt broom company. Hell, he shared Jack’s bed, he could do this. ‘You want to know my secret, to know what I am do you?’
‘Yes, do tell.’ Mary taunted. ‘She’s certainly dying to know.’ Her smile faded as the knife in her hand vanished and Ianto appeared next to her and pulled Gwen out of her arms.
‘I’m a wizard.’
‘And you’d lock me up?’
Ianto shrugged. ‘It’s one option, perhaps you should explain why we shouldn’t.’
Mary looked at him, not quite sure if he was playing with her or not. ‘I want to go home, I’m a political prisoner exiled here.’
Jack cut her off. ‘I’m sure some of that is sort of the truth and it might have worked on any one else.’ He moved closer with the transporter device. ‘But this is a two person transporter.’ He frowned. ‘Are you a person, never mind. What happened to your guard? Mary.’
‘I killed him.’
That seemed to break Gwen fro her stupor. ‘Were you going to kill me?’
Mary sighed softly. ‘Of course I planned to kill you. Do you have any idea how annoying you are? Having to constantly stroke your ego was exhausting.’
‘You were going to kill me?’
‘And eat your heart, yes. Can we move on to the my going home part now.’
Jack shrugged and tossed the transporter to her. ‘Are you sure you want to go home?’
‘Of course I do, I wasn’t finished with what I started. Two hundred years stuck on this backwater nothing little planet. Forgotten like Philoctetes. I’ve had more than long enough to plan my revenge, its time.’
‘You didn’t plan for everything.’
‘Meaning?’
Jack smiled. ‘I took the liberty of arming that and I changed the coordinates.’
Mary frowned. ‘What?’
They all watched as she winked out in a flash of light. Tosh the first to speak.
‘Where did you send her?’
‘The sun. But don’t worry, it’s night time.’
Gwen stormed towards him. ‘You killed her.’
‘Yes.’
Jack’s reply brooked no further comment but this was Gwen Cooper and she looked like thunder.
‘How could you do that.’
‘I’m assuming you mean morally, not literally how was I able to reprogramme the device which is kind of an insult really.’
‘Yes.’
He shrugged. ‘Why is it important.’
‘I have to know.’
‘No. Actually you don’t.’
Ianto watched Owen and Tosh exchange a look and suspected his thoughts where similar. Jack was forgetting the tenacious nature of the woman.
Stepping forward Owen decided to intervene. ‘She was going to plunge her hand into your chest you stupid bint, rip your heart out and eat it. What is there to know.’ He shook his head. ‘Or did you miss that.’
‘Fine.’ Gwen touched the necklace Mary had given her and smiled to herself. With the necklace she could continue to read the others. She wasn’t happy but this wasn’t over, nor was she giving up such an advantage. She would have answers to her questions.
Ianto moved towards Jack, the men exchanging a look before Jack turned to Gwen.
‘The necklace, she gave it to you.’
Gwen shrugged. ‘It’s nothing special.’
‘I’m not so sure about that.’
She smiled the same smile that had always worked on her father and Rhys, even dropping her voice to a more sultry tone. ‘Jack. It’s just a charm, nothing more so no harm in keeping it. I’m more worried about Ianto being a magician.’
Jack scoffed. ‘Magicians are hacks apparently. Hand it over.’
‘He can’t actually be a wizard then, there’s no such thing.’
Ianto rolled his eyes. ‘Why is it so hard to believe when we chase aliens for a living.’ Watching the show down between Jack and Gwen. The others weren’t asking stupid question although he suspected Tosh and Owen would have a few for later.
‘Gwen, I will ask you one more time. Give me that alien artefact.’
‘It was given to me, it’s mine.’ She clutched it tightly.
‘I’ll make that a direct order. Hand it over.’
Gwen narrowed her eyes and focused on Jack as she held the pendent but got nothing from the man. Looking up at Owen she blanched at the volume of his thoughts and such thoughts. She trembled, catching a desk to stop herself falling. ‘It’s mine I don’t care what any of you think.’ They were trying to steal something that finally gave her an edge. Suddenly everything went quiet.
Looking over she saw Ianto hand the necklace to Jack and screamed.
‘Give it to me. How dare you take what is mine.’ She started moving towards the be-suited demon intent on sabotaging her dreams and stealing her future. He’d taken her job as Jack’s second in command, her place in the man’s bed and now he wanted her necklace.
‘You take everything that is mine and I wont stand for it. I am Gwen Cooper. I should be Jack’s second and I want my necklace back.’ She pulled her gun and pointed it at Ianto, trying to pull the trigger she found herself frozen in place for a moment before tipping back, falling to the floor.
Owen moved across the Hub and checked her pulse. ‘Well the crazy bitch is still breathing. Neat trick by the way, tea boy.’
‘Owen.’ Jack warned.
He held his hands up. ‘You wont freeze me will you Ianto?’
The Welsh wizard shrugged. ‘You aren’t trying to kill me.’
Jimmy leaned over the railing of the gantry and frowned. ‘You don’t have your wand out. Can you do that with out it? I mean, you must be able to, you just did. But at the house you all had them out.’ He watched as Owen looked up at him. ‘What?’
Ianto chuckled softly. ‘I don’t need to have my wand out, no although I don’t have quite the same control as when I do.’ He shrugged as he pulled his wand out.
Jack shook his head. ‘I can never find where he keeps that and I’ve looked.’
Ianto ignored him. ‘Most witches and wizards need their wand to focus their magic but some of us don’t.’ He stopped himself from going into a full History of Magic lecture otherwise he’d be there long after the body bind charm on Gwen wore off and she tried to shoot him again. ‘I’ll explain more later if anyone is interested.’
Jimmy shrugged. ‘I’m good.’
Tosh shook her head. ‘I’m not.’
‘Perhaps later, over a takeaway?’ Ianto asked her. ‘Everyone else would be welcome of course.’
‘I’m sure Barnabus would love having extras to cook for.’ Jack suggested. ‘It might help answer some of the questions.’ He moved towards Gwen.
‘That may be a good idea, since the cat is out of the bag.’ He watched as Jack moved to pick Gwen up. ‘Perhaps if you would let me, this is why I pulled my wand out after all.’ His wand pointing at her she rose from the ground. ‘Where should I put her?’
‘I think a night in the cells should do for now.’ Jack removed the gun from her hands.
Owen pulled a phone out of her pocket, shrugging at the look on Tosh’s face. ‘We don’t know who she’d try to call, and she did pull a gun on tea boy.’
-----------------------------------------
In the conference room Ianto set coffees in front of everyone while Jimmy handed around the last of the tea cakes and jammy dodgers before taking their own seats at the table.
Waiting for them to sit, Jack began addressing the team. ‘Wizards and witches are real along with magic wands and dragons and a whole list of things we were all taught as kids were just stories.’
‘And you’re a wizard.’ Owen said, no snark and no question in his tone.
Ianto nodded. ‘I wasn’t able to trace any one magical in my family tree but Jones is such a common name I doubt I’ll ever know.’
‘So it’s hereditary?’ Owen asked.
‘No and yes. I’m for all intents, without proof other than conjecture, simply a muggle born wizard. Muggles being non magical people. In America you would be called no-majs.’
‘Charming.’ Owen muttered.
‘What conjecture Ianto?’ Tosh asked.
‘Being able to cast magic without a wand. Actually, it’s more being able to control magic cast without a wand. All wizards can call on magic if they feel threatened enough but not with any degree of consistency.’ He set his wand on the table and floated a tea cake into his hand. ‘Apparently no other muggle born wizard or witch has displayed this talent and even in the older families it isn’t common.’
‘Like a recessive gene.’
‘If you mapped magical ability the same way we map eye colour or blood type, possibly. But this is a hugely secretive community and one that jealously guards it’s secrets.’ He tucked his wand away before anyone could ask to try it themselves, Tosh still asked.
‘If I picked your wand up would anything happen?’
‘Nothing, unless you had some inherent magic.’
‘So.’ Owen asked. ‘What about wizards who don’t train or don’t know they are magic?’
Ianto nodded. ‘It’s rare now but it can happen, usually when kids suppress their abilities and bad things happen. We have a branch of the Ministry.’ He paused. ‘The Ministry of Magic, they search for that. Last recorded case was during the second world war in 1943.’ He sipped his coffee, he wanted to stop talking but knew there would still be questions. Smiling gratefully as Jack intervened.
‘Sorry kids. It’s been a long day and we now have a team member locked in a cell for trying to shot Ianto. Perhaps we can save the questions for another time.’
‘I’ve got one for you, Jack.’
‘Owen?’
‘You know about this?’
‘Yes, now go home.’
‘Um, Jack.’ Tosh squared her shoulders back. ‘What about Gwen?’
He sighed. We can talk about that in the morning.’
She nodded, her jaw stiff and no smile in her eyes.
‘I wont just hand her over to Unit.’
‘Thank you Jack, even with what she did and tried to do.’ She sighed as Owen pulled her into a hug.
‘Come on Tosh, I’ll see you home.’
Jack nodded. ‘Thank you Owen.’ He watched as they took each other out of the conference room.
Ianto called after them. ‘Magic is my secret, now it’s yours too.’
Tosh smiled. ‘Of course Ianto.’
‘Yeah whatever, what’s another secret, right. Anyway, I’ve got to look after this one.’
Jack rose to his feet. ‘See that you do Owen Harper, see that you do.’
Once Jimmy had gathered the coffee cups and left them alone Jack pulled Ianto into his arms.
‘Are you okay? I can’t believe she pulled a gun on you.’
‘I’ll be okay, I survived school with all it’s challenges and I even made it though Canary Wharf. My team mate trying to kill me in a jealous pip, that’s a little new but I’ll get over that too.’
‘You shouldn’t have to survive that, she should never have pulled her gun.’
Ianto leaned into the arms holding him and silenced him with a kiss. ‘We’ll sort that out tomorrow yeah. Right now I’m hungry and I want you.’
Jack grinned. ‘Just how negotiable is that particular order of events?’
‘Depends on the quality of the argument you raise, Sir.’
‘I’m not one to brag.’ He ignored Ianto’s snort. ‘But I’ve been known to raise an excellent argument as you well know.’
‘I’d say your place or mine but with an actual prisoner we have to stay here don’t we.’
‘We probably should.’
‘I can always pop home for a fresh suit.’ He stepped away from Jack and slapped him on the arse. ‘Shall we.’ Before racing out the door.
Jack grinned before sauntering after him.
He found Ianto in the bunker. Whatever their relationship was, it hadn’t taken the younger man long to make his presence felt. Just one of the perks of dating a wizard was the aptly named undetectable extension charm that had permanently enlarged his living quarters. What was once a cramped space with barely enough room for a single camp bed, a wardrobe and miniscule en-suite was now a more functional bedsit type arrangement. It was cosy with it’s kitchenette and sitting area, complete with comfortable chairs and a reading lamp. He’d brought a television and dvd player, since there was room for such extravagances now. The en-suite contained a double shower and even had a bathtub big enough for the both of them to enjoy. And the bed was another word in luxury but he only had eyes for the man in his shirtsleeves currently piling two plates with food.
Ianto looked up. ‘It seems Barnabus likes you, he sent me back with supper when I popped home for clean clothes.’
‘I’m sure I’ve seen him stocking the fridge down here.’
‘You probably have. I think he associates meeting you with the arrival of the cat and meeting Harry Potter.’ He shrugged. ‘I don’t mind.’
‘That kid really made an impression on the little guy.’
‘I suspect that is a house elf thing, here, you need to eat.’
Jack sat next to Ianto and accepted the plate he was handed. ‘Thank you. Do I need to take her something?’
‘I took her a sandwich not that she even looked at me.’
‘I’ve never seen someone so jealous before.’
Ianto thought about what Jack had just said. ‘It’s almost like a curse but there was no magic at play here, I checked.’
‘The pendent is alien, we don’t really know how it effects humans and I sent the only one who might have known into the sun.’
‘Is that regret Jack?’
‘No. I’m as surprised as you are but there you go. As to the necklace, the time agency always warned us that we could never underestimate the effect of alien tech on us or those around us. It may amplify what was already there, good and bad.’
‘Even in magic you can not make something out of nothing.’
Jack nodded. ‘That seems to be a universal truth and since she wasn’t really acting that far out of her normal character, I didn’t spot it sooner.’
‘Not until she felt cornered into giving the necklace up.’
‘From what I remember the Arcateenian’s are telepathic aliens and the necklace is a tool to enable communication. But the human brain of this century hasn’t evolved to handle that sort of thing.’
‘Add that to the ego known as Gwen.’ Ianto added.
‘Exactly. It must have amplified her jealousy and anger to the point she was prepared to kill the person she blamed for getting in her way. Of course this is all speculation.’
‘And leaves us with the question of putting it in the secure archives, or destroying the pendent.’
‘I suspect this is the single most dangerous artefact we’re likely to encounter but we’ll work that out in the morning. It’s locked away for now and I can think of any number of things I’d rather be doing.’
Ianto smiled. ‘I’m sure you can.’
-----------------------------------------
Tosh unlocked the door to her flat and watched Owen flick the latch as he followed her in.
‘You don’t have to stay.’ She moved into her kitchen, bag and keys dropped on the counter.
‘Yeah, I do.’ He looked around and smiled at a picture of them together on her fridge. ‘I sort of wanted to talk to you, about something she said.’
‘Lots of things were said today.’ She reached into a cupboard and began pulling down boxes of tea. ‘Perhaps you could start by putting the kettle on for me.’
Owen lit the hob and nodded at the box of Jasmine tea she picked up.
‘Yeah, go on Tosh. I just wanted to explain that I sort of slept with Gwen.’
Tosh laughed. ‘Hardly a big confession.’
‘You knew?’
She measured the dried herb into her tea pot and laughed fondly at him. ‘Unlike Jack, or I rather suspect it’s Ianto’s doing, you never thought to erase the CCTV footage.’
‘Oh.’ Owen coloured slightly before shaking his head. ‘Right, I’d best remember that in the future. If there is a future?’
‘Was that your big confession?’ She took the now boiling kettle from the heat and poured water over the tea and let it steep while looking for tea cups.
‘Not really, this sounded better in my head.’
‘Maybe you should just say it.’
Owen stepped closer, pulling her in he brushed a hesitant kiss on her lips. ‘I’m afraid it still sounded crap in my head.’
She pulled back. ‘Is this your attempt to collect the set? First Suzie, then Gwen now me.’
‘No, it’s not. I.’ He took a breath and closed his eyes. ‘I noticed you when I first started working for Jack but I’d just lost Katie.’ He opened his eyes. ‘I wasn’t looking for you and a woman like you is worth so much more than anything I had left. After she died.’
She smiled softly. ‘That’s actually quite a compliment.’
‘I’m not blind.’ He muttered.
‘Never said you were.’ Tosh busied herself pouring tea. ‘So what changed.’
‘I wasn’t waking up looking for Katie and I could see a future without her in it that didn’t hurt.’
‘What happens now?’
‘Oh, right.’ He squared his shoulders back and looked her in the eyes. ‘I’d like to ask you out, on a date. Dinner? Not tonight mind, but maybe on Saturday? I could pick you up at seven.’
She handed him a tea cup. ‘Thank you, I’d love to.’
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Owen yawned as he flopped into a seat at the conference table. ‘Blimy Tosh, your couch isn’t that comfortable.’
She giggle at him. ‘Serves you right for being a gentleman.’
‘Something I can assure you I am regretting right now.’ His eyes lit up at the tray Jimmy was carrying.
‘I have bacon butties and Ianto’s bringing the coffee.’
‘Cheers mate, I could almost kiss you.’
Tosh laughed as she watched the younger man blanch and stammer a reply that sounded suspiciously like a hell no.
‘Please don’t terrorise Jimmy thank you Owen. He gets enough of that from Jack.’ Ianto set the tray of coffees down and began handing them out as Jack swaggered into the room with a bacon sandwich shoved in his mouth. Earning him an eye rolling from Ianto who handed him a plate.
‘We’ve talked about your table manners Sir. If you will recall speaking about that earlier.’
Jack swallowed his mouthful and winked. ‘That’s not all I recall from earlier.’ He took his customary seat at the head of the table and looked at everyone.
‘No point sugar coating it, we need to discuss Gwen and what to do with her.’
Stepping into his accustomed role Ianto began reviewing her file. ‘We can’t retcon her as we can’t be sure it would work.’
‘She’s been here to long and she broke it before.’ Owen pulled his own notes out. ‘And I can’t be sure the dose we’d need to use wouldn’t fry her brain, if it worked at all.’
‘London encountered that problem a few times, some people just seem more resistant to the drug.’ Ianto’s eyes grew cold. ‘Let’s just say their solutions to that issue aren’t really up for discussion.’
‘I’ll bet.’ Owen muttered as he picked his coffee cup up.
Jack looked around the table. ‘Technically what she did qualifies as treason.’
‘That’s life in prison, or in our case.’ Tosh’s voice hid her fear but her eyes didn’t. ‘Life locked in a Unit cell.’ She turned to Jack who shook his head.
‘I’m not doing that and we aren’t set up to detain anyone here indefinitely either and we can’t just shove her in the freezer.’
‘So then what?’ Owen asked. ‘We send her for a little holiday in the loony bin or has tea boy forgiven her for trying to kill him.’
‘I haven’t forgiven anyone for that before and I’m not starting now.’
‘How many people have tried to kill you?’
‘You’d be surprised.’ He looked over his notes. ‘There are other options that don’t involve anyone dying, being locked up or forgiven.’
‘And how much of yesterday was the alien’s influence.’ Owen added.
Jack shrugged. ‘We don’t know and if it was the alien we have no way of know how permanent it will be.’
‘A piece of jewellery can do that?’ Jimmy asked.
‘Entire nations have been brought down by less.’ Jack picked Gwen’s file up. ‘Either way, permanent or not, can we have her on the team?’
Ianto knew it cost Jack to ask the question and gave him a tiny smile of encouragement.
‘Which brings us to the other options, Ianto?’
‘There is a memory charm, it can be used to remove the memory of either a single event or a larger one.’
‘Is it safe?’
‘Does it work?’
Ianto nodded, addressing the questions in order. ‘Yes Tosh, it’s safe and of course it works Owen.’
‘Yeah so it’s safe but can the memories be recovered?'
Ianto debated how much to share. ‘Charms and spells like this do have a counter but I can weave this with the equivalent of a lock so only I can undo it.’
‘So no backfire and no take backsies.’
‘I’m only aware of one backfire and that was preformed by an idiot with a broken wand that wasn’t his. We studied his case my senior year in Magical Theory and the Practice of Advanced Wand Magic.’
‘So that’s a no then.’ Owen murmured.
‘The question becomes how far back do we take her memory loss.’
‘And this is what I want your feedback on so take today to consider if you can work with Gwen after this if we only remove everything back to the construction site. Or if she leaves Torchwood.’
They were a team torn apart by a piece of alien jewellery and a woman’s jealousy. And like his team Jack was torn between wanting to give her a chance and wanting her gone. Seeing any gun pulled on Ianto was enough to stop his heart but the betrayal of that person being a team member was something he found difficult to let go of.
Gwen sat slowly, wondering why she was in a cell with everyone glaring at her.
‘Jack?’
‘Awake are we then.’
‘Why am I in here?’
‘What’s the last thing you remember?’
Leaving work yesterday, it was my anniversary with Rhys. I know I had a few glasses of wine but why am I in a cell?’
‘What did we do yesterday?’
‘Found the stapler thing and the body at the construction site but what’s going on?’
‘So you don’t remember being given a dangerous alien artefact by a woman in a bar?’
‘I never.’
‘And you also don’t remember keeping that from us or bringing her here, into the Hub or trying to shoot Ianto.’
‘Jack, you’re starting to scare me, I never did any of that. And why would I want to shoot him, he’s hardly important.’
‘He is my second in command and therefore your superior.’
She snorted. ‘If you say so. I’m trained by the Cardiff Police he makes coffee.’
‘And yet you still committed treason and are locked in a cell.’
‘You’re having a laugh.’
Jack’s face was still, his eyes glacier cold. ‘I think you will find I am not. And you will also find that threatening the life of a superior officer falls under the banner of insubordination and treason.’
She shook her head. ‘Jack that can’t be, I don’t remember any of it so it doesn’t count.’
Ianto rolled his eyes wondering if he was really hearing this. Owen however was the first to speak.
‘How stupid are you? I’m sorry your honour I don’t remember trying to kill my boss is hardly a legitimate legal defence.’
‘Why would I need a legal defence, we’re above the police and outside the government.’
Jack gave her a smile she didn’t like.
‘We still answer directly to the Crown and you committed a serious breach of security. Not to mention the threat you posed to the life of your team members.’
‘Well obviously I didn’t pull the trigger so what’s the problem.’
‘The problem is it happened. You are suspended without pay for at least a week, maybe longer while we decide if we can continue to work with you.’
She scoffed. ‘You wont fire me and retcon certainly doesn’t work. You need me, I’m the heart of this team.’
‘Retcon isn’t my only option. And you haven’t been the heart of anything for some time.’ Jack turned on his heel and left followed by Ianto.
Gwen finally looked worried as Jack left. ‘Owen, Tosh, what did he mean?’
‘That the ice you are sitting on is pretty bloody thin right about now.’
‘But I’m important to the team. You’ve all been down here too long, you forgot what it means to be human. You need me.’ She shouted after Owen and Tosh as they two walked away.
Jimmy laughed. ‘That explains why you’re the one in a cell.’
‘Yes.’ Misunderstanding him. ‘Exactly, they are so afraid of my humanity that’s why I’m locked up.’ She moved closer to him and smiled. ‘But you can see that, can’t you.’
He smiled a small, soft smile he’d seen Ianto use to devastating effect. ‘I see alright and I’ve seen loads of blokes banged up because of slappers like you. I think you are right where you should be.’
‘I’m not a slapper.’
He laughed. ‘What would you call someone then, who cheats on their boyfriend.’ He nodded at her silence. ‘Yeah, thought so.’ He began whistling as he walked away.
Gwen glared at his back and turned to find the CCTV camera. She looked up at it and shouted.
‘What about me? When are you letting me out?’ Tears falling freely as she slid to the floor crying.
Back in his office Jack spun in the chair turning his back on the image of Gwen in her cell.
‘Someone needs to call Rhys to come get his girlfriend and take her home.’
Ianto pulled his PDA out. ‘How long will she be locked out of the Hub?’
He scrubbed a hand over his face. ‘I told her a week, maybe it should be two.’
‘Then what do we do with her?’ Owen asked.
‘Restricted access and no field work while she is on probation.’
‘For how long?’
Jack shrugged. ‘Indefinitely?’ He sighed, it was a blow to his self esteem to have someone on his team so quick to try and kill another team member. Again. He was naught from two, first Suzie and now Gwen. This was going to take some serious soul searching to make right. There was still ice in his veins at the thought she might have succeeded in killing Ianto, something he’d never seen coming.
The team had debated the fate of the woman in the Torchwood cells and agreed she needed to be stood down and put on restrictive duties following her probable return to the Hub. The expectation of Gwen finding remorse was a short lived hope dashed by the reality of the woman’s personality. Jack’s optimism was not shared for her rehabilitation with Owen privately wondering how long it would take before she got someone else killed. The consensus however was life in the field would be much easier without Gwen stomping all over the place. Ianto had enough to sooth over with Jack’s imperious disposition towards the Cardiff Police. Something Gwen had never helped regardless of her relationship with her former employers.
The thought none of them wanted to voice despite it’s presence chilling the team, was the uncertainty sweeping in like fog between them. And Owen, Tosh and Jimmy watched as Jack and Ianto stood together watching Gwen walking out across the Plass. The three newly formed drinking friends each worried about what was going to happen next time, and wondering just how much of this was them finally meeting the real Gwen Cooper.