An Educated Fool

Like Tosh and Owen (1/1)

2008-06-29T00:15:41Z

Author: collada
Title: Like Tosh and Owen
Characters: Tosh, Owen, Gwen, Ianto, Jack, Harriet Jones
Spoilers: MAJOR MAJOR SPOILERS FOR DOCTOR WHO,"THE STOLEN EARTH" DO NOT READ IF YOU DONT WANT IT TO BE SPOILED!
Summary: They'd go down fighting, Like Tosh and Owen
Rating: PG 13
Authors Note: Wowowow what an episode! I think I now love Gwen, she was amazing! Also, Italics are Owen and Tosh's thoughts inside the teams heads. Sort of Ghostly subconcious left behind if you like.

Gwen knew they were dead the moment Jack had said so. Gwen thought of Rhys, her mum, her dad, her grandparents, and absently wondered if 27 planets appearing in the sky and Alien space ships blowing the earth to pieces would be enough to break through the retcon. Gwen thought of Toshiko, but her computer stood silently in the corner. No techno babble, no Jargon, no ideas. No hope.

Ianto was worried. He was worried that the Dalek invasion had finally killed whatever hope Jack still had left after Two thousand years of torture. He was worried for Jack’s sanity, and what would happen to him when he and Gwen would be killed. Because they would be killed, Jack had said so. And he’d always trusted Jack. Jack never gave up, and if they had given everything they had, well then. They’d just have to live with it. He thought of Owen making some cynical remark.

“Who wants’ to be in my shoes now tea boy? You can’t kill a dead man.”
“I’d rather not spend the rest of eternity as an over done kebab thanks.”
“Well goody on you, hissy mother. See you in hell.”

Ianto snorted as he watched the little red dots descend into earth’s atmosphere. Only, now they didn’t look so little.

“I’ll be seeing you sooner than I thought. God Forbid. Do they have any Coffee Machines in hell?”

He didn’t get an answer.

Jack wandered aimlessly through the hub, the Daleks message to the human race ringing in his ears. He couldn’t hear anything else. Clamping his hands over his ears and squeezing his eyes shut, he slumped against the med bay’s wall. He wanted nothing more than to sink backwards into the wall and never to be seen again. Why did the end of the world always have to happen on his shift?

He didn’t see Ianto and Gwen’s exchanged glances as he curled up into a ball. He’d failed them, he thought, burying his head in his hands. He’d failed them.

“Someone’s trying to get through…” Gwen sounds worried, Jack thought. But he found that he didn’t really care. She should be at home with Rhys.

“The whole worlds calling for help, ignore it.” Jack snarled, ignoring Gwen’s flinch.
Ianto looked over Gwen’s shoulder at the image slowly appearing on the screen.

“That’s no way to talk, Captain. Stand to attention!”

Jack looked up, startled.

“You saved me, Jack. Now save yourself-”
“Don’t get all soppy on him, Tosh. Just tell him to get off his fat arse and-”

Jack blinked.

“What?”

“Now that’s more like it.”

Gwen grinned. Jack wondered if she could hear Owen too.

-----

Setting the co-ordinates on his wrist strap, he picked up the biggest gun he could find and slung it over his shoulder.

“I need to find the Doctor,” Jack explained. “I’ll come back,” he added, seeing the worried look on their faces.

“I will, I promise.”

Gwen nodded and forced herself to smile. “It’s okay, go! Don’t worry about us, we’ll be fine.”

Ianto nodded in agreement. “Go,” he encouraged.

“I’ll be back.”

“You better be, you can’t just go swannin’ off like last time. I won’t be there to-”

Jack grinned and hit the button.

-----

The whole building shook. Gwen grabbed hold of Ianto and pulled him close. There were only two of them left now. Jack was gone, and she didn’t have much hope of him returning. Not in her life time anyway. Which seemed to be drawing to a close rapidly. She blinked back the tears, she should be with Rhys. But Ianto needed her to be strong, to be a leader.

“That’s my girl. Rhys is a bit of a wanker anyway-”
“Owen!”
“Yeah well, he is. I mean, what sort of guy hangs around with someone called Banana Boat?”
“Shut up Owen!”
“…And watches Wife swap?”
“Who has the Crazy Frog as their ring tone?”
“That would be Jack.”
“Because you changed it-”

Gwen grinned. She could do this, the two of them. In memory of Tosh, Owen, and Jack.
Making sure Ianto was safe; she grabbed two guns from the armoury. She threw one at Ianto, ignoring the building falling to pieces around her.

“These wont work,” Ianto held his up.

“I know,” she said, holding the gun firmly in both hands like Jack had shown her all those years ago.

“But I’m going down fighting,” she loaded the gun and took aim at the cog door. They didn’t have long before they broke through. She could almost see Tosh and Owen smiling in approval.

“Like Tosh and Owen.”

Ianto looked at Gwen as if he’d only just seen her properly for the first time. Loading his own gun, he stood beside her, shoulder to shoulder.

“Yes Ma’am!” Ianto saluted, and he knew if Jack could see them now, he would be overwhelmed with pride. And that was good enough for him.

“Exterminate, Exterminate-”

“That’s getting annoying,” Ianto muttered.

Gwen nodded in agreement. “I reckon we should get rid of it.”

She thought of all those she had loved, lost, and still had to save. But there was only one thought in her mind at that moment.
She pulled the trigger, and screamed.

Run for your life (1/1)- Ficlet

2008-06-23T20:11:39Z

Author: Collada/ Mesalline
Title: Run for your life
Characters: The Doctor, Jack, and Rose (Jack's daughter, my own character)
Spoilers: None, maybe very mild spoilers for mid season four Dr Who
Ratings: PG
Summary: “The buildings collapsing, we have a whole fleet of sultana’s trying to blow us to pieces and you’re sat there telling my five year old daughter stories?”
Authors Note: I've been very very busy lately, with my A levels and the Prom and everything. But it's all over now, i've got 3 months off before it's back to college in September. This little one shot is just to get me back into writing again. It's called "Sultana's" on ff.net, but i thought of a better title as i was posting here. Comments and crit are as usual, much appreciated. Please R&R, thanks. If people like this, we may see more fic with Rose featured in the near future.
Also, if anyone want's to keep up with my personal LJ, you can find it under the user name mesalline Comment on that LJ to be added :) Thanks.

New!!

“What did daddy do then?” Rose pulled on her Uncles pin-stripped coat.

“By George he ran! Like the fires in the Medusa Cascade he ran! We were running for our lives, well, I was, your father was just running, lives are a bit of a metaphor in your fathers case-”

Rose pouted and sat cross legged on the floor, ignoring the earth rumbling beneath her.

“Quit rambling and tell the story Uncle Doctor!” she said, frowning and folding her arms.

The Doctor smiled and crouched down beside her. With her hair hanging just over one eye, she reminded him of another Rose he knew.

“Well then, we were running for our lives,” the Doctor coughed. “It was your fathers fault this time! He’d insulted a Sultaran General, and that’s a very bad thing to do! Very very very very bad! I had nothing to do with it!” The Doctor held up his hands in defiance.

“What are Sultana’s?” Rose asked, chewing her lower lip. Learning about new aliens every day was hard work for a growing girl of five.

“That’s exactly what your father said-”

The Doctor grabbed hold of the wall as the earth shook and Rose fell into him.

“But what are they?” Rose looked up and pointed to the short creatures carrying very big guns running towards them.

“They’re, uh….ah…”

Steadying himself The Doctor braced Rose against him as the ceiling started to give way. Coughing and wiping soot from her eyes, Rose spotted a larger figure running towards them, with his trade mark great coat billowing behind him.

“Daddy!” The Doctor tightened his grip on Rose as she tried to run towards her father.

“Doctor! What in gods name do you think you’re doing!? Get- her- out- of- here!”

The Doctor huffed. “Now hang on a minute! I was telling a story-”

“The buildings collapsing, we have a whole fleet of sultana’s trying to blow us to pieces and you’re sat there telling my five year old daughter stories?”

“It’s Sultaran’s. And ah, hang on a tic.”

The Doctor stood up and straightened his coat, hoisting Rose under his arm; he clambered out of their hiding place.

“Doctor!”

The Doctor looked down at Rose and grinned.

“Allons-y!”

With a flick of his coat and a grin that could defy the world, the Doctor, Rose and Jack ran for their lives.

Fin

Torchwood: Five Years (1/1)

2008-04-28T22:00:58Z

Author: Collada
Title: Five Years
Characters: Toshiko, Grey
Spoilers: major Hum-dingers for Exit Wounds
Warnings: Angst fest, Character death

Toshiko knew, after those explosions, after Gray letting the Weevils loose all over Cardiff, her time at Torchwood was coming to an end. It had to be now….it had to be now.

Part of her was guilty, because a small corner in her brain wished it would be.

Five years.

Five years today Toshiko had been rescued from UNIT by Jack. Five years ago today she had been given her life back.

Jack had shown her all the wonders of the universe, and had given her so much more.

For years, Toshiko had all ways known she was special. She was clever.

Toshiko Sato, from a very young age, could connect things, strange things. She could link numbers and letters and symbols and see things other people didn’t, and it drove her insane.

The rest of the world was so slow.

Being clever wasn’t a gift, it was a burden.

Five years.

Jack had asked for five years.

Toshiko gasped for breath and tried to reach for the GPS, but Grey kicked it down the stairs and out of her reach.

“Some people say that death is a curse,” Grey laughed and disconnected the computers.

“Whereas I see it as more of a release.”

Five years.

“What’s it like?” he asked, crouching down to her level.

Five years.

Jack had asked for five years.

She looked into Greys’ eyes and saw Jack. Jack had asked for five years, but she’d give him eternity.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

“What’s that?”

Toshiko drowned out Grey’s voice and listened to the knocking. It echoed like the ghosts of the thousands of deceased Torchwood employees. It sounded like death and despair and just a little desperate. It sounded lost.

As Grey walked away, Toshiko crawled down the stairs to the autopsy bay. Sagging against the chair, she picked up the fallen GPS.

Hearing Owens voice calling her name down the comm, she smiled. Remembering the message she had left for the Team to find, she got to work.

Toshiko let a tear fall as she watched the nuclear station go into melt down on the screen in front of her. Owen was gone, and all she could do was watch.

Five years.

“I love you,” she thought as she watched the little white dot fade and disappear.

She only wished she’d had the courage to say it to his face.

Five years ago today, Jack had given her life back. Five years down the line, Toshiko had lost it.

Fin.

Stuck in the Middle With you (1/1)

2008-03-25T23:23:41Z

Author: Collada
Title: Stuck In the Middle With You
Chapters: 1
Characters: Jack, old! Torchwood (Forgotten their names...) and Team Torchwood
Spoilers: Fragments
Summary: Perhaps things hadn't turned out so badly after all...

Admittedly, it would have been Jacks idea of a fun night.

But Torchwood, apparently had never heard of “Fun.”

The two women, who had run Torchwood at Jack’s arrival, were, well, less than that.
They were strict, although Jack suspected, maybe not that strict. Jack remembered the shame and humiliation of being conned by two women to join Torchwood, the organisation set out to track down and kill the Doctor.

The con man- hero of the year was beaten at his own game.
But he had nothing better to do, and he had a hundred years to waste, so why not?

Two weeks later, Jack regretted his weakness. He should have gotten away, made a run for it whilst he still could, he thought after wiping up the remains of the fourth blow fish that Torchwood had disposed off so efficiently. Jack was used to the routine now, catch Aliens, clean up, and make Coffee. He had noticed that he’d been out on field work less and less lately, being referred back to paper work instead.

For a top secret organisation, it was dull work.

***********

“Ianto, Coffee!”

Ianto quirked an eye brow at his boss.

“Please?” Jack clapped his hands together in mock prayer.

“Of Course, Sir.”

Jack smiled and walked back to his office, ordering Tosh, Owen and Gwen to head home for the night. The smile soon faded as the mound of paper work overflowing on his desk caught his eye. Sighing, he sat down and picked up the pen.

“You’re Coffee, Sir.” Ianto placed the mug on his desk.

“Can we drop with the Sir now?” Jack asked, picking up the steaming mug and sighing in appreciation.

“Yes Sir-Jack.”

Ianto headed towards the door, attempted to hide his gradually reddening face.

“Nice suit by the way.” Jack smirked as the office door clicked shut.

Maybe things hadn’t turned out so bad after all.

Down Came The Rain (1/1)

2008-03-23T22:26:56Z

Author: Collada
Title: Down Came The Rain (1/1)
Characters: Jack, Ianto, Night Travellers
Summary: It wasn't a question of if. It was a simple question of When.
Spoilers: Out of the Rain (Torchwood Season Two)
Feedback: Yes, please

Down Came The Rain

“Is it time yet?” the petite woman, dressed in barely anything, danced across the road.
The man looked up at the blazing sun, tipping his hat mockingly at it. His eyes glistened menacingly.

“Almost,” he said, wrapping the young woman in his arms and looked back at the sun.
Even though they were stood in the middle of a busy park, no one saw them. To the rest of the world, they were just ghosts. Two of many. He grinned as the flash of a Military coat caught his eye.

“Almost.”

******

They came from out of the rain; the words were still ringing in his ears. They’d caused so much damage, the old woman, still haunted by the memories, all those souls, gone. The little boy, all alone.

He shivered and leaned over the railings, even though it was a blazing hot day, he felt cold, numb. Ianto sighed and cast his eyes over the Bristol Channel. As he looked deep into the water, he thought he saw two blue eyes staring back at him.

******

Jack shook his head as he looked at the silver bottle lying innocently in his hands.

“What I’m worried about,” he said to the man standing in the door way as he placed the bottle in a secure box, “Is all those old reels of films lying in cellars, car boot sales, warehouses.”

Jack glanced up at Ianto.

“All those faces, caught forever in film.”

“They could come back.” Ianto nodded to the bottle.

“We’ll have to wait and see,” Jack sighed and locked the bottle in one of the vaults.

“They’ve got forever.” Jack glanced sharply around his shoulder as a cold gust of wind blew past him. In the distance, he thought he could hear pipe organs. Old noises. He raised an eye brow as the other man shrugged and moved towards the door.

“We haven’t.”

Turning back to the paper work on his desk, Jack mulled Ianto’s words over in his head. Picking up the old fashioned pen, he decided that it was probably best to put it down to experience. The thought that the night travellers could come back at any time drifted through his mind as he wrote up the report.

Outside, the rain began to fall.

Fin

The Invisible Alien (1/1)

2008-03-18T17:15:49Z

Author: Collada
Title: The Invisible Alien (1/1)
Characters: Jack, Tosh, Ianto, Gwen, Owen
Summary: The team become increasingly worried at the gun-fire comming from Jac's office...
Ratings: PG (Slight Swearing)

Several short, sharp bangs spurred the Torchwood team quickly into action.
“What the fuck is he up to now?” Owen growled, his voice sounding more like a rumble over the gun fire.
“Dunno,” Gwen squinted and held her gun higher. She tried to get a better look inside the Captain’s office however the shattered glass prevented her from doing so.
“I’m going in,” Ianto muttered,” his back pressed against the wall.
Owen raised an eye brow. “Since when did you become so brave, Superman?”
“Shut up.”
Another round of gun fire silenced their bickering.
“One, Two, Three...”
Tosh, Ianto, Gwen and Owen barged into Jack’s office, weapons drawn, expecting to come face to face with some horrific creature that had dragged itself out of the rift.
However, they saw…nothing.
“Jack, what’s going on?” Ianto lowered his gun and looked quizzically at his panting Captain.
“Shush! Everyone be quiet!”
“Jack-”
“Shush!”
And then they heard it. It was faint at first, but got louder and louder, until-
“There!”
Jack loaded his gun and fired at the lamp on his desk.
“A Bee?” Owen threw his gun down on Jack’s desk, ignoring Gwen and Toshiko’s sniggering.
“All that because of a fucking Bee?”
Jack sighed and slumped down in his chair.
“I hate Bee’s.”
“Hang on,” Ianto held a finger to his lips.
“God Damn it!” Jack roared in frustration and began firing, sending Gwen and Toshiko into another fit of giggles.
Ianto rolled his eyes at Owen.
“Let’s leave him to it, he’ll be at it for hours.”

Writer's Block: Meaningful Words

2008-03-15T23:16:09Z

What is your favorite quote? And why?

View 500 Answers

My favorite quote?
"- Sometimes I feel Like a Great Chef who has devoted his entire life to monastic study of the art of cooking, and gathered the finest ingredients, and built the most advanced kitchen, and prepared the most exquisit meal, so perfect, so delicious, so extrodinary, more astounding than any meal ever created, yet each day I stand in my window, and watch ninety-seven percent of the world walk past my resturant and into the McDonald's across the street. "
Taken from the Diary of Fake Steve Jobs.
And It's SO true.

Fic: How to save a life (Sport relief special)

2008-03-15T00:21:40Z

Author: Collada
Chapters: (1/1)
Characters: Gwen, Tosh, Jack, Owen, Ianto
Title: How to save a life (Sport relief special)
Summary: Gwen decides to make a difference, a real difference.
Authors Notes: I typed this after watching that devistating clip where the kid died on the railway line. It made me choke up watching it, unfortunatly I have no monies of my own to donate. But if you do, please give something.

She slammed the booklet on Jacks desk, perhaps a little too enthusiastically.
Jack set down his mug and raised a questioning eye brow.

“Sport relief!”

“What?”

“Sport relief!” she repeated, stressing each syllable.

“And you’re telling me this because…?”

“Because Torchwood can help! I’ve looked at our account-”

“You what-?”

“And Torchwood has billions just stashed away! We can help so many kids, Jack!” She carried on, ignoring his spluttering.

“I worked out our balances; we can donate millions if we wanted-”

“But-”

“Jack! We’ve got Billions in our account, what’s a few Million going to do-”

“A Few! Gwen, talk sense now!”

“No Jack you listen to me, we can really help people! We save the world on a day to day bases, if we donate a couple of Million we’ll be making more of a difference than even saving the world would-”

“Gwen, stop.” Jack stood up and faced her. “We need that money to fund Torchwood-” Gwen snorted. “And to pay for your wages!”

“Dock them, then.” Ianto entered the room carrying two cups of coffee.

“It’s a good idea Jack, Gwen’s got her heart in the right place.”

Gwen beamed and thanked Ianto for her coffee.

“Hate to say it, but I’m with tea boy on this one.” Owen and Tosh leaned against the door frame.

“What’s a dead man need money for?” he said to Jacks questioning look.

“And I’ve been saving,” Tosh nodded. “I can afford to have my pay docked for a couple of months.”

To their surprise, Jack smiled and leaned back in his chair, observing all four of them.

“Okay.”

Writer's Block: The Things We Carry

2008-03-12T20:49:45Z

What do you always carry with you?

View 501 Answers

Memories. Those, plus my iPod, Phone, college stuff D:

Teh Torchwoodz MSN fic

2008-03-11T21:55:09Z

Author: Collada
Title: Teh Torchwoodz MSN fic (1/1)
Characters: Jack, Tosh, Owen, Ianto, Gwen and MSN
Summary: When Jack finds a website full of hilarious cat pictures, him and Ianto decide to play a trick on the team.
Warnings: Text and LOLcat language XD
Authors Notes: I think these cat pictures are hilarious, you can find them at www.icanhascheezburger.com

Authors Notes: Before we start, This is the pic Jack sent Ianto:

Enter the ICHC online Poker Cats Contest!
XD
On with teh fic!

----

Jack has signed in...
Ianto has signed in...

Jack: Ianto?
Ianto: Hello Sir.
Jack: What are you doing? I didn't know you knew what MSN was.
Ianto: Likewise. And I'm just researching something.
Jack: Sure.
Ianto: Was that sarcastic?
Jack: Nope?
Ianto: Sorry Sir, you can never tell on MSN.
Jack: Lol.
Ianto: Lol?
Jack: Never mind...
Jack: Have you seen those cat pictures?
Ianto: The what?
Jack: Cat pictures! Look!

Accept: Deny file transfer?
File Transferring...
Open: Close File

Ianto: What the hell are those?
Jack: Aren't they funny?
Ianto: Hilarious, but I don't see a point to them?
Jack: There isn't one, look, someones translated the bible: http://www.lolcatbible.com/index.php?title=Genesis_1
Jack: ....?
Jack: Ianto, you still there?
Ianto: Almost
Jack: ?
Ianto: I nearly died laughing
Jack: See
Jack: I've just thought of something
Ianto: ...What?
Jack: Just follow my lead
Ianto: Ok

Jack May not reply because their status is set to Away
Ianto May not reply because their status is set to Away

The DR Is In Da Houze has signed in...
The DR Is In Da Houze: Hello?
Computer Genuis has signed in...
Computer Genuis: Hi Owen
The DR Is In Da Houze: Hi Tosh, No need to ask who you are
Computer Genuis: Nor you.
Gwen <3 Rhys has signed in...
Compupter Genius: Hi Gwen, very original name you have
Gwen <3 Rhys: Thanks
Jack: Hai guyz
Ianto: Hai
Gwen <3 Rhys: Hello
Jack: 'Yan, I can haz Coffee plzez?
Ianto: No Wai. Teh coffee in Teh machinez and stuffz. I are busseyh.
Jack: I can haz no Coffee?
Ianto: Dat be rightz.
The DR Is In Da Houze: Am I missing something?
Computer Genius: Obviously we both are...
Jack: But God Madedth Teh Coffee fer meh to drinketh and stuffz
Gwen <3 Rhys: 0.o?
Ianto: Ask God to Maketh yer coffee den
Jack: He's buzzeh and yer nearsed to teh coffee machinez
Ianto: Coffeeh Machinez be broked

Gwen <3 Rhys has signed out

Jack: Meanie
Ianto: Whateva
Computer Genuis: I think I'll follow Gwen's lead...
The Dr Is In Da Houze: No! Tosh wait!

Computer Genius has signed out

Jack: Plzez Yan, Coffee?
The DR Is In Da Houze: Can you talk in English please? *Rolls eyes*
Jack: Engleesh? I can haz no Engleesh?
Ianto: Like, Totally. Engleesh be forign.
Jack: Like Alienz and stuffz

The Dr Is In Da Houze has signed out

Jack: I think i'll have sore ribs for a week!
Ianto: Ditto
Ianto: Damn! I need to stop doing that
Jack: It be like, Okayz to talk like Thiz on interwebz thou
Ianto: No really, shut up now.
Jack: Fo Sho

Ianto has signed out

Jack: kthxbai

Jack has signed out

Writer's Block: That's So Cliché

2008-03-09T17:46:06Z

Which, ahem, "internets" clichés do you wish would go away already?

View 449 Answers

I also had to read others answers to figure out the question.
Youtube flamers. All though they provide me with the lulz when i'm bored. Noobs being another obvious one, and like many others Myspace and Facebook= Do not want.

Writer's Block: Take My Advice

2008-03-08T22:44:38Z

What piece of advice do you wish you could take?

View 500 Answers

And so I figured i'd try this writers block thingy. A cool feature that I never use. So Sue me.
What piece of advice do you wish you could take?
- Live every moment like it's your last, because one day it could be.
I guess i haven't really got time for it, exams, college, Uni. Maybe after i've got my animation degree and monies in the bank then I can see a bit of the world. All right, i've been to America, so what? :P I want to visit China, Japan, the three wonders of the world, Niagra falls, The Pyramids (okay...maybe when they're least likely to turn into rubble before your eyes) but still, thats the piece of advice i wish i could take.
Maybe one day I can.

The Gene Jeanie (1/?)

2008-03-04T20:06:00Z

Author: Collada
Title: The Gene Jeanie
Characters: Ianto, Jack, Gwen Tosh and Owen
Rating: 14 (Will go up in later chapters.
Summary: Life On Mars Crossover. Full summary inside.
Authors Notes: I need a BETA for this, so if anyone's interested please let me know. Cheers.

Summary:

My name is Ianto Jones. I had an accident, or something of the sort, and I woke up in 1973. Am I mad, in a coma, or back in time? Whatever’s happened, it’s like I’m on a different planet, which, considering my job, wouldn’t be unusual. Now maybe if I can work out the reason, I can get home. Unless Torchwood can get there first.

The Gene Jeanie

Prologue

“So,” Jack smiled and leaned back in his chair.
Ianto tilted his head and frowned. “So?”
“What happened?”
Ianto laughed properly for the first time in months.
“You wouldn’t believe me even if I told you, Sir.”
Jack grinned.
“Try me.”

“He’s gone Jack,” Gwen glared at Owen, who had started edging towards the door, with Toshiko in tow.
“What do you mean, gone?” Jack grinned, reassuring himself that it was an early April fool.
“She means gone, as in poof.” Owen clapped his hands.
“What he said,” Gwen laughed nervously as the smile slowly slid of Jacks face.
“You’re kidding.”
“It was his fault! I told him-”
“OI!”
“ENOUGH!” Jack slammed his fists on the desk, making them all jump.
Toshiko stepped forward nervously, producing a small hand held computer.
“I can get the coordinates from where he was last,” she said, holding the device up.
“If I cross reference those with that of the rift activity, I might be able to track him, or at least find out if he’s in the vicinity…” she trailed off, not bothering to elaborate that by vicinity, she meant the galaxy.
“Do it.” Jack nodded sharply to Toshiko, who took her queue to leave.
“You two,” he growled, pointing an accusing finger at Gwen and Owen.
“Find him!”
They both nodded. “We’re on it!”
“And don’t bother coming back until you have!” Jack roared at the rolling door.

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

“Guys! I’ve found something!” Ianto shouted into his comm., ignoring the crackling in his ear he made a mental note to buy some new earpieces.
Ianto bent down, for once not caring about the mud on his shoes.
A faint purple glow seemed to be transmitting from a device buried in the mud. As he reached out, the device started humming. He should have known there and then that a humming purple piece of Alien tech was never a good omen.
Unfortunately, as he reached out to the device, he didn’t.

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

Ianto was awoken sometime later by the strong smell of sea, and Fish and Chips. Fish and Chips.
Ianto backtracked. Startled, he coughed up the sand that had filled his mouth.
He slowly raised his head as a voice called out to him.
“You all right Sir?”
Ianto frowned at the figured striding towards him. Sir?
“I said are you-?”
“Yes, fine… erm,” he coughed up some more sand as he sat up.
“You couldn’t tell me, where am I?”
The young man squatted down to Ianto’s level.
“London Sir. You’re CID, right?”
“CID? No, I’m not…”
The young man grinned.
“That’s exactly what I said when I got here. C’mon.”
The man hauled Ianto to his feet, steadying him as a wave of dizziness momentarily overpowered him.
“We’re we goin’?” he mumbled.
“Headquarters.”

Auld Lang Syne

2008-01-01T15:41:31Z

“Do you like it?”
They stood on the top a building that overlooked the whole of Cardiff city. Fireworks danced and crackled in front of their very eyes, every colour colliding with the next.
As the clocks chimed midnight Jack wrapped his arms around the younger man and pulled him close. Ianto sighed and leaned back into Jack’s embrace.
“Jack it’s-”
Ianto stopped abruptly as what he first thought were blue fireworks, hovered in front of them.
The fireworks, upon closer inspection, appeared to be pale blue orbs. The orbs floated softly past the pair, casting a soft blue shadow over their astonished features.
The orbs parted and danced around them, before gradually fading out of sight.
“It’s wonderful.”
Jack smiled and sighed.
Over the low hum of the world singing, Jack thought he could hear laughter.

Love is here, and now you're gone

2007-11-04T17:12:19Z

He was still numb with disbelief; all his hopes were dashed- swept away with the sound of churning engines and life long dreams.
He kicked himself, mentally. Of course Jack would leave after their betrayal. He’d held on for Lisa, why hadn’t he held on for Jack?
Ianto felt like a lost child searching for its mother. He felt like he was missing an arm, a spear part. It was ironic, he thought, that Ianto had always felt like he was just a spear part in Torchwood, not really part of the team, only half there. Now he felt like a spear part was missing, and it was his entire fault.
Well, not entirely his fault. Gwen’s distraught face, Toshiko’s endless sobs and Owens surly demeanour reminded him of that.
But it didn’t make it any easier, and Ianto felt sick to his stomach.
Love had finally found him, he thought as he drained the last of the Whisky.
And now it was gone.

Everythings Broken- Back to Black (2/13)

2007-10-29T23:08:49Z

WARNING: CASTING SPOILERS/(PLOT?) SPOILERS FOR SEASON TWO

They sat in silence in the interview room, glaring at each other.

Spike sat at one end, Jack sat at the other. Neither had spoken to the other. The atmosphere could have been cut with a knife.

Spike narrowed his eyes at the Captain in distaste.

“Tea boys nicer than you,” he said slyly.

“Glad to hear it.”

“You won’t win, you know.” Spike grinned in malice, flashing his sharp teeth.

“Win what, exactly?” Jack said, blinking.

“Ha! Made you blink!” he slapped his hands down on the table in triumph.

Jack rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair, regarding the strange vampire.

“Like the look,” he drawled.

Spike frowned.

“What?”

“Bleached blonde. Nice.”

Spike snapped.

He lunged across the table, not hearing or caring about the chair flying backwards, smashing against the wall. He grabbed Jacks neck, pulled him down and pinned him to the table. Jack gasped and spluttered, scrabbling at Spikes hands which were slowly tightening around his throat. Spike used his elbows to pin Jacks arms down and leaned closer to his ear.

“I’d be very careful if I were you, Captain,” he hissed, flashing his teeth.

His eyes blazed red.

“Or…you might have a very nasty… accident.”

A door banged open somewhere in the distance, but Jack could only hear the blood rushing through his ears and his heart hammering against his beaten chest.

“Let him go!”

Owen aimed his gun at Spikes head.

“This is getting familiar…” Spike drawled, raising his arms.

Jacks bulging eyes closed in relief as he slid off the table, landing in a crumpled heap on the floor. He flinched as soft hands pulled him upright and embraced him in a hug. Jacks eyes flew open in panic, only to drift closed again as he realised it was Ianto. He leaned into the other man and clung onto his jacket collar.

Ianto held onto Jack, sensing that it was all the other man needed. He was shocked and worried by how thin Jack was. Ianto’s panic increased when he realised he could feel Jacks ribs poking out, even through his military coat. He made a mental note to speak to Owen about it later.

“Oh how touching,” said Spike, Rolling his eyes and folding his arms across his chest. He leaned on the interview table casually, ignoring Owen’s gun.

“Now if you really don’t mind…”

Spike made as if to head out of the room, only to be barred by Gwen and Toshiko. Spike rolled his eyes again as a loud click echoed around the room.

“Torchwood,” he said sarcastically.

“Defending the earth, Destroyer of alien life. The twenty first centuries when it all changes…Aliens run for your sorry little lives.”

“Glad your familiar with us,” Owen growled.

“Cells,” he said, nodding to Tosh and Gwen.

“Awww now c’mon guys! I thought we we’re a team! Y’know… ‘Go team!’” he punched the air in mockery.

“No…?” Spike sighed and rolled his eyes (which seemed to be a frequent gesture, he thought) as he allowed himself to be led off by Tosh and Gwen to the cells.

If there was one thing Spike was good at, it was revenge. And boy, he thought evilly. Would Jack Harkness get his comeuppance.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

Owen crouched down beside Ianto, hovering by his shoulder.

“Is he okay?” he whispered.

Ianto shook his head.

‘What’s happened to you, Harkness?’ thought Owen, opening his med bag.

“Let me take a look at him.”

Ianto pulled away, and was surprised when Jacks grip slackened, and his hand fell to the floor.

“Passed out?” Ianto muttered.

“I’d say he was asleep,” Owen replied, frowning.

“Owen,” Ianto whispered urgently, trying to keep his voice down.

“He’s incredibly thin. I can feel his ribs.”

Owens frowned deepened when he placed a hand on Jacks side.

“Med bay, now.”

0o0o0o0o0o0o

The team crowded around Jacks limp figure on the morgue table, staring in shock at Jacks ribs, clearly visible under his greyish blue skin.

Ianto’s face paled.

“Where’s he been?”

Gwen shook her head in despair.

“Wherever he was, he wasn’t swannin’ around on a beach like we thought.”

“Right on.”

The team glanced at each other guilty as Jack cracked open an eye lid.

“But it’s really none of your business where I was,” he said defensively, pushing himself up into a sitting position and ignoring Owens protests.

“And we need to get back to work.” He looked around pointedly and raised an eye brow.

“Where are my clothes?”

“You’re not going anywhere, Harkness-”

“Owen!”

“Fine, fine!” Owen flung Jacks shirt at him.

“But don’t think I’ve forgotten about this!” he scolded, pointing an accusing finger at Jack, who merely waved his threats away.

“So, where’s our rouge vampire?”

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Spike idly picked his teeth whilst he slouched on the hard concrete seat in his cell. He soon became interested in the sounds coming from the cell next door. The only way he could describe it was a scrabbling noise. Spike pressed his ear to the cold wall. A soft moaning came from the other side. Spike frowned. Whatever it was in there, it didn’t take a degree in rocket science to know that the creature wasn’t happy.

“Hello?” he asked.

“Anyone there?”

He felt increasingly stupid as his questions were met by silence. Spike huffed and folded his arms across his chest, and kicked his feet up. Two can play at this game.

Before he knew it, his heavy eyelids drifted closed. It had been such a long time since he’d just relaxed. But, as always, his peace was cut short, this time by a loud bang.

He sat up stiffly and regarded the five people suspiciously.

“Two words, Jack.” Spike said before any of them could speak.

“Time Agency.”

Everythings Broken- Spike (1/13)

2007-10-29T23:06:09Z

WARNING: CASTING/(PLOT?) SPOILERS FOR SEASON TWO!

Prologue

Jack took a deep breath as he stood on the invisible lift, taking in the hustle and bustle of a normal Cardiff day. What got to him was things couldn’t have been more normal. These people had no idea how close they were to total destruction. They had no idea that the world had ended exactly a year ago, and that only one name stood out from the rest. And then they had forgotten, just like that. In some ways, Jack envied them. In some ways, Jack hated the human race; for their ignorance, cowardice, and flimsy hold on life. But Jack loved them all the same. And he loved a particular group of humans even more.

Jack looked over the Plass where the Tardis stood, glowing in all it’s glory. He’d abandoned them and he still hadn’t found his answers.

“You can come if you want. I really don’t mind.”

Jack heard the slight note of desperation in the Doctors voice.

“I’ve had a year to think on it Doctor.” He said.

“But each time I think of that team of mine…”

The Doctor grinned.

“Like you say, Doctor. Responsibility.”

The Doctor nodded and winked.

“Defending the earth. Can’t argue with that.”

Jack saluted one last time to his Tardis, and activated the lift. He took a deep breath as the hub came into view, and was surprised when he was greeted by…silence.

Jack huffed and folded his arms as he neatly stepped off the lift.

“Well this is nice,” he drawled.

“The least I expected was a, ‘Hello Jack!’ or ‘Where the hell we’re you, Jack!?’ or ‘Why the bloody hell did you send us to the Himalayas…’”

Jack trailed off and smacked his head with his palm.

The Himalayas.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

“Ianto!”

Gwen screamed and pushed Ianto out of the way. She fell over her own feet in her haste and they both landed on top of each other in a puddle. Gwen gasped for breath and pulled herself up, only to meet a pair of gleaming red eyes.

“Table for two?” the vampire grinned, bearing his teeth.

He reached out a hand for Gwen’s neck, but froze as a gun clicked in the distance.

“How about single?”

“Jack!”

Ianto lunged for his Captain, embracing him in a suffocating hug.

“I thought you’d left us,” he mumbled into Jacks coat.

“Never.”

Gwen used Jack and Ianto’s reunion as a decoy, crawling slowly on her hands and feet towards Owen, who was crouching behind the SUV. He motioned for her to hurry up.

“Leave her.”

Gwen froze, staring wide eyed at Owen.

“Or I’ll shoot.”

The vampire turned to glare at the American and grinned.

“Say please.”

Jack cocked his head and raised his gun.

“I’m not into pleasantries,” he said, and pulled the trigger.

Jack prided himself on his target practice. He could shoot a bulls eye miles away, and he would have got the damn vampire square in the eyes if a certain Welsh tea boy hadn’t gotten in the way.

“Jack, No! Please!”

Ianto tightened his grip around Jacks arm, pointing it at the wall.

Jack stared at Ianto, dumbfounded.

“Ianto, what…?”

Ianto ignored Jack and turned on the vampire.

“Spike I told you I’d get you some fresh meat back at the hub. We’re five minutes away, can’t you wait!?”

“That…thing…has a name?” Jack spluttered.

“Jack meet Spike. Oh, and Gwen, you’re safe now. Isn’t she Spike?”

Jack shouted out in surprise as the vampires eyes dulled and turned a pale shade of blue that almost matched his own.

“Spike,” said the vampire, giving Jack a mock bow.

“At your service.”

Jack took a step back and raised an eye brow at Ianto, gun swinging loosely on his finger.

“We picked Spike up in the Himalayas.” Ianto explained.

“And he’s going to help us.”

An unexpected Christmas

2007-10-25T15:04:28Z

Jack sat back in his office and nervously glanced around the hub. Sure, he’d done a good job. But whether it would redeem him, he wasn’t sure.
He’d left them for a whole year. And the only way he could think of making it up to them was so childish and embarrassing that just looking at the state of the hub made a hot flush creep up his neck.

To be fair, it wasn’t all Jacks fault. The Master had left him nothing but his raw emotions- It was like being a child again. Tiny things made him cry. He remembered with shame how he’d sobbed for ten minutes because he’d dropped the holly. And his frustration when the string of tinsel over Toshiko’s desk drooped over her computer screen.

Jack had always hated Christmas, and now he hated it even more. He’d been shocked to find it was Christmas Eve the day everything changed. The day the Doctor made everything better.

Jack snorted.

Sure, he’d made it better- for everyone else on the damn planet. They had the bliss of forgetting. But for Jack, he could still remember.

He still remembered each long, drawn out painful death. Each night wishing it would end. And it did end, eventually. Jack figured he could be excused for forgetting about Christmas after being tortured on the Valiant for a year. The Master hadn’t been kind enough to give him a calendar in his cell, after all.

He dropped his mug as the hub doors rolled open. Involuntary shudders ran through his body as their footsteps and loud voices echoed around the hub.
He wasn’t ready for this, he thought numbly as he lowered his head into his hands. He just wasn’t ready.

Jack didn’t notice the sudden silence and Owens rude remarks about Santa’s reindeers being a bit bloody early. He didn’t notice Gwen’s excited scream as she spotted him, hunched in his office, or the look of anger on Ianto’s face.
He flinched as the door crashed open.

“Jack!”

Gwen launched at him, pulling him forwards into a bear hug. The shudders ran through his body again at the human contact. Gwen froze and pulled back; looking at him as she had the first day she’d met him.

“Did you do this, Jack?” she asked quietly.

His heart started to hammer against his chest at the accusation, his mind racing, trying to find an excuse- a way out.

“Erm…”

Gwen smiled warmly. “It doesn’t matter, it’s lovely.”

Jack grinned back sheepishly, clutching the arms of his chair, ready for the blow that would surely be coming his way. He blinked in surprise as Gwen continued to smile warmly, albeit the small frown creasing her features.

“Jack, are you okay? Where’ve you been?”

Jack hastily stood up, sending the chair careering backwards into the wall.

“I’ll tell you. I will, soon. Honest, just…Not now. Please?” he stuttered, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

Ianto shot a questioning glance at Owen, who merely shrugged and rolled his eyes.

“You do realise that Christmas isn’t for another three months? Why the bloody hell did you put up the decorations in October? And why the bloody hell did you send us to the Himalayas!?” Owen fumed, steadily turning a dark shade of puce.

“I didn’t send you to the Himalayas, Saxon did.”

“Saxon?” exclaimed Ianto.

“Harold Saxon? The priminister of great Britain, sent us on a wild goose chase to the Himalayas?”

“Yeah, long story…I’ve been gone a year.” He muttered, lowering his gaze.

“And I couldn’t exactly keep up with time where I was…” Jack snorted.

He had been in the company of two time lords for a year, and he’d lost track of time.

Toshiko grinned. “Like Gwen said, for the time being it doesn’t matter. You’re back now, Jack. The decorations are lovely.”

“Hang on a minute. I want to know where you’ve been!” Owen huffed and folded his arms indignantly.

“Okay, okay…who want’s Chinese?”

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Half an hour later, they were all sat in the tinsel filled board room, munching on spring rolls and duck pancakes.

The Christmas crackers on the table, in Owens opinion, looked ridiculous, especially in the middle of October. He listened incredulously as Jack talked about rouge time lords, the year that never was, the Valiant, Martha Jones (who in his opinion sounded like little girl wonder, he thought with a snort.)

“But Jack,” Owen interrupted. “You’ve only been gone a few months, not a year.”

Jacks features darkened. “I was coming to that.” He said quietly.

And so, he talked. It took Jack a further hour to finish the story, even when he was careful to skip the details about hanging in chains, the torture. He shuddered just thinking about it.

“Okay,” said Ianto, breaking the silence.

“You’ve told us your story, we’ll tell you ours.”

Jack listened in turn, astonished as they each told their tales about the Himalayas.
Jack was merely glad of a break; his voice had grown hoarse from all the talking. Which made a nice change, he thought dryly.

Another hour had passed before everyone had finished talking, and silence fell amongst them. They sat together in the boardroom, eating Chinese. For the first time in a year, they were content, and glad of each others company.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

“C’mon Owen!”

Gwen pulled him up off the couch and dragged him around the hub, dancing in time to Slade.

“Naaa, I’m really not in the mood, Love. Another time, another place,” he mocked a bow at her feet and sauntered off, embarrassed to the med bay.

“Jack?”

Jack looked up from the depths of his Coffee, startled. He tensed as Ianto held out his hand.

As though he was in a dream, Jack took it and slowly heaved himself out of his chair. Every bone in his body screamed out in protest, but suddenly he didn’t care.
Gwen and Toshiko watched, smirking as Jack and Ianto waltzed around the hub, unaware of their surroundings.

“About bloody time,” whispered Toshiko.

“Uh huh.”

Jack rested his head on Ianto’s shoulder and felt his eye lids drift closed. It didn’t matter that he was in the hub, with Gwen, Toshiko and Owen watching. Jack smiled as the final notes of Moonlight Serenade faded away. He’d finally got the dance he’d never had.

Everythings Broken

2007-10-14T21:53:17Z

Prologue

Jack struggled to open his eyes, fighting with every ounce of strength he possessed against the sedative keeping him under. His eyelids flickered and he managed to open them into slits, but he immediately wished he hadn’t. The bright white light blinded him. He squeezed his eyes shut against the light and tried to ignore the throbbing at the back of his head.

Jack was faintly aware of something cold snaking around his wrists and ankles. He tried to move his arms and legs but found that his movements were restricted. He began to panic when he felt something cold press against his back. Sweat begun to drip from his forehead as he tried to break free of the bonds binding him down. Memories of chains and dark rooms came flooding back, a year of loneliness and despair.

He couldn’t live like that again, he just couldn’t. Out of fear and desperation he opened his eyes and blinked. Squinting against the bright light he took in his surroundings. The padded walls were white, and the floor shone.

No- wait.

Jack backtracked.

The floor wasn’t shining; the floor was made of metal. He could see it now. He glanced down at his body as he realized he wasn’t wearing his usual World War Two attire. Instead he was clad in royal blue overalls, which were tight around his ankles and gradually got baggier, only to get tighter around his waist again. He was wearing a flimsy blue top that barely gave him any warmth. He was freezing.

Jacks Torchwood training suddenly kicked in, momentarily replacing the fear as he analysed his situation.

So, he was in an unknown location, chained to what appeared to be an operating table; he had no idea where he was- if he was even on earth, he didn’t know where his clothes were- although that wasn’t anything new, and he appeared to be trapped in a white room that he could only describe as one that you might find in a mental home. Great.

Jack begun to feel increasingly drowsy as he struggled with the chains. He probably didn’t have long before his captors realised he was awake; and he had to get back to his team. Or hope that his team found him; but his chances were slim if he was in another planet- or Galaxy.

As though on cue a door burst open out of know where; and five people ran into the room.

“Celia! Put him under! Now!” a man barked.

Jacks eyes widened as he faintly recognised his captors.

“No-”

The blonde woman adjusted the drip next to his table and he slowly felt his mind begin to slip away.

“No,” he whimpered. “Please! Rose…! Doctor…!”

The young woman looked at experiment #5 in wonderment. His blue eyes pierced into her brown ones. She vaguely wondered what they would look like when he wasn’t drugged up to his eye balls. Celia was surprised to find she felt sorry for this particular experiment. That had never happened before.

“Status?”

Celia looked up at her Captain.

“Sedated,” she replied smugly.

Captain Roger Louis nodded appreciatively.

“Good girl,” he said, patting her shoulder.

“Lets up it a notch to 1.6. We don’t want him waking up any time soon.”

Celia nodded. “Yes sir.”

0o0o0o0o

“This isn’t right,” muttered Owen.

Gwen shrugged. “It’s not our problem anymore.”

“He’s not an It!” hissed Ianto angrily.

“He’s a human being! Immortal or not! And I don’t care what he’s done, he doesn’t deserve this! No one does-”

“He messed with time, Ianto.” Toshiko cut across him bitterly.

“He did this to himself.”

Ianto stared at Tosh, unable to believe what he was hearing.

“I can’t put up with this madness anymore, I won’t.”

Ianto bolted out of the door before anyone could stop him.

“Great, now tea boys done a runner.” Owen growled.

The team lapsed into silence as they watched Jack scream and shout for the Doctor and Rose.

“This isn’t right,” Owen said again angrily. “He’ll go mad.”

Gwen glared at Owen.

“Like Tosh said, he did this to himself. Drop it, Owen.”

Owen bit his lip and turned back to the opaque glass. It wasn’t right, was it? They had betrayed him, and he didn’t know. Owen sighed and turned to follow Ianto. Maybe non of them knew anymore.

Because I Could Not Stop For Death

2007-10-13T17:58:59Z

Because I could not stop for death,
He kindly stopped for me;
The carriage held but just ourselves
And Immortality.

Suzie read and re read the first stanza. There was something about Emily Dickinson that she couldn’t quite place; her poems were so perfect. It was like the words were whispering softly in her ear, as though they held some secret, concealing the answer from view. But it was there, none the less, she thought.
She pondered on the last line of the stanza. And Immortality.

We slowly drove, he knew no haste,
And I had put away
My labor, and my leisure too,
For his civility.

In her minds eye, Suzie would often picture herself sitting on a cloud, legs tucked neatly beneath her, white gown contrasting sharply with her urban hair; listening to tales untold, and basking in the golden sunlight.

But that was along time ago, back when she was innocent and ignorant to the world. Her father had taken her dreams and moulded them into something new. Something she didn’t want. For bed time stories were replaced with ideas of hell, God, pain and death.
Her father had painted her a black world, filled with monsters and demons.

Suzie welled up as she flicked through the poem which brought back so many childhood memories.

It wasn’t long before Suzie found Torchwood, or more Torchwood found her. Suzie soon realised that through Torchwood, she could break through her nightmares, and maybe- if she was lucky, add a splash of colour onto her black canvas.

Sometimes Suzie longed for those days back; those days when fairy tales seemed so real, so real that she thought she could touch them; but they were just out of reach. The days when she believed anything was possible. Perhaps she still believed, perhaps she didn’t. She wasn’t sure anymore. Suzie had followed her father’s religious teachings for years to please him. But, she thought as she read the last line, it didn’t matter anymore.

We passed the school were children played,
At wrestling in a ring;
We passed the fields of gazing grain;
We passed the setting sun.

Suzie stood on the tallest building in Cardiff- or what she thought was the tallest building; and watched the world pass her by. No one else knew about this place, her heaven; except maybe Jack.

Here she thought about everything, her lost childhood, stolen dreams, military coats, and the black demon that haunted her and plagued her thoughts.

Finding the glove had been a blessing; as though someone knew her dilemma and offered her a way out. Silently she thanked whatever deity’s existed and secretly begun her work. Jack would never find out.

We paused before a house that seemed
A swelling of the ground;
The roof was scarcely visible,
The cornice but a mound.

It had taken her longer than she had expected to fully understand the glove, and she had long forgotten Emily Dickinson’s poetry. She had forgotten most things; it was almost as though she barely knew how to live.

Suzie found it amusing, that the team hadn’t noticed. They were all too wrapped up in their own lives and problems to notice hers. The voices had started again, giving her hints and clues whenever she got close.

As the young boy fell to the floor, she knelt beside him and pulled out the knife, looking at it in wonderment. Suzie smirked as the blood quietly dripped onto the black pavement. She rolled the victim over onto his front and put on the glove.

“Wakey wakey.”

Since then ‘t is centuries; but each
Feels shorter than the day
I first surmised the horse’s heads
Were towards eternity.

“How much more of this do you want?”

Suzie glared up at her Captain, triumphant.

She laughed as Jack shot her again.

“Want to know a secret?” she sang, and grinned.

Suzie felt vaguely surprised, impressed and annoyed when Jack figured out how to break the connection. It had taken her months to work out how to use it. Why had it only taken him a minute?

Suzie giggled, regardless.

“There’s something coming, Jack.” She whispered, bearing her teeth.

Inwardly she cheered as Jacks aim faltered.

“And its coming, Jack Harkness! It’s coming…for you!”

She’d know; she thought as she felt the last drop of life seep from her.

She’d seen it.

In the Sky with Diamonds

2007-10-04T18:59:11Z

He pulled up into Cardiff Bay and reversed into his usual parking space. He sat for a moment, collecting his thoughts and pulling himself together before stepping out into the rain. The rain suddenly didn’t matter, as he leaned against the wet railing, looking out over the bay and along the misty horizon, tinted with peach and crimson.

The rain pelted down endlessly as he looked for the girl with the pretty face and kaleidoscope eyes. He thought he saw her, in the corner of his eye. But when he looked round, she was gone.

The hub was quiet, almost ghostly. Whispers of secrets and memories drift past, unknown to most, but for him, it’s like someone shouting, screaming in his ear. He closes his eyes and lets the memories subside, opens his eyes and they’re gone.

It’s like he’s stuck in time, replying the memories over and over in his mind, scared they’ll be forgotten. He hides everything with a laugh and a smile, a joke and a tease. Life’s not made of flowers and all things nice; he learned that a long time ago. He thought love was like Roses, it blossomed and bloomed and grew into something beautiful. But you can’t turn your back, or blink. He blinked. And it was gone.

Life used to fly by, and he enjoyed every minute of it. Used to. But now, it’s like he’s stuck in reverse, on the train to no where. Sure, Aliens, Invasions, and life threatening situations every other day used to be a drug in itself, but now the novelty had worn off. The pink elephants became grey again, and life wasn’t Rosy, like he used to think.

He found himself looking again, in his darkest memories for the girl with the pretty face and kaleidoscope eyes. He saw her, out of the corner of his eye. He turned around, and he was gone.

The wind was sharp against his face, dancing through the skies. The same wind blew in Japan, Asia, and Cardiff. He sat in the dank bus stop, watching the world turn round. He saw the world through different eyes.

Through colours and garments, smells and noise, he thought he saw her, out of the corner of his eye. He looked around, and there she was, the girl with the pretty face and kaleidoscope eyes.

Jones

2007-10-03T22:20:18Z

He hated to admit it, but it seemed he fell for people with the surname “Jones.”
On some days, he could have sworn there was a taboo on that name. Bad luck followed close behind “Jones.”
~
Martha Jones, saviour of the earth, and yet nobody knew. But she didn’t mind. She was relived that, to the rest of the world, that was the year that never was. She drove quietly down the back streets of London, past the row of houses in which she had once taken refuge, past the spot where Robert was killed, past cities that were burned, destroyed, demolished, vaporised, and literally wiped from the face of the earth. As she pulled up into Cardiff Bay she glanced at the crisp autumn sky, and thanked whatever deity’s existed for the year that never was.
~
Ianto Jones, killer, destroyer, deserter. He hid in the shadows of the archives, unnecessarily categorising and re categorising every single file that Torchwood owned, and ones that they didn’t.
Ianto remembered when he was a kid, how he used to wish to become invisible. Throughout school he sat at the back of the class room, and had no desire to make friends. At each lonely birthday party he used to wish for the same thing.
After years of wishing, he thinks he’s finally got his wish.
~
Fin.

Hucking Harkness

2007-10-02T20:20:16Z

“It’s pretty easy sir,” smirked Ianto, tightening his reins and pushing his horse into a smooth trot.

“Easy for you to say!” huffed Jack, clinging onto the saddle of his ginger stallion for dear life.

Jacks horse swung its back end round and rammed into the fence, desperately trying to reach the lush grass on the other side.

“Oww!” Jack moaned, bending down to rub his grazed leg, only to be pulled forward when the horse pulled with all it’s strength, when it had seen a piece of grass that had taken it’s fancy.

Ianto sniggered as he trotted past, his horse’s tail swishing elegantly in time with the beat.

“What kind of a name has it got anyway?” Jack complained, gathering up the lose rains.

Ianto swivelled round in his saddle, holding his reins in one hand, cowboy style.

“Now you’re just showing off,” he growled as Ianto came to a neat halt beside him.

“It’s called ‘Hucking Harkness’ and actually, that’s a good name compared to some of the others,” said Ianto darkly.

Jack raised his eyebrows. “Like?”

“Cookie. Bernie. Flower. Petal. Tea-”

“All right already!”

Ianto grinned as Jack slipped his feet out of the stirrups.

“You big whuss!” he jeered.

“You’ve fought aliens, evil time lords, sex addicted beings from other worlds- not that you minded that, Fairies, Cyber- Cyber women, ghosts, Abaddon! And you’re scared of a horse?”

“Yup.”

Ianto rolled his eyes and grabbed the back of Jacks jacket before he could dismount. Ianto tightened his grip and wrapped an arm around Jacks waist as he lost his balance.

Jack smirked.

“I think this counts as harassment, don’t you?”

This time it was Ianto’s turn to grin.

“And…you're complaining?” he asked, raising a knowing eyebrow.

“Nope.”

“Thought not.”

Existance

2007-10-02T15:50:30Z

“Are we living?”

Jack looked up from his desk, startled.

“Suzie?”

Suzie looked at him intently.

“Are we living Jack?”

Jack shrugged, non-pulsed.

“Suzie I-”

“Are we living Jack?” she repeated, chewing the top of her ballpoint pen, deep in thought.

“Or are we just…existing?”

She turned and left a startled and confused Jack sat staring blankly at her retreating back.
It was a simple question really. One that popped up from time to time, in her thoughts, at the back of her mind. One day, she figured she’d find out the answer. She’d make sure of that.

The Devils Drink

2007-09-29T23:58:11Z

He was the Doctor who hated his patients. He hated the screaming kids and drunken teenagers; the frail elderly who knew their time was up, the sobbing mothers who’d just lost their children. He hated them all. So, he was an all round good guy, then.
Owen wasn’t the perfect Doctor. He’d been given a number of warnings and a suspension when he’d lost his temper with a drunken dad who’d abandoned his kid.

But Owens time at Cardiff A and E hadn’t been a complete waste of time. Over the years he’d come to the decision that alcohol was the root of all problems. Alcohol was the devils drink. It turned perfectly well behaved human beings into terrible monsters.
Owen held this view for a few years, and stayed away from the drink. But life got progressively worse for the Doctor, and he soon began to turn to the devils drink for answers. One glass a night soon became two, and then three…and four couldn’t hurt?

It was a drunken night out that changed his life forever, when he met Torchwood. Torchwood were his equals, Owen thought as he stepped into the hub for the first time. This was where he belonged. Not wasting away in Cardiff A and E treating some snotty nosed kids who didn’t even know their A B C’s.

The devil turned out to be not as bad as Owen had first thought. In fact, he mused, as he downed his sixth glass. The devil was rather friendly.
The devil greeted him every day, a cheery wave and a ten watt grin, a pat on the back and a twinkle in his eyes. Before long he’d lost his grip on reality.
All that mattered now were braces, military coats, cyber conversion units and forgotten planes.