[AU (Future) Hub] Torchwood Hub Future Scenario - Ewan and Sarah - 2018

[his_sarah_jane]

My bags drop on the cold stone tiles of the House as the door closes behind her. The trip to Cardiff has been more than successful. In fact, it has surpassed anything my wildest dreams can come up with. Visiting old friends has been a breath of fresh air, as has returning to the place where, in effect, this all had started for me

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[exiled_prof]

"Look, I've had just about enough of this conversation."

I'm raising my voice at the Torchwood equivalent of a speaker 'phone, on a conference call with people who should know better. I'm in my study, which is a large alcove adjacent to the bedroom I share with Sarah Jane Smith, lover and mother of my children, bless her. I'm standing in my bare feet, in my silk pajamas - new and blue in a gift from Sarah last Christmas - and a ratty old bathrobe is a bright red tartan - long story for another time - and I was relaxing, until the call.

An annoying male voice says, "Professor Harrow, please be reasonable -"

And that's my cue to do the opposite.

"Get off the 'phone, you stupid git! I'll talk to Winnie, but not to you and I don't care that you're now the one in charge of UNIT, Mr. Fancy Pants."

"That's Dancy-Vance, and Brigadier to you," the male voice asserts.

"Professor?" That's Winifred Bambera, the Brigadier I know. Not the brightest bulb in the box, but I've encountered far worse. "Maybe now isn't a good time for this

[his_sarah_jane]

"Fancy pants?"

He's still on the phone and, from what I was able to overhear, on the phone with UNIT. As much as I still hold the organisation dear, in the past ten years, I've come to understand the frustrations Torchwood possesses with the group. The new employees (exceptions being amazing individuals like Martha) are rather inept, push comes to shove.

My hands cover my mouth as I laugh, trying hard not to be much of an interruption. I can tell he's on speaker; he's pacing far too much otherwise. Smiling warmly, I place a hand on his forearm. It's supposed to be a calming action.

"Brigadier?" I interrupt, not waiting for Ewan to reply. "Winnie? I'm afraid Professor Harrow is now otherwise occupied. This... conversation, as it is, will have to continue tomorrow afternoon. Goodnight, to both of you."

Polite but firm. Always the best way to deal with UNIT.

[exiled_prof]

I stop pacing when she places a hand on my forearm. My love, my star.

"What she said," I declare to the room, then, "Computer, disconnect the call."

Then I turn to Sarah and am about to ask what on Earth she's doing here when she wasn't supposed to be here until tomorrow morning, but I decide to kiss her instead. It wasn't been the best evening I've had on this planet - until she arrived.

I wrap my arms around her and draw her to me, my lips meeting hers.

Leman, your timing is brilliant.

[his_sarah_jane]

I hear the familiar click of the computer disconnecting the phone line and smile. Privacy, at last.

The look on his face when he realises that it's me standing here bossing about UNIT HQ is priceless. I can feel the love radiate within the room already. I stand there basking within it and sigh. Oh, how I've missed home these past few days. How I've missed him.

Who knew that I'd ever turn out to be such a homebody?

And I'm quickly reminded of why when he kisses me - gentle yet fiery, a perfect hello after a few days apart. Mentally, I laugh at his statement. I'll have to ask him about this conversation later, but right now there are more important things.

Like wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him back. Like my surprise.

Years of practice, darling. I may not have any power, but I do have an amazing sense of intuition. Especially when it comes to you.

[exiled_prof]

Oh, you have power, Sarah Jane - over me.

I deepen the kiss and swing her down into a dip, holding her securely in my arms as I do so. Reminds me we need to practice our ballroom dancing routine for the next class. The things we do in our 'spare time'...

I pull her upright again and break the kiss, rubbing the tip of my nose gently with hers.

"You've been sneaky," I murmur, grinning. "You're still supposed to be in Cardiff. What, did you do something naughty and Jackie-boy sent you packing?"

[his_sarah_jane]

Even after all these years, his words still make me blush. I laugh again in my mind when he dips me downward. My mouth is far too busy attacking his. It's almost as if we're in a dance - which we very well could be if I wasn't exhausted.

I take a deep breath when he breaks the kiss, feeling flushed already. Definitely pregnant - oh most certainly. A little over three months, exactly ninety-five days and most definitely feeling it. After our noses rub, I rest my forehead against his.

Home.

"Me?" I retort, my voice low. "Do something naughty? As if I ever would. Perhaps I just missed you. Or, perhaps, there's a mystery I needed you to solve."

I've learned how to shield parts of my mind from him by now, blocking certain thoughts with thoughts about mindless things. Like dancing. He'll never be able to guess from invading my thoughts, at any rate.

[exiled_prof]

I look at her in mock astonishment.

"You? Naughty? What was I thinking?" And I kiss her again, because I can, a nice, slow, lingering kiss, letting her come up for air eventually.

"I hope you missed me, because I certainly missed you, and the twins have been beside themselves." I grin. "Of course, that's how they usually sit at the table. Beside one another. Besides themselves. D'you get it?" I sigh. "Well, I thought it was amusing..."

She's thinking about dancing and I ask, "Or do you have a mystery? I could use one of those."

[his_sarah_jane]

I take a deep breath when he lets me up for air. And he called me naughty. A mouth like his ought to be illegal. I'm thankful it isn't. It's rather hard to live a day without it.

At his joke, or attempt there of, I raise an eyebrow. "Please don't ever consider a career in comedy, love."

I laugh, this time seizing the opportunity to kiss him. There's certainly a reason behind the number of individuals who have mistaken us for married. We are madly in love - still - and we do have our family. But push come to shove, a legal binding couldn't begin to define our relationship.

"It could be a mystery," I continue, slowly beginning to back us out of the alcove. "Would you like it to be a mystery, Ewan? Or would you like me to tell you? Or shall I stay silent on the whole matter?"

[exiled_prof]

I give her a heavy sigh.

"Doesn't anyone appreciate my sense of humour?"

Then she's kissing me this time, with a passion and joy I've come to recognize as my leman in a very happy mood. When she lets me up for air, she plays coy and backs us out of my study area and into the bedroom proper.

My king-sized, four-poster bed - complete with nice, heavy curtains - had seemed appropriate to the House when I became the head of Torchwood Two all those years ago, and I've never changed it. We're headed in that direction as she gives me options to choose from.

"I didn't know it'd be a multiple-choice question," I say, smirking. "Can I buy a clue?"

[his_sarah_jane]

Oh, this has become fun. I smile when I realise that he's walking us towards the bed now. I ought not to be surprised. It's probably our favourite place to spend time in the apartment, aside from the nursery. The curtains make it reclusive. It makes it our sanctuary.

I shrug in response to his query. My bright smile is now permanent on my face. I'm home again, with my love, and have news that'll make tonight a night in which neither of us will ever forget.

"That depends," I answer slowly, pretending to consider the request. "Have anything to barter with?"

[exiled_prof]

She can't seem to stop smiling, and I take that as a good sign. If there's truly a mystery to solve, I doubt it's one involving murder and/or mayhem.

I'm steering us toward the bed, because that's where I want to go. She's back home and I haven't held her in my arms for days and days. I don't feel the cold, so I could care less about my bare feet, but I want to make sure she's nice and warm and comfortable. She traveled a long way by herself...

"I might have something to tempt you," I say, shedding my tattered, tartan robe - story later - and continuing to back her toward the bed in my silk pajamas. Then I pounce, scoop her gently into my arms, and roll us across the bed.

[his_sarah_jane]

I protest playfully when he scoops me up into his arms. It's an old game by now. He tries to carry me and I fight and fight the entire time. Except those days where I'm far too tired to care. Or those days where I just want to be loved.

"Tempt me with what?" I ask, nipping at his chin and tickling his sides as we roll in to the bed. At some point, I kick off my shoes and kiss his cheek. I snuggle up against him and rest my head against his chest. I've spent too many days in an empty bed.

"It'll have to be good, you know. Because my mystery is very, very good, Ewan darling." I look up at him, letting myself be lost in his beautiful blue-green eyes for a few seconds. "You see, we're not alone in this room right now. I know why. But you, love, will have to figure it out."

[exiled_prof]

She tickles me - damn, but I hate being ticklish - and I laugh and let her snuggle against me. I've missed her, far too much to be a positive thing for my sanity. When she gazes up at me with those big, brown eyes of hers, I'm lost.

I raise my eyebrows at the clue. "We're not alone? Well, it can't be those UNIT idiots... And the twins are asleep." I look at her with puppy-dog eyes and whisper, "My barter is very good..."

And I lick her throat with the tip of my tongue.

[his_sarah_jane]

I squirm when he licks my throat. He knows all the sensitive spots on my body by now. It's not fair, not fair at all.

"And I promise you my answer will be even better," I respond quietly. It's those puppy dog eyes. They do me in every time.

I had meant it when I said Ewan Harrow could talk me into anything. It had been like that ever since he said he loved me.

"I'm pregnant," I whisper. I know I'm practically glowing. "No miscarriage this time. The egg held. We're having another child, Ewan. Another little boy."

[exiled_prof]

"I'm sure your answer will be..."

And I stop and stare at her as she says two very important words.

"You're pregnant?" I whisper. Where has my vocabulary disappeared to? I gape at her, my eyes searching hers. We've been trying for another child, but to hear that it's actually worked -

"You're... absolutely, positively sure, Sarah Jane?"

[his_sarah_jane]

I nod eagerly, smiling and laughing. It's the reaction I expected. I've surprised him speechless. The way he's staring at me is absolutely wonderful.

"I am, Ewan. I had Owen run all the necessary tests while I was in Cardiff. I'm ninety-five days into the pregnancy, a little more than three months. He's developing normally - on the same sort of path the twins took."

I laugh again and reach for his hand to place on my stomach, right above the spot where our son is growing within me. I don't break gaze the entire time.

"You're going to be a father again, Ewan Harrow."