The Day After Yesterday: Ch 2
Title: The Day After Yesterday
Rating:PG-13(could go up)
Spoilers: All TW series 1-3, and DW 1-4 (at minimum)
Summery: After over a year of running, Jack finds himself back in Cardiff. A lot has changed: UNIT has taken over monitoring the rift, and is only just getting by, Martha is trying to hold it together, and Gwen is being pushed by the wayside. He’s handed a challenge: make a team Torchwood and prove they can do better then UNIT. Jack never could turn down a challenge.
Previous Part
Gwen waited for the cog door to open, but the second she could, she slid though. Her purposeful stride was one that told the U.N.I.T. boys that it was better not to say anything to her. About ten minutes ago she’d received a call from Martha that just said ‘Get here now.’ What the hell had U.N.I.T. done now? God, she was sick of this lot. She looked up to see Martha in front of the doors to the conference room.
“What now?” Asked Gwen in tired exasperation.
Martha grabbed the other woman’s upper arms looking her in the eyes, “I’m going to need you to stay calm ok? No temper.”
Now Gwen was worried, the only thing helping calm her fears, was the look of gleeful mischief sparkling below the worry in the doctor’s eyes. Seeing that, Gwen let herself relax a little, “Can’t promise anything. Not like I’ve gotten proper sleep since Cerys was born. What’s so important?”
“Jack’s back.” Gwen froze too many thoughts and emotions flying through her head. Now Martha was getting edgy, “Gwen? . . . Are you ok? We really can’t have you explode at him.”
“Give me a second,” Gwen went into one of the smaller rooms to the side of the conference room anger and joy warring for dominance in her eyes. Martha watched silently as the door closed behind her. Martha looked through the window to see Gwen yelling and screaming, though she could only hear a soft sound from outside. She shook her head smiling.
A full two minutes later, Gwen came out. She took a breath, “Ok, I’m ready.” She moved towards the conference room doors.
“Na uh, not so fast,” Martha grabbed the other woman’s arm and turned her back around. “Gun first.”
"What? I’m not going to shoot him.”
The doctor shook her head, “Doesn’t matter. Gun. Now.” Gwen rolled her eyes reaching behind her to retrieve her pistol before putting it in Martha’s waiting hand.
Martha nodded and put it in her belt, then both women tuned and went through the doors. Gwen almost didn’t recognize Jack. Gone was the coat, bracers, and collard shirt, but more then that, his larger-than-life presence was missing. Seeing him like this all of her anger vanished.
Jack looked up and flinched when he saw Gwen. He forced a smile, “Well if it isn’t Mommy-Gwen, where’s the mini Cooper.”
Gwen came up to stand in front of him, “It’s Williams actually,” She shifted uncomfortably, “Cerys Toshiko Williams. Cerys means life, or beloved. We thought it was right.” She stood there for a moment before collapsing arms wrapped around Jack. “God, Jack. We thought we’d never see you again.”
“I’m here now,” He shrugged. Gwen pulled back and grabbed the seat across the table, next to Martha. “So what’s U.N.I.T. doing here? I mean no offence Martha.”
“They took over monitoring the rift,” said Gwen, “but they really don’t understand what they’re doing. Not like we did-do.” She corrected herself.
Martha cut in, “That’s why the Hub was rebuilt according to the blueprints that Gwen got off the mainframe, and the SUVs. But Gwen’s right, they don’t know. So Cardiff’s become where they shove soldiers off. The only one that really wants to be here is Mathews. He knows this is the only command he’s ever going to get.”
“And here I thought you liked Cardiff,” Jack grinned at Martha.
“Well, besides me.” Martha sighed, “Believe me I had to fight to get assigned here. Because of that I’m forced to take a subordinate role. Gwen is supposed to act as an advisor, but Mathews ignores any advice either of us gives and both of us are kept out of the field.”
Gwen sat forward, “They are screwing up. More people are dying, civilians and soldiers. More large scale disasters. The way they’re treating the cops, and the people. It’s too . . .military. Everyone is realizing something bad is happening. Surely you noticed people aren’t lingering on the streets.”
“No, I didn’t,” he lied.
“Martha and I didn’t know what to do, but now you’re here,” Gwen smiled hopefully.
“Woah wait,” Jack sat forward and waved his hands, “You two are talking like you expect me to do something about it."
“You’re here now,” argued Martha, “You need to take this back for Torchwood."
“No, I don’t.”
“But Jack! Cardiff needs you, we need you. This,” Gwen gestured around her, “belongs to you! To Captain Jack Harkness.”
“There’s your problem. I’m not Captain Jack Harkness anymore,” he gestured to himself, “Do I look like him?"
Martha sat forward, “Yes, you are Jack Harkness. . .”
Jack sat back and waved a hand nonchalantly, “It was just a name, one of many, not even my real name. A conman learns to play many characters; Jack is one I’ve discarded. Now, I’m leaving.” Jack stood up, “U.N.I.T. can’t keep me.”
Jack got up and walked out of the room. “Jack!” Gwen and Martha yelled. He ignored them and kept walking. He’d come and he’d checked on the two women, now he was gone. After all Cardiff was not his responsibility any more. He entered the main Hub with the women following behind.
“Damned Dinosaur!” yelled one soldier.
Jack glanced up to see several soldiers fighting with Myfwaney. “Hey!” he yelled catching everyone’s attention, including the pterodon, who immediately moved over to land in front of him. “Hey girl,” he said as he pet her beak. “What the hell were you guys doing?”
“She steals things,” explained one of the soldiers.
“Because this is her nest, and you,” he pointed to all the soldiers, “she doesn’t like.”
“Captain Jack Harkness,” Captain Mathews strode across the Hub, “What are you doing?”
“These idiots, were beating Myfwaney.”
Mathews stood up straighter, “ ‘These idiots’ are my men.”
“Oh believe me, that makes sense.”
“These,” Mathews gestured to the others in the Hub, “are all trained U.N.I.T. Soldiers, and I daresay they are a lot better then Torchwood.”
Jack stopped, a hard glint in his eyes, “Are you saying something about my team.”
The other captain sneered, “Oh yes, some team: a murderer, a traitor, an acerbic doctor, a butler, and a PC.”
Jack jerked forward but was stopped by both Martha and Gwen each grabbing an arm. His voice was pure venom “I’ve heard about how well your team is doing! Hell I’ve seen it!”
“We’ve just had bigger things to deal with,” Mathews glared at Jack, “If Torchwood had this place the last year, I don’t think Cardiff would still be here.”
He shook the women off, and got in Mathews face, “You don’t understand the rift, this city, or exactly what it takes to defend it, and you never will. I could find a bunch of people off the street who were better then you.”
That was it, Mathews was officially sick of this man. Everything he’d done since being put in command of Cardiff had been compared, unfavorably, to what the other captain had done before. This was it. “Fine, you have a week to make a team and another week to prove your team is better,” Mathews spit out, “Two weeks. That’s it.”
“I won’t need more then a week.”
~*~
“No, Rhys I need you to either watch Cerys or drop her off with my parents. I’ve got to work,” Gwen was pacing while talking on her cell. “I’m needed here at the moment. Jack’s back.” There was silence on the other line, “I’m just getting together a new team then he won’t need me as much. But right now I need to be here.” Gwen paused then smiled, “I love you too you daft sod, and no, I will not pass on that message,” She hung up the phone then sat back down in the chair to resume her search on the computer.
“Ok, it’s official,” said Martha as she walked into the room a few minutes later shutting her phone. She pulled a chair next to Gwen and sat down.
“What is?” asked Gwen. She was lazily going through personnel profiles for several organizations. Jack was on the other side of the room completely ignoring them as he flew through profiles at a dizzying speed. Apparently he hadn’t found anything as he was constantly getting more and more frustrated.
“Well, I called the Brig. Told him that Jack was back and about that whole altercation with Mathews. He actually made it official.”
Gwen stopped and turned to Martha, “The challenge?” Martha nodded, “Why? I mean that would lead to U.N.I.T. losing this place.”
“If you hadn’t noticed, Gwen, as far as U.N.I.T. is concerned this place is lost.” She shrugged, “I think a lot of the upper level were hopping Jack would come back and take over. They get more and better information and tech having to barter and fight it out of Torchwood 3 then they get out of this lot. And . . .” Martha glanced over at Jack to make sure he wasn’t listening. Then leaned closer to Gwen and whispered, “I actually think he likes Jack. Can’t stand him face to face, but he respects and likes Jack’s work. Don’t tell Jack. They’ve got to continue driving each other crazy, or I don’t think either would know what to do with themselves.”
“So this is actually happening,” Gwen smiled.
“Yeah it is,” Agreed the other woman.
“Nothing! Nothing at all,” Jack slammed his fist down on the table then pushed himself away from the computer. “You can’t recruit like this. You’ve got to meet them. Got to find that . . . that thing that . . . it,” he let out a growl of frustration.
Martha stood up and walked behind Jack to look over his shoulder at the screen. “Hey, wait a minute!” Jack looked up at her, “Why are you also looking through doctors?”
“Because we need one,” Jack said flatly.
“No, you don’t,” she turned to the man, “I’ve already thrown my lot into this. I’m staying.”
“No Martha, I’m not getting you into this. And Gwen you’re on light duty. Torchwood employees don’t live long. I’m not taking you two down.” Gwen squawked in protest from the other side of the room.
“Wrong.” Martha put her hands on her hips, feet planted, standing in front of Jack, “I already signed up for this kind of life, first when I traveled with the Doctor and then when I signed up for U.N.I.T. I’m in this now and I’m not leaving. So you can either keep me here where you can protect me or I’ll be unemployed and in twice as much danger going free-lance.”
She was solid, and looking into her eyes Jack realized there’d be no moving her. He sighed in defeat, then paused as he seemed to think of something. Martha got ready to continue her argument, “Ha! That’s it!” The man turned back to the computer, “Martha, you are a genius,” he grinned as he began typing, leaving the two women confused.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
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