Fic - Before A Fall
Written for the challenge on tw_lucky_7
Title: Before A Fall
Author: szm
Sin: Pride
Rating: PG
Character: Andy Davidson
Word count: 1046
Sometimes you fall.
The first time PC Andy Davidson met Jessica Bevan she was drunk. Fighting in the street with another drunken girl. They were both arrested and spent a night in the cells sleeping it off.
Morning came and as the last action of a far too long shift Andy was completing the paperwork on her caution and release.
“Name?” asked Andy thinking about how long it would take him to finish this and get home.
“Jessica Bevan, Jess,” she replied. She looked a state in last night’s clothes and was very subdued. A far cry from the screaming and shouting when she came in.
“Age?”
“Nineteen.”
“Marital Status?”
Jess didn’t answer, when Andy looked up her eyes were full of tears. “He left me,” she said quietly. “For her.”
Andy just wanted to go home and get some sleep, but he felt for her. “Cup of tea?” he asked.
She sniffed. “Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” said Andy standing up. “Police station tea is pretty awful.”
**
A few months after that Gwen called. She was looking for someone but she couldn’t tell Andy anything about them. Not age, or height, hair colour or even gender. She couldn’t tell Andy why she was looking for this person or where they might be. All she could say is that they would have glowing eyes and if Andy heard anything he should call Gwen. He tried to ask what it was all about but Gwen cut him off. Saying that he had to trust her.
Andy wished that Gwen would trust him.
**
The second time Andy met Jess she wasn’t herself, and her eyes were glowing.
“Please, you have to help be,” she gasped as soon as Andy came into view. She was waiting by his car. She stumbled and almost fell. Andy rushed forward to help her.
“What’s the matter?” he asked.
Jess looked half dead, pale and tired. Her eyes glowing with a soft yellow light. You wouldn’t really notice unless you were looking for it. “Something happened to me, I feel awful...”
“I have a friend,” said Andy. “Gwen. She works for Torchwood, she can...”
“No!” said Jess weakly trying to push away. “Not Torchwood, their trying to kill me! Please Andy. Can’t you help me? Please?”
Andy knew he should ring Gwen. He didn’t know what was going on. But then he never did. He was never trusted enough to be told. Jess had come to him for help, because she trusted him. He was tired of being treated like an idiot, particularly by Gwen. He’d known her when she’d just started on the force. He showed her the ropes. He could handle this, whatever Gwen and Torchwood might think.
He decided to take Jess to a hospital. When she was better he could find out what was going on and, if needs be, he could ring Gwen then. He didn’t see how much trouble a semi-conscious girl could be. Maybe this time he could get some answers.
In the car Jess lunged at him. She took him by surprise; the light in her eye was burning now. Andy felt teeth on his neck...
He didn’t even see the other car as he swerved into the wrong lane.
**
The first thing Andy saw when he woke up was Jack Harkness’ face. He could have done without that.
“Why didn’t you ring Gwen?” Jack demanded as soon as he realised Andy was awake.
All Andy could manage to do was croak in response. A nurse pushed Harkness out of the way. She got Andy to drink some water, asked him some questions and checked the machines.
Harkness was standing a little way back. Arms folded, glaring at Andy.
“The other car?” asked Andy when he could get the words out.
“A couple,” replied Jack stonily. “He survived, she didn’t.”
“Jess?”
“Was dead the moment that thing finally took her over. You should have called Gwen.”
**
Ianto Jones came round the day after Andy’s release from hospital. Andy sat at his kitchen table and Ianto made coffee. Simple precise movements and an easy silence as the kettle was boiled and the coffee granules were doled out into cups.
Andy couldn’t decide if he was disappointed or relieved that it wasn’t Gwen.
Andy studied the floral pattern on the coaster in front of him. Ianto must have found them at the back of a drawer or something. Andy could vaguely remember getting the set as a Christmas present three or four years ago from an elderly Aunt. Ianto placed the coffee mug on top of the coaster and sat opposite Andy. He looked at Andy until Andy took a sip of the coffee just to have something to do. Ianto pushed two little white pills in a blister pack across the table towards Andy.
I’ve got painkillers, thanks,” said Andy.
“Its retcon,” said Ianto simply. “It’ll make you forget the last week. You’ll believe the cover story.”
Andy stared at the pills. “What cover story?” he asked.
“The girl knocked you out, stole your car. There’ll be evidence of drugs in her system,” said Ianto matter-of-factly.
Andy felt like he should protest that. Jess didn’t deserve to be remembered like that, but he just didn’t have the energy to fight. He nodded instead. “What does Gwen think?”
“She thinks it would be better for you if you didn’t remember. Jack thinks it would be better for Torchwood,” replied Ianto, giving bloody Harkness’ opinion even though Andy hadn’t asked for it.
“What about you?” he asked.
Ianto gave him a strange look he couldn’t decipher. “What I think doesn’t matter; you made up your mind when I showed you the pills.”
He was right. “No, thank you,” said Andy.
Ianto just nodded. He took the pills back. “Our secret then, it’d be easier for me if Jack didn’t find out.” Ianto stood to leave.
“Why?” asked Andy. “You could have put it in my coffee. I would never have known.”
Ianto paused by the door, when he turned to look at Andy he seemed... younger somehow. “You aren’t a child. You should have the choice.”
Andy nodded and Ianto left.
Sometimes you fall, and it’s terrible. What matters is what you do after.
Title: Before A Fall
Author: szm
Sin: Pride
Rating: PG
Character: Andy Davidson
Word count: 1046
Sometimes you fall.
The first time PC Andy Davidson met Jessica Bevan she was drunk. Fighting in the street with another drunken girl. They were both arrested and spent a night in the cells sleeping it off.
Morning came and as the last action of a far too long shift Andy was completing the paperwork on her caution and release.
“Name?” asked Andy thinking about how long it would take him to finish this and get home.
“Jessica Bevan, Jess,” she replied. She looked a state in last night’s clothes and was very subdued. A far cry from the screaming and shouting when she came in.
“Age?”
“Nineteen.”
“Marital Status?”
Jess didn’t answer, when Andy looked up her eyes were full of tears. “He left me,” she said quietly. “For her.”
Andy just wanted to go home and get some sleep, but he felt for her. “Cup of tea?” he asked.
She sniffed. “Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” said Andy standing up. “Police station tea is pretty awful.”
**
A few months after that Gwen called. She was looking for someone but she couldn’t tell Andy anything about them. Not age, or height, hair colour or even gender. She couldn’t tell Andy why she was looking for this person or where they might be. All she could say is that they would have glowing eyes and if Andy heard anything he should call Gwen. He tried to ask what it was all about but Gwen cut him off. Saying that he had to trust her.
Andy wished that Gwen would trust him.
**
The second time Andy met Jess she wasn’t herself, and her eyes were glowing.
“Please, you have to help be,” she gasped as soon as Andy came into view. She was waiting by his car. She stumbled and almost fell. Andy rushed forward to help her.
“What’s the matter?” he asked.
Jess looked half dead, pale and tired. Her eyes glowing with a soft yellow light. You wouldn’t really notice unless you were looking for it. “Something happened to me, I feel awful...”
“I have a friend,” said Andy. “Gwen. She works for Torchwood, she can...”
“No!” said Jess weakly trying to push away. “Not Torchwood, their trying to kill me! Please Andy. Can’t you help me? Please?”
Andy knew he should ring Gwen. He didn’t know what was going on. But then he never did. He was never trusted enough to be told. Jess had come to him for help, because she trusted him. He was tired of being treated like an idiot, particularly by Gwen. He’d known her when she’d just started on the force. He showed her the ropes. He could handle this, whatever Gwen and Torchwood might think.
He decided to take Jess to a hospital. When she was better he could find out what was going on and, if needs be, he could ring Gwen then. He didn’t see how much trouble a semi-conscious girl could be. Maybe this time he could get some answers.
In the car Jess lunged at him. She took him by surprise; the light in her eye was burning now. Andy felt teeth on his neck...
He didn’t even see the other car as he swerved into the wrong lane.
**
The first thing Andy saw when he woke up was Jack Harkness’ face. He could have done without that.
“Why didn’t you ring Gwen?” Jack demanded as soon as he realised Andy was awake.
All Andy could manage to do was croak in response. A nurse pushed Harkness out of the way. She got Andy to drink some water, asked him some questions and checked the machines.
Harkness was standing a little way back. Arms folded, glaring at Andy.
“The other car?” asked Andy when he could get the words out.
“A couple,” replied Jack stonily. “He survived, she didn’t.”
“Jess?”
“Was dead the moment that thing finally took her over. You should have called Gwen.”
**
Ianto Jones came round the day after Andy’s release from hospital. Andy sat at his kitchen table and Ianto made coffee. Simple precise movements and an easy silence as the kettle was boiled and the coffee granules were doled out into cups.
Andy couldn’t decide if he was disappointed or relieved that it wasn’t Gwen.
Andy studied the floral pattern on the coaster in front of him. Ianto must have found them at the back of a drawer or something. Andy could vaguely remember getting the set as a Christmas present three or four years ago from an elderly Aunt. Ianto placed the coffee mug on top of the coaster and sat opposite Andy. He looked at Andy until Andy took a sip of the coffee just to have something to do. Ianto pushed two little white pills in a blister pack across the table towards Andy.
I’ve got painkillers, thanks,” said Andy.
“Its retcon,” said Ianto simply. “It’ll make you forget the last week. You’ll believe the cover story.”
Andy stared at the pills. “What cover story?” he asked.
“The girl knocked you out, stole your car. There’ll be evidence of drugs in her system,” said Ianto matter-of-factly.
Andy felt like he should protest that. Jess didn’t deserve to be remembered like that, but he just didn’t have the energy to fight. He nodded instead. “What does Gwen think?”
“She thinks it would be better for you if you didn’t remember. Jack thinks it would be better for Torchwood,” replied Ianto, giving bloody Harkness’ opinion even though Andy hadn’t asked for it.
“What about you?” he asked.
Ianto gave him a strange look he couldn’t decipher. “What I think doesn’t matter; you made up your mind when I showed you the pills.”
He was right. “No, thank you,” said Andy.
Ianto just nodded. He took the pills back. “Our secret then, it’d be easier for me if Jack didn’t find out.” Ianto stood to leave.
“Why?” asked Andy. “You could have put it in my coffee. I would never have known.”
Ianto paused by the door, when he turned to look at Andy he seemed... younger somehow. “You aren’t a child. You should have the choice.”
Andy nodded and Ianto left.
Sometimes you fall, and it’s terrible. What matters is what you do after.