(Untitled)

[ffyddlon]

Gwen’s not having a good day. In fact, as far as days have gone, this is probably the worst she’s had in a long while. She’s in the middle of a three day row with her husband over babies (What, exactly is she supposed to do? Drop them off at the nursery with the least sign of trouble Torchwood-way? Hardly.) and she’s in the middle of a bigger

Comments

[curiously_cora]

Coraline had never been asked quite so many questions before. Normally people didn't actually get a chance to ask questions because Coraline was usually asking them the questions. It was quite weird to be on the answering side.

"Tabula Rasa, it's a tropical island on Earth. No, it's not Cardiff. There's not enough room for the Millenium centre, too many trees. Three years and I was walking home from school in Wales and I ended up here." Coraline said in one long breath. "You ask an awful lot of questions. Is it my turn? Are you from Wales? Are you from home? Why have you got a gun? What year was it where you were?"

[ffyddlon]

It's been a long time since Gwen's had a one on one chat with a little girl but she tucks her gun back into the holster for the time being. She keeps the torch, though she flicks it off; it's plenty light inside this building.

"Yes, I'm from Cardiff," Gwen says quickly, imagining that's the best place to start. "It's 2008, last I checked. What year is it here?"

[curiously_cora]

"2011 here. It was 2002 at home, so I guess it's 2005 there now." Coraline said wondering what 2005 was actually like. It was weird having a great big gap in her life without actually losing anytime what so ever but that was what the island did. It left huge big gaps in your life. "I lived near Cardiff, I liked the Bay. I always wanted to run and jump in the water with all my clothes on but my mum would have gotten very cross."

[ffyddlon]

"As well she should," Gwen says, laughing with a humor she doesn't feel. The one thing about Cardiff and the rift is that things aren't always what they seem and while she wants to believe this is just a little girl she knows she should be more cautious.

"Is your Mum here, then? Can I speak to her?"

[captainjack]

There wasn't much to do in the council office today. Paperwork had been done, records were in order, reports were complete and filed. It left Jack time to read a Mike Hammer pulp novel and drink coffee.

Coffee was more important than the story so just about the time the lead suspect got it in the back Jack decided to lay the book down. He took up his cup and was on his way to the kitchen. He stepped out the council office door and flashed a smile at the person walking toward him. He did a double take when it was a face he was familiar with.

"...Hi," he said lamely.

[ffyddlon]

It's a voice she knows, knows it anywhere, and it's attached to a person she's incredibly angry with. He's been keeping the disappearances from her, trying to bury the files, and Owen's been no help with it either.

"What are you hiding from me, Jack? I've been wandering around this building for an hour now, trying to find how, exactly, I got here from Cardiff."

[captainjack]

He knew that fire in her eyes and he wisely stepped back. He was only stopped by the door jamb.

"You've only been here an hour?" he asked, looking her over. "You got here...actually, I don't know how you got here. It's a sort of dimensional nexus. We think. Some of us think. This might be easier if you had some tea. Do you want some tea? It might make it easier to hear me out."

[ffyddlon]

Gwen narrows her eyes but the little girl (Coraline, she said) explained that sometimes there was a gap between what happens back home and how time passes here. She exhales and nods, imagining that the worst Jack can do is lie to her again. She's gotten used to that.

"Tea's fine. I met a little girl earlier. Twelve or so, I'd guess. She explained some about this place but I didn't know how accurate it was. Never trust the Rift."

[1000_cranes]

"Gwen Cooper."

For a moment, Charlie's frozen on the spot, Cadi on her hip. Seeing Gwen again, it's weird in a way that she can't put her finger on, but she's seen enough Hiros to know that this Gwen isn't the same as the Gwen she used to know.

"Sorry, honey. You don't know me," she clarified. "My name's Charlie. Charlie Jones."

[ffyddlon]

Gwen turns around, shock across her face yet again. This place is strange, Coraline had told her so, but nothing prepares her for someone she doesn't know claiming that she does, in fact, know Gwen Cooper. This time it's a woman with a baby, young, and the unassuming sort of pretty.

"No, afraid I don't know you," Gwen says apologetically. "I'm...Gwen. Which you apparently knew already."

Had she gone mad?

[1000_cranes]

"I do," she says, with a little smile. "You'll get used to it, sweetheart. I only actually know you because of who I'm married to." She walked a little closer, Cadi on her hip and kicking her legs. She offered her hand, rings catching the light.

"Charlie Jones. Wife of Ianto."

[ffyddlon]

Gwen shakes her hand, a little bemused. Last she knew, Ianto was dating Jack and before that, he'd been keeping his Cyberman girlfriend locked up in the Torchwood basement. Nobody at Torchwood has a regular life, nobody except her, and Gwen's made a bloody mess of that lately.

"Ianto's...married," she offered, voice stuttered with disbelief. "To you."

[polly_okeefe]

For a moment, I froze, staring at the face, wondering why it looked familiar. Then I remembered.

Gwen Cooper. I hadn't really known her the last time she was on the Island, but I knew of her. Oh, God, wasn't her biological son, Nate, in the Doctor's care? She wouldn't know a thing about that because she's just arrived. Again.

Oh, this Island is weird.

I shook myself from my reverie. The woman had probably noticed me staring. I gave her a sympathetic smile and said, "Sorry. Um... I'm guessing you just arrived?"

[ffyddlon]

"I have, yes," Gwen says, then holds up a hand. "I already know about the island. Well enough, anyway. I just wanted to see if anyone knew anything different other than it's an island you can't leave."

[polly_okeefe]

I couldn't conceal the wince. "Sorry. That's the same as what I know. I've been here for two-and-a-half years." I hesitated a brief moment, before adding, "Some people disappear, at random, after spending some time here. As far as I know, I think the Island sends them home. So, we've all just been waiting... and making the best of it."

[ffyddlon]

Two and a half years. Gwen doesn't know whether to laugh or cry at the absurdity of that and she settles for relaxing, resigning. This girl did nothing but be nice to someone new and got snapped at for her troubles.

"What do you do to pass the time? Just wait?"

[dr_robchase]

Chase was starting to feel like a wander around the Compound these days was bad for his heart and his constitution if he was going to keep stumbling on women that had defined his life for him. He wound up gaping when he saw her, trying to convince himself he wasn't just dreaming and glad that he'd left Nate with the Children's Office during his shift.

"...Gwen?" he finally got out, her name slightly wobbly.

[ffyddlon]

"Yes," Gwen says warily, wondering if everyone on this island knew her from when she was here before. Jack says she was here and while she doesn't remember it, she's willing to believe him. Jack usually lies when he has a good reason to and Gwen just doesn't feel like he's lying about her previous version.

"Jack's told me I was here before. Were we friends?"

[dr_robchase]

"That's a way to put it," Chase admitted, his mouth still open slightly. Really, it was going to be a rough conversation whenever they got into it and he felt bad springing it on the poor woman the moment she arrived. "My name is Rob Chase. Hi," he said, leaning forward to extend his hand to her.

[ffyddlon]

Gwen shakes his hand, friendly if a bit cautious, and wonders how exactly this Australian man knew her the last time she lived on this island. Good ways? Bad ways?

"Pleased to meet you, Rob. I'm Gwen, obviously, but I feel like I've been hit in the head and gone a bit daft. So I left and came back, did I?"