TW fic: Children of (another) Earth. AU. 4/5
Darcy has a cold, and The Cherub is burning up, poor thing. Am posting to distract myself for a few moments.
Setting: The five days of 'Children of Earth', but in a parallel universe.
Summary: What would have happened if the 456 came to Alex's world. A re-write, not a fix-it.
Rating: 15.
Word count (this chapter): 700 words
Characters: Lucy, Jack, Sarah Jane, Johnson, Alice, Steven, Dekker, OC (Alex).
Day One | Day Two | Day Three.
Day Four
Johnson, glumly, contemplates how her base is turning into a nursery. One mother and child was bad enough, but then - out of the blue - Lucy Saxon turns up, toddler in tow, demanding protection. And Johnson happily would have sent her back where she came from, except Lucy Saxon is Someone, and Lucy Saxon knows people - the right sort of people, the sort of people who could make Johnson's life hell once all this is over. And she has no doubt that Lucy would use her cute-as-a-button moppet to maximum effect... Oh, she can vividly imagine the headlines.
Plus, more worryingly, Lucy Saxon knows much, much more than the average politician's wife. Clearly Harold Saxon wasn't just insane, he'd also completely ignored the Official Secrets Act.
Unsure, but feeling that maybe this is a new plot, Johnson let them in. She'd been caught out once by Torchwood, this time she'd be prepared.
The night has passed without incident however, so she feels she ought to quiz her newest visitor a bit more.
She finds her self-invited guests in front of a TV where one of the team has found some kids’ TV for the boy to watch. He’s an unnaturally well behaved child, and he looks at her like he can see right through her... No two year old should be that self-possessed; it’s not normal. But then given his parentage, normal is probably not on the menu.
Lucy readily agrees to a chat, telling her son to stay where he is. He says ‘Yes Mummy,’ stuffed toy held tightly to his chest, and doesn’t return Johnson’s smile.
Having secured a cup of coffee for both of them, Johnson guides Lucy into a small, but relatively comfortable, sitting room. They watch each other in silence for a minute, then Johnson speaks.
"Look, I've taken you in. If this is another ploy, please tell me now."
Lucy takes a sip of her coffee, and looks back nonplussed.
"Ploy?"
Johnson sighs. Better just be blunt.
"We bring in Harkness's family, and shortly afterwards you turn up. I'm distrustful of coincidences."
Lucy raises an eyebrow.
"His family? He kept that secret well. The boy is his son?"
"Grandson."
She watches carefully, but Lucy displays no surprise.
"Well, I always figured he’d have a whole brace of brats around somewhere, considering his behaviour."
"You know him well?"
Lucy smiles, elegant and cool and dismissive.
“Better than you, certainly.”
Ingoring the insult, Johnson - interest piqued - decides to try to get as much out of this unexpected source of information. And Lucy doesn’t seem to like the charming Captain any more than Johnson does...
“Well, is there anything you could tell us - any idea where he might be?”
Lucy shrugs.
“He’ll be out there, fighting the good fight as always. If you have his family as hostages I’m guessing you’ve got agenda of some sort? Good luck with that, he’s stubborn as a mule. Plus he’s not got any proper equipment anymore, what with the aliens blowing up Torchwood...”
Johnson looks up sharply.
“You think the aliens destroyed Torchwood?”
Lucy looks at her with eyes that make Johnson feel the less cynical of the two, something she’s not used to.
“Who else? Well, they or their allies. Good strategy, although wasteful. I wonder what they want...”
A moment’s contemplation, then another shrug. “I hope they get it soon - I’m not enjoying our stay here any more than you. But, like I told you yesterday, this place is nicely out of the way, and has plenty of highly trained soldiers who can defend my son. That is my only concern. Stop trying to pump me for information.”
Johnson slowly shakes her head.
“You should have a chat with Harkness’ daughter - you could bond over motherly love.”
Her joke doesn’t work as intended as Lucy looks highly offended, swiftly draining her cup and walking away, effectively ending the conversation.
But - whether deliberately or by accident - she has sown a seed of doubt in Johnson’s mind. Johnson was following orders. Surely her own government wouldn’t be in league with the aliens...
Later that day Gwen Cooper proves to her exactly how wrong she has been, as they both discover how high and impossible the stakes are.
Day Five.
Setting: The five days of 'Children of Earth', but in a parallel universe.
Summary: What would have happened if the 456 came to Alex's world. A re-write, not a fix-it.
Rating: 15.
Word count (this chapter): 700 words
Characters: Lucy, Jack, Sarah Jane, Johnson, Alice, Steven, Dekker, OC (Alex).
Day One | Day Two | Day Three.
Day Four
Johnson, glumly, contemplates how her base is turning into a nursery. One mother and child was bad enough, but then - out of the blue - Lucy Saxon turns up, toddler in tow, demanding protection. And Johnson happily would have sent her back where she came from, except Lucy Saxon is Someone, and Lucy Saxon knows people - the right sort of people, the sort of people who could make Johnson's life hell once all this is over. And she has no doubt that Lucy would use her cute-as-a-button moppet to maximum effect... Oh, she can vividly imagine the headlines.
Plus, more worryingly, Lucy Saxon knows much, much more than the average politician's wife. Clearly Harold Saxon wasn't just insane, he'd also completely ignored the Official Secrets Act.
Unsure, but feeling that maybe this is a new plot, Johnson let them in. She'd been caught out once by Torchwood, this time she'd be prepared.
The night has passed without incident however, so she feels she ought to quiz her newest visitor a bit more.
She finds her self-invited guests in front of a TV where one of the team has found some kids’ TV for the boy to watch. He’s an unnaturally well behaved child, and he looks at her like he can see right through her... No two year old should be that self-possessed; it’s not normal. But then given his parentage, normal is probably not on the menu.
Lucy readily agrees to a chat, telling her son to stay where he is. He says ‘Yes Mummy,’ stuffed toy held tightly to his chest, and doesn’t return Johnson’s smile.
Having secured a cup of coffee for both of them, Johnson guides Lucy into a small, but relatively comfortable, sitting room. They watch each other in silence for a minute, then Johnson speaks.
"Look, I've taken you in. If this is another ploy, please tell me now."
Lucy takes a sip of her coffee, and looks back nonplussed.
"Ploy?"
Johnson sighs. Better just be blunt.
"We bring in Harkness's family, and shortly afterwards you turn up. I'm distrustful of coincidences."
Lucy raises an eyebrow.
"His family? He kept that secret well. The boy is his son?"
"Grandson."
She watches carefully, but Lucy displays no surprise.
"Well, I always figured he’d have a whole brace of brats around somewhere, considering his behaviour."
"You know him well?"
Lucy smiles, elegant and cool and dismissive.
“Better than you, certainly.”
Ingoring the insult, Johnson - interest piqued - decides to try to get as much out of this unexpected source of information. And Lucy doesn’t seem to like the charming Captain any more than Johnson does...
“Well, is there anything you could tell us - any idea where he might be?”
Lucy shrugs.
“He’ll be out there, fighting the good fight as always. If you have his family as hostages I’m guessing you’ve got agenda of some sort? Good luck with that, he’s stubborn as a mule. Plus he’s not got any proper equipment anymore, what with the aliens blowing up Torchwood...”
Johnson looks up sharply.
“You think the aliens destroyed Torchwood?”
Lucy looks at her with eyes that make Johnson feel the less cynical of the two, something she’s not used to.
“Who else? Well, they or their allies. Good strategy, although wasteful. I wonder what they want...”
A moment’s contemplation, then another shrug. “I hope they get it soon - I’m not enjoying our stay here any more than you. But, like I told you yesterday, this place is nicely out of the way, and has plenty of highly trained soldiers who can defend my son. That is my only concern. Stop trying to pump me for information.”
Johnson slowly shakes her head.
“You should have a chat with Harkness’ daughter - you could bond over motherly love.”
Her joke doesn’t work as intended as Lucy looks highly offended, swiftly draining her cup and walking away, effectively ending the conversation.
But - whether deliberately or by accident - she has sown a seed of doubt in Johnson’s mind. Johnson was following orders. Surely her own government wouldn’t be in league with the aliens...
Later that day Gwen Cooper proves to her exactly how wrong she has been, as they both discover how high and impossible the stakes are.
Day Five.