Chapter 1. A new Torchwood
Ailsas POV
I lie on the navy blue sofa, exhausted, but unable to sleep. The faded pink alarm clock I have had since I was six lets me know that it's half past 5. Good, I think to myself. That means there is only half an hour until Iantos alarm will go off. There was no point setting an alarm on my clock, I don't sleep. I sigh, then pull myself up and sidle off to the kitchen, pausing for a second outside my brothers door. Maybe this is just a big mistake, I think. He has been so upset since the whole thing with Lisa and I really don't think I'm going to help. I turned the power off, I saved her, and for what? I just made it ten million times worse. I get to the kitchen and start up the coffee machine. Only proper coffee, none of that instant rubbish, is good enough. I smile, remembering the one (And ONLY) time that I made instant coffee and Ianto threw it on the floor in disgust. I rub my eyes hard, barely able to stay awake. I haven't slept for more than 2 hours a week for a year. The coffee machine beeps to let me know its finished, but I can't be bothered to pour the hot liquid into the mugs. I stand there in total silence for ages, until a voice startles me back into reality, "Ails, it's ok," I shake my head because its not and it never will be. I watch as he walks over and presses his hand against the coffee machine, "Cold. When did you make it?"
"Half an hour ago?" I reply, my voice catching at the end as I try to hold back the tears that are already welling in my eyes. My brother pulls me into a hug and I cry silently on his shoulder, "I promise it'll be ok," He whispers,
"Do you always keep your promises?" I pull away and he nods, smiling sadly, "Did you sleep last night?" I shake my head quickly because I want him to stop asking that question every morning, "I'll make some coffee then," He pours some more coffee beans into the compartment of the machine. As I turn around and head for the living room I hear the machine whir back into action.
I walk over to the living room and the sofa I have been not sleeping on for the past year. I breath out a breath I wasn't aware I was holding. Torchwood today, Torchwood Cardiff. I shiver when I think of Torchwood London, where I worked at the weekends. Until..."Coffee?" I nod gratefully, "Extra sugar," he says tactfully, not mentioning how awful and tired I'm looking. I take the cup, which is decorated with about a hundred red dragons, and sip. I grimace at the sweetness of the drink, but thankful for the caffeine boost. I'm going to need it.
For the first time this morning, I look down at the clothes I'm wearing. An invader zim shirt and jeggings, which are slightly crumpled. I have absolutely no idea how long I have had them on for, but they don't smell so I reckon they'll be fine. I notice that Ianto has disappeared into his room to get changed. He probably said something to me, but these days I just drift off into thoughts and I don't even notice. He doesn't mind. I walk over to the bathroom to brush my hair properly for the first time since Canary Wharf. Considering I haven't washed my hair in a year, it's looking pretty clean. I have heard about how if you leave your hair unwashed for long enough it naturally becomes clean and shiny, but I thought that was just a myth. I brush it out, the light golden waves tumbling down my back, reaching over my bum. I brush my teeth with my slightly worn toothbrush. Brushing my teeth is one of the only things I have found time to do. It's up there with eating and remembering to breath. I put concealer under my eyes, my hand shaking as I rub it in so I get it in my eyes more than once. Oh well, I've been in more pain. Much more. My watch says its 5 past 7. I bite my chapped lip, hard. It's now or never. It's time to go back to Torchwood.
Iantos POV
I toss the car keys to Ailsa and turn back around to lock the door. I stand by the door for a few seconds, watching as she walks down the stairs. She can pretend all she wants, but I know how nervous she is today. I promised 2 people I would help them. I failed Lisa, but I can at least try to help her. I half run down the stairs to the doors of the apartment block. Ailsa is already sitting in the passenger seat of my car, squinting at the brightness of the sun. I climb into the drivers seat and start the engine. Smiling encouragingly at her, I reverse out of the parking space and drive out towards the bay. Towards Torchwood Cardiff.
Walking across the paved area by the bay I look over at my sister. She looks back and I bend my elbow, allowing her to put her arm through mine. We walk down the steps to the small building by the water that has a sign labelling it as "Tourist Office" I take my arm out of hers, slip my hand in my inside jacket pocket and take out a sliver key. As it turns in the lock she suddenly turns a sickly white colour and refuses to step inside the building, "I can't, Ianto," She whispers. I shake my head and sigh, "Of course you can, come on," She watches as I dart behind the counter and press a button which causes a door in the wall to open. She takes a deep breath and walks through the door.
A few minutes later we're standing inside the Torchwood 3 base. As a pterodactyl swoops over our heads I hear Ailsa mutter under her breath, "Wow". However nervous she is she can't deny how awesome this place is.
Ailsas POV
A man wearing breeches and a long, dark military coat steps out of the shadows, "Captain Jack Harkness. Hello," He smiles a smile that shows all his shiny, white teeth. I smile weakly, in need of another coffee to keep me awake. Ianto either feels the same or senses this because he says, "I'll make coffee shall I?" smiling happily, he goes and busies himself with the many buttons and compartments of the Torchwood coffee machine. Jack moves in closer to me and whispers so no one else can hear, "Do you want to tell me what happened?" I shake my head, fed up of people asking that question. I look up at his face which now looks genuinely upset, "Fine, you let me know when you're ready," then he walks off towards a small glass room that seems to be overflowing with plants, stopping briefly to pick up his coffee. My brother walks over to me holding a tray of coffees and says, "What happened?" I raise my eyebrows at him, as if to say "the usual". He nods, understanding, and passes me a cup. Just before he walks away I see the familiar look of pain and sadness in his eyes that makes my heart die.
Iantos POV
Tosh and Gwen are nice enough. They don't know what happened, but they don't ask. Owen is different. Passing him his coffee he says, "God I hope you haven't brought another cyber nutter in here," It's all I can do to not to grab my gun and shoot him in the face. I get enough satisfaction when he takes his first sip of coffee and spits it out, muttering to himself, "Bloody decaf," and getting on with whatever he does all day. I knock on Jacks door and open it when I hear a fain. "Come in". He is sitting at his desk fiddling with blu tac trying to read the UNIT files, but obviously failing, "Can you help her?" He shrugs, gets out of his seat and replies, "Not if she doesn't tell me what happened. Do you know," I think about the answer to that question. I do know, but if I tell him I do, then I'll have to tell him myself and I really can't, "I'll tell her to tell you," I reply, completely dodging the question.
I find Ailsa sitting by the coffee machine, hugging her knees. I slide down next to her and wave a hand in front of her face, "You have to tell him ok?" She nods and turns to face me, her blue eyes look so...vulnerable. I hold onto the railing to get to my feet then offer her my hand. I lead the way to Jacks office with my scared little sister following on behind.
Ailsas POV
Once inside Jacks office I close my eyes and let the memories come back, "I was working for Torchwood 1 in Canary Wharf. Just as a weekend job, I was still at school. At the start of June everyone was really excited and scared because this massive sphere had just come through the wall. They said it was a gateway through the universe. Then they started the ghost shifts. It's like they would flick a switch and the ghosts would appear. On the first of July though, a man arrived. He said what was happening had to stop. He said..he said a footprint doesn't look like a boot. The same day the ghosts turned into great big metal machines and the sphere opened," I almost choked on the last words, it was too much to bear. I looked up at Ianto and he said, "Go on,"
"That was where the Canary Wharf battle started. The cyber men were taking people for upgrades all over the building. Ianto and I hid in the basement. That's where everything went wrong though. Ianto hid in a cupboard at the far end of the basement, but I wasn't quick enough. There were two cyber men down there. They...they took me up a couple of floors and strapped me into...this machine. So much pain through my whole body. The cyber men said that I was the youngest person in the building and after this...brain upgrade they could upgrade me into the Cyber Queen suit. That was seconds before they got sucked into the void. I shut off the power. With my mind," I can't stop the tears from coming now. Ianto puts his arms round me and I rest my head on his shoulder, "Wow...that's just...wow," said Jack quietly, "Ailsa can you tell me what the capital of Comoros is?"
"Moroni," I reply, slightly muffled by Iantos suit.
"Guernsey?" He quizzes,
"St Peter Port," I reply so quickly it's almost funny. Except its not.
Jacks POV
Shes impossible. She can't be alive, her mind should burn, "You know everything?" She flashes a blink-and-you'll-miss-it-smile,
"I know your a lot older than you say. A lot older," I shake my head, she can't know everything. She does, though. I walk over to her, dodging the desk on the way, "I'm sorry, but we can't help you. I can't fix this," I can tell how scared and upset she is, but she smiles bravely. I feel terrible, she must be, what, 14 or 15? "Ailsa how old are you?"
"16," she replies sadly. There's nothing we can do use her...unless,
"How about you work for me?"
Ailsas POV
The only person I haven't seen since I've been here is Owen. He's been in his autopsy room all day almost like he's avoiding me. As I walk down the stone steps he looks up for a second, but only a second, "I have a message for you to deliver," he says suddenly. My eyes lit up, since I got here this morning I have had nothing to do, "Really?"
"Yeah. You can tell your brother, next time he gives me bloody decaf I'll fire him," I hate him so much for this that the anger boils up inside me until I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn around to see none other than Captain Jack Harkness, "As you know Owen you have no authority to fire people," Owen just looks down, wipes his scalpel clean and mutters, "It was only a joke,"
"Ailsa with me?" calls an American voice from behind me. I smile sourly at Owen before turning round and following Jack up the steps.
Iantos POV
I walk over to the small coffee table by Tosh's desk and start picking up the dirty cups. She has been acting so weird all day, starting sentences but not finishing them. That sort of thing. I sigh, I can't imagine a time when this isn't everything. A pain so constant. Like my stomach's full of rats. Feels like this is all I am now. There isn't an inch of me that doesn't hurt. I look over at Tosh and the upset look on her face. God, did I just say that out loud? No I don't think so, "I'm about to brew some of Jacks industrial strength coffee. Would you like a cup?" I smile brightly at her and she shakes her head, dazed, "I'm...fine," I start to walk away and I barely hear her whisper, "Thanks, Ianto..."
I pass Ailsa on the way up to the coffee maker, "Coffee?" She nods, like she isn't really listening. I don't notice her follow me up the steps. I only realise she is there when she sits on the wooden table next to where I'm standing and starts swinging her legs, "Owen says next time you give him decaf he will fire you," she says softly in welsh,
"Tosser," I reply, using the same language. She laughs quietly for a while and I put most of the sugar we have in her cup. I hand it to her and she takes a sip and mutters under her breath, "Yuck," Funny, she is the only one who has ever said my coffee is disgusting, but then anything must be horrible if its had half a cup of sugar poured in it.
Ailsas POV
This is my third coffee in 2 hours and I think people are starting to notice. I carry my last mug to the sink area and put it in the dishwasher, "You drink too much coffee," God how does he do that? It's like Jack can appear out of no where, "Well, I don't sleep so I need it," I mumble, just loud enough for him to hear. He looks at me quizzically, "You should sleep, why don't you?" I almost laugh at him he is being so stupid, "I'm scared, okay? So maybe you don't need me on your team. I'm too scared," I snap then run away from him.
I end up in this strange room that seems to go on forever. Square shaped drawers line the walls. Oh, a morgue. Of course. I rub my arms, trying to generate some heat. It's so freezing in here it makes me wish I wore a jumper or even a long sleeved t-shirt. All of them up there think they are so clever, but they haven't even noticed that the necklace that Tosh has got on is a communicator for a distant race that allows them to read minds. Oh god, oh god. Jack was wrong, this knowledge does burn my mind. I breathe deeply, waiting for the headache to stop. I'm hardly aware that I have slumped on the floor, with my head resting on one of the handles for a container.
Iantos POV
"I'll find her, okay!" I shout at Jack. He shakes his head, angry with me,
"You better or..."
"Or what? You'll murder her?" He bows his head, enough is enough. I start looking in all the rooms. Eventually I decide to look in the morgue. It's the only room left, though I can't see why she would ever go in there.
Ailsas POV
Loud, echoing footsteps make me open one eye. All I can see is a blur of grey and pinky-purple. Ianto. I close my eye again and wait for him to reach me. He does and when he does he sits down. It's only then I realise he has brought Tosh with him, "Does it make you feel guilty?" I whisper, looking at Tosh. She looks around her, as if I could possibly be talking to someone else, "What?" I nod pointedly at the necklace around her neck. She clutches it tightly and says,"I-I don't know what you mean, sorry," I nod slowly as she looks around, confused, because I know that she can't read my thoughts. I know I have to go upstairs soon, back to Jack, Owen and Gwen. This Torchwood might not be so bad. A new Torchwood. Maybe that's what I need.