A Little Less Lonely
"Where do you sleep?
I don't.
Doesn't it get lonely at night?"
-Ghost Machine
Disclaimer: Torchwood belongs to Russell T. Davies and BBCAmerica. Wish Captain Jack Harkness belonged to me though.
Summary: Episode filler for "Countrycide"
Pairing: Jack/Gwen
Rating: T for Torchwood
The sun was setting over Cardiff as Torchwood's black SUV made its way toward the hub. Ianto drove while Toshiko sat next to him in the front passenger seat. Captain Jack Harkness sat in the back of the vehicle with their newest recruit Gwen Cooper stretched out and sedated across his lap. Owen Harper sat on the other side of Gwen with his medical bag at his feet. Gwen had taken a shotgun blast to the abdomen when the team had gone into a countryside village to investigate several mysterious disappearances in the area. As it turned out, the village had been filled with cannibals and the team had narrowly escaped with their lives.
"Ianto, how long until we reach the hub?"
The Captain's voice broke the silence that had fallen over the SUV.
"Thirty minutes at most, sir."
"See if we can't cut that time in half. Tosh, you doing all right?"
"I'm good, Jack. Thanks for asking." Toshiko replied, trying to conceal the exhaustion that she felt.
"Glad to hear it." Jack answered before turning his attention back to Gwen.
The white tee shirt and teal jacket she wore were stained with blood and so were the bandages that Owen had placed there immediately following her injury.
"Want me to change those bandages Jack?" Owen asked, as he too looked over Gwen's injury.
Jack met Owen's eyes and shook his head. "No, I'll do it." Jack said with a twinge of jealousy in his tone. And then as quickly as it appeared it was gone and the captain's tone was all business once again.
"How strong was the sedative you gave her?"
Owen glanced at his watch, "Strong enough."
As he spoke Owen rummaged through his bag and passed the necessary supplies to Jack.
Jack lifted the fabric of Gwen's shirt and removed the soiled bandage from her wound. It wasn't until he started to clean the wound that Gwen began to squirm beneath his touch and cry out in pain in her semi-conscious state.
"Gwen, look at me. Focus and breathe. Just like we practiced. " Jack whispered as he held Gwen's head and brushed the raven black strands off her forehead, still sticky with blood.
"Jack, where are we going? I need to get home…" Gwen mumbled almost incoherently.
"We're almost there now. Don't worry. I'll take care of you."
Gwen's tired eyes drifted closed again as the SUV pulled up to the Millennium Center building that housed Torchwood's headquarters.
Jack climbed out of the SUV with Gwen in his arms and the rest of the group behind him.
"Tosh check the CCTV network for any activity that we might have missed on the way in then head home… Ianto, tea and coffee…Owen, see you tomorrow."
"But Jack don't you need me to…"
The captain raised his hand to silence any further protests.
"You're not the only one here with medical training."
The tone of Jack's voice left no room for discussion. The team went about their orders as instructed.
Jack went to his quarters and made up a comfortable place for Gwen to rest. He sat with her, holding her hand until the hub fell into familiar nightly silence.
Moments later Ianto stood in the doorway bearing tea and coffee.
"Is there anything else you need before I go home for the night sir?"
Jack shook his head as he sipped his coffee, and momentarily looked up from Gwen's sleeping form and grasped the young man's hand affectionately.
"Thanks Ianto, we're fine. Goodnight."
"Goodnight sir." Ianto replied softly as he locked up, turned out the main lights and left.
In the darkness of his quarters, Jack closed his eyes but his senses remained attuned to the sound of Gwen's breathing.
Jack wasn't sure how much time had passed when he heard Gwen's breath hitch in her throat just as she woke up and spoke to Jack in a hoarse whisper.
"Ah, so you do sleep after all."
"I wasn't asleep. How're you feeling?" Jack asked with a smile.
Gwen tried to sit upright but held her breath and winced in pain.
"I'm just a bit sore…thanks for asking…and for taking care of me, Jack."
"You're part of my team now Gwen Cooper. I'll always take care of you."
As he watched her drift back into slumber, Jack remembered a time when Gwen had asked him if Torchwood ever got lonely. Jack hardly ever admitted that it often did, not even to himself. But Captain Jack Harkness had a feeling that Torchwood would be a little less lonely now that Gwen was a part of it.
Finis