Shoes too big to fill.
By Gothic Coffee Drinker
A new member of Torchwood causes a chain of events that changes everything!
(Cue dramatic music!)
Post COE. Fixing what RTD did!
Authors Note: I do not own Captain Jack H, or Torchwood or anyone else that RTD created. If I did do you think that Ianto would have died? Nope, not a chance! Ann Jones and her family are the only characters I own so paws off… lol.
Cardiff University 5.02pm June
I slung the bag over my shoulder for what I knew was the last time. My University course was over and I was wistfully thinking of all the friends I made and what I was going to do next. I was quite sure that I passed my exams and that the last three years of doing the History Degree was going to hold me in good stead.
Sighing asI walked, my walking stick in hand, I made my way towards the station to get my train home. I lived a few miles out of town and the train journey was quite quick with only a few stops. I had only just got a few streets away when I heard a shout.
"Get out of the way!"
I turned and couldn't believe what I saw. It looked like a human, but as it ran closer to me it became clear that it wasn't. I could just about make out that someone was chasing after it, and knew it was probably the person who had shouted. It took me a split second to decide what to do, my heart thumping in my chest. I knew that it would be safer just to push myself into the hedge at my back and let them both pass me, but instead I stuck out my walking stick as the creature was running past, tripping it over, it landing smack on the floor beside me. It tried to get up but I put my foot onto its back then turned my stick around and whacked it hard on the back of its head. I heard the man's footsteps stop and I whirled around my stick still raised.
"Hey! Stop! I have been chasing that guy all night!" He puffed and panted, raising his hands to defend himself.
"Oh." Was all I could manage and I dropped my stick, my hands shaking, hardly believing what I had done.
"It's ok." Said the man. As the adrenaline stopped pumping, I almost fell and the man grabbed my arms, easing me to sit on the nearby garden wall.
"Just a second, got to make sure that he isn't going anywhere." The American said drawing out a pair of evil looking handcuffs. Expertly he flicked them onto the unconscious creature's wrists behind his back.
"It's a weevil." He said with a small grin that made butterflies creep into my stomach.
"What is your name?" he asked holding out his hand.
"Ann Jones" I said taking his hand. "And you are?"
"Captain Jack Harkness" He said helping me to my feet. "Fancy a coffee sometime Ann Jones - you know, to make up for this?" he asked flashing me a wondrous smile and handing me back my walking stick which like me was miraculously still in one piece.
"Sure." I said to thin air. Literally one minute he was there then the next there was a black SUV with tyres squealing up the road with no sign of the mysterious Captain Jack or the unconscious weevil.
TW TW TW TW TW TW TW
One month later…
It was tipping down with rain and I had got caught right in the middle of it. The morning had seemed fine and I had only worn my black hooded top and combats of the same colour. I had been feeling quite good too; a letter offering me work experience at the college affiliated with the University with the possibility of getting a job afterwards had landed on my doormat this morning making me happy for a change. I had gone out for a walk into town, something I had rarely done since the accident.
I walked around two shops before the heavens opened. At least I had bought myself a few new black tops of various types that might suit my new job. I ran into a café and ordered an Americano, the name of it bringing me back to that night and the mysterious Captain Jack.
I shook my head dispelling any thoughts or remnants of dreams that had suddenly unbidden come to mind and sat down at my seat by the window, inhaling the lovely aroma of coffee. I looked out into the rain and relaxed watching the patterns of the rain so like the matrix on the glass.
"Hi, Ann, is this seat taken?" A familiar voice said breaking through my thoughts.
"Oh... Jack isn't it... And no it's not taken" Was all I could muster as I stared at him.
"You remember me then?" He asked as he settled himself down at the table and stirred his coffee before he took a sip. He winced for a moment then shook his head; a look of sadness crossed his handsome face.
"What's wrong?" I asked instinctively but he retreated back within his façade pasting a smile on his handsome face.
"Nothing, I knew someone once who was rather good at making coffee, that's all." He said with a wry grin. "Now about that business the other night!" He said cheerfully as if nothing had happened. I could tell that he cared a lot for the person he was talking about.
"What about it?" I asked sipping my coffee giving him my best blank face, not letting him know that I felt anything for him and that I wasn't even sure of what exactly hadhappened.
"Well since you are taking it so lightly I think that we need to talk." He said smiling. "Ever hear of something called Torchwood."
I looked at him and shrugged. "Maybe." Was all I said and he raised his eyebrows at me.
"I have need of someone who is good at archiving and keeping our cover."
"I'm not interested; I start a voluntary job soon that will lead to me taking over a class at the college. It's something that I always wanted to do. Sorry Mr Harkness I must decline your offer."
"Well if you change your mind, or something happens. Call me!"
I took the card which just had a T inscribed on it with a number underneath.
I looked up having formed a nice sarcastic remark in my head but he was gone.
"Damn you are mysterious!" I said and drank my perfect temperature coffee.
I noticed that outside the rain had stopped; the sun was reflecting off the rain soaked streets nearly blinding me. I sighed and left my cup by Jacks and picked up my bags, my thoughts on what Jack had told me. I left the café and went to catch my bus home, thinking about the mysterious Captain Jack Harkness all the way.