She screamed in agony. She felt frozen, but burnt and the only thing keeping her mind steady was the thought that Jack, Owen, Tosh and Ianto were safe and the rift was closing. She saw him briefly at the window trying to get in. Tears stained his eyes as he cried for her.

He wouldn't leave her to suffer this if he could help. He would never abandon her, but as the sensations increased throughout her body she could felt herself spiritually evaporating too.

Light. That's what she remembered. There was light everywhere and the tiniest crack in time. Most would consider it insignificant compared to everything else that had just flashed right before her eyes, but it was there and it was opened to her.

She was pulled through. The room along with all its contents disappeared before her very eyes and Jack's wonderful face shown no more as light erupted all around her and she was pulled through.

She landed with a thud on hard ground. Her head spun and she laid on her back clutching her side which had started up again. Images were still flashing all around her. History replayed itself over and over in her head, facts, dates, numbers and time had burnt her skull and yet she was still here. She was still alive. Barely.

She was losing more and more blood and she had no idea where she was. She tried to take in her surroundings. She was outside apparently. She could smell the sea. Possibly near the ocean or a bay of some sort. There were a few lights and buildings, but she can barely make them out with darkness creeping around the corner. She recognized some swings and a teeter totter. She was in a park? She groaned in pain as she fought to keep her eyes open.

"Oh my God. Are you okay? Stupid question. What happened?" came a soft voice.

It had to be an angel. Only an angel could look so golden and so pure. A blonde angel with soft beautiful brown eyes. But that couldn't be right. She remembered what it was like to be dead and there were no angels.

"Please," Gwen begged, "Please help me."

"Don't worry. I'll get help. I'm Rose by the way. Rose Tyler."

"Where am I?"

"We're in Cardiff," Rose said taking out her phone.

Gwen shot up immediately, but then fell back again clutching her side. Rose could now see the open wound and gasped at the sight of it. Gwen felt relieved. She was all right. She was still in Cardiff. The rift must have gotten her as far as outside.

"We've got to get you to a hospital!"

"No, I need to get to Torchwood."

Oh crap what had she just done. No, but she didn't care. She just needed to get to Jack. Her only thoughts were that of Jack and she would have given anything just to be with him and Tosh, Owen and Ianto now.

"What did you just say?"

"I need to find…please you have to ah…"

The pain had started up again though she wasn't sure if it was her side that hurt more or her head. Rose tore off the jacket she was wearing and wrapped it around Gwen's wound applying pressure. Rose took out her phone again this time carefully considering who to call. If she called the hospital now there'd be too many questions and the fact that this woman knew about Torchwood would only cause more problems. She dialed a number in her contacts and waited for him to pick up.

"Mickey, it's Rose. We have a bit of a problem…yeah I'm just outside…yeah…the thing is she knows about Torchwood…no not alien I'm sure…possibly yeah…she's wounded so…all right..five minutes then."

Rose hung up the phone and cooed the sweating Gwen. Her face was a great deal pale and her blood loss was becoming greater.

"How do you know about aliens," Gwen managed a little breathlessly.

"You asked for Torchwood, well you found them. I work for them."

"In Cardiff?"

"Actually I have my own team in London, but I was sent here when my friend who runs Torchwood Cardiff who asked for my help with a case."

Just keep talking Rose kept telling herself. It couldn't be that hard. She learned how to babble when the times got rough after spending so much time with the Doctor after all. She couldn't let this woman go unconscious. Rose felt a pull towards her. It was something almost extraordinary and this woman felt so familiar, but she couldn't think of what it was right now.

Gwen grabbed Rose's hand and Rose squeezed tight as Gwen began to shake.

"Listen to me," Rose told her, "It's not your time. Help is coming"

"I know," said Gwen through tears, "But it still hurts."

"Where are you-"

"-Rose. What happened?" came Mickey's voice as he piled out of the SUV followed by three others.

"Quick, help me get her into the SUV," said Rose trying to pick her up.

Mickey immediately went to assist along with one other.

"It's all right. I'm a doctor," she said.

"Martha? Martha Jones," Gwen whispered, "It's so good to hear your voice."

"What? How do you know me?"asked a slightly stunned Martha.

"No time," said Rose getting into the trunk with Gwen and Martha.

"We need to get her back to the Hub immediately," said Martha as she injected a serum into Gwen, "This should stop the pain."

"Are you sure she's not alien? I mean look at her. That's got to be the worst disguise I have ever seen," said a man with a cheeky grin.

"Shut up Owen," said Gwen and Rose in unison.

Rose stared down at the woman who's head was on her lap. Gwen was slowly going in and out of consciousness.

"Rose did you ever get her name?" asked Mickey.

"No, sorry," said Rose apologetically.

"Does she have an I.D on her?"

Rose scrambled through Gwen's pockets trying to look for something useful. She found a mint, some money which she was sure to carefully replace and a Torchwood I.D.

"Now this can't be right. Mickey was anybody else coming from any Torchwood facility to help with our latest project?"

"No, not that I'm aware of. Why?"

"This woman has a Torchwood I.D."

"Your joking?" said Owen snatching it from her.

Owen looked over it amazed, "Well lye me down and paint me purple. Do you think it's legit?"

"What's the name?" asked a new voice.

"Gwen Cooper."

"Never heard of her," said the new voice, "Mickey what do you make of it?"

"It has to be a fake or there's something we don't know about going on which is impossible because I make it my business to know everything and anything going on in Torchwood," said Mickey.

"Jake, what do you think?" asked Owen handing him the Torchwood I.D.

"I tell you Mickey this looks legit. Honest to God," said Jake

"That's impossible," said Mickey with an air of utmost superiority.

"Hey we're Torchwood," said Martha, "Nothing's impossible."

The SUV came to a halt outside the Tourist office which led to the secret entrance of the Torchwood Institute.

"Jack," Gwen whispered as she was wheeled in to the autopsy room. Rose did not let go of her hand. Now that they were in the light Rose could see the woman more clearly. She looked exactly like the working girl Gwyneth whom she had met in 1869, but it couldn't be the same. Her clothes were much more modern and apparently the name on her Torchwood I.D was Gwen Cooper.

"Who's Jack?"Rose whispered.

Gwen looked around her. She wasn't going to last much longer. Everything was becoming colder, darkness she could feel was creeping up on her.

"Rose, get out of the way," Owen shouted as he and Martha went to work at the wound quickly.

Rose reluctantly let go of Gwen's hand and backed away up the stairs. She stood next to Mickey who watched as both Owen and Martha went to work. Mickey could tell Rose was worried and took her hand in his. She grinned, but still kept her eyes on Gwen. Martha set up an I.V and hooked Gwen to all the necessary machines.

Who was this woman and where had she come from? She apparently claimed she was from Cardiff and she knew Torchwood, but how? They, Torchwood three and herself, had never seen her before. Was she hiding something? Was she dangerous? She didn't seem dangerous. And where exactly had she gotten that wound. Weevils originally went for necks didn't they and that wound was certainly not done by a weevil, so weevils were out.

"The wound looks more practiced," said Martha practically reading Rose's thoughts.

"Huh?"

"The wound. Possibly a knife or some other sharp object. Whatever it was it cut deep into her skin. I'm surprised she managed this long. Also there's some sort of residue," said Martha taking her clippers and putting some of it in a jar, "Might want to check that out later Mr. Carper."

"Of course, but first things first. It stitches time," Owen said raising the needle.

"What do you think happened? Did she say anything?" Mickey turned to Rose.

"She just said she needed to get to Torchwood."

"Rose, this could be a trap."

"Stop it Mickey. We don't know yet. Right now let's save her life and if she happens to be dangerous we could always take it back, but I highly doubt it. She looks just about as dangerous as Owen with a gun."

Martha snorted and Owen glared at her accidently pinching Gwen. Gwen flinched, but ignored it. Her eyes drifted shut completely as she fell off into slumber. Owen finished stitching her up and she was moved into the small infirmary until she woke up and Torchwood got some answers.

"Was she carrying anything on her? A bag? Was there anything else?" asked Mickey.

"It was dark and I was rather reluctant to see her in the first place, but no I didn't get a chance to look around."

"All right Jake and I will go look around. You should wash up. There's blood all over you."

"Oh right," Rose smiled looking down at herself, "I completely forgot."

"Get some rest afterwards. It's been a long week especially with that ghost machine and all."

"Yeah," said Rose shivering at the thought of it.

"Goodnight Rose," said Mickey sternly so she'd get the silent message to go to bed.

"Goodnight," she said as she watched Mickey stalk off.

Rose took one last look a Gwen and then headed off towards the showers. There were still so many questions that needed answering and she wasn't sure if she would be able to get any rest at all that night.

Rose turned the knobs and dressed. Her hands were now blood free and her mind was still wondering. She really should have been heading off to the room she was currently staying in during her visit in Cardiff maybe having a nice cup of tea before falling into dreams about meeting the Doctor again. Rose sighed at the thought. If she kept thinking like that she would never move on with her life. Sure, there was the Doctor in this world, but he wasn't the same as her Doctor.

This Doctor must have regenerated more times than her Doctor and was currently travelling with a companion named Toshiko Sato. Rose snorted. Who would want to spend their time on the TARDIS anyway or travel through time and space or spend hours of time trying to make out half the words the Doctor was babbling about? Rose sighed. Apparently she did.

Rose should have turned and gone left, but instead she turned right heading back to the small infirmary where the assumed Gwen Cooper lay. Perhaps she was a descendent of Gwyneth. It was the only logical explanation, but whoever she was she gave off a beautiful energy that calmed Rose.

Rose took a seat next to her. She was so pale and so frightened. What could have happened to frighten and hurt her so much? She seemed to be a normal girl, but then again you never knew.

"Jack…Jack…Jack," Gwen whispered in her sleep.

"Who's Jack?"Rose whispered knowing full well she wouldn't get an answer.

It was all just amazing to Rose. It had been a year in the parallel world. Mickey had been promoted and now ran his own team in Cardiff because of the Rift. She had her own team in Torchwood London, where apparently there had never been a Battle of Canary Wharf and they still stood strong. Her mother and father were living happily together with the new baby and all. She was living on her with a new apartment and everything though there was always that void, but no matter what she did she knew she couldn't fix it. It wasn't as though she didn't try to put herself out there either, it was just…it wasn't the same.

And then Mickey had asked for her help with a case he was working on which she couldn't help, but say yes too. She felt so trapped in London and could do with the fresh air. They had found an alien object that allows you to see visions of the past. Jake called it a ghost machine and then they had found another part of it that allowed you to see visions of the future. Martha was crying after coming out of the apparition because apparently she herself covered in someone's blood. No sooner did it come true after Owen investigated a Ted Morgan, he tried to kill them and Martha accidently killed him. Mickey held her the entire night trying to convince her it was not her fault, that the man had killed himself, but she knew Martha would never fully be okay. That Martha would have to live with this for the rest of her life.

And then tonight she went for a walk because the Hub, no matter how homey it had become after being around great friends, she still felt trapped. Maybe should would always feel this way. When she was with the Doctor they had travelled all over and she was spoilt from it. Rose grinned at the thought of the TARDIS and all the places she had been. And then she remembered seeing a freak burst of light. As she ran towards it she heard a groan and saw a body and then the rest was history.

Rose took Gwen's hand in her own not sure whether she was comforting Gwen or just trying to comfort herself. Tiredness threatened her eyes and she could feel her eyes beginning to close. She could almost hear the Doctor's voice calling out to her as she slept. It was almost as if she knew she would see him again someday. And as she dreamed a new face appeared beside him, but she couldn't fully see for it was distorted, but he was there. He had strong handsome features and wore a charming smile that made the insides of men and women melt.

Rose opened her eyes suddenly and took in the daylight that was coming through the very small window overhead. She had not thought about him in a long time, so why so suddenly had the thought of Captain Jack Harkness crept into her mind.