Chapter one
Recruiting Elena Bennett

The morning after the night out, the alarm ringing so loud that Elena thought her brain was being bashed in with a hammer. The light movement of her hand pushing her quilt off herself, she felt like she smelt like she'd taken a bath in every alcoholic beverage in the world, cigarette smoke sticking on her hair. "Good morning me…" Her yawn was quick while she got to her feet flexing her toes before walking to her bathroom.

The walked to the bathroom was short; Elena placed her hand into the shower cubical. With a few turns of the hot and cold, she stepped away letting the water have time to get to the right temperature. Slipping out of her lace thong, bra, she stepped into the running water closing the doors behind her, the water running over her face while holding onto the wall letting the water roll down her back, the refreshing feeling was what she was looking for, taking hand full of shampoo, washing her long blonde hair hard. A part of her wanted to get rid off the smell of the pub; it wasn't really a way to enter work as a police officer.

Reaching a hand for a towel, Elena wrapped one around her self, the other around her hair. The morning didn't seem to be a good one, she'd been working for Cardiff police department for the past three months, she didn't know what really made her want to work as a police officer, part of her thought it was the easiest option of Careers when her father was Cardiff's chief constable, it was simple for Elena to take a job at that station.

So it was a matter of getting ready for work, Elena inhaled looking to her uniform, maybe there was more to life, but if she wanted to take the easy route, this was the con of it all that the uniform that didn't flatter her in anyway what so ever.

Dried hair, pulled into a tight French knot, Elena glanced to her clock in the kitchen pouring her coffee into a thermos, she could see it was getting to six o'clock and last thing she wanted was to be late quickly grabbing her car keys, work bag leaving her neat hardly lived in apartment behind herself.

"Morning PC Bennett…" PC Carlson greeted Elena as she walked through the entrance, her eyes meeting his, the fact was, everyone would always greet her the same way, her smile didn't show the hangover keeping her feeling groggy, but as she was a master of cover up and lying through her teeth.

Elena turned to PC Carlson, "Morning," she entered the briefing room, she couldn't believe every morning she'd come into here and get her assignment for the day, but it wasn't like The Bill, most of the days she did street parole, keeping the streets clean of trouble.

One of the officers who'd worked with her, was Gwen Cooper, as she was hired by special ops, no one had heard from her in a while, until the station was informed of her passing away.

Now Elena kept looking to Andy Davidson, the man who used to work with Gwen, but it seemed that her father, Chief Constable Gino Bennett was glancing to all the PC's in the small space.

Most the time, Elena knew she didn't get special treatment being his only daughter, but some times Elena wished he wasn't so hard on her.

Gino inhaled, "Bennett, Davidson," Elena getting to her feet on the sound of her father's voice, Andy getting up also. "You two will be car parole, it's the big match, keep a lot out for trouble, and call for back up if needed." Always sounding so commanding, Elena put her hat on while following Andy out of the room, so she inhaled and exhaled.

Walking to the police car park, Elena kept in sync with Andy, "Well, it looks like it's me and you again," he spoke, his hat under his armpit, he got keys from his pocket looking to Elena, "With that being, you wanna drive or me?" he asked with a smile, he placed his hat covering up his blonde hair.

"You drive," Elena walked to the passenger side, her stomach was still uneasy, the coffee made her awake, but it didn't stop her head swimming, but not enough to affect her work.

Andy laughed at the driver side, "Elena, if I knew better, I would say you're hung over." His voice was too happy about it, watching Elena get into the car.

Elena did her seatbelt up, "Andy, you'll keep this to yourself right?" she asked watching him doing his seat belt up.

"Have I ever grassed on you yet?" he asked with a smile.

Elena laughed, "No, no you haven't," she replied closing her eyes as Andy started the car.

While most of the driving around was nothing happen, but Elena felt her eyes open, 'we have a DOP at the father's arms, three persons involved please respond' The radio made Elena groaned, she reached over taking the radio, "This is PC Bennett, me and Davidson are two minutes from the scene, copy." Her voice was calm.

'Okay, inform if back up is needed, over.' Andy glanced to Elena as they were pulling into the parking lot of the pub; it was the one to always have a brawl in it. "We've arrived on scene, if further back up is needed, I'll radio, over." Elena got out the car, her radio attached to her uniform, behind Andy as the entered the pub, it seemed like two of the men were still fighting it out, Elena inhaled going for one of the men as Andy went for the other.

Owen watched as the woman officer walked into the pub, how he hated Jack, it was enough that he got to recruit the new computer wiz, but he needed to get another police girl for liaison from the police, he didn't see the point, but as he knew the officer Elena would be here, he sipped his drink trying to ignore the fact that he was meant to be doing a job.

"Okay, okay," Elena raised her voice, her hand pulling a man twice her size off another man; it wasn't hard being that Andy had the person who seemed to have started the fight.

A woman crept up behind Elena, her tacky gold, her bleached hair, the bottle in her hand and it swished through the air before smashing on the back of Elena's head, "Let go of me 'usband bitch!"

Letting go of the man, Elena was down her hand going to the back of her hair, the glass had cut her, but she wasn't sure how bad, the room was moving while her hand touched her Radio, "Request for back up at father's arms, officer down!" Elena let her radio go trying all her best to keep herself alert.

"Crap," Owen knocked back his drink, he walked quickly over to the woman he'd only known from files, he looked to her, "I am Doctor Harper," he looked to Elena, you see a photo of a woman, but he glanced over her, her dark green eyes looking up to him. "How many fingers?" he asked her, her eyes focused on his hand.

Elena giggled, one thing she hated, when she was nervous her laugh would always give it away, but as Andy had back up join him, it was Elena being on the ground with a man standing over her. Her eyes trying to see, "what hand or both?" she asked trying to control the giggled, but was failing.

All her luck, she gets bottled, and the good-looking doctor is the one drinking in the pub while on her shift. Elena kept trying to look into his eyes, but everything was still moving. "Well you'll need a hospital, and stitches." He helped her up.

"Erm, can I help you?" Andy seeing a strange man holding Elena up, the fact a random person seeing to his partner.

Owen exhaled, "Doctor Owen Harper, I am just trying to save some time, she needs a hospital, and stitches." He looked dead serious, and Andy stepped out with Owen.

Andy didn't really know, but nodded, "Our car is this way," the other officers on the scene had taken over; Andy wanted to see that Elena was going to be okay.

Feeling the needle pull on her skin, it was numbed, but it didn't stop the slight feeling of her head being stitched up, Elena glanced to the doctor, it wasn't the one who brought her in, but it was one that seemed to talk to her like she was an infant child.

"You've got a mild concussion, I've given you ten stitches." He wrote down on a report, his hand reaching over cleaning up the stitches before looking to Elena. "I'd request you take some time off, look after yourself." He placed a prescription, "This is for swelling, and pain," he looked to Elena serious, "Have you got anyone to pick you up?" he asked.

Elena inhaled, "I'll phone my mother, she'll pick me up," she moved from the table, her hand moving lightly over her head before stepping out of the office walking right into Owen Harper. "Oh, fuck!" she said.

"Nice way to greet someone," Owen laughed, "So How's the head?" he asked watching Elena, her hair down, waves of golden blonde hair framed her round face.

Laughing, Elena looked to Owen, "Sore, with ten whole stitches…" she gave thumbs up, "I even got time off." Her voice didn't sound happy about it; she didn't know what to do with herself if she wasn't working.

"Nothing wrong with that…" Owen kept smiling, it was a strange thing for him to do lately, as he kept looking over Elena, "I didn't pick up your name."

"PC…" Elena laughed softly, "Elena Bennett," holding her hand out for him.

Taking her hand shaking it lightly "Owen Harper," he repeated his name, he didn't remember telling her or not, but this was the woman he was meant to recruit, but he didn't even know how to start.

Elena let go of his hand, "Well I have to say, nothing like being bottled to start the week," her hand pointing to her head, she didn't like feeling this way. "I'm not dying…"

"Yes, but you should listen to the doctor, concussions can lead to brain clots." He shrugged, "but then it's highly unlikely event for me to tell an officer of the law what to do…" he shrugged his shoulder up while watching Elena with a cheeky grin.

Elena clocked on, her hand resting on her hip, how she hated that her uniform didn't flatter her curves, but she laughed, "Yes, I might have to use handcuffs," her eyes brow wiggled as she looked to the exit, "well Owen, I have to get home…" she started to walk to the exit.

Owen quickly catching up with her, "Yes, but really you shouldn't be going home alone," he kept in sync with her footing, "Doctor's orders." He added looking her over.

"Well, how about this, I go, and you pretend you've got something better to do…" she kept her tone smooth.

Owen nodded, "Yes, how about, coffee house, on Cardiff bay, if you're there in two hours, I can rest easy knowing you're okay." He kept that hopeful grin.

Placing a hand on her hip again, Elena wouldn't believe it, but it seemed he was flirting, she wasn't new to idle flirtation from strangers, "Well, I think that would be a date, I'll be there." Elena didn't look back as she walked away from the hospital seeing Andy waiting for her.

"So, what is the news?" Andy asked looking to Elena serious.

"I've got leave, cos Doctor order, can you just drop me off home," she knew her car was still at work, but she didn't really care about now.

Andy nodded, "Yeah, lets go…" he placed a hand behind her back walking her to the police car parked.

Elena walked into the small coffee place, there wasn't many coffee places on the bay, she knew this place her whole life, she was born in Wales, her mother Fiona was born here, she was born here too, her father's father was American, moved to Italy meeting Gabrielle Mancini, they got married and from that was Elena's father was born who moved to Cardiff marrying Fiona Floyd.

The fact that Elena's mother never knew whom her father was, her mother Nancy's story always fascinated Elena, she never knew much, plus Nancy never really spoke of the man who got her pregnant.

"I'll have, a medium latte, Soya milk," she smiled listened to the cost paying before taking her drink to a small table.

The feeling of being out of uniform, her head still sore, her long wavy hair down, her shirt was snug over her chest, not showing too much off, her jeans blue boot cut with her converses that were worn out, she kept stirring her coffee, maybe he wasn't going to show up.

As the door jingled, Elena looked up to see Owen walking, clean shirt, jeans, he tilted his head before walking to the counter, he wasn't excepting to see Elena, but there she was sitting at a table.

Taking his black coffee, he placed it on the table in front of Elena, "Sorry I'm late," he poured some sugar into the coffee stirring it lightly.

"I haven't been here long," Elena, replied honestly, she didn't really care if he was late, she kept her eyes focused. "So what kind of Doctor is in a pub at one in the afternoon?" she asked playing her hands on the table.

"Whoa, didn't know this was going to be a investigation," Owen playfully lifted up his hands, he wasn't scared of Elena, she kept watching. "I was bored, and it's always quiet then Monday after Halloween night." He kept his face cool.

"Yeah, it was a night, I was a ninja," she glanced over Owen's face, "I am not the type of girl who was going to turn down a party invite." She added while feeling her pocket vibrate. "Oh, I'll be one moment," she glanced over her father's number getting to her feet.

The thing about Elena's father, he made sure she knew her Italian heritage, as well as her welsh, he spoke Italian on the phone only when he wanted to make himself sound serious.

Owen watching as the girl walked off, he sipped his coffee, why on earth did Jack pick this girl out of every other possible employee, but it wasn't easy hiring into Torchwood.

Walking back to the table, Elena sat down, exhaled, "Who'd thought my Dad would give me a lecture," her eyes rolled while looking over Owen, "And people thought Police work is all glamour," her voice light looking back into her coffee.

"So daddy is worried about his little princess getting hurt," Owen laughed while he kept watching as Elena's face changed.

Elena hated the idea of being called princess, her hand played on the table, "No, he was asking me what I am planning on doing with my time off." Her voice stiff, her eyes focused.

"I've got to re decorate my place, maybe do some volunteer work at the homeless shelter." Her voice cool sipping her coffee, her eyes kept on Owen's.

Owen sipped his coffee, he wasn't one to assume things on people, as he kept looking to Elena, he placed his coffee cup, "so homeless shelter, seems like a dull thing to do…" helping people, being a ninja as a costume, clearly she was a lesbian.

Elena sighed, "Yeah, I like helping people," her voice sounded annoyed, "but as you can clearly see I am okay, It was nice meeting you," getting to her feet, she picked up her bag placing it over her shoulder, she walked from the coffee shop, she didn't expect to see Owen Harper again, he was rude and inconsiderate.

Elena walked the way she came, her hands in her pocket, she could feel some one behind her, for Elena she didn't think it was a funny joke, she wasn't going to give Owen the satisfaction of knowing he was creeping her out.

Walking through an alleyway, she turned into it; not knowing that is wasn't Owen that was stalking her.

"Look, as funny as you think you…" Elena spoke turning, her eyes going wide seeing the thing, didn't look human it couldn't be, it let out a snarl before charging her, Elena ducked as the thing flew over her head, turning quickly, still crouched her left foot sliding quickly to trip the thing as it lunged at her, Elena quickly grabbing it arm, she got to her feet pulling its arm behind it's back, her hand grabbing the other before it could make a swipe for her, but Elena was standing in an alleyway holding something that wasn't human, it was hunting her.

Before she could think of anything, she glanced around to see a man, brown hair, a vintage trench coat, it seemed like from the world war two, he smiled with bright blue eyes, his smile welcoming, charming. "Well, Yan toe, it looks like I found our friend." His voice was cool speaking into a bluetooth earpiece.

"Erm, can you explain what the hell is going on!" Elena's voice confused, she was still holding the thing that tried to attack her, she kept hold on both it's hands, claws, they seemed like they could kill, her mind not dwelling on the little things, but her eyes kept on the man.

Jack sighed, "Well, if Owen answered his phone, I don't think we'd be in this predicament…" his voice smooth, "I am Jack, Captain Jack Harkness," he kept smiling to Elena who hadn't let go of the thing. "And that is a weevil," he pointed to the thing in her hands.

"One, what is a Weevil? Two how do you know Owen? And three…" she took a breath, "Why is any of this happening?" her eyes kept on Jack.

Jack nodded, "One, a Weevil is Extraterrestrial, they got here through a rift in Space, a rift that runs below Cardiff, they live in the Sewers, but some come to the surface and attack, we try and collect them as they rogue." Jack exhaled. "Also Owen Harper is my second in command of Torchwood, he was meant to be recruiting you, Elena Bennett." He nodded feeling pleased with himself.

"Right!" Elena felt like she could scream, but as the thing, Weevil in her hands struggled in her grip she felt like she couldn't just let it go, "But Torchwood, special ops," her voice serious.

Jack nodded, "well we are specialist, in Alien life forms and technology." He kept looking to Elena, she was handling the Weevil very well, he kept thinking it was time to take it from her, but her eyes staring at him with a glare. "I'm getting a feeling you don't trust me…"

"Well does Gwen Cooper come to mind, she left, joined your Special ops," Elena kept the Weevil tight, it struggled against her grip, she didn't know how long she could hold on, "But wait, she's dead, her boyfriend isn't going to be the same, and, yeah, you want to recruit me."

Jack shrugged, "About right, second time lucky I say," he kept the charm, but Elena was getting sick of it, "Look, she wasn't all there, she wasn't focused," he left up a hand spraying something in the Weevils face, taking it from Elena he cuffed it, and looked serious, "I think you've got what it takes."

"Got what is takes," she laughed, "Fine, you've got my attention," Elena started to follow Jack to his car, it was a black SUV that seemed to have blue lights, Torchwood written on the front bonnet.

Jack moving the Weevil into the back, he opened the car for Elena watching her hop in, "well it's going to be a wild adventure." Jack said before starting the car driving them to the hub.

The place was big, but when Elena thought big, she was coming down the 'tourist' entrance, her hands were holding onto Jack feeling her eyes closed tight. "Is this the only way down?"

Jack laughed, he loved the fact he was looking braver, but the fact he'd taken this route so much, it didn't change how he felt. The fact Elena was holding on tight, he felt the slab stopping, the girls' hands loosened up. "Well, it's over, and yes, there is another way." Jack laughed, "Welcome to Torchwood." He added with a grin.

Holding onto Jack, Elena felt her eyes going to everyone, A man in a suit she didn't know, a woman who looked as if she was either Japanese, Chinese, Korean, who knew, but Jack smiled. "Daddy's home!"

Ianto smiled, he could see the new girl, she didn't seem relaxed here, but then with Jack, he just had a thing with woman, "Owen, you've been tailing her for three weeks, and Jack gets her in two minutes…" he broke into a smile, "I guess you fail Owen."

Owen rolled his eyes, "Really," he glanced to Ianto, the tea boy, the bosses pet, and most of all, been staring at the new computer girl. "Least I can get a girl and not pine over the boss…" he looked seriously mean.

Ianto sucked in his lips, he pointed to Owen, "your face is flat!" he stormed off quickly not looking back.

Jack was grinning, looking at her, "So, Elena... Watch out for the Pterodactyl!" He was laughing brightly as it swooped down around the lift in a teasing playful manor. Jacks grip tightened around her in case she flipped out, they were just getting to the ground.

Elena stared to the thing, "Holy," she felt the ride over, "I got to say that was a," she glanced around, "Owen," she looked him over, "Girl I don't know," she turned to Jack, "Possible boss..." her voice taunt, "I think this place looks pretty sweet, now, I know soon, the medication is going to wear off, and I'll be waking up..."

"Sadly, what you're seeing isn't the medication." Jack smiled at her, "This is Torchwood..." Jack's arms were extended to gesture the whole hub before smiling once more.
"Hey." Owen said casually joining their little group in case Jack tried to make a move for the pusseh he was going for.
Jack just ignored him going to the other new girl that seemed to have settled down into her work.

"Oh, wow..." Elena then fell back fainting on the spot.
Jack looked from Owen, then to the other room with Ianto, "I guess you both owe me fifty pounds each," he glanced to Elena passed out on the floor, "It's always the blondes who pass out." he added while stepping over her to go to collect money from Owen.