This is something I wrote in collaboration with my good friend Verity around 3 years ago. The plot is focused on Toshiko Sato and a character of Verity's own creation by the name of Skye. Skye is a younger Japanese character from the Glasgow branch of Torchwood.

The whole thing is written in a script-style, with actions etc in italics and speech in normal script.

This first chapter was actually written solely by Verity, but it is vital for the understanding of the rest of the story, so I hope you don't mind my posting it :)

xoxoxo

(Tosh sighs, looking out onto the streets from where she's stood on the open-top of the hotel, letting herself have a few minutes away from the meeting the others had pursuaded her to go to. Why did they always have to make her go? Jack and the other three did the most of the work, she just always seemed to be working with the technology, not that she ever minded. She just wasn't keen on the whole idea of being around lots of people, not since all the bullying she'd recieved from being the 'that weird Japanese kid' from the whole of her teenage years.

Her thoughts were suddenly interupted, as one of the girls from another of the Torchwood's appeared on the roof. She took a cigarette out her pocket, lighting it as she crossed to the barrier near where Tosh was stood.)

Skye: (more to herself than anything) Bloody women! And men, yep, lets just damn the whole bloody human race while I'm stood here!

(She lets out an irritated noise, before taking another drag on the cigarette, blowing the smoke out. Tosh coughs softly, causing the other girl to jump a bit, turning to her.)

Skye: Sorry, love. You want me to put it out?

(Tosh didn't answer for a moment, staring at her. As she had turned, the light had caught her face, showing her to be much younger - and prettier - than she'd first appeared. Her long redish brown hair hung loose down her back, contrasting with the silvery white dress she was wearing, both catching in the slight breeze of the December evening. She was shivering but, like Tosh, didn't really seem to mind being outside much.)

Tosh: (pulls herself together) No...no, it's fine...

Skye: (gives her a little smile) You're not a smoker, I'll take it?

Tosh: Never been able to stand the things...

Skye: Ah, they're my main vice...'cept for the booze, but my friend gets the blame for that because he's meant the be responsible. (laughs, before studying Tosh a minute) Which lot are you with?

Tosh: Cardiff...you?

Skye: Currently with the new Glasgow one, but I'm asking to move again.

Tosh: Again? (frowns a little) You don't look old enough to have been with them long...

Skye: Mm...they've had me since I was 16, so yeah...hardly any family, so I'm an easy one to transfer...

(Tosh nods, still barely taking her eyes off her, trying desperately to think of something to keep her talking. How strange that she, the one who always wanted to just blend in and keep quiet, wanted to keep chatting to this girl she'd only just met.)

Tosh: What...um...what did you say your name was?

Skye: Promise you won't laugh? (when Tosh nods) Scaramouche Marie Karpov - more like an essay than a bloody name, eh? Me friends generally call me Skye.

Tosh: (giggles) It's lovely - poetic. Mine's Toshiko Sato, just plain and ordinary.

Skye: (smiles) Well you're certainly not, Toshi.

(She winks at her, before crushing the rest of her cigarette with her heel, ignoring someone yelling for her inside.)

Tosh: Do you have to go?

Skye: And put myself back in the firing line of my charming ex? No thanks - came out here to avoid the bitch.

Tosh: Bitch? (frowns slightly, before nodding) Oh, you're gay?

Skye: (nods) Yeah, not a problem is it?

Tosh: No - no, of course not. Why should it be?

Skye: Is for her and her 'darling' boyfriend. Lemme see, what was it he called me? (frowns slightly, quoting the guy perfectly) A manipulative little rug muncher who needs to crawl back into the hole she came out of, and stay there rather than pawing over his missus. (clicks her tongue) If Ianto hadn't held me back, I swear he'd be in the hospital by now.

(Tosh smiles softly, lightly touching the fuming Skye's hand. The younger woman looking at her, calming herself down enough to smile at her appoligetically.)

Skye: Sorry, it just gets me. The way he said it, it's like I'm some kind of pervert, and I'm not!

Tosh: (smiles) You're just proud of who you are, that's all. (sighs, looking out onto the city) Just wish I had your confidence...haven't even told anyone...

Skye: (her hand slightly, squeezes Tosh's) You've told me. And anyway, I've had so many gay friends or friends of friends, it's never seemed a huge issue.

Tosh: Mm...I...

(They hear Jack and another male voice calling for each of them from inside. Skye pauses, before reaching into her handbag and quickly pulling out a scrap of paper with a pen. She jots down a quick note, before handing it to Tosh with a smile and running inside. Tosh watches after her in surprised confusion for a few moments, before opening and reading the note.)

Tosh: (reading to herself) Please keep in contact, Toshi. Every weird teen needs a pretty girl there to keep her sane, right? It's your call, but my number's 06689113497 and you email me on s. karpov "at" twglasgow .co .uk. Night, beautiful.

(She giggles, folding it up and making a mental note to call the next morning, before tucking the note inside her bra and running inside.)