Just realised how long it's been since a new post….for those who don't remember Becky, I'd suggest reading my first two stories :o) But yeah, I thought I'd write a new fic.
Jack chuckled as Becky ran past him, her long brown hair whipping behind her. Her dark eyes were bright, and her light laugh echoed off the Hub's walls as she deftly caught the soft parcel Gwen tossed in her direction.
"Hey, that's mine!" Owen called after her, running up the stairs two at a time to catch Becky's wrist as she made to throw it to Toshiko. Becky's laugh turned into a squeal as Owen scooped her quickly off her feet, tipped her over his shoulder and took the parcel back from her outstretched hand. She pretended to frown as Owen put her down again with a cheeky grin plastered on his face, as though the fact that any male member of the Torchwood team saw her light, petite build as an excuse to pick her up all the time annoyed her. The others knew after six months, however, that she took all of their teasing good-naturedly, and if she had a problem with it, they'd be the first to know.
"Once again, beauty outwits brains" Owen teased. Becky raised an eyebrow.
"Funny, I didn't think you had either" she retorted with a smile. Owen laughed sarcastically and pocketed the small package, hiding the address written on the front.
"What is that, anyway?"
"Just something I need to deliver to a mate."
"Who is it?" Gwen asked, just as Tosh piped up with "What is it?"
"Just a friend, and never you mind." Owen laughed. Jack clapped his hands together with an air of authority.
"Right, lets get serious now. Who wants to accompany me on the night shift tonight?" he asked. Ianto raised his hand with a shy smile, and Jack grinned broadly.
"Sorry, Ianto, I have a whole list of night time activities planned out for you tonight" he said with a wink. "Anyone else?"
Becky shrugged.
"Haven't been on one of those for a couple of weeks, might as well."
"Great. OK, gang…"
"Gang? What are we, Mystery Inc?" Owen laughed
"Yeah, I've always thought you'd make a good Daphne. Right, everyone except Becky is free to go home. Becky, I'll see you by the car in about ten minutes." Jack smiled, bade the others goodnight and disappeared in his office.
"I'm going out the scenic route, I think" Owen told the room at large. "See you in the morning."
Ianto stayed put while the others left together, leaving Becky once outside to wait for Jack in the SUV. Owen stood on the platform that slowly rose up to the street above him, the hydraulic system humming quietly to itself. As soon as he knew he was out of sight, he pulled the parcel out of his pocket. He looked at the clumsily written name and address on the wrapping. His address. And his name. Tearing it open, he stared as a soft, pure white scarf tumbled out into his hands. There was no note, but he had only seen that sort of scarf wrapped around just one person's neck.
"Took your time" Becky called from the SUV as she saw the broad figure of a man walk silently towards her, silhouetted against the light of the pizza takeout restaurant behind him. "I was beginning to wonder if you'd forgotten me!"
He said nothing.
"Jack?"
Something was wrong, and Becky knew it. That figure was too broad to be Jack. The height was wrong, and Becky guessed that if he spoke, the voice would not be the familiar, light-hearted, American accented tone she had come to love. As the figure approached the car, Becky's eyes widened in recognition.
"Shit!"
Becky scrambled in her bag for the earpiece she kept with her at all times. Hastily turning it on, she spoke into the little microphone that jutted out, it's blue light shining on her paling cheek.
"Jack? Jack, are you there? Please be there"
"Becky?" Ianto's voice filled her with a quick sense of relief. "What's wrong?"
"Where's Jack? Is he with you?"
"I thought he was with you? He left his earpiece here, but he's not with me." He paused, and Becky could tell he was starting to panic.
"Look, Ianto, I'm not sure what's going on, but something weird is happening. Can you check Tosh's computer, are there any alerts going off? No alarms at all?"
"No, Becky, everything looks fine" Ianto replied as he hastily scanned the monitors. "What's going on?"
"I don't know, I really don't know" Becky's voice was starting to shake. "But…I…there's…" Ianto pressed his earpiece further into his ear as the signal started to break up.
"Becky? I can't hear you…" Ianto stopped. He couldn't hear what she was saying before, but there was no missing the sound of broken glass, or that blood-chilling scream.
"Becky?"
Silence.
Ianto whipped out his mobile phone and dialled Jack's number. After two rings he answered.
"Jack, where the hell are you?"
"In my office, and could do with a little help."
Ianto darted to Jack's office and wrenched the door open. Jack was lying on the floor, tied to his chair with thick rope. His mobile lay open on the desk, and Ianto guessed he must have managed to open it with his teeth.
"How embarrassing, some guy was waiting in here for me and pounced as soon as I walked in. I would have fought back if I didn't think it to be some sort of weird and wonderful foreplay. But it was too late by the time I realised. Guess we're not that popular among the public" Jack smiled and tried to cover up his fury at being caught unaware as Ianto hastily untied him, but his smile faded as he took in Ianto's worried expression. "What's wrong?"
"Becky's in trouble. She tried to reach you on the coms, she was in the SUV. Her voice started to break up as she was telling me what was happening, so I couldn't understand what she was saying. The last thing I heard was her screaming."
Jack froze, his grey eyes widening.
"She was looking for you"
Jack shook off the last of the ropes and leapt to his feet. He was out of the door, up the stairs and running into the street within seconds, Ianto following in close pursuit. They sprinted to the SUV, and froze as they took in the smashed window on the passenger side and the slumped figure in the passenger seat.
"My God" Ianto murmured as Jack rushed to open the car door to get to Becky. He joined him in hastily checking for any movement, a pulse, breathing…any signs of life.
"Becky? Becky, can you hear me?" Jack spoke loudly and urgently, in a tone he knew Becky would respond immediately to if she could. Her eyelids fluttered slightly.
"Oh, thank God" Ianto whispered as Jack grasped Becky's shoulders.
"Becky, wake up. Open your eyes, come on" he coaxed gently.
Becky's eyes opened a little. She started to shake violently. Her earpiece was still fastened in place, and Jack could hear it emitting a high pitched, continuous squeal. He removed it and threw it onto the driver's seat, where it landed on top of a leather jacket and a white scarf.
"Becky, it's OK. We're here, and we're going to make sure you're alright" Jack murmured into her hair, as he scooped her up into his arms and handed her to Ianto.
"Go back to the Hub…no, wait, she's not safe there. Go back to your place, take your car and I'll meet you there later. Be fast, but be safe. Call the others and tell them to meet me at the water tower as soon as possible."
Ianto nodded and quickly moved to his car. He laid Becky, still shaking slightly, on the back seat and quickly got behind the wheel. His hands shook as he fumbled with his keys, and finally started the engine. He drove quickly to his flat, breaking speed limits and other laws as he called the other Torchwood team members on the way. Reaching his flat, he switched off the engine and quickly carried Becky indoors, double locking the door behind him. Becky stirred as he laid her on the sofa.
"What…what's going on?" she asked weakly.
"I don't know" Ianto replied. He knelt beside her and softly stroked her hair. "Jack's coming, though. He knows everything, or so he says" he added with a smile. Becky gave a faint smile in return, and then closed her eyes.
"Don't fall asleep yet" Ianto said quietly. "Just stay with me a little longer. Just until Jack gets here, yeah?"
"But I'm tired"
"I know…but just don't go to sleep yet."
Ianto tried to cover up his worry with a smile, but Becky saw through it straightaway.
"I'm not going anywhere" she smiled as she took Ianto's hand "but I'll stay awake until Jack gets here, if you want me to."
Ianto nodded and squeezed Becky's hand tightly.