Chapter 2: The Problem

Chapter 2: The Problem

A/N: I know this took me a long time but I have been working on a lot of other projects for school, family, and myself. Thanks for reading.

Jack sat at his desk thinking about his team. They were having problems…that was obvious. He wondered if he should entrust his team in the hands of the new member. Katherine knocked on his door, "Jack, may I speak with you?"

"Certainly," he answered as he motioned for her to sit.

Katherine smiled and sat in the chair, "Jack, I've noticed that there is no communication between everyone in the team. Within a few days your team will start to work insufficiently."

Jack smiled. Katherine was a little surprised at his reaction.

"Do you always talk that way?" he asked.

Katherine laughed, "Only when I'm nervous."

"Why are you nervous?"

"Being a member of Torchwood is like a dream come true. I don't want to screw it up like I have so many things."

"What could you possibly have screwed up that made you nervous of this job?"

"The main one is my last relationship. He blamed everything on me and eventually I started to believe it. It doesn't help that Owen reminds me of him."

"Forget all that. You have a new life now. To get back on track…what can you do for my team?"

"I can heal them," Katherine answered.

Jack smiled and his eyes seemed to sparkle, "Come with me."

Jack stood and walked towards the door. Katherine followed him. They went down to the basement level.

"What's down here?" Katherine asked.

"Do you have any experience with a gun?" Jack asked to reply to her question.

"Some, I had to carry one when I worked for the CIA," she answered.

Katherine worked for the CIA for five years. She had to leave that job to work for the British government. Jack was surprised at her statement, "I must have missed that when I read your resume."

Katherine laughed, "It wasn't on my resume."

"Oh, that's why I missed it. Why wasn't it on there? That would have gotten you any job you wanted very easily!" Jack exclaimed.

"The only way I was able to leave the CIA with my memory entacted was if I signed a contract stating that I wouldn't put down on paper my job there."

"Oh, well…a job like that was good to have. It got you ready for this one," Jack said as he turned on the lights.

There was a table with weapons lying on top of it. Katherine looked over them in awe, "You have all these?"

"Those? Those are just our practice weapons. Show me what you can do with these then you can carry one with you," Jack said as he stood on the other side of the table.

Katherine smiled. The truth was that she had more experience with weapons than she led on. Her job at the CIA required her to have certain skills.

Katherine looked around for the targets and saw five in different areas of the room. She picked up a gun that was in front of her and loaded it without Jack's help. Jack watched her intently. She aimed at the first target and hit straight on. She did the same with the other four. All were perfect hits.

Jack surveyed all five targets and stood next to Katherine. He picked up a knife that was on the table behind him.

"You do well with guns but how do you do with blades?"

Katherine smiled and grabbed a blade from the table. She was behind Jack before he could get close enough to have his blade near her throat. Katherine held her blade against Jack's throat, "How well do you think I am?"

"I think I won't get on your bad side. But…I also think…I can still take you," Jack said as he turned on Katherine.

They fought until they tripped over a mannequin that Owen had left on the ground. Katherine tripped first and pulled Jack down on top of her. She dropped her blade to the ground. Jack looked into her eyes as if searching for something. He didn't get to look very long because Owen walked into the room.

"Uh…um, Sir, dinner is served," Owen informed as he walked back to the lift.

Jack stood and helped Katherine to her feet. She picked up the blades and laid them back onto the table.

"I'm sorry, I'll make sure the floor is clear from plastic humans next time," Jack said smiling.

"No, its ok. I…I should've watched where I was going," Katherine stuttered.

"Stop blaming yourself…besides I'd fall for you any day," Jack said.

Katherine smiled and blushed. Jack walked over to the lift and motioned for her to go first. They went to the Conference Room in silence. Both thinking about what had happened in the basement.

Jack sat at his usual spot at the head of the table. Katherine, Owen, and Gwen were to his left. Ianto and Tosh were to his right. They ordered Chinese instead of pizza. Gwen, Owen, and Tosh were having a discussion about juvenile delinquents. Jack, Ianto, and Katherine were in a heated debate about the Civil War. They ended up agreeing with Jack and making a joke about the South.

Katherine decided to confront the team. She didn't know how Jack felt but she knew what she was doing. If she didn't intervene soon the damage would be irreversible. Katherine knocked on the table to get everyone's attention. When it didn't work Jack got their attention for her.

"Thank you, Jack," Katherine said.

"You're welcome," Jack replied.

Ianto noticed Jack's expression when he looked at Katherine. It wasn't one he recognized.

"I know that everyone is having some type of problem, whether it's with the outside or with Torchwood. No one has to live up to anything; no one has to know if you come to me. But please…know I'm here and I can help," Katherine explained.

"Now, Katherine told you what she wanted to. I'm making it an order. Once Katherine is finished helping one of you she'll call another one of you at home and set up a meeting. You have to go. If she says you don't need another meeting then she'll stop it there. Otherwise…keep going," Jack ordered.

"Why do we have to, Jack? We've never had problems before," Owen questioned.

"And yet…we do now," Jack replied.

Tosh stood from the table, "I…I…have to check…on the…um…case…for sightings," she stuttered as she walked briskly down the hall.

"What was that all about?" Owen asked.

"Damnit, Owen, you're so blind and inconsiderate!" Gwen said as she followed Tosh.

Katherine knew that Tosh wouldn't talk to her just yet so she didn't follow. Ianto looked between the three people still at the table wondering what each was thinking about.

"What'd I do?" Owen asked.

Katherine laughed and looked at Jack, "Is he always like this?"

"Afraid so…Ianto on the other hand…" Jack smiled.

"Watch it, Sir, you might let something slip," Ianto said as he threw his trash away.

"Tape measure, Ianto, tape measure."

"What about a tape measure?" Katherine asked.

Owen went down to the first level. Ianto sighed.

"We'll save that story for a rainy day. Right now we need to work on the case," Jack said.