Thank you all for reading and commenting. It is very appreciated.

Chapter 2 and 3 were initially meant to be one chapter, but I figured it was too long. I hope you like it.

Slash and femslash are coming, starting with chapter 4 which is almost done.

Corrections and suggestions are more than welcome. Enjoy!

The woman in a suit approached her face from the panel installed on her arm and blew in it. An immediate change occurred to her uniform. It literally transformed into a very pretty black dress revealing her predominant belly. It could have been described as sexy, but at the same time it looked very classy and practical. She looked very comfortable in this long dress that reminded a military officer off duty, because of its epaulettes. Black leathered boots covered her legs up to her knees and gave her a very serious air. Tall and strong, she seemed to exude charm, power and authority.

Tosh felt suddenly very small in her casual outfit. She could not believe such force and such beauty could come from a woman. And a pregnant woman! Definitely, pregnancy must be a wonderful thing and it did not take away any of the woman's sexiness. Often missing confidence, she admired the determination look Amanda displayed. She loved it.

Of course, the woman's features and demeanor appeared like the perfect army commanding officer and leader, but her face made Tosh think otherwise. Her smile was simple and sincere. Her eyes seemed to laugh and play around. As she peered around, she fixed her hands on her hips graciously. 'Was she human?' Tosh asked herself. With Jack, you never knew.

"What is this?" asked Gwen, pointing at the strange panel that had now vanished into thin air.

"Where I come from, we don't have any clothes. We've got those sartorial control panels on our arms and we 'program' our clothes."

"Now that's what I'm talking about when I say functional and practical!" cued Owen. He was starting to like that woman. No messy wardrobe, no waste of time on shopping, dressing, undressing, washing, drying, ironing, sewing, and… no money spent! How brilliant was that? No one with such wise technology could possibly be that bad.

"Before you say anything, let me guess where I am placed in time and space." she said quite excited. "I'm positive I can find it on my own! Victor, don't tell me!" she told her son. "She's worst than a kid" whispered Owen, obeying his sulky nature. He tucked away his weapon, since he probably would not need it anytime soon. Everyone had done the same, exception made for Gwen who still did not believe this could be happening. Maybe Jack was right. Maybe she was some kind of psychic alien and was dangerous. Truth be said, she raged that someone else was getting between her Jack and herself. She could not let him slip through her fingers. No way!

"Let's see… This is Earth, I know that much. Hum…There are… humans, yes. Clothed humans. Speaking clothed humans. Clothed humans speaking English! So that would be after Christ… Actually, since English is a West Germanic language that originated from the Anglo-Frisian and Old Saxon dialects brought to Britain by Germanic settlers from various parts of Ancient Europe, I'd say in the 5th century. Yes, 5th century. Now…" She jumped around examining the surrounding with much enthusiasm.

"A keyboard! Briiiiliant!" she exclaimed with great joy. "Before the 24th century, then."

"Are you saying we're stuck with keyboards for another 300 years?" asked Owen annoyed.

"Maybe you'd rather write everything by hand, since yours is in a such great state." retorted Ianto.

"It is my left hand that is broken. I am right-handed!" he answered back, getting slightly crossed.

"Oh! And this is Welsh accent. This must be Wales, then? Cardiff in Wales. Am I getting close?"

Paying no attention to the two men, Amanda moved close to Tosh and touched the fabric of her top as to see what it was made of.

"Oh! And this is refined fabric." Wetting her index in her mouth, she lifted it in the air as to feel the wind. "Normal pressure, normal temperature of about 21°C, but lots of automotive related toxins: this can be either 20th, 21st, 22nd or 47th century, which I've already dismissed as a possibility." Her excitement felt contagious to Toshiko, who felt a breath of freshness through her lungs just listening to the woman. So much interest, so much intelligence. She must come from very far to speak like she did. Just like Jack. 'What was it again? The 54th century? No, 51st I believe…' She had so many questions, so many things she wanted to ask, but her Japanese education bend her will. Silence was a virtue she understood well. Anyway, her boss handled conversations much more fluidly than she could.

Looking up: "We… are underground. Yes. In an… office, is it? " and winking at Tosh "With a gorgeous Japanese… Globalization has already begun, but mixes aren't too common I'm guessing. This is the 21st century! In Cardiff."

She smiled around proudly. She was good, that's for sure. Getting back around Tosh, she asked seducingly: "So what would be your precious name?"

"Here we go again…" the coffeeboy murmured.

"Do you mind? We're here!" warned Owen before the flirting got out of hand.

"I'm Toshiko Sato." she smiled timidly. She looked down at her feet. She liked it, who wouldn't?

Amanda laughed: "Just like the book?"

"What?" choked Gwen. Everyone looked at each other in sheer surprise. What book?

"Ah ha! And let me guess," the woman joked "you're the ex-copper Gwen Cooper, we've got Doctor Owen Harper, the sweet janitor Ianto Jones and, of course, the famous Captain Jack Harkness! Ah ha ha!" She roared in laugh while all of them could not believe their ears. That was really scary! A shiver came down Gwen's back. 'I really don't like that. ' she thought.

"Oh come on! I'm just kidding. You're such killjoys." Turning to Owen, she asked again. "What would be your name, seriously?" still smiling from her previous laugh.

"And how exactly do you know that?" Owen asked frankly.

"Know what?"

"My name, for Christ's sake! How do you know our names?"

Her face fell into complete consternation. "What do you mean I know…" She turned her head around as to see if that was a joke. She would only meet concerned and surprised looks all around. "No…" She moved two steps backward. "No!..." She took her hands to her head and passed her fingers through her curly hair. She smiled again in excitement : "It can't be! Noooo!" She started walking around rapidly.

"Are you done, yet?" said Owen.

"Oh God! This is Torchwood! This is the Torchwood institute!" She paced even faster looking around letting out a shriek of excitement each time she found new elements that seemed to confirm her assumption. "That, is, ab-so-lu-tly FANTASTIC! I almost can't believe it."

"Are we some kind of faggot-freak-show in the future or somethin'?" suggested Owen.

"What's all this about?" asked Jack, more than intrigued.

"If you had listened in class, you'd know!" she breathed, exasperated. Her face came serious again and she turned to Ianto. "Ianto…"she whispered. He leaned forward, as a respectful bow and said quietly: "High Mistress." She made slow motions coming toward him and gently put her arms around him. "Oh, Ianto. What are you doing in this dimension?" He hugged her back sincerely and closed his eyes in relief. They looked like two best friends meeting again after very long years. "You changed a lot." she affirmed taking his face tenderly in her hands. Her eyes were now shining with tears. She smiled to him and he smiled back. "We'll talk." She took his hand and kissed it before going back into her strong status. Weakness time was over for now.

"What's all this shit?" barked Gwen. She was realizing that everyone was keeping secrets from her, and from everyone, probably. "Does someone else have anymore secret to reveal?" She turned, mad as hell, and pointed Owen with her gun still high. "What are you? A sheep?"

"God, what's this Welsh obsession for shagging sheep?" retorted Owen.

Gwen ramped. First came a female Weevil, or so we think, that turns to be Jack's ex-wife, then the savior of the planet and now she knows Ianto! She hated her. Her presence made her feel uncomfortable. No, not uncomfortable; much more than that. She was torn apart. As though what she had thought to be the truth had been wiped out of reality. She felt she was betrayed, as lied to. Forever lied to! Losing Jack more and more… That made her see how ignorant she was about her colleagues… How clueless she was about the man she loved and admired and his lover. Moreover, someone from the future represented a great danger for them. She felt that danger was already infiltrating their small circle.

"You don't have to fear me Gwen." Amanda said softly approaching the angered woman who pointed back the gun at her. "I am not dangerous. I swear I can help about the Mavros here and with some other things you might want to deal with…" She got closer. "You're not like that Gwen, come back here." She lifted her hands toward the furious woman to calm her down.

"You don't know nothing about how I'm like!" she bursted, still holding up the gun. She was really fired up. All this was making her head spin. 'Am I jealous?' she asked herself realizing the stupidity of her reaction. She lowered her weapon and tried to keep her cool. Yes, she was going to take a deep breath, but she certainly was not done with that hoity-toity and arrogant rival.

"I understand. My name is Amanda Clarkson. I come as a friend. I'm like you. My job is to protect… hum people, from dangerous alien threats. I did not know I'd end up in your base. I'm sorry." she assured. "I also happened to be…" and she hesitated and looked at Jack.

Jack scratched the back of his head uneasily. He had been thinking really fast for the last minute about how he was going to introduce her. He was torn between surprise, joy and shame. He still couldn't believe she was back, still so annoying, so infuriating, so full of surprises, so keen, so smart, so sweet, so beautiful, so… Amanda. He wanted to take her into his arms just to make sure she was real. Every membrane of his body craved to run to hold her. But her presence here came close to being impossible. Actually, no one in his right mind could conceive her being here. He could not, he would not dare approach her yet. No matter what, he always tried to stay focused. He controlled his emotions when in front of his employees, especially when it concerned his past. These things could not be revealed, not ever! He had put too much effort into getting all his past life under the carpet, even under the soil of the Earth. However, something deep down inside him, something had changed. Or more precisely, something was revived. Something was coming back to life. Something within finally came back to the surface.

"Humm, yes. This is Amanda, she's…" he hesitated moving uselessly his lips. Nothing had come to his mind to explain it. He was supposed to present her. There was several ways of introducing the woman, but none he found was good enough.

"We go back." he finally said.

Frowning, she cried out: "Go back? Is this what you come up with everytime one of your wives or husbands raise from the dead? "

"Actually, he does." slipped Ianto.

"Well, dead usually stay dead." Jack accounted for.

Yes, that was it! It was hope. It was hope that was building up in his chest. It had happened when the strong woman had revived in his arms. Thoughts were fighting in his mind, rushing back and forth. He wasn't sure what he should believe but… Maybe, just maybe, he wasn't the only immortal soul in this universe!

"Oh, come on, you're such a joykiller! And be careful, you're insulting your lover over there." as she pointed the dead doctor.

"I beg your pardon?" responded Gwen, blinking rapidly.

"Me? What? Why, no! Never!" babbled Owen.

Ianto couldn't help but to smile. It had been a while since he'd seen the newcomer. He hadn't been sure it was really her at the beginning, so he did not want to show. Some things were best when they remained unknown. But when she had come across him, heat had come up his temples and a lump tightening in his throat. It was a relief actually to see her. He couldn't help feeling safe around her. A little bit in the same way he felt around Jack, but not for the same reason. However, he did not want it to degenerate. He wasn't sure of what she was capable of.

"Don't get snarly! It's Ianto. I remember now." she agreed. "I should have known, with the tie."

Gwen started to ask herself if she should start wearing a tie herself. Was it out of place for a woman to wear a tie?

"I'm his first wife." she continued, nodding at Jack. "We grew up together and we worked together in a security firm as special agents. We ended up as contract killers and stuff. You know how it is. They say one thing, they do another. The next thing we knew, we were to infiltrate the New Extended USAs. That's when we got married."

"It was more credible." Jack rushed to add.

"Are you ashamed, William?"

"Is William your name?" asked Gwen looking straight at Jack.

"Ouh, I'm sorry! Did I just blow up your cover?"

"Not really, no. Since William was only my cover name back then." Jack answered.

"Right." She acknowledged.

"Wa-wa-wait up a bit. You were dead a minute ago. Would you care to explain your trick?" Owen demanded. "I'm eager to hear you. I'm guessing it would explain why you're here in the first place."

"Well, let's say I don't die easily. I'm a very permanent sex bomb."

"Yeah! A very permanent pain in the ass…" corrected Owen.

"Are you like Jack?" asked back Gwen slightly bending her head toward the woman.

"How do you mean?" she asked surprised.

"My office! Now!" Jack hurled at Amanda as he headed for the stairs. Hands in pockets, his forehead was pleated and he seemed to fix something that wasn't there.

"But Jack!" cut Gwen.

"You all stay there!" he yelled back.

"Ouuh!... " Amanda challenged. She followed him, casted a last glance at Ianto.

Gwen knew better than to oppose him in such a moment. He was mad. He didn't want to be revealed. He was afraid. She was sure about it. But how could he not, if he was to always keep his own secrets to himself.