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previously...
Jack laughed, righting the already tense mood. "Hm, yes- we have some spare shoes in the vault.. Somewhere. What size.. Jules?"
Juliet pursed her lips. "You're doing that just to annoy me, aren't ya?"
Widening his eyes in an act of innocence, Jack said sarcastically, "Oh no, I wouldn't dream of it, Jules!"
She looked him over again, stating matter-of-factually, "You really are a bastard, aren't you?"
He grinned. "Know you love me."
She blinked. "Not yet, anyway. Ianto! Shoes await- size 9, by the way" Bowing dramatically, she waved him forward. But as she walked away, she allowed herself a small smile.
Jack might do, maybe.
Just maybe.
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Clad in a brand-new pair of shoes, Juliet did a sort of dance to test them out. She frowned slightly, analyzing the color. "Pink? Really? The only shoes you have are neon pink?" she winked playfully. "No olive drab?"
Ianto shrugged, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "We aren't a shoe store. No olive drab, unfortunately, Miss...?"
Juliet stretched, pointing her feet one at a time. She could feel Ianto's eyes traveling up and down her legs. "Juliet Speed. Call me Juliet- or Jules, but just don't tell Jack I said that. Oh well. Back to business. Tell me, how long have you been doing this?" she asked, walking out of the vault with him. Shutting the door with a clang, Ianto paused for a moment. "Doing what?"
She guestured around her. "All.. this. Aliens and shit."
He glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Several years by now, I'll say. I'm.. the organizer, you might say. I bring coffee, make sure they look good- that type of thing."
She blinked. "And what is your life outside of Torchwood?"
He swallowed nervously. "Uh.."
Juliet nodded. "I know. Not much else, is there? Jobs like this... they creep into your life- sucking out all the "normal" parts, eating away at your being. Turning you into a alien-hunting machine." When Ianto started to protest, she cut him off. "I'm speaking from experience."
He raised his eyebrows. "You hunted aliens? But isn't that..." he gestured aimlessly, spinning a finger in the air.
"My own kind? Not neccesarily. I'm not against... Dealing with aliens, as you put it... I'm just against experimenting on them. Studying them, I mean, like dissecting them."
She rubbed her stomach- just above her navel, just below her breastbone.
"I have personal experience with that. It's amazing what people do in the name of science." She spat out the word as if it was something toxic.
Her eyes clouded. "When I grew up, most people were afraid of saying they were gay- thought it could get them prosecuted... Hell, if you were of a different race you were prosecuted. Imagine being someone who was all alone- a freak. That's all I am, a freak..." Clearing her throat roughly, she clapped her hands, jumping out of old memories (and startling Ianto).
"Well then," Juliet said briskly. "Can't keep them waiting, can we?"
Ianto hesitated, only for a moment. "Y...Yes, we must be off then."
She strode out of the room, slightly faster than normal. Or faster than abnormal.
Ianto's shoulders sagged. This was going to be so confusing.
Juliet Speed was living a lie- to protect herself, just like he knew so well. She kept all of her secrets behind more secrets. He could tell that she was taught by experience that friends could mean pain. She acted tough and cool, but he saw right through it. Through her eyes. He could see her pain in her eyes- those lovely, unnatural (natural?) eyes.
Juliet turned around, snapping her fingers in his ear. "Oy! You comin'?"
Ianto blinked, jumping out of his trance. He straightened his tie (red, as usual)."Yes. Right away."
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Gwen sat down on a chair, near the desk in Jack's office. Jack was lounging at his desk, leaning back and studying a pen. "So, Gwen, how long have you known Juliet?"
She rubbed the back of her neck. "Oh, I dunno, bout a year, maybe."
Jack began clicking the pen. On, off. On, off. "Did you know about her... condition?"
Gwen shrugged. "I.. No, y'see, I... Will you stop that, please! It's really distracting!"
He put the pen down guiltily. "Oops. One year, and she's managed to hide that? Amazing. Where does she live?"
Shaking her head slowly, Gwen frowned. "That's the thing. She doesn't. She comes to work, does her job, and then... Goes. No one knows where- I tried to follow her once, but she just went around a corner and "Poof!" no more Juliet. I think now that she ran away."
Jack rubbed his neck. "Hm. Does she have any other friend or family? Anyone with her... condition?"
Gwen crossed her arms, leaning back like a pouty child. "What is this? An interrogation? I've already said- I haven't known she was an alien until now. Yesterday, if you'd said there was aliens- I would'a said you was crazy!"
Jack studied her, taking in everything- from the gap between her teeth to the mascara outlining her eyes. "I need to know if she's planing an invasion."
She couldn't help it- it was too funny. Bursting into giggles, she gasped out, "Taking.. over the world? What.. Why would she do that? I know Jules seems... I dunno, frosty but.. Seriously."
Jack wasn't amused. "Every time we find an alien on earth, they want something- money, land, a new planet- you name it, we've had it all. It really isn't funny- hundreds of people could be saved now if we track down the threat. We will need to run some tests so we can be sure she isn't dangerous."
Just as quickly as it had come, Gwen's amusement turned into anger. "Now you hold on- She isn't no threat. I've never seen a better officer- and not just skills. She really knows how to handle people."
Juliet leaned up against the doorframe. "If you wanted answers.." she remarked calmly "You only need to ask nicely, Jackie."
Gwen flushed at the sudden intrusion, but Jack seemed unperturbed- only slightly offended by the nickname.
"Jackie? That's the best you can come up with? I prefer pretty boy.."
Juliet's neon glare pierced him. "You call me Jules, I call you Jackie. Fair deal. Though, when people talk about me, I should give them something worse."
He played absently with his suspenders. "Is that a threat?"
She raised an eyebrow. "No.. it's a warning. If you want to stay Jackie, you play nice."
Cocking her head slightly, her mouth twitched. "And I thought you were going to buy me a drink- you'll find I'm easier to talk to when I'm drunk." She accented the "k" in drunk, the simple sound seemed to rebound in the tense atmosphere.
She rubbed her stomach again; just above her navel, and just below her breastbone. A shadow fell over her face. "It makes it easier to remember hard times."
Gwen nodded. "I know what you mean"
Jack stood up, grabbing his coat from the hatstand. The old navy wool was soft to his touch, heavy with the weight of many years. Straightening the lapels, he extended his arm to Juliet. She raised an eyebrow.
He grinned, showing off his perfect teeth. "I don't bite.. usually." He winked.
Slowly, Juliet linked her arm with his. She flinched and stiffened slightly when he raised his other hand. But only for a second. Jack frowned. Something was off with this woman...
He smiled encouragingly. "Hey, I'm not gonna hurt you or anything.." Gently, he brushed a lock of green-and-blond hair out of her eyes, allowing him full view of the thick gold kohl surrounding them- it really made her eyes pop. A shadow was over her face, almost as if she was afraid of being hurt...
His hand lingered, his fingers lightly brushed down her cheek. She sighed, barely audible, her eyes closing halfway. She suddenly looked older, less strong, more... Free. But only for a moment. Then the shadow returned, and she was back to being cool and stiff and... beautiful. In a cold and stiff way. Like ice. She was an icicle.
Cold and stiff and beautiful. And fragile to touch, even though it looks really hard and strong.
Jack looked her over, mildly troubled. She may be alien, and maybe- maybe she wasn't a threat... Still...
Something was very off.
Gwen sidled up to Juliet, taking her other arm. "Hey, Jules, why don't we set off, 'K?"
Juliet started, her shields snapped back into place, her moment of weakness gone. Safe and protected behind a mental shell. "Yea, sure. Lead away, Jackie."
Jack rolled his eyes. "As you say Jules."
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Jack slid the door shut of the black SUV, climbing into the drivers seat. Juliet sat in the passengers next to him, and Gwen behind her, surrounded by screens and other various technology. As usual, Juliet seemed cool and stiff.
He could tell from the alien-woman's actions and cool demeanor that something had once happened to her- through someone she'd trusted. She seemed to react positively around Gwen, though- someone she trusted. Juliet was strong and proud- but when he touched her suddenly she seemed almost frightened. At some point, someone had hurt her- and he wanted to know who.
Keeping his eyes on the road, Jack did his best to make some sort of small talk. However, true to her word, Juliet gave out little information- she relied on one-word answers. Gwen chose to stay out of the crossfire. She could swear that the temperature dropped 10 degrees.
"Where do you live?"
"I don't."
"You don't what?"
"Live anywhere."
"Oh."
"Yes."
"What does that mean? Do you have a flat?"
"No."
"Then where do you sleep?"
"I don't."
Jack rolled his shoulders. "Ok then, Madam-wise-guy, what do you do at night?"
Juliet paused, her right hand absently twirling her hair. "I run... and swim.. and jump off things..."
He raised his eyebrows. "You jump off things?"
She nodded. "Yes. Bridges, mostly. It's great fun."
Jack decided wisely to drop the subject. "Oooo-ok.. Lets try again. So. You don't sleep, you can run to at least 135mph, can break concrete, and are at least part alien. Correct?"
Juliet nodded. "Mostly. I do sleep, but only when I want to. Which is never. I have clocked myself at speeds of 350, but unfortunately, the speedometer broke. Concrete is easy- but thicker metals, such as steel, take a helluva lot more effort. The alien part... I'll explain that later." She stared out at the buildings and landscape that was going by.
Conversation over.
Jack glanced sideways at her. "You know we're on your side, right? That is, if you aren't going to take over the world or anything... that would change things..."
Her eyes flicked to meet his, a rare smile glimmered on her face. She looked sad and tired- worn, even. "It's hard to tell who's on what side nowadays..." Her eyes clouded, and she looked away.
Jack parked. "We're here."
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Hey y'all! sorry for the delay- highschool and all that :P
Here we've got some background coming- soon we'll discover more about the mysterious Juliet Speed and what made her so cold and stiff- dun dun duhhhhh!
Thanks for reading, please review- it really makes me write faster (hint hint!)
Review my dearies!
~Dark Moons