Chapter Nine:
"When did you say he was going to get here?" Owen asked checking the watch on Gwen's wrist.
"He just said he'd be there in the morning." Martha replied collapsing into the beaten up Torchwood sofa.
"And you did give him the right date?" Gwen asked; Tosh's voice sounding nervous.
"Of course she did." Jack answered, "And stop worrying. I know you're all desperate to get back into your own bodies and you will. But, I keep telling you, once the Doctor is here, he'll be able to fix it, ok."
Owen and Gwen both nodded in agreement, although the looks on their faces once Jack had turned away told a different story.
* * * * *
At approximately 11.30 am, the sound of the TARDIS materializing echoed around the Hub. Martha and Jack immediately looked at each other and without any regard for the other, ran out the cog door and up to greet him.
"Jack?" Gwen shouted.
"Is that him?" Ianto asked, placing his almost ever present serving tray down.
"Where is that sound coming from?" Owen asked, coming up the stairs from the autopsy room, only stumbling once in Gwen's shoes.
"Oh my god…" The sound of Ianto's voice trailed away and Tosh sat heavily down at her work station.
"Tosh?" Owen looked over at Ianto's figure slumped in Tosh's chair; a worried expression on Gwen's face.
"He's forgotten he's still in Owen's body, hasn't he." Gwen sighed, shaking Tosh's head.
"Don't worry," Ianto answered, "Martha is with him, I'm sure she'll be able to explain."
"If you say so." Gwen replied.
"Ok, well, Jack and Martha ran outside, so the sound must be coming from there" Ianto said tapping into the CCTV image.
"There!" Gwen said, pointing at the blue police box on the screen.
"Tosh? What is it, darlin'?" Owen asked, kneeling down beside her.
"That noise." She lifted Ianto's head up to look at him. "I've heard it before. In London."
"When were you in London?"
"Ages ago, just after you joined. Jack wanted to check out the whole 'first contact' thing. He needed a medic, but you were hung-over and unreachable. So I went instead."
Owen nodded, remembering. Remembering how mad Jack had been. He was vaguely aware of Ianto and Gwen joining him beside Tosh to listen.
"I met a strange man that day, investigating that space pig. He was there one second and then disappeared. I heard that noise after he left."
"It must have been the Doctor." Ianto said, in wonderment.
"You've met the Doctor, then." Owen said.
Gwen opened Tosh's mouth to reply, but was interrupted by a voice behind her.
"What was that about me?"
They all spun around, before immediately trying hard not to look surprised or shocked. Jack chuckled slightly. Tosh inwardly frowned. This wasn't the Doctor she had met. Maybe she hadn't met the Doctor after all. Maybe it was someone else at time in London.
"Guys, I'd like you to meet the Doctor and his companion Donna Noble." Jack said, gesturing to them in turn.
Owen, Tosh and Gwen murmured their hellos and Ianto gave a small wave. The Doctor waved cheerily back and Donna smiled. They were both acting as though nothing were amiss. As though the body swap had never happened and as if Jack was standing beside him looking his usual self.
"Well, it's a big place you've got here, Jack. Good to finally see it." He shoved his hands into his coat pocket and gazed around. Ianto couldn't help noticing that his coat styling reminded him of Jack's.
"So, Doctor. I'd introduce you to my team, but as we're all in each other's bodies. It may be a bit confusing."
"I don't have a Timelord's brain for nothing." The Doctor replied, looking at Jack. Donna beside him rolled his eyes and Martha who saw it, laughed.
"I managed to grasp the fact that you're inside that body, after all."
"Ok," Jack replied, leading the Doctor and Donna over to the rest of his team. "This is Dr. Owen Harper, our medic and he's in Gwen's body as you can probably see. I'm currently in his body, hence the clothes I'm wearing."
The Doctor nodded in greeting and smiled. "Pleasure to meet you, Owen."
"Likewise." Owen muttered, nodding in reply.
"Gwen Cooper. Police liaison and newest member. Jack introduced. "She's in Tosh's body."
Once again the Doctor nodded in greeting. "Nice to meet you, Gwen." Gwen simply nodded in reply and the Doctor had a strange feeling that he had met her before. Although that was impossible… surely…
"Toshiko Sato," Jack moved on, "our resident computer techie and all round genius." Tosh felt Ianto's face turn red. "She's stuck in Ianto's body at the moment. And I don't mean to say that as a bad thing." Jack added, winking, causing both the Doctor and Martha to groan.
"Some things never change, aye." Martha muttered.
"Nice to see you again, Dr. Sato." The Doctor acknowledged, emphasizing the 'again'.
"Again?" Jack asked, clearly surprised.
"Again?" Tosh asked. "But…"
"Oh, I've changed a bit since I saw you last." The Doctor reassured her. "But it was me, that time in London with the Space Pig. Aliens faking aliens, right?"
"Yeah." And Ianto's mouth turned into a smile.
"Hold on…London?" Jack started, but was shushed by the Doctor.
"Story for another time, Jack. Or maybe you could just ask Toshiko later." Jack opened his mouth to argue. "Later!" the Doctor reinforced. "You haven't finished introducing me, yet."
Jack sighed, and attempted to block out the sound of Owen smirking. "And lastly," he said, "This is Ianto Jones. He's been fortunate enough to be trapped in my body."
"I'd say unfortunate." Ianto replied evenly to the Doctor. "Trust me, sir; Jack's body is nothing to brag about." He smiled impishly and Donna let out a laugh.
"I'm sure it isn't" the Doctor replied, grinning at both Ianto's comment and the expression on Jack's face… which was actually Owen's face, "And it's just Doctor, not sir."
Ianto nodded and offered Jack's hand in greeting. The Doctor took it, "Wonderful to meet you, Ianto Jones."
"And you, Doctor." Ianto replied. He could now see why Jack took such a liking to this man. He was sure they'd get along swimmingly.
