Ianto woke up to the sound of his mobile going off on the night stand next to his bed.Groaning, he rolled over and looked at the clock. 7:15 a.m. Sighing, he picked up the phone.
"Hello." he said sleepily.
"Bring Faith back to the hub." Jack's voice said on the other end.
"Why?" Ianto asked, sitting up, looking over at Faith who was still fast asleep. "What's going on?"
"Nothing." Jack said. "Tosh and Owen have apparently come up with something for her little necklace."
"Okay, we'll be there in let's say, an hour." Ianto said before hanging up. "Faith." he said as he genlty shook her.
"Mmmm...go away." she mumbled.
"You have to wake up." he said as he got out of bed.
"No." she said. "Too early, too tired." she added as she buried her head under her pillow.
"Tosh and Owen figured out something for your necklace." he told her as he rummaged through his dresser.
"Make them come here." was her muffled reply.
"I'm going to take a shower and get dressed, I expect you to be up when I come out of the bathroom." he said.
Faith fought the urge to fall backasleep as she heard the shower turn on. She just lay there, curled up and about to dose back off when she heard the shower turn off. She forced herself to sit up and swing her legs over the edge of the bed. Her head was pounding and it felt as though she'd had sucked on a ball of cotton all night.
"Well, you're upright." Ianto said as he walked out of the bathroom, wrapping a towel around his waist.
"I feel ucky." she said as she hung her head.
"Take the asprin." he told her. "Then go take a shower."
"You're quite bossy." Faith said as she swallowed three asprin and stood up.
"Yes, I am." he agreed as he walked over and shooed her to the bathroom. "Go, you stink."
"Bossy and rude." she remarked. "Very unattractive." she said as she closed the door behind her.
Ianto started getting dressed, and had just pulled on a pair of boxers when the bathroom door opened and Faith popped her head out.
"Would you rather have me stink, or be a fried corpse on your bathroom floor?" she asked.
"Damn." he said.
"I suppose I could do a sort of sponge bath." she said, looking around the bathroom. "I'll try that." she decided. "My smell is getting to me. Damn alochol." she muttered as she closed the door again.
"Be careful." Ianto called.
"If you want to help, you're more than welcome." she called back.
"I don't think that would be a good idea." he said as he finished getting dressed.
"Do you have any more clothes?" he asked.
"Nope." she answered simply.� "I didn't steal that many when I got here."
"You stole those clothes?" he asked.
"I thought it was better than running around Cardiff as a naked woman." she explained.� "I thought that might draw too much attention."
"That it would." he agreed.� "I threw some of my jogging pants and a shirt on the bed for you." he said.� "I'm going to make some coffee."
"You jog?" she called after him.
"Once in a while, when I've time." he called back.
"Interesting." she muttered as she continued her little sponge bath.� "Ow!" she screamed when some water splashed her neck.
"What's wrong?" Ianto asked as he ran into the bathroom.�
"The little jolt Tosh mentioned." Faith answered, wincing.� "That hurts."� she said as she turned to look at Ianto.
"I think you should just give up on that." Ianto said.� "I'd rather have you stink than be that fried corpse you mentioned earlier."
"Aww, how sweet." Faith teased.��
"I just need to get dressed and then I'll be ready." she said as she pulled on the jogging pants.�
"I think a shopping day is required soon." Ianto said as he came back in once she'd dressed and handed her a cup of coffee.
"Oh, thank you." she said, taking a drink and swallowing it without making a face.� She stopped in mid sip when she heard�the rumble of thunder overhead and large raindrops start splashing against the windows. "Oh, that's not good." she said.
"That's one way of putting it." Ianto agreed as he went to the window.�
"Well at least you won't have that fried corpse on your bathroom floor." she said.� "Always look on the bright side."
"Come with me." Ianto said as he headed to the kitchen.
"What are you thinking?" she asked as she set her cup down on the counter.
"Cling wrap." he said, turning around and holding up a roll.
"Umm, okay." she said.
"I'll try to�wrap your necklace as best I can, then we'll bundle you�up in a coat." he said as he tore a piece off.
"Will this�work?" she asked.
"Should work enough to get to the car." he said as he began to wrap the chain.
"Fingers crossed." she said as she held her hair up out of his way.�
After a few minutes of carefully applying cling wrap, Ianto stepped back and smiled.��
"That should do for now." he said as he went to the closet.� "Put this on."�he said as he pulled�out a coat and handed it to her.
"Oh, I do hope so." she said as she pulled the coat on and zipped it up.� "I'm rather enjoying�being human and being around."
"So am I." Ianto said with a smile as he opened the door and stepped back for her to walk through.
"This is better." she said, returning his smile.� "Much better than bossy, rude Ianto from this morning."
"How's the hangover?" he asked as they stopped at the main entrance of the building.
"Better." she shrugged.� "As long as I'm not getting sick, I'm�much happier."
"Good." he said as he pushed open the door.� "Let's make a�run for it." he said as they both ran out and headed for his car.
"Finally." Owen said as Ianto and Faith came in.� "You said an hour and it's been an hour and a half."
"I do apologize." Faith said.� "I just had a small problem with being zapped this morning while trying to give myself a sponge bath because I couldn't take a proper shower."
"That is something I would have been willing to help you out with." Owen said with a dirty little grin.
"Jack said you and Tosh had figured something out." Ianto said, shooting the doctor a look that wiped the grin off his face.
"Yes." Owen said, clearing his throat.� "If you'll just let me have that." he said as he waked forward.
"You said that if it was taken off, it'd either fry me or make my head explode." Faith said, stepping back, holding her hands over the necklace.
"Not if it's one of us." Owen said.� "I programmed all Torchwood memeber's DNA into it, so we can take it off you safely."
"You might have mentioned that before." Ianto said.
"Why?" Owen asked.
"Because then he could have taken it off me either before I went to take a shower, or before he wrapped it up so I could go out in the rain." Faith answered, taking off the coat and showing the necklace.
"Ha. Look at that." Owen said, laughing.� "God, even your cling wrap is freakishly neat."
"Just take the necklace and adjust it." Ianto said as he unhooked it� and handed it over.
"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed, didn't they." Owen mumbled as he headed off to join Tosh.
"Good morning." Jack said as he jogged down the stairs from his office.� "And, how are you enjoying your first hangover?" he asked with an arrogant little smile.
"I'm never touching alcohol again." Faith answered.
"A lot of men and some women will be sad to hear that." Jack said as he handed a folder to Gwen.
"What?" Faith asked.
"Nevermind." Ianto said, shaking his head.� "Has Owen run anymore tests on Faith's blood?" he asked.
"Yeah." Jack said.� "He'll fill us in when their done playing jeweler."
"So, I just sit around and wait?" Faith asked.
"Yeah, pretty much." he nodded.�� "How are you feeling?" he asked.
"Didn't you already ask me that?" she asked.
"No, I asked about your hangover." Jack answered.� "I meant, right now, without the necklace."
"Fine." she shrugged.� "Just a little murmur here in the hub."
"Interesting." Jack said as he stared at the woman for a minute.
"Is it?" she asked, feeling a bit uneasy.�
"Yup." he said, then quickly turned away.
"Is he on something?" she asked Ianto as they both watched the other man walk off.
"Not that I know of." he answered.�
"Just a few more minutes and you can have this back." Tosh said.�
"Then we can chat about that blood of yours." Owen added.
"Faith." Gwen said as she walked over, smiling.
"Gwen." Faith replied.
"From what I gather, you're going to be around for�a while." she said.
"I hope so." Faith said.� "Have you heard something?"
"Just snippets here and there." Gwen shrugged.� "But, if you are, maybe you and I can do something."
"A little girly bonding?" Faith asked, tilting her head to one side and smiling.� "You have a lot of girlfriends." she said.� "You just want to be buddy buddy with me because you're afraid I migh tell Rhys something."
"I was just trying to be nice." Gwen said, smile fading.� "You're new here, Ianto is your only friend so far."
"You had mixed motives." she replied.� "I don't have the necklace on, so I can read your mind." she reminded the other woman.
"I would appreciate if you keep what you know to yourself." Gwen whispered.� "I can't lose Rhys."
"Perhaps you should have thought of that before hopping into bed with Owen." Faith whispered back.�
"I don't think he'd be able to forgive me." Gwen added pleadingly.
"He should be able to make that decision himself, don't you think?" Faith asked as Owen came over and handed the necklace back to her.
"Okay, we've worked out the kinks." he said.
"You're sure?" Ianto asked, looking back and forth between Faith and Gwen.� He needed to keep an eye on them, he thought.
"Yes." Owen nodded.�� "Tosh worked her techincal magic."
"She could have worked voodoo magic for all I care." Ianto said.
"Voodoo?" Faith asked.
"It's a religion of sorts." Ianto answered.�
"I'm going to have to do a lot of reading." she said as�she struggled with the clasp on her necklace, Ianto taking over for her.
"I need to get back to work." Gwen said nervously.
"My blood tests?" Faith asked Owen, ignoring Gwen.
"Yeah, about those." he answered, sounding a little unsure.
"What?" she asked.
"Your blood keeps changing." he said, repeating what he'd already said.� "But, it seems to be becoming more human."
"Really?" Faith asked, hope obvious in her voice.
"Yes." he said.� "But, I'm going to continue doing these blood tests regularly."
"Does that mean I'll be able to stay?" she asked, on the verge of jumping for joy.
"Jack?" Owen called.
"You've passed the tests I set for you." Jack said.� "And your blood is changing, but into something more human in nature." he added.� "As long as we can monitor you, I think it should be safe."
"Oh, yes!" Faith squeeled as she started to literally jump for joy, bouncing to Ianto and throwing her arms around him in a hug.� "I get to stay!" she said.
"I know." he said, smiling.
"Here, a little present." Tosh said as she handed Faith an envelope.
"What is this?" she asked as she opened it.� "Faith�Elizabeth Madden." she read out loud.� "Born 20th of April, 1986." she started jumping again.� "It's a birth certificate." she showed it to Ianto.
"April 20th?" he asked.
"My idea." Owen said.
"Why does that not surprise me?" Ianto asked as he rolled his eyes.
"Is that a bad day?" Faith asked, completely lost.
"You'll find out when you read up." Ianto said.
"So, now with this, you can get a job." Jack said. "Your own flat." he added.
"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you." Faith said as she hugged Tosh and Owen in turn.� "My little necklace isn't going to fry me, I don't hear voices in my head anymore, and now I'm officially a human."
"At least you look like one and have a birth certificate." Jack corrected.� "Most humans don't need to wear a necklace to block out voices that would otherwise drive them insane."
"Oh, whatever." she said as she held up her papers.� "I get to stay."
"I think we should celebrate." Tosh said.
"So do I." Ianto agreed.
"How about tonight, we all meet at that new Italian place." Tosh suggested.
"Sounds good." Ianto said as he watched Faith practically vibrate with joy.
"Rhys and I are having friends 'round." Gwen said. "Maybe some other time."
"That means I can go shopping, and I'll actually have a use for the stuff." Faith said.� "Other than the fact that I have no money." she added, her face falling a bit.
"You've a birthday coming up, if I'm not much mistaken." Tosh said.� "We can have a girl's day out and it'll be on me, your birthday gift."
"Oh, thank you, that's so sweet." Faith said giving Tosh another hug.� "You're sure you don't mind my staying with you?" she asked Ianto.
"No, I want you to." he answered honestly.�
"Thank you." she said, giving him a hug.
"Well, now that that 's taken care of." Jack said as he watched Ianto and Faith.� "We have some work to do." he added.� "You and Tosh go off and have your girl's day."
"You're sure?" Tosh asked.
"Yeah, if we need you we can call." Jack assured her. "She needs to get out of Ianto's pants.� They don't really suit her."
"Okay." Tosh said as she grabbed her purse.� "You ready?" she asked.
"Yeah, I am." Faith said as she looked at Jack, not really caring for his last statement.
"See you later." she told Ianto before following Tosh out.
Notes:� Okay, so that part is done, and I've come up with a couple of more things for Faith and the Torchies...just need to decide which should come first, a fun night out, or more aliens...Hope you enjoy, and thanks for the reviews for this and all the other chapters!
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