DISCLAIMER: As much as I would like to say that I own the characters here, I only own a handful – I supposed ya'll got the note about the blogs that were started – at least, I hope so. I am getting to know Nikki a bit better now...LOL. Really worth a read.
Jack had spent the week talking to Tamsin, chief archivist of Torchwood Five in Salisbury. She had, regretfully, had two members of their team transferred over to Torchwood Three to help them out. One of those women was Giulia Degortes. She was, by Jack's estimate, a cute blonde with blue eyes. And she certainly could flirt with the best of them. He knew from experience that a trait like that could take someone far. He had a suspicion that was why Tamsin was not that sad to see her go in the end. She was also an excellent medical officer as her winning ways made her patients want to listen to her orders. Jack couldn't wait to see the effect she had on one Owen Harper.
The other woman was, although the same height, not at all similar to Giulia. Jemima Tabeart, (or 'Jimi', as she was known to her colleagues) was darker, with her long curly brown hair and brown eyes that were easy to melt into, which was still intriguing to Jack. What he knew of her was that, in addition to her superb technical skills, she was mental about music; she could identify a circuit board or artifact as easily as compose a symphony. Jack had already decided that she and Amanda would be taking turns filling in for Tosh. One could never have too many women around who knew their way around the specialized computer system that was Torchwood's (and Toshiko's) pride.
With Owen and Tosh's impending wedding a few days away and the eagerly awaited birth of the Williams baby, Jack was glad that Torchwood Five could spare them. Tamsin had even clued him into someone who could take over for him – a man named Greg Farmer who was currently staffed with them as well. Greg was poised to take over their branch if anything happened to the current number one, a rather pinch-faced looking man named Nigel. Even after taking two of their staff with the possibility of borrowing a third, that branch of the organization still was not hurting for proper staff.
"Shit!" Jack exclaimed, looking across the table to Susan. "I'm late for a meeting! I have to run."
Susan sighed. She wished that all of this transitional stuff was over, not quite understanding how this fell on Jack's shoulders when he had such an exceptional team that was more than capable of handling it. "Okay, will I be seeing you at all tonight?" She toyed with the cinnamon toast in front of her, not really feeling all that hungry.
"I'll try, but if it's too late, I'll be quiet." He was aware of the look she was giving him. "Susan, we talked about this. About how in a week or so, we can spend some real time together."
"Jack, we spent more time together when you had fewer people working for you!" She resisted the urge to pound her fist on the table.
"I have to go." He wasn't mean about it, only truthful. He himself wanted nothing more than to sit there with her the whole night, sharing stories of what had gone on the last week, but this had to be done now. "But, I love you." He turned as he got to the door.
"I love you, too," she replied, but to Jack, it sounded forced and tired. He walked out the door and to the SUV with a noticeable scowl on his face.
"What was that about?" Nikki slid into his chair after putting Joey to bed.
'Nothing," Susan waved her off. "Just that there never seems to be enough time anymore." She sighed. "I shouldn't be unloading this on you, though. Do you have that expense list for next week?"
Nikki reached into her pocket and produced a wrinkled piece of paper with numbers scrawled on it. "Here it is." She pushed the list across to her employer with a smile.
"Thanks. Let me know if there's anything else. I think I'm going to go to bed, actually." She was rounding up her things even as she spoke. "Turn of the lights when you get done?"
"Sure thing." Nicole was concerned about how they were doing. She had seen a giant change over the past week. She supposed that it had all to do with the major changes that were going on at the office and the recent discussion that she had heard Susan and Jack having about Susan quitting her job and writing full time. "Good night. If you need me, you know where I am."
"Thanks, Nikki. I know I don't say that enough." Susan leaned to hug the nanny.
"It's okay." Nikki hugged her back before Susan padded down the hall to her room and disappeared from sight.
Back in the SUV, Jack was driving to his meeting with Greg, to see if he was going to be a good fit to fill in for him while he and Susan were on holiday. He had heard a lot about the man from the new recruits. For starters, he knew that the man was in a relationship with a man named Matt, who may or may not work for UNIT, that part was unclear. He did know from some files he was able to access, however, that Greg was in UNIT a few years before he was asked to join Torchwood, so it seemed very likely. In no time, he found himself at the bar the man had suggested, one of the many that lined St Mary's Street, and Jack had to chuckle as he parked at the time he had tried to drink a pint from each of the pubs lining the street in a stag challenge. He made a mental note to suggest that to Owen as he checked that he had everything he needed for the meeting he was going to. His Webly was firmly concealed and a small manila coin envelope contained a few doses of Retcon for emergencies.
He was recognized as soon as he walked through the door by Greg. "Jack Harkness?"
"The one and only," he accepted the hand he was offered, adding mentally - for the time being – though once there was at least one more...
"Been looking forward to meeting you; your reputation precedes you, if you don't mind me saying." Greg's grip was firm and Jack saw something quickly flash behind his eyes before they unclasped hands. "I have a table over here, if you don't mind."
"Yeah, that's fine, thanks." His mind was on Susan for some reason, and he shook his head to rid him of the feeling that he was doing something that he shouldn't. "You talked to Tamsin, I guess..."
"Ahh...good ol' Tam!" He drank from a glass that was waiting for him. "She's always on the lookout for a way to get rid of me. What is it this time, Mr. Harkness?"
"Captain, actually," Jack corrected, waving the waitress over to order a scotch on the rocks.
"What's that?"
"It's Captain Harkness, Mr. Farmer. Surely you knew that if my reputation is as strong as you claim." His tone was cold and he wondered if maybe he should just forget the whole thing and just call Martha and see if she knew someone she could recommend.
"Okay, touchy about that I see." This man was proving too cocky for Jack to deal with.
"Look, I think I made a mistake. Sorry to take up your time. Besides, I have somewhere else I could be anyway..." Jack made to stand, but was stopped by the man's hand on his arm.
"Don't go. I didn't mean it. Really. I'm interested in any proposition you may have." And there it was again, that sparkle. Jack quickly wondered if that was the thing that the Doctor complained about and made a note to himself to really try to keep that in check – it was just plain annoying.
"Fine, I'll make the offer once, no negotiations." Jack took his seat as the waitress returned. "Is that understood, Mr. Farmer?"
"Yes, Captain Harkness," the tone he used was one that Jack could not accuse of being too flirtatious nor too cheeky, but perfectly in between.
"Do you or do you not want to act as temporary head of Torchwood in my absence?" He took the first sip, noticing that it had been watered down a bit much.
"I would, very much, like to serve in that capacity." Greg's tone was formal, even through the smile. Jack couldn't understand in that moment how someone so young could have already served with UNIT and now was exclusively with Torchwood.
"Fine. Now that we've got that taken care of, let's get to know one another – there are a lot of things you're going to have to learn about my branch if you're going to be an effective leader." His tone was super-formal, but he wanted (and needed) to be taken seriously.
Greg chuckled. "It will be a pleasure working under you, Captain."
Jack realized the other man was just trying to make friends with him and dropped his professional manner. Besides, it wouldn't do to have the man hating him before he even got to know him. Many a mutiny had been formed that way – something the organization couldn't afford at any time. "Right. Now, what are some things I need to know about you?" Jack pulled out a notebook and began to take notes as the other man began the basics of his life story, from who he was currently seeing (Matt) to how he had gotten to be second-in-command (UNIT recruit). He settled in, hoping Susan would understand when he came home late.
TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW
The sun was on the verge of coming up when Jack put his key into the lock. Susan would be getting up soon, so, rather than disturbing her, he slipped his coat and boots off and laid on the couch, covering himself with the quilt that she kept for when they were watching television and her feet got cold. The blanket smelled overwhelming like her and Jack was instantly sorry for what had brought him home so late. He had made mistakes in the past, but, if Susan found out, it would be the worse one ever. As he started to drift off, he flung an arm over his eyes to shield them from the sun that would soon be coming through the glass in the top of the door. It was then that he smelled the smell of someone else – the smell of Greg. It was in his shirt and, sitting up, he ripped it off, not caring that buttons popped off. He flung it roughly to the side and turned roughly to face the back of the couch, mad at himself. His only hope was that no one who knew the couple had seen the two men getting cozier and cozier as the night went on. Really, that moment in the back alley meant nothing – it was just a quick grope, nothing really happened. But it could be taken the wrong way. It could be taken in a way so wrong that there would not be any Jack and Susan. He had to make sure to talk to Greg tomorrow and see what he remembered. But, right now, he had to sleep of the drinks he had consumed.
As expected, the sun came trickling in and he heard Susan knocking around in their room. But the time she passed the couch to go into the kitchen, the sleep Jack had been faking was genuine. She kissed him lightly on the forehead and went to fix her morning cup of coffee, picking up the discarded shirt on her way and placing it in the laundry room.