DISCLAIMER: Don't own, highly doubt I ever will – the characters. Except the ones based on the peeps I know. It should be clear who those are – but, just in case, you'll need to know that I don't work for Torchwood. At least not Torchwood Three.

The Doctor appeared moments later, two cups of tea in hand. Taryn took one and inhaled before putting her lips to the cup.

"It's Earl Gray, all I could find," he explained, taking a seat next to where she sat in the jumpseat and putting his feet on the console.

"It's lovely!" She exclaimed, taking another smell before taking a second sip. "Now, you have to tell me what is going on here."

"That's easy." He leaned back, content. "I don't know."

"How can you not know?" The confusion was coming back.

"I do know that it has to do with Susan. And you are the most direct link to her right now." She started to protest. "The TARDIS is never wrong about this."

"So, you're telling me that you grabbed me out of my normal, everyday life to save Susan? Does it always have to be about her? Why not Jack? He's way closer to her right now – that is, depending on what time of day it is…" She almost whined, but held herself in check.

The Doctor was drinking when he registered what she was saying. "Hold on, did you say Jack?"

"Yeah, this guy she is dating, seems a bit of a player, if you ask me – which no one does." She swirled the tea around in her cup, watching his face.

"It's not Harkness is it?" He almost choked. "Couldn't be Jack Harkness…"

Taryn nodded as she drank. "Yeah, that's him – tall, dashing, lots of charm?"

"But how did he…OH! Now I get it! It's all clear now!" He sat upright and ran his free hand through his hair. "Taryn, how long have you known Susan?"

"A bit. Long enough. Why?" She was very confused as to how Jack knew this man, but it figured, one looney would know another.

"Did you know her when she was in school?" He was trying to narrow this down a bit more.

"No, I didn't meet her until after she had kids. What is this about?"

"Well, I got a message from one of my oldest friends. The Face of Boe – don't suppose you know him do you?"

"Look. You either need to start making sense or I am going to just leave."

"But I told you – you can't do that. We are out in space, twisting through time – trying to get to the point in your friend's life where you can stop her from making a mistake."

"Wait. I read a story about this once. We can't step on a prehistoric butterfly, right?" Taryn was gesturing with her hands as she spoke.

He looked at her for a moment and tugged on his ear. "Uh, no, actually."

"Then what?"

"Well, it seems that you are the only one who can get her to change her mind."

"Why?"

"You ask too many questions – has anyone ever told you that, Miss Beall?" He rubbed his eyes.

"I have to – a good writer always asks questions! Take for instance Agatha Christie. She was a great writer – her stuff stood the test of time. Do you even know who I am talking about?"

The Doctor laughed and nodded, knowing that he had met her in the flesh. "I've heard of her a few times."

"She's great. Anyway, I have to ask questions – what if I want to write about this later?"

"NO! You can't do that!" He grabbed for her mug with both hands – he had scared her by shouting.

"You don't have to shout, geezy creezy…"

"But you can't, okay? Not ever. Promise me."

She bit the end of her little finger and, hooking it, offered it to him. When he was confused, she did it again, indicted he should as well. Once he had, she locked pinkies with him "Pinky swear!"

"Ouch!" That was a new pain – he had never seen anyone do that, but it made sense. He made a mental note to make that standard for verbal agreements. "Let's get busy trying to figure out what needs to be changed shall we?"

Okay, so here is a new one. I am going to try to keep posting as I write them so there may be another post tonight if I can get my act together. Hope you like it!