full chapter title: NOW I COUNT THEM ONE BREATH AT A TIME
-from Angels and Demons by Miccoli
"Brother…" the Doctor mused, politely accepting a cup of coffee from Ianto. He glanced questioningly at Amy. It'd been a while since he'd had good coffee. His previous incarnation didn't like coffee, preferring tea instead.
The glance he cast Rory was a sad one and the nurse saw it. The nurse knew only the Doctor remembered. He'd have to keep quiet for now.
Gwen was busy trying to establish a video connection with UNIT in Washington D.C. Rhys was talking softly with her while Martha, Mickey, Lois and Jack's daughter were whispering quietly in the corner. Steven was playing on his PSP. The only one who seemed out of place was President Whitmore.
Jack was yelling on the phone, presumably to the UNIT generals in America. He was extremely frustrated on having to the explain the concept of time travel and how he could analyze what was wrong in Cardiff and be back in D.C. to explain his findings in as little time as a second. "Yes, but by talking to you on the phone I'll be delaying myself because I can't possibly cross my own timeline!"
Liz came up from the vaults and asked, "Where's Jack?" Ianto pointed at the office where Jack had just slammed his mobile on his desk. "Right…" Liz breathed. "Wish me luck…"
She went in and gave a brief report on Gray. The girl flinched as Jack yelled again, but quickly resumed talking as if nothing had happened. From the others, it seemed like Jack was refusing to go along with whatever Liz had in mind. After five minutes of arguing and cajoling, Liz finally got what she wanted. She came out of the office with Jack following her a bit reluctantly.
"Steven!" Liz called from the center of the Hub. The little boy looked up. "Come with me." The eleven year old started to get up when his mother stopped him.
"What do you think you're doing?" Alice demanded icily.
"I'm not going to let him get hurt," assured the teenager.
"This is Torchwood," Alice pointed out. She made a show of gesturing at all the tech.
"Alice," her father ordered softly. A small exchange passed between them and she reluctantly let her son follow Elizabeth. Jack let out a breath and sat down on the Torchwood couch near the medical bay. He closed his eyes and rested his weight on Ianto who took his hand and grasped it soothingly.
"What's she doing?" Jack's daughter inquired.
"Watch the CCTV if you want to know," he responded without opening his eyes.
Down in the vaults, Liz unlocked Gray's cell. She held a tranquilizer gun in one hand and Steven's hand in the other. Jack's brother stood up immediately, contemplating ways to escape. "Don't," Liz said.
The gun was down by her side. "You're not going to get out until Jack gives the okay."
"Jack…" Gray muttered distastefully.
"Who's that?" Steven whispered.
"You're great-uncle," Liz explained.
"He's not like granddad is he?"
"Nope." The girl let out a sigh.
"So which one are you?" Gray demanded. "The Japanese woman or the man? Who'd you fill in for and how did Jack come across a kid like you?"
"I'm the medic," Liz replied, never once letting go of Steven's hand. "And Jack didn't hire me. You were frozen. You wouldn't have known."
"Known what?"
"The Hub was blown up. Two years ago. Not by you, because you're wondering. It was an alien attack. They wanted the children. I suppose you've heard of them though. We call them the 456."
Gray knew exactly which species the medic was talking about. "And Jack left."
"That's really like him," the younger brother snorted. He started to pace in his cell.
"He'd lost everything to the attack. I came in a little later. Gwen hired me. She never told me much about what had happened before. Just snippets. Lois told me most of it and I pieced two and two together.
"Jack blamed himself after Tosh and Owen died. Then Ianto was killed by a virus when the 456 came. He sacrificed his grandson, your grand-nephew, to save the world. Of course, you've been locked up and away from civilization so long that you don't know what I'm talking about and frankly you don't care."
"You're wasting your time telling me this," Gray fumbled impatiently. Being frozen so long made you stiff.
Liz acknowledged the fact and clutched Steven's hand even tighter, as if that was going to keep him safe. Slowly, she reached for Gray's temple. She had the insane urge to push all the information into his head at once but knew Jack would disapprove.
Jack's younger brother held his breath until Liz finally pulled away. "The world is ending," she said, before Gray could utter another word. "Right here, right now. And we have to fix it, or they'll be no you or Jack or this timeline for that matter. The universe becomes a paradox. We're not asking you to join us. We're not asking you to do something to save the world. Just stay out of the way and try not to kill anyone."
Gray nodded, dumbfounded.
"Jack trusts you enough to let you out. The question is, can the rest of us trust you?"
"Probably not," Gray scoffed.
"Then earn it," Liz replied and left the man unlocked in the vaults.
Gray called after her. "What happens when this all ends?"
Liz turned around to face him. "I don't know," she admitted. "Maybe time reverses. The world falls back into place. Maybe you'll end up in the cryo again. It's up to Jack to decide now." She glanced at Steven. "Come on the Steven. Go cheer up your grandpa Jack."
Short chapter. Donna and Co. appearance next chapter. Rose and Co. in two.
