Chapter eleven

Remember...

Natalie felt like her head was on fire, she knew she shouldn't of drank as much as she did, but Jack must have put her here. Some reason she was on a bathroom floor.

"I didn't think your stomach was that weak, but then I remember human biology..." Jack placed a glass of water and painkillers by her side. "You're lucky I am an excellent care giver." He brushed some of her hair from her face.

"How long have I been out?" Natalie asked trying to move, but felt as if she was going to throw up with the slightest movement. "And where am I?"

Jack crouched beside her, "You've been out for about three hours, and currently you're on my bathroom floor." Jack tilted her chin up to examine her. "Not many people can handle Tharil scotch." He put the water in her hand. "Then again it kills most humans."

"I'm not most humans..." Natalie then glanced to Jack, "I thought I was," She then waved her hand handing him back the water to be sick again.

"Well yes, you are human, but then also underneath you're Time Lady." He placed the water down keeping her hair out of the toilet as she threw up. "It's something fascinating, I've read Owen's reports." He avoided to look at her while she was sick. "You've got the one heart, but then a fast moving metabolism, plus you have the best immune system..." He let her hair go as she moved her head away from the toilet.

"Nice to know I give you so much amusement..." Natalie the rubbed her mouth on the back of her hand. "Was the drink a test?" She flushed the toilet getting to her feet down feeling woozy.

Jack felt shocked, "I would never..." He stopped seeing the expression on her face. "I might of been seeing how close to human."

"Thanks," Natalie now picked the pills up chasing them with the water, "So anything interesting happened?"

Jack shrugged, "A box," He then smiled watching Natalie regaining her balance. "Also them pills are no ordinary aspirin." He chuckled, "Best pain killer in the galaxy..."

Natalie drank the rest of the water, "Let me guess, I am cured." She did in fact feel a lot better.

"Yes, and don't tell anyone, I have only a few left..." He tapped his nose watching Natalie leaving the bathroom.

Jack laughed looking into the mirror, he had a good feeling about today.

Walking into someone Natalie felt taken back, she couldn't help but feel someone holding her shoulders. "Woah..." Natalie stopped to take in the person who was in front of her. "Can I help..." She felt lost.

Adam held Natalie still, "Jack didn't get you that drunk?" He spoke as if he knew her. "Remember..." His voice was like an echo in Natalie's mind. He felt himself trying to plant himself, but some reason it wasn't like the others. "This has never..." He squeezed onto her shoulder.

Natalie's eyes were staring deep into his, but for some reason she couldn't stop but feeling like he was trying to get into her head. "What are you?" Natalie tried to get out of his grip, his fingers digging in deeper. "Get off me!" Natalie tried to scream, but the man pulled her into his arms covering her mouth.

Adam held on tight, he felt Natalie fighting under his arms, "Just maybe a little rusty, like riding a bike..." Adam focused harder, and it was like breaking through a barrier, seeing memories that were incredible, but he couldn't touch them, he grunted. "Bloody Time lords!" He snapped, "Guess I'll have to be creative" He stopped for a second before gripping Natalie's neck, and she collapsed in his arm unconscious.


Opening her eyes Natalie felt like she was not having the best of days, she got to her feet, and placed her hands on the glass staring out. "Hello!" She banged, she knew she was in the vaults, but she didn't understand why. Her hands knocking, but jumped hearing the Weevil in the next cell snarling. "Fuck!" She felt her hands down herself, she knew that she wasn't meant to be here, but she had to warn the others.

"Natalie..." Adam walked into view, "Don't bother, they won't respond to you." He smirked, "Your team have helped me gain physical form, well..." He waved his hand over himself, "You can't be effected by me, But I now have Torchwood Three believing I am a long time member..." He folded his arms across his chest.

"And what about me?" Natalie stood close to the glass, she wanted to figure out what was going on.

Adam sighed, "chameleon arch..." He played his fingers on the glass, "That is memory alteration, and with your brain all protected by Time Lord science, you are not easy to change..."

"But I can see you?" Natalie spoke, "How can I see you?" She felt she was missing pieces to a puzzle.

Adam nodded, "Well, I manifested from memories, and well it takes a while to build a good story." He pointed to Natalie through the glass. "Lets say, you're down here, and I am up there..." He pointed to the ceiling, "They all believe you're a deranged woman from the rift, you stabbed and killed five people."

Natalie started to pace, "But I'm not, they know me, Owen..." She turned to face Adam. "He loves me!"

"No, he loves Tosh...He laughed, "Jack and Ianto and I are best friends, and Tosh is my lover..." He smirked.

Natalie pointed at him through the glass, "Gwen!" She then laughed again, "She'll come back and she'll know me." Natalie nodded, "And someone is going to have to come down here!"

Adam placed a hand on his chin, "Gwen Cooper..." he rubbed his chin now, "I'll altar her memory." He stepped closer to the glass, "But then you should know, no one will ever come down here." He ran a finger on the glass, "Because in their memory you've been down here for three years..." he took an inhale of breath. "They all think you are evil."

Natalie threw herself against the glass, her eyes glaring at him, "Oh you messed with the wrong..." Her hand went to her neck, "What have you done with my locket?"

Adam held it up, "Insurance..." He put it back into his pocket, "Play nice, and I won't destroy it, play nice and I might let you free."

"I will never play nice with you, the second I can. I will tell them all!" Natalie felt her eyes on his pocket. "You can't destroy my locket..."

Adam nodded, "No, but then I can kill Gwen when she gets back, and make them all believe you did it, and without your locket to save you from execution..." He smirked. "I'll be back when you've calmed down." He walked away leaving Natalie in the cage.

Moving to the bench Natalie sat down, she studied over her hands, her eyes looking up to see the small cell she was in. "Mother fucker!" Natalie knew she couldn't get out of this, she kept focused on trying to think how she was going to get out, but then as she dwelled on the thought, she couldn't risk Gwen's life, she just had to hope someone would come down here, she needed to see someone.


Natalie had lost all track of time, she didn't know what to do as she felt her hands going around the glass, but she knew she wasn't going to find a weak spot. Her mind was trying to hold onto the thought that someone would come and see her. She only needed a few minute to explain what was going on.

She sat with her legs crossed, her eyes were focused on the camera lens that was watching her, she felt something tick. Her eyes going to her arm, she then tried to think about this carefully.

Putting her arm to her mouth she bit down, she felt the sharp pain of her teeth breaking the skin, Natalie had to get passed it, she knew that Ianto would check the cameras, Adam could change his memory, but some habits are deeper than that.

Natalie pushed passed the pain, she knew she needed to make herself bleed, her eyes closed pushing her teeth in harder, but stopped feeling the taste of copper entering her mouth.

She heaved at the taste, but she could see the blood was starting to flow from her arm, and she tried to keep herself together. She dipped her finger into the blood, but stopped looking to the camera, she didn't know what was going to happen, but she had to do something.

Placing her finger covered in blood to the glass, she knew she had to write backwards for them to read, but part of her didn't know what to write, she had to let them know she was safe, and that they couldn't trust Adam.

The words were very simple, and Natalie would hope that Ianto would see, anyone to see before Adam had a chance to see it.

Taking a step back Natalie glanced over her message, "Ianto's journal..." She felt pleased with herself, she didn't know what else to think as she sat back down, she didn't even know where she was in the vaults, there were so many levels, but maybe she will be noticed.


Ianto sat at the computer, for he was sure today was going to be slow, he felt himself looking over the vaults CCTV, he then froze on one, he could see the blood on the glass, but knew that the woman in there was deranged, but he had to stop and read the writing. "My journal..." He felt lost, but he knew Jack and Adam were hunting a weevil, Gwen was trying to remember Rhys, and Owen was with Tosh working out the box. So he got to his feet walking to head into the vaults, he never saw the woman in years, and he then kept trying to think about it, but he never knew what to do as he kept walking quickly.

Natalie glanced up hearing the door open, she turned to see Ianto standing in front of the glass. "What have you done?" He reached for a sedative, "I have to clean this up."

"Ianto please..." Natalie got up standing in front of the Glass, she had ripped her shirt up to stop the bleeding on her arm, she didn't know how long it was going to take, but she caught Ianto's eyes. "You've got to listen to me..."

Ianto shook his head, "You're playing up again." He went for the door, but froze. "Why my journal?" He asked holding the door to the cell, he couldn't quiet figure it out. "How do you know?"

"Because you convinced me to start one!" Natalie stepped closer, "Ianto, I know you, I am not a killer..." Her eyes staring into his, "Ianto please..." She placed a hand on the glass, "I know you, I know that when you think no one is listening, you like to sing Abba songs." She felt his eyes on her now. "You love dancing queen."

Ianto took a step back, "How?" He asked stepping closer now. "Who are you?"

Natalie took a deep breathe, "Look, let me clean this up before Adam gets back, and you go read your journal." Natalie bit her lip feeling nervous, "Ianto you need to trust me, I'd never hurt you, or anyone." She felt her heart was starting to race faster. "Please... It must have something to do with the box that came through the rift."

Ianto took a leap of faith, he opened the door, and froze. He stopped to see that Natalie hadn't moved, the door was wide open and she kept on her side. "Here..." He handed her the cleaning materials. "I guess I don't need the sedative..." He watched Natalie cleaning up. "How do you know me?" He felt confused. "I was here after you was taken in." He said stepping close to the glass. "Why did you do it?"

"I never killed anyone, and you was here before me." She was cleaning the best she could. "You make the best coffee, you put it in a mug with a rainbow on it." She glanced to see he was watching her. "I wish you would remember..."

Ianto stepped into the cage with her, he couldn't help himself, "Are we..." He went to touch her.

Natalie shook her head, "We've no time Ianto, just go back before they've notice you've been gone too long." She threw the cleaning stuff back to him before closing the door. "Just please be careful, and give Owen my love." She went back to sitting down, she didn't want to get Ianto hurt, but she needed them to know the truth.


"I bet you're so pleased with yourself!" Adam stormed in front of Natalie's cell. "You just couldn't help yourself!" He was pacing. He didn't want to do what he did, but then he loved every second of it.

Natalie titled her head, "I have the worlds smallest cell, I had to pee in the corner like an animal, and I am fucking starving, and you think I am going to just sit here and wait to die..." Natalie got to her feet standing in front of the glass, "But I found a way."

"No. No you didn't." Adam grunted, "Because of your little trick, Ianto now believes he is a serial killer..." He waved his hands, "His memories tell him he raped and murdered three women." He pointed to the glass, "You try anything stupid again..." He glared, "I will make them kill you." He was turning to leave, "And to think I was going to give you a cell with a toilet." He walked away leaving Natalie alone again.

"Son of a bitch!" Natalie screamed, but she couldn't stop but feel guilty, what did Adam do to Ianto, she needed to get out, she needed to speak to him, she felt her hands going along the glass, she didn't know why she was trying, but she couldn't let Ianto do anything stupid.

"Okay Natalie!" She took a step or two back from the glass door. "Time to get badass!" She put all her weight into a kick at the door, the loud bang echoed around the vaults, and a few Weevils howled with the sound.

Natalie had fallen to the ground, "Mother fucker that hurt!" She cried holding onto her foot, she glanced to the door to see that nothing had happened, and she was sitting down looking to the outside. "Why did I think that would work?" She tried to stand up, but felt the pain. "I'm fucked..." She stopped talking to see someone standing outside the cage.

Jack walked in front of the glass, he could see the woman, he did remember bringing her in, but he then felt like something was off. "You spoke to Ianto." He stated to her.

"Yes Jack I did." Natalie stayed on the floor, "And that prick hurt him!"

Jack didn't know why, but he felt his eyes going over her, "Today is a day where I have been questioning a lot, but one thing I have to ask..." He stopped seeing that she hadn't moved. "What is your name?"

She glanced up, "I am Natalie Fisher, I was a basic computer programmer, until you found me." She used the glass to help pull herself to her feet, the pain in her foot was making her feel sick, but she held her ground. "I was left here by The Doctor, I am a Time Lady trapped in a human body..." She kept strong eye contact. "And I chose to stay human, and part of Torchwood."

Jack placed a hand to the glass, he could see the smeared blood on the other side, "How am I meant to believe that? The Doctor is the last of his kind." Jack pointed to her.

Natalie grunted, "I am, just Adam has my locket, and you should listen to me. You currently have a near empty bottle of Tharil scotch in your office, and also missing a very strong painkiller." Natalie got closer to Jack, "You are strong Jack, you have to understand Adam can't change my memory because of the Time Lord technology protecting my brain." She felt herself trying to keep it together. "So he made you all believe I was a bad person." Her hands on the glass, she was leaning forward. "Please Jack."

Jack felt himself watching her, he then opened the door. He stood there for a while, "You know you can't kill me..."

Natalie rolled her eyes, "No, but doesn't change the fact I've been trapped down here forever!" Natalie stepped forward, "So while you figure out what Adam is, I am going to shower and eat something."

Jack took a quick sniff, then held his nose looking into the cell, "What did you do?" He asked following her out of the vaults.

Natalie was walking careful on her injured foot, "I don't wish to speak of it, and we shall never talk of it ever." She headed towards the shower, and she knew that Adam was going to pay for this.


Ianto watched as Natalie walked back into the main hub, he saw her hair was still wet. "So are we sure we can trust her?" Ianto spoke carefully as Natalie rolled her eyes.

"You had someone make you believe you're a murderer, and you're having doubts about me?" She sat down looking to Jack going over CCTV footage, "You found something?"

Jack nodded, for some reason he knew he could trust Natalie, "Ianto look at this." He got Ianto's attention.

Ianto watched the screen, he could feel both Jack and Natalie behind him, he was watching what Adam did to him, he could still feel his hands on him, it was like a flash of memory for a second.

"Ianto, you are a good man," Natalie placed a hand on Ianto's shoulder. "I know it's hard for you to push passed the memory of me, but trust my voice." She ignored Jack rushing to Owen's medical space.

"Where's Adam's blood sample," Jack called.

Getting to her feet Natalie rolled her eyes, "I keep telling you guys he isn't real!" She got to her feet walking over to see Jack hunting, then turned to see Ianto looking into the personnel files. "I guess you two are seriously..."

"Everything in order here..." Ianto called and Jack came back to look at the computer.

Jack stood again with Ianto and Natalie, "When was it last updated?" Jack felt focused, but something bugging him.

"Twenty four hours ago," Ianto froze to the sound of the doors opening. "Natalie, I think you better..." He knew if Adam saw her, he'd know they were on to him. "Please."

Natalie grunted, "Keep Owen out of the medical bay, keep everyone out." She started to head into the medical bay, she felt like she was going to scream, a part of her wanted to rip off Adam's head. She kept quiet, only hearing little bits of conversation, but she knew Jack revealed himself, "Fuck sake Jack!" Natalie walked to see Jack with a gun on Adam. "What happened to the plan Jack?"

Owen's eyes went wide, "Who... Who let the crazy lady out?" He pointed to Natalie scared.

Natalie did a double take to Owen, then back to Adam. "What the fuck did you do to my boyfriend?" She pointed to Owen's face, he was terrified of her. "He's a complete dork!"

Owen opened and closed his mouth, "What?"

Adam was now being taken to the cells as Tosh could only watch from Ianto holding her still. Jack was gone, and now Natalie and Ianto were facing the puzzled look on the teams face.

"Okay, I know you all think I am a crazy killer, but I am not..." Natalie turned to Ianto, "Tell them." She turned her attention to Ianto still holding Tosh still. "Ianto Jones!"

Ianto let Tosh go, "I read my journal, and Natalie is mentioned..." He turned to face Owen, "And I know you won't believe me, but she knows things."

Gwen stepped forward, she didn't know much on Natalie, only that when she had her first day Adam said she was deranged. "What stuff do you know?"

"You like to tell people you have your coffee no sugar, but secretly you put a teaspoon in," Natalie bit her lip, "You told me that, when I caught you." Natalie stopped, "Tosh, you have a lucky pair of socks." She could see her face, "You said that when you're nervous, they make you feel brave." Her eyes finally looking over Owen. He was wearing the ugliest vest, his hair jelled down, not his normal spikes. Even wearing glasses, "I love you," She could see the confusion on his face. "And you, I could write a book on you."

"But there is nothing about me that I don't share with my team..." Owen felt himself watching Natalie, she was beautiful, he grey eyes were big compared to others. Blonde hair framed her heart shaped face in a innocent expression.

Natalie kept careful, but she stood in front of Owen, her hand was gentle to his arm, she could feel her heart racing, but in his eyes she didn't see love, but fear. "I would never hurt you Owen..." Her voice a whisper, She placed her chin on his shoulder, her mouth close to his ear. "I know you have a birthmark on your inner thigh," She whispered closely to him, so low that only Owen could hear. "You told me about your mother." She then caught his eyes, "Owen, you do love me, and I am sorry I pulled back, but this is so much worse..." She touched his face giving him a gentle kiss.

Owen opened his eyes seeing her face, "I'm..." He stopped talking feeling his hand touch her arm. "I don't remember you..." He turned to see Jack standing behind Natalie. "I don't understand."

Jack exhaled, "Everyone conference room." He pointed out, then turned to Natalie. "That includes you." He smiled watching her following the others.


Jack stood at the head of the conference table, He looked over his team and knew what he had to do. "Our memories define us. Adam changed those memories. Changed who we are. Now I have to help you all go back, find a memory that defines you. Rediscover who you are. If I'm wrong, he'll still be here when we've done this. Let me take you back to before we all met." He spoke walking around the table, Jack plays a hypnotic image on the screen so Adam was no longer visible, and darkens the room. "Feel around for anything that makes you what you are. The hidden and the forgotten. Tell me where you are." He spoke carefully, he knew this was going to work.

"The college canteen. Rhys is sitting opposite me, telling stupid jokes." Gwen smiled remembering Rhys telling a joke about a tortoise.

Owen with his eyes closed felt nervous, "It's my birthday. I'm ten. Mum spends the whole day screaming." He remembered her words as if they were only just spoke. 'But I love you because you're my son, but that doesn't mean I have to like you.' He felt the same sadness

"Maths club. Something so reliable about maths. Always the right answer." Tosh remembering being at school.

Ianto sighed, "Meeting Lisa. Falling in love. Never felt so alive." He thought back to the woman he loved, but it ended so bitter.

"I turn 16. She packs my bags." Owen felt sick, "That is the nicest thing you've done for me in years, Mother." He felt revolted, but he knew it was something that made him stronger.

"Kissing him in the supermarket." Gwen remembering her first kiss with Rhys, "The look on his face."

"My first flat." Tosh spoke softly, but so sad. "I don't have a flat warming. There's no one I want to invite."

Natalie could only listen to each of them telling their story, she didn't know what she was going to do, but she was the only one beside Jack not sitting. She watch Jack giving each of them a retcon pill, and each of them took it.

Jack watched them all falling into a deep sleep, he stood in front of Natalie. "I'm guessing you don't have much to say."

"No, because my memories were all lies before here," Natalie felt herself wanting to cry, but held it in. "You're all my family, and for a whole two days, you were taken away from me and that hurt more than I thought it possibly could."

Jack took her hand, "And I can't wait to remember you." He smiled, "Badass door kicking you." He brushed a hand against her cheek, but placed a pill in the palm of her hand. "You need to forget too."

"But Adam couldn't affect me?" Natalie glanced to the pill, then back to Jack, "We don't even know if this will work on me?"

Jack nodded, "Well, I need you to try," Jack went to leave, "Is there anything you want me to say to him?"

"Yes!" Natalie put the pill in her mouth dry swallowing it, "Get my Locket off of him, the pattern will jog your memory of me." She yawned before sitting next to Owen closing her eyes.


Natalie felt weird coming to work, she felt odd, like something was missing. She could see flowers on Tosh desk, then seeing Gwen and Tosh looking surprised. "What's wrong?" She asked getting to her desk.

Gwen turned, "We've lost two days memory..." She laughed, "And some reason Owen got Tosh flowers."

Doing a double take Natalie sat down, then stood up. "Did we?" She felt lost, but then seeing Ianto coming out of the kitchen. "I am," She stopped herself, "I'm going to go talk to Owen." She got up heading into the medical bay seeing Owen at his computer.

"I can't believe it," He was trying to find anything to help him understand what happened. "Nat..." He turned to see her standing at the top of the stairs. "Do you remember the last two days?" He asked.

"Not really..." She moved down the stairs getting to Owen's computer, "Thought you'd be a little more pissed at me." She felt nervous now, she couldn't think of anything else.

Owen spun on his chair to now face her, "Look," He spoke carefully, "I know it's not simple, and you've got a lot to work through..." Owen stopped talking as he felt Natalie had started kissing him. "Where did that come from?"

"I can't keep pushing," Natalie said quickly, she didn't know why, but she felt bad about something. "And I know this will be like a plane crash, but I wouldn't want to crash with anyone else." Her hand brushed into Owen's hair, she sat on his lap looking deeply into his eyes. "I need to be honest with you Owen..." She took a deep breath before starting her story.