Torchwood: Divergence
Book Two: Adferiad
Chapter 18
Gwen had asked the rest of the team to find projects deeper in the base for the rest of the day, promising to alert them if the Rift surged. The first time they'd heard the muffled sound of Jack screaming in the room behind the office, they'd nearly voted to go break down the door. But the blood chilling cries of pain and fear had quickly faded, only Cooper catching a few snatches of Ianto trying to comfort the older man, because she'd been two steps from the bookcase at the time. She'd seen this coming all the way back when Harkness had left Earth, and was somewhat surprised it hadn't happened before now.
The second time their leader's voice had been heard beyond the office's confines, was when she'd sent the others to the Archives. For nearly two hours after, Gwen had sat at her work station, cringing each time she could hear the Captain's agonised pleas to not face some memory or his wordless cries of pain, anger, and grief. Sometimes she'd caught the desperate calls for peace or the rapid, undecipherable murmur of Ianto attempting to soothe his partner. And she'd wondered how the Shadow reborn twenty-six-year-old could bear watching the American fall apart like that.
Finally, there was only quiet from the room behind the office, and the former PC crept over to put her ear to the crack near the handle of the bookcase door. She could barely hear an occasional shuddering breath, a random word of comfort in both English and Welsh from the younger of the two immortals. The Scieron Guardian sounded utterly exhausted and nearly on the verge of tears himself. He as obviously so much stronger than she could ever hope to be.
Cooper returned to her station and briefly hid her face in her hands. When her mobile rang, she nearly jumped out of her chair and quickly grabbed it to answer the call.
"This is Gwen," she responded automatically. "Rhys… how's your day?"
The former constable rose and went down into the Autopsy Lab to sit on the bottom step and put the phone on speaker in her lap.
[Wrapping up for the day…] her husband's voice smiled. [Our little girl said 'seagull' today. Well… it actually sounded more like 'sheguh' but she was pointing at one of the great white pests out the window.]
"We're raising a genius," Gwen breathed, trying to shake the melancholy Jack's recent behaviour and current emotional breakdown had inspired.
[Captain Cardiff still going off the deep end?] Williams queried, obviously able to read the sadness and worry in her voice regardless.
"Over the edge and gone," Cooper replied truthfully. "The Scieron sent Ianto back a few hours ago. Jack locked them both in the bedroom as soon as Martha had a quick look at our Changeling… and then he lost it. I can't imagine how long he's been bottling things up, hiding the truth from everyone including himself. God, Rhys… we could hear him screaming at times all the way out at the work stations, like he was being tortured. And poor Ianto, just back from the dead, trying to help him face all the pain of the past that's drowning him. I honestly don't know if either of them will come out of that room whole and sane."
[Is there anything we can do?] Rhys asked after a moment, sounding concerned yet calm. [You think there's something, anything, that might help, you let me know, yeah? If nothing else I'll take Eb by your parents' and come over there.]
"I don't think there's much anyone can do, sweetheart," his wife sighed. "We just have to hope they can get it sorted between them. Thanks for the offer though. It means a lot to me if no-one else."
[Don't let it eat at you then,] Williams advised gently. [I'll be heading home shortly. You call me if you need anything.]
"I will," Gwen reassured, managing to smile as she disengaged the speaker. "I should be home in a couple of hours too. Love you."
She ended the call and pocketed her mobile, then slowly rose to return to her station. The Rift was still quiet, but this had been the longest day she could remember in quite some time. And it was getting longer by the minute.
"Just come out of there all right," Cooper called quietly to the two friends in the room behind the office. "Please…"
All she could really do, was hope for the best and continue to wait.
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AN: Considering the decades of trauma Jack has clawing at him, Gwen could be in for a long wait.
For me here in America, this is the evening of Thanksgiving. As I'm very thankful for those who read my stories, I am going to give you a small "Holiday" chapter in celebration. (Everyone have a good feed, a stiff drink, and try not to give in to the urge to strangle your family.) The next chapter will post as usual on Saturday.
Thank you to those reading the story. And thank you to those who have followed, favourited, and reviewed. NM
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