The italics later on in the chapter represent memories, some of which you may remember from Last of the Time Lords.

Chapter 2: Introductions, Anyone?

Ianto glazed around the tiny room lazily, sighed and ate a noodle almost subconsciously. Glancing back jadedly at the screen he was supposed to be studying, he suddenly bolted upright to frown at it, lowering his Chinese to the desk.

"What the..." he muttered to himself, inching his eyes closer to the computer monitor. His mouth dropped open slightly with awe as he watched the events unfolding outside.

"Uh... J-Jack?" he called uncertainly, looking away from the CCTV footage. "Jack, you might want to see this!"

Moments later, Jack bounded into the small office with his eyebrows raised.

"Yeah?" he asked Ianto patiently, and looked around the room. "What?"

Ianto poked the screen slowly, and Jack edged forwards to take a closer look at the blue police box that had just materialised outside the hub. A grin appeared on his face and he jumped up and down, getting ready to run.

"Oh, yes!" he cried, startling Ianto enough to make him drop his Chinese to the floor. "I knew he'd come back!"

Ianto stood up, confused, and followed Jack as he ran out the door like an excited child.

"What's going on?" Gwen stood up and jogged towards Jack as he dashed out of the office and into the main area of the hub. She gave Ianto a sideways glance then turned back to Jack when he shrugged uselessly. "Jack?"

Jack was still grinning as he lifted his coat from a hook and threw it on quickly.

"I just need to go somewhere; I'll be back soon!" he exclaimed, and ran out of the cog door with not another word. Ianto rushed back into the office and lent down to check the CCTV.

"Ianto?" Gwen called, following him in. "Ianto, what's up with Jack?"

Ianto tapped the screen and Gwen bent down to look. Seconds later, they saw the familiar figure of Jack bounding into the shot and rushing up to the TARDIS.

"What is that?" Gwen asked disbelievingly, but Ianto didn't answer. They watched silently as Jack jumped up and down with glee outside. After a few moments, the two gazed at the screen in wonderment as two people exited the box.

- - - - - - -

Martha stumbled back as she walked out of the TARDIS when she saw Jack, standing right outside the door, grinning.

"Whoa!" she fell back onto the Doctor, who was right behind her, and who pushed her back out with a chuckle.

"Didn't take you long to get out here!" she cried, and pulled him into a long-awaited embrace. Jack and the Doctor both grinned, and, once Jack had been released, the Doctor held out a hand. Jack took it hesitantly, before pulling the Doctor into a hug, laughing. As he was released, the three stared at each other, grinning stupidly, before anyone spoke.

"So, how long has it been since the end of the World?" the Doctor smiled, and Jack chuckled.

"I'd forgotten how hard it is to keep track of time in that thing. It's been a couple of months. I've just settled back in with the team. Trust you to come back now."

Amongst the laughing and catching up, no one realised that Owen was watching, just round the corner, with Toshiko beckoning him to get a move on. She considered chucking one of the empty Chinese boxes at him, but smiled to herself and wondered over instead.

"What's going on?" she asked him, tugging at the back of his sleeve playfully, before being instructed to shut up by Owen, who didn't even turn to look at her.

"Charming." she muttered, and then walked round Owen to see what he was finding so fascinating.

"Who's that?" she asked loudly, and Owen elbowed her, but smirked.

"Owen!" she snapped, half-angry, half-amused, and returned her gaze to the three people standing outside the box.

"What's that box thing?" she asked, not turning away from the sight. Owen sighed and turned to walk away. Toshiko followed him quickly after, and he smiled as he heard her coming.

"Honestly," he began, in mock-annoyance. "It is no fun holding a mini stake-out if your partner won't shut up." They smiled, and headed back to the hub, dropping the empty boxes in nearby bins.

"Hello?" Toshiko called, stopping dead at the hub entrance. "Gwen?" she called to Gwen's desk, noticing that no one was there. "Ianto?" Owen pushed past her and walked up to his desk, taking no notice of the missing Gwen and Ianto.

"In here!" came Ianto's distant voice from the CCTV office. Toshiko and Owen rushed in to the small office and Gwen and the four stared at the screen in wonder.

"Who are they?" Toshiko asked quietly.

"More to the point, why are they so interesting?" Gwen asked, realising for the first time that this was none of their business. "Why are we watching them? They're just friends of Jack's." Ianto stared at her sceptically, but Toshiko agreed.

"Yeah, or it might be something private." She looked to Owen expectantly, and he hesitantly agreed too.

Ianto frowned.

"You lot didn't see how they arrived, did you?"

- - - - - - -

"So, what have you two been up to since?" Jack asked, the three still smiling. Martha and the Doctor exchanged glances, thinking back over the past few months.

"I spent all these years training to be a doctor; now I've got people to look after... I can't just leave them."
And the Doctor understood.
And Martha left. But then...
"One last trip?" was offered. And then accepted.

"Oh, you know. This and that." the Doctor waved away the question absent-mindedly.

"Doctor! Doctor, oh my God, Doctor! Look!" Martha sprinted into the room. A book was thrust to the Doctor's chest. He took it gingerly and glanced at the illustration on the page.
"No…"

"…Did some reading..." he continued mischievously.

The Doctor's strong silhouette screamed and writhed in agony, his fingernails sinking into the hard, black leather, struggling to hold still. His tortured body squirmed and he yelled, on the regretted chair, and Martha covered her eyes, backed away, too afraid to scream.

"…Got into a bit of trouble." he finished, subconsciously hiding his reddened fingernails in his fists.

"As always." Jack interjected.

"The thing is…" Martha interrupted, prompting the Doctor; she felt sick just thinking about the Doctor's pain, she couldn't bear to think about the past months.

"Yeah, the thing is," The Doctor glanced Martha, and remembered how scared she had been before. "We need your help."

Jack looked surprised. "Me?"

Martha nodded, and the Doctor added "You and your team."

Jack recovered quickly and nodded. "Uh...okay..." he agreed, wondering what help he would be required to give. "Then I think it's time for some introductions."

Okay, I hope you enjoyed chapter 2! It took a bit longer than I hoped to get up, but it's half-term now, so the next chapter should be up pretty soon. I thought I should put this chapter up today, since Torchwood's just finished (who saw the last episode? I couldn't believe it; I cried!) and Doctor Who starts today (Yay!!).
Hope you are all enjoying the story! Please review!