Note: I don't own anything related to Torchwood (unless you count the books I have)...Enjoy...
When I came to, I was on the autopsy table in the Hub. I could feel the breeze under the thin blanket so I knew someone undressed me. I could hear thoughts just on the edge of my consciousness and it didn't take long to block them out. I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling.
"Finally. I thought I might as well just freeze you since you weren't waking up," Owen quipped.
"Jack wouldn't have let you. How long was I out?"
"Nine days. They were frantic when Jack called but once we had you hooked up, your readings were normal except for your brainwaves. But we know why that is."
"Bloody hell. David. I told him I would talk to him and then ignored his texts. He must be in such a state," I swore, trying to sit up.
"Actually, your man is in the loo. Gwen convinced Jack to answer your mobile when it wouldn't stop ringing. He's been here the last 5days and doesn't usually leave your side."
"Jack told him about Torchwood?" I asked.
"I would rather have heard that from you, Ria," David said as he descended the steps into the autopsy bay.
Owen maneuvered the table into a chair position so I could see David. His hair was more of a mess and he had dark bags under his eyes.
"Oh, love, I'm so sorry. You look terrible. You could have slept on the couch. I'm sure someone else could have woken you if I had woken up."
"Jack told me about Torchwood but not until after he did a complete background check on me. He found out about my grandfather and was quite surprised that I had connections with U.N.I.T. He did say there was something you would need to tell me yourself and to wait until you woke up. What that could be was partly to blame for keeping me awake. My mind kept jumping from one random thought to another, each getting weirder as the last."
"It is weird but not bad. Come sit beside me and I'll tell you everything. Owen, could you have Ianto bring us some coffee? I think we need something warm."
"I think bourbon or whiskey would be a better choice. At least for him. You on the other hand still need to take it easy. The scans show that your brain's healed but your ribs are still broken."
"Yes, Dr. Harper. Talking good, vigorous sex bad, at least until I'm healed."
I waited until I had my hands wrapped around a warm mug of coffee. I was still unsure of where to start but since he already knew about Torchwood, I would start there.
"My third outing as a Torchwood member didn't go as usual. We encountered a race of aliens who wanted to visit Earth to learn about the planet. Unfortunately they speak telepathically and in order to communicate, they had to choose one of us to change. Maybe it was because I was the youngest and healthiest, I don't know, but they chose me and altered how my brain works.
"I can speak inside your mind. I can read your mind. When I have direct eye contact, I can implant things into your mind. I've only ever used it once on you and that was before I knew where this was going."
"But I've stared into your eyes numerous times."
"I have a special pair of sunglasses that can hide and go unnoticed, even by touch. The only time I'm not wearing them is when I'm asleep."
"What did you do to me?" he asked, backing the chair up a bit.
"The night we met we were sitting in the curry place talking and I figured out you knew about the aliens, the weird things happening, so I asked you about it. You eventually told me about your grandfather and I mentioned I worked for Torchwood. After you walked me home, I removed that part of the conversation so you wouldn't remember Torchwood. I haven't done anything else. I swear."
David was quiet. I felt that I was justified in what I did. We had barely known each other and I had doubted that it would grow into a real relationship. It was better than retconning him and wiping the entire evening from his memory. While I waited for him to talk, I played with my engagement ring.
"Have you done anything to my family?" he finally asked.
"I needed a favor from your grandfather. It was just a phone number. Once he gave it to me, I made it so that he thought we were talking about your childhood. David, you have to believe me that I wouldn't do anything to hurt you."
"You hid the real you from me for the last year. Is there anything else you're lying about?" he asked, dropping the mug of coffee onto the table nearby.
"When you asked when my birthday was, I might have changed that a bit too. It's still May 5 but the year is off. I'm technically not born yet. With the help of a futuristic piece of technology, I was able to come back into the past almost 25 years."
David got up so suddenly that his chair flew back into the tiled wall. He stared at me for a brief second before running out. From my spot in the autopsy bay, I heard the cog wheel open and close as he left the Hub. I couldn't sit there any longer so I wiggled my way off the converted table and stood shakily on my legs. I pulled the IV out and pressed a gauze pad to the bleeding hole. I staggered up the stairs and stepped out into the main area.
"Briefing in the boardroom. I've had enough of hiding secrets and I'm sure Jack has some questions about the whole Dalek thing," I yelled.
Ianto was the closest so he helped me up the stairs into the boardroom. Owen checked out my arm and chastised me for pulling out the IV. I pushed him away with my arm and focused on Jack.
"Come on. Out with the questions. I'm in no mood to be routing around in your head looking for them."
"Dalek Caan knew you would be there. How?"
"Dalek Caan saw me coming back into the past and knew I would be there. I'm sure he knew what I would be doing, aside from helping Donna, but he let Davros continue to think that Uncle D would be the one to destroy their race."
"You were the one to kill them all?" Tosh asked.
"Not quite. Using the same idea of the molecular bonding bomb that Gray used, I attached it to Davros. When he was staring at me, I told him that their fate laid in his hands. He could name the Doctor and kill the race or back down. His anger and hatred for the Doctor would do no such thing so he made the unconscious choice. Like I told him, he brought it on himself."
"But you put that bomb on him knowing what he would do. You helped him destroy them all," Gwen gasped.
"If that's what you think, then think it. There's always a choice and the better option might not always be the right choice but think of it in the long run. That case you had where the little girl went with those fairy creatures. You all hated Jack after he allowed Jasmine to go but imagine what would have happened if he didn't. Those creatures would have become more ruthless and killed many more people. I couldn't have Uncle D thinking that his alter ego killed off the Dalek race so now he doesn't know what really happened."
"But you still murdered them," Gwen said.
"They're not the first aliens I have killed and probably won't be the last. If they hadn't been destroyed, imagine them coming back. Look at what they did at Torchwood 1 and the people who didn't survive that time. They have killed enough of us and needed to be stopped.
"I doubt this will happen so it should be safe to share. For the brief time I traveled with Uncle D, we had visited a place long ago only to run into the Daleks. I was part of a small group that they had taken and I couldn't use my abilities against them since they don't really have a mind. They knew I was different than the other beings so as we stood there, they exterminated one by one. All women and children, letting their bodies fall all around me. I was the last one left, knowing I was about to die. Just as the Dalek raised his laser, Uncle D came. It was because of him that I survived.
"Davros said that Uncle D would take normal people and turn them into weapons. I disagreed with him because of who I was before I traveled with the Doctor. I was already a weapon. I grew up surrounded by talk of aliens, the good and the bad. I had seen first hand what could happen if no one stepped up. I knew since a young age that I would do all in my power to keep everyone safe. And if that means giving Davros the way to commit suicide, then so be it."
"Donna was the one who should have died but this time it was you, even if briefly. Did you know what would happen to you by coming back?"
"No. I didn't know I was going to die but those few moments in the darkness was better than what was going to happen to Donna and Uncle D. When I made the choice of coming back, I only had four things that needed to be corrected and I've already done three of them. I hadn't thought about what would happen after I corrected all of them. I doubt I can go back to my time since this timeline is already changed so much. My Tad always said that I jump into things before thinking them through. I guess he's right about this one."
"What's the next thing you have to correct?" Gwen asked.
"Something huge but we have to wait until next year."
"Will David be coming back?" Tosh asked.
"Doubt it. Some of his thoughts weren't all that nice. Now, are there any more questions before I go find my clothes so I can go home?"
"Where did you get your vortex manipulator?"
"Knicked it off of you actually. Your second week with the Time Agency. You were sent on a case and ended up pissed. You went back with the woman you were working and after you both were asleep, I took it off your wrist. You must have had a good time explaining that to your superiors."
"Not really. One of them had a thing for me so I did what I do best," he grinned.
"Sex is always the answer with you, isn't it?" Ianto commented.
"Once I had it, I just needed to do the tweaking and it was ready. After my Mum's death, it seemed like the good time so I packed up what I needed and came back. I had been back for a week when the whole Gray incident happened."
"You called John something else that night."
"He's Captain John Hart as much as Jack is not immortal. His real name is Zen, fitting isn't it? Anything else?"
"Not now. Get dressed and someone will drive you home."
I did as Jack said and when I came out from the locker room, Ianto was waiting for me. Being the gentleman that he is, he helped me to the SUV and made sure that I was comfortable before going around to his side. I told him where my flat was and watched the scenery as he drove me home. He helped me inside and into my flat. Once he noticed the lack of food I had, he offered to run out for me.
"I'll be fine, Ianto. They'll bring me up some curry if I call. The bed is calling my name so I'll probably just sleep. I'll be back at the Hub the day after tomorrow," I replied, as I took my sunglasses off and rubbed my eyes.
"Jack said for you to take a week off to rest those ribs."
"Did you take the time off after your run in with those cannibals? You had broken ribs and a concussion yet you were back to work the next morning. A few broken ribs aren't going to hold me back, Ianto. Dydw i ddim yn gwneud o wydr."
Ianto smiled and took his leave. After locking the door, I sank to the floor and cried. Not because of my injuries, not because I told David the truth, but for losing him because I wasn't normal. If I had just traveled to the past, I'm sure he would have gotten over it. I'm sure he's heard stories of time travel from the Brigadier. It was my ability and that I had altered his memory that did me in.
I crawled over to the kitchen and found the bottle that I needed. With my back against the fridge, I unscrewed the cap and took a large gulp of the light amber liquid. Another gulp turned into two and that turned into five. Once I hit the bottom and there wasn't more to drink, I pulled out the second bottle.
Note2: Dydw i ddim yn gwneud o wydr means I'm not made of glass.