Note: I don't own anything related to Torchwood (unless you count the books I have)...Enjoy...

"Jack, Ria isn't responding on her comm. Ianto said she was planning on coming back to work yesterday and it's so unlike her to miss work," Toshiko mentioned as she stood in Jack's doorway.

Jack had been working on paperwork but his mind had wandered to the girl several times. Ianto had told him her response to his instructions about taking time off and now she wasn't showing up. When she hadn't appeared by 10am, he had asked Tosh to raise her on the comms and had sent Gwen and Owen to her flat.

"See what Gwen and Owen have."

The two had nothing. Owen had picked the lock on her door to find the place empty except for the empty whiskey bottles on the counter. They tried the few liquor stores near the flat to see if she had been in recently. One hadn't sold any whiskey in a couple of days, another had sold Ria a bottle the night before, and the last store had sold her two just before closing. She had also asked for directions to a rave. The clerk remembered the address and gave it to Owen.

"Jack, we're on our way to the warehouse. We'll let you know if we find her."

Gwen's mobile rang and she dug it out of her pocket. The ID came up as Andy so she answered the call.

"Andy, what's wrong?"

"I've got a young girl here talking about the future and mind reading. She was picked up for public intoxication a few hours ago but it doesn't seem like she's sobering up. Since you're all into that weird stuff, I thought this might be right up your alley. She keeps asking for her tad but then says he wouldn't know her and doesn't love her."

"Thanks, Andy. We'll be right there," she said as she motioned to Owen.

She clicked off and pressed her comm piece. "Tosh, tell Jack we've found her. She was arrested and is at police headquarters. We'll pick her up and bring her back to the Hub."

Andy was waiting for them when they stepped into headquarters. He led them to the cells and pointed out the one Ria was in.

"One of the women P.C.s took her some food a few minutes ago. When she came back, she announced that she works in a dancing club on the weekends for the thrill of being wanted. Stated that her costume is her uniform and a pair of black lace knickers. Care to explain why she came out bearing her deepest secrets?"

"You did great in calling me, Andy. We'll take her."

"Did the woman say which dance club she worked at?" Owen prodded.

Andy shook his head while Gwen walked towards the cell.

"Ria, it's Gwen. Are you ready to go back to Torchwood?"

"Torchwood. My entire life was Torchwood and where did it get me? In the past, without a family, without the man I fell in love with, without anything."

"You have done so much, Ria. Jack's told me a bit about what happened on that ship and that you stood up to those Daleks."

"Yeah, but you think of me as a murderer. That I should have been given the name Uncle D was given, the Destroyer of Worlds. Fitting because I destroyed my own world. Came back to save Tosh, Owen, Donna, Ianto, and my mum. Not like she'll remember me."

"She would. A mum's love is so strong that she would know you."

"Would you if I came to you out of the blue saying I was your daughter but from a different timeline? The woman I knew as my mum is gone. That all changed when I first came back. Maybe Uncle D is right. Time shouldn't be changed. It fucks everything up."

"Enough of this," Owen said as he entered the cell to jab a needle into Ria's arm.

"Owen, did you have to drug her?"

"And listen to her rambling all the way back to the Hub? No, thank you. We'll put her into a cell and let her sleep it off."

"We're not putting her in a cell. She's a member of this team and should be treated as such."

"A member of this team? She's not even born yet, Gwen. We have no real clue as to who she is. What if she's an alien posing as a Torchwood member?"

"Your scans would have shown something. We'll ask Jack what we should do."

"Of course, because he always has the answers," he sneered as he rolled his eyes.

Gwen and Owen lifted Ria in between them and carried her out to the SUV. Gwen wanted to tuck her in carefully but Owen had other plans and shoved her in the back. He did make sure nothing hung out before he closed the door. Gwen shook her head and got in. They didn't talk on the way back the Hub and when they got there, Gwen wouldn't let Owen help her with Ria. He shrugged and stalked off.

"Can one of you help me with her? I can't get up the stairs with her," Gwen asked as she stepped into the main room.

Jack came down and picked Ria up. He was amazed at how light she was before placing her on the couch. He looked back at the former P.C. and silently asked what happened.

"Owen drugged her. True, she was ranting but he didn't have to do it."

"She does have a habit of that. We'll let her sleep and maybe she'll be better once she wakes."

Tosh turned back to her computer and worked on her next project. Gwen took her seat at the next station but she turned around to watch the girl. Jack and Ianto went upstairs to his office, not necessarily to have sex. Wait, it's Jack so yeah, they went upstairs to shag.

A quiet moan escaped my lips as I grabbed my forehead. I blinked my eyes open and caught sight of Gwen sitting beside me on the coffee table. She had a glass in her hand.

"Drink this."

"I think I've done enough drinking."

"The water will help. Did you want to sit up?" Gwen asked, forcing the glass into my hand

I sat up and sipped at the water. I must have either blacked out at police headquarters or Owen drugged me. Gwen was staring at me and it was making me nervous.

"Ah, Sleeping Beauty is awake. Care to explain why you went on a bender and got yourself arrested?" Jack asked as he came over.

"Felt like it?" I tried.

He stared me down for a minute or two before I put the glass down on the table next to Gwen.

"Because it got to be too much. I knew I had an important job to do but David helped me to see past that. Live a normal life away from Torchwood. When I was with him, I didn't have to think about who I was to save next, or what alien would try to invade us, or the fact that I've changed the future so much that I can't go back since my family won't be there as I knew them."

"You didn't have to turn to alcohol," Tosh said.

"Trust me, it was the only choice open to me. The other can't be done because I've still got one more on my To Save list."

"You mentioned Tea Boy back in the cell," Owen spoke up, as he came up from the autopsy bay.

"I'm not saying more until the time is right. Just know I'm not letting a member of this team die while I'm here. We have time before the next catastrophe hits so we don't need to worry about that."

I stood up and faced everyone. I ran a hand through my hair and took a breath.

"I apologize for getting blitzed and making you worry. I'm sorry I was arrested. If I were just a bit more sober, I wouldn't have been. I promise not to drink again. How do the Americans say it? Oh, Scout's Honor," I said, as I crossed my heart. "I am going downstairs to shower and I will come back ready to work."

I berated myself in the shower and pulled on some black pants, a mesh top, and a shirt over that. I twisted my hair up and pulled my boots back on. I looked at myself quickly in a mirror and went back upstairs. I focused on work for the rest of the day and even stayed after everyone had left. Each had kept their eyes on me throughout the day and I only hoped it would stop soon or else I was going to blow.

It seemed everything was back to normal a couple days later. Gwen invited everyone over for dinner and Jack agreed for all of us. I tried to get out of it, even going as far as saying the Rift needed to be monitored. While I knew of Rhys, I had never met him and I really didn't want to.

To make sure I showed up, Ianto and Jack picked me up from my flat. I changed into the darkest outfit I had: a black skirt, fishnet stockings, my boots, a fitted business vest with chains, and a collar around my neck. I wanted Rhys to stay away from me. If he didn't then, I would go with my ability to order him away. If neither worked, then I have the perception filter and I could leave without anyone noticing.

"While Rhys can be an idiot, he isn't so bad," Jack prompted in the SUV.

"You think whatever you want to think."

Dinner was a disaster. Gwen had decided to cook but hadn't cooked it enough. Owen sat there gloomy because he couldn't do anything. Tosh was trying to brighten Owen's mood but nothing was working. The only thing that went perfectly was when Gwen introduced me to her husband. With one look, he backed away and headed into the kitchen to check on dinner. I smiled and took a seat in the corner away from everyone.

Jack broke down and ordered take away for us. He made jokes about Gwen's cooking and Rhys even took a chance at joking about it. Gwen glared at him and smacked him in the shoulder. The take away was decent and we tried keeping the conversation away from Torchwood but since it was a big part in our lives, that didn't last long. Overall, the night was bearable but I wouldn't be doing it again.