Disclaimer: Don't own torchwood. And unfortunately never will.
A/N: I dedicate this chapter to Briony Tallis for all her wonderful support. Also want to say a big thanks to all my (very) patient readers as well as my wonderful Beta and best friend Purpura-Papilio.
I used this chapter as a way of exploring Anna as a person rather than a team member so it may be a little different. Hope you all like it. Please Review!
P.S. Things are starting to heat up between Anna and Jack, just as a warning. Don't like. Don't read. :)
The sound of buzzing against my ear roused me from my dreams. Sleepily I clawed under my pillow for my phone, mentally cursing whoever dared to wake me before my alarm. Finally finding the blasted object I clicked the answer button.
"Hello?" I yawned.
"Given your track record I'm willing to look over this, but I will require an explanation as to why you are so late" Jacks stern and unamused voice floated over the receiver.
"What?" I asked, trying to force my eyes to open and accept the daylight as my brain struggled to catch up.
"I believe I specifically told you to be in for 8:30...It's now 9:45"
"What!" I shouted, suddenly fully awake, flinging off my covers and grabbing desperately for something to wear, "Jack I'm so sorry, I can't believe I-"
I stopped abruptly as my eyes caught sight of the alarm clock. It read 6:45.
"Jack!" I growled, earning an amused chuckle.
"Just making sure I got your attention Kitten,"
"Jack, I wasn't planning to be up for another 45 minutes. Please tell me there is a valid reason for this call,"
"You're so easy to wind up in the mornings,"
"I know!" I snapped, sassiness dripping from my every word, "I'm not a morning person at the best of times but this is hardly a pleasant way to be woken up!"
"Oh?" I heard the feigned surprise suddenly infuse his voice lower the pitch to a sexy drawl, "and what, may I ask, is a pleasant way to be woken up?"
So unfair! Through a receiver he could still make me blush. Still, I played along.
"I am sure you don't need me to tell you that Captain,"
"Indulge me,"
"Why should I?" I smirked.
"Because I might just indulge your wish in return,"
My mind flashed back to the day before, Jack rousing me from my cat nap with a tantalising kiss, his hands playing over my body and his weight a known presence above me. God, he knew how to drive me mad with his kisses.
"I'm waiting Anna," he prompted.
"I wouldn't say no to another kiss but then again if you woke me like that, I'm not sure I'd let you leave,"
"Really?" he chuckled, "and how would you keep me from leaving?"
My mind jumped into overdrive with scenarios involving Jack and every form of restraint imaginable. My heart accelerated into light speed as I began to feel my body heat up in anticipation. I fought to keep my breathing steady even though I felt shaky and weak.
"Anna, would I be right in saying your attention is not fully on me and what I am saying to you right now? Has that mind of yours taken over with those fantasies you mentioned last night?"
I gulped. I knew it been a bad thing to admit I'd been thinking about him for months.
"Maybe," I admitted vaguely.
"Because I am afraid I have to insist on your full attention. As your captain I expect nothing less...Am I clear?" his voice was so deep and seductive that I couldn't help but feel a warmth pulling at my insides making me ache in need.
"Yes Captain" I breathed.
"Good girl" he praised before the smirk entered his voice again, "8:30 sharp, remember"
The phone clicked as the call ended.
I fell back on the bed trying to bring my raging hormones under control. That evil, annoying, brilliant man. He knew exactly how to get under my skin and fill my head leaving little room for anything else. And now, ever since our first kiss my body seemed to have suddenly become hypersensitive to his presence in my life.
The increasingly familiar heat clutching at my lower abdomen demanded attention and I growled in annoyance rolling out of bed and heading for the shower.
No way was I getting back to sleep now.
"No way! Ianto's going with all of them? No one to help?" I chuckled, "that's just not fair,"
"I'm sure tea boy can handle it," Owen said through a mouthful of cereal.
Owen, Tosh and I had gathered in the small kitchenette to scarf some breakfast before knuckling down to work. I was perched on the countertop swinging my legs as I munched on toast with peanut butter.
"Still, so you really think Jack should let Ianto go by himself with all three of them? I mean, they're still pretty shaken," Tosh ventured.
"I'll go talk to him" I assured her, "Hinode is supposed to be coming back in this afternoon so I could get dropped off on the way back,"
"How'd it go yesterday anyway?" Tosh asked.
"Considering the shock I think she took it as well as I could hope. She's not happy with me being in danger." I admitted.
"Did you tell her you're the weapons specialist?" Owen asked.
"God no!" I exclaimed "I don't want to kill her with information. What I'm just gonna waltz up to her and go "Hey guess what, I'm also in charge of running around and experimenting with all the new weapons!?" Yeah, what a great idea! She's already not happy with the thought of me being second-in-command, never mind running around with weapons all the time,"
"Are you going to tell her?" Tosh asked.
"What's the point?" Owen interjected, "she's gonna be retconed by tonight anyway,"
"Maybe," I admitted quietly, not knowing if Jack was going to appear around the corner, "still, I think she could be useful to us from her position at the hospital,"
"You're gonna ask Jack to keep her on as an informant?" Tosh asked, thankfully lowering her voice as well.
"I already have, she's on trial right now,"
They both nodded in silent agreement to help me keep it quiet. I felt happier knowing they'd keep an eye on her.
"I'm going to talk to Jack," I said jumping of the counter, popping the last of the toast in my mouth.
I waved briefly to Gwen as she came in through the cog door and made my way towards the open door of Jacks office. Peeking my head in I rapped the door, catching his attention and making him look up from the paperwork he was pouring over.
"Can I come in?" I asked smiling.
He put his pen down and leaned back in his chair, settling like a contented cat, and gestured to the chair opposite.
"What can I do for you kitten?" he asked.
"I was thinking about how to get Hinode here. What about me going with Ianto and the others and stopping off at the hospital on their way back? Hinode and I can walk,"
"You think Ianto needs help?" he asked, a little smirk pulling at his lips.
"Course not" I rolled my eyes, "I'm sure he can handle it but although you like your little torture games, I think Ianto could benefit from having a woman there to help him,"
"Me? Torture?" he raised his eyebrows in mock innocence.
"Yes torture. Don't play the innocent with me. You're going to send Ianto with two women to try and teach them about twenty first century shopping? To any lesser guy that would be their idea of torture,"
He chuckled and inclined his head in agreement.
"Alright, go with him and bring Hinode with you on your way back,"
"How are they doing anyway?" I ventured the question with only a bit of hesitance.
"It's difficult, but they'll survive. It's hard getting used to a new world like this," he said.
"You sound like you're speaking from experience," I commented quietly.
He looked at me, saying nothing, so I ventured further.
"Was it difficult for you?"
He continued to look at me. I got the distinct impression that he was trying to weigh up how much to tell me.
"No" he eventually admitted, "It wasn't. I was used to it by the time I came here. I'd been to so many places. Honestly? Planet Earth was almost a welcome break,"
"Except now you can't leave?" I fired off the question before my nerves bottled, seizing the opportunity to try and understand him a bit better.
"No, I can't leave," he smiled bitterly.
"Until…Whatever you're waiting for comes back?" I asked hesitantly.
I felt slightly proud at the surprise that flashed through his eyes. He didn't know I knew that. He hadn't realised that in our time together, since I joined, I had gotten the sense he was waiting for something important.
"Yes. Until that day, I can only wait here," he admitted.
"What makes you think it'll come?" I asked.
"It uses the energy in the rift," he answered simply, not going to elaborate.
That's fine. I could use another line of questioning. One that, if continued to go unanswered would bother me much more than not know what he was waiting for.
"So, when this thing eventually appears you'll…What?...Have answers? Leave?"
"Maybe both, maybe none," he shrugged.
I nodded silently, lowering my eye to the floor. He could leave. I fought the urge to get up and leave the office. Gathering all my courage I raised my eyes to his again. What I saw surprised me. I was expecting the blank calculating look, weighing my reaction to the thought of losing him. Instead, I saw a small fond smile.
I managed to conjure a smile in return, even though I was sure the surprise and confusion still coated my eyes.
It felt safe now to leave. I wasn't running away. We had reached a silent understanding. However, on my way to the door I stopped. I felt a tug on my heart needing to hear the words.
"So…If it comes, you'll leave us?" I didn't look round, speaking resolutely to the door.
However, my current positioning made it impossible to see him. So I hadn't noticed him rise from his chair and stalk over to me, silently. I jumped when the pair of warm, strong arms wrapped around my waist pulling me back to him.
I risked a glance out the open door to make sure no one could see us. Sure enough from where I was standing the place looked empty. I slowly allowed myself to relax against his chest. My head rested back against his shoulder happily and I sighed in contentment.
Jack, on the other hand, had other ideas. He took advantage of the position of my head to slowly begin teasing his lips over the bare side of my exposed neck.
"If I did…" he started, the heat of his breath skimming over my skin nearly causing the strength in my legs to fail, "…Would you follow me?"
Trust him to pick that kind of question when he's currently making it impossible for me to think about anything else other than his lips on my skin.
Unbeknownst to him though, I had already thought about that question, many times. I knew my answer.
"No," I admitted quietly, succeeding in making him pause, however momentarily, in his ministrations on my neck.
I sighed deeply and sank back into his arms, allowing my eyes to slide shut so I could focus solely on what his lips were doing to my skin. My arm rose up to reach back and thread my fingers through his hair, tugging lightly.
"When you leave, it's going to be for you. The answers you need aren't for anyone else to hear. This is something you need to do alone; you need to do it for yourself. I won't deny that, if I'm still here when it happens, I will miss you. I can only hope we are enough to bring you back to us,"
As soon as the last sentence fell from my lips, I was ferociously spun round in his arms and his lips crashed onto mine. I looped my arms around his neck pulling myself closer as he tightened his arms around my waist. His lips were soft, but totally unyielding, as they dominated the kiss. I moaned in submission as I opened my lips to allow his exploration of my mouth to continue.
It didn't matter where we were and who could see us. In that moment, the only thought running through my head was how I was going to touch his warm skin. Jack seemed to have a similar idea. A gasp slipped from my lips only to be swallowed by his mouth as he slid his hand underneath my top.
I could feel myself helplessly tremble as the tips of his fingers delicately teased the flesh at my lower back, trailing up and down the ridges of my spine. My moan of need swiftly turned to a growl of annoyance, as my fingers found his shirt and undershirt trapped by his braces. He chuckled darkly against my lips.
"Tease," I muttered quickly, shoving him further back into his office.
Where the confidence was coming from, I didn't know, but come hell or high water I wanted a taste of his skin. If he thought layers of clothing were going to stop me, he had another thing coming.
Jack merely chuckled and let his hands trail higher till they toyed with my bra strap, pushing my t-shirt up my back and exposing my skin to the cold air of the office. I crashed my lips back onto his, allowing my fingers to slide up his chest and find their way to the top buttons of his shirt, fumbling blindly to undo them.
Once I had the top four undone I deemed it low enough to move on. My lips moved from his mouth, caressing down his jaw line, over his neck till I reached the firm surface of his clavicle. I curled my fingers over the neckline of his undershirt and gently tugged it down. I moaned at the taste of salted skin against my lips as I explored the beginnings of his firm chest muscles.
Jack meanwhile had been taking advantage of my distraction, guiding his fingers across the seam of my bra. I gasped his name against his skin as I became acutely aware of the soft brush on the underside of my breasts. He merely dropped his head to the side of my neck, manipulating the sensitive skin with talent and skill. I moan at his ministrations and pressed myself firmly against him, another moan spilling from my lips as I felt the stirrings of his own interest.
Out of boldness or lust, I wasn't sure what made me do it, but I began to allow my hips to move deliberately and slowly against him.
I grinned in delight as I heard a moan, low in his throat, make itself known. The sound coming from him made me feel powerful and sexy. I allowed my teeth to gently nip at his chest muscles getting a return nip against my neck as his hands continued to tease my breasts. As his fingers brushed over a clothed nipple my back arched towards him. My lips found his against, starting the hungry battle for domination all over again.
Jack was the first one to pull away, laughing as I tried to follow him.
"If we keep this up, we'll definitely be doing something that worth been caught doing" he chuckled.
"So, if it's worth being caught doing, why stop?" I breathed, trying to get another kiss which he allowed, before returning his hands to my waist so my t-shirt righted itself.
I pouted.
"Why do you always start this when you know we can't finish it?"
He smirked and pulled me closer to whisper in my ear.
"Maybe I just want you begging for it before the end,"
I pulled away, blushing but with a firm grin in place.
"Well. You're succeeding," I quipped before brushing past him and out the door leading to the back of the hub so I wouldn't be seen.
There was no doubt in my mind I would need a mirror to make myself look semi presentable again.
I laughed quietly in the back seat as John, Diane and Emma fired questions at Ianto. The trip to ASDA had certainly been an experience for them. They couldn't seem to get their head around the sheer quantity of food that was available nowadays.
Emma was gushing over the food and make up while John was still ranting about the inappropriate images on some of the magazines.
Diane, on the other hand, was still concerning herself over the prophecy of death on the cigarettes packets.
"Ianto, drop me off at the hospital. I'm bringing Hinode back in,"
"You want me to wait?" he asked.
"No, no. We'll walk back,"
"Alright,"
He pulled in around the corner from the hospital. Last thing we needed was a panic in the hospital cause the dreaded SUV had made an appearance.
"Alright have fun!" I said jumping out, "don't do anything I wouldn't!"
"Thankfully, that leaves quite a long list," Ianto replied.
I chuckled and shut the door, waving them off.
Walking in the entrance to the hospital was a surreal experience. Yesterday I had walked in here and announced that I was part of Torchwood and put the fear of God in them. Today, it was like it had never happened. Of course this time I wasn't drawing attention to myself.
I slipped along the corridor, up the stairs and swiftly found my way to Bridget's room. Stopping in the doorway I watched the scene in front of me. Bridget was in an inclined sitting position against the bed, her thin face transformed with a smile as she animatedly explained her dream to a laughing Hinode.
"And then the rabbit ran towards me and the puppy tried to bark at it but it didn't stop. It made a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig hop and landed in my arms. It was a really big jump!" she demonstrated with stick thin arms.
"Sounds more like Tigger to me," I said, casually.
They both turned, Bridget gasping in delight as she saw me.
"Anna! You came!" she exclaimed happily, as I crossed the room and gently hugged her.
"Of course I did," I laughed settling down to sit on the bed next to her as Hinode moved the chair into a better position, "now what kind of trouble have you gotten into since I last saw you?"
"Oh, someone had a little fight with another in the playroom," Hinode said, although she was smiling.
Must be something she knows I would find amusing.
"It's not my fault!" Bridget pouted as she defended herself, "he wouldn't listen"
"Don't worry there was no violence," Hinode assured me, "one of the boys tried to tell her all angels are good with pure white wings and only come to take good little children to God,"
"But your angel didn't do that did it Anna!" Bridget interjected, "he saved you"
"Yes Bridget, he did" I nodded, patiently as her voice filled with excitement at the thought of Dark Angel that had saved her big cousin.
"And he had big dark wings!"
"-And a beautiful soft voice" I finished smiling.
"But Jason told me that your angel must be evil, because of its dark wings"
"It saved me Bridget, and that's all you need to worry about. Let Jason have his opinion but don't worry about it if he says you're wrong. You know you're right,"
Bridget pouted at the gentle scolding. I laughed and ruffled her hair.
"Now little Miss, I think it's time for your medication," Hinode rounded up the conversation.
"But it makes me sleepy," she whined.
"Good, you need to rest," Hinode answered, firmly.
I smiled as Bridget pouted even more but accepted the medication without further complaint. Sure enough her eyelids began to drop and I adjusted her bed so she was lying down. I kissed her forehead softly as Hinode done one last check on her IV bag and made sure the machines were in working order.
Nodding to each other we silently left the room, closing the door on the sleeping child within.
"You always tell her that story like its real," Hinode commented as she laced up her trainers.
I sat next to her on the wooden bench of the changing room.
"I know," I muttered.
"…It still bothers you, doesn't it?" she asked "that night I mean,"
"I don't know what happened; I doubt I ever will. The whole thing could have been a dream for all I know, or maybe it did happen"
"But you don't believe in angels,"
"I believe in guardians,"
"What about…Anything else?" she began hesitantly, "I mean, with your line of work, did you ever wonder if it was…" she trailed off, not wanting to say the word I knew was on the tip of her tongue.
"Sometimes," I admitted.
"Have you asked Jack about this?"
"No. I only told him the full story last night"
"Last night? That's all?" she blinked, "After everything-"
"I told you, this whole thing with us is pretty recent" I admitted.
"Why was last night different then?" she asked standing up, ready to go.
I fought back a small smile and reached into my bag, my fingers curling around the familiar paper and carefully drawing it out.
The smile broke out as I saw the strange look Hinode gave me as she took the paper. The look quickly transformed into one of surprise as she studied the paper.
"Him?" she asked, gaping as she looked back at me, "but how?"
"No, no. Not really him," I clarified, "just…It's how he makes me feel; safe and protected. I'm not stupid enough to actually believe an angel saved my life that night but…I don't know…There's just something about him that…"
I couldn't finish any of these sentences, and from the look on her face Hinode's suspicion of infatuation was only increasing.
"It doesn't matter," I mumbled, taking the paper back.
"So, how did you get up the courage to show him that picture?" Hinode asked as we made our way to the door.
"I didn't," I admitted, "I did something stupid and he ended up having to stich me up. I passed out and he stayed with me. The picture was on the table. When he asked about it I promised I would tell him about it one day,"
"And you told him about it yesterday, because…?" she prompted.
"We had a really good talk. Like the old days, before he knew how I felt about him. He wanted to make sure I was ok. Between the guys at school and Mum and Gran dying, and this whole thing with you and…" I realised I was rambling, "…Other things,"
"You told him everything?"
"Pretty much," I nodded, "he's good at making me feel comfortable. You know, a lot of the time I have to stay strong and know what I'm doing. I don't need to do that with him. I can be vulnerable and not be scared that he'll think less of me,"
"So, let me get this right," Hinode said as we got out into the brisk weather, "you can happily sit there and pour your biggest worries out to him, and yet…You're ok with not really knowing anything about him,"
"Yeah," I said simply.
There was a big pause between us before she started talking again.
"All of that happened last night when I was knocked out?" she asked earning a nod from me, "oh, right, I thought that was…"
"I know what you thought" I chuckled, her slightly uncomfortable expression a major clue, "and yeah there was a bit of that too, but nothing as far as you were thinking. Actually, when you woke up I had been laughing. He had been telling me a story of one of his past adventures,"
"So, you two haven't slept together yet?" she asked, a part of me wanted to laugh at the blunt surprise in her voice.
"No not yet but…" I trailed off, my thoughts straying to this morning in his office "…Things are heating up I think,"
"I would've thought it would have been one of the first things he got from you, after he found out" she commented.
"I really wouldn't have complained if he did," I replied evenly.
Hinode's expression went from thoughtful to incredulous in a matter of seconds as she looked at me with wide eyes, as if she couldn't believe what I had just said.
"Why not? You deserve more than that Anna," she said, disbelief underlying her tone.
"And that's what I'm getting, but even if he had only indulged me for one night, I would still be grateful of any time he was willing to give me," I defended.
There was a silent, pregnant pause between us. I was on the verge of wondering if Hinode was going to tell me I needed to look at things more logically, as was her usual manner, but she finally spoke that was just a little bit out of character for her.
"I… I just don't understand," Hinode admitted quietly, looking at the pavement as we walked.
"I know," I replied softly, "I don't expect you to. It's hard to understand this kind of thing when you're not a part of…Well…What we do at Torchwood, has a way of…Changing the way you see things"
She was quiet for the rest of the walk.
"Hey, where are you off to?" I caught hold of Owen's arm as he raced towards the door we just came through.
"I'm taking Diane to see her plane," he said, raising an eyebrow.
"That all?" I smirked.
Although he was still maintaining his scruffy boyish charm it was easy to tell when Owen had made more of an effort than usual.
"And maybe if it suits us I'll take her to lunch. Problem?" he huffed.
"None," I chuckled, releasing his arm allowing him to dart away again, "Try not to tire her out too quickly!" I called, receiving a grumbled in response before the cog door rolled shut to part us.
"Come on," I moved forward again bringing Hinode with me, "I'll just do the tests,"
As I reached the top of the stairs Jack came sweeping out of his office, his greatcoat finishing its last caress as its weight dropped onto his shoulders.
"John, right?" I enquired, earning a nod from him.
"I'm just making sure he's adjusting," Jack said.
"Well he seemed to do alright at the shop, considering how overwhelming it is compared to what he's used to," I told him, "it's his past connections that'll be harder to get over. Has Tosh found his son?"
"Not yet," Jack shook his head gravely.
"You're worried about him," I frowned. It wasn't a question.
"He's having more difficulty than the others," Jack replied simply.
I nodded in understanding, knowing it would be all he would reveal in front of someone who didn't fully trust him yet. Jack nodded to both of us and swept out the cog door behind Owen.
"Doesn't say much, does he?" Hinode commented.
It wasn't a jab at Jack; just an observation on her part.
"He doesn't need to" I told her, leading her down into the autopsy room after removing our coats, "I'm not a mind reader but I can usually tell what kind of line his thoughts are taking,"
"That, and I'm sure he won't say anything important in front of me" she pointed out, jumping up onto the table and rolling up her sleeves.
"True," I acknowledged, "you don't trust him so he won't put anything at risk by telling you,"
I carefully laid out everything I would need on the silver tray next to the table she was perched on. I knew it would be detrimental to tell her what I had asked Jack to consider for her but I was trying not to make him look like the bad guy here. I honestly couldn't see why Hinode had such a big problem with Jack but I had to do my best to let her see the good sides of him.
Problem was her hostility towards him was not helping in allowing him to lower his defences in order for her to be comfortable around him. Jack demanded trust, you gave it or you didn't. End of.
I didn't trust him when I had first met him either, but it didn't take me long to see his side of things. Once we understood where we were with each other, the working relationship grew almost instantly.
I didn't see it being such a smooth ride with Hinode. She responded to facts, not feelings.
"Every human will find out someday, we're just privileged to be one of the first to know. To Jack, it will be up to you how much you accept of our world. If you can't accept it then you won't know of it any longer than you have to," I told her.
I didn't want to be cruel to her, but time was running out in the decision-making process.
"What do you mean?"
Good, finally something had hit home; she sounded nervous and unsure. I took a deep breath and looked her straight in the eye. I was calm, and she knew I was serious.
"We have something that will make you forget everything you've learned in the last few days about Torchwood. If you choose to stay away then you can take it to forget everything you've seen,"
Hinode's eyes slowly widened as she looked at me, like she was struggling to find her best friend underneath the confident strong young leader in front of her.
"But…If I want to remember?" she asked quietly.
I smiled in excitement for everything she could discover with us.
"Then anything could happen,"
I swiftly picked up the glass of water next to me and handed it to her
"Lots of needle work needed here," I explained so she knew it was drugged this time.
She took the glass wordlessly, still trying to process the importance of what I had just explained to her.
"You'll wake up in a room similar to last night," I assured her, "feel free to spend as much time as you want thinking in there. No one will disturb you,"
She gulped the glass down without fuss as I spoke.
"Do you love him?" she asked suddenly, looking at me as she lowered the glass from her lips.
"Yes," I answered truthfully, without hesitation.
The time it took for her to ask the next question was what the drug needed to take effect.
"…Why?"
Hinode was barely fighting her drooping eyelids as she slumped down onto the table. I pulled her legs up to rest on the same level so she would be comfortable before I brushed her hair away from her face and smiled softly.
"Because he saved me,"
The drug took full hold and she fell into a dreamless sleep, a small frown pulled at her lips and her eyebrows furrowed down.
I sighed and turned to begin, and as I picked up the first needle, I hoped she'd forgive me…For everything.
"Did you spend all night here?"
I looked up from the computer screen to see Ianto brandishing a mug of coffee in front of me. I smiled gratefully.
"Yeah. Slept on the sofa; Hinode's in so I didn't want to leave her" I said taking the mug from him.
"You'll end up being crippled early if you keep sleeping on that thing" he commented lightly, before moving away.
In truth it probably wasn't a far stretch of the imagination. The couch wasn't the comfiest of places to sleep. Still, what was the other option? I didn't even know where Jack had managed to find a place to sleep in here. I could probably ask him but-
Whoa…A bit early in the day to go there.
I shook my head chuckling to myself then cursed as wet droplets from my hair, which was still damp from my earlier shower, spattering all over the papers in front of me. In this line of working showers and a spare change of clothes were always necessary; dried in blood was a bugger to get out.
I looked at the nearest clock, the figures read at 8:30 am. Hinode had been in the recovery room for nearly 16 hours. But I had kept my word and not disturbed her. I didn't need to; the room had food, water and an en-suite bathroom so she'd have everything she needed. She must have woken up hours ago though.
I tried not to worry. Torchwood took a lot of getting used to, so the more time she'd have to reflect on this whole situation, the calmer she'd be when she emerged.
"Hey Anna,"
I was roused from my thoughts by Toshiko's soft voice. I smiled and gestured for her to sit with me to which she dutifully pulled up a chair.
"Hey, how are you holding up?" I asked.
Even though my own life had been hectic I was still concerned for Tosh. Since the whole thing with Mary she'd been quiet. Jack had spoken with her, and she seemed to accept what had happened. But I knew that probably didn't make it hurt any less.
"I'm hanging in" she nodded softly.
Her gentle mannerisms always made me wonder why she was still single. Tosh could hold her own in a fight but she never lost the gentle part of her heart that made her so uniquely Tosh.
Owen was a total idiot.
"But I came over to talk about you," she admitted.
Her eyes now displayed an emotion I was very used to coming from Tosh, a satisfied gleeful spark that made her eager to tell someone of her accomplishments. The last time she looked like this she had just hacked into recently updated army files.
"What have you done?" I asked in a playful voice.
"Here," she produced a folder of paper from her bag, "you have a right to know"
She got up and left after that, not saying another word, like the contents of the folder would explain everything. I frowned in confusion. It lasted till I flipped open the folder and read the title of the top page.
Last Will and Testament of Penny Jane MacGregor.
Holy crap!
I flicked through the folder quickly, scanning its insides. It had everything. The Will, minutes of meetings, phone conversations with lawyers, transcripts, details of estate and inheritance.
Tosh had pulled up everything I needed to know about why my family were still in Scotland trying to fight the will.
I had been aware that I was the sole benefactor, but I hadn't been aware of the amounts of money we were talking about.
When Gran was extradited from the family she certainly hadn't been empty handed. Granddad had obviously made a lot of good investments which was a talent he had passed onto Gran. She had been very wealthy. Apart from the flat in Cardiff and the house in Scotland she had three more small living quarters scattered around the country.
This was what my parents had been hiding. The sheer amount of money would be too much for any young girl to handle. However, unbeknownst to them, I wasn't just any young girl.
I checked the last day the will was revised.
October last year, three weeks after I had first joined Torchwood.
It would seem Gran had known that too.
"We can't expect John and Diane to look after her. They're strangers. I had to take her in. Diane didn't even come home last night,"
I looked up at Gwen as she exited Jack's office with him in tow, obviously talking about Emma. Apparently the young girl had caused a bit of a scene, and John hadn't been happy about it. Luckily Emma had phoned Gwen to come and get her.
"Uh, I think she was in a B&B. I'll take her job-hunting later," Owen interjected as Diane was mentioned.
Translation: 'she was with me the whole time and we're trying to keep it a secret by lying very badly'.
"Jack, John's son…" Tosh interjected, stealing everyone's attention, "I think I've found him,"
Jack crossed over to stand behind her as she explained what she had found. Apparently, John's son was in a nursing home with severe Alzheimer's. The good thing about this was that his condition was so bad John would be able to go and see him without completely scaring the life out him. Unfortunately, the down side to that was that it was only even slightly possible for John to visit because it was likely his son wouldn't remember him.
Somehow I didn't see John reacting too well to that.
"Ianto," Jack called, making him look up from one of the computer screens, "go and get John and take him to see his son. Tosh will go with you to fill him in on everything,"
I kept quiet as the two of them left and Gwen and Owen returned to their own work. Once I was sure no one was watching me, I stood up without attracting attention to myself and made my way over to Jack's office. I knocked once lightly before entering and shutting the door behind me.
"Jack, look at this"
I couldn't help it. After spending half an hour looking through the file Tosh had handed to me I had to show him. I couldn't get the suspicion of the date out of my head.
Jack looked up as I came in.
"What is it?" he enquired, casually looking at the folder in my hands.
"Tosh got it for me" I said, holding the folder of important documents out for him to take, "said I had a right to know,"
He took it from me frowning and, flipping it open, scanned the contents silently.
"Well, you knew all this anyway, didn't you?" he asked, not seeing the problem immediately.
"Check the last time it was amended," I prompted.
He eyes moved to the bottom of the page where the date was located, and his expression changed. His eyebrows shot up in surprise as the significance of the date made sense to him.
Then his features relaxed into a smile and he settled back in his chair.
"Well, your Grandmother is full of surprises" he commented, a smile in his voice, before looking up at me, "what are you going to do about it?"
I gaped in shock and disbelief at him. I didn't understand why he wasn't taking this as seriously as I was. This had the potential to compromise everything.
"This doesn't bother you? What if she knew about Torchwood? How could she know? Who else knows? Why would she change her will just because I started here? It doesn't make sense Jack,"
He just chuckled.
"But it hardly matters now, does it? If she had her motives we can't ask her," he reasoned, regarding me with an amused smile.
"Oh," I paused, the panic that had gripped my gut coming to a halt, "I…Guess not,"
I sighed in relief at the sudden simplicity of it all.
"So?" prompted Jack, repeating his question now that I had calmed, "what are you going to do?"
Surprisingly the answer was simple, like my subconscious had everything worked about before I had even allowed my conscious mind to consider any course of action.
"I'll go and look at the flat. If it suits, I'll phone the lawyer and demand to know everything since it is pertaining to me. I'll tell them I want the flat here and the house in Scotland. They can have everything else,"
"Really?" he asked, his brows rising ever so slightly in his surprise.
"Come on" I drawled, "it's not like I need the money since both the flat and the house is paid off and the other houses will just sit gathering dust…But there is one thing I will insist on though,"
Jack regarded me silently as I gathered my thoughts. And as I paused, I was resolute in my decision.
"They can have everything else, but they use the money to pay for Bridget's funeral," I said firmly.
"Couldn't you do that?" Jack asked, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the desk, placing the folder containing all those legal documents between them.
"In a heartbeat," I confirmed, "but…They abandoned her, Jack. I provided the extra money, time and care she needed to make her last years as happy and comfortable as I could make them. I took care of Bridget in life. At the very least, they can take care of her in death,"
"That sounds like an ultimatum," he commented, "And what if they refuse?"
Deep down I really wanted to say that I wasn't as cruel to take the money and houses away if they couldn't agree to this one small thing for the youngest member of our family. But, despite what Bridget insisted about me, I was no princess.
"…Then…I'll find other solution for the stuff I don't want," I admitted heavily.
"You'd really take it away if they won't agree?" Jack asked.
"Not without some guilt," I admitted after I thought about it briefly, "they are my family after all…But so is Bridget,"
"And what would Bridget want you to do?"
I turned my gaze to the floor, unable to keep eye contact with him. My lips closed and remained so with his question. The direction my thoughts were going in was difficult to come to terms with. Jack didn't say anything to prompt me to speak though, so I stayed silent. The seconds stretched into minutes and I began to hear the scratching of Jack's pen on the paper work as he left me to my thoughts.
"…I can't forgive them," I finally said, and the scratching stopped.
"I love my family and I know they love me but…I…They left me. I had never felt so alone…The first night they didn't come back to see me. After that I'd see them twice a week, maybe three times on occasion. I know why but…I still have never fully forgiven them for it. And now my Aunt and Uncle have done the same to her and…"
The feelings were too confusing to finish explaining but I felt I'd said enough.
"I know what Bridget would want me to do…But I'm not that good,"
"She looks up to you doesn't she?" he asked.
It was comforting that he thought as such, considering he'd never seen us interact. I parted my lips to reply, but a voice from the doorway spoke up.
"Bridget does much more than that,"
We both looked around to see Hinode watching us. I chuckled at myself for being so distracted I hadn't noticed the door opening. I noticed Jack tilt his head to the side slightly, inviting Hinode to explain herself further if she wished.
"Anna is Bridget's hero; the big sister she never had. She thinks Anna is like the princesses she reads about in books. She keeps telling Anna that she wants to go to her Prom to see her dressed like a real princess,"
"She's just a kid" I interjected quickly, "she doesn't know who I am outside that hospital room,"
"Anna, she's a mini version of you," Hinode pointed out, her gaze looking at me knowingly, "I think she sees a lot more than she lets on. She's more intuitive than you give her credit for,"
I looked down again, focusing on the floor.
"I wish I could be what she wants me to be…" I confessed out loud.
I shook my head in determination to stop thinking about it so much after a few moments. This was a lot of drama, for so early in this morning. And not the kind of drama I was willing to entertain.
"Let's go," I said abruptly, standing up and reaching for the folder that still lay on Jack's desk.
"Where?" Hinode asked, wide-eyed and just a little bit unsure.
"We still need to talk," I explained quickly, nodding a quick goodbye to Jack.
I resisted the urge to bite my lip as I saw his eyes. He clearly saw the emotional shutters come down and knew within moments that this was bothering me more than I was letting on. Still, I felt uncomfortable sitting there with both Jack and Hinode watching me fight with myself.
I led Hinode out into the main body of the Hub before taking her over to my desk.
"You were in the recovery room a long time," I commented without looking at her as I sat down behind my desk, not giving her a chance to ask about what had happened in the office. She stood on the other side, watching me and my behaviour closely.
"It's a lot to work through but…I think I'm getting used to the idea. I still don't understand why you would choose to work with danger like this every day, but…I can recognise that the possibilities of discovery are attractive to you," she admitted, the look in her eyes gave me little doubt that she would grill me about what occurred in the office later.
"Well, it's good that you are making progress with your thoughts," I nodded, snatching up a file on top of a small pile and offering it to her to read as I changed the subject, "your tests came back clean. No alien stuff that's overtly dangerous in any of your results. However you do have some new antibodies in your immune system that, as far as I can tell, will do nothing but good. Your improved antibodies will make the cold feel like its attacking Fort Knox. I'm not sure how well it'll do against stronger diseases though, but on a day to day basis you're good to go,"
She took the file from my hands and opened it with a flick of the wrist, nodding as I spoke, her eyes reading over the results with the sort of speed and efficiency that came with being a doctor for so long.
"Alright…So, what happens now? Why do these results mean that it's a good thing that I'm coming to terms with all this?" she asked raising her eyebrows in uncertainty, one of her hands leaving the file to motion to the Hub around us.
"Because it means we're coming to decision time" I told her, leaning forward to rest my elbows on my desk, "are you in, or out? Do you want to remember, or not? These results mean everything's ok and things can go back to the way they were before you knew about all this,"
The understanding fell over her expression, softening it into contemplation.
"All this stuff…" she began in reflection, "it's wonderful…Although…I'm not sure how well I'll manage knowing you're in danger nearly every day and not being able to do anything about it,"
"I know. But at least you'll have an answer when I go suddenly missing. Or alternatively, as the saying goes, ignorance is bliss"
"Anna…Is there any-"
Hinode was cut off by her phone ringing loudly in her pocket. She fished it out and frowned at the same flashing on the screen.
"It's the hospital," she revealed before answering with her professional voice, "Dr Sakurai speaking,"
She had barely finished talking before I heard the voice on the other end of the phone launch into panicked speech. Hinode's expression changed, and I recognised it. It was the one she pulled up and had schooled herself to use when facing with an emergency. Her grip tightened around her phone.
I felt my stomach drop.
Hinode stood up violently, her mouth morphing into a grim-set line, "alright I'll be right there,"
She had hardly hung up the phone before she spoke.
"Bridget has taken a turn for the worse, we need to-"
I had already thrown her coat at her, my feet running towards the exit. It wasn't long before she was hot on my heels.
I felt like I was going to be sick.
The plastic chair out in the hall I was sitting in barely managed to hold my weight as I rocked back and forth on its legs. I rested my head forward on my palms, my elbows on my knees as I fought back the bile creeping up my throat. The stench of the hospital taunted my senses as I swallowed over and over, forcing the bile back down.
Blood, rotting flesh and decay. They were the smells of nature. Hospitals carried the scent of Death itself.
My throat started to close up for the millionth time as I fought back tears. I had been sitting in this chair for hours, not knowing what to do with myself. I didn't want to go through this alone, but I had told Jack and the team to stay where they were. I didn't want them to see me this broken.
"You should call him,"
I registered Hinode's soft voice as she sat down in the chair beside me but I didn't look up. The fact she was encouraging me to call Jack told me everything.
In a split second I had gone from having a few more weeks with Bridget to a mere few hours. Hinode couldn't be my friend here because she was the professional, so she would have to wait till after to allow herself the heart-wrenching breakdown. Hinode had enough thought to suggest I should call one of the few other people who could comfort me.
"I'm sorry Anna," she whispered, her voice straining not to crack as I didn't move, "we did everything we could but…You don't have long now…You should make the most of it,"
I felt the slightest of breezes as she stood up and left.
I tried to move but I couldn't make my muscles obey the command to walk into the room that leaked nothing but misery and pain.
Then I heard her.
"Anna? Anna, are you there?"
The soft yet strained voice called out for me, and I was helpless to disobey. Her beckoning voice gave me enough strength to stand and walk inside.
Bridget lay there staring at the doorway as I walked through it. The sight that I was greeted with broke my heart. Her skin was ash grey, and her little body was trembling with exhaustion every though she wasn't moving. Her skeleton-like hands were all the more pronounced now that she wasn't waving them about in an animated storytelling session.
I rushed over to her to pull the covers up higher. Trying in vain, I held the tears back as I tucked them in under her body and pulled her into my arms as I sat on the bed with her.
She was ice cold.
"I'm here, baby" I croaked out, "I'm here"
"…I'm scared Anna," she whimpered, burrowing closer to me.
"I know," I whispered, "I am too,"
"Where's Mummy and Daddy?" her voice asked for her parents, breathless in fright.
The tears started to trickle slowly down my face. How could I answer that? How could I tell a scared little girl her parents weren't coming in her most desperate time?
Answer: I couldn't.
"They'll be here. They're coming, baby. They'll come and take you home,"
"You won't leave Anna, will you?" she asked suddenly, holding me tighter as if afraid I was going to pull away.
Her panic triggered off a coughing fit that left her gasping. I could do nothing but hold her as she hacked and coughed in my arms, her frail body trembling and fighting for breath.
"I won't leave you," I promised, "I'll be right here,"
It went quiet again except for Bridget's wheezing breaths as she tried to calm herself. God, even now she was trying to be strong even. I could feel the strength leaving her small frame as she slumped further against me out of exhaustion.
"Can you sing to me Anna?" she asked, her voice nothing but an echo of what it once was.
I felt my own panic grip me tight. I didn't want to sing to her. I didn't want to sing her to sleep and send off into that cold and final darkness…But…I had already lied to her…I couldn't deny her last request.
So I sang all the Disney songs from the movies we had sat and watched together. All of her favourite songs, and anything else she asked of me. I gave her everything that she asked to allow her to feel safe and peaceful.
Eventually, she stopped asking.
She was asleep.
Her ragged breathing began to slow in my arms and the dam broke inside me. I held onto my dying cousin for as long as I could, listening to her breathing and the beeps and whirs of the monitors that stood on either side of her pillows. The tears ran down my face soaking her limp hair as I sobbed.
I registered a warm coat being pulled over us masking the smell of the hospital with the smell of warmth and comfort.
I didn't look at him.
I just sobbed harder as the final flat line echoed around the room.
A/N: Well there it is! Please R&R.
Quick Note: born-to-be-lost came up with the lovely idea of having a ship name for these two. So we have two suggestions
Annack or Janna.
Personally for me Janna sounds a bit too much like Yana AKA The Master AKA The bastard who killed Jack for fun multiple times. But hey that's just my obsessive protection over my beloved fictional character LOL.
So I decided to leave the choice up to you guys.
Tell me in your reviews which one you like better and when I upload the next chapter the one with the most votes will be the chosen ship name for Jack and Anna!
Love you ALL Xxx