Twenty-two: Pent up Emotions

"ATMOS?" Marius muttered, rubbing his head as he looked at the information. "'Clean and friendly to the environment, the Atmospheric Omission System is easily installed into any automotive and reduces the carbon monoxide put out to zero and easily helps to establish your position anywhere in the globe via a revolutionary GPS marketing system. Get one today'. What the hell?"

Jack took the pamphlet away, "Started around the same time as the Adipose, and close to everyone has one in their car. It was created by a genius, and last call to UNIT and others says that they're dealing with it. My guess is Martha Jones is calling in our dear Doctor to test for alien components in the area."

"Again," Gwen muttered, "I'm still getting tired of the inactivity."

"Be happy for it," Ianto said, handing over a cup of tea to Marius, two cups of coffee going to Jack and Gwen respectively as Ianto said, "We got our own, but what we could tell is that it does have some alien aspects, as well as being over the current technology of Earth. However, we have no idea what it's going to be used for."

Marius sighed, quickly asking Tesni for information before nothing came back, saying, "Tesni can't give us anything, and she's sorry about it. Says that Lilith would've been around, but she just learned from Cameron that she's on leave."

Jack shrugged, playing with the ATMOS object before saying, "Any clue how long?"

"None," Marius muttered, "and still no activity. This is getting very odd."

"What is?" Gwen asked, "Lilith not here, or ATMOS, or no activity?"

"The no activity," Marius told him, "and when I say no, I mean no, activity besides a few things. It's lower then before the Rift was opened two years ago, and I can't find a reason why."

Gwen was silent, looking at him oddly as Jack asked after a second, "So...what can you find?"

"Nothing," Marius muttered, a shaking teacup showing his annoyance as Ianto motioned for them to drop it. Marius temper had caused more then one thing to crack, break or nearly explode recently, and Ianto was one of the first who often warned other against questioning the Sidra too much on anything, especially about his brother, the connections, or why he had stopped being social, or at least as social as he had been. In some ways, he was starting to remind Jack of Owen when he got into his moods, but this one was from a demi-god that seemed to be depressed and acting oddly.

Jack, and Ianto when he talked about it, was going to blame it on the visit from Tyr for what was going on. Ianto felt a mild strain through the connection he shared, but he never fully went after it, not out of fear (well, partly, Avery wasn't one to cross) but because of the fact that he didn't have the strength to open the dividing door between himself and Marius without risking damage to both of them. Jack wasn't about to ask him to do that, and neither was Gwen.

The problem was getting Marius to open up again. With little for anyone to do, it didn't help that most of the things were being taken care of by everyone else.

But the ATMOS thing might be a problem. That meant they would do what they could to protect everyone.

--

Gwen left all pretenses at the door, opening it with a spare key she had as she saw a few bottles on the floor, frowning when she picked them up, Rhys behind her with some food.

"Isn't he bad with alcohol?" Gwen muttered as she cleaned it up.

"Yes, he is," Rhys said, "I remember the stag party...not a pretty sight, and that was tequila."

Gwen searched the area, frowning when she didn't find Marius in the living room and nothing truly substantial for food in the refrigerator that they had helped him get weeks ago.

Rhys sighed and motioned, Gwen moving over to see that Marius was asleep in the bed, looking sicker then usual. A frown creased her face as she head up, touching his forehead.

Marius' eyes opened, looking over at her, then closed again. "Go away," he muttered, turning over and away from her.

"Not until you stop being like this," she muttered, forcing him back over and up, despite the muttered protest from the younger man. Rhys waited nearby as she finally pulled him out of bed and he landed hard on the floor.

"Get him dressed," Gwen ordered, "I'll make him some food. If he's not up to it, I'm calling Jack. I don't care if he's having his 'down time' with Ianto, I'll pull him in too!"

Rhys watched her leave before pulling Marius up, though the younger man didn't look happy about it as Rhys pulled him into the loo and started the shower. "You," he told him as he waited, forcing the boy onto the toilet, "should be more worried about yourself."

"I don't need to be," he said, looking away, "what's the point?"

"Besides the fact that Gwen and the others will resurrect you to tell you how much of an idiot you are? I might even help, sorry to say."

Seeing the water was ready, he pushed Marius into the shower against his protest.

"Clean up, and come outside to have some food. Gwen's not about to let you think of a protest, and neither am I."

Marius stood, looking unhappy as he shed the clothing and dropped the wet ones outside of the shower. "Fine. I don't mind being social for a little while, but don't expect much."

Rhys chuckled as he put the wet clothing in the sink. "Right."

Rhys waited, Marius glaring at him as he was dragged into the other room and forced to fish out new clothing before being taken outside, where Gwen was busy making food.

"Oh, you got him ready so quickly?" she asked, a smile saying she knew it wouldn't have taken long anyway, and Rhys' smile saying they had planned that for a while. Marius resigned himself to being treated as such and was slightly grateful for the food anyway. He had only had a few things of pizza and other quick foods earlier, so he was happy to get something to eat, in a sense.

"Marius," Gwen said, looking over at the young man as he started to eat, "What's gotten you so depressed?"

He looked over at her, frowning before looking back at his food, "Nothing."

"Was it because of that guy who visited?"

Marius paused on that before saying, "That 'guy' was my older brother, Tyr."

"Your brother?" Rhys asked, Gwen's face taking on a dangerous look that obviously said she didn't fully trust any of Marius' family.

Considering the fact that she's only met my cousin, and how well that went... "He wasn't here for anything like Mextli."

Gwen's glare made him move some of the food around before saying, "He came there to just see how I was doing, and to tell me that he still thought of me as a brother. I...it just upset me that he still felt like that and no one else does, and it made me remember how I felt about that before...well, before I came here."

Gwen and Rhys were quiet before Rhys started up on the latest for what was going on in football and that they should get tickets to the Millennium Stadium's game when they had the chance while Gwen finally said, "You can tell us stuff like this, you know."
"I didn't want to bother you all."

Rhys smiled. "I'm a bother. You're part of the team."

Marius looked up, returning the smile. "Thanks." But I don't still wonder if I'm not very helpful, and what, exactly, will happen if Dad finds out that Tyr came to visit...

--

Tesni looked over the stack of paper and glared at it, shaking her head at the paperwork before looking back at the computer, where another message from Marius asked about any information concerning the Rift, ATMOS, and a few others. But she couldn't tell him anything, because no one was telling her anything.

Tesni sighed, thinking on that fact. Despite all the dangerous things that Torchwood and the Doctor got into, none of the Torchwood Caretakers or the Doctor's Curat-no, Caretakers now, were well-liked, thought of, or even ASKED for help in any situation. They came to complain after the fact, and only a few of them were thankful or understanding. With Doctor it had to be thankful. With Torchwood, understanding, but when someone's own family would mess with things just because...

"Whatever storm is coming, we'd better get SOMETHNG on it," she muttered, annoyed with the lack of communication, as well as the strange movements within the Rift. Maybe she should contact Compline again, find out what he knows.

He would've said something to me in the least. Damn it, now what?

Tesni wished at times for something like Vensha's premonition or even just a small bit of a major blood-line within her, but instead all she had was her family's loyalty to the Enforcers and Chronometrics that made her an outcast of a sort.

A phone call made her pause before she picked it up. "The Rift, Torchwood Offices."

"You're too professional, my little light."

"Daddy..." she rolled her eyes, "What are you calling for?"

"Your mother had a ringing, said you were thinking of us. Also, have you heard back from the Doctor and his assistant?"

"You mean his Companion, and no. They only came in to ask me about the whole thing with the Ood. Their new Field Agent, Junior, seems quite nice, by the way, even if the Doctor was trying to pick a fight. Elder Brems know they have enough issues without involving me. I think that Donna lady told him off for that." Tesni smiled at that. "He probably doesn't want anymore ginger people or aliens to deal with, not after however long with her, and most certainly not if she and Lilith got along so well."

A laugh. "So Cameron told me. He's still confused as to why I'm calling to check on her, but I guess that happens when a known Enforcer starts calling up and offers to help out with anything. I think the fruit basket confused him even more."

"Daddy...seriously..."

"Marius' father, Puran, put in a request for 'alone time' with his son via Chronometrics. He's planning it around the same time that the Sontarans' Caretakers are making talks and at least two Earth Caretakers are glaring at them for something or other. Keep an eye on your Field Agent, my little light."

"I plan on it. After all, if I don't, I'll have to deal with Lilith and her Client, as well as Avery. I'd rather avoid any conversation about why I failed to keep them alive."

--

Avery flexed again, stretching out and sighing as she got used to the body again. "That was an adventure in a half. Very interesting, though," she flexed her fingers and looked back at the discarded male body. "I might keep that around for if I have to pick up the Doctor again, though. It was refreshing to know I could make someone feel like wallpaper."

She sat down at her desk, happily female again, before going over the reports and about to reach for a cup of coffee when her hand began to shake and she blinked, looking over at the computer screen as an old language was written within, making her blink again before whispering the lines that were on there.

"Time I am, Destroyer of the worlds, and I have come to engage all people. With the exception of you, all the soldiers here on both sides will be slain. The Threefold Man shall come, fulfilling all roles and none as he and the Insane fight for the truth. For none can create, maintain and destroy like this man, though the Insane attempt and fail again and again. Watch for them, for...for all shall be destroyed by the Insane to satisfy their minds, but one within shall create a Threefold Man in order to save and destroy all."

Avery snapped out of her trance, looking around before saying, "Oh Elders not again."

--

"Ma—oh, yeah, he's not here anymore."

Tesni sighed before saying, "Good to see you too, Professor Avery. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"I'm worried about a few people. How far does your jurisdiction go with the Doctor's former Companions?"

Tesni looked over at the computer before saying, "Jack Harkness."

Avery gave her a mild glare before saying, "Then can you tell me where Sarah Jane Smith might be?"

"I can," Tesni told her, "I'm just more worried about the group right now. UNIT was able to move in because of a grouping of deaths involving the ATMOS device, and Martha Jones just called in the Doctor. That means Lilith will be around soon, though I don't think Martha will like that."

"I don't think we should care about that, it's not Lilith's job to be liked, but if Martha Jones feels like dealing with a hormonal pregnant alien, she can be my guest. I'm more worried about dealing with the ones that aren't connected to UNIT."

Tesni looked over and frowned. "Um...I think we're behind on something."

"How behind?"

"We're missing a shouting match between Yvenda, the Sontaran Caretaker, and Cameron."

"DAMNIT! Come on, we need to find out what's going on!"

--

"SHUT UP!"

Avery looked over at Tesni as she slammed her wooden sword down hard, breaking a table nearby. She had forgotten that Tesni used to be part of the Enforcers and she had a small amount of annoyance with stupidity.

Comes in the family, it appears.

"Can we get to what the hell is going on first before we all act like little children?" Tesni said, glaring at the group as Avery blinked at her.

I also forgot this was why I'm considered scary.

Tesni waited until everyone was quiet before she said, "So, what are you all yelling about, and what are we going to deal with?"

--

Marius was shaking, but he tried to think beyond that and the fact that his lungs were on fire as he reached out, pushing for everyone in Cardiff to not panic, finding Rhys trapped in a car and pushing out against the glass until it shattered, allowing him to escape. PC Andy began to direct the police even as the Torchwood SUV, ATMOS-free, began a long patrol to try and help the people.

He was out here, alone, because he couldn't be near the others. He needed this, so he could think and get out of the way.

And I can be helpful.

So he ignored the fatigue and the fact that he probably was pushing himself more then he should, only because he knew he could get out of this. That he knew that the others would be safe, that the world would be safe soon, as long as he--

Something shimmered, and he straightened, looking at it as he felt all connection with the outside leave before he felt his shoulder's slump and heard the familiar voice behind him.

"Marius."

"Dad. While I like that you're talking to me, I am a little busy."

"They can wait. The Clients were never as important as family."

Marius turned, facing the man. His eye were dark blue, and his body was modeled to look human, so he had to guess that was where his final mission had been around one. He wasn't one that you could look at and remember either, something so plain it was almost hard to look at.

He's in Chronometrics, he doesn't want anyone to see him.

"Yes, but when there's a major crisis going on, it's usually good manners to wait until after it's conclusion. What do you want?"

Marius stood his ground as his father walked forward, stepping up to be right in front of him before saying, "Like I said. We need to talk."