Time Doesn't Always Run Straight

Interlude 2

Second Interlude. Hopefully the start of Meat will be up next week. But there could be slight delays. This is my last ever week of uni so things are a little bit busy. I then start 3 weeks of teaching rounds so I might not have much time for writing. So in advance sorry if I don't update regularly in the next few weeks. Thank you for everyone who reviewed the last chapter, I love hearing what you think about each chapter and the characters, especially Jestine. Slightly different style from normal chapters, tried to get the point of view from each character, not sure how it went, please let me know.

Gwen collapses on the couch with huff. She couldn't believe that Jestine had almost shot her. She just hoped that Jack had finally seen sense and gotten rid of her. Judging from the way Jestine had stormed out of his office, Gwen was hopeful.

She sighs as she hears the clanking stop in the kitchen. It was days like these that she wished she could talk to Rhys about Torchwood. She felt so alone sometimes. Tosh and Owen had each other, so did Jack and Ianto. She doubted Jestine even had feelings to talk about but she did, she needed someone to talk to. But she couldn't. Jack would never allow her to tell him. She knew she should have taken her chance while Jack was away but they had been so overwhelmed.

"Thought you might have had a rough day." Rhys interrupts her train of thought as he hands her a glass of wine. "You just sit back and relax while I run you a bath." Rhys leans down to give her a peck before heading towards the bathroom.

Gwen sighs again. It was times like these that she was so grateful she had Rhys. Sure Jack was exciting and brave but she was beginning to realise that wasn't want she wanted. She wanted someone reliable and steady. Someone who would be there at the end of a long day, waiting to make her feel better without asking questions she couldn't answer.

She sipped at her wine as she reflected on the last case. She would admit she struggled when she found out the truth about Beth. It hadn't phased the others but that was because they didn't have what she had, didn't have what Beth and Mike thought they had. That was what scared her, how similar Beth and Mike were to her and Rhys with their average lives. The others didn't understand but every time Torchwood destroyed the lives of normal people it reminded her of herself and Rhys, of how easily it could be them. And that terrified her. She loved Rhys more than anything in the world and she couldn't stand the thought of losing him. The others had lost their humanity and didn't know what it felt like to have someone to lose. That was why she was so important. They need her to remind her of humanity. Real humanity, not the humanity Jestine was prattling on about. She knew nothing. She pretending to be human but Gwen saw through her mask. Jestine was empty of love and compassion. She only had hatred towards people like Gwen, towards those who were better than her.

"Baths all ready for you." Rhys interrupts her thoughts. "And then some lasagne and a night in front of the TV."

"What did I ever do to deserve you?" Gwen smiles as she gives Rhys a sweet kiss before moving to the bathroom.

Rhys chuckles. "I ask myself the same thing every day."

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"So where were you thinking of taking this holiday?" Tosh asks as Owen opens up his flat.

Owen shrugs as he places their take out on the counter. "Up to you. As long as you are there, I don't care."

Tosh snorts. "Owen Harper, I do believe you have turned into a sap."

"Yeah, well don't tell anyone. I've got a reputation to uphold you know."

"You're secret is safe with me." Tosh giggles as Owen rolls his eyes. "Not that anyone would believe me."

Owen mocks offense but can't keep the grin off his face. He had known for a long time that Tosh had a crush on him. But he had been too broken from first Katie and then Diana to really give it a go until recently. Jack running off made him realise just how important Tosh was to him.

The most recent case just served to reinforce his belief. Beth and Mike reminded him so much of him and Katie. They had been so happy just like Beth and Mike. And then their worlds were destroyed by aliens. Owen could only take comfort in at least Katie had never been a danger to anyone else. He just hoped that Mike would eventually find love again like he had.

Owen grins as he plants a kiss on Tosh before grabbing some beers from the fridge.

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Jestine motions at the bartender for another drink. She knew she had probably had enough but didn't want to stop.

While she liked a drink or two, Jestine rarely drank to excess. A lifetime on guard for attacks had left no room for drunkenness. But tonight was different. Tonight she needed escape from her mind, escape from everything that had happened.

She hated herself for being so affected by everything that had happened. Her heart had been broken so long that she now doubted it had ever been whole. She was used to the constant pain in her chest and sting in her eyes. They had long been relegated to the back of her mind, barely registering. But Beth had brought it all to the front again. She was ashamed of how she had fled when she had thought Beth was dealt with. But it was that or let the team see her pain.

The case with Beth had rattled her more than she was willing to admit. It had reminded her of a past that she had wanted to leave behind. It did hurt her to know that Jack didn't remember her and this case had reminded her of just how much they had lost. She knew the team had realised this but they didn't understand, not really. Jack was only a part of it. She knew they thought she was incapable of love. She almost wished that was true. Maybe then she wouldn't feel so much pain.

Jestine doesn't look up as someone sits down on the bar stool next to her.

"Bad day?" He asks her.

She glares at him. "Like you don't know."

Jack sighs. "I told you it wasn't going to be easy."

Jestine rolls her eyes. "Because I expected anything to be easy. Why are you here anyway? Aren't the timelines messed up enough without you complicating them even more?"

"You should have stayed on 21st century Earth then." Jack retorts. "Which case?"

Jestine glares at him again before answering. "Beth."

Jack grimaces. "That was a tough one for everyone."

"You certainly didn't help. Yelling at me for doing the right thing." Jestine mutters.

She eyes him up for a moment. "The things that happen to you, did they change your view. Do you still consider that I did the wrong thing?"

Jack shakes his head. "It doesn't matter what I think now. What does is your teammates."

Jestine slams her glass down. "No. I refuse to apologise to her. We both know I did what was needed to be done."

"You need Gwen on your side when it happens." Jack warns her.

"When what happens?" Jestine demands.

"You know I can't tell you." Jack sighs.

"Then maybe I should just not go back." Jestine sneers at him. "Then what happens to your precious timelines?"

"You can threaten me all you want. I'm not going to tell you what happened."

"Why not? I'm sick of you manipulating me. I'm sick of having your team act like I'm not capable of feelings. I'm sick of you looking at me with suspicion." Jestine's voice softens to a whisper by the end.

Jack gives her shoulder a quick reassuring squeeze, knowing anything more would have just angered her again. "I'm sorry that you have to go through all this. But the 21st century is when it all changes. And they need you there when it does."

"I'm sick of it always being about what everyone else needs. What about what I need." Jestine grumbles but the fight has left her.

"Are you sure Torchwood isn't want you need?" Jack asks as he stands up. "You've spent your whole life being strong. Remember that it's ok to let others be strong for you sometimes." And with that he sweeps out of the bar, leaving Jestine to turn back to her drink.

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Ianto shots a worried glance towards Jack when he sighs for the fourth time in less than five minutes. Jack tries to give Ianto a reassuring smile back but even he has to admit it was useless. Ianto gives Jack's hand a squeeze before returning to his meal but he was having difficulty concentrating. He couldn't help but think back over their most recent case.

Beth and Mike's life was so similar to the life he and Lisa had shared that it hurt. He had been thinking of proposing to her only days before the events at Canary Wharf. If that hadn't happened, they probably would have been married by now, even thinking of children. But because of aliens that would never happen. Just like Beth and Mike would never get to live the life they had planned.

He glanced over at Jack with a small smile. At least he had his second chance of happiness. Not everyone got that. He had missed Jack so much during his time away. He had given up hope that Jack would return. And why would he? He could go anywhere in time and space, Ianto hadn't thought Cardiff and him would stand a chance against that. But Jack had come back for him, for the team.

He just wished that Jack had gotten the answers he had wanted. Ianto knew how much immortality hurt Jack. He personally had found it hard enough to say goodbye to Lisa, he couldn't imagine how much it would hurt to have to do that again and again for the rest of eternity. He just hoped that he left Jack good memories that while would never get rid of the bad, might make them a little more bearable.

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Tosh glances over at Owen as the movie plays across the TV. It was some action thriller that Owen had picked but Tosh didn't really mind. She was just glad that they had all gotten through the case alive.

She barely suppressed a shiver thinking about Beth. This was one case that had hit close to home, for all of them. Beth reminded her of herself, before she had been caught up in the world of UNIT and Torchwood. Both her and Beth had just been trying to protect someone they loved when they caught the eye of the authorities. Unfortunately Tosh had caught UNIT's eye, not Torchwood. She knew Beth was in reality an alien sent to gather information about Earth for an invasion but it didn't stop her heart aching for all Beth had lost.

She snuggles closer to Owen, thinking about how glad she was that she had him. She had thought from the outset that her crush on Owen was always going to be one-sided. His trysts with Suzie and Gwen had just reinforced in her mind how he would never look at her like that. Then Jack had left and suddenly everything changed. They were all broken to begin with and she had harboured doubt that they would last. Jestine's appearance made them better. She had somehow served as glue to stick them back together again. Jestine had helped them rediscover themselves as a team. And somewhere along the way, Tosh and Owen's relationship morphed into something new.

None of the team needed reminding of just how brief life was, especially when working for Torchwood but Beth had reminded Tosh of just how quickly life can be turned upside down. She was just glad that she had Owen by her side for whatever the future held.

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Jack had never found sleep to come easy, it came with the territory. But tonight he was struggling even worse than normal. He just couldn't take his mind off Beth. It had served as a brutal reminder of all those he had lost in the past. Ordinary people who through one way or another had become involved in Torchwood. It was a like a black hole. It sucked you in and twisted your life till you were dead. And there was no escape.

Jack glances over at Ianto, fast asleep. He smiles despite himself. During the day Ianto wore a mask of professionalism but in sleep that fell away, leaving him looking young and carefree. Jack sighs as he watches Ianto's chest rise and fall. He knew it was inevitable that he would lose Ianto but he couldn't stop wishing that he would have more time. No-one in Torchwood lived to collect their pension and everyday Ianto worked for Torchwood was another day closer to his far too early death.

He wondered how the rest of his team was holding up. He was glad that Tosh and Owen had sorted themselves out. It had taken them long enough. Although he wasn't one to speak, it taking a year that never was for him to realise the true depth of his feelings for Ianto. But he was glad that they had each. And Gwen had Rhys. While she couldn't tell him about the cases, at least she had him for support. His thoughts stray to Jestine. She had no-one at all. They knew very little of her, other than her parents were dead and she had been a part of the Time Agency.

Jestine's past bothered Jack. The feeling of missing two years had never faded but he hadn't felt them this keenly since that morning he had woken up with them missing. Jestine claimed she had no idea why she had been taken from his memory. Jack wasn't sure whether he should believe her or not. He remembered what he was like as a Time Agent, always lying if it suited his purpose. And given her earlier actions, Jack knew Jestine was as ruthless as he had been.

Despite that, Jack couldn't help but worry about her. They knew little about her but it seemed her life was filled with pain. He knew the others often believed that Jestine didn't have feelings but he knew better. He had seen her pain. It wasn't obvious, only someone who had experienced so much pain themselves would know where to look. That bothered Jack a lot. They knew Jestine was early twenties. For someone to be carrying that much pain around with them worried Jack.

Ianto rolls over and reaches out to stroke Jack's back. "You ok?" He asks, his voice thick with sleep.

Jack gives Ianto what he hopes is a reassuring smile. "Just thinking."

"That's going to get you in trouble one day." Ianto jokes as he encourages Jack to lie back down. "What about?"

"Jestine." Jack answers honestly. Since his return he has tried his best to be open and honest with Ianto. While he knew he could never be completely honest and open with Ianto, he was trying his best. But there were some things he could tell the man. You don't live for over a hundred years without gathering a few secrets.

"What about her?" Ianto asks as he curls up against Jack.

Jack gently strokes Ianto's hair. "We all have someone to talk to, but she doesn't have anyone at all. I worry about how she is coping after this case." Jack confesses.

Ianto gives a nod of agreement. "I could try talking to her tomorrow if you want."

Jack smiles at Ianto. "That would be good. She might respond better to you. Less history." Jack mutters the last part, wishing he knew more about those missing years.

Ianto kisses Jack's temple. "How about you try to get some sleep. We can't do anything till the morning anyway."

Jack allows himself to relax into Ianto's arms. Even if he doesn't sleep, at least he can relax and enjoy the time he does have Ianto at his side.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read, please let me know what you thought and I promise to try and update again soon.