Time Doesn't Always Run Straight
Meat
Part 6
Last chapter of Meat. Both Gwen and Jestine will be further punished in this chapter. I know a lot of people were waiting for this and I hope that it satisfies. For those that aren't happy, I am sorry but I felt this was the most realistic course of action. After this Interlude and then Adam. Thank you so much for all the support, it is just truly amazing.
Disclaimer: Not mine, never has been, never will be. Not making any money, just for fun.
"What the hell was that?" Jack demands as he pushes Jestine into a seat.
"You heard her." Jestine growls. "She acts like she is better than us, that she can tell us what to do. All because she has Rhys. I have had enough."
"No! That was unacceptable. I have already told you, you do not attack a teammate." Jack yells at her.
"She started it." Jestine scowls.
"I don't care. YOU SHOULD NOT PUNCH HER!"
"Of course you would say that. Poor little Gwenie, being picked on by the big meanie." Jestine sneers.
"Enough! You now have three weeks suspension and if you utter another word I will add more time." Jack threatens. "And you will apologise to Gwen tomorrow."
"I am not apologising to her." Jestine snarls.
"Then you won't be allowed back on field duty." Jack replies.
"Maybe I just won't come back to Torchwood." Jestine snaps.
"You keep threatening but you always come back." Jack mocks. "You don't have anywhere else to go. All of time and space but no-one to share it with, no family, no friends."
Jestine's mask fall for a second. Jack can see the agonising pain, sorrow and anger she carries with her and he instantly wants to take it back. He didn't mean it, he was just so angry at everything.
"And who is to blame for that." Jestine hisses as she slams buttons on her Vortex Manipulator. She is gone before Jack can form a response.
"What happened?" Ianto comes rushing in having seen the light from Jestine's Vortex Manipulator.
Jack sighs as he drops into his seat. "I screwed up."
"What happened?" Ianto repeats his question as he moves around Jack's desk.
"I told her she had another week's suspension. She said she will leave. I told her she always comes back because she has no one out there, nowhere to go. I don't know if she is coming back." Jack chokes out.
"It's not your fault. We're all still worked up from the case." Ianto sooths Jack as he wraps his arms around him.
"I shouldn't have said it." Jack whispers.
Ianto moves so he is crunching in front of Jack's seat, their eyes level. "Sometimes you say the wrong things, you're only human. Jestine and Gwen aren't the only ones upset about the case."
Jack pulls Ianto onto his lap, wrapping his arms around the other man, learning his forehead against Ianto's chest. "Just for once I thought we could save someone." Jack mutters into the fabric of Ianto's shirt.
"We all did." Ianto sighs before pressing a kiss on Jack's head.
The two men fall into silence, taking a moment to just hold each other against the terrors of the world.
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"Are you sure you're ok?" Rhys asks as he catches sight of the bruise that was forming on Gwen's cheek from where Jestine had punched it. He was disgusted by it. Sure Torchwood wasn't a normal workplace but Jestine had no right to punch Gwen.
He jumps when the doorbell rings. "You just rest here, I'll get it." Rhys tells Gwen as he lurches towards the door.
"What the hell do you want?" Rhys demands as he finds Jack and Ianto at his doorstep.
"We need to Gwen about what happened today." Jack answers.
Rhys sticks his chest out, standing at his full height. "No. You need to be dealing with Jestine. Where were you when Jestine attacked poor Gwen? I'm not letting you in."
"Please Rhys, we need to talk to Gwen." Ianto persuades Rhys. "We've already talked to Jestine, now we need to talk to Gwen."
Rhys looks between the two suspiciously before letting them through.
"Jack!" Gwen exclaims at the appearance of her boss. "What are you doing here?" She glares at Ianto.
"We need to discuss what happened earlier." Jack tells her as he makes himself at home on the unoccupied couch.
"There is nothing to discuss! Jestine abused me and punched me." Gwen shouts.
"How about we talk about you abusing her then? Or the pushing and slap." Jack suggests.
"Now hold on. Gwen is the victim in this, you can't talk to her like that." Rhys growls.
"How about you tell him what actually happened?" Jack glares at Gwen.
"While it doesn't excuse her behaviour, Jestine was provoked." Ianto explains to Rhys.
"No, she wouldn't do anything to deserve this." Rhys gestures to Gwen.
"You told me you don't want any more secrets between you. Now's your chance." Jack tells Gwen.
"Gwen, what are they talking about?" Rhys wants to believe that Gwen didn't do anything but he knows her. He knows her temper and her moral outrage. He loves her dearly but can't ignore her faults.
Gwen looks at the ground guiltily. "It was her fault." Gwen mutters.
"Gwen!" Rhys warns.
"She told me that I didn't love you. That I didn't know what love was because I've never lost anyone. I just got so angry." Gwen sniffles. Jack rolls his eyes how fake it was. "I know I shouldn't have but she was so mean about us."
"What did you do?" Rhys asks.
"She suggested that Jestine had killed her parents, pushed her and told her that she doesn't know what love is because she is too much of a monster. She then slapped Jestine." Jack tells Rhys.
Rhys looks at Gwen in shock. He didn't want to believe that his Gwen would do such a thing but also realised Jack didn't have a reason to lie about it.
"As a result of this you'll have another week added to your suspension. Plus you are now on 6 months probation. This means there will be no more of this behaviour or you will be fired from Torchwood." Jack glares at Gwen when it appears she is about to argue. "You will be having tomorrow off to think about your actions and if Torchwood is the right place for you. Think about whether you actually want to be part of the team. Because what I've seen today, I don't know." Jack informs Gwen.
Gwen huffs but wisely doesn't argue. "And you will also have to apologise to Jestine on your return." Jack adds, not mentioning the events that had taken place after Gwen had left.
"No way am I apologising to her." Gwen glares at Jack.
"You will or you will be stuck on desk duty until you do. Plus you need to apologise to the team."
"What do I need to apologise to them for?" Gwen sneers.
"You said some rather hurtful things." Ianto explains. "I know none of us have what you and Rhys has, but that doesn't mean there aren't people we love." He glances over at Jack.
"I know they haven't told you but Tosh and Owen have lost a lot before they got to Torchwood. All of us have. And your words and actions hurt us a lot." Jack elaborates.
"How was I to know if no-one told me." Gwen grumbles.
"Maybe if you treated your teammates nicer they might open up to your more." Jack suggests. "Even so, it's not excuse. Irrespective of their backgrounds, you should treat all your teammates with respect. You haven't been doing that and you will apologise when you next see them."
Gwen looks to Rhys for support but he is nodding along with Jack. "Fine." She mutters, realising she has no other choice. "You leaving now?" She asks hopefully.
Jack prepares himself for a fight. "No, we need to discuss what is happening with Rhys."
"What's happening with me?" Rhys asks in alarm. He had seen enough movies to know that nothing good happened to the guy who accidently stumbles upon a secret organisation.
"You can't." Gwen demands, jumping from the couch.
"Gwen, sit back down now." Jack commands.
She looks about to challenge but sits down at the sight of Jack's face.
He turns to face Rhys. "Company policy says any civilians that learn about the existence of aliens and/or Torchwood are to be retconned."
"Lose their memories." Ianto explains.
"Like those blokes from the warehouse?" Rhys asks.
"Yes. That is what policy says we should do with you." Jack clarifies.
"And I have said no." Gwen pipes up again.
"And if you interrupt one more time, I will retcon both you and Rhys without hesitation." Jack threatens.
"Gwen, just hear them out." Rhys puts an arm around her.
"Thank you." Jack nods to Rhys. "As I was saying, policy says that but after much discussion, we decided you should have the chance to keep your memories."
"What do you mean?" Rhys looks between the two men.
"Assuming you agree with the terms and conditions we set out, we will not retcon you." Ianto illuminates.
"What are the terms and conditions?" Rhys asks. "I'm not selling my soul or anything?"
Jack chuckles. "No, that's only if you sign up for the team." Rhys grins at Jack's joke.
"What if we say no?" Gwen demands.
"Rhys loses his memory." Jack answers bluntly.
Ianto hands Rhys a sheet of paper. "The terms are as stated on the form:"
"1. In no way or form are you to inform any member of the public/military or other organisation about your knowledge of Torchwood.
2. You are not to disclose the existence of aliens to anyone who is not part of Torchwood.
3. You are to report any suspected alien activity directly to either Gwen or one of us.
4. You are not to profit in any way or form from you knowledge of either Torchwood or aliens.
5. You will be on prohibition for a period of 6 months. That means we will be checking all electronic and paper correspondence you have as well as checking in on you with no warning.
6. If you are to break any of these conditions for any reasons other than the most extreme of circumstances you will be retconned. No choice, no explanation, no second chances."
"Seems fair." Rhys grabs a pen to sign the paper. Gwen snatches his arm. "You can't let them blackmail you into signing it."
"It's this or Retcon. Your choice." Jack tells Rhys. "Unless Gwen doesn't want you to remember." Jack struggles to not smirk as Gwen squirms.
"Of course Gwen wants me to remember. What possible reason could she have to not want me to know?" Rhys removes Gwen's hand from his arm and signs the paperwork.
"Thank you." Ianto smiles as Rhys hands back the completed sheets. "Due to the nature of the documents we won't be able to give you a couple but we ensure you that we will keep to our word. Gwen, you need to sign it too so we know everyone is on board."
Gwen reluctantly signs the paperwork before handing it back to Ianto.
"It's been a long day so we'll be off." Jack announces as he rises from the seat. "Take the time off to consider how you act within the team. You are a valuable part of the team but not indispensable. I would hate to have to fire you over this." Jack informs Gwen.
Gwen nods after an elbow from Rhys.
"Hopefully next time we met it will be under better circumstances." Jack says as he shakes Rhys' hand.
"If I'm involved with Torchwood again, it'll be too soon." Rhys tells them as he sees them out.
"Bye," and with that Jack and Ianto leave Gwen and Rhys to discuss the many aspects of Torchwood.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read, please let me know what you thought.