A/N: What a pain in the rear this chapter was to write. That being said, thanks to the newest followers/reviewers.
A flurry of activity has encompassed the Torchwood Hub; Jeannie is packing a bag to take with her while trying to do a good turn-over on the jobs she normally does around the place. Eventually Jack stops her by gripping her shoulders; "We'll be fine, go, learn! And we'll be here when you get back home." Jack presses their foreheads together, reminding her that they are only ever a thought away from each other. She sighs, her shoulders relaxing as Ianto joins them, pressing up against Jeannie's back and wrapping his arms around them both. He places a gentle kiss upon the mating mark on her shoulder while Jack does the same on the other side. All three take a deep breath and step apart, smiling at each other.
Tosh quietly steps up to them, saying that there are signs of something coming through the rift from the past; she wonders if the Doctor can take them back to their time, if it is people…
Jack cocks his head to the side. "He should be able to; all he can say is 'no', right?" Jeannie is happy to have one more night with her mates before she leaves for an unknown amount of time, and helps Jack convince the Doctor to stick around for a day.
The following morning, Jack and Ianto sit in the front of the SUV with Suzie and Owen in the back and drive to the old airstrip. A rift in the fabric of the sky opens up, spitting out an old DeHaviland airplane; it circles the runway and then comes in for a landing, taxiing over to the figures of the Torchwood team. The door opens, and three people disembark: the pilot, Diane; a businessman, John; and a young woman, Emma.
After transporting the riftugees back to the Hub, Jeannie goes to talk to the Doctor; perhaps there is a way to get these people back to their own time; the man certainly seems to be unwilling to adapt. Of the two women, the younger one is excited to be here in this time; she could do very nicely for herself, should she choose to. The pilot…an extremely free-thinking woman for the 1950's, she'll fit right into this time with no problems; she has wanderlust…and a wandering eye. Jeannie sees her checking out her boys, and warns Tosh that her man might be in danger of having claws sunken into him.
Inside the TARDIS
"Doctor?" Jeannie finds the excitable man bouncing around the centre console, and reaches out her hand to stop him for a moment. With his attention thus garnered, he gives his full attention to the lovely woman in front of him, raising an enquiring eyebrow at her. "These travelers from the 1950's, can you take them back home, if they want to go?" The Doctor's eyes look a bit hazy for a moment before snapping back to Jeannie. "This can be your first exercise: look at their timelines, and then tell me if that will create a paradox. According to historical records, neither they nor the plane they landed in were ever seen again. But time is elastic in a lot of ways, and can be bent on occasion. Once you figure out whether this is one of those occasions, come and find me." The Doctor grins cheerfully at Jeannie before disappearing into the endless corridors of the TARDIS.
Sighing deeply, Jeannie stares in the direction the Doctor went, pondering how to look at specific timelines; while she thinks, she settles down onto the jump seat beside the console. A short time later, she feels…something…nudging at the door to her mind; her eyes shoot up towards the central column as she realizes that the TARDIS is trying to communicate with her. With a gentle smile, Jeannie opens the door, inviting the sentient ship in. Conversing with the TARDIS, Jeannie learns that seeing timelines isn't really very hard at all, as long as you have certain abilities to start with; the ship guides Jeannie to a small room with a large armchair. Once Jeannie is comfortably settled, she closes her eyes and looks at the timelines surrounding their three travelers. She sees the man commit suicide, and searches for a way to keep him alive. She finds that returning him to his own time won't change anything big enough to matter in the big scheme of things and sighs in relief. The women are next: young Emma first; she is slated to spend a few days with Torchwood learning all that she can about this time; she's already been offered a position designing 'retro' clothing in London. She's all set for a bright future, and would only be held back if she went back to her own time. The pilot, Diane, is a bit of a wildcard; so very independent, and determined to get her own way, she still feels pinned down when she isn't flying. So, having completed the exercise she was given, Jeannie follows the TARDIS's directions to find him.
Back in the Hub
After an enlightening discussion with the Doctor, Jeannie returns to the Hub in order to share her news. She walks into what appears to be a shouting match of epic proportions between John, Jack, and Ianto. Dipping into the minds of her mates, she gleans the cause: John had, apparently, been opening doors and had come across Jack and Ianto in a clinch. Being a product of the 1950's, he immediately took umbrage, which led to the current floor-show.
Whistling shrilly, Jeannie's loud huff is heard by all in the sudden silence. Looking at her mates, she twitches her head to the side, and they follow her lead by moving away from the irate man; she then pierces John with a sharp look. "You are no longer at home. 50 years have passed; did you really think that nothing would change? Yes, they're two men in a relationship; get over it! By the way, I'm also in the same relationship; the three of us are life mates, a triad; this doesn't concern you in any way. Emma is not your child, but an adult woman. I've looked at the timelines surrounding each of you, and I have a choice for each of you." Jeannie gives Emma a gentle look, "You can take the job offer you were given, and embrace this time, or you can go back home." Jeannie gives Diane a guarded look, "You can stay as well, learn how to fly the new planes; or you can go back." Jeannie glares at the heavily breathing John. "You also have a choice: stay or go. With your inability to accept change, it would be better for you to go. The timelines will survive either way, no matter what decision any of you three make." With that said, Jeannie pivots on her heel and heads down to their apartment, with Jack and Ianto following along behind her.
Once the triad has left the main Hub, chatter resumes. Emma is looking around with bright eyes, and has already decided that she will stay; while she'll miss her family, she didn't miss what Jeannie didn't say about returning home: that she would be stifled instead of encouraged. Diane is gazing thoughtfully at the tunnel the triad went down; if what they have is allowed here, she will definitely stay. John, although he is set in his ways is also not dumb; he sees that the two women he arrived with intend to stay, and he bows his head. He'll go back home, and try to forget any of this ever happened. Of course, with Torchwood, he will definitely forget any of this happened…just easier that way, and less chance of timelines being muddied.