2

Jack was playing with Melissa, the baby chortling as he swooped her around the room. Lucia entered and huffed "She just ate Jack."

"Half an hour ago… I was timing it" he replied and she hummed softly, shaking her head as she settled to open the mail. Jack felt the air change and looked up to find her staring directly at him, the mail in her hand held tightly, so tightly that her knuckles were white. "What?"

"Your credit card… oh my god Jack!" she said in a low, dangerous tone.

"Gwen will pay me back, she will when she is paid at the end of the month" Jack said absently, swooping the baby low now.

"Gwen. You… you spent all this on her?"

"She did, she borrowed it. Not the same thing, you know she needed a motel room for a few days" Jack said as he now placed the little girl down on the sheep skin rug.

"Jack, this is so much, it's maxed out your card. How the hell is she going to pay this back!" she grumbled "Jesus, is she charging food for a party each night as well?"

Jack rose to check for himself and gaped at the amount "Bloody hell. What is she up to… oh god. I hope she's not doing something shady. She wouldn't dare! I'm gonna tell her to cut it out and cut off her access to the card."

"Jack, this is not going to end well."

God he was sick of hearing that.

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Jack was in his office going over something with Toshiko when the office door slammed open and she squeaked with alarm, stepping back as Rhys barreled into the room, heading for Jack at speed. Jack was surprised too "Hey bud. She's not in today."

"Oh, is that right ya fucker" Rhys snarled, reaching for him and Jack yelped, leaping back.

"What the hell!" Jack said with shock, slapping at Rhys who kept trying to seize him by his shirt front.

"Call security" Jack yelled but instead of security it was the police that tuned up, shocking him further as they extracted Rhys only to turn back to him.

"Jack Harkness?"

"Yes."

"Jack Harkness you are under arrest for the sexual assault of Gwen Cooper" the cop started to drone "You do not have to …."

Jack was tuning out the words as he looked at Toshiko in mute shock, her mouth moving so she must be speaking but he could not hear anything. He was in shock. Totally shocked.

He didn't understand this at all.

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"Right, we have you before Judge Abbott in the morning, just… let me talk and we will get you bailed out" Archie was saying, the elderly lawyer was a good one and Owen arrived with some clothing.

"Thanks" Jack said softly, accreting the bag with confusion still raw "Toshiko told you? Can you believe this?"

"Well… from what we can work out, Rhys found out Gwen is preggers." Owen said as he offered Jack another bag of toiletries "The guard said these were OK, took the razor though… look.. clearly she panicked and blurts out a pile of shit then doubled down when called on it."

"Lucia is going say 'I Told You So' for years over this" Jack groaned.

Owen pulled a face, still looking around the place.

"Owen? Is she OK?"

"Ah…"

"She's not been to see me, I thought she might but I guess she had Melly to care for, I will be out tomorrow and then…"

"Well. That's just the thing. She doesn't want you to go home. She says she needs some space." Owen didn't want to be the bearer of bad news "she knows it's not true but she is also pissed at you and wants some space."

"You are kidding me" Jack groaned "So now I am the one needing a motel room? As long as it's close to work I can…"

"Well. That's the other thing. Gwen is screaming this carp everywhere so… sorry. You are on administrative paid leave for now. As you know, interoffice relationships…"

"But I didn't" Jack wailed, now so confused that he was now turning in a slow circle "what… what do I do now?"

"I suggest you give everyone a chance to calm down and think rationally, then they will all realize this is fucking madness" Owen softly advised "we will get though this, get you out, clear your name and then you and Luce can do some counseling or something… sort that part out."

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Jack stood in the dock haring the charges and feeling totally miffed at the crap Gwen was pulling. He tried not to glare in her direction but he knew she was looking at him. Then as the trial was set he turned and saw Lucia standing there, her face drawn and full of rage like… god… she believes it? How can she believe this?

Owen was there, Toshiko as well as a few others and it was clear that they were on his side but the way Lucia seemed so standoffish… did not feel good.

They needed to talk.