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antigwenallies Apr. 23rd, 2008 12:34 pm)
adia313.livejournal.com posting in antigwenallies Apr. 23rd, 2008 12:34 pm)Title: A Quiet Night with Friends (Part 2)
Pairings: Rhys/Gwen, Jack/Ianto, (unrequited Jack/Gwen)
Spoilers: There are very vague spoilers through 2.04
Warnings: Language, a little violence, and references to two men in a romantic relationship
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Another part of Torchwood life follows Gwen home.
Word Count: ~1600
Part 1 [PG]
A couple hours later, Gwen heard Banana and Chuck announce that they were going on a beer run. Their leaving would present Jack with the perfect opportunity to find her and apologize for ignoring her earlier in the evening. Certain that it was only a matter of minutes before he came into her bedroom, Gwen checked her reflection quickly. Her ponytail had loosened so that it was actually at the back of her head instead of sticking out the side. Quickly, she righted it. She looked almost perfect. To complete the look, she undid the next button on her blouse. She popped back in her IPod to look nonchalant. Reclining on the bed, Gwen propped her magazine on her knee and waited.
And waited.
Something in the lounge clattered so loudly that Gwen heard it over S Club. It sounded like breaking glass. Something snarled; it sounded like a big, dumb animal. If Rhys had drunkenly staggered into the coffee table, she would murder him. Angrily, Gwen flung her bridal magazine onto the floor. She stomped down the hallway and into the lounge—
“Take the shot!”
Three shots rang out, and there was another crash.
Gwen broke into the lounge. Rhys stood by the kitchen door, a carving knife clutched in his meaty hands. Jack had his Webley aimed at a heap on the floor. Ianto was across the lounge, his back to the shattered window. The left leg of his trousers was pushed up to reveal a black leather holster. At his feet, an orange, feline-like alien with teeth so long that they protruded from his lipless mouth lay dead. Grey matter and green blood oozed from a hole in the creature’s forehead, and green blood poured from two holes in the creature’s chest. A blaster lay near its open hand.
An alien! She’d never seen anything like that before! How had it gotten into her flat? Where was her gun? Had she left it at the hub?
“Check the other—”
Before Jack could finish his order, another alien catapulted through the empty window frame. He shoved Ianto with a savage growl, and Ianto stumbled into Gwen. Shrieking, Gwen grabbed Ianto’s arms. Once Ianto was steady on his feet, she maneuvered him so that he stood between her and the creature. She kept an iron grip on his arms. The snarling alien raged through the lounge. God, was it going to rip her to pieces before Jack had a chance to tell her how he really felt? She kept Ianto between herself and the alien.
Rhys bellowed as he ran across the lounge, carving knife raised. He plunged the glinting blade into the crook of the alien’s neck. As the furry creature turned on Rhys, Jack fired his gun. The second alien fell in a bloody, matted heap just a few feet away from Gwen and Ianto
“Everyone all right?” Jack asked breathlessly.
To reassure Jack, Gwen stepped away from Ianto. “I’m fine. Thank you.”
“Yeah,” Rhys answered. He slid to the carpet, letting the knife fall from his hands.
“Yes, si—Yeah,” Ianto echoed.
Jack pressed his gun to the second alien’s temple and fired. Its brain splattered across the carpet, and a few globs hit the wall. Gwen flinched. She hoped Jack could convince Ianto to clean it up; Rhys couldn’t even get wine stains out of the carpet. Shoving the gun in his holster, Jack prompted, “Gwen.”
“There’s an alien in my home!” Gwen wailed, finally giving voice to her sense of violation. Rhys struggled to his feet. Before she knew what was happening, he pulled her close. Helplessly, she looked at Jack. There was an alien in Rhys’s home, too; it wouldn’t do for Jack to take Gwen from him along with his sense of security.
Heavily, Rhys asked, “What was it? It looks like Garfield gone rabid.”
Jack snorted, but Ianto haltingly explained, “We don’t know their proper names. They live underground, sewers and car parks. They’re carnivorous, obviously. We were all down in the sewers today; it could have tracked any of us.”
“Are there more of them?”
“They tend to hunt in pairs,” Jack reassured him. He patted Rhys and Gwen’s shoulders and flashed his gorgeous smile. She couldn’t help feeling a little more secure. Then, he turned his back on them. “I’ll bring the SUV around the front.”
Ianto murmured, “The tarps are under the middle seat.”
“Call the police and let them know that we discharged our weapons, in case the neighbors have already called it in. Rhys, I think it would be better if Banana and Chuck found somewhere else to watch the end of the match.”
“On it.” Rhys took his mobile out of his pocket and started to text Banana.
“Gwen, come and help me with the tarps.”
Shakily, Gwen followed Jack into the corridor. “I’m disappointed,” he said as soon as the door was closed.
“Oh, Jack,” she said, sliding her arm through his so that he could escort her to the SUV. Without Rhys around to be hurt, she could express her true feelings for Jack. “You can’t blame yourself. Ianto said that thing could have followed any of us.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Jack answered.
That had been what Gwen was afraid of. She’d heard Jack shout at Ianto to take the shot. A Torchwood operative could never hesitate: it meant the difference between total annihilation and the continuation of the universe. Even though she knew that Jack didn’t care for Ianto, she couldn’t stand by and let Jack belittle him. She knew that she could find a way to point out that Ianto’s talents were useful, but limited. Jack would just feel guilty if he had to be the one to say something even a little hurtful about someone he’d shagged. He was nothing if not polite, even if it meant being a little dishonest. The truth was, Jack and she could run Torchwood by themselves. Maybe she could make that suggestion to him—at another time, obviously—and simplify their relationship.
Gently, Gwen said, “Ianto’s still inexperienced when it comes to fieldwork. You shouldn’t be too hard on him.”
Jack stopped abruptly at the landing by her front door. Touched to the core by Gwen’s ability to show empathy and even affection for someone as insignificant as Ianto, he stared at her. He laughed a little, patting her hand where it rested on his arm. “Ianto’s coming along.” Jack said, wonderful and chivalrous as ever.
“Of course.” Jack didn’t seem to be ready to abandon the charade. She knew she could convince him, though. “He’s just a PA, you know, trying to do a job that’s way beyond him. Now that you’re back, you really should let him get back to what he’s good at. I think he’d be happier if he stayed in the hub. He’s really not cut out for this kind of work. No determination, no intuition… We had to make do whilst you were away, but things can go back to the way they’re supposed to be now. Don’t you think?” She rubbed Jack’s arm and leaned a little closer to him.
Jack stepped away. That was good. That meant that she had convinced him to have a serious discussion. “I meant that I was disappointed in you.”
Gwen felt like the world had fallen out from under her. “In me?” She echoed.
“Where do you keep your gun?”
“In the safe at the hub, of course,” Gwen answered. That was a lie, though. She’d been covered in sewage, for God’s sake. She couldn’t have been bothered with locking her gun in the safe. She could hardly be held responsible.
“I don’t expect you to keep it on you at all times,” Jack said, “but for God’s sake, you’ve got to at least have a stun gun in your apartment, or something you can use to protect yourself with you at all times. Things like this happen in our line of work. If you haven’t learned that yet, you’re the most chronically dense person I’ve ever met.”
“Jack…” Gwen gasped. She knew that when he was frightened, he expressed himself angrily, but this was ridiculous. He was acting like it was her fault. “That’s your fear talking, love. You’re really going to regret this in the morning.”
Jack didn’t lose a beat. “And I get that you were surprised at first, but you’ve been trained to deal with situations like that.”
So? She wanted to shout. She’d been trained by the police to diffuse dangerous situations with violent criminals, yes. And yes, Jack had spent hours and hours training her to shoot moving targets. But how could Jack expect her to put that training into practice when she suddenly found aliens in her flat?
Gwen didn’t know what to think about Jack’s misplaced aggression. He didn’t seem to understand what how badly she was suffering! Jack should sympathize with her.
“But, Jack…”
“We’re going to have to take things from scratch,” Jack said. He sounded tired. Then, patting her shoulder, Jack said, “A lot’s been thrown at you very quickly. It’s not your fault. I’ll just bring you along when I’m working with Ianto, and you’ll be up to par in no time.”
“I don’t need extra training!”
“Tonight proves otherwise.”
“It’s not fair! Aliens broke into my flat, and I’m being punished for it!” She shrieked.
“It’s not a punishment,” Jack rushed to reassure her. “But we have to be ready for anything. You just need some more practice. It’ll keep you safe. You understand that, don’t you, Gwen?”
Gwen wanted to wail, to tell Jack that he was talking nonsense, but he had opened the door. She had to run to keep up with him on his way to the SUV.
*
TBC
Thanks for reading! I’d appreciate any feedback you have the time to offer.
Pairings: Rhys/Gwen, Jack/Ianto, (unrequited Jack/Gwen)
Spoilers: There are very vague spoilers through 2.04
Warnings: Language, a little violence, and references to two men in a romantic relationship
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Another part of Torchwood life follows Gwen home.
Word Count: ~1600
Part 1 [PG]
A couple hours later, Gwen heard Banana and Chuck announce that they were going on a beer run. Their leaving would present Jack with the perfect opportunity to find her and apologize for ignoring her earlier in the evening. Certain that it was only a matter of minutes before he came into her bedroom, Gwen checked her reflection quickly. Her ponytail had loosened so that it was actually at the back of her head instead of sticking out the side. Quickly, she righted it. She looked almost perfect. To complete the look, she undid the next button on her blouse. She popped back in her IPod to look nonchalant. Reclining on the bed, Gwen propped her magazine on her knee and waited.
And waited.
Something in the lounge clattered so loudly that Gwen heard it over S Club. It sounded like breaking glass. Something snarled; it sounded like a big, dumb animal. If Rhys had drunkenly staggered into the coffee table, she would murder him. Angrily, Gwen flung her bridal magazine onto the floor. She stomped down the hallway and into the lounge—
“Take the shot!”
Three shots rang out, and there was another crash.
Gwen broke into the lounge. Rhys stood by the kitchen door, a carving knife clutched in his meaty hands. Jack had his Webley aimed at a heap on the floor. Ianto was across the lounge, his back to the shattered window. The left leg of his trousers was pushed up to reveal a black leather holster. At his feet, an orange, feline-like alien with teeth so long that they protruded from his lipless mouth lay dead. Grey matter and green blood oozed from a hole in the creature’s forehead, and green blood poured from two holes in the creature’s chest. A blaster lay near its open hand.
An alien! She’d never seen anything like that before! How had it gotten into her flat? Where was her gun? Had she left it at the hub?
“Check the other—”
Before Jack could finish his order, another alien catapulted through the empty window frame. He shoved Ianto with a savage growl, and Ianto stumbled into Gwen. Shrieking, Gwen grabbed Ianto’s arms. Once Ianto was steady on his feet, she maneuvered him so that he stood between her and the creature. She kept an iron grip on his arms. The snarling alien raged through the lounge. God, was it going to rip her to pieces before Jack had a chance to tell her how he really felt? She kept Ianto between herself and the alien.
Rhys bellowed as he ran across the lounge, carving knife raised. He plunged the glinting blade into the crook of the alien’s neck. As the furry creature turned on Rhys, Jack fired his gun. The second alien fell in a bloody, matted heap just a few feet away from Gwen and Ianto
“Everyone all right?” Jack asked breathlessly.
To reassure Jack, Gwen stepped away from Ianto. “I’m fine. Thank you.”
“Yeah,” Rhys answered. He slid to the carpet, letting the knife fall from his hands.
“Yes, si—Yeah,” Ianto echoed.
Jack pressed his gun to the second alien’s temple and fired. Its brain splattered across the carpet, and a few globs hit the wall. Gwen flinched. She hoped Jack could convince Ianto to clean it up; Rhys couldn’t even get wine stains out of the carpet. Shoving the gun in his holster, Jack prompted, “Gwen.”
“There’s an alien in my home!” Gwen wailed, finally giving voice to her sense of violation. Rhys struggled to his feet. Before she knew what was happening, he pulled her close. Helplessly, she looked at Jack. There was an alien in Rhys’s home, too; it wouldn’t do for Jack to take Gwen from him along with his sense of security.
Heavily, Rhys asked, “What was it? It looks like Garfield gone rabid.”
Jack snorted, but Ianto haltingly explained, “We don’t know their proper names. They live underground, sewers and car parks. They’re carnivorous, obviously. We were all down in the sewers today; it could have tracked any of us.”
“Are there more of them?”
“They tend to hunt in pairs,” Jack reassured him. He patted Rhys and Gwen’s shoulders and flashed his gorgeous smile. She couldn’t help feeling a little more secure. Then, he turned his back on them. “I’ll bring the SUV around the front.”
Ianto murmured, “The tarps are under the middle seat.”
“Call the police and let them know that we discharged our weapons, in case the neighbors have already called it in. Rhys, I think it would be better if Banana and Chuck found somewhere else to watch the end of the match.”
“On it.” Rhys took his mobile out of his pocket and started to text Banana.
“Gwen, come and help me with the tarps.”
Shakily, Gwen followed Jack into the corridor. “I’m disappointed,” he said as soon as the door was closed.
“Oh, Jack,” she said, sliding her arm through his so that he could escort her to the SUV. Without Rhys around to be hurt, she could express her true feelings for Jack. “You can’t blame yourself. Ianto said that thing could have followed any of us.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Jack answered.
That had been what Gwen was afraid of. She’d heard Jack shout at Ianto to take the shot. A Torchwood operative could never hesitate: it meant the difference between total annihilation and the continuation of the universe. Even though she knew that Jack didn’t care for Ianto, she couldn’t stand by and let Jack belittle him. She knew that she could find a way to point out that Ianto’s talents were useful, but limited. Jack would just feel guilty if he had to be the one to say something even a little hurtful about someone he’d shagged. He was nothing if not polite, even if it meant being a little dishonest. The truth was, Jack and she could run Torchwood by themselves. Maybe she could make that suggestion to him—at another time, obviously—and simplify their relationship.
Gently, Gwen said, “Ianto’s still inexperienced when it comes to fieldwork. You shouldn’t be too hard on him.”
Jack stopped abruptly at the landing by her front door. Touched to the core by Gwen’s ability to show empathy and even affection for someone as insignificant as Ianto, he stared at her. He laughed a little, patting her hand where it rested on his arm. “Ianto’s coming along.” Jack said, wonderful and chivalrous as ever.
“Of course.” Jack didn’t seem to be ready to abandon the charade. She knew she could convince him, though. “He’s just a PA, you know, trying to do a job that’s way beyond him. Now that you’re back, you really should let him get back to what he’s good at. I think he’d be happier if he stayed in the hub. He’s really not cut out for this kind of work. No determination, no intuition… We had to make do whilst you were away, but things can go back to the way they’re supposed to be now. Don’t you think?” She rubbed Jack’s arm and leaned a little closer to him.
Jack stepped away. That was good. That meant that she had convinced him to have a serious discussion. “I meant that I was disappointed in you.”
Gwen felt like the world had fallen out from under her. “In me?” She echoed.
“Where do you keep your gun?”
“In the safe at the hub, of course,” Gwen answered. That was a lie, though. She’d been covered in sewage, for God’s sake. She couldn’t have been bothered with locking her gun in the safe. She could hardly be held responsible.
“I don’t expect you to keep it on you at all times,” Jack said, “but for God’s sake, you’ve got to at least have a stun gun in your apartment, or something you can use to protect yourself with you at all times. Things like this happen in our line of work. If you haven’t learned that yet, you’re the most chronically dense person I’ve ever met.”
“Jack…” Gwen gasped. She knew that when he was frightened, he expressed himself angrily, but this was ridiculous. He was acting like it was her fault. “That’s your fear talking, love. You’re really going to regret this in the morning.”
Jack didn’t lose a beat. “And I get that you were surprised at first, but you’ve been trained to deal with situations like that.”
So? She wanted to shout. She’d been trained by the police to diffuse dangerous situations with violent criminals, yes. And yes, Jack had spent hours and hours training her to shoot moving targets. But how could Jack expect her to put that training into practice when she suddenly found aliens in her flat?
Gwen didn’t know what to think about Jack’s misplaced aggression. He didn’t seem to understand what how badly she was suffering! Jack should sympathize with her.
“But, Jack…”
“We’re going to have to take things from scratch,” Jack said. He sounded tired. Then, patting her shoulder, Jack said, “A lot’s been thrown at you very quickly. It’s not your fault. I’ll just bring you along when I’m working with Ianto, and you’ll be up to par in no time.”
“I don’t need extra training!”
“Tonight proves otherwise.”
“It’s not fair! Aliens broke into my flat, and I’m being punished for it!” She shrieked.
“It’s not a punishment,” Jack rushed to reassure her. “But we have to be ready for anything. You just need some more practice. It’ll keep you safe. You understand that, don’t you, Gwen?”
Gwen wanted to wail, to tell Jack that he was talking nonsense, but he had opened the door. She had to run to keep up with him on his way to the SUV.
*
TBC
Thanks for reading! I’d appreciate any feedback you have the time to offer.
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Creepiness of the night? Whilst reading this line: Something in the lounge clattered so loudly that Gwen heard it over S Club. S Club 7 came on my iPod.
(Oh god I listen to the same music as Gwen!)
(And yes, I listen to S Club AND PROUD OF IT!)
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I love how she completely misinterprets Jack and I get to think 'Gwen, you idiot', lol
Love it :-)
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I'll give you whatever you want for more of this.
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Thanks.
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Loving it to bits, looking forward to the next part.
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