ericadawn16 | Jack- November 7th, 2009

Title: But Time Didn’t Stop
Characters: Jack, Gwen, Lois, Johnson Jack/Ianto
Rated: PG-13 ANGST COE Spoilers MPREG
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: Jack and Gwen have a row.
Author's Note: Starts after COE.
Previous Segment: November 6th, 2009, Part Two
Masterlist: http://ericadawn16.livejournal.com/63337.html

November 7th, 2009

“I have something else they found,” Gwen told him and walked over to the desk, more modern than his had been. He followed and saw the framed photos on the laminate surface. One was of her and Rhys, but the other frame had a picture of Tosh and Owen sharing space with one of Ianto. Jack was still looking at them when she shut the drawer with a clang.

“I believe this belongs to you,” the Welshwoman said, holding the metal box; unchanged except for scorched marks.

“Did you look inside?” he asked as he saw that the clasp came apart easily.

“No,” she declared although he had the definite impression she was lying, “You want to come downstairs and I’ll show you around?”

With a nod, she touched a chunk of rock with red paint that was embedded on the wall and the wood panel slid to reveal the lift. As they stepped inside, he noticed a flashing red light on her desk phone.

“Have you found my wrist-strap or anything to contact ships?” he asked and in order to pretend it wasn’t a purely selfish request, added, “It must be frustrating to call UNIT every single time something shows up.”

“No,” she replied and for the second time, he was almost certain that she wasn’t telling him the truth. The lift was fast and when the doors opened, the two junior members looked up.

“Jack,” Lois greeted and stood up to come to them while Johnson gave a little encouraging smile. The entrance to the cells, mortuary and archives had been cleared so you could see the brickwork of the passageways beyond. He noticed the rift manipulator had not been replaced yet or the invisible lift.

“If you can, you should replace the invisible lift as soon as you can,” the man suggested, “It comes in handy.”

There was a nod, but he noticed her demeanor had changed around her employees. Her arms were crossed and she was no longer grinning.

“You took the Martyn book,” Gwen said and it wasn’t a question. He took the book from the inside of his coat and handed it to her.

“What’s that?” Johnson asked with interest. She was sitting up straighter than before.

“Evidence that belongs in the archives,” she replied and opened it with a large crack as the pages unstuck themselves, “Did you get this wet?”

“I forgot where I put it and the towel dripped on it,” he answered with a shrug as she looked horrified.

“You ‘forgot’?” she clarified with a voice whose pitch went up on each syllable. Then, the phone rang.

“Hello, Bridget,” Lois answered and there was a pause before speaking again, “No, I didn’t know that. It will be corrected, thank you.”
She hung up with a sigh.

“Gwen, you’ve left the Prime Minister on hold for twenty minutes,” she informed them as her braids bounced around her head.

“What? No, I didn’t. I…” she started and then he saw that look of realization cross her face, “Oh, bollocks, I forgot.”

“See, you forgot, too,” he pointed out and didn’t care how childish he sounded. She waddled closer and stuck out her finger to his face.

“But I’m pregnant, what’s your excuse?” she retorted with a glare. He wished he could have told it was the same. It would have been the only acceptable excuse. Instead, he could feel the anger rising that he couldn’t tell her, that she had blown up over the book of all things and that he just didn’t belong there anymore.

“No, I guess I’m not that lucky,” he snarled back and put his hands on his hips.

“Lucky? Yeah, I’m lucky,” she hissed back, “You bloody left us, Jack! Like you always do, I should have known. I did actually, but then you promised that you wouldn’t and stupid me, I believed you!”

She shoved him and not expecting it, he lost his balance. His hands, that should have gone behind to brace for the fall, went for his belly and it was Lois’ quick movements that stopped him inches from the concrete. Johnson had taken one of Gwen’s arms as the Welshwoman stared at what she’d done with an open mouth. She tried to twist out of the hold, but the other woman was a professional.

“Let me go, he can stay there,” she spoke and Johnson released her, “I’ll be in my office.”

“Are you alright?” Lois asked as he changed to a sitting position.

“I’m fine,” he said as the lift door closed with Gwen inside. Then, the baby made its displeasure known at the scary ride by kicking very hard. At least one foot struck his stomach harder than any kick that the baby had done before. He couldn’t help the grimace of pain that passed over his face and from his lips or rubbing the place where it had occurred through his shirt and coat.

“You don’t seem fine,” the younger of the two women argued and he could see Johnson watching him with concern, too.

“I will be, just help me up,” Jack requested which he hated to admit. However, his current sense of balance was not the best and he’d rather have help than embarrass himself and worry them more. She took his left forearm and pulled as he bent to a kneeling position before standing up. Ignoring her confusion, he asked, “Now, where’s that other lift so I can leave before round two?”

“It’s over here,” she spoke and he followed her to where the stairs used to be for the tourist office.

“Make sure she puts in at least two stairs for emergencies,” he told her as she pushed the button.

“I will,” she said and the door opened, “when she’s calmed down, she’s usually not that bad, it’s just the hormones that make her…”

She left off the last words, but he could think of some nouns that could work. However, the fight had worked both ways.

“I know how that works,” he agreed and stuck his hands in his pocket so he could feel his own bump. Two pregnant people at Torchwood at the same time were probably a bad idea although he had left her. However, if he hadn’t left her, wouldn’t she have noticed something was wrong with him? He’d been here less than an hour and Lois and Johnson both seemed to think he was sick or something anyway.

“I guess your flu finally cleared up. You look…” the younger woman hesitated for a longer time than she should have, “better.”

He gave her a look with his blue eyes and spoke, “Lois, I’m glad you’re a better liar with everyone else because you can never do it well with me.”
Her brown face reddened and she straightened her silk sleeves.

“Your figure looks healthy enough, but…” she started and couldn’t meet his eyes, “but it’s your face especially in the eyes. It’s like there’s a part missing.”

“My better half,” he replied without thinking and her reflection in the metal frowned.

“It’s more than that though, I’ve talked to people since this summer, people who’d met you before, ages ago, and they describe you completely different as full of life and that your blue eyes were often mischievous and that you had this…” she paused in what must have been a quest for the right word, “a spark, but I look at you now and I can’t see any of that. You don’t have that spark anymore.”

The lift stopped with a lurch and the door swung open.

“Well, that sounds like a good enough goal. Find my spark again,” Jack said and tried to give her a little smile as he exited.

“Goodbye, Captain,” she called after him as he walked towards the tourist office. After a brief stop at the bank, he went back home for a nap.

Jack wanted to leave and never come back, but then he’d feel a kick and reconsider so he settled for Spain. Almost twenty hours by train felt like far enough for him. One hand stayed on his belly while the other protected the satchel containing all five remaining diaries of Ianto Jones. Halfway through France, he was roused from sleep by a peculiar tickling sensation inside and the chirping of his mobile. He checked the caller and saw it was Gwen.

“Do you think she’ll leave a message?” he asked although the only answer was the tickling, “I think she will, too.”

November 8th, 2009