Torchwood - If Things Were Different

[MorningAngel]

This story is based on characters and situations owned by the original author/writers, publishers and distributors. No copyright infringement is intended or to be infered.

 

Set during series 2. When Owen had died and come back.

 

 

 

 

If Things Were Different

 

By Dawn M Duval

 

Chapter One

 

The Torchwood hub was unusually quiet. Nothing exciting was happening. But each member of the team was working away on something or other; even Ianto was giving the coffee machine an overhaul.

 

Toshiko was staring at the screen in front of her. Something wasn't right but she didn't know what it was.

 

"Is it rift activity?" Jack asked looking over her shoulder.

 

"It looks like it, but it's not the usually type of reading. I suppose it could just be an error on the system"

 

"Maybe we should look into it"

 

"I'll go" Toshiko said picking up her jacket.

 

"I'll come too" Jack said.

 

"No, it's probably nothing"

 

"Ok, but the slightest notion of trouble and you call for back up"

 

"I will" With that Toshiko left the hub.

 

The reading had come from a small unassuming street. It was a place that looked like nothing ever happened there. Toshiko looked at the small device in her hand, it was still giving out the same reading it had in the hub. She couldn't understand it, nothing look out of the ordinary. She moved along the road to see if the reading changed.

 

As she moved forward the weather suddenly changed, the sun had been shining brightly but now it was replaced by the strangest of lights. It was a weird yellow foreboding light, it didn't seem right at all. She immediately looked at the device in her hand, the reading had gone mad.

 

Toshiko looked around her, everything looked and felt wrong. The strangest thing was there was no sound, nothing at all. She noticed something she hadn't noticed a moment ago. Above her head was a bird, it just hung their suspended in time. Looking to her left she saw the busy junction at the end of the road. People where paused cars where stopped in odd places where they had been moving. Out of interest Toshiko looked at her watch, as she suspected the hands stayed perfectly still. She took another couple of steps forward and the spell was broken everything was moving again.

 

"Very interesting" Toshiko said to herself, she took a note book out and feverishly scribbled notes down before she forgot anything.

 

Toshiko decided to take the long way back to the hub in case there was anything else strange. Also she thought it would be nice to get a bit of fresh air, the hub was pretty airless.

 

As Toshiko returned to the busy street she spotted a familiar figure, you could hardly miss him, but the people walking past hardly noticed him. Toshiko didn't know how anyone could manage to ignore Jack. She was surprised he was out and about he hadn't been planning anything when she'd left. Maybe something had come up, although he hadn't contacted her, she'd have thought he would as she was in the same part of town. She really wanted to tell him about what she had just found out. She tried to get his attention, but he was over the other side of the road.

 

"Jack!" she called but he didn't hear.

 

She called him again. Seeing a gap in the traffic, she went for it, but as she did a car pulled out without noticing her and knocked her down.

 

Next thing Toshiko knew she was lying in a bed, everything ached. She didn't open her eyes immediately. She could hear people were talking about her.

 

"No identification on her" a female voice said.

 

"Well whoever she is, she was very lucky it could have been a lot worse"

 

The second voce sounded strangely familiar. She opened her eyes to find a white coated Owen staring at her.

 

"Welcome back" he said making some notes.

 

"Owen!" Toshiko said surprised.

 

Owen looked rather shocked.

 

"You know my name?" he asked.

 

"Yes it's me Toshiko"

 

"Toshiko…"

 

"Sato"

 

Owen looked at the nurse and she wrote it down in her notes. But Owen showed no acknowledgement. Toshiko wondered if Owen was undercover some how and she would have better luck once the nurse had gone, which she did shortly.

 

"Owen what are you playing at?"

 

"Look Miss" Owen looked at the notes "Sato I don't know how I know you, but around here I'm Dr Harper"

 

Owen took Tosh's wrist to take her pulse, his hand was warm.

 

"Oh my god, you're alive"

 

Owen gave her a very strange look.

 

"Well done Miss Sato perhaps you should be the doctor"

 

Owen shone a pen light in her eyes.

 

"It seems the accident has left you rather confused" he paused for a moment wondering how the woman in front of him knew his name, not Dr Harper but his Christian name. That was strange. He was certain he didn't know her, he was sure he would have remembered her she was rather pretty. "I think we'll need to keep you in for a while"

 

Toshiko lay there wondering if she did indeed have concussion but she knew too well that she did know Owen Harper after all she had only battled unrequited love for him for four years. Watching him sleep his way around Cardiff being the one woman he didn't look at with lustful eyes. Even still it wasn't possible he'd forgotten her altogether, they still worked with each other for long hours every day.

 

Dr Harper came back to see Miss Sato with the results of the tests they had taken. He pulled back the curtain but the bed was empty. He stopped a passing nurse.

 

"Have you seen my patient?"

 

The nurse looked blank unsure who he meant.

 

"A pretty Japanese woman"

 

The nurse shook her head and Owen scratched his, he still hadn't managed to place her.

 

Toshiko moved as fast as her aching body would let her. She couldn't stay in the hospital, they thought she was come kind of nut case and she didn't fancy being admitted to a psychiatric ward. She headed towards the battered looking tourist information office, which was the normal looking front for Torchwood.

 

Ianto was sitting there doing something on the computer when she entered, he looked rather surprised by her entrance.

 

"Ianto, do you know me?"

 

"Of course I do, but what are you doing here?"

 

"Why shouldn't I be here?"

 

"Because you have just flown out to see your dying auntie"

 

"Don't be silly my auntie died years ago"

 

She started to walk through the office "I need to talk to Jack, Owen's acting strangely"

 

"Owen?"

 

As Toshiko entered the hub Gwen looked rather surprised to see her too.

 

"Tosh, you're back!"

 

"I only went a mile down the road"

 

"What about Japan?"

 

"I don't know where you and Ianto have got that from"

 

Jack entered.

 

"Jack have you been telling stories about me?"

 

She looked at Jack it was the same old Jack, but something was different, he had a scar on his cheek that had never been there before.

 

"Jack what happened?" Toshiko asked

 

He looked at her with puzzlement.

 

"The scar" she said

 

He absentmindedly put his hand to his face.

 

"Why hasn't it healed, you always heal in minutes"

 

"Tosh I've had this all the time I have known you. It happened before my cosmic accident. I'll tell you what, my appendix never grew back either"

 

Toshiko was somewhat unnerved by events, first Owen not recognising her, now Jack had a permanent scar she never remembered. What was happening?

 

"I've just seen Owen" she said "He was acting very strangely he didn't seem to recignise me"

 

"Owen?"

 

"Yes Owen"

 

"No I mean Owen who?"

 

"Owen Harper, Owen our Owen"

 

"Nope not with you"

 

"Gwen help me here you know Owen, you and he…"

 

"We what?"

 

Toshiko lowered her voice "You had an affair"

 

"I really don't know who you're talking about, I would never cheat on Rhys"

 

Gwen was looking just as concerned as Jack.

 

"He works here" Toshiko persisted.

 

"No he doesn't" Jack said calmly "Check the personnel files if you don't believe us"

 

She did and it was true there was nothing about Owen on there. She did wonder -knowing Torchwood as she did – if Owen had done something that needed to be covered up, meaning he had to leave and memories had to be altered. But he had been there when she had left just an hour or so ago, even for Torchwood that would have been a quick turn around to wipe someone from history. Toshiko trawled through the computer looking for any remnants of deleted files mentioning Owen but still there was nothing. It was like to Torchwood he didn't exist, and hadn't ever existed.

 

"Jack indulge me"

 

"Ok"

 

"Who's Torchwood's medical officer?"

 

"Bernard Cliffton-Reed. I call him Berney. He's a bit of a toff, I don't usually recruit from the upper classes, god knows Torchwood had enough of them over the years. But Berney was the best qualified at the time, well that could handle this place. Anyway he likes you"

 

"Does he?"

 

"Sure does"

 

Just then a tall blond man who's whole looked screamed upper class toff came in. He couldn't be any more the opposite of Owen if he tried.

 

"Ah Berney, we were just talking about you. Toshiko seems to have a problem remembering you"

 

"I'm hurt" Said Berney not taking it seriously.

 

Jack lowered his voice and leant towards Toshiko so only she could hear. "Tosh I'm worried about you, take a couple of days off. Get your head in order; you've been working too hard"

 

All they did was work too hard at Torchwood, Toshiko thought, although it had never affected her like this before. She opened her mouth to say that she didn't need time off but Jack stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

 

"That's an order" Jack said "I need my staff fit" he gave her a warm smile before going back to his office.

 

Chapter Two

 

Toshiko didn't really know what to do with herself. She decided to go and get a coffee while she thought about things.

 

"That'll be 4 euros 20" the cashier said

 

"Euros?" Toshiko said looking at the handful of pounds she had "When did Wales go over to Euros?"

 

"Two years ago" she said as if Toshiko had just dropped from another planet.

 

The Queue behind her was muttering and getting agitated.

 

"I'll get it" a voice said from behind her.

 

Owen appeared next to her and paid for her coffee, as well as getting his own.

 

"Was it something I said?" He asked.

 

"Pardon?"

 

"Your disappearance"

 

They took their drinks and sat down.

 

"Sorry I needed to get away"

 

"You're not a wanted woman are you?"

 

"Not these days"

 

"Suppose you were frightened we'd put you on the nut ward"

 

Toshiko said nothing and just drank her coffee.

 

"It's been doing my head in" Owen continued "How do you know me?"

 

"I was mistaken, sorry"

 

"No you weren't, you know my name. You didn't called me Fred, John or Bert. You called me Owen"

 

"Maybe our paths have crossed before"

 

"No, I'm pretty certain they haven't"

 

"You must known hundreds of women in Cardiff"

 

"What are you saying? That I jump from one woman to the next?"

 

"Don't you?"

 

"You've got me down as a right womaniser, is it because I bought you that drink? You think I'm a charmer with all the ladies"

 

"No, it's just…"

 

"I don't say I haven't had my share of relationships. What man of my age hasn't? Some of them were going somewhere. I really wanted to settle down"

 

Toshiko choked on her coffee. "I really was mistaken I don't know you"

 

"Are you married? I know I was calling you Miss earlier, I hadn't spotted a ring"

 

Toshiko gave an ironic laugh "No I'm not married"

 

"So is there anyone on the horizon?"

 

"There is one man" Toshiko said not looking up from her cup.

 

"And?"

 

"He doesn't really notice me, well not like that"

 

"Well he must be blind"

 

This was insane Toshiko thought to herself. Talking to Owen about, well Owen. But this one was different less screwed up emotionally than the one she new. He wasn't her Owen, if only the normal one was her Owen.

 

"So have you ever got close to settling down?" Toshiko asked

 

"No not really, they all turned sour after a while" he paused in thought for a moment "There was this woman I really liked, I thought she was the one. Second date in I was late, my car broken down. But was ok my mate was there to keep her company. Trouble is they got on too well, I was surplus to requirements. They were going to get married, even asked me to be their best man, the cheek of it"

 

"Did they get married?"

 

"No"

 

"Why not?"

 

"She died"

 

"Oh my God I'm sorry"

 

"It was a brain tumour, they couldn't do anything it was inoperable. He was never the same again"

 

"That's terrible"

 

"I know its not nice, but I feel I had a lucky escape"

 

"No, I know what you mean"

 

Suddenly the puzzle slowly started to come together. Some how when she had been checking out the unusual reading in the street, when time had stood still instead of returning to where she had started she had started she had crossed into a different universe, almost identical to her own, but where Jack had a scar, Wales and presumably Britain had started to use the euro and most importantly when Owen Harper had never joined Torchwood. Toshiko remembered when Owen had joined, Jack warned them that Owen had suffered a bereavement, he didn't elaborate but Toshiko was fairly certain it involved a young woman who had an alien hatching in her brain. It sounded like this Owen had missed that in this life and because of it Jack hadn't recruited him and Owen's attitude to woman was somewhat different. She surmised that his love them and leave them attitude had come from the loss of his sweet heart.

 

"Hello, are you alright?" Owen asked waving a hand in front of her face.

 

"Sorry"

 

"Actually, I should have asked you earlier, if you were alright. Some bloody Doctor I am"

 

"I'm fine just a bit achy"

 

"How about getting a bit of exercise, fancy a walk?"

 

"Shouldn't you be…"

 

"Saving lives, I've done enough of that for today. They actually let me leave the hospital. That doesn't happen very often" he joked.

 

"And you've got nothing else you should be doing?"

 

"Well I was supposed to have a date"

 

"Oh"

 

"She blew me out for a surgeon, can you believe it. So this walk"

 

"Ok"

 

"For medical reasons of course" he smiled.

 

A grainy CCTV image was playing on the screen. There was a petite Japanese woman exiting a coffee shop with a taller Caucasian brunette man.

 

"Are you sure he's the man she mentioned earlier?" Jack asked.

 

"Certain. He's Owen Harper, he's a doctor in the local casualty department" Gwen said showing Jack his picture.

 

"Keep your eye on them"

 

"Do you think Tosh is coming back?" Owen said in another Torchwood.

 

Jack's perfect face crumpled into a frown "She has been gone an awful long time"

 

Jack tried to ring her "It's no good it says her phones out of range"

 

"Where the hells she gone?"

 

"I'll have a look on the system, seen when she went out of range" Gwen said going over to Toshiko's work station.

 

"Does she do that to all of us?" Owen asked.

 

"Just in case of such emergencies" Gwen said tapping the keys "That's odd"

 

"What is?" Jack said moving closer.

 

"Well it looks like she went out of signal in the middle of the city"

 

"Could she have just turned her phone off?" Owen offered.

 

"Not Tosh" Jack said with certainty "She's too professional"

 

"Battery ran out?"

 

"No, that might be something you would do, but not Tosh. Something is up; she wouldn't have kept out of communication this long. I knew I should have gone with her" Jack said with noticeable anger in his voice, but the anger was at himself.

 

"It didn't seem anything of consequence" Gwen said.

 

"That's exactly when you should be on your guard"

 

"Surely she would have called for back up if something was up"

 

"Not if she didn't have time" Owen said not lightening the mood any.

 

"We need to get out there, Ianto get the car ready"

 

Toshiko looked out across the bay, the lights shining in the dark water. She turned to Owen who was standing next to her.

 

"Why are you talking to me?"

 

"Well it would be rude not to"

 

"No I mean at all, I was making not sense in the hospital"

 

"You intrigued me. It's odd even though I'm certain I've never met you before, you feel familiar"

 

"Maybe you do know me in another universe" Toshiko said trying to sound like she was joking.

 

Owen looked at her in thought for a moment.

 

"But that would be mad" Toshiko finished.

 

"It would" Owen agreed although he still looked deep in thought, if she was from another universe it would explain how she knew him and why she had a pocket of out of date coins, but how could she be that was mental. He felt uneasy as if it was true but how could it be it was ridiculous.

 

Toshiko knew that her Owen could have taken the news 'what's it today? Parallel Universe, bring it on'. But this Owen was different, he didn't know half of what happened in Cardiff, he'd never experienced Torchwood. But maybe…

 

"It's true" she said "I don't belong here. This isn't my universe"

 

Owen looked at her in shock, he couldn't believe what she had just said.

 

"You know what, I was wrong you are a nutter" Owen said walking off.

 

"Well that went well" Toshiko said to herself.

 

It wasn't really what she said so much that had rattled him, but what the implications were. Things weren't as they appeared if a person could fall from one universe to another and even that meant there was more than one universe, more than the universe he knew, and there were other versions of him out there. He didn't want to believe it was true and yet what if it was? There was some evidence. Even though he had just called her a nutter he was still intrigued and decided to follow her at a safe distance. He tried to convince himself that it was for her own safety rather than his curiosity.

 

"Still keeping track of Tosh?" Jack asked Gwen, the half light making his scar look worse.

 

"Yeah" Gwen replied "And I've found some information on his Harper bloke"

 

Jack read Owen's file "Sounds an interesting chap. I think I'll keep an eye on him myself"

 

"Jack"

 

"I mean a professional eye"

 

Toshiko neared the point to where it had all started. She shouldn't have left it so long, but she had been kept away by talking to this universes Owen. But now he thought she was a nutter, an even lower opinion then Owen from her own universe. She suddenly missed him; he hadn't been so mean to her since he'd dead, death had mellowed him.

 

Toshiko stood on the same spot she had done earlier that day, but it was perfectly normal, nothing out of the ordinary. She checked the device in her hand, but there was definitely nothing there. Perhaps it had closed when she had come through. She moved about but still nothing happened. She was stuck in this strange world; she sat down on the pavement in dejection.

 

The SUV pulled up, had they been in the same world they would have run Toshiko over. It was the only vehicle on the street, the blue light on the windscreen casting eerie shadows.

 

"Is that it?" Ianto asked "We could have walked that distance"

 

"Tosh did her car's still at the hub"

 

"We could have walked. That is if you fancied carrying all the equipment that's in the SUV"

 

"Good point" Ianto said.

 

The boot was packed with anything thing and everything. It didn't help that they didn't know what they were dealing with so they had to bring everything.

 

"Tosh, Toshiko!" They shouted their voices echoing off the seemingly empty houses.

 

Somewhere else Toshiko sat in silence, tears welling in her eyes.

 

 

Chapter Three

 

"You don't think she's…" Owen didn't finish the sentence, but everyone knew that he meant dead.

 

"No!" Jack said forcefully "Not Tosh" he sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

 

Gwen got the laptop from the SUV "Seems Tosh's handheld sent back the readings right until the minute she disappeared.

 

"Anything odd?" Jack asked.

 

"There was a massive read out right before it stops"

 

"The rift?"

 

"Not normal rift activity"

 

"Not negative rift?" Jack said the horror of the possibility visible in his eyes.

 

"No"

 

There was an audible sigh of relief from Jack "So what? She just disappeared?"

 

Gwen thought for a moment and looked up and down the street then frowned.

 

"What is it?" Owen asked.

 

"When I was a copper, there were lots of disappearances and this was the last place they were seen"

 

"That's not good"

 

Toshiko headed home, at least she hoped she still lived there. She was lucky her keys still opened the lock, walking inside it was definitely her flat. Some of the technology was slightly different, but the rest was more or less identical.

 

Owen hadn't had the courage to come out of the shadows when she was crying; he wasn't sure what he could have done to help anyway. 'There there you're not a loony' wouldn't have cut it anyway. He did feel sorry for her, what if she had been telling the truth? Even it was sounded bonkers. Mad people don't tend to have the telepathy needed to have got his name.

 

Owen had followed her home; he saw her go in side and the light come on. He turned to leave and caught a quick glimpse of someone. A man in a long coat, Owen had a feeling that he had been following him. Earlier Owen had just thought he was beginning paranoid, but now he saw him.

 

"Hello?" Owen called but no one answered. The echo from his voice was the only noise. He carefully checked around him. But there was no one there. He was being to wonder if he was seeing things. But it didn't end there.

 

The following day Owen kept catching sight of that man out of the corner of his eye. He was watching him from the pavement as he drove to work. He even saw him at work, before a huddle of patients blocked his view and when the parted again he had disappeared. Whoever he was he seemed to do a lot of that.

 

Toshiko was at her work station when Jack wondered back in.

 

"Good to see you back Tosh, I hope you're feeling better"

 

Jack wandered towards his office.

 

"Jack I need a word" Toshiko said with some urgency.

 

"Is this about you not being our Tosh?

 

The others looked around; Ianto nearly dropped the tray of mugs he was carrying.

 

"Jack what do you mean?" Gwen asked.

 

"This Tosh, comes from a parallel world"

 

"Tosh is this true?" Gwen asked

 

"Yes. Jack how did you know?"

 

"It doesn't matter"

 

"That's why you're here when you shouldn't be" Gwen said realising "What's it like in your world?"

 

"Pretty much the same"

 

"But without Berney" Jack added

 

"Yes"

 

"You're really missing out" Bernard with a rye smile.

 

"Can you get me back?" Toshiko asked Jack

 

"Sorry, no can do"

 

"What?"

 

"You're stuck here"

 

"There must be something we can do"

 

"Sorry no, there are no doors to parallel worlds, if you can't go back the way you came then there's nothing we can do about it"

 

"I can't stay here, there's already a Toshiko Sato here. How's she going to explain that she suddenly has an identical twin? Then there's the flat we can't both live there.

 

"You'll have to work something out"

 

"Come on Jack there must be something we can do" begged Gwen

 

"No, I'm not just being mean. Honestly there is nothing I can do"

 

"What am I going to do?" Toshiko said with panic.

 

"Well you're jobs safe, two of you might be useful. One back here and one out in the field would be very handy. Now as you are staying, there's something on the loose, the notes are on your desk, well the desk you'll be sharing with yourself. Toshiko read the notes and started tapping away at her computer. Toshiko spent hours working on her records looking for the alien that had been sighted. Eventually she had to give up.

 

Toshiko was extremely tired when she headed home.

 

"Toshiko" she heard a voice behind her call as she put the key in the lock. She turned around to see Owen behind her, wondering what he was doing there at such a late hour.

 

"I thought I'd been a bit harsh, you're probably just a bit concussed" he said.

 

"Owen don't move" Toshiko said getting her gun out.

 

"Oh my God I wasn't that bad"

 

Owen closed his eyes as she pulled the trigger. He opened them again in relief when he didn't feel any impact. Toshiko was no longer standing in front of him. Owen looked behind him and Toshiko was knelling down at a body. He moved to join her as he did she snapped her phone closed. Owen was rather shocked when he looked at the body. Roughly the shape wise it looked human, but on closer inspection it's skin was green in colour, slits for a nose, lizard like eyes and a large slash of a mouth.

 

"What is it?" Owen asked staring.

 

"It's an alien"

 

"No, no way. Aliens don't exist"

 

"You're a doctor, you know the human body. Does this look human"

 

"No, but…"

 

"You'd better be going. We'll be dealing with this"

 

Owen stood, eye's fixed on the body.

 

"Owen. You've got to go" Toshiko said grabbing hold of Owen. "If you stay here you will have your memory altered"

 

Owen snapped out of it and ran. When he was far enough away he stopped to look back and saw the man who had been following arrive and talk to Toshiko, they were soon joined by some other people and Owen decided he's best not hang around.

 

"Did anyone else see?" Jack asked

 

"No" Toshiko lied, hoping they hadn't seen Owen.

 

She didn't like the idea of them fiddling with his memories, they would wipe her from them too.

 

"That's it ok" Jack said looking at the body "Well done, Ianto get the body into the SUV. Berney you'll need to give this thing a good looking at"

 

Owen raced into his flat, closed the door and leant against it. His heart was still pounding. He was unable to grasp what he had just seen. He moved into the room and poured himself a large drink and downed it. He poured himself another one and sat down. What had he just seen? An alien, it couldn't be there was no such thing. So what was that thing he had seen? There had to be a rational explanation, but what? What could it be if it wasn't an alien?

 

 

Chapter Four

 

The cold wind whistled around Owen and he pulled his jacket closer to him. He let out a yawn he hadn't managed to sleep well last night and now it was early. But he wanted to catch Toshiko before he had to go to work. He didn't have to wait long, she was up early too and it looked like she'd managed as much sleep as he had. She was surprised to see him.

 

"Owen why are you here?"

 

"I want answers, like what was that thing?"

 

"I told you" Toshiko said walking away.

 

Owen followed her "Yeah like that's believable"

 

"Believe what you want"

 

"And who's that man?"

 

"Who?"

 

"That man with the coat"

 

"He's my boss"

 

"Then why's he been following me?"

 

Toshiko stopped dead in her tracks "What?"

 

"The past couple of days, he's been following me. Ever since I met you actually"

 

Toshiko looked suspiciously around "I can't talk"

 

"You get your boss to stalk me and you can't talk"

 

"I don't know anything about him following you"

 

"Of course" Owen said with disbelief.

 

"I don't" She lowered her voice "And if he is following you it's not safe to talk"

 

"I need questions answered. You, the supposed alien…"

 

"You already know the answers" Toshiko said walking away.

 

"Any news on Toshiko?" Ianto asked as he handed out the mugs of coffee.

 

"Nothing" Gwen said sadly.

 

"How can she just disappear?" Commented Owen.

 

"It happens" Jack said

 

"Not to Tosh it doesn't" Owen said angrily

 

"It's ok Owen we'll find her" Gwen said reassuringly

 

"Will we?" Jack asked "We don't know where, or when she is, she could be anywhere or anywhen"

 

"So what we just give up?" Owen said his anger rising.

 

"What else can we do? We've done everything we can think of"

 

"Where must be more we can do"

 

"What Owen? What else can we do?"

 

"I don't know, but I am not just sitting here accepting we've lost her"

 

Owen pulled on his jacket grabbed some bits and left.

 

The giant cog rolled to one side and a tired looking Toshiko walked in.

 

"Ah Tosh you're here, good we can start" Jack said "Boardroom people"

 

They walked over to the boardroom. Bernard pulled the chair out for Toshiko she thanked him but felt rather awkward.

 

"Why are we here?" Toshiko asked

 

"We have a problem" Jack said "Our friend last night"

 

For a heart stopping moment Toshiko thought he meant Owen. But seconds later a picture of the dead alien flashed up on the screen behind Jack.

 

"It was just a one off wasn't it?"

 

"We wish"

 

"These aliens tend to hang around in groups" Bernard said.

 

"Groups of how many?" Gwen asked "Are we talking three of twenty?"

 

"It's just a guess but I'd say three to seven"

 

"That's not the worst of it" Jack said

 

"It gets worse?" Gwen asked.

 

"Unfortunately it does. We usually have to go looking for aliens, they don't usually come to us"

 

"Wasn't it just a fluke that it turned up at Tosh's place?" Gwen asked

 

"It doesn't look like it"

 

"So are the rest of us safe?"

 

Jack didn't say anything.

 

"What about Rhys" Gwen said with panic "Will they go after him?"

 

"No we think it's just us, but you need to be on your guard when you're together"

 

"Oh God!"

 

"At last we can be prepared"

 

"And we know we can shoot them" Toshiko added.

 

"There is that" Bernard agreed

 

"Any idea why they are coming after us?" Toshiko asked

 

"We don't know exactly. Another odd thing, there's no rift activity to explain them"

 

"Do you think it or they followed me through?" Toshiko asked

 

"Could well have and that would explain why we have no record of the rift letting them through"

 

"But they are definitely after all of us?" Gwen asked

 

"Seems so, Berney gave chase to one, but unfortunately it got away. So on your guard people"

 

Owen wandered aimlessly around Cardiff; he had grabbed as much kit as he could when he stormed out. Anything that could help him find her. He couldn't just give up like Jack had.

 

"Come on Tosh, I aint giving up on you"

 

A movement caught Owen's eye.

 

"Tosh?"

 

Owen was unnerved slightly. He got his gun out just in case "Tosh?"

 

Something moved in the shadows.

 

Suddenly something leapt out at him and knocked him to the ground. Massive teeth where flashing at him.

 

"Get off me you green baseborn cad"

 

Owen pushed it away and managed to get his hand back on his gun again. As the creature came at him again he shot, the creature fell backwards.

 

Owen clicked the blue-tooth on his ear "Jack we've got a problem"

 

They took the creature back to the autopsy room. It was tied to the table and Owen was peering at it.

 

"Why's it tied down?" Ianto asked

 

"Because it's not dead" Jack said circling the table.

 

"Isn't it?" Ianto said with a little concern, stepping away a little.

 

"Which is good"

 

"Is it?"

 

"We can ask it some questions"

 

"Will it understand?" Ianto said peering at it.

 

"Oh yes, the Mizlar are very good with languages"

 

"We need to find where the rest of them are" Owen added

 

"Looks like we're in luck its coming round"

 

The creature struggled and grunted.

 

"Hello" Jack said with false friendliness "We've got a few questions to ask you"

 

"I not answer you" It grunted, it's accent was heavy but the words understandable.

 

"I think you might. Owen"

 

Owen took out his gun and pointed it at the creature "If you don't I'll finish the job"

 

"Where are the rest of you?" Jack asked.

 

"They no here, they gone"

 

"Are they dead?"

 

"No dead"

 

"Then where?" Owen said losing patience

 

"They disappear, I not know where"

 

"Ok, why are you here?" Jack asked

 

"We told to come"

 

"By who?"

 

"We not know them"

 

"But still you agreed to come?" Owen asked

 

"We do what we told"

 

"Did you come after me specifically?"

 

"You one of the ones to find"

 

"What about me?" Jack asked "Am I one too?"

 

The creature's eyes closed and it started to convulse.

 

"It's in shock" Owen said dashing around it, trying to do something.

 

"Can you help it?"

 

"Not really. I don't know how to treat it"

 

Suddenly the movement stopped

 

Jack stared at the creature "It's stopped"

 

"That's because it's dead"

 

Owen was up to his arms in dead Mizlar when Gwen entered. He'd been working on the autopsy of the creature for a while.

 

"Do you think it killed Tosh?" Gwen asked eyeing it cautiously.

 

"Not if what I presume passes for a stomach is anything to go by" Owen said flopping a large green bloody mess into a bowl.

 

"Well did it attack her?"

 

"There's no evidence and I'd say if she had been injured we'd have found her by now"

 

"So what do you think happened to her?"

 

Owen sighed the congealed green blood staining his gloves "I really don't know"

 

Chapter Five

 

Jack's finger unconsciously ran across the scar on his otherwise perfect face as he thought.

 

"You know" Toshiko said "The you in my world doesn't have that scar"

 

Jack broke out of his thoughts.

 

"Really" thinking for a moment "I suppose so, it did confuse you when you first arrived"

 

"I suppose somehow he missed getting it"

 

"Shame, I think it gives me a rugged quality"

 

"Do you mind me asking how you got it?"

 

"It was a stupid fight with my brother"

 

"Grey?"

 

"yeah, we were teenagers. It was a stupid fight we were fighting over…" he thought for a minute "I can't remember what it was now. It could have been a girl or boy or piece of clothing or food or something, you know teenagers, it doesn't really matter. Grey did feel really guilty, I remember that much" Jack thought for a moment "suppose the other me didn't have the argument or moved quicker"

 

"He didn't have the argument"

 

Jack looked at her puzzled "How do you know"

 

"I don't know much about his past, but I know he lost his brother some years before they were teenagers, he looked for him for years"

 

"He never found him?"

 

"No"

 

A wave of sadness came over Jack's face "I'm glad I've got the scar"

 

The streets were quiet and dark as Toshiko walked towards her flat. She could hear movement behind her. Stealthily she put her hand into her bag and took out her gun. She tried to lose whoever was following her. But she could still hear them. Toshiko knew just because one of the Mizlar had already followed her, didn't mean there might not be another one after her. Toshiko's heart was beating heard in her chest. She'd have to confront it soon. It had gone on too long for someone just to be going the same way as her. Taking a deep breath, Toshiko stopped holding her gun in both hands in front of her. She found herself looking at an Owen almost as pale as the one she knew.

 

"Do you have to keep doing that?" he said as Toshiko lowered the gun.

 

"Well if you will creep up on me"

 

"You're a bit handy with that thing"

 

"I need to be you saw the type of thing we have to deal with"

 

"Yeah he wasn't a pretty fella" Not wanting to think about it he changed the subject "I see you work longer hours than me and that's saying something"

 

"Why are you here?"

 

"I want to talk"

 

Toshiko sighed "If you're just going to accuse me of more things. What is it now? Did I drug you to make you see things?"

 

"No, I believe you. I just want get things straight. Can we meet up some time?"

 

"Alright, tomorrow night at ten. The coffee shop we went to last time"

 

"Is this a date?"

 

Toshiko couldn't stop herself smiling. "If you want. Be warned thought. I may have to pull out. My job isn't nine to five"

 

"Ok here's my number" He said handing her a piece of paper with his mobile number on it "Ring me if you can't make it"

 

"Ok"

 

"I'll let you get some rest" he said smiling, turning and leaving.

 

"You managed to make it then?" Owen said as Toshiko joined him "All Quiet on the alien front then"

 

"Sshh, you can't tell anyone"

 

"I've a feeling they wouldn't believe me anyway" Owen sipped his drink "So what exactly do you do?" he said quietly.

 

"We look for aliens. If they are a danger we deal with them"

 

"Looked to me like that one had come looking for you"

 

"I know"

 

"So why Cardiff?"

 

"Because it's on a rift in space and time, they just come through"

 

"Interesting" Owen said over his raised cup.

 

"You do believe me?"

 

"After the past few days, I'd believe anything. So are there many of these aliens?"

 

"Oh yes"

 

"Are they all the same as the one from the other night?"

 

"No all different"

 

"Any nice ones?"

 

"Not very often"

 

"Sounds fun"

 

"You'd like it"

 

"This other me… the one you know. Do you work together?"

 

"Yes" Toshiko smiled.

 

"So this parallel universe thing, is it normal to go from one to the other. I mean normal for you guys?"

 

"No, it's not. That's the problem, the gateway has closed and I'm stuck here"

 

"You didn't just stay for me then" Owen joked.

 

"The trouble is there's another one of me, one that belongs here and she could be back any day"

 

"Is she like you? I mean just like you?"

 

"As far as I know"

 

"Well if that's the case, I'm sure she'll take it in her stride like everything else" Owen smiled placing his hand gently on hers.

 

Just then Toshiko's phone started to ring.

 

"Sorry" she said to Owen as she answered it.

 

There was a look of disappointment on her face as she put it down again "Sorry, I'm going to have to go"

 

"No night off after all"

 

"No"

 

"Loose alien?" Owen asked as Toshiko gathered her things to leave.

 

"Same type as the other night"

 

"Can I come?"

 

"No"

 

"Come on I'm one of the team in your world"

 

"This isn't my world. You're different"

 

"Bet I'm not that much different"

 

"Not really, but this Jack doesn't know you. He would approve. I shouldn't have told you anything. I'll see you" she said as she left.

 

The others were trying to contain the creature when Toshiko arrived. They were attempting to surround it.

 

"We don't want it dead" Jack said "Berney is that sedative going to work?"

 

"I hope so; it's a bit of guess work though"

 

"Great" said Ianto not meaning it at all.

 

"It's the best we've got. Ah good Tosh we need all the help we can get"

 

Toshiko took her place next to Gwen.

 

"We're going to close in on it when Jack gives the signal" Gwen whispered "Confuse it enough for Berney to give the injection"

 

"Now!" Jack said

 

The creatures eyes surveyed the group as they slowly edged closer towards it. It was dangerous, Jack knew that but he wanted this one alive, he wanted answers. The creatures eyes dashed frantically about as it took them in, they were close, too close it was frightened. It lashed out, someone screamed then the creatures own other worldly scream was heard as the sharp needle punctured it's skin, the world around it dimmed, its legs gave way as it fell to the floor unconscious.

 

Toshiko held her bleeding arm as she looked at the creature laying by her feet.

 

"Oh my God Toshiko you're hurt" Owen said getting closer.

 

"What the hell is he doing here?" Jack asked angrily

 

"He must have followed me" Toshiko said quietly

 

"I'm a medic I can help" Owen said reaching out to Toshiko's arm.

 

"I'm the medic here" Bernard said getting between Owen and Toshiko "I'll deal with her"

 

"It's time to deal with you" Jack said looking at Owen "Ianto"

 

Ianto knew what he had to do. He hand cuffed Owen's hands behind his back.

 

"Jack no" Toshiko pleaded "He hasn't done anything wrong"

 

"He knows too much"

 

Owen swallowed heavily not knowing what he had got himself into and how were they going to deal with him? He wasn't sure he wanted to know. Perhaps he was going to become a snack for a hungry alien. Toshiko's look was sad and apologetic. He knew there was nothing she could do.

 

Chapter Six

 

Owen was forced into a sinister looking black 4x4. He was the street lights whizzing past through the tinted windows. He knew here was an unconscious alien in the boot. One of the team a smart young man, Owen though had been Ian or something like that was walking back to wherever it was they were going so they could escort the 'prisoner'. Owen was rather glad the alien was in the boot as he thought if it was it could well have been him. There was a pretty dark haired Welsh girl sitting between him and Toshiko. He looked over at Toshiko, her face was set and expressionless but her eyes betrayed emotion.

 

The car parked up and the Welsh girl hauled him out, her attitude was like a copper and he felt she had done this before. Owen was rather surprised when they entered a battered looking tourist information office, disbelieving it could be their head quarter - was someone having him on? The American who Toshiko had said was her boss, flicked a switch and one of the walls slid away, revealing a tunnel. At the end of the tunnel was a large round door which rolled away. Owen was awestruck when he saw what obviously was their head quarters. The Welsh girl shoved him inside. It was on foe the strangest places he'd ever seen. Everything was on different levels, computer screens everywhere. Was that the bottom of the water sculpture? He ceiling was a long way up, was that a pterodactyl? Owen was marched across the room; a mechanical noise caught his attention. Something was coming down from the ceiling. It was something square like a paving stone and on it was the bloke they had left behind.

 

"Ah Ianto, you made good time" the American said to the descending man.

 

"Well you know me" he replied "I know all the short cuts" he hopped off the slab as it arrived at ground level.

 

"Help the Gwen take the prisoner to the cells, while I decided what course of action to take"

 

"I'd rather you'd have said hospitality suite" Owen said trying to sound brave.

 

"Call it what you like, it's still a place with lockable rooms"

 

It was possible the cells were even worse than Owen had imagined. He was sure the police would never have got away with cells this damp and horrible. The Welsh girl pushed him into the cell, but she could see a slight sadness in her eyes.

 

When Gwen came back from the cells she could hear Toshiko and Jack arguing.

 

"You should have never let him get involved" Jack shouted pacing the floor.

 

"I didn't tell him to follow me"

 

"But you've told him things haven't you?"

 

"He works for Torchwood in my world"

 

"This isn't your world Tosh"

 

"But I know he would be good"

 

"We have everyone we need. We don't need two doctors"

 

Toshiko looked at her monitor which showed Owen in the cell "What are you going to do with him?"

 

"I haven't decided yet. I should wipe his memory"

 

Toshiko saw the sad figure in of Owen on the screen, leaning dejectedly against the door "Can I at least take him a cup of tead?"

 

"If you want"

 

Toshiko descended down to the cells cup in hand. Owen lightened slightly to see another human.

 

"I'd like to complain" he said "the view from this room is terrible" he joked

 

"I'm so sorry you're here" Toshiko said letting herself into the cell and handing the cup of tea over.

 

"It's my stupid fault really, you told me not to go"

 

"I didn't ant this to happen and I didn't want you to get hurt"

 

"Talking of which did that toff bloke sort out your arm?" he said pulling her sleeve back revealing the untouched wound.

 

"He's busy with the Mizlar"

 

"I bet it'll be out for hours. Here" he put his cup down and fished around in his jacket pocket, he bought out a mini first aid kit "Be prepared"

 

"Like the scouts"

 

"Yeah dob dob and all that"

 

Owen cleaned the wound and dressed it "Some medic toff nose is"

 

"Thanks" Toshiko said appreciatively

 

"I must say I'm not very keen on the neighbours around here. Who's that guy next door?"

 

"Oh that's a weevil, there are lots of them. They live in the sewers"

 

"Lovely" he said sarcastically.

 

There was silence for a moment while Owen drank his tea and he knew he had to ask the question he had been dreading. "What's going to happen to me?"

 

"Don't look so worried, you're likely just to get your memory wiped"

 

Owen breathed a slight sigh of relief "So I forget all the funny creatures I've seen?"

 

"He'll probably blank the last few days"

 

Owen thought for a moment "But that would mean…"

 

"You forget about me, yes"

 

Owen frowned "I could live without the scary aliens, but you, you're the most interesting, prettiest woman I've met in ages. I don't want to loose you"

 

"We don't have much choice, you know too much"

 

"I could act dumb, I'm good at that. 'What aliens?'" he said with a blank expression.

 

Toshiko laughed but it was fairly certain his fate was sealed.

 

Jack Harkness was divided, he knew the man down in the cells knew too much. He should wipe his memory like anyone else. But was he just like anyone else? Could he help them? Toshiko said he was part of the team in her world. He could be helpful and now he knew what the city contained. If he wiped that he's have to explain it all again and he believed now, he might lose that belief. He picked up the file on Owen Harper which had been sitting on his desk. It was a tough decision.

 

Toshiko and Owen froze as they heard the foot steps coming towards the cell.

 

"Here we go" said Owen he looked pale.

 

Jack opened the door "Doctor Harper you're free to go"

 

Owen looked at him in disbelief "What?"

 

"I said you are free to go"

 

Owen still looked puzzled.

 

"I thought you were supposed to be intelligent" Jack said "If you'd rather stay here"

 

"No, no. Charming as it is. It's just I thought you were going to give me a memory block thingy"

 

"I can if you want"

 

"No thanks, I like my memory the way it is"

 

"So why have you changed your mind?" an equally stunned Toshiko asked.

 

"I have my reasons, although he warned Doctor Harper you are tell no one about us, what we do and what you've seen. I don't even want you watching E.T."

 

"Of course"

 

"Otherwise it's back here and we wont be so hospitable"

 

Jack escorted Owen out of the hub. Owen was pleased to be leaving with everything still intact. It was very late and very dark outside.

 

Toshiko sat at her desk still surprised by the outcome. Jack came back, juts missing her sending Owen an apology text. Jack came and leant on her desk.

 

"Back in your world, you and him haven't got a thing going have you?"

 

"Oh no"

 

"Okay" Jack said disbelievingly

 

"Believe me we haven't"

 

Owen put his phone back in his pocket and pulled his jacket around him against the cold. He walked home through the dark Cardiff streets He could hear someone behind him, was that bloke following him? Checking he was behaving himself? He didn't know who he could have told this late at night anyway.

 

"You don't have to follow me" he said turning around, but there was no one in sight "Ok, have it your way. I won't be telling anyone, not even any spiders that may be lurking at my flat" Still there was no answer. Owen shrugged and continued walking. But he still felt the presence behind him.

 

"Look!" Owen said turning around again "Oh!"

 

There in front of him was the beady lizard eyes of the Mizlar, its mouth open its sharp teeth bared. Owen backed away, looking around for some kind of weapon, if he was to stand any chance with the creature. There was nothing about, suddenly his foot connected with something solid. Looking down briefly he saw it was a bit of heavy piping, but the creature was baring down on him fast. Thinking fast Owen took some coins from his pocket and threw them passed the Mizlar. The sound of them landing distracted the creature just long enough for him to pick up the pipe. The creature came towards him again, he tried to keep it at bay, but his claws caught him a couple of times and it's fangs where getting ever closer. Owen swung the pipe hitting the creature around the head, it had the desired effect and the creature fell to the ground.

 

Owen felt for his mobile, his hand was till shaking as he dialled "Toshiko, you know those aliens I'm not supposed to know about of speak of, well one of them has just attacked me, I'm ok but it might have a bit of a headache"

 

 

 

Chapter Seven

 

Owen was still looking down at the creature, pipe in hand when the SUV pulled up. Jack, Toshiko, Gwen and Ianto got out.

 

"What happen?" Jack asked slightly suspicious.

 

"I was walking home, and this thing was following me. All of a sudden it attacked me"

 

"It came after you?"

 

"Well I certainly didn't got looking for it"

 

"Well done, Owen" Toshiko said carefully taking the pipe which he was still holding aloft "We'll take it from here"

 

"But why did it come after me? Do those things go after anyone?"

 

Gwen turned to Jack whispering "Do you think it saw him leaving the hub and decided to go after him?"

 

"No, I think it went after him because he's Torchwood"

 

"But he's not"

 

"He is in this Toshiko's world"

 

"Really?"

 

"I think they were confused"

 

"So it went after this Harper bloke, because it thinks he's one of us"

 

"That's what I reckon"

 

Toshiko was scanning the creature and making notes.

 

"So where's old silver stethoscope then?" Owen asked her.

 

"He's back at the hub, keeping an eye on the other Mizlar"

 

"Preferred the one he knew was definitely unconscious"

 

Jack joins them "You tackled that thing on your own?" he asked Owen.

 

"Yeah, didn't have much choice"

 

"I'm impressed, most people would have been dinner"

 

"I'm not saying it didn't have a good try" Owen said showing bloodied hands.

 

Toshiko was slightly shocked at the sight "Have you still got that first aid kit?"

 

"Yeah it's in my inside pocket, you'll have to get it out for me" he said waving his hands about to illustrate.

 

Toshiko put her hand into his pocket, she could feel the heat of his body, she blushed slightly. She retrieved the kit and opened it. She returned the favour from earlier.

 

"Thank you Doctor Sato" Owen smiled "will I live?"

 

"I'd say so"

 

"How about playing the piano"

 

"I'm sure you can"

 

"Good because I never could before"

 

"Doctor Harper I think you'd better come back with us for protection" Jack said helping Ianto to the car with the Mizlar.

 

"For who's protection yours or mine?" Owen asked with a grin.

 

"Ours of course" Jack said humouring him.

 

They arrived back at the hub.

 

"Make yourself at home" Jack said taking his coat off.

 

"A bit more friendlier than last time" Owen replied

 

"If you're really lucky you might get a cookie" Jack joked

 

"Ianto break out hob knobs" Gwen added with a smile.

 

"Do you live alone, is there anyone who'll miss you if you don't go home?"

 

"Watch out that might be a chat up line" Gwen said biting into one of the biscuits Ianto had started to around.

 

"Thank you Gwen" Jack said

 

"Nope, just me and you're not my type"

 

"Shame" Jack said jokingly as he took a biscuit.

 

Bernard arrived from the medical area he looked rather annoyed.

 

"What's up" Jack asked wiping crumbs from his shirt.

 

"That bloody Mizlar died"

 

"What how?"

 

"I don't know it seemed to be alright. It recovered from the shot I have it. I was asking if questions all of a sudden it started convulsing the it was dead. Got hardly anything out of it"

 

"Oh well we brought you a fresh one. You can have another go when you've autopsied this one"

 

"What's he doing here?" Bernard said with a not so friendly glance at Owen.

 

"He caught your latest Mizlar" Jack said patting Bernard on the shoulder.

 

In another place, Owen took off his rubber gloves and climbed the stairs out of the medical area "Go it's so quiet without Tosh"

 

"Yeah because she was so noisy" Gwen said sarcastically.

 

"All that clickity clicking"

 

"Well she could hardly use a silent keyboard even we don't have them. At least she didn't sing along an autopsy, like I've heard you do"

 

"I'm a professional, I always choose something appropriate"

 

"Talking of which" Jack said entering the room "Discover anything interesting from the Mizlar"

 

"I did actually" Owen said glad to be the centre of attention "I know why our friend died so quickly"

 

"Really?"

 

"Yes the inbuilt equivalent to cyanide capsules"

 

"Things get too hot and …." Jack said drawing his finger across this throat and making the appropriate noise.

 

"Yup, only this chap had no choice. Gets into a captive situation and boom it goes off, no more Mizlar"

 

"Do you think they all have them?"

 

"I'd say so, it seems inbuilt"

 

"So no matter how many we question, we wont get much out of them"

 

"Pretty much"

 

Being confined to their head quarters wasn't as interesting as it sound. There were lots of places he wasn't allowed to go. He'd been talking to Toshiko but he could tell she'd been trying to work and he'd been distracting her, so he left her to it. He was currently learning over the rail looking down into the medical area where Bernard was autopsying the Mizlar. This served two purposed, firstly it was interesting to see another medic work, especially on an alien. Secondly he knew it was annoying him, which Owen was enjoying.

 

"Oh, you're going to do it like that are you?"

 

"Yes" Bernard said trying to ignore Owen.

 

"Oh right"

 

"Look I'm doing this autopsy not you"

 

"Ok" Owen was quiet for a moment "It's just&qu

[MorningAngel]

It's just" he said heading down the stairs "I'd have thought you'd have gone for that section first, being as that seems where all its interesting bits are. You'll just be scraping about looking for things over there"

 

"I'm doing it my way"

 

"Ok I'm just saying"

 

"Well don't"

 

"Ok I'll be as quiet as a mouse"

 

"You had better"

 

Owen is quiet but keeps looking over Bernard's shoulder which annoys him further. His patience was tried further when he head the slap of the rubber gloves Owen put on.

 

"What's that?" Owen said pointing inside the cavity.

 

"It's nothing important"

 

"You sure?"

 

"Yes" Bernard replied through gritted teeth.

 

"It's just it looks interesting" Before Bernard could stop him he had removed it and was examining it and sniffing it. "That's interesting, looks like a internal poison secretion"

 

"Look you oik this is my autopsy"

 

"Who you calling an oik? I was at medical school as long as you were"

 

"Just but out"

 

"You were going to miss this" Owen said waving the green lump about in his hand "Looks like this was probably what killed it"

 

"Like you'd know" Bernard said squaring up to Owen.

 

"Two many Doctors spoil the corpse" Jack said leaning on the rail overlooking the dissection table. "Have we got a problem gentlemen?" Jack said descending the stairs.

 

"We're fine" Bernard sulked "We think we've found the cause of death" he said pointing to the lump in Owen's hand.

 

"Looks like some kind of auto destruct" Owen said looking at it "It's a poison gland by the looks. See it's starting to decompose already, I'd say that was due to whatever was in it. Somehow whatever it is seems to be sealed inside until the trigger. Then it self destructs, really fascinating"

 

"Very good, but could you possible leave me alone to finish this" muttered Bernard

 

"Come on Owen, seems Berney is feeling a little threatened"

 

"I am not"

 

"Do you want him to stay then?"

 

"It's alright I can manage"

 

Jack and Owen walked away from the medical area.

 

"So what happens if you detect another one of those creatures?" Owen asked

 

"We'd go out and collect it"

 

"Great"

 

"When I said 'we' you weren't included"

 

"So what, you'd just leave me here on my own? Do you think that's wise?"

 

"Ok, you may have a point. But I couldn't take you unarmed"

 

"Well give me a gun then"

 

"I'm not just going to give you a gun"

 

Owen looked disappointed.

 

"You need to be trained to use one first" Jack continued "Come with me to the range"

 

"You have a range?"

 

"We have most things"

 

 

Chapter Eight

 

In the other Cardiff swivelled in his chair and played with his pen, thinking.

 

"You know I'd have expected more Mizlars by now"

 

"I know" Jack agreed "It's not normal for them to hang out on their own. Any more sightings Ianto?"

 

"Nothing, I can't detect any Mizlars anywhere"

 

"That's strange"

 

"Do you think they might have something to do with Toshiko's disappearance?" Ianto asked

 

"I don't know, they would seem more kill than capture to me"

 

"And there was no evidence it killed Tosh" Gwen added.

 

"But it's funny, that it turned up and Tosh disappears" Said Owen

 

"Perhaps there were others and they too Tosh somewhere" Gwen offered

 

"Again the capture thing" Jack said thinking "It or they had a mission of some kind from what we could gather before it died"

 

"So there is some connection" Gwen asked

 

"Seems so" Jack agreed "but why only one"

 

Owen's gun training was going well.

 

"This is great" Owen said over the noise as the gun recoil made him stumble backwards.

 

"They are only to be used when necessary" Jack said "It's a deadly weapon not a toy. You're standing wrong. It's legs apart, hands together, strong and steady"

 

Owen took Jack's advice and didn't lose his balance the next time the gun recoiled.

 

"That's better, we have some unique Torchwood guns you can try, but not until you have mastered the basics"

 

Toshiko joined them "Jack you said you wanted me"

 

"Yes keep an eye on Owen. Make sure he doesn't shoot anything he shouldn't"

 

"Alight"

 

"And when you think he's ready move him up to the good stuff"

 

"Ok"

 

Jack left and Owen found his concentration wasn't as good as it was before Toshiko had joined him.

 

After Jack has left Owen he had put his coat on and walked through the hub to the exit.

 

"Jack where are you going?" Gwen asked "The Mizlar's about to wake up, we need to question it"

 

"You do it, I don't reckon you'll get much out of it anyway" Jack said leaving.

 

Owen was just getting used to the special Torchwood guns, they aimed better and somehow thee was no recoil. Owen had asked Toshiko why this was and she explained that they used the alien technology they had found to make their armoury better, to make it a move even playing field, she had said. Gwen rushed into the range "Jack's called for back up we've got to go"

 

"Take this one" Toshiko said handing him one of the guns he had been using.

 

The SUV streaked through the streets of Cardiff. It wasn't Ianto's usually driving style but he knew they had to get there quickly.

 

"Did you have any luck with the Mizlar" Toshiko asked Gwen

 

"Not much, the thing died in minutes"

 

"That'll be it" Owen said "captivity situations sets off its poison gland, one way for it to avoid questions"

 

"Thank you, I had already worked that out" Bernard liked.

 

As they pulled up they could see Jack and the Mizlar in battle together and it wasn't looking good for Jack. The team got out of the SUV as fast as they could. But as they did the thing stuck it's fangs in, Jack wailed in pain and then slumped to the ground. A shot rang out, the bullet hitting the thing in the chest; it too cried out and collapsed. Bernard rushed to the creature and Owen to Jack.

 

"It's dead" Bernard said

 

"Owen's time in the range wasn't wasted then" Gwen said

 

"He's a natural" Toshiko smiled.

 

"Oh my god, Jack's dead" Owen said after examining him "That thing killed him, got his jugular vein"

 

"Owen come here" Toshiko said gently.

 

"I couldn't help him" Owen said numb with shock.

 

"Owen" Toshiko took his hand and pulled him away.

 

Owen was still looking at Jack when he took in a massive breath and screamed as he came back to life again "He was dead. I'm a doctor, I know dead when I see it and he was definitely dead"

 

"He does that" Gwen said helping Jack up.

 

"What come back to life again?" Owen asked still in shock.

 

"Yeah" Jack said brushing the dirt from his coat.

 

"That's impossible"

 

"It's a long story, involving a pretty blonde and a time vortex"

 

Owen stood there open mouth "I got the blonde bit but time Vortex…"

 

"Don't ask" said Gwen with a kind smile.

 

"Can you hear that?" Toshiko asked.

 

They all listened for a moment, there was a low rhythmic humming.

 

"It's coming from the body" Toshiko said knelling to listen.

 

"Is it still alive?" Jack asked

 

"No definitely dead" She said looking at the device in her hand.

 

"Do you think it might be warning others" Gwen asked.

 

"It could be, but it hasn't happened before" Jack said listening "Lets get it back to the hub quickly.

 

Jack felt something was wrong even before they were through the door of the hub. It was just a feeling in his stomach, but he knew it was right.

 

"Get behind me" Jack said taking his faithful webley from it's holster. Carefully he entered the hub. He had been right the hub was on red alert after detecting a presence. Through the red light Jack spotted it right away. There in the centre nest to the bas of the water tower was a figure. It was seven feet tall, it was not solid at first but it was gaining mass as he watched. A beam almost like that of an old fashioned projector connected the intruder with the dead Mizlar still on the autopsy table. It was using the Mizlar as energy to appear, as its image got stronger the Mizlar's body got weaker and began to turn to dust. As the last of the Mizlar was used up, now completely dust, the figure was now fully formed. At last Jack could see it's face, it was vaguely human looking although more skeletal. It's skin was a greenish white which had its own luminescence. On it's head was a helmet that came down in a widows peak, it was cover in geometric artwork, it made its stand out as more for ceremony than combat. It had regal looking robes of the darkest green, underneath was armour which matched the helmet. It held a tall staff on top of it was an orb, with lightening inside, like a plasma ball. The rest of the team were behind jack, they were also transfixed by the creature, but each one of them was armed. The creature looked at them with menacing emerald cat like eyes. Their weapons didn't scare it. It's lips didn't more but they could all hear it clearly in their heads.

 

"My warriors failed but I shall not. Tonight you will all die"

 

The door deadlocked itself behind them.

 

Chapter Nine

 

"Why are you here?" Jack asked

 

"To kill you all" Came the wordless reply.

 

"Can you here him too?" Gwen asked and the others agreed

 

"Silence!"

 

"Why do you want us dead?"

 

"Because you are the only guardians of earth. With you out of the way there is nothing to stop me and my people taking this world for our own"

 

"But what about the people who already live here?" Gwen asked

 

"They are easily disposed of, like you"

 

"If this is your big idea" Jack asked "What did the Mizlar have to do with it?"

 

"Their job was to clear the way. They failed miserably. I only had report of one death and I see even that information was incorrect and there is one more among you, no matter I will kill him too."

 

Everyone braced themselves. The creature raised its staff and shot a bolt of power at Bernard who dropped down dead. Owen rushed over to him trying desperately to revive him. The creatures laughter rang through their heads. Jack was first to shoot, followed by the others.

 

But the bullets just ricocheted of its armour and its laughter grew louder "You think those primitive weapons can kill me Great Lord of the Arcev"

 

He moved closer taking position in front of Jack "How about I kill your leader" It transmitted before he raised his orb again the bolt killing Jack instantly, his body dropped to the floor.

 

The team bustled trying to figure out how to over come the creature. A gun shot rang out. Owen was still crouching by Bernard's body and smoking gun in his hand. The bullet had broken the lightening orb. The orb exploded and the lightening shot back, like a tortured creature attacking it's captor. The lightening spread over the creature's body, the laughter in their head was replaced with screams and the creature was electrocuted. The screaming stopped and the creature fell to the ground, its body still twitching, then the twitching stopped.

 

"Is it dead?" Gwen asked looking down at it.

 

Toshiko took a scan "Seems so"

 

"How did you know that would happen?" Gwen asked Owen

 

"I didn't it was a lucky guess. I thought if I took out it's weapon we might stand a fighting chance"

 

Gwen took a deep breath "and Berney"

 

"I'm afraid I couldn't save him, he was killed instantly"

 

"What about Jack?" Toshiko asked "You don't think we've found the one thing that can kill him" the worry showing in her voice.

 

As if to answer, Jack took a massive breath and cried out as once again he came back to life. "Geez that hurts. What'd I miss?"

 

"The death of the Lord of the Arcev" Ianto said pointing to the body of the ground.

 

"Shame, hope we got it on the cameras I'd hate to miss that"

 

Bernard's body was put into one of the drawers in the morgue. Toshiko felt terribly sad, she knew she would have felt worse if she'd had known him longer. How would the other Toshiko feel when she returned? One death after another, and had they had feelings for each other?

 

Owen looked down at Bernard's white face "What are you going to tell his family?"

 

"Nothing" Jack said closing the drawer.

 

"You've got to tell them"

 

"No, I haven't it's Berney's wishes. They disowned him a long time ago. He gave me strict instructions, on his death I was not to inform them"

 

"He knew he was going to die?"

 

"He knew this job was highly dangerous"

 

Owen was deep in thought for a moment "What do you tell relatives when people die because of alien? It can't be the truth they'd never believe you"

 

"That's usually Tosh's job"

 

"It's got to sound believable" Toshiko said

 

"So you just make up how people died?"

 

"Yes"

 

"So what would have been my cover story, if I had died the other day when that thing attacked me"

 

"Fatal mugging, probably, you've got to keep it as close to the truth as you can"

 

Owen looked sad.

 

"We need to do it Owen, people couldn't handle the truth"

 

"Why did you leave me my memory?" Owen said turning to Jack "Why did you think I could take it?"

 

"It was a feeling, I knew you could handle it"

 

"But why me, why do I get the truth?"

 

"Because you're different. See me in my office in ten minutes"

 

Owen was extremely nervous when he went to Jack's office. He wondered what he'd done wrong. It was like going to see the head master. Owen knocked and Jack called that he should enter. There was a large reassuring smile on Jack's face. He indicated Owen should take the chair in front of him.

 

"Owen I'd like to make you a proposal"

 

"Jack you're very nice and all that, but you're really not my type"

 

Jack laughed a booming laugh. "That's not what I meant"

 

"Oh"

 

"Owen I'd like you to come work for us"

 

"I don't know"

 

"I know you'd be good. You've already proved yourself"

 

Owen was in thought.

 

"All those interesting alien bodies, saving the earth…"

 

Owen was still unsure.

 

"…and you get to work with the lovely Toshiko"

 

Owen smiled a little.

 

"Think about it"

 

Owen knew deciding to join Torchwood would change his life forever, but was that a bad thing? He though of all the strange creatures he could meet and explore. How the human body was interesting but an alien body was unknown and uncharted, it was temping. There was a danger, but that was exciting. Overall Owen felt that if he didn't accept Jack's offer he'd regret it and always winder what he had missed. He became a doctor to save people and in joining Torchwood he could save so many, even if they didn't ever know about it.

 

Owen had been thinking so hard he had almost forgotten an man had just died, but he could tell it on the faces of his new colleagues. Gwen was sobbing and Ianto's stiff upper lip wasn't as stiff as usual and his eye's were watery, there was a haunted look in Jack's blue eye's too.

 

Jack called everyone around "I know it's very quick after the loss of Berney to be thinking of his replacement"

 

"It is a bit" Gwen said wiping her eyes.

 

"But it needs to be done. I couldn't handle it if something happened to you and there was no medical assistance. That's why I have just asked Owen to take over"

 

Owen gave a little wave in acknowledgement.

 

"It seems fitting that if anyone should replace Berney it should be the man who tried to save his life. Even if they never really saw eye to eye – Berney being a couple of inches taller than Owen" Jack said trying to lighten the mood a little "Make him feel at home"

 

As Jack walked away from the group he whispered to Toshiko "Some things are just meant to be"

 

Toshiko smiled. Owen came over to her.

 

"What'd know I'm Torchwood now" he said with a smile.

 

"You'll love it"

 

Something started flashing on her computer.

 

"What's that?" Owen asked

 

Toshiko looked and smiled "It could well be my ticket home.

 

Owen looked gloomy.

 

 

Chapter Ten

 

"It's where I belong" Toshiko said softy. She turned to the others "I think I can go home"

 

She hugged them quickly to say goodbye.

 

"I'm glad" Jack said as they embraced.

 

"I'm coming with you, I want to say goodbye properly" Owen said

 

"Just make sure you come straight back Harper, I don't want to going AWOL this soon in"

 

"Will do"

 

In the other hub Gwen had noticed something strange was happening on Toshiko's computer. "Jack what's that?"

 

Jack's face broke into a wide smile "I think if we're lucky we're getting our baby back"

 

"You think Tosh is coming back?"

 

"I'm pretty certain"

 

"What are we waiting for then?" Owen said already halfway out of the door.

 

Toshiko and Owen walked up to the gateway. He held her hand "I'll miss you, you know"

 

"They'll be another me back shortly"

 

"But she won't be you"

 

"Be careful everyone no one get too close I don't want anyone else falling through" Jack said .

 

They walked up to where the equipment told them the fault was. They could see Toshiko talking to the other Owen.

 

"Of course, parallel universe" Jack said.

 

"Either that or I've been cloned" added Owen.

 

They continued to watch as the Owen she was talking to cradled her face with his hands, pulling her towards him, their lips meeting in a tender kiss.

 

"Take care" Owen said as their lips parted.

 

"Look after the other me when she turns up" Toshiko smiled at tender smile at him before stepping through to the other world. As she did there was the same pause, she could see her friends in suspended animation in front of her. Jack's coat and Gwen's hair was caught on the breeze, although totally still like everything else. Toshiko kept walking and everything started moving again. She was so pleased to seem them and them her. Gwen hugged her and even Ianto did. Jack lifted her off the ground in a great bear hug, he was so glad he had been wrong. Even Owen hugged her, he did try and make it as matey as possibly.

 

"How are you?" she asked Owen

 

"I think I have been hallucinating"

 

They could still see the other Owen as they walked away. Toshiko smiled and waved and he waved back as he began to fade. Owen gave him a searching look and ass they turned to go he put a possessive hand on the small of Toshiko's back.

 

They all gathered around Toshiko back at the hub.

 

"We thought we'd lost you forever" Gwen said wiping the tears of joy from her eyes.

 

"I never gave up hope" Jack said

 

"Yeah right" chipped in Owen

 

"Not in here I didn't, no matter what I hold you" Jack said with his hand of his heart "I the curtains can be drawn but there's still a light inside. We can always hope"

 

"Some people where a little more public in their efforts" Ianto said and Owen tried to look innocent.

 

"I see my equivalent is mentally unbalanced" Owen said changing the subject.

 

"So did the Mizlar follow you through" Gwen asked ignoring Owen.

 

"They must have done, they were sent to kill us, but the didn't manage it. Their boss wasn't happy, it used the Mizlars to get into the hub. You where lucky it thought it was coming to this one. I've got a feeling it inadvertently caused the gap in the first place. Anyway, then he tried to kill us, our guns were no good against it. He killed Bernard"

 

"Who?" They all asked in unison.

 

"He was the doctor there"

 

"Oh" Owen said in surprise.

 

"Anyway the other world Own saved us by destroying the weapon which backfired and killed the creature"

 

"Well the other me couldn't have been all bad then" said Owen "But didn't he work for Torchwood? You said the other guy was the doctor"

 

"He didn't but he does now. It's a very long story"

 

"You can he didn't…" Owen said insinuating

 

"Owen!" said Gwen

 

"I don't want him getting more than me"

 

"Owen you aren't getting anything you're dead nothing works anymore"

 

"Thanks for reminding me" Owen spat starting to sulk.

 

"We didn't" Toshiko whispered in his direction, which seemed to lighten his mood a little.

 

Jack looked down from his office, happy to see everyone where they should be especially Toshiko, she smiled up at him.

 

Toshiko was glad to be back where she belonged.