Sorry for the late update! I've been working on my own original book that is getting published this year! It's getting it's own website and everything! This is a short and sweet one since Captain Jack Harkness will be significantly longer.
‘Mia, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.’ I smiled, holding out a hand for her to shake.
‘Oh it’s so nice to finally meet you too!’ Mia said, shaking my hand. ‘Ross has told me a lot about you, well as much as he can deduce anyway, he’s not exactly Sherlock Holmes.’
‘Oi!’ Ross yelled, slamming the jeep door shut. ‘I can still hear you!’
‘I meant it in the nicest way possible!’ Mia smirked teasingly.
Mia was around the same height as me with darker brunette hair, however she still sported the Torchwood fashion of a glamourous trench coat, heeled boots and sunglasses, that she whipped off as the metal groan of another jeep whirred past us.
Oh yeah, I was definitely going to like this woman, I thought.
UNIT was known for many things, their bases being one of them and for whatever reason, Mike had decided that Torchwood would be the best liaison to have whilst setting up a new one in Wales. Jack wasn’t too pleased that people kept ‘loaning’ me out, as he called it, however, he couldn’t exactly say no when he knew that another consult from Torchwood was also coming. Thankfully it wasn’t pissing it down, just a bit overcast as the pair of us walked through the already bustling military yard.
It was a nice change from the Hub, that and Owen had been sent undercover, since Weevils had been kidnapped…yeah I didn’t understand it either. I’d used my film degree to put together a little promo video for his jellied eels website, before I’d left. Yeah, jellied eels, I didn’t know that was a thing either.
Anyway, right now, my main concern was getting to know Mia, since we worked for the same side.
‘Don’t hit me but I’m guessing by the accent you’re from Edinburgh?’ I guessed, shoving my hands in my pockets.
‘And don’t hit me but I’m guessing you’re from Lanarkshire?’
‘North Lanarkshire originally, but I moved around a lot.’ I smirked.
The warm laugh of Ross sounded as his arm wrapped around Mia shoulder.
‘You know I was worried about a Torchwood stand-off, but maybe I should be preparing for a turf war.’
Mia and I laughed, the wind blowing dulcetly through my hair.
‘Well we don’t really talk to each other, the bases I mean, we just sort of stick to ourselves.’
‘This is what I’m trying to get Ross here to understand,’ Mia smiled. ‘Even though we’ve branched out, Torchwood is just a bunch of loners in big science fiction super bases, we’re like anti-social cats.’
I burst out laughing at that.
‘Oh Mia, you can come and visit any time you like.’ I told her.
‘Swann! Penddraig!’ A brutal voice barked from the other side of the compound. ‘With me!’
The man in question was six feet tall, had balding hair and wore a military uniform, I couldn’t tell which rank he was since the stars and stripes never meant much to me, however, from his stature I believe he could be someone important.
‘We’re just going to get our stuff settled in the main office, Colonel!’ Mia shouted back, with a polite wave.
Oh so he’s a Colonel, bet him and Jack get on like a house on fire, I joked to myself.
Between the pair of us we’d only brought two bags and they weren’t exactly big, however from the look on Mia’s face, it was clear we felt the same way about UNIT.
‘No! Now!’ The man yelled, his finger jutting behind him to a tent.
I grumbled.
‘Oh I just love UNIT.’
‘I feel like we should start a swear jar, we could afford a weekend away after this.’ Mia nodded.
Ross’ arm slipped from her shoulder.
‘You should probably go, that’s Colonel Meisters.’ He said.
‘Oh really?’ Mia asked. ‘I thought it was Colonel Power Trip.’
‘Mia—’
‘Don’t worry I won’t hit him.’ She cut Ross off, kissing him on the cheek before throwing the duffle bag over her shoulder.
‘I might.’ I joked, following after her towards the army tent, where an impatient Colonel Meisters stood.
His face like wet concrete as he said.
‘Before we begin you’ll have to undergo a medical.’
‘Oh you’ve gotta be joking me.’ Mia groaned. ‘I’ve came from Scotland, all my vaccinations are up to date and it’s not like I’ve brought disease with me – I’m also not giving permission for a physical fitness test, considering that it would include a bunch of creepy guys watching me run around.’
I knew that I’d only just met Mia but I really liked her. Sure the creepy guy thing was a little presumptuous but we were here in a consultation capacity, not joining the army.
‘It’s just routine Miss Penddraig, it’s nothing personal.’ The Colonel stated, pointing to a lady in scrubs behind him.
She had light brown skin, her dark hair pulled back into a clip and a kind smile on her face.
‘Nothing too invasive I promise,’ She said. ‘Some blood tests and a urine sample, then some medical history questions.’
‘All my medical history is on file, this is stupid can’t you just tell us what we’re supposed to be doing?’ I asked to Colonel. ‘We’re here to consult on something you’ve found, this is ridiculous.’
‘Give your recent track record I’d say this is far from ridiculous, Miss Swann.’ The Colonel retorted.
I bit the inside of my cheek, knowing if I bit my tongue any harder I’d draw blood. Whoever this man thought he was, he had no right to bring my history up. I didn’t exactly know what he knew about, but if he was referring to the CIA incident then he’d crossed a line. How exactly was that my fault? I did everything right when it came to dating Chris, it was hardly my fault if there was a secret operation going on behind it. I knew he couldn’t be talking about Torchwood operations, given they were classified to UNIT but maybe, he was just pissed I kept stealing Ross to drive me about. Perhaps I should steal him a little more? Really piss him off.
I turned to the medic.
‘Where do you want me?’ I asked politely, since she seemed like the only genuine person here.
Everyone who passed by Mia and I may as well have been sneering and calling us names, their disgruntled faces screwing and twisting as they whispered to the person next to them. I felt like I was an exhibit at the zoo.
“Come along, see the fantastic Torchwood officers who are really starting to lose their patience!” I imagined some announcer voice saying in my head.
‘If I can get you behind the screen to the left and then Miss Penddraig, you’re to the right, I promise I’ll get this done as soon as I can.’ The medic nodded.
Mia and I followed after the woman, sitting quietly on the medical beds as she and another medic started taking the various blood samples. Even though both of us were against this, it gave us a chance to get to know one another. Mia was a graduate from the NASA internship but turned it down when her boss Archie approached her, offering more than just looking at the stars from a space port or telescope. We chatted for about half an hour, given it took me about ten minutes to piss in a pot.
Sure, I had a weak bladder when I needed to pee but when it came to pissing on the spot apparently I was empty. Fucking ridiculous.
‘So, you’re getting married?’ Mia asked. ‘That’s exciting, it honestly gives me hope cause I was worried there would be some stupid rule that says Ross and I couldn’t.’
‘You’re thinking of getting married?’ I asked, since I couldn’t bring myself to tell her the truth behind my ‘marriage’.
‘Well not right now, but you know, later.’ She smiled brightly. ‘Ross is a really good guy but Torchwood…he doesn’t get how different it is.’
‘Tell me about it.’ I smiled knowingly. ‘Chris convinced me to let him come along for a consult and then the sun went off and he was face to face with a Slitheen.’
‘Holy shit, that was you?’ She asked.
‘Yeah,’ I said tiredly. ‘But Ross has training to at least that’s something.’
‘Training on how to shoot first and ask questions later.’ She grumbled. ‘I keep telling him he should be higher in the ranks but no, he wants to work his way up. I told him he’s got potential and that I can help but he doesn’t want to hear it.’
‘If Chris joined UNIT he’d be the same, he wouldn’t want me pulling any strings.’ I told her. ‘Besides, you outrank UNIT so if anything, you could always commandeer him whenever you fancy.’
‘Oh believe me, I commandeer him plenty already.’ She laughed.
An hour later, the medic who I later found out was called Shruti, came back with clean blood work (since I hadn’t exactly been snorting coke on my lunch break), and we were away to a largely cordoned off area at the edge of the compound. A large black tent was the only thing for at least a mile either side of the compounds road, large plastic screens surrounded it, with CAUTION tape whipping about in the soft wind. Soldiers stood outside, armed and exceedingly boring looking. God, what did this lot do to get stuck on tent guarding duty?
In the time it had taken for the test results to come in, the sun had set and a chill whistled through the air, although it didn’t bother Mia or I too much, if anything, this was a regular night back in Scotland.
‘So we’re looking at a radiation cluster bomb?’ Mia asked, gently pushing through the plastic screens, a tablet in her hand as she turned back to me. ‘You called two of us for a bomb? Not ya know, the bomb squad?’
‘I think you’ll find it’s what’s next to the cluster bomb that we’re interested in.’ The Colonel said knowingly, pressing in after her.
Just as I was about to follow in after them, one of the soldiers pressed his hand on my shoulder.
‘Sorry ma’am, you can’t go in, the radiation risk is too high.’
‘What?’ I asked, trying not to laugh. ‘But the two of them just walked in.’
‘With respect ma’am, they’re not pregnant.’
What the fuck?
‘I’m not pregnant.’ I told him pointedly, trying not to take offence that he thought my stomach looked a little round. I was…I had a late lunch and was just a little bloated and that was perfectly normal. I hated it but it was normal.
‘Your blood work says otherwise, I knew Torchwood were reckless but I didn’t think they’d endanger the life of a child, an unborn one at that just for…why are you looking at me like this is the first you’re hearing of this?’
I only breathed in response, turning on my heel and marching as fast as I could back through the compound. This wasn’t happening, there was no way, I mean – of course there was a way – it just couldn’t be! I mean…I couldn’t be pregnant! I hadn’t gotten my period since before the whole Suzie fiasco and the only time it could of happened was…the night of our engagement and the morning after.
‘Fuck.’ I cursed under my breath, heading straight for the main office to grab for my phone, since I didn’t fucking trust anyone else around here.
‘Erin, if this is about the Colonel—’
‘Dad can you look at my recent medical on the server?’ I cut him off, storming back outside into the cold night air.
Most of the soldiers were too busy with drills and the assault course set up across from me to notice my state, but frankly I couldn’t give a toss.
‘Medical? Can’t you just ask the medics?’ He asked.
‘Dad please.’ I begged.
‘Erin what’s the matter?’ Dad asked. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘Please I just need to hear it from you alright, I just need you to go into them and tell me the results of the most recent bloodwork.’
‘Alright pet, alright just stay on the line.’ Dad said in a soft voice. ‘Whatever it is, we’ll work through it alright, whatever the Colonel’s told you it’s probably a load of drivel.’
I hopped from foot to foot trying to calm myself down, since out of everything in the whole wide galaxy, was the last thing I was expecting. It had to be a mistake because I’d been shot and then nearly suffocated to death, I mean, surely a baby couldn’t of survived that. I’d also been, ya know, purging a few times. A few times couldn’t hurt the baby, right? Had I injured my own baby? Had I – stop it Erin, you’re not pregnant!
I heard the clack of dad’s keyboard on the other end of the phone, then silence.
‘Okay Erin, I’ve got the test results in front of me, is someone there with you?’
‘Dad, just tell me!’ I nearly shouted down the phone, the sting of tears in my eyes as my teeth dug down on my nail.
‘You’re pregnant Erin, now stay on the phone with me.’
‘I can’t breathe.’ I cried, reaching for the jeep in front of me, any sort of surface to keep me upright. ‘I can’t be pregnant, I can’t – I – I can’t be.’
I felt like a boa constrictor had wrapped itself around my neck and was squeezing the life out of me, I wanted to rip it off but there was nothing there. All I could do was hold the jeep, all I could do was think about the baby that I’d put in harms way.
I’d hurt my baby.
‘Erin listen to me, we’ve been through this before alright, I want you to start listing things.’
‘Dad, I can’t be pregnant.’ I sobbed, a painful retch in my throat. ‘I can’t.’
‘Three things you can see, list them.’
‘Dad, please.’ I begged, almost as if I were begging him to tell me it was all one big lie.
One big UNIT prank to end them all.
‘Three things sweetheart, just three things.’
‘Uh – Um, the jeep, the main office building and the – my uh – my shoes, my shoes.’
‘Brilliant, three things you can touch.’
‘I’m at the jeep so uh, the metal of the jeep, I can feel the material on my jacket and uh – uh the cold nipping at my fingers.’
Just like high school, that’s all this was, a panic attack. I was having a panic attack and I knew how to deal with them, lists, lists were my best friend. Lists got my mind off of it all, lists stopped me from thinking about what I’d done.
‘That’s great Erin, just great, I want you to list everyone you can that lives at Bannerman Road.’
‘Sarah Jane, Luke, Maria and her dad, um…Clyde but he lives more down the road and then round a corner.’
As we’d been talking, it were as if my throat had opened back up, the cold air spilling down it like water and I drank it all in. It was only then that I felt the freezing wet tears streaking my face and realised, that the soldiers training at the other side of the field, were all staring at me. I wanted Ross next to me, I wanted someone to hold my hand, I needed my dad.
Fuck, what did they all think of me?
‘There were are, that’s a girl,’ Dad said. ‘I’m going to call Jack alright, he’ll send someone to come and get you.’
‘Don’t tell him about Chris.’ I begged, cupping my own mouth, I didn’t want this night to get any worse.
‘I promise I won’t, just stay put and on the line, I’ll be back in a minute love.’
‘Love you.’ I shook.
‘Love you too, sweetheart.’
