DR CHRISTOPHER HALLIWELL
CARDIFF

 

‘This is fucking insane.’ Melinda muttered, handing me another tissue.

            ‘He’s lost it, I told you that job of his gave him a superiority complex didn’t I?’ I asked, smushing the tissue against my nose.

            As we zipped through the different streets of Cardiff my hand clenched the wheel, I didn’t know who to believe but I knew Wyatt had taken this too far. He’d pushed and pushed and sure, I understood that Erin had used Retcon on my family, I wasn’t happy about it but I understood why. Had she been through this before and I just couldn’t remember? I was mad she’d done it without talking to me first but then again, if this was the result maybe it was best we didn’t know what she did.

            I knew Wyatt was dedicated to his job but I thought he’d still be as loyal to his family. Erin was going to be his family and nothing was going to change that.    

            ‘Where are we going?’ Melinda asked. ‘Together we’re a doctor and a fashion student, we don’t have much pull when it comes to the military.’

            ‘See that’s where you’re wrong.’ I said. ‘We have plenty of pull.’

            ‘And how’s that?’

            ‘My father-in-law.’ I said. ‘If we can’t get into the police station then I’ll call Mike, he’s a military guy and trust me, he’ll get her out of this.’

            ‘Did she say she drugged us?’ Melinda asked. ‘Did she admit it?’

            ‘No.’ I said, shaking my head as we flew around a roundabout.

            ‘You know that big speech that Wyatt gave us after he joined the CIA, the one where he yelled at us because he couldn’t tell us anything, said he’d sworn to keep state secrets and how we just weren’t allowed to know?’

            ‘Yeah?’

            ‘Maybe that’s Erin’s real job, one we’re not meant to know or ask questions about.’ Melinda mused. ‘Some things we’re just not meant to know.’

            As we pulled into the police station I thought over what she said but I didn’t have long, since I had to throw the car into a parking lot, as three black jeeps sped past me. Men and woman jumping out the back in black uniforms and red beret’s but the thing that got me and Melinda, was the artillery they were carrying.

            What the hell was my wife involved in? I knew about aliens sure, I’d seen them with own two eyes but this was Earth we were talking about here – what was she involved in?

            ‘What the hell?’ Melinda asked. ‘I thought you said you were only going to call her dad if we couldn’t get in.’

            ‘I did.’ I said, watching in awe as they all charged into the police station, one man who looked a little older barking orders to the soldiers.

            ‘I don’t think she works for the Secret Service…’ Melinda trailed off. ‘Because that – Chris what the hell is going on? You said you knew she used a fake name?’

            ‘Yeah it was to do with her family but that doesn’t matter.’

            ‘Who is she?’

            Who was she? She was my fiancé and soon to be my wife, she was my best friend and the one person I could confide in. She understood what it meant when I lost a patient, she knew what to say and all the right things to do even though I was being an arse about it. She was one of the most intelligent and mature woman I’d met for her age but she had no common sense. She found happiness in the smallest of things and when she came home to me, it was like she knew what to say to make herself feel better.

            KNOCK.

            KNOCK.

            Melinda screamed, jumping out her seat seeing Mike standing at the passenger window, motioning for us to come out.

            ‘Mike?’ She asked, jumping out the car.

            ‘Mike what the hell is going on?’ I asked. ‘I know Wyatt arrested her and I tried to stop him.’

            ‘I can tell son,’ He said, pointing to my nose. ‘Don’t worry, she’s not leaving the UK anytime soon, she’s coming out of there.’

            ‘I have orders!’ I heard the familiar voice of Wyatt shout, as he stumbled down the police steps. ‘You can’t do this!’

            ‘Oh we can mate!’ A solider said, his gun strapped around his shoulders.

            Wyatt shook his head but as he got to the bottom of the steps he saw us and froze.

            ‘I’m doing this for you.’ He stated.

            ‘You arrested her!’ I yelled. ‘You hurt her and then arrested her!

            ‘She’s dangerous!’

            ‘It’s gonna be alright.’ Another American voice sounded from the door, it was the man from Erin’s team. ‘We’ll sort it.’

            Fuck why was he so good looking?

            A different man stood opposite, unlocking the cuffs around Erin’s wrist. She didn’t look like she’s been crying but she looked sad, her eyes drooping to the floor.

            ‘Chris, follow me.’ Mike said taking my arm but I didn’t move, my eyes fixed on her. ‘Jack will bring her over, there’s something you two need to know.’

            I followed at that, seeing Erin meet my gaze, it took a minute to get away from the hustle of the soldiers, that and Melinda practically had to hold Wyatt back from charging over here.

            ‘You’re relationship has been one big plan to get you to American Erin.’ Jack said. ‘Wyatt’s boss Langdon told me himself, they’ve been watching you since you were little.’

            ‘What?’ Erin asked. ‘Jack that’s impossible.’

            ‘You’re saying us getting married has been one big CIA operation?’ I asked Jack, knowing that if I raised my voice Erin would flinch, she looked ready to shatter into a million pieces. ‘That doesn’t make sense.’

            ‘Your brother suggested you go to her university to teach, didn’t he?’ Mike asked.

            ‘Well yeah but it was random and I bumped into her, I wasn’t watching where I was going, one of the people that I used to work with pushed me by accident-’

            ‘Your friend was a CIA agent, he made sure the two of you would meet.’ Mike said. ‘Ever since we got word that this was an operation I looked into it.’

            ‘I can never have a normal life without him, can I?’ Erin asked, her voice broken and eyes wide as she looked to Jack but I had no clue what she meant. ‘This is never going to go away is it?’

            ‘Langdon said as soon as you were married it gave him the right to extradite you to American soil.’ Jack said. ‘So if you marry Chris-’

            ‘I’m handing myself and what we do over to the American’s…’ She trailed off. ‘There must be a way out of this, there has to be.’

            ‘We’re working on it love, we’ve got as many lawyers on this as we can.’ Mike said.

            ‘And here I thought one name change was enough for a lifetime.’ She laughed sadly.

            ‘Erin.’ I took her hands, which she squeezed tighter than I’d ever felt before. ‘Erin look at me, we can fight this, Wyatt and whatever his boss are doing-’

            ‘We have to call off the wedding.’ She cut me off. ‘You’re…You don’t deserve this Chris.’

            ‘No, no don’t start with all of that, we can fight this I know we can.’

            ‘It isn’t meant to be this hard!’ She exclaimed. ‘You were manipulated into a relationship with me for Christ’s sake.’

            ‘No one manipulated me into loving you, no one forced me to do that.’ I said firmly. ‘They can’t force that Erin, not even the CIA.’

            ‘You are in so much danger now because of me.’ She said and I saw her biting back the tears. ‘You’re…You’ll be questioned by them, you’ll be sent God knows where after they’re done and then what happens? You’ll be watched for the rest of your life.’

            ‘I am not letting them take you.’ I told her. ‘Marriage is just a bit of paper, it’s a signature on a bit of paper and I am not going anywhere and that’s not because of what Wyatt did or anything they manipulated us into doing. I asked you to marry me, I asked you to be my wife and I asked you to be the one I spend the rest of my life with.’

            ‘Do you really though?’ She asked and my brows furrowed. ‘I lied, I drugged your family and I drugged Wyatt if anything it’s my fault.’

            ‘No,’ Jack said. ‘It’s mine, I gave you the order and it was under Torchwood jurisdiction.’

            ‘…So it’s true, you work for Torchwood?’ I asked.

            She turned to me.

            ‘You knew?’

            Well yeah – that and I may or may not have looked in the pocketbook in her handbag but that was besides the point. I may have also been researching aliens on my lunch break.

            ‘Well no but after the Judoon and how the rest of the city talks about Torchwood, then the night at the water tower – you ask about Torchwood and everyone points towards the Bay and…so it’s not the Secret Service?’

            ‘Clearly.’ Jack stated.

            ‘Oi!’ Erin said sharply. ‘Just…Where’s Tosh?’

            ‘She was supposed to meet us here.’ The other man said. ‘She text to say she was on her way.’

            ‘Alright – what’s the plan with him?’ Erin asked, looking over to Wyatt who Melinda was chatting to quietly.

            Melinda even though she was the youngest was always the mediator, she was naturally born with the ability to listen although when it came to listening to the voice of reason, she often neglected to listen to that one. She eyed our small group but each time Wyatt joined her gaze she smacked his arm, almost like she’d installed a rule he wasn’t allowed to look at us.

            ‘The usual I’m afraid.’ Jack told her gently before walking away. ‘Sweet dreams.’

            Did he mean Retcon?

            ‘No Jack!’ Erin exclaimed running after him.

            I wanted to go after her but Mike held my arm.

            ‘Some things are better left unheard son.’ He said. ‘This is one of them.’

            I watched pairs exchange and even though I couldn’t hear a lot of it, the look of calm and composure had fallen from Jack’s face, his hand diligently slicing through the air. It was clear they were in some sort of argument and even though there were tears running down Erin’s face, from her furrowed brows and pressed lips it was clear she was angry.

            ‘This isn’t fair!’ Erin shouted. ‘You don’t understand what it’s like Jack!’

            ‘We are not doing this here!’ Jack said sternly, clearly gritting his teeth.

            ‘He’s going to be my husband I am not doing this to him!’

            ‘He will be safer and you know it!’ Jack yelled back. ‘Without-’

            ‘Without me he would have a much safer and better life I know!’ She cut him off. ‘Without me none of this would have happened and he’d be better for it!’

            The entire parking lot fell silent at that, as did the shaky breath that passed my lips. I knew that Erin kept things from me and I understood that but as the regretful look of guilt fell onto her father’s face, I knew the real reason behind all of this. She was scared of losing me but she was far more scared of having to walk away from me. It all made sense now, we hadn’t been spending as much time together but when we did, it was some of the most genuine loving moments.

            Even as I stared at her, noticing the small intricate facial tics I could tell she couldn’t bring herself to look at me.

            Ianto approached her slowly from the side whispering something into her ear and the anger fell from her face, her head drooping to the ground. She quickly wiped at her eyes, cleared her throat and turned to the troops marked with UNIT on their backs. Yet another secret organisation I had no knowledge of.

            ‘Ma’am,’ One of the troops addressed her. ‘We’re more than happy to take this man into custody.’

            ‘There’s no need.’ She said and my brows raised, as did Wyatt’s. ‘This isn’t a contest so he’s free to go under our legislation and protocols.’

            ‘Ma’am?’

            ‘He’s free to go, I think we’ve both caused each other enough grief for one day.’ She said her voice solemn.

            Mike let go of my hand and walked towards the men that I assumed were his troops, giving orders I couldn’t hear and then just like that, him along with his small army got in their jeeps and sped away from the police station. The entire thing had happened so fast it was like they left quicker than they’d arrived.

            Now all that stood in the parking lot was a distained looking Wyatt, a very confused Melinda, an angry Jack, an empathetic looking Ianto, a solemn Erin and a bunch of nosy arsehole police not so sneakily peeking out the window.

            ‘You have twenty-four hours.’ Jack said to Erin, his voice far quieter than before.

            ‘I won’t do it.’ She said.

            ‘You have to.’

            ‘I’ve nearly just lost him and now you want to me to drug him?’

            ‘For his safety.’

            ‘Is that what my marriage is going to be now?’ She asked. ‘A marriage created by the CIA to gain leverage over the British and now it’ll be one based on manipulation and lies.’

            ‘Jack surely we can find a way to get around this.’ Ianto said.

            ‘I’m sorry but these are the rules.’

            ‘But you said I could tell him.’ Erin said but then a sad look fell on her face. ‘Unless that was just another lie?’

            As the conversation continued I found myself to be a complete bystander even though they were talking about me. I knew what I wanted and that was Erin, I wasn’t going to lose her no matter what Wyatt had done. Speaking of-

            BAM.

            I socked him straight across the face, my knuckles cracking against his cheekbone and then just for the hell of it, I kicked my boot into the base of his spine. He’d already crumbled to the ground after the first hit but he cried out for the second, dirt darkening his blonde hair.

            ‘You asshole.’ I said, gritting my own teeth.

            I grabbed for his t-shirt, hauling him up but what surprised me was that he wasn’t fighting back, not like he usually did. He was just taking it – fuck him. I punched him again, sending him stumbling into the side of the building.

            ‘You knew this entire time?’ I asked. ‘This entire time this was some operation?’

            ‘We needed to know what the British knew on extra-terrestrials and what they were keeping from us, this was the perfect way.’ Wyatt spat, blood staining his teeth.

            Now normally I would of freaked out at the word alien but given I’d seen rhino’s wearing kilts not too long ago I wasn’t too phased. Although, one part did snag at my brain.

            ‘Are you saying Erin’s an alien?’

            ‘No!’ Wyatt rolled his eyes. ‘But I told you the dates in her timeline don’t match up, you’ve seen pictures of her and Rose right?’

            ‘So?’

            ‘They went missing nearly eight months ago, how could she have been nine or eight back then?’

            ‘What the hell are you on?’ I asked. ‘You’ve fucking lost it.’

            ‘Don’t worry, he won’t remember any of this and neither will his boss.’ Jack said confidently. ‘We have some friends in the states who are going to clean this up for us.’

            ‘Jack please.’ Erin begged.

            ‘It’s either they forgets or it’s a holding cell – I know what I’d rather.’ Jack retorted and Erin fell quiet. 2

            ‘Hey Jack or whatever it is.’ My sister cut in, wrapping her arm around Erin’s. ‘Why don’t you go back to shouting orders at people and we’ll go home since this attitude and conversation isn’t going anywhere.’

            ‘Who are you?’

            ‘Melinda Halliwell, soon to fashion boutique owner, if you’re ever in the states don’t pop by – come on Erin let’s get out of here.’

            ‘Erin.’ Jack said purposefully. ‘With us – now.’

            Even now she still couldn’t look at me, even as she softly pulled my sister into a hug and whispered something in her ear. Melinda turned to me for a brief moment but Erin clasped her cheek turning her back.

            ‘Erin?’ I asked, not even daring to step forward.

            Her eyes fell to the ground as she wiped at her face once more, then marched towards a black SUV.

            ‘Erin!’ I shouted, taking off in a sprint but what got me was my sister pressing her hands on my chest and shoving me back as hard as she could. ‘Melinda move!’

            The tyres screeched against the ground as the SUV tore away from the police station and down the street. How could she just leave like that? After everything that happened today, how could she just leave? Why wouldn’t she even look at me? Why didn’t she say anything?

            ‘She told me to tell you something.’ Melinda said, her hands still gripping the material of my shirt.

            ‘She can tell me herself.’ I said promptly, already grabbing for my phone but Melinda’s warm hand encased mine. ‘Mel?’

            ‘Chris she said that Wyatt was right.’ She said and my heart skipped a beat. ‘She said that Wyatt has been right about everything and if you’re smart which she knows you are, you’ll leave and never look back.’

            I heard Wyatt laugh from the corner.

            ‘I told you so, she’s fucking dangerous.’

            I went to go for him again but Melinda took my shoulders.

            ‘I’m not done.’ She stated. ‘Erin also said that no matter what she loves you but now that she knows what the CIA have been doing, she can’t stand by and put you in anymore danger.’

            ‘Well I kinda think that’s my choice to make.’ I said, watching after the empty road. ‘That’s my choice.’

            ‘She say’s that she’ll try to get home tonight to talk things over but right now she has to deal with this.’

            I nodded, pressing my lips together and pushing the tip of my tongue against my teeth. Slowly, I turned to my brother who was nursing his bloody mouth and without a moment’s hesitation I said.

            ‘If she leaves me because of what you’ve done I’ll never forgive you.’

            ‘Chris-’

            ‘No!’ I yelled. ‘You manipulated me into a relationship for your job, to get closer to her, you were just using me.’

            ‘It wasn’t like that.’

            ‘Then tell me what it was like.’ I countered. ‘Did you ever stop to think about what this might do to us if I found out.’

            ‘You weren’t meant to find out like this, if anything it was just before-’

            ‘We stepped off the plane on our honeymoon, right?’ I asked. ‘Because you knew I’d planned a trip to the states, you knew as soon as we got off that plane she’d be arrested and you could be the hero, swooping into say don’t worry about it Chris I saved you from a world of pain, she’s dangerous just leave her.’

            ‘No in those words but it wasn’t meant to go this far.’

            ‘So you chose your job over me, your family?’

            ‘She just walked away from you!’

            ‘To clear up the shit storm you’d made!’ I roared. ‘To protect me, to protect me from the shit from outer space, to protect me from you and your job!’

            ‘I’m protecting you from her!’

            ‘Guys, let’s do this back at the house.’ Melinda butted in. ‘Because I think we all know what we need to do.’

            ‘And what’s that?’ Wyatt asked snidely.

            ‘Hope that Erin can convince her boss to let us remember this because I for one would like to know what you’re capable of.’ She said, her voice as cold as a stone. ‘How could you do this?’

            ‘You wouldn’t understand Mel-’

            ‘What because I’m the screw up?’ Melinda asked. ‘Because I’m not academic smart like you two? Here’s what I understand Wyatt, you manipulated our brother into a relationship to better yourself and our country, to spy on someone who’s meant to be our sister – that’s all I need to know.’

            ‘But you don’t know!’

            ‘I know enough to know that if any sort of man or woman walks into my life I’ll need to think twice about trusting him.’ She said.

            ‘I wouldn’t do that.’ Wyatt told her. ‘Not to you.’

            ‘Just to Chris then?’ She shrugged, turning to me. ‘Can we go?’

            ‘Sure.’ I said, slipping my arm around her shoulder, leading her to the car, I didn’t look back at my brother once.

            Yes he was my brother, that fact was unchangeable but what he’d done had altered our relationship forever. Melinda was right, after this how could we trust a thing that he said? How could we trust anyone that we meet? Even though I didn’t want to think about it I wondered the same questions as Erin had; how much of our relationship had been faked? How many meetings had been staged so we’d just bump into each other?

            As we got in the car and pulled away from the police station however, I made sure to say.

            ‘Melinda you’re not a screw up, who cares if you’re shit at numbers?’ I asked. ‘That’s what I’m here for.’

            ‘I think what we need to focus on right now is letting the family know what’s up.’ She said, completely changing the subject. ‘Because honestly, I don’t know what they’re going to do or say.’

            ‘They’re probably going to try jump on a plane back home.’ I said, turning onto the main road.

            ‘No, mom won’t.’ Mel said. ‘I think it’s best if we go to a hotel all of us and let you two have the house, you’ve got a lot to talk about.’

            ‘Do you think she’ll leave?’ I asked, finally allowing myself to say it out loud. ‘What else did she say to you?’

            ‘That was it, what I told you she – she could barely string a sentence together.’ Melinda said. ‘If she said she’ll be back tonight though I think she will.’

            I gripped the steering wheel, trying my best to focus on the road ahead, one of which I didn’t know that now, it might be one I’m walking alone.