Title: To Err is Human
By: Mustang_bex1126
Paring: mild Jack/Ianto
Rating: NC-17
Summary: A familiar face has Owen obsessed and acting more irrationally than anyone had envisioned possible the entire team is in danger from his rash actions and their consequences. What's causing his behavior, and who will it hurt next?
***
Reggie wasn't sure she liked the looks of the place- an open, exposed expanse of concrete with too many shadows.
"Too many horror movies start like this…"
Her own voice startled her; it echoed loudly in the empty plaza, emphasizing her sense of unease.
"Stop it," she hissed to herself.
The isolation of being 6,000 miles away from home was starting to wear on her. It was becoming maddening actually. She'd been cocky to think she'd handle it better; that she was immune. With Easter only ten days away Reggie had surprised everyone at her new job by offering to work their holiday shifts. Nobody knew it, but it wasn't actually money that was the issue- she'd managed to finance nearly all of her post graduate studies with grants, and whatever she hadn't convinced the United States Government to pay for, she'd taken out loans that would probably have her in debt till the sun went nova and burned up the bloody planet.
This brought a nervous chuckle to her throat. "Bloody!" she stated loudly to the darkness. The echoes of both utterances mingled till unrecognizable.
Slowly the audible sound of her muffled footfalls returned and her own internalizing once again distracted her. She had to work to keep herself from sitting alone in her flat- she left in the morning while it was still dark, sat through classes all day, and never returned home till after it was dark again. At least work had other people. Delivering Chinese food wasn't terribly glamorous, but having an American accent in the middle of Wales had certainly led to some interesting conversations with patrons…
With a clumsy stumble Reggie nearly up-ended the delivery she was carrying. She hadn't even seen the now-obviously uneven stone she'd almost killed herself on.
"Stupid!" she hissed again, approaching the lost looking door at the address her delivery was supposedly meant for.
The dingy and abandoned appearance of the door led her to double, and then triple check the address before reaching for the door buzzer.
"Who's there?"
She nearly jumped out of her skin- she hadn't even pressed the button yet. Living where CCTV was so prominent was taking some getting used to.
"It's…" she cleared her throat, "It's Chinese takeaway. Chow Mein, dumplings, and, uh, chicken friend rice. For… uhm… for Mister Owen Harper?"
She hadn't meant for her voice to go up at the end, turning her last statement into a question, but her nerves were still a little hot and had betrayed her.
There was a loud creak and the door opened inwards. Dull light spilled out in a triangle pattern at her feet as a skinny chap with dark hair and fiery eyes stepped into the doorway.
" 'bout fuckin' time… thought you'd gone off to Asia for it! And it's Doctor Owen Harper." He was surprisingly venomous for having just answered a door for food he was expecting.
"Sorry… Doctor Harper. That's… seventeen-pound-fifty."
"American, no fuckin' wonder you took so long, drive on the wrong side of the road then, bring it with from home? What the hell are you doing here? Are they all out of takeaway jobs in the states?"
The nervous chuckle crept back into her throat. "No, doing my postgraduate at Cardiff, just working to keep myself in the glamorous life to which most students are accustomed…" Her voice trailed off at the end; she knew he was being a patronizing ass, but she couldn't help hesitate under his inspection.
"Right, well let's have it then, before it gets any more cold and inedible."
Reggie pocketed the cash from the sale, and turned away from the door, slipping her gloves back on. She was midway through tucking the left one into her coat sleeve when the smarmy customer hollered at her again.
"Hey! You, what's your name?"
She'd had it- she was stressed, lonely, and not really in the mood to deal with a prickish Briton-
"Regina, Sir, Ms. Regina Martelli. With two 'l's. Anything else I can do you for this evening, Doctor?"
With the good doctor backlit it was hard to tell, but Reggie swore she saw his eyes narrow and a smirk at the corner of his mouth,
"Ballsy one, watch out!"
And with that the door closed loudly.
Reggie's Monday morning ritual was rather dull: up at 0300 to phone her father up for a half hour chat after he finished with work and the gym the previous day in the States, and then back to bed till 0600. From there she had advisory, and lecture before hitting the library. This Monday was with little exception.
At a quarter of two she was leaving the library with Anise and Sean, two of the first people she'd met at University. She'd called Anise Sunday morning to tell her all about Doctor Owen Harper, reenacting the snotty tone of voice, and laughing together over Reggie's growing adoption of British and Welsh slang, but leaving out the paranoia and loneliness. Anise was now ribbing Sean over a drunken phone call from Friday night, recounting the ordeal in painful detail, while Sean stuttered and made excuses, and Reggie laughed and gasped for breath.
Still laughing, but trying to regain her composure Reggie started to cough out an excuse for leaving before the story was over. She was walking backwards away from them, her cheeks rosy from the laughter and cold.
"Really… no, really, I'm sorry, I have got," she swallowed another chuckle, "I have really got to go! My thesis advisor is going to be furious if I'm late! Are you up to meeting at Incognito…."
Halfway through the last part of the sentence she'd begun to turn around and nearly ran right into Doctor Owen Harper himself leaning against a small stone retaining wall with his arms crossed.
"Urk!" She sputtered out. "Doctor Harper, I, I, erm, didn't expect to see you here on Campus, are you," she stifled another mild laugh, "Are you here on business?"
"No. I just thought I'd stop and see if there was a shortage of bright British youth in Cardiff, because I can't figure out why we're importing Americans now- especially in Cardiff."
Reggie coughed lightly, cleared her throat, and laughed nervously, unsure how to respond, unable to tell if he was tying one on, or being a total Nationalist ass.
"What I mean to say is, Ms. Martelli, what brings you to Cardiff? Certainly not the lovely weather."
"You hunted down your Chinese delivery girl to ask what she's doing in your country, and whether or not she likes the weather?" She knew instantly she'd failed to mask the petulance in her voice. He didn't say anything, merely quirking an eyebrow at her, and re-crossing his arms with the left over the right. She decided to answer his question, and see where it went from there.
"Well… actually, I finished my Bachelor's in Political Science back home, and, I, uh, I had been dying to get out of country to study somewhere else. And honestly, Cardiff accepted my fair grades. I didn't qualify for Saint Andrews. So here I am, studying… well, terrorism."
"Terrorism? They have classes for that now do they?"
Reggie had always had a problem, if you got her going about school stuff, she would keep going-
"Well technically not, it's part of a Criminal Justice program. But basically, I'm studying terrorism, security, and war. It's really important now, and there aren't enough people looking in to how and why these things happen. What about you? Are you studying sociology, or just making a habit of stalking and interrogating young foreigners?"
He didn't pay any attention to the curtness of her last statement, instead, he simply barreled through his own thoughts, "Well, if that doesn't sound like the most boring piece of shit… You came 6,000 bloody miles to hang around with boring old men and talk about sodding terrorists?!"
Apparently this was going to go exactly nowhere. "Yeah, that's exactly it. And right now Doctor Harper, I've got an appointment with my boring, old thesis advisor. It's been fun."
Reggie turned around, already late for the advisory appointment, and started briskly across campus. Owen followed for a couple of steps, spouting something inaudible, but Reggie thought at least part of it sounded like the word 'Chinese'.
"Sorry, you'll have to get someone else-" she called over her shoulder, "I'm off tonight!"
When Reggie left the faculty office it was already dark, and a cold breeze was blowing in off the bay. She slid her gloves back on, buttoned her coat all the way and made her way to the bus stop. She'd been waiting at the bus stop for nearly ten minutes when it started to drizzle- the cold wind and cold rain penetrating her water resistant coat and chilling her skin. After a quick call to Anise and her mates at the pub, Reggie phoned a taxi to take her directly there: if she stopped at home, she might not leave. The driver dropped her off in the well-lit City center. For a moment she simply stood and watched the traffic- there were loads of people still about. Sadly she realized that they would all be going home to their families. At least tonight she would have friendly company, and hopefully a couple of pints to warm her.
"Watch it!" A gentleman pushed past her on her right, and snapped her back to the present, climbing into the cab she had just vacated.
"Sorry!" She shouted over a particularly cold burst of wind and quickly crossed over to the door of the Incognito, laughing to herself at the irony. This was the only place she really knew anyone.
In through the first door the noise level was amazing, in through the second, the wonderful warmth and glow poured over her, defrosting her face and ears. Anise and Sean were flirting at the bar, no doubt fetching the next round, as she hung her coat on a hook and rubbed her arms with her hands.
"REGINA!" A man called from behind her, causing her to jump a little. Her friends, who were situated in the seating area to the rear of the establishment, had obviously been here a while. Massimo "Max", another international Student, from Italy, was definitely sotted. She waved and smiled at everyone and gestured to the bar. She squeezed in behind a couple of well-dressed men, lawyers or the like, and ordered a cider and a coke. It was still Monday, and she still had class and work the next day.
While she waited for her drinks she chatted casually with Sean about little things: his day, the weather, Anise. Because of the growing dinner and pub crowd it was becoming difficult to hear him, so she leaned in closer.
"Wait, one more time, I didn't catch a word of that…!"
"I said, 'Reggie, this guy was looking for you!"
"Guy? Sean, what guy, the only guys I know are you lot! I mean really…"
She was cut off by somebody tapping on her shoulder; she thought nothing of it, and turned around expecting to see Anise, or Max, or some random stranger trying to get at the bar.
"Hello, Regina!"
Not in a million years had she expected to see Doctor Owen Harper. The smile dropped from her face and her mind raced, she made a quick effort to paste on a cheery demeanor, so he wouldn't know how scared she suddenly was.
"Uh, Doctor," she cleared her throat, "Uh, hello, Doctor Harper! Hadn't thought I'd run in to you here. How… erm... how are you?!"
"Drop the 'doctor' shit, it's Owen! You didn't let me finish earlier…"
"Hey Reggie, Max wants to know if you goin' ta flirt with strange blokes all night, or you goin' ta flirt with hi…. You all right here?"
Reggie gave his hand a little squeeze, and exhaled the breath she hadn't realized she was holding in. Both men were staring at her, awaiting a clue from her as to what happened next. Sean's timing for this brief interruption was miraculous. Owen Harper had seemed mostly like a harmless prick when she met him, but having him find her out of the blue twice in one day made him seem suddenly more dangerous.
"Sean, this is Doctor Owen Harper, I met him at… work the other day. Apparently we fancy the same ales. Owen: Sean, my friend, and neighbor."
The last part was a lie, but Sean had been intuitive enough to not correct it. He reached his hand out towards Owen, who at first narrowed his eyes disapprovingly, and then shook hands with him.
Sean spoke first, "Nice to meet you, Owen Harper. Doctor did she say? Well Reggie, I think that Max will be crushed you've met a real man, and not a sodding literary scholar." Owen, with his brow still furrowed, cracked a thin smile and nodded.
"Yeah, tell him that; that I've swept Reggie here off her feet." There was something unnerving about a stranger, especially one with an uncanny ability to locate you, using the name your close friends called you. Reggie simply forced a nervous chuckle and grabbed her beverages off of the bar.
"Well," Reggie's voice cracked, "Owen, I hate to cut our banter short, but my friends are waiting, I'll see you around?"
"You can count on it."
Sean carried both drinks back to the seating area. Anise had already joined the others at the seating area, and she was the first to notice the lack of color in Reggie's face and how curious Sean looked. Reggie squeezed onto the couch between Max and Anise, and Sean took the chair at the end. Anise put her hand on Reggie's thigh and looked her in the eyes, silently mouthing, 'are you okay?'
But subtlety was not Sean's strong point. "Alright then, let's have it. Who is this wank and what the hell just happened?"
Since Anise had already heard the story about Reggie's first encounter with Doctor Owen Harper, she sat quietly as Sean was caught up. Anise was not only shocked that Owen had tracked her down at school, but also that Reggie hadn't mentioned it. When she was done telling about what had just happened at the bar, she drank deeply from her cider glass, finishing it in a matter of gulps, and let out a cleansing exhalation.
"Well, that settles it, you're staying at my flat tonight. I've got a cousin who's a PC, maybe I'll ring him up, see what he has to say…" Anise was so cool headed; it was a relief.
Reggie couldn't just let it go. "Anise, I can't, you know that. I have to do loads of work, and I have to feed Ricky. I don't want him to end up floating just because I'm paranoid, seeing conspiracy where there's coincidence. I mentioned I went to University when I met him, and he probably overheard me mention the pub on campus earlier. He doesn't know where I live, and if you'd be kind enough to loan me Sean for my cab-ride home…?"
Max had finally noticed that they'd come back from the bar; he slapped his arm around her shoulder and leaned in heavily. "To hell with Sean, I'll come along too, y'need a real man to protect you, maybe stay the night to stand guard?"
At this they all burst out laughing. Her heart was still beating too fast, but at least she felt safer, surrounded by her friends. She ordered the third round, paying from her previous week's tips. Max was challenging anyone who'd listen to the pub quiz when another round arrived at their table. Since nobody had ordered another round- it was about time to head home- Reggie went to check at the bar.
There was a new bartender, and when she inquired about the round that was just delivered, the lady pointed her to a table where a familiar man was standing, with his back to her. A couple of pints and a shot had made her a bit bolder than she had been when he'd cornered her. She didn't even think about getting Sean, or anyone else for that matter, she was going to get to the end of this.
Owen spun with the reflexes of a cat upon her hand touching his shoulder. Obviously he'd had a couple of drinks as well- his smile was still that of amused sarcasm, but he was softer around the eyes.
"Ahhh, yankee doodle dandy! I knew you couldn't resist my pretty face!"
"Listen, I don't know who you really are, or what the hell you're playing at, but I will call the police if I have to!" Her voice was a fractured whisper at this point, her throat was tight with anger and fear.
Everything about him stiffened, and he stood up taller, towering over Reggie. "Oh. Call the police. Tell them I was rude to you, and that we were both at the same pub. Oh, be sure to throw in that I bought your friends a round of drinks… what do you think they'll do?" The last part came out like a low growl that made the hair on her arms and neck stand on end.
What happened next was still more terrifying. The man who had just made vague threats about her safety, and had in fact growled at her, started laughing wildly. Reggie tried to back away slowly, without drawing attention to herself, and was stopped by Owen's hand closing around her wrist. She was on the brink of giving in to her fight or flight instinct- she didn't know how much longer she could fake civility.
And at once, the laughing stopped. He leaned in close, drawing his lips back from his teeth, giving him the appearance of a snarling animal. His voice was barely over a whisper. "I'll bet you're scared right now. I'll bet, you're running through all the ways you were told to disable an attacker, all the little 'tricks' they taught you to foil rapists and murderers at college. It hurts not to know what's coming, what's next. Doesn't it?"
Tears burned in the corner of Reggie's eyes. She was completely alone in a room brimming with people. "I...I d-… I don't know what I've done. Please, leave me alone, just tell me what you want from me!" Her earlier brashness was coming back to get her now, and she knew it- her voice was hardly a squeak.
"Your mother… her name was Diane?" Instantly, all of the edge had gone from his voice- it was now a desperate hiss. He let go of her wrist.
Reggie's nerves were still coursing with fear, but he was so eager, and it was such a curious question. "That's right. Diane Holmes-Martelli. How did you know?"
Owen tossed back another scotch and wiped his mouth clumsily with the back of his hand. "Because," he rasped, "I knew your mother. You look so much like her."
Of all the possibilities that had raced through Reggie's fear addled mind, this was not even from the same dimension. She was talking rapidly now. "What do you mean… How could you have known her?! You're barely over 30, and she died when I was five; Lung cancer. It nearly killed my father. I mean…. You couldn't have been more than fifteen then, and I hope I don't look, at 25, like she did at 43. What you're saying doesn't make any sense."
He was still very excited, but the cold, terrifying look that he'd had earlier was gone. It was like it had never been there at all. Reggie suddenly regretted having that extra shot. Her head was swimming. She gripped the edge of the table firmly to steady herself. It was ages before either of them spoke again.
Surprisingly, Owen broke the silence, and his voice was even and logical. "No, no, you're right, what I'm saying can't make any sense. 'Cause if I had met your mother, Diane Holmes, just months ago, but years before she became your mother, then it would mean that stuff like time travel was possible, right? And that would be fantastic. What if it's not as happy as all that? What if you can't travel in time, but people can fall through it? One moment they're there, and then," he clicked his fingers, "They're gone. Left you behind."
His voice trailed off sadly. Reggie knew that he was a nut, and that she should head back to her friends, she should get out of here. It was too late; she HAD to find out what was going on.
"I know I'm going to regret this. Don't move… I'll be right back." She ran back to her friends, who were putting on their coats.
"Hey! Where'd you go? We worried you drowned in the toilet, we were about to send in Anise to find you. Are we flush with the bartender?" Sean was so easy and casual, it was surreal; everything had suddenly changed since she left, but only she knew it.
"Sure, yeah, we're good. I actually ran into, um, well, actually a friend from class, he's a patrolman. He sent the round over and after talking to him, he agreed to take me home. So, I mean, sorry Sean I know you were looking to play protector, but I've upgraded." Reggie put on a smile, and punched her friend in the arm. She knew that what she was doing was crazy, but she was certain she would be fine.
Sean was uncertain, "You're sure? I mean, you're absolutely sure, nobody's making you say this right?" He scanned the room behind her.
"Yeah, don't worry about me. He says it's probably just some local drunk anyhow, likes to, you know, 'play doctor'. I'll be fine. Give my love to Anise please? I'm tired and just want to head home."
She hugged Sean and Max goodbye, and watched them head out the side door. After they'd gone, with Sean pausing once to glance back and wave, she hurried back to where she'd left Owen. At first she feared he'd gone, but then she saw him coming out of the lavatory. She wasn't sure if she was relieved.
"Alright Owen Harper, doctor, tell me what you know about my mother, and how you know it."
"Alright, alright, I'll tell you, but not here. They'll be closing; we'll go to this place I know, down by the Millennium Center. They do teach girls to drive standard where you're from?" He held up a set of keys.
Reggie hesitated, but she supposed that homicidal men didn't usually use a girl's dead mom as a hook, and then ask the girl to drive their drunk ass around in their car. Still she couldn't figure out what was compelling her to go along with this.
"There's nothing else when it comes to cars as far as I'm concerned… let's get this over with." She snatched the keys from his hand and walked with him out into the dark.
"Owen, where are you parked? I don't know what kind of car I'm looking for."
"It's over here, it's a Honda s2000. See, there, under the street light."
"Wait, the purple one? With the police line around it?"
"It's blue. I don't want anyone to park near my car." He stated this last bit like it was perfectly reasonable to cordon off the street so you don't have to risk nicks in your paint.
"Don't forget, Dorothy- drive on left, we're not in bloody Kansas anymore!"
With Owen's directions and criticisms, and the general divergence of single direction streets, it was fantastic that Reggie had only needed to make three turn-rounds in the brief trip. She stopped the Honda in the car park as told, parking down at the end, away from any other cars.
She locked up and tossed his keys in his general direction, hoping he'd drop them and maybe that'd knock the cock out of him. Unfortunately he caught them easily without breaking his stride.
"Wait a minute, isn't your work down over there?" She turned in a circle, "Yeah, it must be, because if you go that way, you hit my work. I left the van here when I delivered to you Friday. You sure took us the far round way, didn't you?"
"Oh you're so damned smart; I live here, I had my reasons. Now just shut up with the questions till we get inside, it's freezing out here. The pub'll have karaoke tonight; nice collection of clueless, loud-mouths is just what we need, let's go."
Reggie was cautious to follow behind Owen by a few steps. She had willingly agreed to come with him, despite everything she'd been taught, but that didn't mean she was going to forget the paralyzing fear she'd had in the bar. His temper was too volatile for her to let her guard down. Another cold wind blew her hair in her face as she checked her watch. Half past eleven- dad wouldn't be expecting her call today, but still she had had to be up early in the morning. The time to decide how far she would let this go was going to come up quickly.
"So, this place you work? What is it you do there? I don't see much need for an unadvertised Doctor, behind a dingy door in the plaza…" A thought occurred to her, "or are you a less than legitimate type of Doctor?" They came upon a dark wood door with a pain of glass in the middle.
"Does talking keep you warm?" Owen held open the door, but as it was dark, Reggie stopped without taking another step. She was not going to let him get behind her in the dark.
"Fine- suit yourself!" Reggie had to move quickly to grab the first door as Owen turned and pushed open the second, inner door. The light and warbling voices were a shock to the senses after being in the cold dark, but Reggie hurried to follow him into the pub.
While unassuming on the outside, it was actually a rather large room with pub tables throughout, and benches and tables lining the walls. It was well lit, but still dark, probably because all of the wood in the room was the same color. This was obviously a popular place, especially having a late license; a small group of men was at the front crushed around a single monitor and microphone, belting out the chorus to a song that she simply couldn't recognize. Owen had been very accurate, the place was loud.
Apparently she'd managed to space out again.
"This way!" Owen shouted in her ear, as he closed his hand around her wrist and led her to a corner table. "Sit here," he pointed with his free hand while directing her there physically with the other. "I'll get a couple of drinks- you do drink, don't you?"
She was still silently mad at herself for letting her guard down, and first she nodded.
"Yes, I mean, I do drink, but I think I'll just have water."
"And I think you'll have Scotch, because what I'm going to tell you is going to require you good and pissed!"
When Owen returned later he brought four glasses with him. He'd been kind enough to bring the water, but he had three scotches, and all obviously doubles, or at least long pours.
Reggie started to speak, but mostly because she was still in disbelief that any of this was happening. She didn't need liquor to get her tongue going, just nerves. "You know, my father drinks Scotch, I personally have to have sour mix with it."
"Fucking Americans- sour mix! Why d'you always go and ruin a good thing? Drink!" He was incredulous, but almost normal.
Reggie steeled herself and did as she was told, immediately regretting it. Not because of the wooden flavor invading her throat, but because she'd just broken the primary rule of having a drink with a strange man: don't drink what he gives you.
"Fuck!" She mutters as she puts the glass down.
"Oh cut your bitching…"
"Owen, it's not the Scotch ok?" It was strange how easily she went from calling him 'doctor'. "I'm just pissed at myself for actually drinking it. How do I know you're not some sexual predator who drugs women? Why am I even here with you; trusting you!?"
"Please, I'd rather my dick rot off-" he downed the last swallow from his glass, "and I wouldn't have to drug you either, I bet you'd be plenty of eager with just a couple of sweet words..."
Reggie stood up quickly, cutting him off mid insult-filled tirade. "That's it, I don't know what the hell brought me here, or what you have to do with my mother, but I'm done."
The last part came out much more ferocious than she had managed at the Incognito. She was angry enough that she was breathing heavily, but Owen hadn't seemed to really notice. He was simply looking up at her, his eyes squinted and brow furrowed; examining her very much like a doctor examines a specimen. Reggie swung her coat back on in one fluid movement and started towards the door.
"You're so like her- Diane- but she wouldn't have put up with me nearly this long."
Reggie froze in her tracks. Her father always insisted that she was just as stubborn as her mother, and had the same temper. Now this stranger was there, telling her virtually the same thing. She was desperate to keep walking, to leave this mess here, but finally this was what she had come with him for. It was all about her mother. She swallowed hard, starting to feel the additional liquor in her head. Owen kicked the chair out for her, and held up a fresh glass of Scotch. Reggie sat back down, finally admitting to herself that she was going to miss class in the morning.
***
"Your mother was magnificent." The gravity in his voice was surreal.
"Yeah, well, I'm afraid I don't remember much of her, so you'll have to be more specific."
"Was she still a pilot? She had this plane, the Sky Gypsy. It was nearly as beautiful as she was." He finished his drink.
Reggie sucked on her straw, ignoring the glass of Scotch in front of her. One of them losing their head was more than enough.
"She wasn't from around here you know- she was different."
"No, Owen, actually she was from around here. She wasn't from America, but she moved there for school and decided to stay." She put the water glass back on the table. Slowly she raised her eyes from the rim of the glass to the face of the man of whom she had been blissfully unaware just three days earlier. He was staring at her, and it was unnerving. She looked back down, thinking about her mother. Owen didn't lower his eyes- he kept watching her.
Reggie cleared her throat. "But you, uh, you were right about her being a pilot, although I never got to go up with her. She was too sick. My father used to take her to see the air shows at Miramar, the Air Base in Southern California…"
Absent-mindedly she reached past her water and picked up the glass of Scotch she'd been avoiding. It still tasted like wood, but rush of warmth in her stomach helped steady her. She'd be damned if this crazy was going to see her crying over her poor mother.
"Owen, I have to know, why, how do you know so much about my mother?"
Owen spun his empty glass between his hands. Slowly a smirk spread across his face. "Your mother. I told you, I knew your mother. She was incredible, and bold, and too good for me. Left me here- she did. Wasn't even going to say goodbye…"
At this Reggie felt she had to interject, "Owen, this is stupid, I already told you…
"She was the most fantastic shag." He brought his eyes up to meet hers, reveling in her surprised and confused expression. Then he stood quickly and made his way towards the bar.
"Can't think on an empty glass…"
He brought back the bottle this time. "He didn't want to give it to me, but I convinced him…" He refilled both of their glasses with a flourish, "that I wasn't a man to be argued with."
Owen sat back down and immediately took up his drink again. "Where was I? Ah yes, shagging your mother. I know she was English, but she wasn't from our time. I can't blame you for knowing, but your father should have been able to tell! When I met her, she'd just taken off for Dublin, in 1953."
Reggie gulped from her glass. "This is stu…"
"Oh just shut the fuck up and enjoy your drink. You think you're so damned smart- that this sort of thing doesn't happen. Well I'll tell you- this sort of fucked up thing is what I do. One of you lot sees glowing men, or mystery ships and we go out and sort the bloody mess out." His voice had risen; he couldn't stop himself, "Your mother, Diane Holmes, flew into a rift in time in 1953 and landed in 2006. After taking a sad, angry English lad for a ride, she flew off again into the horizon. And she was right, because apparently it took her back. Only not as goddamned far back as she'd hoped, because she ended up in the sodding 70's, shagged your dad, and had you!" He was breathing heavily by the time he finished, and a crazed look had crept back into his eyes.
He finished off another glass and rose from the chair and grabbed his coat in one clumsy move. Reggie tossed the rest of her drink back and chased after him, scrambling to get her coat on as they walked out into the cold air. He was huffing, she figured it was out frustration, or emotion, or something, because he seemed to be in fairly good shape. She rushed after him, past his car she noticed with relief, and towards the dingy door where she'd originally met him.
He stopped and turned towards Reggie, "You don't believe me?" He turned away from her again, and then looked up to the sky, to the top of the monument. "She left me. She was too in love with the sky to stay here with me. But your dad…" Owen spit the last word like it was too foul for his mouth, "Your dad did what I couldn't- he convinced her to stay. I was left with nothing!" He shouted the last part at the sky, and while she didn't, couldn't understand any of this, she reached out her hand to comfort him.
"I'll show you." Once again he'd grabbed her by the wrist. "You wanted to know what sort of doctor I was, what I did for work? Then I'll show you! I hate this job, and it's all that's left of me since before I met her!" Before Reggie could even process what had just happened he was pulling her right up to the darkened doorway and dragging her through into the dark room on the other side.
Regina Martelli was 150lbs, and even though she was barely 5'3 she had always considered herself pretty strong. She always thought her lower center of gravity would be an advantage if she was ever in a fight- unfortunately she was finding out how wrong she was at the most inopportune moment. The scotch didn't seem to have slowed Owen Harper down- he matched her struggles inch for inch, restraining her like an old pro. Before she had even finished drawing a breath for a terrified scream, he stifled her.
Reggie's mind was racing, she was panicking, but she was also berating herself for being so stupid. Her heartbeat pounded in her temples, and she couldn't get enough air.
"Don't. Say. A. Word." Owen hissed in her ear. "I am not going to hurt you; you just have to stay quiet, and not scream."
At this Reggie could no longer hold back the sobs she'd been suppressing- tears poured down her cheeks. Owen had just said the very words that serial killers and rapists the world over used to pacify their victims. He'd gone back to how he'd been at the Incognito. She was so stupid to go with him, to ignore her instincts. She still couldn't get enough air, too much more of this and she would choke.
Upon hearing her strangled coughs, Owen flinched slightly, loosening his grip for the briefest moment. Reggie seized the chance, knowing it would be the only one she'd get, and drove her elbow into his sternum. He faltered, but it wasn't enough. It was too dark and she was disoriented. Owen regained his hold on her, tight enough to cause her pain this time, and struggled to simultaneously regain his breath.
"That," he snarled, "was totally uncalled for. If you try something like that again, I might have to actually hurt you." He squeezed even harder. "And we don't want that."
She couldn't make any words come out of her mouth. Not even a plea for her life. She was utterly helpless. Owen's grip didn't slip this time- he dragged her backwards. A moment later the lights all came on.
Still panting, Owen spoke again, "There, see, just a little tourist shop." He picked up a brochure and waved it in front of her face. "Nothing scary in here. Just you and me. Now I want to show you something, but we can't go there like this." He still sounded dangerous, like a man possessed.
He dragged her away from the desk and towards a wall with magazine racks hanging on it; it was automatically swinging inwards. "I have never loved anyone like I loved your mother. Do you understand, how empty that leaves you?" He sounded desperate, and rushed. "Now, I don't want... erm… I don't want to do this. But I have a gun. We're going to go through this door here, and down a passage to the lift. I don't want to shoot you, but if you make me. I will."
They stood pressed together in the lift, for the longest ride of their entire lives. She was nearly knocked to her knees when the doors slid open and he released his grip on her. He nudged her, more briskly than necessary, and marched her towards a massive metal door. He activated it and it rolled away into the wall. He gave her another sharp nudge out of the corridor and into the strangest room she'd ever seen.
"Regina Martelli, welcome to Torchwood. This is where I work, and the reason I knew your mother." She could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he let out a loud exhalation. He had been waiting for this, and he was relieved.
Owen didn't point a gun at her, he simply walked past her, pushed open the barred gate and walked down three short steps. "You'll want to follow me. We have a sort of… a sort of 'pet' pterodactyl and I can't guarantee Jack has penned her up properly."
Reggie had thought she was going to die not ten minutes earlier. Now she thought she may have actually asphyxiated, and her oxygen starved brain was just coughing up this last hallucination to distract her while she died. They were underground, in a broad, tile walled chamber and it appeared that the monument from the plaza above ran straight through the room she was now in, from floor to ceiling. There were computers everywhere. And there was water. Her brain couldn't process what she was seeing fast enough, it was too much. With Owen still standing at the bottom of the stairs with his hand out, waiting for her, she swayed, and collapsed in a heap on the stairs. The cog-like door closed a moment later.
A bitter scent flooded Reggie's senses. She was disoriented and couldn't remember what had just happened or where she should be. Slowly she realized that where she was happened to be hard, and the floor. And her head really hurt. Oh, and there was a strange man kneeling over her.
Owen seemed almost amused at her situation, "You know, the next time you feel a swoon coming on, why not try not to bang your head? That'll do for five stitches I think. Come on." He grabbed her behind her elbows and started to pull her to her feet. "Alright, up you go. That's it, lean on me."
Reggie could remember what happened before she fainted- and she was suddenly very unhappy about the whole thing. Unfortunately she was not at her full strength and her feeble thrashing against Owen simply made her dizzy and irritated him.
"Hey, HEY." He took her chin in his hand and turned her face to meet his. "Cut it out- all this flailing about isn't going to help me get you to somewhere you can sit down so I can get you stitched up properly. I really am a doctor. I told you I wasn't going to hurt you," he guided her across the uneven floor. "And I'm still not going to hurt you."
She wasn't sure she believed him. He was still scary as hell. The snarling, and growling weren't merely things she'd imagined. He was so angry underneath, and when he'd mentioned shooting her, she had little doubt that part of him really could. Reggie tried to focus on cataloguing the events of the evening in an objective light. So far, Owen had committed stalking, harassment, simple assault, kidnapping, and battery. She hoped that the cut on her head and the nasty bruises on her arms would be the only souvenirs she left Torchwood with.
Owen helped her mount another short set of stairs. Reggie wasn't feeling particularly cooperative and her head was pounding- he nearly had to drag her the last couple of steps.
"Ah. You know, you could stand to lose a few pounds," He lowered her to a couch against the wall. "For your health, and might be nice for people who have to carry your heavy arse places."
Reggie shrugged clumsily out of her coat. She shot him what she hoped was a scathing look and reached her hand gingerly to touch the gash on the side of her head. Her fingers came back a bloodier than she'd expected.
"I'm going to puke." There was no helping it.
"Aw shit. Not on me and not on the bloody floor you're not! We're not familiar enough for that yet, thank you." He slammed down a waste bin and continued on without missing a beat.
Reggie slid off the couch onto the floor and put her head in the bin. For a second she thought she would be ok, but then it came- all the scotch, water, beer, and supper, hot and acidic in her throat. Now she was humiliated on top of everything else.
"I have… to tell you, Owen…. I've had much better first dates." She laughed. Things suddenly seemed much more amusing.
"Ah, got your sense of humor back have you? That'll be a concussion likely." He set a surgical tray on the coffee table. "Right, so, let's have a look at that head then?" He offered her a towel. She wiped her mouth with it and tossed it aside.
"Haven't got a breath mint, have you?" She giggled again.
He tilted her head to get a better look at the laceration. "I was wrong, more like ten stitches. You're lucky- you'd have to wait for hours if you were in hospital. Being a foreigner they'd probably make you wait even longer…"
"Owen!" A tall man emerged from a conference room onto the scaffolding on the second level, straightening his braces as he approached the edge. "I thought I told you not to bring your catches back here. Don't you have a bachelor pad?" He came down the stairs and spotted the blood and surgical tray. "Ooh. What's happened here? Owen, you've got to be more gentle with them."
At that Owen pulled his hand back, tugging slightly on the silk that he'd already laid into the wound. "Jack," he sounded a bit exasperated, "She just had a bit of a fall on the steps- I'm just giving it a clean and a stitch."
"What about those bruises on her arm?" He no longer sounded amused. Reggie waited to hear if Owen would make any effort to explain, maybe mention to his boss about his recent exploits.
"Captain Jack Harkness, please meet Ms. Regina Martelli. Daughter of Diane Holmes-Martelli." Owen shot Jack a look. "Reggie, this is my boss, Jack. He runs Torchwood."
Jack came up next to the table. "Diane's daughter? And now you know all about Torchwood… That's just fantastic."
A second man was coming down the stairs. "I'll make the coffee, Sir?" He was smartly dressed, but his tie was crooked, it was rather cute.
Owen trimmed the ends of the surgical silk, and pressed a saline soaked bandage against Reggie's head. She gasped.
"Oww, that hurt!" She turned to look at Captain Harkness. "Have you anything stronger than coffee?"
That's when Owen chimed in. "No, absolutely not. I'm still a doctor, and you may have a concussion. That'll be no alcohol for you for, oh let's say 2 weeks."
The well-dressed man returned with a tray laden with four mugs, which he carefully distributed. First to Owen, who had just finished snapping off his latex gloves, next for Captain Harkness who had dragged an office chair up to sit on. Reggie had pulled herself back onto the couch and was gently reclining her aching head against it.
"I hope you take cream and sugar." He said as he offered her a cup. He then took the last himself, and stood aside to watch.
After a long drag from his mug Captain Harkness finally spoke. "Well Ms. Martelli. Reggie. Can I call you Reggie?"
Reggie had just filled her own mouth with the hot coffee, and all she could do was nod.
"Alright then, Reggie, you obviously know Owen, and I'm Jack, and the fantastic looking gentleman who brought you this wonderful ambrosia is Ianto Jones. There are normally two others: Gwen Cooper, and Toshiko Sato, but they're at home, where they should be."
Owen was silent at the reproach; he just sipped his coffee and narrowed his eyes at Jack over the rim of his cup. Ianto smirked but said nothing.
After the night she'd had, Reggie felt she was entitled to ask a couple of questions. "Captain Harkness, you're not British?"
"Just call me Jack. And no, I'm not British. Owen, she's smarter than the last one." He set his cup down on the table and leaned in. "Reggie, your mother was really Diane Holmes?"
"Yes."
"And I assume Owen here has told you about her, her past, where she was from?"
"Yes. But it can't possibly be true. He told me quite a lot of crazy things tonight." She was thinking of his sex claims, but she was pleased non-the-less when he flinched slightly. What would happen to him if she told Jack about his actions this evening?
"Oh I'm sure he has. But he wasn't lying about your mother. Diane was a pilot from the first half of the 20th century. On December 18th, 1953 she took off in her plane, Sky Gypsy, with two chartered fairs. One of them killed himself at the shock of the loss. The other integrated rather nicely- works in London at a fashion house- we still get letters. And then there was Diane. She gave the 21st Century a try, but she was an adventurer, a free spirit. So she left." He made eye contact with Owen. "She left."
Thinking about it made her head throb even harder. "But…"
"Torchwood is a non-governmental organization charged with tracking and destroying alien threats on earth. There's a rift, like a tear, in the fabric of space and time, and it runs right through Cardiff."
Reggie chuckled. " 'Course it does."
Jack smiled at her, and then stood up. "Owen. I want to see you in my office. Ianto, please look after our guest."
Ianto moved out of the background and took Owen's place on the couch. He offered Reggie a sweet smile. "How are you feeling?"
Reggie returned the smile. At the sound of shouting upstairs both of heads turned upwards for a moment. Reggie was in no mood for silence. There was too much going on in her head.
"So, you met my mother."
Ianto looked like he'd much rather not talk, but she pressed on. "You met my mother, just weeks ago, and now here I am. And you work with these people, hunting aliens and monsters? All the weird things I kept hearing about on tv- the spaceships, robots, crusaders- from last year. You people were responsible, weren't you?"
He smiled again. "Myself, I don't do much alien hunting. I run the Hub, which is where you are now; keep it tiddy. I keep track of the archives and the files." He raised his mug and smiled again. "And make the coffee of course."
"And it's fantastic coffee." She held up her mug in a salute. "But I have to ask, are you sure you didn't slip something in my coffee. If Owen found out, I think he may let you have it." She shook her head gently, trying to clear her thoughts.
"Oh. No. I'm very sorry about that. That'll be the Retcon. I spend quite a lot of time fixing their messes. This is a big one; Jack isn't happy with Owen, but it will all be fine. You'll wake up with a nasty hangover and a note from hospital for the stitches; nothing that can't be explained by a heavy night of drinking."
Reggie drew a gasping breath. "You mean, you're just going to get rid of me?" She drew in another dry breath. "Your friend kidnaps me, and gives me a good pounding, all because he knew my mother, and you just wipe my memory?!" Her heart rate had risen. A crash and more shouting from upstairs distracted them momentarily.
"I'm sorry Ms. Martelli. Owen's infatuation with your mother has nearly gotten him- all of us- killed more than once. This is just the protocol we have to follow. You really shouldn't worry; Retcon is harmless. You'll simply drift off, and we'll drop you at your flat." He presented her with a comforting smile.
"You're sure?" She was really struggling to catch her breath; she started rubbing her throat. "I'm… I'm having a hard time breathing. Is… Is this normal?" Her throat was tightening, and her lips were starting to lose their color. She started to panic; drawing in frantic shallow gasps.
Ianto's smile did not make an appearance this time. He stood up quickly, a concerned look on his face. "Jack!" He helped Reggie to her feet, but she couldn't breath; her legs wouldn't support her. "JACK! OWEN! Something's wrong with your guest!"
The noise of them coming down the stairs was deafening, but Reggie couldn't hear a thing. She had started actually clawing at her throat with her nails, her eyes bulging from panic and oxygen deprivation.
Jack was yelling. "What happened, what's going on!?"
Owen and Ianto were carrying her down a set of metal steps to an operating table. "I don't know Sir. I gave her the Retcon as always, and then we were simply talking. She said Owen had kidnapped her, given her a pounding, and then this. She can't breath Owen, do something!"
"Thanks Ianto, I think I see that. Jack, have we ever had somebody have an allergic reaction to the amnesia pill?"
"Never. Torchwood has used it for years. Is that what this is?"
"Well that's what it fuckin' looks like. Bloody anaphylactic shock! I need adrenaline, in a large bore needle. JACK MOVE!" Jack stopped staring and stared rustling in the drawers and compartments. "Right, now Ianto, I need you to cut her jumper off, and mind you don't cut her- we've got enough to deal with right now."
Reggie's airway was now completely shut, in a few short moments she would lose consciousness completely. On the surface of her eyes the petechiae began rupturing. Jack returned with the adrenaline. "What now?"
This was Owen's element, and he was in charge. "Put it on the tray! I need you two to hold her down, I'll have to insert a tube in her airway before it collapses." He moved to the head of the table and tilted Reggie's head back. "Right, Reggie, I don't know if you can still hear me, but you're going to die if I don't put this tube down you're throat. Don't bite me." He steadied his hand and put the scope into her mouth. "Here it goes."
But it was no good. "Bastard! Her airway's completely collapsed. I'll have to do a bloody trach. We'll have to put her under."
"Too late for that." Jack said. "She's unconscious. You have to move now Owen. Or do you want another body on your hands?"
Owen didn't need any further prompting. He had already used the #10 to cut through the thin layer of skin over Reggie's tracheae. He was working carefully through the tough sinew of the underlying tissue when Ianto spoke.
"Hurry Owen. She's been without air for 2 minutes 30."
Owen didn't much like to think about that. "Yeah, thanks for that. Where would I be without your stopwatch? Got it!" He attached a squeeze bag to the valve he'd just inserted. "Ianto, I need to you to squeeze this at regular intervals. Once after every five count. Can you handle that?" Ianto nodded and did as he was told. "Now I've got to get her heart going again." Owen hefted himself up onto the table and straddled Reggie's stomach. "Alright Jack, hand me the syringe. This might get a little messy; I have to get it completely through her chest wall and into the heart. Ianto, don't faint on me."
He raised his hands above his head and brought them down with as much force as he could.
***
"Well, I've got her on a ventilator, but vitals are looking good. She'll be right angry when she wakes up, with that terrible hole in her neck, but she will wake up."Jack and Ianto were sitting on the couch when Owen came upstairs from the autopsy room. Both of them looked a little pale, as they sat there sipping scotch. Owen, on the other hand, looked exhilarated. "What? No round of applause for a spectacular save? You lot…"
"She wouldn't be in this situation if you hadn't brought her here." That knocked the cock right out of Owen. "She told Ianto you kidnapped her. Is that true Owen? And the bruises on her arms? Did you have to rough her up a bit to get her to come along? You are out of control Owen- she's not her mother." Jack's voice had begun to rise, he was shouting. "What did you expect would happen if you brought her here? Were you even thinking?!"
That did it for Owen. His lip curled back and he spit his words at Jack. "How was I supposed to know she'd react like that? You're the one who established the protocol to use the shit, JACK! I didn't give it to her; I wanted more time to talk to her. Fuck Jack, you could have at least given me that!" His whole body had tightened like an animal ready to strike; his hands curled into fists.
Jack watched him standing there like an angry child, his chest heaving with each breath. For a moment he certain he was going to hit him, but in an instant he regained his cold demeanor.
"Well Owen, you've got your wish. We can't let her leave, and we obviously can't Retcon her again, at least until we understand what happened this time. Ianto, fetch Owen a cot. As long as Reggie's here, he's here." He turned to Owen, willing him to argue. "Any problems with that?"
Owen wasn't going to give Jack the satisfaction. "No, sir."
Jack was on a roll: "Tomorrow, you will spend the entire day trying to figure out what just happened. I want you to go all the way back through her medical records, her father's medical records, Diane's. Everything we've got; anything about compound 67, or any of the other ingredients from those pills. We can't let her go until you come up with some sort of solution. You wanted her so badly; she's yours now."
It had been two days, and Owen was getting bloody sick of this damned place. He stormed back to the autopsy room, kicking over a waste bin as he went. From a drawer he retrieved some antiseptic and bandages and sat down to redress the cuts his perfectly manicured nails had left in his palms. A quick movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention.
"Hello Sunshine! Never thought you'd be glad to see my face, eh? Sorry about those restraints- we couldn't have you falling off the table." He quickly undid the restraints and began gathering some medical supplies.
Reggie tried to sit up or talk, but the drugs, the medical equipment, and the entire ordeal made it impossible.
Owen kept talking, "No, right, sorry. No talking I'm afraid. You went into shock and we had to put a hole in your throat so you could breath." He shined a light in her eyes. "Good news is, you haven't got a concussion. Since you're back with us now what do you say we turn of this ventilator?"
There was a 'whoosh' and the air escaped from the machine, and then Reggie gasped in through the valve in her neck. Owen capped the opening and after a couple more tries she was able to breathe normally.
Owen helped her to sit up, "Right, that's better. Look, I'll be able to put you back right after you're feeling better…"
Reggie put her finger over his mouth and made another attempt to speak. This time she did manage, but it was barely more than a fractured whisper. "What about my family? My friends? My life?"
Owen handed her a cup with a straw. "Drink some of this, and try not to talk too much, or there'll be permanent damage. We had the school put you on emergency leave, and sent message to your parents and friends about a research trip you've gone on with your program. Crude, but it'll work for a few weeks."
Reggie swallowed wrong and choked and coughed. "A few weeks?" She wanted to shout and swear and tell him she hated him but he shushed her.
"Hey, easy!" He busily examined his work to make sure nothing was damaged. "Look, I'm sorry. You can't leave her until we're certain you're not a security risk, and we can't wipe your memory until we know it won't kill you. So; that means you and I are going to become great friends." He silently returned to removing the IV from her right hand.
"Owen?" A women's voice called from upstairs. "Are you here Owen? We've got Chinese."
"Down here Gwen. There's someone you'll want to meet."
A cute woman with dark hair came down the stairs, followed closely by a pretty Japanese woman. "Is she awake?" Before Owen could answer she addressed Reggie directly. "Gave us quite a scare, we were beginning to wonder if you'd ever wake up. I'm Gwen..."
Reggie interrupted her. Her voice was still a whisper, but it was getting stronger. "Cooper. Jack told me- before he, Owen, and Ianto tried to kill me that is. And you must be Toshiko Sato. Charmed." She shook each of their hands with her left hand; Owen was still bandaging the other.
"Just call me Tosh. Gwen and I took the luxury of fetching some clothes from your flat…" She had a hard time looking Reggie in the eyes, and she kept looking away from the valve in her neck.
Once Owen had run out of 'doctoring' to do he chimed in: "Right, well Gwen and Tosh can show you to the ladies room so you can get changed, and I'll… I'll be upstairs getting a bite to eat." He gave her another glance. "Right."
Gwen and Tosh stood on either side of Reggie as she made her way up the stairs to the lavatory. Thankfully there was a bench for her to rest on before she attempted the arduous task of dressing herself. She was amused to see, on the end of the bench neatly folded, was a pair of her jeans, a t-shirt, fresh undergarments, a sweatshirt, and on the floor, a pair of her trainers.
Reggie stuck her head out the lavatory door, "You said you got these from my flat?"
Tosh was waiting just outside for her, or to help if she fainted or whatnot. "Well yes, I'm sure that Ianto has re-laundered and pressed them for you; he does that. Are they alright?"
"Yes, they're fine… thank you." She retreated back in to get dressed. She rested another minute before checking herself in mirror- she was a total mess and in desperate need of a shower. The hemorrhages in her eyes and the sallow look of her skin weren't done any favors under the florescent lighting. She washed her face in the basin and examined the damage on her chest, arms and throat. The bruises were awful, but she hoped they would be gone in a couple of days. Her throat was another story. Owen had done it perfectly, but a big bandaged hole in someone's throat was never pretty. She wasn't able to see the stitches on the back of her head in the mirror, or she would have given those a thorough check as well.
When she emerged from the lavatory, Ianto had replaced Tosh. He held out a mug. "Tea? I'm afraid it's not very hot, Doctor's orders. Jack would like to see you in his office. I can help you up the stairs."
Jack was sitting behind his desk looking over some preliminary reports from Owen and Tosh on the allergic reaction. He absent-mindedly fingered the edge of the glass of Scotch that Ianto had poured him. He looked up in time to see them coming up the last couple of stairs. She certainly looked like death, he thought. There was still a striking resemblance to her mother. Goddamn Owen Harper.
Jack stood as they entered the room: "Ms. Martelli!" He smiled at her and helped her to a chair, dismissing Ianto with a nod. "Very good to see you up and breathing on your own. I assume Owen has told you the situation we're in?"
Reggie nodded silently, she was enjoying the piss warm tea far more than she thought possible, but she wasn't ready to say anything yet.
"We're working very hard to figure out what happened. Owen and Tosh have worked on nothing else." After getting no response he continued.
"I have to tell you, we never would have given you the amnesia pill if we had any inclination this would happen…"
Jack's seemingly casual attitude made her angry. "Well it's too fucking late for that now isn't it? I have a gaping hole in my neck, and I've been withdrawn from all my classes. My parents and friends think I'm doing research in Africa or the Middle East or who knows where. I am being kept from everything that matters to me and all I care about right now is what happens next." She couldn't yell, but it was obvious he was listening.
"Right… That seems to be a good summary of events." He took a swallow from his glass. "As for what happens next;" He sat down on the edge of the desk, "I can't tell you. Right now the tests are inconclusive- we don't know exactly what caused you to have the allergic reaction. I cannot let you leave here. I'm sorry. We'll figure something out, but for now, we need time. If you need anything, just ask. I'm afraid you can't make any phone calls, or send any emails. Torchwood is your home for now."
Jack watched her silently, trying to gage how she was taking all of this. It was pretty shocking. She was effectively a prisoner, and he knew he wouldn't take that very well.
Reggie was focusing as hard as she could on breathing calmly but she could feel tears burning in the corners of her eyes.
"It's so unfair. I know it's stupid, because life's not fair, but I was finally doing what I wanted. All this, just because I delivered Chinese food to your crazy doctor." With that she lost the composure she'd been struggling to maintain. She wept quietly to herself- alone again.
Finally it seemed she'd gotten it out of her system. She hurriedly wiped the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand and forced a weak smile. Jack knelt down next to her chair and looked her in the eyes. "I'm sorry, Reggie."
Jack let her sit another moment. He knew that pride was rough, and after everything else she probably didn't want to be sniffling and wiping her eyes when she saw the others. He helped her to her feet and led her out to the conference room where the others were dining.
"As long as you're with us, Owen is responsible for you. Anything you need- he'll get it. During the day feel free to talk with or ask anyone for anything you need. Movies, books, food, too hot, too cold, anything. Ianto is very helpful, so don't be shy. Ahha, here we are."
Everyone stopped in their tracks when Jack and Reggie entered. Tosh quickly hopped to her feet and offered her seat, which Reggie took without question. She was so tired.
"Thank you… Chinese; from the Lucky Plate?" She looked at Owen. "I used to work there-- but that's a story from another time. What do you say doctor, am I fit enough to eat; any rules I should know about?"
Owen started to speak, but Jack interrupted. "Owen will fix you a plate. Won't you Owen?"
"Yeah. Right. I'll put some things together. You have to take it slowly, mind you." He put a couple of small piles on the plate. "No rice, and nothing spicy. Small bites please- don't need you choking." He set the plate down in front of her and went back to his seat. They all watched her for a moment, waiting to see what she did next.
"Have you got any extra chop sticks?" There was a quick scramble, but Gwen was the fastest. They continued to watch her as she cautiously started eating. Jack was the first one to break the silence; inquiring about some report for someone. Soon it was like she wasn't even there, everything was normal.
"Can I call you Reggie?" Gwen's question had surprised her.
"Yeah, I mean. Yes, you can. Everyone else does, I might not remember to answer to anything else." She heard a couple of small chuckles and added her own, only to be struck down with coughing.
Owen interjected then, "No, right, that's it. As your doctor I think you're going to have to refrain from laughing." He smiled a little and then looked away. Everyone knew this was his fault.
"Owen why is my chest is bruised, and when can you remove this?" She gestured towards her throat but didn't dare put her hand up there. The whole thing still made her a little nauseous.
"Right… that would be from the adrenaline. Sorry about the bruising, it takes a lot of force to get a needle through the chest wall. As for the trach.,- I should think we can take care of it by next Friday. Why, got a hot date?" The forks and chatter stopped. Gwen glowered at him.
"No. I could use a shower. I assume you have one here?"
"I'm afraid that's a bit of a problem too." Owen was full of good news. "Normally I would recommend only taking baths, but I think, under the circumstances, we'll have to make an exception. You'll have to wrap your trach. in water proof material."
"Fine." She pushed back from the table. "Well, I'm full- looks like I'll lose that weight after all, huh Owen? Would somebody please show me to my cell?"
Gwen flinched. "Oh, now, please don't think of it that way…"
"Will the door be locked?" Nobody answered. "And I assume that these locks will be on the outside. Stop pretending it's all roses. I'm being held here against my will- In. A. Cell." Reggie stood up a little too quickly, but steadied herself on the edge of the table. "Owen, we're stuck together, right? Would you be so kind as to help me to the small locked room where I'll be staying?" Right now she was completely powerless in the situation, but she wasn't going to make it easy for them.
Owen assumed his place at her left elbow. "Mind the bruises please, still a little tender." He tossed Jack a desperate, annoyed look and then dutifully led her to one of the rooms they occasionally used as a crash pad.
"Well, looks like somebody has been hard at work in here." Owen was exactly correct. Somebody had put a set of sheets on the institutional grade mattress and added a seating area with a chair, table and floor lamp. Gwen and Tosh had brought plenty of her clothes and even seemed to have gathered a couple of personal belongings. Owen sat her on the edge of the bed.
"Stay right there, I have to suction out your trach. I'll be right back." Then he left the room.
Once he'd gone Reggie lost her composure again. These were her things; somebody else had gone through her flat, and brought her things here, to decorate this sterile room. This whole situation had been a nightmare, but sitting there in her cell made it real. The sobbing wouldn't stop this time. She was still crying when Owen returned with the supplies he needed.
Owen froze in the doorway. "Oh fuck's sake." Being caught crying like this, by him of all people, only made her cry harder. He fetched a tissue from the lavatory and sat down on the bed next to her. He sat there awkwardly as she blew her nose and slowly put herself back together.
"That's a girl. Chin up. No shame in being upset." He busied himself with the cleaning. Medicine was so much easier without live patients.
"You loved my mother?"
He hadn't expected her to speak to him. "Yeah, I guess you could say I loved her."
"I didn't even know her. She spent the last year of my life in the hospital."
"She smoked too much."
"I wish people had told her that more often." She took a deep breath. "What do you think she would have thought of all this?"
This was what Owen had dreaded the most. "She would fuckin' kill me." He stood to leave the room. "There's a com button by the bed. If you need anything, I'll be here."
"All night?"
"All night."
"Okay… thank you Owen."
At that moment, Owen felt like the world's biggest prat. "I'm sorry,"
Reggie's routine at the Hub may not have been her choice, but it wasn't any more mundane than her life on the outside. Ianto came in at a quarter of six and started the coffee. The first couple of days, she awoke to the noises of him moving around outside her door and had buzzed Owen. Since then it was an unspoken agreement that Ianto would come get her around 6:15 and she would shower and dress before meeting him in the conference room. There was always coffee and sometimes he would breakfast with her. It was nice not to be alone, even if he didn't talk much.
It had been four days since Owen had removed the valve and sutured the hole in her neck. In another couple of weeks it would be entirely healed. The stitches in the back of her head were long gone, and the bruises on her arms were a barely visible yellow. Her chest was still very bruised and tender, but Owen assured her that that too would heal. Everyone was putting a lot of effort into behaving normally around her- she appreciated that. The team, minus Owen or Ianto, would go out on calls. Life went on. She began seeing just how far she could push Owen.
"Owen." Her voice called from the speaker box again, sending Gwen and Tosh into giggles. He was starting to wonder if she'd been put up to driving him mad.
"Yes Reggie. Something I can do for you?" He replied through gritted teeth.
"Owen, I know you're very busy, but I was thinking… Are you up for another game of checkers?"
This put Gwen and Tosh over the edge. Owen's face soured further
"Bloody checkers… why does it always have to be checkers? Did one of you, maybe, oh, I don't know, mention to her that I hate checkers?"
Ianto leaned over Owen from behind, setting his coffee mug on the desk. "Oh, I think I might have said something about it to her. Sorry." He smiled smugly and held out the checkers box in Owen's direction.
Owen rose grudgingly and snatched the box out of Ianto's hand. "I hate checkers!"
When Owen stepped through her doorway she was already sitting in a chair at the table. "Hello!" She called cheerily.
"Right."
"Oooh, grumpy today. I'll trade you. You stay locked in here at night. It's killing my social life, but doing wonders for my linguistic skills. I'm learning Czech."
"So, Ianto told you I hate checkers."
"Yeah. Wanna know a secret? So do I."
"Then let's do something else."
"How about going out for a pint?" She knew he hated this game too: 'what are all the things we can't do?'
"Not this again, don't you ever get tired of this shit?"
"No, why, are you?"
"You could say that."
"Talk to me about my mother." Now she had him.
"Right, checkers it is then." He began setting up the board.
"No!" She slammed her hand on the table hard enough to make the tokens jump.
"That had to hurt."
Reggie leaned in close to him. She would have shut the door, but with the CCTV, it didn't matter. "Owen, you owe me the decency of answering my questions. It's because of you that I may never leave this place. You're not any closer to 'curing' my allergies, and you're only working on that so you can hurry up and wipe my memory clean- put all this behind you. I know the woman my father loved. Everyone tells me about her. I want to know the woman you loved."
In the main room the four remaining Torchwood members held their breath and waited to see who would speak next. Jack chased the others away from the monitor at Owen's desk. Tosh had taken Reggie's room off of the regular loop but it still recorded to the system. Since Owen was the one here to keep an eye on her at night, they thought it was still important that he be able to check up on her.
"Whatever Owen's going to tell her, I think she deserves a little privacy, don't you." Nobody bothered to argue, instead they simply returned to their work. Jack stayed to watch.
"Why do you need to know- when we wipe your memory you won't remember any of it." His eyes pleaded with her.
"I know that. Owen, please." She put her hand on his. "I have nothing left. Please just give me this."
For a moment she thought he would storm out. If she'd pushed him too far this time, she wouldn't get another chance.
"She ferried planes in the War. Got a 'taste for flying', she said. But after the war, when all the other good little women were going back to their stoves," he chuckled at the memory. "She wouldn't. Couldn't stand people telling her what to do." He stared at his hands, recalling the memories and laying them out before her without meeting her eyes. "She was class, she was. She argued that women should be able to have equality without having to sacrifice chivalry. You know… a true 'modern woman', sexually aware," He glanced up slightly to see if Reggie had reacted before continuing. "Outspoken, beautiful, smart, independent. She flew to Australia solo in four days." Tears started to build up in his eyes. "Once she got here nothing frustrated her more than not being allowed to fly- I tried to get some lessons for her so she could qualify for a new license, but she left before that happened. She taught me so much…" He sat silently for a full minute before starting again.
"Woke up one morning and she'd gone, left me a note. I rushed to the airfield, but she couldn't be persuaded to stay. No matter how much I loved her, she couldn't stay. She wanted to see if the rift would take her somewhere new…"
Reggie squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Owen, I'm so sorry." Her own eyes were full of tears again. He stood up from the table and looked her in the eyes before turning and leaving. She whispered at his back as he left, "Thank you."
Upon seeing Owen leave Reggie's room, Jack removed himself to his office. When Owen returned from composing himself in the lavatory, Jack called him up.
"She's not her Owen. You can't bring her back."
"I know, Jack." He'd done his little dance with Reggie, and now Jack wanted to take him for a twirl.
"She's not her."
"Shut up."
"She's not Diane."
"Shut your bloody mouth, Jack."
"No matter what you do, she'll never be her."
Owen stopped responding, he was busy digging his nails into his palms again.
"Owen. You can't do this to yourself. She left, and she died. Reggie has been punished enough. Are you making any progress with the Retcon?"
"No Jack." His temper was up again; the response came out as a growl.
"This situation will have to be dealt with, one way or another."
"We can't just keep her here!"
"Then find me a solution. I'll have Ianto set up a rotating schedule- we'll split the monitoring duties from now on."
"No. I won't have you and Ianto cleaning up after this one."
Jack had his doubts about relenting but this was Owen's mistake, and hopefully he'd actually learn from this one. "Alright, I didn't want to waste my Friday here anyway- I have… plans. Now, how about we get back to work?"
Reggie didn't use the comm. for the next three weeks. She got up with Ianto and then worked on the crossword puzzle together. During the days she kept out of Owen's way- hanging out occasionally in Jack's office, the two of them laughing and making fun of bureaucracy. Tosh had set up a computer at an empty workstation for her to use- with blocks and filters on the communications programs of course. Having the Internet at least kept her busy. Jack had tasked Gwen with back cataloguing the electronic references to Torchwood. It took some convincing, but Jack finally agreed to let Reggie take over the menial work. On Friday morning Jack joined her and Ianto for breakfast.
"You two really sit in here and do the crossword? Isn't that cheating- getting a head start on Tosh like that?"
Ianto didn't look up, but he smirked. "It won't be a problem if somebody keeps their mouth shut, Sir."
Jack chuckled and drank deeply from his coffee mug. "Reggie, it's the weekend."
"Why yes Jack- that's another benefit of reading the paper every morning. You don't forget what day it is." She smiled at him.
"You and Owen haven't been talking much." He waited to see if she'd respond before continuing. "I have… I have plans this weekend, so I won't be here. You just say the word and I'll send him home, Gwen can stay with you."
She put her pen down and looked up to him. "Why would I want you to do that Jack?"
"Because that much silence can make for a really boring time."
"Listen Jack- Owen and I are fine together. Ianto got all five Series' of 'Spooks' for me on DVD." She and Ianto shared a smile. "So I'll be occupied. Besides, if Owen is here, and not talking to me, then maybe he'll be working on getting me out of your hair. It's been fun- but I still want to get back to my life.
"Suit yourself." Gwen came in and grabbed a piece of toast from the plate.
"Good morning. How did everyone sleep? Reggie, you're looking well."
"Thanks Gwen. Sounds like you and Rhys had a good night. I'm guessing you didn't get much sleep." She raised her eyebrows at her and drank from her cup.
Gwen gasped and feigned being scandalized. After a couple of minutes of silence, Owen emerged fresh and clean from the room he was staying in.
"Good morning. Tosh coming in today, Jack?"
Jack looked up from the internet report. "No, she's gone to visit her father. I told her to make a long weekend of it. That reminds me people: let's all be aware that we are a woman down this weekend. Reggie, I swore I'd never do this for many reasons, but if something happens, we're going to have to secure you in your room and leave you here alone. I had Tosh program a failsafe so that in the event that we all get killed you won't starve. Hopefully it won't happen, but I figured that if it came to that we wouldn't have you to worry about anymore."
Everyone was looking at him. Reggie was the only one to speak. "Thanks Jack, I'll remember that."
By Friday afternoon the Hub was total chaos. It had been hours since anyone had done any proper work. Spontaneous rubber band fights kept breaking out between basketball games. At 1500 Jack called the day a lost cause and started sending everyone home. Gwen had Rhys waiting for her, Ianto and Jack had both claimed "plans", and Tosh was gone.
When Ianto finally left with Jack in tow, Reggie flopped out on her bed and let out an exaggerated sigh. "Jack was right."
"Yeah, but don't tell him that, he's insufferable enough as it is, thank you very much."
"Owen, you shit, you scared me!" She tossed her pillow at him; he was dressed up. "Ooh, aren't you pretty tonight?"
"Come on, get up. We're not staying here all night." He tossed the pillow back.
"What?" She laughed, "You're not serious, I can't leave, what about Jack?"
"Well, let's make sure he doesn't find out then. Now hurry up and get dressed, I'm not gonna wait around for your sorry arse all night."
"Dressed?" She laughed, "You don't like what I'm wearing?"
He didn't say anything, just looked her up and down and smirked.
"Hey, it's easy to criticize, but in case you've forgotten, I don't get out shopping much." She threw the pillow at him again.
"Oh shut up about that. For fuck's sake… Tonight you and I are gonna have a little fun."
"More checkers?" She smiled wryly.
He disappeared for a minute and reappeared with a knapsack. "If it's ugly as shit you'll have to talk to Gwen, she gave it to me." He left again and closed the door behind him. She was glad Owen had consulted with a woman- Gwen had packed a simple black dress, some heels, and other necessities. She highly doubted that the boys would have thought to pack makeup or a razor. Well, maybe Ianto.
"Hell, maybe Owen!" She made herself laugh and went to her lavatory to wet her hair.
Owen dropped into his workstation chair and let out a sigh. He picked up something off his desk and turned to toss it in the bin. As he did that his eyes passed over the monitor that showed Reggie's room.
"Shit." He immediately turned his back towards it; he was not laying one foot down that path. He concentrated on tossing his football against the wall and thinking up clever things to say about how long she took to get ready.
Reggie didn't keep him waiting long, after five weeks inside she was at least as eager as he was to get outside.
"Tada!" She did a little twirl.
"It'll have to do, come on."
He pocketed his mobile and a Hub earpiece.
Owen put on the parking break. "Right, hop out… we're here."
"That's nice, where's here?" She closed the car door.
"Hey, watch it! Don't slam the doors. I thought we'd eat something other than bad Chinese for once. You know, just for a laugh?"
"Hey, works for me. What are we having?"
"You eat fish right? Or are we going to have to find something covered in cheese and smothered in gravy?"
She punched him in the arm before looping her arm through his.
He held the door open for her, "After you madam."
"Ooh, I never would have guessed you be polite. I thought it would kill you."
"Just get inside, I'm starving."
"Yes, sir!" She made a mock salute. "I won't piss you off again- you'd probably stitch my arm to my neck in my sleep!"
"Next time I think I'll start drinking before we leave."
It was a great restaurant. Reggie had to admit that she was having a good time. Owen was actually smiling, and not his 'eat shit' smile either. When he was having fun, he wasn't nearly as much of an obnoxious wank. He finished his scotch while they waited for the check and finished the last of the desert. Things were really nice.
There was still a wall between them- they didn't talk about her mother, or Torchwood, or the awful night that led to them being stuck together. The bruises had faded, but the events of that night were still very fresh in Reggie's mind. She refused to think about the fact that if things had gone right, she wouldn't have remembered any of it. Everyday she had to suppress the knowledge that these people were still actively working to find a way to get rid of her. The Owen she was having dinner with was still the same man who snarled at her in her nightmares. On top of that she missed Sean and Anise; and her family. What were they doing right now? Did people wonder about her? She furrowed her brow.
"Stop that- didn't anyone teach how have a good time? You'd think I was a bloody corpse. Barrel of laughs you are."
Reggie smiled sweetly and sipped from her wine glass. "Sorry, I have a bad habit of zoning out."
"Right, don't we all love?" He squinted at her, examining her with his doctor eyes again. "You need another drink, and I'm bored with this place, let's go. How do you like dancing?"
"Lead the way!" He left the tip on the table and pulled her by the wrist out the door.
"I can't believe you brought me here!" He'd parked a city car park, and it wasn't until they were actually walking up to the door that she realized they were going to the Incognito.
"What? They have DJ's on weekends." He directed her in through the second door. "I wont to keep you out too late, in case Jack's plans don't go according… to plan."
"How eloquent; you certainly have a mastery of the English language!"
"Oh sod off, let's have us a drink already!"
Reggie staked out a table near the back as Owen went to the bar. She kept expecting to look up and see one of her friends. This was a bad idea. Owen may not think so, but she knew something bad was coming. Finally Owen returned to the table with two martinis.
Reggie laid on her best American southern accent. "Why Doctor Harper, I do believe you're trying to get me intoxicated!"
"You're loony. Cheers…"
"Owen? Reggie?" Reggie flinched, she had a feeling the 'bad idea' had just happened.
She put her drink back down on the table and turned to face Gwen. "Hallo Gwen. Didn't expect to see you here." She smiled nervously.
"Owen, what are you two doing here? I thought you were going to go to dinner and have an early night." Her eyes went wide at the question.
"Ah, yeah, Hi Gwen. Restaurant was a total bore, a bit like you." He sneered.
"Oy, what's this? Friends of yours Gwenny? Well aren't you going to introduce us?" He nudged her with his elbow and passed her a pint.
Reggie and Gwen looked at each other- nobody had come up with a cover story for Reggie; she wasn't even supposed to be out of the Hub. "Rhys, this is Regina Martelli, and Owen Harper." Rhys shook both of their hands eagerly.
"Happy to meet you mate! And Regina, how're you? Always nice to run into friends at the pub!" He flashed a big smile.
Reggie smiled back. She had to work to make herself heard over the noise. "Rhys, call me Reggie! It's nice to finally meet you, Gwen talks about you all the time!"
"Wait, you're not American are you? How d'ya know Gwen then?"
Gwen spoke up. "I work with Owen, and Reggie is his…"
Owen chimed in. "Step sister. Look Gwen, I hate to be rude, but we actually came here to dance, so… why don't you two bugger off for a bit?"
Gwen glared at him, but Reggie thought Gwen was just as glad as she was that Rhys didn't hear what Owen had said. Nobody talked about it, but it was known that Gwen and Owen had once been fuck buddies. Gwen leaned like she was going to hug Reggie:
"Be careful. He can be a real sod when he drinks. And if Jack found out about this, he'd kill him. And if he knew I'd helped… "
Reggie nodded. She certainly felt she understood what happened to Owen when he drank, more than Gwen realized. Gwen then leaned in to Owen and whispered something in his ear as well. With a wave she had gone after Rhys, lost in the crowd.
He downed his drink. "You ready for another?"
Reggie finished hers and nodded. After all, she didn't know how long it would be till she got to do this again.
Two hours later they were both pissed, and laughing their asses off about it. This was a very bad idea.
Owen kept running ahead. "Come on Cinderella, before you turn into a pumpkin!"
"Bugger off Owen! How often do you run in high heels?"
He waited for her to catch up. "More often than you'd think, love." He smirked at her, causing her to double over with laughter. "Now come on! We're nearly there." He led her off by the wrist again.
"Owen, why are we in the car park? You can't drive. You're pissed!" She laughed and looked around. "This isn't even the same one we left your car in!" It was the funniest thing she'd ever heard.
"Hey, don't tell me I'm pissed! You're no better!" They got into the lift. "Press five, hurry up!"
Reggie did as she was told giggling the whole time. "You know," she composed herself. "You're accent gets heavier when you drink."
"Yours too." Then they both burst out laughing. The lift stopped and they got out.
"Owen, why were we rushing to get to the top of a car park?"
"For the view." He was right; it was spectacular. The whole of Cardiff Bay was spread out before them. He started pointing out landmarks. "There's the Millennium Center, you know, that place built on top of the place where we normally are." She chuckled. "Oh, and there's," he flung his arms wide. "Cardiff Bay. You know, gateway to the ocean. It's that big blue thing you saw from the plane when you came here."
Reggie's mind was wandering, but Owen kept going. Finally he felt he'd pointed out everything of record. "… And that building, right over there. The shiny one- that's where I live when I'm not stuck sitting with you." He gestured with his left arm. "See, right there, that group of windows. That's my flat."
Reggie chuckled again. She had no idea where he was pointing: "It's lovely, I want two just like it!"
"Yeah, you broads are all alike."
"Owen, why are we up here?"
"This is where I brought Diane the night I fell in love with her. I thought you'd like to see it- with all your damn questions." He looked at her briefly and then immediately began examining his own hands.
"Owen, what did Gwen say to you back at the bar?"
"Nothing I didn't know already." He cleared his throat. "She just wanted to remind me- that you aren't her."
They stood there, leaning on the railing and looking out over the bay for a couple of minutes. A cool breeze kicked up, causing Reggie to shiver.
"Oh come here." He rubbed her arms. "It's bloody cold out here, why haven't you got a coat?"
"You didn't tell me to bring one."
"Oh, right then. I think it's time to go."
"Just another minute. This is really beautiful."
"So are you."
"Owen…"
"Shhh…" He leaned in and planted a soft kiss on her lips. It wouldn't have been so bad if that was it. Then he turned her to face him, pressing her against his body and kissed her deeply. Neither of them had control of their senses. Reggie knew she had to stop this- her body simply wouldn't comply. None of it mattered. He was attractive, and available, and he was incredible. This was a very bad idea.
At last Owen pulled back. They were both panting slightly. Her heart was racing and she could feel his thumping against her.
Her voice quaked. "Owen. I'm not her."
"I know." He pinned her against the railing and kissed her again.
"This is a bad idea."
"I know." He pressed his mouth firmly against hers. Owen explored her mouth with his tongue and explored her breast with his hand. She slid her hand down the front of his trousers and rubbed his crotch causing him groan softly. He pulled his head back from the kiss and spoke, their lips still touching. "We need a taxi."
***
Next part of To Err is Human.
- Main Torchwood slash page
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- Amazon.com - Torchwood: Children of Earth
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- Amazon.ca link - Torchwood - The Complete First Season (7DVD)
