Title: One of Those on the Edge
By: Mrs_Ianto_Jones
Pairing: gen
Rating: PG
Summary: How Torchwood is often seen by ordinary people.

***

Mandie had no idea where to run, she wasn't even sure her legs would take her anywhere. Her heart pounded so loudly in her chest she could practically hear it. The creature was getting closer. Just behind it, she could she the poor man it had attacked first. There was blood everywhere and the body had hardly any face left. Mandie had walked round the corner in time to see the man's body fall to the floor and had screamed. Screaming had been a mistake as it drew the creature's attention to herself.

A voice in the back of her mind vaguely wondered what the creature was, but her biggest priority was to work out how to get away. As the creature got closer, her thoughts focused on the razor sharp teeth housed within the animalistic head. Suddenly, all hell seemed to break loose. A large, shiny black 4x4 screeched into the street and before it had even stopped, three people jumped out. Two of them were women who sprayed something into the creature's face. The third person, a man, threw some sort of hood over it's head. The creature was then bundled in to rear of the 4x4.

Before Mandie had time to work out what was happening, she found herself guided into the back seat of the vehicle by a very handsome man in a military coat. He was smiling broadly at her and holding out a bottle of water.

"Drink this." He said. "You need it."

Mandie didn't argue. It didn't even cross her mind to wonder why the bottle had no lid. The handsome man continued to grin as he silently urged her to drink all of the liquid.

As soon as she finished, the other three people climbed into the car, the two women sat either side of her.

"What's your name?" asked the handsome man as her turned on the engine.

"Mandie Redfern." She replied.

"Hi Mandie. I'm Cap'n Jack Harkness, this is Owen, Gwen and Toshiko. We're gonna drop you off home. Where do you live?"

She told him, then wondered if she should have. The rational part of her reasoned that these people had just saved her life.

It didn't take long to reach Mandie's house and, as she was aided from the vehicle. she suddenly felt very tired. She stumbled slightly but was held up by Captain Harkness. He helped her with her key, then led her to the couch. She mumbled a thank you as her lay her down. Mandie was asleep immediately. She didn't feel the captain kiss her gently on the forehead before he left, locking the door behind him.

The next morning, Mandie woke with a hammering headache. She couldn't remember anything about last night, but it must have been a bloody good one.

***