Wednesday April 25th 2007

Today, my mam woke me up at 7am with French toast and strawberry jam. I swear, it's like she's never going to see me again! But I was very grateful all the same.

All of my bags were laid out in the living room and we had nothing to do but wait until I was picked up. I had no idea who was coming for me, or in what car. I figured it wouldn't be the SUV... might look a teeny tiny bit suspicious!

In the end, it was Suzie who came which, I must say, surprised me. Although, in hindsight, everyone else had played a part in this facade, I assume it was just her turn.

Together, Suzie, my Mam and I moved my bags into the boot of her car – it was black and shiny, making it look just like some rental escort car. I wondered whether she owned it or is was Torchwood property? It felt rude to ask.

Once I shared a long, drawn out (and frankly embarrassing) goodbye with my Mam, I got in the car with Suzie.

The silence that followed was very awkward. I tried to break it a few times "thanks for doing this." "So, doing anything interesting at torchwood?" "How long have you been working there."

All questions were answered with brief, dismissive, one-word reply so in the end I gave up and sat in silence as I watched Cardiff pass me by on our way to the Hub.

The drive wasn't very long which I was thankful for and before I knew it, we were there.

I'd only been there last night, but this was it... this was the start of my new life. It all felt different this time; good different, exciting different.

She drove into the underground car park but told me to leave my bags in the car. That made me think something – it was all very good leaving my mam. But where was I going to live now! I couldn't live in the hub...

I didn't have long to think about it, I was soon in the hub with the rest of the team. We were all sat together in the meeting room. I sat down besides Tosh and she offered me a small smile.

"Caity, Suzie," greeted Jack as we sat down.

"Sorry we're late Jack, emotional farewells and all that..." She snorted.

Blimey, my mam wasn't going to see her only daughter for an unspecified amount of time... was it so wrong to say a long goodbye! (Ok, I know even I said the goodbye was embarrassing, maybe I'm just being defensive around Suzie because I know what she's capable of... maybe she's just a bitch?).

"OK, well Owen was just telling me that he'd developed a new strain of retcon. Tosh has located the missing sontaran brain probe from that boot sale; it was being sold as a Victorian medical instrument. Ha. Suzie, what have you got for me?"

"Nothing that exciting Jack, I've just been back logging some of the old artefacts we've found. I discovered some weaponry, some telecommunication devices. Oh, but there was a few things that I was unsure of and was hoping you could give a second opinion?" she replied.

"Sure, yup. I can do that now. Right, everyone, I think that's all. You're free to leave!" Jack dismissed everyone.

And everyone left, they all went off to do their jobs. And I just sat there.

What did they want me to do? Jack was talking with Suzie somewhere (I failed to notice where the disappeared to) so I couldn't ask him what he wanted me to do.

Taking my initiative, I made my way in the main hub. I saw Tosh clicking away at a keyboard and Owen dissecting a... something.

It didn't take much consideration to decide who I'd rather go help with their work!

Off I trotted to the medical bay, down the steps and into the alcove, towards Owen.

I coughed for him to notice me. Cliché but effective...he looked up.

"New-girl, what can I do for you?"

"Well, um, I was wondering if you needed any help? Or, I don't know, anything? I don't really know what I'm meant to be doing!"

He looked at me thoughtfully for a moment.

"Are you squeamish?" He asked. Ooo, was he going to let me help with the autopsy? Cut up dead things... fun! I loved biology... and whatever Owen had infront of him looked a lot more interesting than a dead rat.

"Nope, not at all!" I Smiled.

"Great, see over there? Be a dear and wash those autopsy tools by the sink and disinfect them." He grinned at me cockily.

Great indeed... from the look of the stack of equipment by the sink, the last time the washing was done was probably before Owen was employed.

Seriously, scalpels, mounted needles, Petri dishes and beakers... everything you'd expect to see in a science lab and then some.

Hours! Hours I was stood washing and scrubbing and sterilising.

When I finally finished (it was nearly 2pm) I peeled off my gloves and made my way to leave – I was going to see if Tosh had anything to do next. Maybe it would be something less sticky?

But before I reached the steps, Owen called for me.

"Waaait, a minute, want to see something?"

Uh, yes!

"Well, see this?" he gestured at the new body that was on his autopsy table. He'd worked his was though 4 in the time I was cleaning.

Owen went on to tell me that it was a Crespallion, a race which I happened to recognise from Doctor Who. It worked on platform one in that episode with Cassandra. This specimen was a woman. He proceeded to tell me how there had been an increase of them coming through the rift (alive and dead) over the last few months leaving them to believe the rift was spreading into their regions. But what was most interesting, was when Owen went onto talk about the biological makeup of the alien. You could tell Owen was a doctor; he talked very passionately and I was engrossed!

He said how the blue came from copper chloride in their bodies. And in addition, their circulatory system completely differed from that of anything on earth.

"you can poke it if you want."

"What?" I asked, rather shocked.

"Poke it, prod it touch it... I bet you're dying to... Go on, you can touch a real, genuine alien."

Before I could answer, Tosh called over the railings. "Lunch!"

Owen hastily ran upstairs but I held back a moment and looked at the body.

Tentatively I moved my hand and brought it to touch the aliens face. From the neck up, it looked like it was sleeping; only the gaping incision running from its stomached to the sternum gave indentation that it was dead.

I wondered what it – she – what she had left behind when she was swallowed by the rift. What killed her? Was she dead before or after she came through the rift?

So many questions, I reckoned Owen could have answered some but I didn't ask. Sad as I was for the alien, I couldn't let that impair my judgement. I couldn't become subjective; I had to keep a level head working here. I wasn't just watching it all unfold on my TV anymore.

So, ready to move on to more odd jobs, I followed after Owen to the board room where lunch was waiting for me.

I joined the team, the people I was working with... and we had Chinese! Yummy!

Ok, bit of a rubbishy filler chapter that I got carried away with... and if you're wondering why Owen has such a focus... well, there will be a reason! Trust me!

Thanks for reading!

And if you could review, that would be great... let me know what was sucky/good so I can improve it! Thanks.