I ended up watching Journey's End again when I got home from my holiday yesterday. I decided then and there that I wanted to do an introduction to the (hopefully) new team members. I really really couldn't help myself. I also have a couple of other oneshots planned, one a request and one that offshot form an idea I had a while ago. Also, I know this isn't really the second version of Torchwood 3, but it just had a good ring to it.. and it'll be the second team to last more than an episode.
But back to this. Please enjoy it!
Disclaimer: I don't have any claim over any of the characters or the location. They all belong to Russel T. Davies and the BBC
Torchwood 3 v.2
Ianto sighed heavily and looked around the Hub.
Yet again, it was completely trashed. Catching Gwen's eye and nodding, they simultaneously headed over to the cog door and the remains of the dalek. Gwen stopped and looked at Ianto in concern. Ianto simply shrugged and edged forwards, poking it with the machine gun he'd picked up.
The machinery spun gently away from him and he heard a strangled laugh. Turning around with a wry smile on his face, he found Gwen noticeably more relaxed, her shoulders slumped slightly in relief and her expression that of a freed hostage – which Ianto supposed they actually were.
He took a few steps backwards and drew the woman into a hug, stroking her hair gently as she started to shake a little. She gripped the front of his waistcoat and breathed deeply, raggedly until she felt her pulse die down to normal and she felt in control of her muscles again.
"I don't know what Jack was so worried about, personally." Ianto looked down at her and smiled as Gwen just laughed at him. He broke away and retrieved a couple of bin liners, handing one to Gwen and opening one himself. Now was the time for cleaning up. As usual.
It took them several hours to get things back to normal, but they had eventually managed it, both of them silently thanking the Rift for staying quiet for them. As Ianto tied off the final bin liner and dumped it in the kitchen area, he flicked on the coffee machine and went to see how Gwen was doing with up-dating the Rift predictor and manipulator software. Ianto had set up the patches before the invasion but hadn't had the chance to set them going. He'd been rather rudely disturbed by the Earth travelling across the universe and making him lose his footing.
It had all gone down hill after that. Jack had been distraught, apologising for something which both Ianto and Gwen couldn't quite comprehend. A series of saddening and confusing events later, the Doctor had appeared on screen. Ianto had glimpsed him from afar at Torchwood London, but never up close. It was easy to see why Jack had been so taken with him now, the same with Rose.
Luckily, he had enough self esteem and trust in Jack to know that whatever affection he felt for his former companions, it was purely brotherly now, the same as his affection for Gwen.
The woman snapped him out of his reverie by placing her hand on his arm. She looked up at him and smiled again, nodding towards the coffee machine. "I think it's just finished, if you're up for making one."
"Sure." Ianto smiled and headed down the steps beside Tosh's old workstation, into the basin and towards the kitchen area. He didn't make it that far however, because a loud squawk and the familiar sound of the invisible lift alerted him to a new happening.
With a rush of hope and a new found relief, he saw three people standing on the descending slab. Two he recognised and one he didn't.
"Seriously, you live down here?" The man was saying sceptically, his accent that of someone who lived in a reasonably rough area of London. Martha snorted at him and Jack raised his eyebrows.
"Yeah, what's it to you? Every good super hero needs a secret base." The man gave Jack a withering look and folded his arms, trying to seem unimpressed.
"Super hero? Whatever, but don't you have to have some hot chick waiting to swoon into your arms or something?" Those words received another snort of laughter from Martha as the slab reached the floor and a roguish grin and a wink from Jack.
Jack leapt off the slab and opened his arms to Gwen, who had run around form the workstations as soon as she'd realised what was happening, moments after Ianto had. Jack encircled her in a tight bear hug and kissed her lightly on the top of her head.
"So you have the girl but that-" The man began, but by that point, Jack had released Gwen and was moving towards someone else, a young man with light brown hair, dressed neatly in a shirt and tie. He was about to ask whether he was the butler when Jack pulled the young man to him and kissed him hard, their arms moving round each other instinctively. "Okay, so you have the guy then."
Martha nudged the man's shoulder with another smile and headed to Gwen to give her a hug 'hello'. The man stood there feeling particularly awkward as he realised he was distinctly conspicuous amongst the four others who obviously knew each other well.
Jack gave Ianto one last, lingering kiss before pulling back from him gently and smiling, running his fingertips over the young man's face lightly. Once he was suitably assured that he was still in one piece, Jack's smile turned into a fully fledged grin and he grabbed the young man's hand, jerking him across to where the other three were.
Ianto caught Martha's eye and rolled his eyes at the barely contained excitement on her part. She was ecstatic that the two men obviously did more than 'dabble' now. Gwen saw the interactions and laughed lightly at the pair before turning to Jack who'd left Ianto's side and wrapped an arm around the new man's shoulders.
"This," Jack announced proudly, shaking the disgruntled man lightly, "is Mickey Smith… or Mickey Mouse as he will here on be known as."
"Oi!" The man wrestled he way out of Jack's grip and folded his arms, looking moodily at him.
"Mickey, this is Gwen Cooper-Williams, my second in command and connection to the outside world," Jack gestured to Gwen, who raised a hand and smiled brightly, "and this is Ianto Jones, administrator extraordinaire and my 'hot chick waiting to swoon into my arms'… Well, maybe not a chick, but near enough. Makes great coffee too."
"When did I ever swoon into your arms?" Ianto fixed Jack with a vaguely amused expression, hands in pockets.
"Well, there was that one time in the ar-" Jack began, studying his nails until Ianto clapped a hand over his mouth and look apologetically at everyone else. He shot Jack a warning look that could've frozen the River Nile and Jack nodded reluctantly, rolling his eyes as Ianto removed his hand and retreated a few steps towards the two women.
"Nice to meet you." Mickey forced a smile and Ianto felt a stab of sympathy. He knew how hard it was to be the new guy in the team, everyone else already having formed bonds and friendships. "But I still don't get what I'm doing here, Jack."
"Well." Jack grinned, glad to finally have gotten to his point. "I'm going to cut to the chase and ask you two to consider being our new team members."
He looked at the two and gauged their reactions. Martha just grinned at him a nodded, he hadn't really expected anything different from her. Mickey was looking a lot more weary of the job offer.
"The change in team dynamics means that Ianto has pretty much taken on the computer side of things, Gwen's still on liaison, I'm picking up the slack with new found tech and Martha will be the medic." Jack spoke again, all his attention focused on Mickey as his voice became serious, showing the man just how much he meant what he was saying. "We'll need a weapons expert and general body man for runs. It's yours if you want it Mickey, but you can go back to London if you want."
Mickey folded his arms and stared at Jack, considering and analysing the job offer and his other possibilities. It was either this or go back to work in the local shop on the estate, eating chips and drinking tea whilst he watched the footy. He must've pulled a face at the thought because he saw Jack's face crack a smile.
"Looks like we're back up to five then!" Jack slapped Mickey on the back as he acknowledged the man's unspoken approval and turned back the to rest, glad to see that neither Ianto or Gwen looked annoyed or concerned with the sudden job offers. "Now, seeing as the Rift doesn't take days off, I need you and Martha to show Mickey the ropes, Gwen, get him acquainted with things."
"Sure thing." Gwen turned to smile at Mickey, who nodded, still a little stunned.
"Once you're done, Ianto will get forms for you to fill out and the basic equipment." Jack said to Mickey, rocking on the balls of his feet a little, obviously pleased with his new appointments. "He'll come find you in an hour or so. I have to start organising the clean up operation across Cardiff, his local knowledge could come in useful."
Gwen and Martha snorted, Mickey looked confused and Ianto shook his head in Jack's general direction, one of his hands leaving his pockets to pinch the bridge of his nose in exasperation.
"Don't worry, Mickey. You'll work the euphemisms out soon enough, there's several." Gwen nudged him in the side and pulled him away as he started to blush as realisation hit him. Jack laughed and watched them retreat to the boardroom, no doubt starting with the virtual blueprints of the place.
Once they were gone, he turned around and found Ianto looking at him with a curious expression on his face. He opened his mouth to ask a question but before he could speak, Ianto was kissing him deeply, hands on either side of his face. Jack smiled and kissed him back, his arms coming around the young man's waist, pulling him as close as possible.
They stayed like that for several minutes before Ianto pulled back and sighed happily, resting his forehead against Jack's.
"It got really tense back there, after you had to leave." Ianto spoke quietly, eyes closed as he concentrated on Jack's heart beat.
"Yeah, I know. It was pretty bad from where I was standing too." Jack ran his hands up Ianto's back, stroking the back of his neck for comfort. "But I told you I'd come back, didn't I?"
Ianto chuckled and looked up, smiling at the pleased look on Jack's face. "Yeah, you did."
"You know, I'm starting to remember a few more times, apart from the ar-" Ianto growled and gentle warning and pulled himself away, walking round to the workstations. Jack just grinned and stopped speaking, jogging to reach him and catching him around the waist, pulling him into his office as the young man snorted quietly in amusement. "How about I add another time to my list?"
"Seriously, sir. It's you more often than me." Ianto raised his eyebrows slightly in challenge, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Jack met the look and closed the gap between them, kicking the door closed as he captured the young man's lips again.