Martha Jones (walkedtheearth) wrote in tw_newworlds, @ 2013-07-25 16:42:00 |
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Entry tags: | gwen cooper, ianto jones, jack harkness, martha jones, torchwood, toshiko sato |
WHO: Team Torchwood!
WHERE: The Hub - Cardiff, Wales
WHEN: The first day Tosh turns back up at the Hub
WHAT: Jack and the team need to know she's back
Jack was sitting at his desk with his boots propped up on the corner as he flipped through some recent reports. He closed his eyes and smiled, inhaling the scent of the coffee that Ianto had brought him a few minutes earlier. Life was slowly getting back to normal at Torchwood. His wrist strap beeped, Causing Jack's eyes to reopen as he flipped open the cover. He pressed a few buttons and frowned slightly. Someone had tried to access the Hub with an invalid Torchwood ID.
Leaning forward and dropping his boots to the floor with a thud, he did a quick scan of the Hub area. Ianto was down in the Archives, Gwen was at her workstation, and Martha was working on something in the lab. Then who the hell was trying to get in?
A quick scan of the Hub's internal CCTV cameras revealed the last thing that Jack would've expected to see: Toshiko Sato. All scans indicated that it was actually her right down to the DNA. But... how? He used his wrist strap to remotely open the door for her and quickly left his office, rushing down to the main level of the Hub. Jack activated his comm and ordered the Team to all report immediately to the main area.
It was the last place she expected herself to be after all this time, but here she was, standing in front of the same place she had once called home for a long time and had some of the best experiences of her life. She was not sure what was going to happen, but the uncertainty of it all made her want to turn around in the other direction. Knowing full well everyone would freak when they saw her, she slowly approached the door.
Her expression held a lot of unanswered questions, the important one being why she was alive when she was supposed to be dead since she knew full well that if Jack had his way, he would be doing a full DNA scan on her. The tech expert in her knew that she was clearly visible under the cameras and took out her ID that for some reason was on her and attempted to use it on the door of the hub. When access was denied, she canted her head to the side and tried again, thinking there was a glitch, but her suspicions grew when it didn't work.
"Okay... Looks like everything has changed on me. Damn it to all hell. The one time when somehow I come back from the dead and want to enter the one place I felt at home, I can't even get in. Jack, I will have your head if you don't let me in!" She said, knowing that they all could hear her even if she could not see who was inside.
"Nothing got changed," Jack replied over the comm system to her. "You died, Tosh. We saw the video you left us when we did your final log out of the Torchwood system. That's why your ID card isn't working."
The door rolled to the side after the commands from Jack's wrist strap kicked in. He grinned over at her and jogged over, pulling Tosh into a tight hug. "I don't know how this is possible, but right now I don't care. Welcome home."
"Yeah well, that was before I was somehow dropped back on Earth. As if there needs to be more complications with the rift in time." She said with a shake of her head.
When the door rolled to the side and saw him standing there, Tosh had actually forgot how good it was to see him. Ignoring the twinge of pain that shot through her as she was pulled into a hug and held onto him tightly. It was the first time in a while that she had a full fledged smile on her face and it felt good. "I don't care how I got here, but all that matters is that I am home again. I've missed you Jack."
Ianto was on his way up from the Archives, trying to balance the papers with his good arm and sort through them with his bad. It would probably kill people in this place to label anything. That had to be it, because they were all breathing and alive. Jack was the only person he knew this wouldn't be an excuse for.
"You know, I get I was gone, but there's a reason I keep a log down there. So everyone will know where to put... put..." Ianto had looked up from what he was doing, seeing Tosh held in Jack's arms. The files went everywhere and Ianto felt his chest tighten up. It was Tosh. But it couldn't be Tosh because she was dead. He'd watched her get killed, twice now.
He couldn't move from his spot, his throat dry so the words just weren't forming. Was it really Tosh? How?
Martha had been elbow deep in the dead carcass of something that had fallen from the Rift. Finishing up she'd heard Jack's orders but had needed to throw on clothes (having just showered and sterilized the med bay) before she headed up. But when she did she literally ran up the stairs. Whatever it was it had to be important.
She climbed the stairs, shaking her head. "The whole thing was a bust, Jack," she called up, not seeing the events until several moments later. "We'll need to dispose of the..." She saw Ianto stock still before she saw what he was staring at. But when she did, she too froze. Standing there was Tosh. Not dead! Very much alive. And this was just the latest shock of the last two weeks. And this... was just another miracle. Or it might have been had martha believed in them. "Tosh..." this was amazing! She couldn't look away, a smile forming on her face.
"Before you guys ask... no. I've got no idea how she ended up here or anything else. But the Hub's scanners confirm that it's really her." He kissed Tosh's cheek and hugged her again, then turned her loose so the others could give their own hugs.
Jack turned his attention over to Ianto and grinned. "And to answer your comment, we were putting things back. Just... not always quite how you might've."
Gwen was still feeling a little off post the whole mess with the Dementors so she had been lending Ianto a hand in the archives last few days. But when she wandered up for coffee she spotted Tosh and her throat went dry, the Dementors had triggered memories after all. But she shoved it aside and finally spoke, "You know I want to give her a hug too!".
After Jack had released her, Tosh turned to the other members and it was hard to speak since her voice prevented her from doing so. It was shocking to be standing there and seeing all of them again after being dead, and how she was alive, she still didn't know, but was happy to see almost all of the people she had grown to love. Tears blurred her vision in happiness, but they didn't fall. Pride in herself taught her that, but there was a smile on her face.
"Come here you guys. If you want to all at once, I don't care, but one thing is for sure: I have missed you all."
Ianto wanted to go to her, but he couldn't make his legs work. His look was a mix of relief and great confusion. She was back. When she moved closer Ianto pulled her in for a tight, one armed hug. "Thank God you're back," he whispered. He wanted to apologize for not being able to save her in the first place. Maybe she wouldn't even remember him being there. If he was in another dimension.
Ianto pulled back putting on his best smile for her.
Martha didn't need to be told twice. She was moving before she even knew what she was actually doing, joining in the hug. It had been hell after she and Owen had died. She'd come in to help in the aftermath and everyone had just been falling apart. But here she was, alive.
She moved to hug her, hugging Ianto at the same time - not really caring, it was Ianto! - She didn't even have the words. But over the last week so much had happened how could she even have thought this impossible?!
Gwen let herself be swept into the mass hug, not really caring that her eyes were still red from the whole Dementor mess. This was just what she needed after what had been the worst few days, the memories alone had been hard enough.
Tosh let herself become part of a Torchwood sandwich, her in the middle and Martha, Ianto and Gwen surrounding her, and ignoring the pain that shot through her. At this point, being shot didn't matter. All that did matter was that she had her life back and her friends were with her and through tear filled eyes where the tears actually did fall, only because she was happy, she looked at Ianto when he spoke and understood what he wanted to say and nodded at him, telling him with her eyes that she forgave him for not being able to save her. Turning from him she looked at the others and smiled. "I feel whole again." She said pulling away from the hug, trying to mask the pain that was slowly starting to feel agonizing.
Jack stood back a bit away from the group and just smiled as he watched them all: his family. He did notice though the way Tosh's expression would change for just a moment each time someone hugged her, or move her too much.
"Alright kids... give her some room to breathe. Martha? Do me a favor... check Tosh over for me and if she's hurt, patch her up. Ianto? Get our little genius something to eat. Gwen? I need you to reinstate her to the Hub's computer systems. If you need a hand with that, let me know."
Martha nodded emphatically, shooting Jack a smile. They were almost all together again. And however this has halppened, this was something to be celebrated.... Or so she thought. Turning back to Tosh she thought that she saw the woman wince, aned then twitch slightly. And it wasn't a good twitch either. Her instincts were kicking in. Something was wrong here. The thing was how to do this without it being completely obvious. After all everyone deserved a bit of privacy... right?
"Alright, you two heard our leader, I need to take Tosh down to Med. Hand off the genius," she teased, trying to keep it light, to cover her own current concerns.
Ianto stepped away, shaking his head. He saw Tosh was uncomfortable but he didn't say a word. Jack's voice rang in about food and he snapped too, just nodding. That's all he could say. Not even a few days before he'd watched her die all over again and now here she was. Alive, kicking, a little rough around the edges but who knew what she'd been through.
Moving away he went to get his phone to make a call to Tosh's favorite place. Only the best for one of his best friends and this was definately something to celebrate.
"Really you guys, you don't have to go through all this trouble just for me," She said softly. She was never one to admit that she deserved anything, and now that the spotlight was focused on her and after years of wanting to be noticed for that, she felt she didn't deserve it at all. But she smiled all the same, knowing her friends would have her head if she dared to disagree.
Smiling at her friends she walked with Martha to the medbay and it brought back memories she wanted to forget. Mostly due to the fact she blamed herself for it, but she was clever enough to disguise her feelings, but she had an idea her friends knew that she missed Owen more than anyone. She also knew that Martha was concerned about her, and anyone would be. Trying not to move too much, she walked as much as she could without showing how painful the injury really was. it was always painful when you got shot right? She was not sure if it was supposed to hurt this much.
"Alright, Dr. Jones. Wow me with your superb doctoring skills. I know you are concerned, so enlighten me in what you think it is. Considering I know you have strong instincts with this sort of thing." Her voice was calmer than it should have been, but her voice held a friendly air, since it was nice being able to talk to Martha since she was just getting to know her before she died.
"We don't have to, but we want to," Jack replied with his trademark Harkness grin. He winked and Tosh and stepped closer, giving her another gentle hug.
"We'll talk later," he whispered into her ear. He had a feeling exactly how she felt, considering Jack himself had many of the same thoughts each time he lost a team member. He always blamed himself.
As he moved away, Jack squeezed Martha's shoulder and smiled. "I'll leave you two ladies alone. I'll be up in my office, so someone let me know when the food gets here."
Martha watched Jack for several moments as he walked away, but now wasn't the time to inspect him, she had other things that needed her attention. And that was MUCH more important. She knew that Tosh must have felt out of sorts. Having... well...died. She'd never died before and she hoped not to. But she knew that this was jarring. COMPLETELY jarring.
Martha walked Tosh down to the med bay. She knew that this would be hard on her, but the first they needed to give her a once over, and nby they she meant her. She gave her friend another squeeze, a light one, taking in her response. She needed to get her on the table... and especially examine that wound. "Alright," she said with a small smile. "You know the drill." She was just so RELIEVED to see her friend.
She saw the looks between Martha and Jack, and smirked to herself. It was plainly obvious something was going on there... But she was not one to voice that, so she kept her thoughts to herself. As she walked she could not help but feel like she was in a dream and she would be dead again. She never expected to be alive again, but if given the chance she would do it again just to see her friends.
When she walked down to the medbay, pain stabbed at her heart since she almost expected Owen to be there, and missing him was harder than she let on, being the last one to ever talk to him before she died. Closing her eyes and fighting back tears she took a deep breath and faced Martha. She knew the wound in her side would be painful, she just hoped it was not as bad as it felt. She hopped on the examining table. "Alright, Martha. Let's get this over with."
She knew that this wouldn't be easy. The whole of the experience... well... Martha sighed, turning her back on her friend momentarily, grabbing one of the portable scanners. She was worried. For Tosh. Both physically and mentally. It was not easy coming back. She'd seen it when Jack 'woke up.' She wasn't going to focus there now.
Martha held up the equipment and shot Tosh a small smile, having noticed the wince earlier she started on that side of Tosh's body. And that was when she saw it. The bullet... and it was just sitting there. Under the skin. Martha swallowed... that projectile needed to come out, but the way it was positioned. It would be tricky...
She didn't have to say she was worried. Tosh could see it on her face even if Martha was trying her hardest to not show it, and Tosh was trying her hardest to keep her emotions in check, but she knew it was only a matter of time before the walls would come crashing down. They always did. And it was not easy being in the same place that she loved with all her heart was not there. Plus coming back to life when she was supposed to be dead? That was even worse.
Her smile was weak when she looked at Martha and knew that the agonizing pain was about to go away, but when she saw the bullet wound, she fought to not be sick over that fact. It would be tricky getting out, that she knew, but she had no idea how painful it was until a wave of it shot through her, and she attempted a brave face, but that was not looking so well either...
She could tell by looking at TOsh that she knew. Both she knew what was in her and where the final result would take them. Martha sighed. The last thing she wanted was to cause Tosh any more pain, but this was necessary...
"It needs to come out," she said seriously. She tried to be understanding. She wasn't cold or removed from the situation. But cutting into a friend was NOT something she wanted to do. "We have some new tools... it will take some time, but we should be able to finish it. I'll need to take some more scans first..." She knew that no one wanted that reminder of what had happened, especially not Tosh, but they needed it out...
Taking several deep breaths and nodded at Martha as a sign of encouragement seeing that she didn't want to cause her pain, but it was worth the risk of feeling sort of okay again..
"I know. Just do what you can, Martha. My heart hurts more than that bullet wound I'm afraid." She hated to admit it, but it was the truth and she was bound and determined to not cry. At least not yet. "I saw the new tools. Seems like the place has had quite the makeover while I was gone." She tried to be lighthearted, but it seemed off. As she watched Martha at work, she braced herself for any sort of pain, and she had to bet that cutting into her was not going to be easy...
Martha nodded, reaching over she squeezed Tosh's shoulder, trying to comfort her a bit. Unfortunately there was nothing Martha could do for broken hearts. Only for broken bodies. "We came upon a cache of new tech left by some semi-friendly visitors. Was something of a change from what we're used to. But it will make this go by faster, and from what I've experienced, you'll just have to look away." They had a new anesthetic. She'd numb the area completely and regenerate the tissue before it wore off... She really hated this.
Turning around, Martha grabbed a smock and a pair of gloves and put them on the work tray. "So now?" She wanted to be sure before having tosh lie down. She'd put her to sleep, yes, if only for the sake of her own piece of mind... Jack would probably check in on them if they took too long. But this was the first priority.
Tosh felt the comfort in Martha's gesture and knew that a broken heart was healed in time, but she was not sure if that would ever happen. As far as she was concerned, Owen was one in a million. Canting her head a bit of interest came into her expression. Technology was something that she would never outgrow. "I can't wait to get a crack at the computer system. If you have changed things down here, then my guess is that everything has." She said and saw Martha's expression and knew she hated it just as much as she did.
She watched as Martha got herself ready, and nodded. "Might as well face the music. Hopefully I will feel some relief after this." She said knowing she was ready for her injury to be healed. She hoped after this there would be no more injuries after this.
Martha collected the instruments and set them down on the prep table. She got out an anesthetic and started getting everything ready. "I'm going to need you to remove your shirt," she said honestly. She pressed a button turning off the c ameras in the med bay. She was not taking a chance of anyone watching this later. She'd file a report. That would have to be good enough.