othercaptjack | (no subject)

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gwen cooper

(no subject)

[OOC: After the end of this episode.]

The voices of the others echo softly and mutedly from below, as Jack sits slowly down behind his desk with a slight sigh. He feels tired, even if, thanks to the earlier regeneration, he doesn't look it in the least.

He looks up at Gwen Cooper again.

"I suppose I should get the formalities out of the way, at least," he says. "When can you start?"

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"I'll probably piss them off without tryin'." She crosses her arms and looks back at Jack. "So, what do I call Torchwood to other people if they ask what I do? Special Ops?"

"Nah, you'll be fine."

He shrugs.

"Doesn't matter that much. Special Ops works, as does just Torchwood. We do have an official presense, in that it's in most regs to defer to us, though it doesn't give much reason."

"Well, I'll say Special Ops if they ask what exactly Torchwood does. Can't really go 'round sayin' 'oh, we do alien catchings.'" Gwen flashes him a grin. "No one'd believe me. Regardless of all the things in London."

"That'll do," he says, "Although do try it, at least once. They tend to think you're being ironic. It's fun."

She laughs softly. Maybe she'll try that on her mother. Or Rhys...or Andy. Anyone. "All right then. Anythin' I need to know, 'bout working here? Stuff I shouldn't say or do?"

She doesn't want to fuck up royally. Like she will anyway.

Jack tilts his head thoughtfully.

"Depends, I guess. Mostly just common sense. In a work situation, particularly in the field, obey direct orders? There shouldn't be that many, but those there are are most likely for a reason."

Like, 'don't touch that' will most likely be lengthened by 'because it will make your head explode.'

"Of course." She nods, tucking hair behind her ear. "I'm police, I know how to listen to orders."

Except ones to stop stalking Torchwood.

"I'll believe that when I see it," says Jack with a quick smile that might be interpreted as teasing.

He may be jaded to the ways of the young.

Ouch. And here's the feeling old again. Did he really just think that? Not good.

She shakes her head, smiling. "Yeah, yeah."

Gwen falls silent, looking around the office again, at a loss of what else to say. It'd been a long day for her. Two deaths, one of them coming back and being held at gunpoint is enough to shock anyone. Follow it up with remembering everything and being offered a job...and Gwen needs a drink.

So does Jack, although unlike her, most likely, he will not be having one. It isn't wise.

"How do you feel?" he asks after a moment, voice quieter.

"Like I'm dreaming." She says, after a moment. "And I'm afraid I'm going to wake up."

She doesn't want to wake up.

"You won't," he says softly.

"But I hope you keep that feeling."

It's all too easy to lose, once Torchwood becomes reality.

She nods slightly. Thoughts fly through her mind and she doesn't know how to categorise them or even ask the questions that arise from them. "I hope I do too."

Jack watches her for a few beats of silence.

"Hell of a day, huh?" he remarks after a moment.

She laughs softly, without humour. "Yeah. I'm a PC, and I've never been that scared in my life."

"You'll get used to it," he says, with a complete lack of comfort, but not without sympathy.

"It come with the job, and an a lot of ways, this is just a job."

"Just a job?" She snorts softly. "Suzie said otherwise."

Jack's face tightens for a moment.

It hurts, and sickens, but he gives a loose, diffident shrug.

"Suzie was also a raving lunatic who tried to kill both of us," he reminds her lightly. "I think we can take the rest of her opinions with a grain of salt at the very least."

"She only said she loved it." And that it got inside of you. And gets to you. "And I know what she was."

"There's such a thing as loving something too much," Jack points out. "It's called obsession. That glove..."

He breaks off, shaking his head slightly. He should have been more careful. He should have watched her more closely. If she had shot Gwen instead of him, or Ianto or Owen, or Tosh...

He sometimes wonders what he thinks he's doing, leading a group like this.

"I'm not Suzie." Gwen points out. "Maybe I won't make the same mistakes."

Jack smiles, and there's nothing visible beneath it.

"I hope not, Gwen."

She watches him for a long moment before dragging her gaze away. "Me too."

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