Anythingdrabble Challenge 210 - A new perspective

[m_findlow]

Title: A new perspective
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters/Pairings: Gwen, Jack
Author: m_findlow
Word Count: 500 words
Rating: PG
Notes: Written for Challenge 210 - High at anythingdrabble
Summary: After confronting the reality of Torchwood, Gwen needs a fresh perspective on it.



Gwen awoke from where she'd fallen asleep on the sofa. She didn’t even think she’d be able to sleep - not after everything she'd witnessed last night. All the memories had come flooding back the moment she saw Suzie standing there in front of her, holding the knife. Suzie had gone and killed herself, rather than face whatever punishment Jack might have dealt her. Gwen didn’t kid herself for even a second that the price for having crossed that invisible line between outside the government and beyond the police was probably death. She just didn’t want to think about Jack being capable of killing someone he'd worked with, no matter their crimes.

She pushed herself up, rubbing her eyes. He hadn't retconned her at least. That was something. She partly expected it, because he'd done it once before, and now she wondered if she didn’t want it for herself, so that she didn’t have to remember watching Suzie crumple to the ground in front of her, the sound of that heavy calibre gun, and the blood and gore that now made up the back of her head, or what little was left of it.

‘You’re awake,’ Jack said, stepping out of his office and spotting her sitting there, wondering what was to come next. ‘Good.’ He didn't look like he was about to dispense with her, but then he’d served her drugs with a charming smile once before. He grabbed his coat from where it had been hanging over the metal railing and draped it over his arm. ‘C’mon,’ he said, nodding his head towards the invisible lift he’d once brought her down here on.

Gwen silently followed him out and up through the hole in the pavement. The water tower glinted above them with the first rays of morning light. Jack stepped off the block and held out an arm for her to take as they strolled across the plass and towards the large glass doors of the Millennium Centre. Where on earth was he taking her?

‘Ladies first,’ he said, pulling open a fire stairwell door.

She climbed the stairs, up and up, wondering when he was going to direct her out onto one of the many levels that opened back out onto the mezzanine and then the dress circle levels of seating, but it wasn't until she reach the very top that Jack pulled a swipe card from his pocket, unlocking it and opening the exit out and up onto the roof.

‘Watch your step,’ he warned her. ‘It really is as curved as it looks from down below.’

She stepped cautiously and then they just came to a stop, standing there, letting the sun glow over the bronzed roof. ‘What are we doing up here?’

Jack shrugged. ‘I like high places. Gives you a real sense of perspective, don't you think?’

She stared out again, seeing the city in a whole different light, far removed from the horror of last night. ‘Yeah, it really does,’ she agreed.