Human Nature || Torchwood

4 : The Plan

ᴄʟᴀssɪꜰɪᴇᴅ ᴛᴏʀᴄʜᴡᴏᴏᴅ ᴀᴄᴄᴏᴜɴᴛs
ᴛᴀᴋᴇɴ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴊᴏᴜʀɴᴀʟs ᴏꜰ
ᴀʟᴇssᴀɴᴅʀᴏ ʟᴇɪɢʜ ᴍɪʟᴀɴᴇsɪ
[1983 - 2008]

It seemed that Gwen never learnt anything, because she never ceased to ask questions. Leigh was certain that if she stayed silent she would learn more by watching. It was the way Jack had taught me when he began his training, and the way he had taught others. There was proof that it worked.

     She looked over Jack's shoulder as he stood at a map. There were many little red blinking lights to determine places and people across the whole of Cardiff. It was a simple enough thing to look at, anyway.

     "So, what's this supposed to do?" She asked.

  Jack hardly looked at her as he spoke. "I'm using satellite tracking data to determine the inward trajectory of the meteorite."

  "He means he's trying to find out where it came from." Tosh called to her from a desk. She was the kindest of us all. He wouldn't be so nice as it dumb it down for anyone, let alone the new girl.

  "Hey," The Captain seemed to agree. "Sometimes techno babble is good for the soul."

  "So this is like a route planner."

  Tosh nodded. "Not far off."

  Leigh rolled his eyes and threw his head back in his chair. "You just make it sound so boring. Where's the fun in a route planner?"

  "Rhys, my boyfriend, is a transport manager. He does this sort of stuff." Gwen nodded, like they were actually listening to what she was saying. "On a slightly smaller scale."

  "You have a boyfriend?" Tosh seemed excited by the notion.

  Leigh snorted. "Good luck keeping that up."

  "Yeah." She smiled, ignoring me. "Have you?"

  She just shook her head and shrugged as though it was obvious. "Don't have time with this job."

  Then, she turned to Owen, who had only just reentered the room, and completely missed the other half of the conversation entirely. "What about you? You seeing anyone?"

  "You've gotta be joking." He snorted, rolling his eyes. "I can get all the grief I need here."

  "None of you have partners?"

  "Just you, Newbie."

  "And Angel." Tosh chimed in.

  It was like a commune now, because everyone was starting to join them in the hub. This time, it was the redhead, who spoke. "What about me?"

  "Elliott." Was all Leigh said to catch him up, but he understood.

  "Ah, yes. The boyfriend." He nodded, knowingly, it wasn't the first time there had been a conversation like this. "Are we really at this part already? I thought it might've taken longer."

  "Obviously not." Owen grumbled, dropping a stack of papers at his desk.

  "I'm not being rude or anything..." Gwen began before correcting herself. "Well, maybe I am, but... how do you switch off from all this stuff? What do you do to relax?"