Lessons for the team [for slayers_desire]

[fractured_agent]

Every now and again, Jack stumbles over something else about being a leader that he doesn't know, and today is one of those days. While he'd known that Torchwood One trained their operatives in psychic shielding, he wasn't qualified to teach it himself, and psychic aliens are rare enough that it didn't occur to him that it might be necessary, especially with the high turnover rate of Torchwood Three personnel.

But today has reminded him that it's a very real danger, and necessary to shield against those sorts of intrusions.

He's in a bit better mood than last time as he calls the one person he feels is best qualified to teach this skill.

Comments

[fractured_agent]

"I haven't celebrated an anniversary in a long time. Except the not-so-great ones."

[slayers_desire]

"Well maybe someday you and I will have to do a friendship anniversary." She reaches over to touch his hand.

((bed time))

[fractured_agent]

He turns his hand over so he can give hers a light squeeze of gratitude. "I think we're going to have to go off how long it's been for you," he says with a smile.

[slayers_desire]

"Sounds like a deal to me."

[fractured_agent]

The enormous gear-like door of the Hub rolls aside to admit Ianto, carrying a stack of pizza boxes. The others all leave their desks and return to the table once again, like a family would when a meal is ready. That's something Jack is quite pleased about, even though there's tension in the team right now, they still behave as though they're bickering siblings instead of cold, distant, professional coworkers.

[slayers_desire]

April only takes one slice, something with a lot of meat on it. She smiles softly as she watches the team interact around their pizza. It reminds her of the JLA.

[fractured_agent]

She's in luck, as the meat feast pizza is the most popular order for Torchwood. Ianto also brings another round of tea for everyone.

Jack half-listens to the conversations going on between the team, interjecting his own jokes here and there. But he also reaches out to April. I can hear you thinking from over here.

[slayers_desire]

Just thinking of how much this reminds me of the JLA and their pizza parties.

[fractured_agent]

Pizza's another universal symbol of peace, Jack jokes with her.

[slayers_desire]

Especially when it is cut the right way.

[fractured_agent]

"So where are you from, anyway?" Gwen asks April, trying to be friendly. "And how did you and Jack meet?"

[slayers_desire]

April appreciated the gesture. But knows the truth would be hard to swallow.

"Most recently, I am from Los Angeles." She goes with the half-truth, from where her friends and family are located in the Buffyverse dimension. "But I also lived in Rome for some time."

"I met Jack through a mutual friend of ours."

[fractured_agent]

"I thought you sounded American," Tosh says with a slight nod. They all think that Jack is American too, based on his accent. He's never corrected them, for the same reason he hasn't told them about the rest of his past. "Are you staying in Cardiff long?"

[slayers_desire]

"Oh no... I have a husband and two children at home."

[fractured_agent]

"I called her in as a favor," Jack says smoothly. He's so used to weaving cover stories that he doesn't even think about it. "It's too bad," he says to April, smiling. "If you weren't taken I might be able to talk you into being our live-in trainer for a while."

[slayers_desire]

"Awww sweet." April appreciates the comment for what it was worth. But she also knows there would be other complications to her being a live-in trainer, such as her 'eating' habits.

"But I am sure Clark would miss me."

[fractured_agent]

Gwen's face keeps its cheerful look, though inwardly she's feeling a bit guilty after that comment. "How old are your children?" she asks instead.

[slayers_desire]

"Jonathan will celebrate his third birthday in a few months, and Laura is only a month old."

[fractured_agent]

"That's pretty young," Gwen says. "Congratulations."

[slayers_desire]

"We met 10 years ago. I would not give up a day."

[fractured_agent]

"Jesus," Owen says, a bit impressed. None of his relationships have ever lasted that long.

[slayers_desire]

She can't really tell them more about the development of the relationship, since a good portion involves changing dimensions and all. But mostly she is glad no one seems to be questioning the name Clark Kent.

"It has been an interesting ten years."

[fractured_agent]

They've all decided that it must be one of those coincidental things, or maybe her husband's parents were massive geeks. Either way, he can't possibly be the more famous Clark Kent, because that would be ridiculous.

The conversation is interrupted by an insistent beeping from Tosh's desk, and she gets up to check on it. "Rift activity in Riverside," she reports, all business. "Looks like a small lifeform, maybe."

Jack nods. "Gwen, take Owen and Tosh, track it down. Ianto, where are the stun guns?"

"Packed in the boot," Ianto replies.

The three who are leaving get up and head out with only minor complaining. "Always when we're eating," Owen mutters, grabbing his piece to eat on the way out to the van.

[slayers_desire]

"Back to business as usual it appears." April, out of motherly instinct, starts to clean up the table.

[fractured_agent]

"You don't have to do that," Ianto says, appreciating the effort despite his objection. "That's my job, ma'am."

"Ianto gets protective of his domain," Jack says to April in a stage-whisper.