Andrew was trying his hardest not to comment on the never-ending presentation. It was becoming more of a challenge to bite his tongue, but at least he didn't need Giles to message him a warning to leave the room like Xander.

The sudden mention of projected revenue forecast brought a deathly silence to the room. Giles stood and dismissed the Watchers before turning on their adviser, his voice like ice.

It didn't matter who the overactive puppy's father was in the organisation, Andrew didn't think it would carry much weight when Giles dangled him out of sixth floor window.

Published Babble Horde — 30.04.2007
Published Jossverse Drabbles — 30.04.2007
Published Forever Fandom — 23.02.2008
Published fanfiction.net — 23.02.2008

"This is a bit James Bond, isn't it?" Gwen was surprised to find a garrotte in the Rolex knock-off.

Ianto placed the watch in an archive box. "It dates from the Cold War, when the KGB and CIA made gadgets based on the films of the time. The items turn up occasionally. I believe they're quite the collectors item in some circles."

"They really used movies as inspiration?"

"It was the height of paranoia. They would do anything for an edge."

Gwen peered into the box, pushing aside a tiny camera. "Do you have a shoe phone in there?"

Published Babble Horde — 29.04.2007
Published Torchwood 100 — 29.04.2007
Published Forever Fandom — 23.02.2008
Published A Teaspoon and an Open Mind — 23.02.2008
Published fanfiction.net — 23.02.2008

The Doctor flung open the TARDIS door onto an alley partially blocked by packing crates.

"That's odd." He frowned as Rose's amused smirk changed to a look of glassy-eyed desire.

The Doctor sniffed the air to confirm his suspicions and handed Rose a credit chip, pocketing another, before he succumbed to the planet's pheromone-laden atmosphere.

The planet was designed to run visitors through a gauntlet of merchants before depositing them back at their ships laden with goods, lighter on cash and blissfully happy with the experience. With any luck he'd manage to pick up spare parts this time.

Published Babble Horde — 28.04.2007
Published Doctor Who 100 — 28.04.2007
Published Forever Fandom — 23.02.2008
Published A Teaspoon and an Open Mind — 23.02.2008
Published fanfiction.net — 23.02.2008

Gwen stood at the edge of the parapet. It was not a place she usually found comfortable, but Jack's presence that always made the weird seem normal.

"Rhys is getting audited. I don't know what to do."

Jack turned to face Gwen, his coat wrapping around his legs in the breeze. "You could get Ianto to look over his taxes. Or you could send Owen after the auditor. Photos in compromising positions tend to make a lot of problems go away."

Returning Jack's smile, Gwen was unsure if he was joking about Owen. "I'll talk to Ianto in the morning."

Published Babble Horde — 26.04.2007
Published Torchwood 100 — 26.04.2007
Published Forever Fandom — 23.02.2008
Published A Teaspoon and an Open Mind — 23.02.2008
Published fanfiction.net — 23.02.2008

Go to the country, she'd said. It'll be relaxing, she said.

Andrew shivered as a rivulet of water ran down his spine. Sneezing loudly, he pulled his jacket tighter and continued trudging along the muddy track.

Battling the near horizontal rain, Andrew wondered if he could dig up a spell to turn Willow into an inanimate object.

The sound of an approaching vehicle derailed his train of thought. Andrew was surprised when the car pulled along side him and a dark-haired Scotsman offered him a lift. Gratefully accepting, Andrew was delighted that his weekend away was finally looking up.

Published Babble Horde — 24.04.2007
Published Jossverse Drabbles — 24.04.2007
Published Forever Fandom — 23.02.2008
Published fanfiction.net — 23.02.2008

Gwen watched from the shadows as her quarry sniffed the air. The drunken laughter of late night revellers spilling out of club distracted the creature long enough for Gwen to take it down with Ianto's Weevil taser.

"Nice shot." Owen joined her, taking out his phone to call Ianto in for retrieval duty.

Another outburst caught Gwen's attention and she recognised some of the voices. Andy, Judy, Dai and some of her other old colleagues were having a night on the town. If they'd left a little earlier, they may have learned more than they needed about her career change.

Published Babble Horde — 21.04.2007
Published Torchwood 100 — 21.04.2007
Published Forever Fandom — 23.02.2008
Published A Teaspoon and an Open Mind — 23.02.2008
Published fanfiction.net — 23.02.2008

Rose snorted awake as the gathering started to break up.

"Did I miss anything?" She whispered in the Doctor's ear as they watched the elders file out.

The Doctor pointed across the room. "He snored loud enough to wake the dead and no one seemed to notice. In fact, Jack dancing naked on the table didn't seem to draw much attention either."

"Jack was naked?"

"He's quite limber." The Doctor was amused by the incoherent noises Rose was making.

Rose managed to get herself under control. "Was there a purpose to this meeting?"

"It's quite an effective soporific for insomnia."

Published Babble Horde — 16.04.2007
Published Doctor Who 100 — 16.04.2007
Published Forever Fandom — 23.02.2008
Published A Teaspoon and an Open Mind — 23.02.2008
Published fanfiction.net — 23.02.2008

"I'm glad I caught you while you're in the building. I wanted your opinion on something." Andrew retrieved his mobile from a pocket and hit play.

"Stupheyth demons can sing?" Dawn blinked in surprise.

"It's not a spell is it?"

Dawn tilted her head as she listened carefully. "Boy meets girl, girl savages boy, girl lays eggs in the wound, boy suffers through the pregnancy to die when their offspring burst from his bloated body. Sounds like a love song to me. Where'd you get it?"

"In a mini cab last night."

"Demons drive taxis? That actually explains a lot."

Published Babble Horde — 16.04.2007
Published Jossverse Drabbles — 16.04.2007
Published Forever Fandom — 23.02.2008
Published fanfiction.net — 23.02.2008

Gwen shivered in the shelter of her umbrella as she watched Owen inspect the body.

Admittedly, the suicide by crucifixion was inventive in it's use of carefully arranged nail guns, but it didn't fit Torchwood's remit.

It would be just another memory that overshadowed the general commercialism and joy of a public holiday.

Streakers in rabbit ears, a house overrun by pet rabbits, rabbits skinned and nailed to the doors of council flats. Gwen's concept of the easter bunny had long been perverted by her time in the police force. The cases she saw with Torchwood just increased the weirdness.

Published Babble Horde — 09.04.2007
Published Torchwood 100 — 09.04.2007
Published Forever Fandom — 23.02.2008
Published A Teaspoon and an Open Mind — 23.02.2008
Published fanfiction.net — 23.02.2008

The result of Rose's polite sip of an offered beverage had been a sugar high that had fortunately kicked in after they'd returned to the TARDIS. As the Doctor followed a trail of sugar and sticky fingerprints, he was grateful for the timing. A sugar-hyped Rose was one diplomatic incident he'd happily avoid.

A scattering of discarded confectionery teeth led him to a storeroom where he found Rose attempting to break into a locker. It might have worked if she'd used the paperclip on the lock rather than the sheaf of papers, but logic currently wasn't Rose's strong suit.

Published Babble Horde — 08.04.2007
Published Doctor Who 100 — 08.04.2007
Published Forever Fandom — 23.02.2008
Published A Teaspoon and an Open Mind — 23.02.2008
Published fanfiction.net — 23.02.2008

Gwen shuffled through the documents looking for the missing medical report. "Tosh, have you got the autopsy file?"

"No." Tosh didn't look up from her screen. "Owen still has it."

"That should have been ready hours ago." Gwen stood up and stretched the kinks out of her neck. "I'll go check if he's finished."

"He's not." Tosh opened a scoreboard. "The high score has been creeping up for the past 24 hours. Owen is locked in mortal combat with an opponent using the handle Dreamcatcher."

"I'm sorry?"

"He's being thrashed at Desktop Tower Defence by a twelve-year-old girl."

Published Babble Horde — 02.04.2007
Published Torchwood 100 — 02.04.2007
Published Forever Fandom — 23.02.2008
Published A Teaspoon and an Open Mind — 23.02.2008
Published fanfiction.net — 23.02.2008

Rachel poked disconsolately at her dinner with her free hand. "I hate this."

"I know, Ray." Dawn patted her friend's leg. "It's your own fault for managing to injury yourself in another weird way."

Spike snorted and contemplated eating the officious little administrator. Declán had called them from the hospital and now they were all gathered around Rachel's bed. The woman with the clipboard and zero medical experience had insisted on a suicide watch, because she didn't believe you could accidentally cut your wrist while washing the dishes.

"This mushy stuff tastes like old socks, Dawn."

"It is hospital food."

Published Babble Horde — 02.04.2007
Published Jossverse Drabbles — 02.04.2007
Published Forever Fandom — 23.02.2008
Published fanfiction.net — 23.02.2008

Gwen smiled as she got in her car. It was just after 5:00 and she stood a chance of having a good, long soak in the tub before Rhys got home.

Glancing out the window, Gwen noticed that the overcast made it seem later than it was. Even the lack of traffic was odd.

With a start, Gwen slammed her foot on the brake and pulled over. She'd caught herself nodding off.

"Could you drive me home, Jack? I'm falling asleep at the wheel." The rain on the windscreen was hypnotic. "What do you mean it's 5:00am?"

Published Babble Horde — 28.03.2007
Published Torchwood 100 — 28.03.2007
Published Forever Fandom — 08.09.2007
Published A Teaspoon and an Open Mind — 08.09.2007
Published fanfiction.net — 08.09.2007

"What's up?" Andrew had been surprised to find Xander hiding in his office instead of at the Council meeting, leering at the representative from Edinburgh.

"Giles asked me to chauffeur Mr Hunt from Manchester. He spent the entire trip calling me names I didn't understand and threatening to hurt me in creative ways." Xander wasn't sure he wanted to know what a nonce was.

Andrew shook his head. "Gene's talent for violence is one of the reason Giles invited him. I take it you'll be taking him home." Xander shuddered. "Ask him about spaghetti westerns, he's a Sergio Leone nut."

Published Babble Horde — 26.03.2007
Published Jossverse Drabbles — 26.03.2007
Published Forever Fandom — 08.09.2007
Published fanfiction.net — 08.09.2007

Following in the team's footsteps, Gwen nodded her apologies but was careful not to make eye contact. As Jack dealt with recalcitrant military personnel, Gwen watched her former colleagues.

The bowed heads and pointed glances of a pair of uniformed officers gossiping over her sudden rise into the lofty arena beyond police work. The young, pale-faced constable who'd discovered the body was sobbing into his hands and trying not to throw up again.

It was the sight of the familiar that made her thankful that a chance encounter and a curious nature had taken her away from it all.

Published Babble Horde — 21.03.2007
Published Torchwood 100 — 21.03.2007
Published Forever Fandom — 08.09.2007
Published A Teaspoon and an Open Mind — 08.09.2007
Published fanfiction.net — 08.09.2007