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crack_van2009-04-08 01:29 pm
visionshadows.livejournal.com) wrote in crack_van2009-04-08 01:29 pm
I Loved a Woman with a Heart of Amber by ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
blue_fjords (PG)
Fandom: TORCHWOOD
Pairing: Gwen, Jack, Ianto, Owen, Tosh, Rhys, Megan and Trina (bridesmaids from “Something Borrowed”)
Length: ~5600 (one-shot)
Author on LJ:blue_fjords
Author Website: Fic Tag
Why this must be read:
blue_fjords is a fairly recent addition to the Torchwood fandom and I am so glad that s/he joined up. The writing in all of blue_fjords' stories is wonderful and I encourage everyone to check out the above tag for wonderful fic.
I Loved a Woman with a Heart of Amber is post-Cyberwoman and it is focused on how Gwen reacts to the events in that episode. It seems like an odd focus to take on an episode that is so steeped in Jack and Ianto, but it works so well. This is Gwen soon after joining Torchwood faced with the fact she killed a human being. This is Gwen trying to work out how to not let it drift while still unable to talk about what she does day in day out. This is Gwen trying to understand - Ianto, Jack, Torchwood, everything - and coming up with answers that are never quite good enough.
The story moves through four weeks of Ianto's suspension and how all of them heal day by day when he is gone. Ianto is in one section of the story, but the whole piece is steeped with his presence just because of what the focus is.
I highly recommend this story and wish I could do a better job of explaining just why it is so good.
“This is how it is: Ianto is suspended for four weeks. After that, he will either choose to come back here or opt for Retcon. If any of you have any compunctions about working with him again, address them to me in private. Clean-up,” he continues in the same clipped tone, “will be doled out as follows: Tosh, back story for Tanizaki; Owen, arrange for Annie’s body to be found later today; Gwen, monitor the situation with the Cardiff police force. She’s cleaned up, and the CCTV has been doctored. She can’t be traced back to here.”
The other two nod and stand to leave, still too drained to do anything except accept, but Gwen stays sitting, rooted to her chair.
“What about Lisa?”
Tosh’s eyes widen and Owen shakes his head at her, exasperation showing through his exhaustion.
“The cyberwoman has been taken care of,” Jack answers evenly.
“But what happens to her body? Does she have family? Will Ianto –”
“Gwen. Lisa Hallett died months ago. All cyber components have now been destroyed. Leave it be.”
She wants to, she knows she should, and Jack is clearly at the end of his rope, but she can’t let it go.
“We killed the woman Ianto loved. Aren’t we going to talk about that?”
It comes out harsher than she had intended, the image of Ianto walking alone, head bowed, into his crummy flat still sharp in her mind. Sharper still is the image of Lisa and Annie, both covered in blood, slumped on the floor.
Jack takes a sip of his coffee before answering. He looks her in the eye, and Gwen is temporarily silenced by the ghosts in his eyes that he lets her see. “No. We’re not going to talk about that.”
I Loved a Woman with a Heart of Amber
Pairing: Gwen, Jack, Ianto, Owen, Tosh, Rhys, Megan and Trina (bridesmaids from “Something Borrowed”)
Length: ~5600 (one-shot)
Author on LJ:
blue_fjordsAuthor Website: Fic Tag
Why this must be read:
blue_fjords is a fairly recent addition to the Torchwood fandom and I am so glad that s/he joined up. The writing in all of blue_fjords' stories is wonderful and I encourage everyone to check out the above tag for wonderful fic.I Loved a Woman with a Heart of Amber is post-Cyberwoman and it is focused on how Gwen reacts to the events in that episode. It seems like an odd focus to take on an episode that is so steeped in Jack and Ianto, but it works so well. This is Gwen soon after joining Torchwood faced with the fact she killed a human being. This is Gwen trying to work out how to not let it drift while still unable to talk about what she does day in day out. This is Gwen trying to understand - Ianto, Jack, Torchwood, everything - and coming up with answers that are never quite good enough.
The story moves through four weeks of Ianto's suspension and how all of them heal day by day when he is gone. Ianto is in one section of the story, but the whole piece is steeped with his presence just because of what the focus is.
I highly recommend this story and wish I could do a better job of explaining just why it is so good.
“This is how it is: Ianto is suspended for four weeks. After that, he will either choose to come back here or opt for Retcon. If any of you have any compunctions about working with him again, address them to me in private. Clean-up,” he continues in the same clipped tone, “will be doled out as follows: Tosh, back story for Tanizaki; Owen, arrange for Annie’s body to be found later today; Gwen, monitor the situation with the Cardiff police force. She’s cleaned up, and the CCTV has been doctored. She can’t be traced back to here.”
The other two nod and stand to leave, still too drained to do anything except accept, but Gwen stays sitting, rooted to her chair.
“What about Lisa?”
Tosh’s eyes widen and Owen shakes his head at her, exasperation showing through his exhaustion.
“The cyberwoman has been taken care of,” Jack answers evenly.
“But what happens to her body? Does she have family? Will Ianto –”
“Gwen. Lisa Hallett died months ago. All cyber components have now been destroyed. Leave it be.”
She wants to, she knows she should, and Jack is clearly at the end of his rope, but she can’t let it go.
“We killed the woman Ianto loved. Aren’t we going to talk about that?”
It comes out harsher than she had intended, the image of Ianto walking alone, head bowed, into his crummy flat still sharp in her mind. Sharper still is the image of Lisa and Annie, both covered in blood, slumped on the floor.
Jack takes a sip of his coffee before answering. He looks her in the eye, and Gwen is temporarily silenced by the ghosts in his eyes that he lets her see. “No. We’re not going to talk about that.”
I Loved a Woman with a Heart of Amber
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