Winnie Is Not Okay

2.11

They got a new car and a holiday to Madeira. Winnie had genuinely hoped for a chill week away but instead of seven days of chilling around she had received four days of hiking and camping to see as much as possible.

And as fun and interesting as it was hiking around the beautiful green island in the littlest amount of clothes so they could jump into any and all waters, she was almost more exhausted when they came back.

Owen, Gwen and Tosh had continued on some work that had come up but apparently there had been nothing major aside from some weevils. So when they came back it was easy to fall back into a routine.

They had received a call about a building site nearby where a skeleton had been uncovered alongside a strange metal object and being Torchwood, of course they'd check for alien nature. They were led across the site and into the tent with the findings.

"Once, just once I'd like to walk into one of these tents and find it's a party", Jack rolled his eyes, crouching next to the metal object to scan it, "You know food, drink, people dancing, a girl crying in the corner."

"Oh, yes, love a girl crying in a corner", Winnie remarked sarcastically, "But we'll keep it in mind for your birthday."

"You know his birthday?", as Owen asked this the whole team suddenly looked up at her.

"Oh, no, he'd never tell", she shrugged, "I've just been baking a cake and giving him gifts and drinking more on the fourth of July. You know, cause he's American."

"That's good", they chuckled and turned back to work. Jack just rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the smile.

"Is it alien?", Gwen asked, back on topic.

"And how", Jack nodded, "I'm picking up traces of limenite, pyroxene, and even dark matter."

"Any idea what it is?"

"Not a clue. Could be a weapon or a really big stapler. Winnie's gonna check it back at the hub. How's our friend there?"

"She's dead", Owen deadpanned.

"Yeah, thanks, Quincy", Jack rolled his eyes, "She?"

"Judging by the size of her skull."

"There's the crying girl in the corner", Winnie nudged Jack.

He smirked at her, then looked at Tosh again who was running analysis on her handheld computer, "How long have they been here, Tosh?"

"From the depth they found them, a hundred and ninety six years, eleven to eleven and a half months. The earth's been disturbed so I'm afraid I can't be more accurate."

"What killed her, the stapler?", Gwen asked.

"Nah. See those shattered ribs?", Owen gestured to the ribcage, "I reckon she was shot."

"Well, let's get her back to the hub and find out", Jack demanded, getting up.

They climbed the short ladder out of the pit the body was found in and Gwen helped Owen up as he was last, "Oh, you're so light. You're like a girl."

"I'm not light, I'm wiry. Fat girls go mad for it. But I guess I don't need to tell you that."

After Gwen and Owen playfully glared at each other for a moment they noticed Tosh's discomfort and there was a newly thick tension in the tent. Jack and Winnie frowned and got a move on to escape the situation.

Winnie and Jack got to the conference room when they got back to the hub, leaving the others to their work to talk over the 'stapler' as they put it down on the table.