[RM] Problems that need Solving... my innie should be an outtie!

[onlysayinghello]

Despite having a wonderful time as the opposite sex Jack was thoroughly convinced that enough was indeed enough and he was really tired of having to sit in order to go to the bathroom. Highly inefficient was what came to mind, along with the fact that there no longer was that option to ask Owen to 'pull over' so he could relieve himself on route somewhere. No now it was a procedure, and it involved sanitation issues and indoor plumbing.

Indeed enough was finally enough for Jack, even with the visit to New York and the run in with a few that were less than strangers before that evening. Now he was pressing bitten down nails against his forehead as he scanned over more files and documents trying to sort out what he could have missed.

A full blood work up had been run. Every toxic screen they could think of to run within the confines of Torchwood had been run, and now Jack was looking at the list of naturally occurring plants and vegetation that resided in the area that he had found... and torched the Tachkrin in. Gwen had been trying to track down another plant, Owen and Tosh were both running whatever they could in house and Jack was pretty sure he just needed a new set of eyes on the matter.

Which of course reminded him that when he got back from New York he should have called Martha straight away, but for some reason his mind had wandered during the events of the party and thinking of her now was just like happenstance.

Grabbing his cell he sent her a text message,
/STILL UP TO SOLVE MY PROBLEM DROP BY SOON - HARKNESS/

Leaning back in his chair he wished it would hang back further but the slender frame didn't have the same body weight to it, so it just felt pointless. So instead he let his feet slip out of the shoes Gwen loaned him and pressed bare feet against the ledge of his desk trying to force the lean back a bit further. Although the sight of his slender legs was going to be a distraction of a different kind for a while as he contemplated shaving them again while he waited for Martha to either show up, or call for a pick up... or call to cancel.

Comments

[notquiteadoctor.livejournal.com]

Martha had taken the week off at the hospital in preparation for meeting Jack when he needed her. Monday morning, she had headed down to Cardiff, though she didn't know where Torchwood was exactly. So she got a hotel and waited for his call.

When the text came, she smiled. With a shake of her head, slightly amused by his "problem," she texted back, I'M IN CARDIFF. WHEN AND WHERE SHOULD WE MEET?

[onlysayinghello.livejournal.com]

Jack saw his phone vibrate against the desktop for a moment and when he spotted Martha's reply he sent back an address for her to meet him at. Just outside the old tourism center for the Roald Dahl Plaza. Sending the message he set his phone back on the desk and started to gather up all the files he had been pouring over during the past few days.

He had to keep the thought in the back of his head that this was a necessary step to take, that bringing Martha in on this was a smart choice, because even if he wasn't technically alive... or human... that she might know a bit better than him how to go about this.

After a few minutes of shuffling papers Jack grabbed his standard coat, which was too long in the sleeves now and looked a bit bulky on the slender form but still headed up to meet Martha outside the tourism building and lead her in the back way instead of the lift.

[notquiteadoctor.livejournal.com]

Some parts of her might have been surprised at where he told her to meet him, but really, once you traveled around in a space ship that looked like a police box you learned quickly not to judge things by their appearances.

She shrugged into her jacket, smoothing her hair back quickly, then hurried out to meet him. The cab ride didn't take very long. She paid the cabbie and got out, looking around for anyone--any girl--who might be Jack and wondering just how he'd managed to get himself into this, and what she was supposed to do to get him out.

ooc: sorry for the delay--was out with friends all weekend and not around computer. :-)

[onlysayinghello.livejournal.com]

Jack spotted Martha stepping out of the cab and took a brisk jog from the comfort of the tourism office out to greet her, "Martha, it's been too long."

Of course it had been too long simply for the reason that Jack was ready to get back to being his usual self and Martha just might be up to the challenge, or at least Jack knew she could handle the strangeness of it. Shoving 'her' hands deep into the pockets of his coat he shrugged, "So this is me, and if you'll follow me," Jack ushered Martha toward the doorway and into the confines of the well disguised hub of Torchwood.

"This is Torchwood. The Cardiff location at least, I'd warn you not to touch things, but really I think you have more to worry about with my team." It was still the same Jack even if there was a sway to his step these days, crossing over into his office he gestured at the heap of paperwork.

"So this is all I have on the whole thing, and to be honest," Jack rubbed at the back of 'her' neck, "I think... well I'm pretty sure it's because of my uh... condition, that this has stuck to me. Either that or it's some new breed of the Tackhrin and that... well that's just not fun."

[notquiteadoctor.livejournal.com]

Martha followed him and tried not to stare as they walked through the hub. Not at Jack with his--her--red hair and rather disturbing walk and not at everything around them, collected here. She'd seen alien artifacts--and aliens--before after all. Just never all collected like this in one place.

"What is there to worry about with your team?" She asked, even as she crossed to examine the paperwork, picking up the top piece and scanning it. "You mean because of whatever Rose did to alter your ability to stay dead?" It was a blunt question, but she had never been one to beat around the bush.

[onlysayinghello.livejournal.com]

Jack laughed, that light feminine laugh that still sounded a bit foreign to his own ears, "Oh... well that's a different story. The whole not dying thing... well least of your problems. Though it could be the start of the solution."

Jack grinned, "My team is a bit on the unique side. Most of them are out on a mission now but if this runs long like I have a feeling it may? You'll just have to watch out for the questions. Mysterious stranger might be the way to play it for now."

Pulling out his desk chair Jack took a seat and fanned out a few pages, "Here's the normal process for the Tackhrin plant. 72 hour cycle, split with two days of transition and one day of the actual change. However... it's been well let's just say too long."

[notquiteadoctor.livejournal.com]

"How long has it been now?" Martha asked, since that seemed the obvious and natural question. "And how were you exposed to the plant? Is anyone else on your team effected? Do you have a specimen here?"

He'd managed to fully engage the scientist in her, which helped to block out thoughts of the Doctor and the fact that they were surrounded by little bits of the worlds she missed.

[onlysayinghello.livejournal.com]

There was that laughter again and Martha made the most obvious assessment given the circumstance. In fact if Jack felt like it he might have even swatted at her arm and called her a silly thing, but really that would have been more to freak her out than accomplish anything, and well... Jack was rather fond of Martha and freaking her out wasn't what he wanted to do.

"Well I'd hope they're the right parts. It'd be a shame for me to realize that this is my natural state after so many years of living it up as such an attractive man."

[notquiteadoctor.livejournal.com]

"It'd be a shame for everyone," Martha found herself saying with a slight grin. "Not that you don't make a very pretty girl, but I think I prefer you the way you were before."

[onlysayinghello.livejournal.com]

Jack really wished he wasn't a girl at that very moment, because he'd have loved to shamelessly flirt his heart out at her. Get in close to her, let her know just how much he appreciated her preferring him in his more masculine form, especially since his previous 'close' time with her had been interrupted by a very determined to shake him off the TARDIS Doctor.

Instead he could only sigh and give Martha a slight smile, hoping it wasn't too odd to have the winning Jack charm coming from a very female form, "Well I'm glad you prefer the other... I'd hate to think that when I'm back to normal that you'd ask to have this version back."

[notquiteadoctor.livejournal.com]

Martha shook off the weirdness. "I don't think you have to worry about that," she said with a positive nod. "And since you do, too, hopefully we can get you back to it really soon."

"You'd think that your body would want to revert to its natural state and find a way to do so."

[onlysayinghello.livejournal.com]

Resting his chin on his hand he nodded into her palm a bit, "You'd think that I'd want to do that. But there is something seriously wrong with my body chemistry. It's the... Huon or the whatever was in me to bring me back... forever that has gotten most of the rest of me... forgetting how I'm supposed to be forever."

He was just glad he hadn't died since the ordeal, really he wasn't sure he wanted to try and see if this body could die.

[notquiteadoctor.livejournal.com]

Martha chewed on her bottom lip, thinking. "Have you tried testosterone injections or some sort of steroids to try and fool it?"

[onlysayinghello.livejournal.com]

It really was going to be the test wasn't it, of course the slight apprehension that Martha showed in making the cut wasn't exactly uplifting. Jack knew that if this was the way Martha's mind was going... then she'd have to do something far more drastic to get actual results in the end.

Still the blade sliced clean, and the skin split just like it should. A slight sting of course, and the blood... which was a given. Then Martha drew back and waited. Jack waited too, because honestly he wasn't sure how long this was supposed to take. Usually he got shot and it took his body a moment to come back to life... well most times. But this was entirely new, because it was like watching his own body keep itself alive. Or not.

He was about to grab another towel and apply pressure when he felt the skin pulling tight and healing over itself. It was a bit odd feeling, and sort of gross to watch, but there it was. His body... his female body doing the exact same thing his male form did.

"So phase one was a success, are we going for a bigger hurt this time? I mean you do have a plan right? This isn't hack and slash for practice right?"

[notquiteadoctor.livejournal.com]

Martha let out the breath she'd been holding. "Sorry. I'm just more used to stitching people back together, not cutting them apart."

But it had worked, and she'd healed up neat as a pin to where Martha couldn't even see a scar. She stared, fascinated for a second, then grinned. "That's brilliant."

She nodded after a second. "Yeah, I've got a plan. See, your body still knows to heal itself. So if we can convince it that this is some sort of thing to heal from...or, you know, make it just have to heal itself completely." She winced a little. "We might end up having to kill you to fix it."

[onlysayinghello.livejournal.com]

That was exactly where he thought her train of thought was headed, right into the Death Door Station. It was fine really, the thought of having another notch to put on his proverbial bedpost was there of course, and the fact that he was dying so that he could live... that was new. Then again he really was trying not to just go out and let himself get killed just because he knew he wouldn't die.

The way he had seen things going on these days, he was pretty damn sure there was a hell of a scale out there somewhere weighing all the things he'd been doing all those years against him.

"We? Sorry sweetheart, I don't do suicide. I can do death defying and put myself in harms way, sure... but I've never offed myself on purpose. It's gonna have to be you, and I'm really sorry that it is gonna have to be you, but we do have our options at least. We are in Torchwood, and there happens to be over a thousand ways to kill a guy within these walls. You just have to pick one."

[notquiteadoctor.livejournal.com]

Martha frowned a little. She'd taken an oath to do no harm, and killing him meant hurting, but if it was to heal him, then it wasn't really breaking that vow.

Still her breath was just a touch unsteady as she nodded. "What have you got that'll kill painlessly? I don't want you to have to suffer." He'd done enough of that from what she'd gathered on the Valiant, and she wasn't going to add to that track record.

[onlysayinghello.livejournal.com]

He watched her features a bit, seeing that initial worry in her brow, "Look I'm asking you to help me, but if this is too much? I'm sure Gwen would really get a kick out of having to kill me. She's actually the only other one I would trust with the task, but I think I'd prefer you be the one to do this."

Standing up those too graceful movements went over to the gallery once more, "We have a few choices this evening... Electro-Shock! for starters... or" Jack reached into a drawer and pulled out a bag that was used for holding organs, "Suffocation."

Then he reached into a pocket of his jacket, that was still far too big for the petite frame and was now slung over the railing, "Or the old standard. Gunshot."

[notquiteadoctor.livejournal.com]

"I don't think I could stand to shock you or suffocate you," Martha said, following him and looking at the bag with horror. She'd sort of been hoping for a nice lethal dose of morphine or something so he could drift away high and happy, but she wasn't completely sure his body would get the jump start it needed from that to trigger anything else.

"Right, so. Gunshot is quick, at least, and effective. No prolonged suffering." She held out her hand and thought how very much the Doctor would kill her if he ever found out about this. "Head or heart?"

She managed to even sound fairly confident and upbeat about this, like she was just going to pull a splinter. He needed her, and he wanted it to be her to help, and by god she wasn't going to let him down.

[onlysayinghello.livejournal.com]

Jack shifted up a bit, more aware of just what he had on as he took a glance down to his body, which was thankfully his again. How accurate of a transformation it would end up being was yet to be seen, and he still felt like there were some extra organs inside of him that his body was still trying to deal with. Which was giving him a bit of discomfort. Wincing slightly in pain he pressed on his abdomen and then smiled back up at Martha, "We'll have to tackle that further inspection in a bit."

With that he stood up and tugged at the shirt that really didn't fit him, "Actually..." then came the charm, "I should change out of this... if you are interested in making sure everything is where it belongs?" He wouldn't pressure her, and really despite the charm he was putting on he also knew that Owen would be just as good at checking all his vitals, despite a few that might not be explained.

[notquiteadoctor.livejournal.com]

She liked the charm a bit more than she should, even after having seen him use it on person after person. No one got charming with her, though, not in a while at least, and it was flattering.

"Well, I wouldn't be a proper doctor if I didn't make sure everything was working properly," she said, and then was rather appalled at herself.

[onlysayinghello.livejournal.com]

Jack laughed out loud, and tilted his head aside for a moment just to take in the sound of his own laughter, a sound he'd missed to be honest with himself. Grabbing his jacket off the railing in one hand he tucked it over his arm as he started to strip the shirt off over his head. He wadded it up and tucked it under his arm as he headed back into his office. If Martha followed it would be perfectly okay with him, if not he'd understand. The first thing he did was toss his jacket onto the top of his desk, watching with curiosity as it sent a few of the items on his desk scattering about. Then he tossed the wadded up shirt into the corner and then peeled the skirt that he was still wearing off. It was amazing that it still fit him, but he had realized that the elastic had given out completely along the one side. His hands ran through his hair, then across his chest and it was a bit cold.

Regardless of his form he hadn't really ever gotten used to the idea of underwear so he was truly in his true form as he opened the closet in the corner of his office looking for something to wear. Over his shoulder he tossed a pair of trousers and suspenders still attached to the waist could be heard clattering against the floor. The sound made him wonder if he'd knocked something else off his desk so he turned around to see Martha just walking toward the doorway.

"Well looks like you get the thorough inspection time after all Doctor Jones."

[notquiteadoctor.livejournal.com]

Martha leaned against the door, looking him over with an eye she managed to keep professional despite the heat in her cheeks.

"Well, from what I can see, everything on the outside seems to be how it should be." And more so. She'd make a comment about perfection, but she figured he probably knew that already.

"How do you feel?"

[onlysayinghello.livejournal.com]

His first instinct to the question was to take a hold of himself but he spared Martha more embarrassment by actually thinking about it for a moment as he reached behind him for a light blue button down shirt. Crossing the room he bent down to pick up the pants and felt a definite extra something in his gut, that was now pinching against his spleen, "Okay I was going to say perfect, but there is something... just not right in here."

Not one for modesty he moved right to Martha and took her hand placing it right above his hip where he knew he could feel something not fitting where it belonged, "That... right there, feel it? I didn't have one before."

[notquiteadoctor.livejournal.com]

Whatever blushing she might have done in a more social situation, she managed to control for the moment, fingers sliding over him, pressing lightly, treating him for the moment like any other patient.

She frowned and nodded. "Yeah, there's definitely something there that shouldn't be..."

Glancing up at him, she shook her head. "I can't tell what it is by feel alone. Do you have an ultrasound here?"