MY SKIN

Gwen, Jack, Andy, Ianto and Owen rushed through the corridors accidentally knocking some year sevens along the way. Gwen, Andy and Ianto had the decency to apologise while Owen growled rude orders and hadn't even bothered to look back to see if the twelve year olds were all right. They had reached to a crowded corridor and began to fight their way through, once they had gotten through Gwen gasped at the sight.

Emma was completely fine, not a hair out of place however she was kneeling beside a door that had fallen down, sobbing loudly. A small pale hand laid there from under the door. Someone was under there.

"Gents help me pick this door up" Jack ordered whipping his coat off and rolling his sleeves up causing some year nines to sigh.

Owen rolled his eyes before grabbing his end of the door and pulling it up with a groan. The wooden door was fucking heavy. "CARYS!" Gwen shrieked as she ran to the crumpled body.

"Out of the way" Owen said firmly as he gently pushed Gwen away. He gently checked Carys' pulse and the patted down her body, gently grabbing hold of her arms and legs. "She has broken both legs and fractured a few ribs. Most likely has a concussion as well but don't worry she'll be fine" he said.

"I called an ambulance" Ianto said handing a handkerchief to Emma and then one to Gwen. "And Andy has gone to get a teacher, I'm surprised one didn't come running once they heard the screams"

"This schools been going downhill" Owen said.

"Yeah 'because you're in it" Jack said teasingly as he knelt beside Gwen and wrapped an arm round her. "All right darling?"

Gwen nodded, she then smiled at Owen. "You'll make a good doctor one day" she said.

Owen ducked his head to hide his blush. "Whatever" he muttered.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"Genius" Adam said admiringly watching the medics bundle Carys into the ambulance. "Sheer genius, unscrewing the door and making it look very accidental. But I do wonder how did you make sure it got Carys?"

"She put a sign saying it was out of bounds" Bilius said flicking with his fob watch not even bothering to watch the drama down below. "All the younger years avoided it"

"And she sent Carys through by saying a teacher needed her?" Adam said following the train of thought. "Very nice, so neat and accidental. No one could link it to you"

Suzie smirked. "I was discreet. Shame you can't be"

"Each to their own Suzie darling, each to their own"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"I don't think the door fell just on its own" Gwen said to the others as they made their way to their lockers. "Something doesn't feel right"

"It was probably a prank" Jack said looking disgusted. "Some kid thought it would be funny to unscrew the door not realising what it could do"

"Idiots" Andy muttered.

The others mumbled their agreements as Gwen began to twirl the dial into its familiar code. The moment she opened the door a piece of paper fluttered out, Gwen bent to pick it up only to have Jack beat her to it, he opened it up and read it out loud.

"Eyes shining like stars, skin glowing like moonlight you were truly a treat to look at, on Saturday night" a dark look crossed Jack's face as his crumpled the paper. "You got an admirer?" he said in a light teasing tone that sounded so realistic Gwen almost believed it.

"Since September" Andy said stepping to Gwen's side in case Jack did something funny. "It started of as roses then her favourite chocolate and now the note. We actually thought it was you"

"Nah I like to make a scene" Jack said chucking the paper over his shoulder. He then cupped Gwen's face and leaned down. "You're mine and I hate to share" he growled before crushing her lips with his.

Andy and Ianto tactfully turned round. Ianto felt a sinking sensation as the man he adored snogged his best friend, he felt sick and uneasy. Part of him desired to tear Gwen off of Jack by her hair and part of him wanted to punch Jack for practically violating his best friend. He was confused.

"So shall we visit Carys after school?" Andy said loudly trying to block out the sounds of Jack and Gwen who were getting quite...intimate. "We could go to a pound shop and buy her a load of rubbish to cheer her up, what do you think?"

A strange sound that sounded like a plunger being removed as Gwen pulled away. "Sounds great" she said breathlessly.

"Great, maybe you should try not making out with Jack where everyone can see" Owen drawled as he appeared from nowhere. "After all you don't want people calling you a tart with your girlfriend in hospital"

Gwen slapped Owen.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Owen closed the door shut gently and looked round the very clean hallway. He smiled. "Nana I'm home" he called out as he shrugged his jacket off and hung it up.

"Oh darling!" his grandmother exclaimed as she came out of the living room and hugged Owen tightly. "Look at you, all grown up. Did you have fun at little Jackie's house? You know you should invite the boy over more often. How was your party? Did you get lots of presents? Speaking of presents yours are on the coffee table, I even baked you a cake. You know in my day the coming of age was twenty one"

His grandmother was a whole foot smaller than him. She smelled of sweet flowers, was very frail and had short grey hair curling round her ears. She was the classic pink and pearly grandmother who was slightly scatterbrained. She was also his mother's mother, the only relative that wanted him.

"Yes the party was interesting" Owen said pecking his grandmother's cheek. "And I might have to tear Jack away from his girlfriend to get him here"

"Yes Jackie is always a ladies man isn't he? Have you found a lady yet Owen?"

"No...Not yet" Owen said trying to not think about Tosh. He has found himself thinking more and more fondly of the geek each day. "Now let's open presents"

He had a new hand-knitted jumper, a watch and a couple of medical text books. "I wasn't sure what to get you but since you were so determined to be a doctor I asked my own GP what he would recommend" his grandmother fussed as she handed him a slice of cake.

"They're great, thank you Nana" Owen said reassuringly. As usual his mother sent nothing. Neither did anyone else from the family, Jack have already given Owen some money in a rude card. So had the others in his year. There was however a blank envelope with a hundred pounds in notes in. "Nana you shouldn't have"

"Oh it's not from me dear" his grandmother said. "It's from your father; he came by over the weekend"

Owen's blood went cold.

His father.

The man he had never seen before in his life.

The man he supposed to look too much like.

The man that caused his mother to hate him.

The man that never wanted him.

Why?

Why now?

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"Hi! How are you" Gwen said cheerfully to Carys who sat up in her hospital bed smiling weakly. "We brought you junk and loads of it. Emma said she'll swing by after her shift at the shop"

"Thank you" Carys said rummaging through the carrier bag to find lots of chocolate, fizzy pop, shampoo, conditioner, a miniature teddy and a cheesy romance novel. "Dad has just gone to get me proper PJs, I hate this hospital stuff. Doctors said I'll be fine, be out in a couple weeks though I need physiotherapy and wheelchairs for a while"

"But you're going to be fine and that's the important thing" Ianto said already fluffing up Carys pillows.

She giggled. "You're mothering me Yan"

"You worried us" Ianto said opening a coke and helping Carys sip it.

Just then a volunteer walked in with a bouquet of white orchards. "Here you go hon, there's a note shall I read it for you?"

"No that's all right, Andy can" Carys said pointing to Andy. "Thank you"

"You're welcome, I hope you get better soon" the volunteer left and Andy placed the flowers on Cary's bedside opening then note.

His breath hitched slightly. "Hope you learned your lesson. Stay away from Gwen" he read out loud.

The room sat in shock silence.

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