THE HIVE

Chapter Thirty Six

The Queen was becoming more and more agitated by the moment. With each passing moment, she sensed the Doctor's mind was slipping away from her and she realized that the Time Lord must have found a way to change back since she now could feel hundreds of her children's minds doing the same. The faithful workers that were still in the hive buzzed around her, doing their tasks, blissfully unaware that they were slowly decreasing in number. The Queen rose from her perch and summoned her workers to her. There were only about forty currently with her, the others off trying to make more of their kind so they were able to fill up the cavern. Once they were all assembled and hovering in the air, the Queen told them what she suspected was going on and ordered them to protect the hive, the ones who were still mutating and above all, her at all costs. Once she was finished, the wasps went away while the Queen settled down on her dais and rested.

"It seems the crisis might be over," the newsreader said as he read the news. "There are preliminary reports that the military have found a cure and they're now flying over the country spraying it on towns, cities and anywhere they see the wasps and our sources claim that the wasps that have been spraying are slowly changing back into their human form. We've been told ground troops are also searching houses trying to get at the wasps who are hiding. This isn't official at the moment…"

Ianto tore his eyes away from the TV screen.

"It's working," he yelled to his teammates who were in the next room. "The antidote is working. The wasps are returning to normal."

He smiled when he heard whoops of joy and accepted a hug from Gwen when she flew into his arms.

"You know what this means?" Gwen said.

"We won't have to replace the door?" Ianto said dryly.

"Well, yeah…but it also means Jack can be changed back once his mission is finished," she said. "How is Jack anyway? Is it time?"

They looked to Owen who had just come from the cells.

"He's halfway done. His wings have nearly come in so I think he'll be able to fly. I don't know about you lot but I think it's time. He needs to get in and out before he changes completely and loses his mind to that blasted queen of theirs. So, if you lot are for it, I'm going to wake him up."

The Torchwood team glanced at one another.

"Do it," Tosh said.

"Be ready with the car," Owen said before turning and heading back the way he came.

"What about the Doctor, where is he?" Ianto said.

"He's with Rose and Julian in their lab, I'll tell em," Gwen said before heading out of the room.

She walked to the lab and entered the room. She smiled when she noticed the Doctor was completely normal now. He was wearing a pair of Jack's black trousers and white shirt and had on a lab coat and plimsols while he leaned against the counter, talking with Julian while Rose sat beside him.

"You're cured!" Gwen said, walking over to the Doctor.

"Yup, back to my old gorgeous self," the Doctor said.

"And his ego's returned as well," Rose muttered.

The Doctor chuckled at that and accepted a hug from Gwen. She told them what was going on and the Doctor leaned up off the counter.

"Let me go with you," he said. "I want to make sure Jack comes out of this in one piece."

"Me too," Rose said.

"It'll be dangerous," Gwen said. "I don't think the military's gotten to the hive yet. They're too busy spraying the country."

"If Jack gets in trouble, I can provide a diversion. I'm sure the Queen still wants me," the Doctor said.

"No, wait," Rose said, grabbing his arm. "What if you get stung again?"

"I won't let that happen and even if it does, we have the antidote."

"Yeah, but she might sting to kill this time," Gwen said.

"I can regenerate," the Doctor said with a shrug. "Not that I want to, mind, but I have a safety net if I do die. Julian, pleasure working with you," he said, shaking the scientist's hand.

"Pleasure was all mine. Not often you meet a space alien and work with him to save the world," Julian replied.

"Well, welcome to the wonderful world of Earth saving, I've done it too many times to count," the Doctor replied. "So, Gwen, are we ready to head out then?"

"Follow me," she said.

The Queen raised her head. She suddenly had a flicker of a new mind emerging in her consciousness. She searched the memories and her wings buzzed excitedly when she realized that not only was he a friend of the Doctor but he was also an alien and better yet, immortal.

Perhaps this one will be a better mate for me than the Doctor, she thought to herself. Especially if I can pass on the immortality to my children.

She searched more of his memories and realized he was with Torchwood. He summoned ten of her workers and ordered them to fly back to Torchwood in order to take Jack alive and bring him to her. The ten wasps flew off and the Queen settled back onto her rock, feeling hopeful that not all was lost.

"God, I look like shit," Jack murmured as he sat in the back seat of the SUV.

Rose and the Doctor were sitting beside him. Gwen drove while Ianto sat beside her. They had borrowed several gas canisters from the military. Some of them were in a rucksack that Jack was going to take into the hive and the rest were on the floor at Gwen's feet in case the car was attacked. Jack turned his bleary eyes to the Doctor who gave him a smug smile.

"Shut up," Jack said while the Doctor sniggered. "Don't you even run your mouth about being back to normal again or I'll sting your ass to Kingdom Come."

"Wouldn't think of pointing out I'm back to normal now, Jack," the Doctor said with a shrug. "But you're right, you do look like shit."

"Fuck you," Jack said, rolling his eyes when the Doctor sniggered.

The Doctor patted his friend on the shoulder and looked out the side window when Rose did the same. They could see a couple of helicopters flying back towards Cardiff. They saw one of them let loose some of the gas. The gas spread out and slowly fell towards the ground in a large grey cloud.

"Good job that works, less work for us," Rose said to the Doctor.

"Yes, my brilliant brain amazes even me some times," the Doctor said.

"I thought when that happened the world would explode," Jack muttered while Rose giggled.

"What d'ya mean?" the Doctor said to him.

"I thought the moment something from your brain amazed you the world would explode," Jack said.

The Doctor thought that over while Rose snickered.

"No, I don't recall hearing that would happen," the Doctor said. "Where'd you hear it?"

"Never mind, Mister Smart Ass," Jack said, waving a black hand at him.

"I'm not being a smart ass; I'm just stating a fact. I've been amazed many times and the world's still here."

"Whatever, forget I said anything," Jack said while Rose laughed silently.

The Doctor shrugged and looked out the window while Jack rolled his eyes.

"Okay, here we are," Gwen said as she slowed to stop. "Across the field is her hive."

Jack opened the door and got out. Gwen did the same, carrying the rucksack. She handed it to Jack and put her hand against his yellow cheek.

"You come back to us, yeah?" Gwen said. "Don't let that bitch anywhere near you."

"I'm not planning on it. I want to make this in and out because I want to be myself again in the worse way."

He smiled when Gwen kissed his cheek. Ianto got out of the car and Gwen stepped asked when he walked up to Jack.

"Be careful," he said to Jack.

"You do the same. The last thing I want is a wasp for a boyfriend," Jack said.

He felt Ianto's face with his feelers and gave him a hug. Once he was finished, he looked inside the car at the Doctor and Rose.

"Smart ass comments, better say them now," he said to the Doctor.

"Why do you keep thinking I'm being a smart ass? I was just stating a fact," the Doctor said while Rose giggled. "The world hasn't exploded whenever I've been amazed."

"Yeah, okay, just wish me luck, alright?" Jack said.

"Good luck, Jack," the Doctor said. "I would say don't die but…well…be careful."

"Ha ha," Jack said while Rose laughed harder. "And you, Blondie, why you wanna be his girlfriend is beyond me when you have me around but to each his own I guess."

The Doctor snorted at that while Rose leaned over. Jack leaned in and she kissed his cheek and wished him luck. He leaned back out of the car and sighed as the Doctor shut the door and Gwen and Ianto got back in the car.

"I would give anything to know what my horoscope said today," he said as he spread his wings out.

He tested them, found he could fly and gripping the rucksack tightly by the handle headed towards the cave.

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