Just Imagine...

The Escape Trick

"Are you alright?"
Sam looked up from the bloodstained floor and into Ianto's worried blue eyes.
"Yeah," she murmured, "I'm fine. I... just wish we could've stopped this sooner." She cast a forlorn glance at the enormous body of Estrari, the space whale, a great creature that had been writhing in pain only seconds ago. At least she was free of that pain now, sleeping, ready for transport to the hub. More than anything, Sam was angry. She wanted to find the awful people who had done this and rip them to shreds, but most of them had fled by now. Still, it would be so satisfying to track them through the city like a hunting tiger, waiting in the shadows, then pounce, slit their throats and leave them to bleed out like they had done to this poor animal. Sam took a deep breath. She knew that wouldn't really do any good, and it would be better to calm down than shed more blood.
"You're sure you're okay?" Ianto pressed, breaking her from her trance. Sam nodded.
"Yeah. C'mon, let's get outta this place." She murmured.
"What about your hands?" Ianto asked. Sam twisted her head to look over her shoulder at her bound wrists, resting in the small of her back. She forced a grin.
"Don't worry about it." She said, then took a great leap into the air. Her aim was to smoothly curl her legs in and pull her hands over them to the front, but she only got one leg through before she came crashing to the floor, landing face down in the grime of the warehouse. "I'm okay!" She exclaimed, voice muffled. Her heart lightened a bit when she heard Ianto chuckle heartily.
"C'mon, you fool." He muttered affectionately, reaching down to grab her elbow and help her up, which was difficult now that her hands were bound between her legs.
No problem. She'd fix that later.

Jack and Gwen were arguing again, she could hear them from the hothouse. Sam wasn't about to disregard the importance of the situation, but she was sick of it, and covered in bruises from failed attempts to free herself. When she couldn't take it anymore, Sam hobbled out of the hothouse, practically did the can-can to get down the stairs, and stomped up to her two friends. They seemed a lot taller from this angle.
"You still haven't gotten yourself out?" Ianto demanded.
"No, Ianto," Sam said sarcastically, "I've got an cooch itch. Now Jack, Gwen, listen up while I try to get my other foot out. You're being stupid! All of you are, actually. Not only will you two not stop fighting, but Jack, can you not see your little 'love makes you vulnerable' speech bothered Ianto??"
Jack glanced over his shoulder at Ianto, who ducked his head shyly.
"And you, Ianto, why don't you just tell Jack when something he says bothers you?" Sam went on, "communication is key!" She balanced precariously on one leg. "Owen," she grunted, "you're a moron."
"What did I do?" Owen demanded indignantly.
"Tosh asked you, specifically, out on a DATE, you fool!" Sam exclaimed, "she meant just you two, not all of us! And Tosh, c'mon! You've gotta learn to have a little more self esteem! Speak up every once and a while!"
"What about me?" Gwen asked crossly, folding her arms over her chest, "is there anything you want to criticize about me?"
"Actually, no," Sam murmured, "except for the fact that you and Jack need to stop bickering. Right now."
"Excuse me, I'm in charge here!" Jack cut in angrily.
"Yeah? So what? You're making a dumb decision!" Sam snapped back, hopping on one foot, "Gwen's not gonna retcon Rhys even if you threatened her with a death penalty! And it's not like he's gonna tell anyone! Besides, you've seen what they look like when Rhys didn't know the truth. That was ugly."
"Oh, thanks!" Gwen exclaimed sarcastically, running a hand through her hair in frustration.
"Also, news flash!" Sam went on, "everyone knows about Torchwood, Jack! EVERYONE! And you wanna know somethin' else? I've told Jay everything from the day I started working here!" She paused with her knee in her chest. "That actually felt really good to say." She muttered.
"Sam, don't you think you're being a bit unfair?" Tosh spoke up.
"I'm just telling you all what's what," Sam said, "if I hurt any of your feelings in that process, I'm sorry, it wasn't my intention, but some things just have to be said. We can't keep holding all these things inside, we'll explode! Be like me; I have like a buncha little explosions every day, otherwise it'll just build and build and build until I nuke you all. It's not healthy! We've gotta talk things out more instead of all this pointless arguing- HEY!" She broke off triumphantly as she finally got her other leg through, "told you I could do it! Mama's still got it! Now- WHOA-!" She exclaimed as she fell backwards on her ass. She sat back up immediately. "I'm okay!" She panted.
There was a moment of silence before the others all burst out laughing. Sam blinked, then smiled, feeling herself blush as she blew her hair out of her face. The tension that had been crackling in the air melted like frost on a warm morning
"Are you okay?" Jack asked, still grinning as he offered his hand to help her up.
"I think so," Sam grunted, "my ass hurts a little, but it's nothin' a relaxing evening won't fix."
"Good," Jack murmured, then he turned to Gwen, "I'm-" he started. 
"It's okay," Gwen cut him off, still giggling a little, "it's fine."
"You don't have to wipe Rhys' memories," Jack said, "you're right, we don't know what it's like to have someone outside of Torchwood."
"Thank you, Jack." Gwen said softly, beaming.
"Give Rhys my love," Jack murmured, "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yeah." Gwen sighed with a nod as she turned to leave.
"So... you were asking me to play pool with you?" Owen asked, sidling up to Tosh, "just the two of us?"
"Umm. Yeah," Tosh murmured, blushing, "is that okay?"
"Yeah," Owen replied, "sounds fun."
Tosh blushed a little more and smiled.
"Tonight?"
"Sure."
The two of them linked arms awkwardly as they left.
"Thanks, Sam." Tosh murmured quietly over her shoulder.
"It was my pleasure." Sam said, bowing even though her hands were still tied. Ianto laughed as he walked up to her.
"Hold still, let me untie you." He said.  
"Ianto," Jack said slowly, "did it really bother you? What I said before?"
Ianto looked up sharply.
"Well... a little." He muttered.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I figured you wouldn't care."
"Of course I care! I thought... you didn't care."
"I care. I care a lot."
They stared at each other for a second.
"Ahem?" Sam said, "my wrists?"
"Oh! Sorry!" Ianto exclaimed, quickly undoing the last knot. His fingers were trembling slightly.
"You, uh... you wanna go out for dinner tonight?" Jack asked.
"How about we just go to my place," Ianto suggested, "wouldn't wanna bump into Owen and Tosh and ruin their evening."
"Okay." Jack murmured.
"You boys go on ahead," Sam said, rubbing her wrists, "I'll get everything shut down here."  
"Alright." Jack said, shyly reaching for Ianto's hand.
He turned back right when they reached the cog wheel door.
"Mom?" He called.
"Yeah?" Sam said.
"Thanks." Jack murmured, eyes twinkling.
"No problem, son." Sam replied.
She didn't stay long after the others, just did a quick tidyup that Ianto would've been ashamed of.
"Well, Sam," she sighed to herself, patting herself on the shoulder, "you took the roundabout way but once again you ended up in the right place. Good on ya."