Expectant (audio story)

 was the thirty-fourth story in the Torchwood audio series by Big Finish Productions. It was written by Xanna Eve Chown and featured John Barrowman as Jack Harkness.

Publisher's summary
The Yalnix Empire is a fragile alliance of a dozen systems, under constant attack from their ancient enemy, the Vad. With the Empress unable to trust any of her court she gives the job of growing the next Ruler of the Yalnix to an old friend - Captain Jack Harkness.

With hunters on the loose and a battlefleet in orbit, Cardiff’s suddenly became a dangerous place for a man to be pregnant.

Plot
Jack is on top of a burning building with Jonty, having set it on fire to kill an alien virus growing in the air conditioning. They use a zip wire to escape and Jonty reminds Jack that Jack is pregnant.

The pair chase a Weevil called Terrance in a sewer and Jack's pregnancy symptoms get worse. He counters Jonty's protestations to his activities by reminding him that he agreed to carry the next Ruler of the Yalnix, whom he has nicknamed "Junior", so long as he could continue to work for Torchwood as normal for as long as he could. Jack asks the Weevil nest if they have seen the old woman's arm that Jonty removed.

Jack and Jonty go to a café where Jack suffers a mood swing. They later deal with the Tomvaris, who are looking for the spawn baby and whom Jack persuades to leave, and briefly encounter UNIT.

Jack goes to the Hub and has a hormonal meltdown in front of Ianto. Ianto speaks to Jonty outside and expresses his concern for Jack, who he thought was dealing well with Tosh and Owen's deaths before he came back pregnant. Ianto saves Jack, who has sneaked out, from a man-eating dragon, and sees him off as Jack and Jonty go to the Monkstone Abbey Health Spa. Paula welcomes them.

The other residents stop and cry whilst staring at Jack and Jonty before returning to normal. Paula checks in with them and Jack asks if she has seen anything unusual before everybody enters a trance and state that he must be secured. Jack enters the final stage of gestation and is saved from Paula by Jonty, who explains that Junior had turned the residents into warriors to protect itself from the reckless Jack. Ianto arrives and uses a stun gun on Paula.

Jack admits to Ianto that he accepted the pregnancy in order to feel some control after what happened to Tosh, Owen, John and Gray. Ianto deliberately drives into the sea at Penarth Pier, prompting the birthing ship to teleport them inside where Jack gives birth.

In a sewer, Jack hands Junior over to Jonty, who thanks him for what he has done for the Yalnix.

Cast

 * Captain Jack Harkness - John Barrowman
 * Ianto Jones - Gareth David-Lloyd
 * Jonty - Aaron Anthony
 * Paula - Catherine Ayers
 * Brigadier - Jessica Hayles
 * Residents - Meryn Davis, Emily John

Continuity

 * Jack begins the story on a rooftop, as he often does. (TV: Everything Changes, etc.)
 * Jack recalls that he said he would never become pregnant again. (TV: Everything Changes)
 * Jack is not to blame for the Weevils. (AUDIO: The Torchwood Archive)
 * Jack has protected Cardiff for over a century. (TV: Fragments; PROSE: The Baby Farmers; AUDIO: The Victorian Age, The Torchwood Archive)
 * Two of Jack and Ianto's friends just died. Jack says he really misses Owen. (TV: Exit Wounds)
 * Jack has survived being buried alive. (TV: Exit Wounds)
 * Jack's reason for bringing life into the world is his guilt and grief after what happened to Tosh, Owen, John and Gray. (TV: Exit Wounds)