Torchwood Is Yours 10/12

[humantales]

Title: Torchwood Is Yours
Author: humantales
Beta: quean_of_swords
Artist: rotaryphones
Character: Captain Jack Harkness, OC's
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 2,338
Warnings: AU
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: When Jack lands over a hundred years past where he was aiming, he has some time to fill. Why not spend it baby-sitting the Rift?

Masterlist

1877

"You'd better not die on me, Harry Pearse," Sarah yelled at him as she held her coat against his leg to stop the bleeding. "You'd better just hang on."

As Harry opened his mouth, Ellie snapped, "Don't talk, conserve your strength." She started suturing his leg closed. "Captain, where's that creature?"

"We have it," Jack said, panting. He and Tom were hauling the alien into the alley; Jack had sent a young boy running to the police station for them to remove it. "It's dead. Will he be all right?" Losing Percy had been bad enough; losing Harry a month before his wedding would be . . .

"If he holds still," Ellie said.

While she worked on Harry, Tom and Jack cleared up everything alien or inexplicable except the Hoix's body. The police crew arrived twenty minutes later; the officer in charge asked Jack quietly, "Will Pearse survive?"

Jack looked over. Ellie was bandaging the wound, and Sarah was scolding Harry for protecting her at his own expense. "If Sarah doesn't kill him," he answered.

"Good enough," Davies said. "What do we do with these ones again?"

"Don't get between them and food," Jack answered. "They live to eat. Otherwise," he shrugged, "do what you have to."

Once they made it back to the Warehouse, Jack called a meeting. "We lost Percy," he said, once everyone but Harry was sitting. Harry was lying on a bed in the medical area, asleep from the painkillers Ellie had given him. Sarah was at the table, and paying attention, but she wouldn't take her eyes off her fiancé. "We almost lost Harry today. We've all been injured and it's a matter of time before we lose someone else and that's. No. Longer. Acceptable. I need ideas, people."

"Shoot first," Tom said.

"A lot of the aliens are people," Ellie objected. "We can't just kill them because they're in the wrong place."

"Knock 'em out, then," Tom said with a shrug.

Sarah dragged her eyes away from Harry. "Are you all thick?"

"Let's hear your idea," Jack said, his eyebrows raised.

"Tell the Crown we need more people," Susan said. "Five of us against everything the Rift throws at us is mad. What were they thinking?"

Jack felt himself redden. "The Crown has nothing to do with us," he said. More people wasn't such a bad idea, though. He'd have to sit down and see how many more people he could pay.

"Then who pays my salary?" Ellie asked. "It has to be the Crown somehow; this setup is too dear for one person."

Sarah's eyes were widening. "Jack?" she asked in a whisper.

"Er, yeah, one person," Jack said, not looking at any of his team.

"Why are you embarrassed?" Tom asked. "That explains a lot actually."

Jack stood and walked to the doorway, looking out over his headquarters. Scientific research, technological development, medical treatment. All of the desks with all of their reports, all of their work. "I never planned on this," he said slowly. "I was just marking time."

"Lot of work for just marking time," Tom said.

Jack shrugged. "I know, I just . . ." He sighed. "I got interested, and I'm a soldier. Fighting's all I know."

There was a moment of dead silence, and then Sarah started to giggle. Ellie followed and then so did Tom. Jack looked around feeling hurt. "What's so funny?" he asked, trying to keep his temper.

Mrs. Williams shook her head, walked over and kissed his cheek. "The thought of you only knowing how to fight is absurd. This conversation is over." Before Jack could object, she said, "For tonight. Let me be clear. Are you paying for everything? Our salaries, the equipment, all of it?"

"Yeah," Jack said, nodding. He smiled. "First thing I've started I've been proud of, ever. This is mine."

Ellie shook her head, still chuckling. "Right. Sarah, you keep watch over your fiancé; you'll know if I need to come back in. Jack, get some sleep. Part of the reason Harry was injured is that none of us are well-rested. You take care of yourself." When Jack started to open his mouth, she pointed at him and said, "Do it, or I'll have Tom hold you down and I'll sedate you."

Jack closed his mouth and nodded. She'd do it.

"I'm doing the same. I'll see you all in the morning." Ellie nodded at them and began collecting her things. Tom followed her lead and went to leave with her. They both waited at the doorway until Jack was at the door of his flat.

Instead of walking out to the main warehouse as was his morning routine, Jack spent his morning scrubbing his flat. He was just thinking about getting something to eat when he noticed that the noise from outside was getting loud. Much louder than normal, in fact. Grabbing his coat, he went out into the warehouse.

Sarah was arguing with Harry to keep him in bed, while Ellie and Tom kept looking through a spy hole that Jack had installed when he was first converting the warehouse. Jack couldn't see what was causing the noise. "Tom, Ellie, can you tell what's causing that racket?"

Tom's shoulders slumped and he turned to face Jack, biting his lip. "Er, I'm sorry, Captain, but I think I overstepped myself."

Jack looked at him. He didn't require formality; all of his people usually called him Jack, at least, when they wanted to be polite. "What did you do?"

"Technically, I still work for the police force."

Jack nodded. It was technically true; Tom even drew a salary from them although Jack supplemented it. "Right."

"I thought, well, when I found out you've been paying for all of this, I went to my superiors about it." Tom looked worried, but not ashamed.

"Go on." Jack wasn't sure what to make of it, other than to clarify Tom's status as soon as he could.

"I think they spoke with the Chief," Tom said, looking out the spy hole again.

"And," Jack said, waiting to see what this had to do with the noise.

"The Chief of Police called him in this morning to talk with him," Ellie said, losing her patience. "He took Tom's full report. The word's out there now; anyone who knows about the Warehouse knows you've been funding it. The whole Morgan clan is out there now, as are most of the police, and everyone from the Rift we've ever resettled. And the Chief of Police and the Mayor. And Lord Bute." She smirked at Jack. "The last three just got here. I don't think they'll stay outside for long."

Jack brushed Ellie and Tom away so he could look through the spy hole. At least he didn't see any military. After thinking for a minute, he stood up. "Sarah, make sure Harry's presentable; we're gonna have company. Ellie . . ." Jack couldn't think of anything specific for his doctor. "Ellie, look like a doctor." She huffed out a snort. "Tom, today is for the dignitaries, and I won't be giving general tours of the Warehouse anyway."

"That's not what they want, Jack," Ellie told him patiently. "They want to help."

"Good. Tom, tell them they can help by going home and continuing to be their normal, sensible selves. Those are good people out there; we just . . . Ask them to go home." Jack shooed Tom out the side door and stood up straight. "Combat's easier than this." With his staff's chuckles to bolster him, Jack went out to face the crowd.

"You make sure they do right by you, Captain," Jack heard Evan shout above the applause he got as he walked out the door.

Jack blinked and shouted back, "They always have, Evan. This is a great town, wouldn't you say?"

The Marquess smiled. "Quite right." He seemed to notice Tom trying to gently direct people home. "I think we should all be listening to the Captain's people. That fine young man is giving instructions; do you have any more for us, Captain?"

The Marquess's speaking seemed to be the cue for everyone to quiet. Jack took a deep breath. "Thank you, sir, er . . ." Jack couldn't remember the correct address.

"Yes, continue," Lord Bute said. Jack could see his eyes twinkling, but he wasn't making a big deal out of Jack's slip, which was all he cared about.

Jack realised that he couldn't just send everyone home without saying anything. He smiled out at the crowd. "It's a pleasure to see all the friends we have here," he said, happy he could stick with the simple truth. It was always the most effective. "We all have a lot of work to do, and I think I have some conversations to have." That got a laugh. "Thank you all. It means more to me than you could ever know to have all of you behind us. I think it's time to get back to work now."

He got another round of applause, but the crowd started breaking up. Jack was able to smile at the three dignitaries that were still at his front door. "Since I don't like to make assumptions, may I ask what brings you gentlemen here?" he asked.

"I don't know about my companions," Lord Bute said with a smile, "but I'd quite like a tour of this Warehouse that houses the heroes that keep my city safe." He sobered. "I understand one of your people was badly injured last night; how is he?"

"He'll be fine," Jack said, smiling. "My doctor says his wedding will be able to go on as scheduled." With a grin, he continued, "Which is good, because I'm not sure whether his fiancée would go after me or him first."

"Been hearing about this place," the Chief said. "Always wanted a tour."

Jack looked at him, surprised. "Why didn't you ask?"

"Wasn't sure I'd be allowed," was the answer. "Always wondered why I never got orders from the Crown."

As Jack led the three officials into the Warehouse, the Mayor asked, "Is it true that you've provided all of the financial support? All of it?"

Jack had been thinking all night as to why it had never occurred to him to ask for money. He was just so used to doing everything himself, and it seemed appropriate considering he'd basically stolen the capital in the first place. He couldn't say that, but he'd come up with a good, even a true, answer. "Cardiff has provided me a home," he said. "Protecting my fellow citizens seems the least I can do."

It was a little disappointing that none of the three officials really cared about the scientific and technological work that Jack thought was the centre of their work, but they were impressed by how much was done with so little support and so few people. "You have women working with you?" Lord Bute asked, watching Ellie check Harry's bandage.

"I hire people who can do the work I need them to do," Jack answered. Even after nearly a decade, the attitude that women were weak and incapable of most work still confused him. "I don't really care if they're men or women. I only hire the best."

After the tour, Jack led the trio to the conference table. Tom brought over a formal tea. Jack blinked at it. "Mrs. Morgan asked—"

"Thank you, Tom, and thank the ladies who set this up," Jack said. He didn't think he could handle the chain of assistance today.

"I think it goes without saying that we hope you continue your excellent work, Captain Harkness," the Marquess said. "If we offer funds, will you accept them?"

"Of course," Jack answered. "It wasn't pride so much as . . ." He struggled for a minute to put his feelings into words. "I could do it, so I did. It's simpler that way."

That got a laugh from the other three men. "There's much to be said for simplicity," the Mayor said with a smile. "As a Cardiff institution, however, you may expect to be called before the Council to explain some of the more public, er, incidents. I will be calling you for the next meeting to explain your work. Of course, the Council will also expect you to inform us of any assistance you may need."

Before Jack could say anything, the Chief said, "I want to keep a man working with you. No reason to replace Officer Rees, of course. We should be working together."

"Thank you, sir," Jack said. "To be honest, most of your men on the street do work with us; we've kept it informal but I know I can rely on the police here." The Chief's chest puffed out a bit at the compliment. "Gentlemen, I appreciate everything you're offering, but this work needs to be kept quiet."

Before he said anything else, Lord Bute spoke up. "I quite agree. However, it can't be kept secret. It's already well known that, when something uncanny happens in Cardiff, it's the Captain who will do what needs doing." He looked amused. "I may not have heard of you before last night, but all of my servants have. Nothing will change, except now you will have official sanction."

In the end, Jack could do nothing but accept.

The next morning, a tall, broad-shouldered young man with red hair, a broad freckled face, and a policeman's uniform showed up. "I've been assigned here, sir, Captain," the young man said. "David Watkins."

Jack shook his head and smiled. "What were you told about this assignment?" he asked.

Watkins started to shrug. "Just that I'm to consider the Warehouse my duty," he said. "Er, my sergeant said he doesn't know many details, just that you stop the weird stuff. He said you'd tell me what I need to know."

Jack sighed. "At least you're starting out with no misconceptions," he said.

1878