Notes
Timeline: This begins during Reunion* but then overlaps and goes beyond 12 Months.
*If you haven't read Reunion, the only thing that really matters is that there's a new member to the team, her name is Sara and she's from Las Vegas. Her boyfriend has travelled to Cardiff to take a teaching position at the University and she's not sure how she feels about that…and that they apprehended a human looking alien calling himself Sam.
Rating: I'm going to err on the side of caution with an M although I don't honestly know for certain if it will ultimately deserve that M or if a T+ would have done it. But better safe than sorry… besides, with an M, I won't have to think twice before writing any steamy scenes between Jack and Ianto ;-)
Genre: Sci-Fi / Drama… with a fair amount of romance, friendship, and probably a little angst thrown in for good measure.
Plot: If you read Reunion, you may remember an alien calling himself "Sam." I knew when I wrote that, that there was more of a story there than I could get into at the time (too much else going on.) So here's the "more."
As per request, I intend to put a good deal of Bobby (and Wendy) into this one. Expect to see some continuation of Sara and Gil's storyline as well as a follow up on the Jones family.
Disclaimers: (This is getting as bad as my other Crossover universe!) Abby Schuito and Tim McGee belong to Belisarius Productions, Sara Sidle and Gil Grissom belong to Jerry Bruckheimer, Robert "Bobby" Chase belongs to David Shore, Torchwood and Doctor Who belong to R. T. Davies / BBC… I don't think I missed anybody… but at any rate, I'm not making any money from this, not even trying to, it's just a hobby.
I have an actor in mind for "Sam", but he's well older than a teenager (born 1978). His name is DJ Qualls, and he's been in a number of smaller roles; the first time I saw him was in The Core. (Dreadful science, but great special effects!) So if you can picture him a lot younger, that's the mental image I'm working with.
As always reviews and comments are greatly appreciated. ;-)
Sam
Chapter One
"There is one safeguard known generally to the wise, which is an advantage and a security to all… suspicion."
Demosthenes
Jack strapped the young man… alien… into a chair in one of the Hub's many alcoves. It was the same area he'd used to interrogate the alien sleeper agent they'd apprehended a few years back. The same chair, too, he reckoned. He hoped this situation didn't end as badly as that one had… or that they weren't related. He realized he was getting more and more suspicious as he got older. It probably wasn't his most endearing trait.
Gwen stood in the observation area above them, watching, chewing on the end of her thumb nail, glaring down at what he was doing. Jack returned her gaze calmly, his expression carefully tempered. Hardened. He couldn't afford anything less.
The Welsh woman turned away and went back to her station to monitor the proceedings on the computer. She had already made her feelings painfully clear.
He's just a child, Jack!
We don't know that for sure. We don't know what he is. What it is. They didn't even know that the alien was male, if this was it's natural form… a disguise of some sort… or if it had taken over the body of some street kid. He presumed Gwen was going to go through the missing persons database… criminal database… he hoped Bobby would get in soon so he could get a medical opinion on the prisoner.
He glanced over at Ianto, as he got the last strapped synched tight, wondering what his partner was thinking. The younger man's face was unreadable, but when he met his gaze, the Welshman's expression softened. He knew Jack found this part of the job distasteful. He didn't hold what he was doing against him; he knew they couldn't afford to take chances.
Ianto crossed the distance between them and laid a gentle hand on his Captain's back. "He doesn't look dangerous, does he?"
"No." Jack stepped back away from the unconscious boy. He didn't look as if he'd had a bath or a decent meal in days, maybe even weeks. He also knew better than to let appearances deceive him into sympathy. Just the same, he didn't feel particularly good about strapping the kid in like he had. Wrist and ankles, a strap across his chest, so that when he woke he wouldn't able to move much more than his head.
Jack remembered the terrified look on the kid's face when they'd caught him. He hadn't tried to fight back, just get away.
But that didn't mean he wasn't dangerous.
Mickey joined them; he was still wearing his soggy boots.
Ianto gave him a look. The Englishman had left a trail of wet footprints in his wake.
"Sara's still having a clean," he said.
Ianto arched his brow further.
"Yeah, yeah, I know, I should have had a spare pair of shoes in my locker… but it wasn't as if I was planning on having a swim in my clothes, now was it?" he returned the Welshman's pointed glare with one of his own.
Ianto smirked.
"Never under estimate the quiet ones," advised Jack with a wink. "I know I never do," he leant a little closer to the younger man, shoving his hands into his pockets. They still maintained a standard of professionalism at work, but sometimes he needed to be nearer the young man, just to rub his shoulder against his. To feel his warmth. To know that he loved him no matter what. To know he doesn't look at me like I'm some kind of monster even now…
Ianto flashed a smile as mischievous as Jack's wink. "As well you shouldn't," he commented in a dry, nearly deadpan voice.
The Captain chuckled softly; it died in his throat when they heard the prisoner let out a low moan. "Get Sara," he said to Mickey, pulling away from his partner. He took a step closer to the boy… alien… and waited for him to wake up. It didn't take long.
Wild panic flashed across the prisoner's features as he opened his eyes and took in the strange sights and smells of the Hub… realized he was restrained… when he saw the two men standing there… the ones who had caught him. He pulled against the restraints as hard as he could.
Jack laid one hand on his sidearm, but the thick leather straps held fast. The boy's fear escalated and he struggled harder, but to no avail.
"Take it easy," Jack heard himself saying. The kid looked near tears.
"Please… please don't hurt me… I didn't do anything, I didn't hurt anybody," he looked from one hardened face to the other, seeming to find no compassion in either. He seemed to figure out that it was Jack who was in charge and directed his next words at the Captain. "Please… I don't have anything… but whatever you want… I… I'll do whatever you want…" desperation was quickly replacing fear. "I'm good at doing stuff. All kinds of stuff. Anything you want… just please don't hurt me," he begged.
"Nobody wants to hurt you," said Jack. "Just… take a minute and calm down," he suggested wondering what the Hell was taking Sara so long. She might not consider herself much of a 'people person', but she would probably have a better chance of establishing a rapport with a scared kid than he would.
He shifted his glance to Ianto; the younger man nodded, understanding the unspoken query. He'd be fine alone with the alien for a few minutes. Like Jack, he was armed. If the kid wasn't what he seemed, he'd shoot first and ask questions later.
Jack walked out to the main area of the Hub just as Sara was taking the lift up to the Plass. A questioning look to Mickey garnered little in the way of useful information.
"Go help Ianto keep an eye on the prisoner," he said, before heading up to the Tourist Office and out to the Plass himself…