Wrong Place, Wrong Time
The Torchwood team are in the wrong place at the wrong time when the rift decides to open and now must find a way home. SERIES follows 'Déjà vu' but can be read alone.
Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood or any of the characters recognised from the show.
A/N: The usual thanks to all my readers, I'm glad a few people out there think I can write stuff worthy of reading. Things begin to get a little darker from here on (ok, not dark exactly but not fluffy) so in an attempt to not offend anyone, read at your own risk as there are a few moments of bad intentions and the like.
Differences
Ianto winced as he moved his head gently to one side, "Ow..." he murmured, lifting a hand to find the source of the pain.
"Ianto? You're alright, had a bang to the head. Just relax, I'll grab Jack." Said Luciana quickly, grabbing Ianto's hand to stop him touching the cut on his temple.
"Luci?"
"Yeah, I'm here." Luciana replied, leaning in close to catch the whispered words of the injured Welshman as she stroked the back of his hand gently.
"Where're we?" slurred Ianto as he opened his eyes gingerly. A smile filled his vision.
"I'm not sure. Some arctic planet. An old couple, George and Harriett, have let us bunk down in their house for a while. Let me go grab Jack alright? Wont be a minute." Luciana replaced Ianto's hand on the sofa before moving into the second downstairs room, returning with Jack close behind her.
"Ianto." He said softly as he knelt next to the younger mans head, softly stroking his hair, taking care not to touch the gash above his right eyebrow. "Had me worried for a while there."
"Gwen?"
"She's fine. Other then getting rather cold nothing wrong with the rest of us. You just managed to find the only rock in the area to whack your head on." said Luciana with a smile. "Still, nothing in there to damage right?"
"Can't have any brains and work for Jack." Ianto said with a hint of a laugh, receiving a soft punch to the arm for his troubles.
"Ah, good to see you're alright lad." George said as he brought a tray of hot drinks into the room, "Captain, I think we should have a word in private if you don't mind." he finished, laying down the tray of drinks and gesturing to the kitchen.
"Sure thing. You rest Ianto, I want you back doing what you do as soon as possible." Ianto nodded as Jack stood and followed George into the kitchen.
"You're close to your friends?" George said casually, leaning against the stove.
Jack nodded, "They work for me, back on Earth."
"You need to be careful Captain, about your relationships with them. Your world seems to be very much different to ours" he said carefully. He didn't want to insult the Captain but he had to warn him of the dangers he would face outside, it was only right.
"How so?"
"You care for the lad, Ianto, as if he means something more to you. Am I right?"
Jack nodded, unsure where this conversation was going. Presumably he and Ianto would need to tone down their relationship a little but the old man had more to say.
"Such a relationship here will only get you into trouble. Don't get me wrong, me and Harriet don't mind, you're from a different world after all. But out there you will be greeted very differently." George paused, receiving a look of understanding from Jack he continued, "And your women will have to be careful. They have no rights here. Women are property, to be used as men see fit. An unaccompanied woman can be taken with no questions asked."
Again Jack nodded his understanding. "You and Harriet?" he ventured, wondering why George saw the world so differently to the rest of the population.
"I don't believe in slavery. There are a few others like me but many of the young men especially see women as no more then play things, receiving as much respect as a table or chair."
George seemed distant, perhaps remembering past events. Jack placed a hand gently on his shoulder. "Thank you George, for everything.
Day broke and the team, fully aware of the dangers facing them in this new world, went to explore their surroundings. After all, they were stuck here until they worked out a way to get home so they may as well enjoy it as much as they could. Gwen and Luciana had not been content with staying indoors and so Jack had allowed the two girls to come along but was planning on keeping a very close eye on them at all times.
Quickly the team had relaxed into their new surroundings. The girls had borrowed outerwear from Nancy, George and Harriett's grown up daughter, while Ianto and Jack seemed comfortably warm in their original clothing which luckily blended in with the local colour reasonably well.
"Seem to be about as advanced as Earth." Ianto commented watching cars, vans and lorry's streaming past on the main road of the town. He spotted a covered market a little way ahead. "Fancy some retail therapy girls?"
Gwen followed Ianto's gaze, "Sounds like a plan. Only, we don't have any money Ianto."
"Window shopping it is then." Luciana piped up happily. As they headed towards the market.
Unbeknown to the team they had been watched. A group of men had been following the four travellers at some distance and the busy market was the best they could have hoped for. As they entered the market the crowd naturally pushed them away from each other a little, they were all laughing and joking, even the women!
All the way through the market the group were followed, first by three, then five, then eight men as they gathered some extra muscle to help deal with the problem. They spoke in hushed tones, planning their move before breaking into two groups of four and heading in different directions.
At the exit to the market the newcomers became separated by the crowd, the women on the left, and the men on the right.
Gwen and Luciana saw the look of utter desperation on each others faces as they were dragged away from each other. With four strong men grabbing each of them they knew there was very little point in struggling.