"Nothing?" Jack said, when at their next month's check-up. "Four weeks later. And… you've got nothing new."

Seo's face flushed.

She looked away. "I've… been… busy."

Jack, of course, worked it out immediately.

"You and Dave Korjensky, huh?" A wicked grin spread across Jack's face. "Good choice. Historical figure, and a hottie. Gotta love the muscles."

"Jack, it's not…!"

"No, really," Jack insisted. "I mean, you're 85 years older than the age of consent — you can make your own decisions. And Dave's got great eyes. So — you two go at it!" He paused, then modified, "Just make sure it's safe, consensual, and — if you want to get rough — make sure you have a safety word planned ahead of time. In a language you can both actually pronounce — I've made that mistake before."

"Jack!"

"Oh, and use protection," Jack added. Because if Seo got pregnant under his watch… the Doctor would skin him alive. "Don't hit too hard with the whips, and if you're playing dominatrix, watch for leather-burns, they're a killer. And if you wanna do it on an airplane, then—"

"Jack!" Seo cried, her face now bright red.

Jack paused. Then realized… just because he'd jump into bed with the cute muscular army guy first chance… didn't necessarily mean she would.

Or had.

"Just… to keep in mind," Jack amended. "In case it has — or ever will — come up."

Seo bit her lower lip.

"Oh, no," Jack said. "Don't tell me you two tried, and he couldn't manage to…?"

Seo buried her face in her hands. "I've only known him for a month," she muttered. "I can't trust him like that, yet."

Oh.

"Gotcha, it's a twenty-first century thing," Jack said. He nodded, sagely. "Fair enough. Guess there's something to be said for waiting until—"

"It's a telepathy thing," Seo cut in, frustrated. She cringed. A little nervous. "If we decide to… you know… then I let him into my head."

"And you're worried he'll pull a Bilis Manger style trick, and screw with your perceptions?" Jack guessed.

"Dave? No, he wouldn't. But…" Seo cringed, again. "He's a tough-guy. Always reaches for weapons." She tapped the side of her head. "And I've got a weapon up here."

Jack hadn't thought of that.

"If he flips me into that," said Seo, "either deliberately or because he's lost control… I kill everyone on the planet."

Jack nodded, slowly. "Kind of ruins the mood, huh?"

Actually, he'd met a lot of people who'd disagree with that statement. But he figured none of them were really… Seo's 'type.'

"Mass genocide?" Seo asked. "Or killing my lover?"

Her face settled into a deep frown.

And she sighed.

"I like him, Jack," Seo admitted. Wrapping her arms around herself. "I like him… a lot. Just on an emotional level, if he wasn't here… I think I'd be a wreck, right now."

Jack thought back to Torchwood.

To Ianto Jones.

…Ianto…

"Helps to have someone there for you, like that, huh?" Jack asked, softly.

"This whole pet thing — it's humiliating and degrading," said Seo. "Having people throw rubbish at me. Or run around laughing at me. Or explain — to my face — that I'm some sort of defective, broken pet — a worthless waste of space." A small smile lit up the edges of her face. "But with Dave around… it's all right. Doesn't matter that I'm a dangerous botched genetic mish-mash from a universe that should never have existed. He loves me. He's… willing to give up everything for me."

Wow.

This was starting to sound serious.

Which… considering Dave Korjensky was a major historical figure who needed to stick around here so he could fulfill his destiny and change the face of the galaxy forever… was probably not the greatest thing in the world.

"Well… before he gives up everything," Jack muttered, "maybe you two should see if it's… actually gonna work out. Figure out living arrangements."

He kept wracking his brain for any mention, in history lessons, of David Walter Korjensky III settling down with someone named Seo… but he couldn't. No, worse than that… he remembered learning that David Korjensky III would settle down and get married… even have a couple of kids… with someone whose name Jack couldn't remember…

Except that it certainly wasn't Seo.

"We're taking things slow," Seo promised.

"Yeah — good call," Jack decided. "Take it slow as you want. Don't let him bully you, Seo — anytime you don't feel comfortable, you say stop. And if he doesn't…" He shrugged. "Kick him where the sun don't shine."


Dave didn't even have time to hide the map he was studying, before he was grabbed by his collar and yanked into the vet.

And came face-to-face with Jack Harkness.

"Look," said Jack. "I dunno what's going on between you two. If you think this is a one-off, or a casual thing, or serious, or whatever. But whatever you think, you gotta tell her — because she's been living in the early 21st century, and her ideas about sex are going to be completely different from…"

Jack stopped.

His eyes catching the map in Dave's hand.

"What you got there?" Jack asked, grabbing the map from him.

Dave stumbled, then lunged forwards and grabbed it back. Stuffing it away. "None of your business."

But he could tell from the look on Jack's face that Jack already knew what it was.

"Vedhor," Jack said. "You found the location of Vedhor! How'd you…?"

"I broke into a military base," Dave replied. "A while ago." He said nothing for a while, feeling the overpowering concern from Jack all focused on him. The one thing Seo had been looking for, all this time, and he hadn't shown it to her.

"Only stored on physical paper," Jack realized. "So that explains why I couldn't get it through data channels. Should have thought of that!" He flashed Dave a smile. "Gonna show it to Seo and get on her good side for a while?"

Dave considered just braining Jack and making a run for it.

But if Jack, after he woke up, told Seo everything…

"I'm not telling Seo," Dave said, at last. "I don't want her going there. I just… can't stand the thought of her getting hurt."

"So you've decided to play the hero and go there instead?" Jack guessed.

Dave didn't answer.

Didn't have to.

Jack crossed his arms, thinking all this through. Then, a little reluctantly, shrugged. "She'll hate it. But I can see your point."

Dave looked up at Jack.

"I'll go," said Jack, holding out his hand for the map. "Not you. Doesn't matter so much if they kill me."

Dave didn't give him the map.

This was his mission.

His chance to prove himself to her!

Jack raised his eyebrows at Dave. "You won't get any brownie points for suicidal heroics."

"Bet I wouldn't get any more from sending her friend to his death," Dave replied. "Besides. I pick up on the emotions better than you. I'd blend in."

Jack hesitated.

Then, very slowly, dropped his hand.

And gave in.

"Be careful, and leave all signs of alien tech behind," Jack warned. "Guns, Earth-tech. Even your disguise. If there's anywhere that'll be able to detect it and use it to trace the rest of us down, it's Vedhor."

Dave looked down at the switched-off disguise mechanism that Seo had given him.

His frown deepening.

He'd hoped to sneak in as a new guard, not as one of the humans. But… if taking it along meant placing Seo in danger…

"And don't start a shooting match," Jack cut in, suddenly. "No matter what you see, or who you wanna stick up for. Seen way too many Torchwood Agents go into an infiltration situation like this, completely surrounded and out-gunned, and decide to start shooting up the scenery." He shook his head. "Never works out like it does in the movies."

Dave took off his disguise.

And placed it on the table, beside Jack. "No shooting matches," he promised. Adding, with a wry laugh, "Seo wouldn't like it, anyways."

Jack slid the disguise off the table, locked it in a secure cupboard. "Good man."

"Don't tell Seo where I've gone till I get back," Dave warned. He turned, to go. "Shouldn't be long."

Jack stopped him.

"You know there's a minefield surrounding the place," Jack checked. "Right? Triggered by mammals only."

Dave hadn't.

But he probably should have guessed.

"Give me back that map," said Jack. "I found a detail of the minefield a while back. Think I can give you a bit more clue as to mine locations." He paused. "Then… we should discuss exactly what information she needs from Vedhor. And where you could find it."