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I'm just a computer programmer

The elevator was small, it was well lit and while the soft humming of music filled the small space it didn't even register to Natalie Fisher. She stood against the back wall twirling a lone piece of blonde hair around her finger thinking of home.

Each light on the elevator would light up as it passed the floor, she thought of how Monday was the worst day of the week, it would slowly drag as each second ticked slowly passed the other.

Bringing a finger gently to her eye she brushed the corner, trying her hardest not to smudge the makeup that would be removed as soon as she was free from the building. The other people occupying the small space didn't even register her there.

The elevator stopped, and with its opening doors came in a man. He was tall, while Natalie glanced over him, she could tell he didn't work in the building. He wore a vintage style army coat; his dark hair was styled in a way that wasn't matching his outfit.

The elevator moved once more, and while Natalie went back to playing with her hair, she kept thinking of her life. Her grey eyes drifting to her watch seeing the thing was still running slow, the sound of the music finally coming to focus as the elevator stopped once more.

People entered, and some exited. Natalie thought back to the past few months of her life, leaving school, starting work. Everything always felt so strange, like she'd lived this life and didn't know how she got to this point. She should have been more. More than the basic programmer, better than daddy's little girl. She couldn't think, and while she had drifted into remembering her nightmares of war and violence she didn't even notice that two men had left the elevator leaving her alone with the strange man.

"Natalie Fisher…" The man had an American accent, and he smiled in a way that seemed to be as if greeting an old friend he'd not seen for a long while.

Jack turned around and pushed the emergency stop of the elevator.

Natalie felt stunned, while she'd idle fanaticise about the ways of being taken away from the horrible mundane that was her life. She never really thought that something was ever going to break the cycle of life living in a boring routine.

For the few moments of silence that followed, it was hard for Natalie to figure out if she was in her own head, but the elevator wasn't moving and the man stood still in front of her. "I'm sorry; I've no idea who you are?"

"How rude of me!" The man broke into a bigger grin than he was already wearing, "I'm Jack, Captain Jack Harkness."

There was a few moments when Natalie kept back, her eyes going over Jack and not sure how to feel. Was he going to hurt her? "I'm sorry."

"Didn't you get my email?" Jack asked Natalie who was pulling possibly the most unattractive face could be.

"No," Natalie felt the words slowly form, but as she slowly played with her purse hanging from her shoulder. She was wondered if people would notice the elevator not moving, her eyes kept studying around the small space, she kept thinking about the last time she'd checked her email, no, nothing had come from a Captain Jack Harkness. "I mean, I got something, I'd assumed was Spam," Natalie's voice kept that light calm, but she was completely freaking out on the inside, this was all some idle fantasy. Natalie was wondering if she'd fallen asleep at her desk, she was trying to keep herself together.

Jack's eyebrows furrowed into one, He was trying to think if she was really who he was looking for, and while the silence was starting to figure out what to do. Jack's eyes were drifting over her body, trying to guess what kind of underwear she was wearing with just the outline under her clothes.

Natalie felt uncomfortable her hand played through her long blonde hair. "Well, I feel bad, I mean, it was a serious email…" Her voice was soft feeling her eyes going from his chest to his intense blue eyes.

Jack shrugged, "Well I've had a position open up that you would be perfect for." His smile was bighting up, his hands going into his pocket as he rocked on the balls of his feet.

"But, I have no idea who you are, what you do, and how on earth you'd want me, I'm just a computer programmer…" Natalie's voice kept low, she wasn't sure how the words would be taken upon his ears.

"I love that, just a programmer," Jack kept chuckling, Natalie felt insulted really, he wasn't even listening to her. Natalie balled her fist, she wouldn't hit him. It wasn't her thing; Natalie didn't even know why she was getting nervous.

"Darling, you are just so adorable." Jack laughed, he took his hands out of his pockets, and he knew this wasn't going to be easy.

"Look, I really need to get home," Natalie snapped, she wasn't in the mood for this, partly she wasn't in the mood for anything other than getting home so she could relax. She was working a job where the pay was shit, and the person she thought cared about her didn't want to commit. "I'm tired." Natalie now trying to get passed Jack to start the elevator back up, but he wasn't moving, and she had a feeling he wasn't going to.

"See, that is the thing," Jack made Natalie turn to face him again, "I really do have a job for you," he kept his voice serious, "And you'll love it, more hours, but better pay, even your very own desk,"

"My very own desk, whoa, living a dream!" Natalie wasn't that good at sarcasm, it was a flaw, She kept herself calm, and for a second got the chance to push the button, but it wasn't working. Her hand was going crazy trying to push the button more frantic. She didn't care where the elevator went, she would take the stairs if she had to.

Jack brushed a hand down Natalie's arm, She kept completely still now, her eyes going from his face to her bag. "I have a rape whistle!" Her voice was meant to sound intimidating, but only come out as a quick squeak.

"Well, if I showed you, just a little peek of what you can do, please?" Jack's voice was calm.

Natalie's eyes connected with his for a few seconds, "and if I let you show me this new ideal job, and I don't want it?" Natalie asked feeling pleased with herself. It was hard not give off any more fear in her voice.

The moments after that Jack kept quiet, he bobbed on the balls of his feet for a few seconds, brushed a hand into his pocket, then waved a bottle, and then with the other hand open, he dropped a pill onto the palm of his open hand. "Well if you don't like it, you take this, and you'll forget you ever met me…" his voice for the first time serious.

Natalie didn't even know what kind of work this man did, but as Natalie studied the pill he slipped it back into the bottle putting it back into his pocket.

Jack smiled, and them brief moments Natalie had no clue what she was letting herself into.

Natalie sat in the passenger seat, while the world was going passed, she was going over the details of the giant SUV. She knew they were heading towards Cardiff bay, her mind was a mix of different thoughts all at once.

Was she dreaming, was she completely losing her mind. Even a part of her was getting the fear that this was a cult she was going to be brainwashed into joining.

Jack just drove in silence, every so often glancing to Natalie in the seat next to him, she was pretty, the kind where she wasn't even aware of it, her hair blowing in the soft breeze, and for a second he kept thinking of the brief moment the system he'd set up to detect whenever an alien ship would be active near the hub, and it stopped, but something took him to Natalie a two months ago.

So he looked up on Natalie Fisher, a mediocre computer programmer, but it was something he wanted to work out about her.

Finally Jack pulled into a parking space; it wasn't normally where he'd park, but the time being it was easier. The little tourist shack was in site as he got out of the driver's side.

Natalie watched, while she took in the sight, her eyes now focused on Jack opening the passenger side door for her. She stepped out quickly studying the sky, the sun was changing in the sky and she'd felt the bitter chill of wind coming from the bay.

Natalie was pulling her coat around herself more to fight the bitter cold, and wondering what kind of high paying job would come from a small tourist shack.

Natalie tried her best to keep in sync with Jack. The sound of her heels hitting the pavement in a quick pace. But then she kept a good two feet behind Jack trying to think what to expect from this place, she didn't even look back to the SUV, and Jack didn't even look back to see if she was still with him.

Before getting into the car Jack had given Natalie the bottle with the pill, she didn't know what it was, all she knew is that if she didn't want the offer, she'd simply take the pill and wake up like she'd never even met him.

In her pocket she played with the bottle over in her palm, her fingers feeling the smooth plastic and thinking would she be taking this pill?

Jack opened the door, he could see Ianto was already waiting for him at the desk; he smiled big, "Hello." Ianto looked over to Natalie behind studying around all the things the tourist shack had to offer.

Natalie felt lost, she could see Jack was speaking to a man, he was neatly shaven and wearing a pressed suit with a purple tie, he smiled in her direction.

"Ianto Jones," Jack's tone said the name with such enthusiasm, there was a glint of pride in his eyes, and he held his hand in Natalie's direction. "This is Natalie Fisher."

Natalie kept her hands in her pocket, the bottle even tighter in her grip trying to keep an open mind. "Natalie, this is Ianto Jones." He kept smiling, and even Ianto had a grin on his face too.

Ianto reached down pressing the red button, and while he liked the amusement he felt, he knew this was all new to Natalie.

The wall moved, and for a second Natalie knew this little shack wasn't what she was here for. A giant tunnel was visible, and while Natalie didn't know where it was heading to, a big part of her was more excited to find out what was going on.

"Follow me," Jack took Natalie's free hand, he guided her into the tunnel.

It wasn't long before Ianto pressed the button again, and Natalie glanced back to the wall going back over the tunnel entrance, "Don't worry." Jack answered her uneasy gaze to the only exit she knew.

"Worry," Natalie let out a nervous giggle, her hand felt clammy in his, and she slowly took it back, but kept by his side.

While the tunnel went in, finally there was an end, and what was in front of Natalie was what used to be an underground station, it wasn't an office space she'd expected, but something much bigger than she could of possibly imagined.

The ceiling was high if there ever was one, with lots of things going on, and while Jack was still by her side, she didn't see any cubicles or typical office arrangements.

"What the?" Natalie pointed up, she blinked feeling a hand on her shoulder, her gaze going from something she saw in the heights of the big space above.

"Pterodactyl," Jack simply said as if he was saying puppy, or cat. "Just see it as the office pet, but I wouldn't try and pet it if you know what I mean." Jack winked with a snicker and walked forward a few feet in front of her. "Just don't bring lunch with too much barbeque sauce." Jack didn't sound like he was joking as he kept going forward. "Moving along." he lightly nudged Natalie to carry on walking the walk way he was on.

Natalie kept following Jack, there was so much going on with the sound of humming, some beeping. It was hard for her to focus on one thing at a time seeing a bunch of computers set up.

A woman sat at one of the computers typing away quickly, she had dark hair with a light olive completion as she turned to the sound of Natalie and Jack's footsteps. "Hi," Tosh smiled, it seemed the light up her face. "I'm Toshiko Sato," getting to her feet, She held her hand out to Natalie. "I'm the computer specialist." Her voice clear.

"Well, I'm just a programmer," Natalie felt slightly intimidated by the other woman. "I don't understand what this is," Natalie looked around for Jack to help.

Jack was standing by a computer screen, Natalie and Tosh still studying each other. Natalie didn't really understand why she was needed if they had a specialist.

"What is this place for Toshiko?" Natalie finally asked, she didn't really understand, but had to ask.

"You can call me Tosh, everyone else does, and this is Torchwood," her smile genuine, she kept watching Natalie, turning to look at Jack as if making sure it was ok to talk. He gave her a simple nod. "We're like," she inhaled trying to think of the right words.

"Torchwood, outside the government, beyond the police. Tracking down Alien life on earth and arming the human race against the future." Jack started to talk it with a tone so serious Natalie felt her attention was on him, and everything else faded to blurs. "The 21st century is when everything changes, and you've got to be ready…"

"Whoa, like the X-Files…" Natalie broke the tension, her voice was full of wonder seeing Jack was now inches in front of her. His eyes looking down into hers.

Jack couldn't place it, but he was watching her with great detail, and for a few seconds he knew something was in them eyes that he couldn't quiet place.

"Well not quiet that, but you do get a gun. And you get to see a lot of cool stuff…" Jack gave a smile and a wink.

"Right. But it still doesn't explain why me…" Natalie tried to not get lost in this new world, the part of her brain that was logical had lost the war to the childish wonder.

"Well I have Tosh, but I know that I need her to focus her attention on a project, all her attention, I thought it would be easy to have two computer people than just relying in the one." Jack was blunt, but he knew that with this he need to play it safe, he didn't want to spook her, or give the impression he was studying her.

Natalie took a step back, "Still a big tour." Jack added with a new smile, he carried on walking and Natalie carried on following.

Coming to a big pit, Natalie now looked into it. Owen walking around, Natalie had a feeling she'd seen him before, but couldn't quiet connect the dots.

"Our medical bay, with our own medical expert Owen Harper." Jack broke the silence, "Owen!" He called into the pit making Natalie jump back a little feeling put in an awkward place.

Owen glanced up for a second; he could see Natalie moving forward again to get a better look, "New Girl?" Owen asked cleaning the rest of the alien guts off his gloved hands, he then took them off trying to keep a straight face, he wasn't the social type with new people, but knew he had to play it careful.

"Yes, new girl," Jack replied, "Natalie Fisher," he glanced to Natalie, "Say hello to Owen Harper." He added with a grin, "She'll be fixing your computer up," he added more to Owen about Natalie.

"Well am I the lucky one," he muttered going back to his cleaning, he rolled his eyes trying to put himself back into the report he was going to have to spend forever on since his computer was playing up.

"Just ignore him, he's a little cranky from the autopsy he'd been doing for the last two days for nothing," Jack placed an arm around Natalie's shoulder walking her away from the medical bay.

Natalie kept in pace with Jack, she was getting used to the surroundings, but something just wouldn't fit. "This is a really wonderful job opportunity, but there are a lot more people out there, better qualified, more able to handle the job, I just don't know…" Natalie felt her voice shake, she didn't even know where she was going to fit in. "I'm just a little confused." She added with a puzzled stare, again, not her most attractive face.

"God I swear if I get one more Weevil try and rip my arm off, well, I'll have one more weevil trying to rip my arm off!" Gwen's voice muttered coming from a flight of stairs that leaded down into more area that was yet to be discovered by Natalie.

"Gwen Cooper, our liaison with the police," Jack introduced Gwen who was still brushing her arms. "Gwen, Natalie Fisher, our new computer specialist…"

For the God knows how many times Jack had introduced Natalie to someone, it felt like each time he was thinking she was someone she wasn't. She wasn't a specialist in computers. She was a basic programmer, and she didn't even think she was a good one at that.

"I, I, am pleased to meet you," Natalie was feeling more and more on the spot, but it was harder with each person to say that she wasn't what Jack was making her out to be.

"What's wrong with Tosh?" Gwen asked quickly. Natalie found that Gwen was staring at Jack, and she might as well not even be there. "Anyway, I am going to see Owen, check over," her tone dry, Gwen really wasn't in the mood for this, and part of her didn't get what Jack was on, or why this girl was even here. "Nice to meet you Natasha…" she walked off.

"It's Natalie…" Natalie muttered in disappointment as Gwen disappeared. Her eyes finding Jack's again. "I'm not that good." She finally said.

Jack watched as Natalie found a sofa sitting down, her hands going into her hair, her eyes focused on the ground as he moved to quickly join her.

He placed a hand on Natalie's knee after a few moments of silence; he tapped her knee three times. "Look, this is the thing, I am really in need of more computer work to be done, a big load, and I've read a lot on you, so if I think you're capable, then you are." He tapped her knee one more time. "So, you want the job; come to my office up there…" he pointed to the room high above them. "If not, you'll know where the exit is, and I'd advise you take that pill…" he got up leaving Natalie by herself.

She sat there, she took in the area around her, for the past however long she remembered she wanted to be more, and while this was something she'd dreamed of, she didn't know if she was capable of an adventure, but that was nothing more than a dream to her.

She took the pill from the bottle, she looked at it from every possible angle, and her eyes kept studying the small pill in the palm of her hand. She rolled it around before getting to her feet. Part of her was feeling regret; the other was inspired to be part of something bigger than her for once.

As she walked away, the pill was left discarded on the chair she was once sitting on.

A/N: So hello one and all, yes I am posting a new story, but this one has ten chapters already written, so remember to alert and review. Much love... Also if you're from tiktok let me know ^-^