2

"Ianto?" Jack called out as he entered the base, knowing he would not get a reply but trying anyway. It was starting to become a habit. He did not expect the answer to come from somewhere else.

"Who are you yelling at? Is that a name or some code word?"

Jack swung to stare at John Hart with a mixture of horror and alarm. Shit. Ianto will NOT like this.

"It's an old custom here, to yell a random word when entering in case there is someone here so you don't startle them" Jack blurted out. To his relief John seemed to buy it.

"This place is weird" John muttered before taking a set on one of the old sofas "But it grows on you. I saw the most gorgeous creature over on…"

"John, what do you want?" Jack asked, trying not to be rude but knowing it came out that way anyhow.

"I can't call in to say hi to an old friend?"

"I am old, I will give you that and we could loosely be called friends I guess but you NEVER just say hi!" Jack accused with his eyes narrowing as John laughed like it was the funniest thing ever. The sarcasm dripped from the walls.

Something else dripped from the rafters like an oil spill to land silently behind the sofa and Jack schooled his features as Ianto leaned over to take a sniff of the intruder with undisguised interest. No fear. Just… amusement really.

"John, what the hell do you want?"

"I found a pterodactyl!"

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Both men stood outside the door of the warehouse and Jack pulled out his tranquilizer gun, making John double take.

"Is that it?"

"What!"

John snorted as he pulled out some sort of sonic weapon and rolled his eyes "I have quality kit!"

"John, you cannot blow it up. They are rare here… as in… extinct. This one must have come though a rift and… are you laughing at me?" Jack demanded.

"You've gone native on me? The great Javic Thane… native?"

Jack glared at him, and then hissed "Do not EVER call me that again. He is dead, he died and I would rather it stay that way."

"Oh lover, he will always stay on in my heart, my wet dreams and definitely my orgasms… especially when alone" John purred with delight "Tell me why you changed your name anyway."

"Like I said, I am not him" Jack said, then opened the door and shot inside leaving John standing there still preparing.

"Fuck a Gorish. Always so impulsive, and he says I have impulse issues" John muttered following him in to look at the huge leather bird now swooping over Jack who was prone on the floor with his hands over his head. John called out "Oh yeah… she doesn't like us."

"No fucking shit!" Jack yelled back as he rolled to his back to watch her prepare another swoop, instead she changed course catching John who was too busy laughing to realize his mistake in being in the open like that.

Now Jack was laughing as the man squealed and struggled as Jack sat up, hugging his knees like a child watching telly from on the floor, then came the soft flutter from the rafters before she landed gracefully and dropped the thing in her claws.

John lay there panting for breath and when he had managed to get to his hands and knees he looked over at Jack, still seated there on the good boy spot. "You bastard, you didn't even try to help me!"

"Oh sorry, I thought you had this. Quality kit an' all" Jack shrugged, watching the shadowy figure on the thing's back now lean around to stroke her neck and talk softly in a weird language.

"What the fuck is that?" John demanded as he staggered to his feet and pointed "That thing on her… what is it?"

"Torchwood" Jack said calmly "True Quality Kit."

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"Good morning" Rhys called out as he entered the base.

Since Gwen got retconned back to basic training with the suggestion that she took a bullet to save a small child and has lost years of memory as a result, Rhys found himself free as a lark. Seems the Gwen who woke from her drug induced slumber was horrified with the size of her arse, the size of his arse and did not believe Anwen could be hers given the fact her body was clearly too good to have birthed a child. She accused Rhys of having her on, dumped him and signed way any parental rights, even as her own parents tried to fight her tooth and nail.

Whatever whispered in her ear while she was comatose on the Autopsy Bay table, it worked. She hated Torchwood and everyone involved, especially Rhys. It was a Godsend really. Who knew Andy was such a bloody catch. The guy was funny, talents and to tell you the truth…. He complimented Rhys and his huge fucking arse all the time ta muchly missus.

"You didn't call out a name" a voice purred and Rhys swung to see John Hart perched on the back of the sofa like a weird gargoyle.

"Oh. Oh yeah" Rhys said softly "JACK!"

John flopped sideways to land on the sofa and ponder the custom of shouting a name. So it can be one you know? Or just any one?

Up in the rafter the Pteranodon moved in her new roost, the thing that had guided her here through the open aviary roof was kind. She knew it was kind, felt it. She decided this place suited her better than the dreary old warehouse. And if she got a sheep and brought it back to much on over the next few days those weird humans below might give her dinner and a show.

Ianto stood beside her with on hand on her to comfort and steady her while he watched this new person move around like he owned the place. Jack was uncomfortable with him, someone from his past that clearly knew him better than he would have liked him to.

Ianto knew this was an ex-lover and the spike of jealousy was a surprise.

Might cut a bitch.