Chapter Summary: In which Harry falls through the rift right into Torchwood. (Harry/Jack)

"Jack, there's something going on with the rift," Ianto said, gesturing to the long pillar that stood right where the rift was. Their computers were going crazy and Tosh was running from station to station, checking on the stats of the rift, her eyes wide.

"Have we seen anything like this?" Jack asked, getting up from his desk and walking down to the work area, watching Tosh move. Gwen and Owen were staring at the rift and the visible energy that just seemed to fluctuate and flow, every once and awhile coloring black. Power of some sort that Jack definitely hadn't seen before flowed around the rift, occasionally sparking and popping with noises that were inhuman. Jack could swear that he saw green spots too, fluttering around the rift in the middle of their work area.

"No. There's no record of it being seen," Toshiko retorted, typing on her own keyboard at her own station. "Absolutely not. Nope."

Gwen's lips twitched up into a bemused frown. "I suppose we should be ready for anything then."

"Good idea," Jack spoke, his hand dropping to his pistol. The rest of the team picked up their guns and flanked the rift, forming a semi circle around it. Ianto stood close to Jack, pointing his gun right at the rift. The rift and computers that were monitoring it went crazier, alarms going off in the entire building before everything went dark.

Gwen yelped and Jack heard a bit of fumbling around as his team found their footing once again. They could hear the scream of the pterodactyl came down from the rafters then the prehistoric bird went silent, a few little more than chirps came from it in the next few minutes. A loud thunk proceeded the power turning back on and Jack moved immediately, seeing the body of a man on the floor right next to the rift.

Or what he thought was a body. Jack stopped at the guy's head and peered down to study the corpse then the body opened its-his- eyes. The… guy had wild black hair and brightest pair of green eyes that Jack had ever seen and he had seen quite a lot. Jack drew his pistol and aimed it at the guy as Ianto, Owen, Gwen and Tosh all came over to stand in a circle around the guy.

The guy was wearing a dark green shirt and jeans and he had a small messenger bag with him. He was probably the most normal… thing that had come through the rift but Jack wasn't about to be disarmed, even though the guy was handsome, with the shirt bringing out his eyes.

The man on the floor peered up at them in return, his green eyes searching everyone. Jack just had a minute to notice the scar on his forehead when the guy focused on Jack, his lips twitching up into a small grin.

"You're cute. Have you seen an owl around by any chance? Could be something else though. Last time she was a duck and oh boy, Hedwig did not like that. Personally, I thought she was cute as a duck but hey, she's entitled to her opinions."

Jack grinned and was about to tell the guy that he thought he was cute also when they heard a terrifying shrill scream.

"Uh-oh," Ianto muttered, glancing up to the rafters of the building. The white pterodactyl flew downward, speeding, almost like a comet, right down to the man on the floor. Jack was about to haul the man up and move when the guy's green eyes lit up.

"Oh, hey, girl. There you are," the guy said, stretching a little, his back creaking, before sitting up against the pillar. Jack's eyes widened and he saw Ianto's eyes widening too as the white pterodactyl slowed to a stop, beating its wings before touching down on the guy's lap. "Weird looking bird but at least you're not a duck this time."

"She's…" Ianto trailed off as the guy peered up at him, raising an eyebrow. The pterodactyl preened, curling into the new guy's arms, chittering to him, as if they were talking and it was responding. "She's a pterodactyl, a dinosaur?"

"Oooh!" The guy exclaimed, his green eyes lighting up with interest. "Hedwig, you're a dinosaur! First time for everything!"

The pterodactyl poked the guy in the arm with its large beak and the guy swatted it though it was a fond swat, if the way the guy was looking at the animal was any indication.

"Harry James Potter." The guy stood up, shaking off any dirt and held out his hand. The pterodactyl took off and landed on the work table behind them, watching all of them. Jack took the guy's hand, feeling calluses from hard work but nothing else.

"Jack Harkness."

"Ugh, do I have to? I hate quarantine," Harry asked, looking at the rest of the team through the glass window as Jack pushed the button to close the cell door. "I promise I won't hurt any of you. Besides, it's not like I'm here to take over this world. By the way, which planet am I on?"

Jack raised an eyebrow. "You don't know which planet you're on? Where are you from?"

"Earth. Which planet are you from?" Harry asked, grinning amusedly.

"Earth."

"Well, that explains everything," Harry muttered. "This is Earth, right?"

"Yes," Ianto replied hesitantly. "Why are you here?"

"I'm pretty sure this is my home," Harry spoke, tilting his head in confusion as he sat down on the bench. The white pterodactyl had not left his side, even going as far as to bite Jack when he tried to shoo her away. And he had thought they were beginning to be friends. "Or not. The rift is a little… topsy turvy these days."

"Let me get this straight. You… travel through the rift… just like that?" Jack questioned.

"Yeah. Why?"

"Did Owen already get a sample of his blood?" Jack asked, turning around to look at Gwen. She nodded and walked off, out of the room with the cells and back up to their work area.

"Jack, are you sure you want to do this?" Gwen asked, glancing to where Jack was watching the computer that was connected to the cameras. "I could take over watch. It's not too late."

"Rhys will be upset," Jack said, gesturing to the door. "It's alright. I want to."

"You have a feeling."

"Something. There's something amiss about that man."

"Is quarantine over?"

Jack started, dropping the pen he was writing on and glancing up at Harry, who had just appeared there. "You're… How did you get out of the cell?"

"Trade secret," Harry remarked idly, glancing around at Jack's office and stepping over to examine a few pieces of tech that Jack had left lying around. Jack watched as Harry lightly touched one of them, a round thing with a red, glowing… thing in the center. "You… shouldn't touch that one. Bad way to die."

Jack left his pistol in his holster and walked around his desk, sat on the edge and watched the other man. "How can you just travel through the rift? That should kill you."

"It did," Harry answered, standing up and leaning against the doorway, crossing his arms. "At least the first time I tried."

Jack's eyes widened, his heart beating faster at the thought of there being someone like him. "You died."

"Yes. It's a thing with me," Harry commented. "Long story."

"Last time I died was to make sure a monster couldn't devour everyone here," Jack spoke, crossing his arms.

Harry blinked then slowly started to grin. "Fun times, right?"

Jack laughed. "Want to go get a drink?"

"Aren't you suppose to be watching me?"

"I can watch you at a bar just as easily as watching you here," Jack said, smirking.

Harry grinned back.

"A werewolf ripped me to shreds one time," Harry said, taking another sip of his drink. "I was too slow on the draw."

"But did you die?" Jack asked, watched as Harry slid his bar stool closer and then their thighs were touching. Warmth coiled up into his body and he did the same, inching his stool closer to the other man. He took another swallow of his beer, watching as Harry stared at him, his green eyes almost glowing with warmth.

"Yeah. What about you? What's your goriest death?"

"My blood was all sucked out and laid out around me and then my organs were taken out."

Harry blanched. "Sorry?"

Jack snorted. "What's the next category?"

"Uh… longest death? I don't know," Harry spoke. "Mine was when I got decapitated and stayed alive for a few days until the people that held me realized I was still alive. Didn't help that Hedwig was a small white jay at the time.

"Oooh, that sucks. I was left in a concrete tomb for a hundred years and I kept on dying."

"Jack!"

"What?"

"That doesn't count! That's multiple deaths in the same way!" Harry exclaimed, elbowing him.

They didn't even make it to Jack's bed before they started kissing. Jack was already breathing heavily, watching as Harry tugged off his shirt then wrapped his arms around Jack.

"What's the deal with your scar anyway?" Jack asked, reaching a hand up to trace the lightning bolt scarring on Harry's forehead. Harry's fingers were distracting as they dug into his hips, helping Jack to yank off his own shirt.

"Someone attempted to kill me when I was two," Harry explained, drawing Jack into another warm, wet kiss.

"Oh, attempted?"

"Same guy attempted to kill me several times over the next few years, all the way until I was 17," Harry murmured, pulling away and smiling faintly. "Last attempt was my origin story."

Jack wrapped his own arms around Harry, shivered as Harry kissed a line starting at his throat and ending at his lips. Harry pulled him closer and they both gasped as their hard cocks touched through cloth.

"Bed," Jack gasped.

Harry nodded, nudging the other man backward until he hit the bed and joined him.

Gwen, Ianto, Tosh and Owen all walked into work the next morning, stepping through the door and immediately stopping. Harry was walking around the desks, idly humming to himself. The pterodactyl was on his shoulder, nuzzling into Harry's side. Jack was watching the two with a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Boss?" Ianto questioned.

"Would anyone have trouble with Harry staying on as an agent?" Jack said, peering over at them.