doctor who fic: Fun and Gjrue in the Hub [1/1] [Ten, Jack, Rose]

[dominique012]

Rating: G
Words: 1968
Spoilers: None. Set post-S3
Notes: My entry for the OT3 ficathon, written for nightrider101 who wanted lots of hugging, our beloved trio being brilliant, and a first time between the three of them. I really hope you like it. :)
Huge thanks to lookatmoiye7 for the brilliant beta and all her support. *hugs*



Jack bolted around the corner, his heart slamming in his chest. He could feel blood trickling down from his eyebrow. He threw a quick look back and grunted as he saw the creature gaining on him. The moonlight glinted off its sinewy, scaly head, and it lumbered towards him, heavy and awkward, but definitely gaining. He forced his legs to move faster. He looked around wildly, until he finally spotted Owen leaning out the window of a building across the road.

Jack yelled, "What are you waiting for?" He heard Owen's guffaw and then a loud crack followed by a thud as the creature hit the ground. He looked round to check that it was down and then slowed, breathing heavily.

***

Leaning against the wall, he held a bandage to the cut above his eye. After helping Owen load the creature into the SUV, he'd turned down a lift back to the Hub.

"A walk," he muttered as he pushed himself off the wall and began walking slowly towards the water and away from the buildings. He pocketed the bloody bandage.

Reaching the water, he leaned against the railing, relishing the touch of a cool breeze on his face. He rubbed his eyes, willing away the exhaustion of another bizarre-yet-routine day.

Soft voices nearby caught his attention. He turned to see a couple sitting close on a bench. The woman was leaning in and Jack couldn't discern much. Long hair, maybe. But the profile of the other was clear in the nearby streetlight.

Slim build. Narrow suit, dark. Hair, rakish and sticking up in wild tufts, as though fingers had been impatiently run through it. Jack turned quickly back to the water before he could check for the coat and trainers. He swallowed. It was always like this—on bad days, lonely days. Late nights after running down the street in front of lizard-like aliens.

He missed them. He wondered. And then he'd feel foolish, seeing the Doctor wherever he went. He grasped the railing, pressing his palms into the cool metal.

He didn't regret staying at Torchwood. He felt like he was in the right place. His job, his team. It was home. He grinned, thinking of that strange, twisted little Torchwood family.

"What? You just going to ignore us then?"

Jack closed his eyes, frozen for a moment, and then slowly turned around to face him. Skinny and sexy as ever, and for some reason he was wearing his glasses. He was grinning.

The Doctor continued blithely, "We've been on that bench for some time. It's cold out here you know."

Jack managed a smile, and hoped it looked smug. "You just can't stay away, can you?"

The Doctor shrugged. "Ah, well. I can take you or leave you…"

Jack rolled his eyes.

"…but this was her idea." The Doctor gestured behind him, smiling.

Jack looked, expecting to see Martha standing there in her sexy pants and jacket.

His mouth went dry.

She walked slowly towards him, a mixture of awe and doubt in her expression. She shook her head slowly, smiling that beautiful, cheeky, open-mouthed smile.

Jack felt like he was being slowly punched in the stomach. It was an effort to breathe. He could only watch her in silence. He felt himself start to grin. A stupid, wide, unstoppable grin. Oh, God.

She started running, rushing towards him, until her arms wound tightly around his neck and her face was buried in his coat. He wondered how she could breathe.

He could hear her saying his name, breathlessly, laughingly: "Jack…Jack!" Like she couldn't stop saying it.

He said hers only once. "Rose." He pulled away, still holding her. "Look at you. You're gorgeous."

She laughed. "You're gorgeous! Just…" She looked like she might jump for joy. She just stood gazing at him for a moment. "I've been thinking about you. So much."

His mind skittered along all those times, so many years ago, when he'd hung about the Powell Estate, head down, just watching. He smiled. Looking at her now he felt somehow bathed in light.

The Doctor joined them. He looked at Jack, and aside from the manic, proud presenting Rose! look on his face, Jack could see the difference that she made, written right there in his bright eyes, that crazy, gorgeous smile. Just pure joy.

The Doctor beamed. "Look, Jack! It's Rose!" He lunged at Jack, with a hug verging on the painful. Then he pulled away and grabbed them both round the shoulders, so they were standing there like a trio of kids. "Look at us all, Jack! Together again."

He looked younger, brighter, like something had fallen away from him. Jack looked at her. The Rose effect. He knew how the Doctor felt.

***

She hadn't let go of him. Walking along, she held his arm firmly and was filling him in on her reunion with the Doctor. They were headed vaguely for a drink and somewhere warm to catch up.

Listening to Rose's voice, and the cheerful interjections from the Doctor at his other side, Jack was starting to feel like he was on something. The Doctor and Rose. He shook his head and grinned.

"Jack!" Rose stopped suddenly. She frowned up at him. "You're bleeding!"

"What? Oh..." He pulled out the bandage and held it back to his eyebrow. He met her concerned look with a shrug, and said by way of explanation: "Cardiff. Big...lizards. Chasing."

"Oh." Rose grinned. "Right." She held him tighter. "Come on then."

They crossed the road and headed into the warmth of the pub.

***

"That is not true!" The Doctor exclaimed, with an injured look.

Rose said nothing, just looked at him over her beer, with her Oh, really? You explain it then look.

The Doctor looked defiant. "Right. It was…"

"Mmm?"

He said loftily, "…a misunderstanding!"

Rose leaned over to Jack with a stage whisper. "Not what Prince Charles thought."

The Doctor scoffed exasperatedly, "I tried to let him down gently. But he was an awkward teenager."

Rose giggled and shook her head.

Jack leaned back in his chair, laughing. Nothing changed. Everything changed. He couldn't work it out. And when he was with them, he just didn't care.

The Doctor looked at him with a frown. "So," he mused, "What was that thing that had you rushing around? Looked faintly Gjrue-like?"

Jack shrugged. "We're not sure. We've had one other come in through the rift in the last month. They're aggressive and…not very talkative."

The Doctor considered this. "Might want to check your security," he advised. "Gjrue are slow, but very strong. And not as dim-witted as they look."

Jack opened his mouth to answer as his mobile started buzzing on the table.

He took a deep breath and checked the display. "Looks like I have to go." He flashed them a smile. "Torchwood, anyone?"

***

They walked swiftly through the chilly night.

"How long has it been loose?" The Doctor asked.

"According to Owen it was still sedated when he locked it up. Sounds like it escaped as soon as it came to." Jack shook his head. "Apparently it busted right out of the cell."

They reached the tourist office. As they hurried in, Jack's mind flew back to his first few days with the Doctor and Rose.

In addition to determinedly monopolizing Rose's attention, the Doctor had taken intense pleasure in showing off the TARDIS. Every lever, dial, and display. Every room and corridor. His pride and joy.

Jack glanced back at them as they followed him down the corridor and into the lift. It felt good now - momentous in light of all that had happened - to be showing them the Hub for the first time, bringing them into what he'd made his world, his home.

The Doctor looked at him knowingly. "Torchwood 3 is it, Captain?"

Jack beamed. "This is it." He felt a surge of pride as the door rolled open.

Rose stepped in first and looked around, turning slowly in a full circle to take it in. She peered upwards, where Myfanwy was quietly circling. Rose looked delighted. "Jack!"

He laughed, indulging the party trick thrill provided by the pterodactyl. "I know."

The Doctor glanced about, quietly surveying some of their latest finds, with a surreptitious glance here and there at the monitors.

He met Jack's gaze with an appreciative quirk of the eyebrow. "This is impressive Jack. In a dank, industrial, labyrinthine sort of a way." He poked about some artifacts. "Now this," picking up a large heavy stone-like cylinder."This is…How did you -?"

There was a loud crackling sound and the lights dimmed for a moment.

"I better check in with them." Jack pulled up video on Tosh's monitor of Owen and Ianto in the basement, hunting the rogue Gjrue.

Jack glanced at Rose. "Could you keep an eye on us?" He thrust a headset at her and showed her the surveillance system. "Security, lights, power grid. I need you to keep an eye out and lock it in, if you can. Just check everywhere and let me know if you spot it before we do." Nodding, Rose donned the headset and started scanning. Jack couldn't help smiling.

She gave him a shove. "Off you go, Jack."

"Right." He handed the Doctor an ear piece. "In case we get separated."

The Doctor nodded. "Lead the way."

Jack grinned and they made their way down to the basement.

***

The shot echoed loudly in the cold corridor. Jack heard a gurgling sound as the creature slumped down against the wall.

"Twice!" Rose said.

Frowning, Jack held his ear piece. "What?"

"Shoot it again, Jack."

Jack looked at the remains of the Gjrue on the floor. Although its eyes were still wide open, entrails spilled from a gash in its abdomen and dark blood was pooling around its body.

"Uh, it's dead, Rose." He turned and started down the corridor. "But this is one nasty clean-up."

There was a shuffling sound, and Jack heard the Doctor's voice though the ear piece. "Jack. Shoot it now."

Jack sighed and turned back to the creature. With horror, he realized it was slowly making its way to its feet, and although still bleeding, did not seem otherwise affected.

He fired again and winced as it fell down, splashing blood.

Jack blinked. "Right. Twice, got it."

He made his way back up to them.

***

Jack brought them up to the street and they stood facing each other amid the bustling morning crowd. "Thanks for all your help." He grinned. "Felt like old times."

Rose bit her lip, staring into the busy street behind him. "So…" She met his eyes. "You don't want to come."

He gave her a gentle smile. "I gotta stay here." He held his arms out. "Look at all this! I want to stay and be here for all the craziness." He thought for a moment. "And the aliens too."

She laughed. "Jack! You're really here." She reached up and threw her arms around him in a long hug. "Love you."

"Love you." He spoke softly into her ear. "I am. I'm where I'm meant to be." He looked over her head at the Doctor. "Just like you are."

When she finally let go, he turned to the Doctor.

"Doctor," he said seriously. "It's wonderful to see you two together." The Doctor nodded with a sidelong glance at Rose. Jack looked into his eyes. "Don't screw it up."

The Doctor laughed. "Right. Thank you, Jack."

Jack pulled them both in for a big hug. "Alright."

With one final, long look at them both, Jack turned and headed in the direction of Torchwood.

As he hazarded a look back, he saw them walking away from him, hand-in-hand in the morning sun.

end