FIC: "Recognition," PG

[remindmeofthe]

TITLE: "Recognition"
AUTHOR: catslash/Cathryn
RATING: PG
WORD COUNT: 500
CHARACTERS: Owen, Jack, the Doctor. Genfic; no pairings.
SUMMARY: Torchwood has a visitor. Crossover with Doctor Who.
NOTES: This is an expansion of a drabble I wrote a couple weeks ago, from one hundred words to five hundred. I fully expect (though I have NOT read any spoilers!) to get Jossed (Russelled?) this weekend by one show or the other or probably both, so I decided to post while the posting was still good.
DISCLAIMER: Torchwood and Doctor Who are not mine and I make no claims otherwise.
SPOILERS: Up through 2x08 for Torchwood; very vague ones for 3x11 for Doctor Who.



Owen arrives to work late that day and misses the first round of introductions. He doesn't need an exchange of names, though, to place the identity of the stranger wearing a pinstriped suit and trainers, wandering round the Hub with a mug of Ianto's coffee and remarking on things as if he has every right to be there. The way Jack watches him, with an air of anxious pride that puts Owen in mind of a child nervously awaiting a parent's appraisal of his efforts, tells the whole story. Owen glances at Gwen, Tosh, and Ianto. They're grouped off to the side, watching the Doctor with the same guarded tension that's rising in Owen's mind. If he tries to take Jack away again, Owen thinks, he's going to have a very difficult time of it.

Owen looks over at Jack to find Jack looking at him. For a split second, Jack's expression looks frozen, distinctly unhappy. Like he's seen something he knows Daddy isn't going to be very happy about. He banishes it with a welcoming smile when Owen's eyes meet his, but Owen's known Jack long enough to know a Harkness Bullshit Special when he sees it. He frowns, stung, and turns away from Jack, calling stridently across the Hub,

"Have we passed inspection, then, Doctor?"

The Doctor turns, mouth open to speak. When his gaze lands on Owen, though, whatever he was going to say gets lost as his eyes go wide. The sound of his coffee mug shattering on the floor makes everyone jump except himself and Owen.

"And this is Owen Harper." Jack's voice is empty and resigned. The Doctor ignores him, stepping across the mess on the floor to stride through the Hub toward Owen. He doesn't stop moving at a respectable distance, but gets right up close, studying Owen with a horrified fascination that any doctor would recognize. He knows somehow, Owen realizes. He knows what Owen is. Knew the second he saw him. And Jack knew he would.

Owen glares, resisting the urge to shrink under the Doctor's intent gaze.

"What the fuck?" he demands, anger spiking. He may be something of a freakish specimen, but he is still aware and this is just fucking uncalled for. He readies himself to pull in enough air to start shouting - though whether at the Doctor or Jack, he can't quite decide - but the Doctor interrupts, murmuring,

"Oh dear." Some of the hard curiosity fades from his face. It's replaced not with the pity that Owen has come to know and despise, but with an inexplicable understanding. Owen stops, derailed. The Doctor looks into his eyes. Owen can see the sparks of anger beginning to build there even as his own starts to calm.

"Jack," the Doctor says, a hardness in his voice that wasn't there a few seconds ago, "what have you done?"





Please do not mention spoilers for unaired eps of either show in comments. I am unspoiled and would really like to stay that way. Thank you!

Comments

[kita0610.livejournal.com]

Oh yea.

I missed the original drabble, but this was spot on.

[lynnenne]

Nicely done, especially this:

Owen's known Jack long enough to know a Harkness Bullshit Special when he sees it.

And yes, Daddy would not approve.

[lyndalynn.livejournal.com]

That is awsome. Very.

And I agree....I have this overwhelming feeling of an inmending "Jossed" finale.

*readies the box of tissues*

[lieutenants.livejournal.com]

Fantastic. That was perfect.

[velvet-mace.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Somehow I think if Owen and the Doctor ever met, it wouldn't be good for Jack at all. The Doctor really doesn't go in for that kind of unnaturalness, and having the Doctor upset with you is a really... really... really uncomfortable thing.

Personally, I could see Jack trying to hide Owen. Of course, then the Doctor would know Jack was hiding something from him and that insatiable curiosity would kick in.

[jo02]

Jack's going to be spending some time in the Naughty Corner, isn't he?

Loved it - thank you.

[gileonnen.livejournal.com]

It makes me wonder if there's some way--some strange, impossible, plot-hole way--that the Doctor could fix him. Because isn't that what the Doctor does, is fix other people's messes?

[mossymermaid.livejournal.com]

Wow. I love this fic, and how you have captured the characters. You describe with the minimum of words and fuss.

Terrific.

[phineyj.livejournal.com]

an air of anxious pride that puts Owen in mind of a child nervously awaiting a parent's appraisal of his efforts That's a really excellent summary of how they both behave.

Harkness Bullshit Special, heh, a perfect Owen way to put it.

I like the characterisations in this a lot. Will you be continuing it?

[theatervine.livejournal.com]

Good, I'm glad someone's finally calling Jack on his absolutely unacceptable and horrifying decision to violate Owen that way.
Shame it won't happen on the show.

[a-white-rain.livejournal.com]

Oh that was perfect. The last line was really powerful.

[bagatellery.livejournal.com]

God this is brilliant. Love the emotions you draw out here- very intense and powerful- and somehow the Doctor's last line just gave me that bit of hope, you know? That he might be able to fix this mess, and all.

Wonderful fic.

[(Anonymous)]

That was brilliant. I just want to keep reading, even though there is NO more ;p

[scarletumbrella.livejournal.com]

omg yes. Love love LOVE this. Perfect characterization of Owen and the Doctor and Jack, and just YES. I'm with the Doctor on this one. ;P

[irradiatedsoup.livejournal.com]

♥___♥

CONTINUATION PLZ.