Torchwood: Fanfic: Official designation

[m_findlow]

Title: Official designation
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack, Tosh
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length:1,567 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for badly_knitted's prompt "Any, any, official" at fic_promptly
Summary: Tosh discovers she's made a name for herself with the wrong people

Tosh entered the room nervously. It had nothing to do with this being her first conference, it was the room full of military personnel that had her on edge. The bright lighting, and the rows of round tables adorned with white cloths, piled high with plates of pastries, fruit bowls and beakers of hot tea and coffee, served to warm the room's otherwise frosty atmosphere.

'I hate these things,' Jack whispered in her ear. It made her jump.

'Sorry! Didn't mean to startle you!' He smiled and passed her the glass of iced water. He sipped from his own as he surveyed the room full of people.

'Do you have these things often?' she asked him.

'What, UNIT conferences? I don't know. I try and avoid them. Schmoozing with other agencies really isn't my thing. But, once a year I'm expected to make an appearance and convey what we've been doing and why they should keep us around. Kind of a waste, since they can't actually get rid of us.'

Tosh frowned at him. It was all still a bit new to her, this Torchwood. 'I don't understand.'

He didn't get the chance to respond to her directly before a smartly uniformed man approached the pair of them.

'Captain Harkness, how good of you to join us.' His demeanor suggested that their presence here was anything but appreciated.

'Colonel. I was just filling in my colleague here on the history of Torchwood. Established in 1879 by Queen Victoria herself to defend the earth against extraterrestrial threats, when she was attacked by an alien werewolf on Christmas Eve at the Torchwood Estate in Scotland. The Doctor of course was there to save her at the time, not that he got any thanks for it, since she set up the institute and marked him as an enemy of the Crown.' Jack narrowed his eyes at the newcomer, as if blaming him personally for the outcome

'An oversight, I'm sure,' the colonel replied. 'I'm sure the whole affair must have been quite distressing. And her Majesty was known for some rather unusual whims in her fashion.'

'You're telling me!' Jack laughed. 'She once beat me in a game of strip poker, made me stand on the rooftop of Buckingham Palace singing 'Oranges and lemons', and then had me arrested and locked in the Tower of London for three days for public indecency! Must be the werewolf blood in the genes. Tends to make one a little bit crazy.'

The colonel looked at them both awkwardly, not sure what to make of him, and of his outlandish comments about the monarchy. Then again, he knew the man was a rebel at best. Fortunately another young woman approached them, uttering something in his ear, before leaving. He cleared his throat.

'I've just been informed of some developments on that matter we were discussing last week. Perhaps I can drag you away from your colleague for a few minutes that we might discuss the matter in private?'

Jack sighed visibly, and Tosh could sense that discussing anything work related was not high on his agenda under any circumstances. He downed the entire glass of water, placing the empty vessel on the table nearby and apologised to Tosh.

'This shouldn't take too long. Why don't you go mingle and I'll catch up with you.'

Tosh nodded quietly. Jack treated her as something of an equal, even though she knew she was far from it. He was still her boss after all. But when it was just the two of them, she felt much more at ease and prepared to say whatever was on her mind. In a place like this though, she could tell that Jack was an influencer, whatever he said about the general dislike of Torchwood amongst the other organisations. She was a nobody, a flunky, a hanger on, or an assistant at best. No one was going to want to talk to her.

'Toshiko Sato?'

She spun and the sound of her name.

A sharply dressed woman was standing there in full UNIT regalia. She had no idea who the woman was, but her senses were tingling with foreboding, since this woman clearly knew who she was.

'Yes,' she replied hesitantly.

'I see you're here with Captain Harkness and the Torchwood Institute.'

'I am,' she responded, checking the name and title on her own badge, as if suddenly uncertain of her own identity. She was still not sure where the line of questioning was headed.

'I'd been lead to believe that Captain Harkness was under an agreement to have you in his custody. That was, after all, the contract that was brokered.'

Her expression became unsteady. 'I work for him. For Torchwood,' she clarified.

'Yes, I see that our definitions of custody are somewhat varied.'

Tosh began to panic. She realised now what this woman was implying. UNIT had agreed to let Jack take her on some understanding that she would remain locked up. What promises had he made to them? He'd never mentioned any strict conditions to her. He'd driven her away from that place, set her up in a brand new apartment and only asked that she turn up for work every day. He trusted her implicitly not to renege on their deal, and she'd been too afraid to try. Whatever power he held over UNIT, surely he could have tracked her down in a flash if she tried anything. And she didn't. There had never been any need. He was kind and caring, if a little distant sometimes. He never asked too much of her, and he was always protective of her out in the field. He had to be, since it was just the two of them.

But now, was all of that about to come crashing down around her? Would UNIT accuse him of cheating them? Would they take her back and lock her up again for all eternity? She paled at the thought.

'Excuse me, I think I need the ladies,' she apologised.

'I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again soon, Ms Sato,' she smiled thinly.

Tosh felt her heart pounding heavily in her chest. They were coming back for her. She made up her mind. This time she would run, whatever the cost. Let them come and take her, but she wouldn't give up without a fight. She hurriedly pressed her way through the crowds of people massed around in small groups, most making idle chitchat, and tried not to bustle past them too forcefully, lest she attract any more attention.

She still had one eye on the woman fading away into the far corner of the room when she bumbled into someone who had crossed the path in front of her, that had been clear only a split second ago before she'd looked away.

'Woah, woah, woah!' the voice said. 'Where are you off to in such a hurry? I know these things are bad, but if you were leaving you could've at least bailed me out as well.'

'Jack!' She almost felt like breaking down into tears right then and there.

'Hey, what's wrong?' He could see she was upset.

'They're coming back to lock me up. You told them I'd be your prisoner.'

Jack struggled to keep up with her train of thought. Then he saw the woman approaching and figured it out.

'Irena! If it isn't my favourite UNIT prison warden. Thank you for reminding me why I stopped coming to these.' He gave her his usual charming smile but Tosh could tell that underneath it, there wasn't the slightest bit of sincerity.

'Captain Harkness. I was just chatting with your, coworker, is it? I must have misread the fine print on our agreement.'

'No fine print,' Jack confirmed, 'I hate paperwork.'

'So this is an employment arrangement?'

'I suppose you could call it that,' he replied, placing a hand on the small of Tosh's back to let her know he had things under control. 'Toshiko is an official member of the Torchwood team, and an invaluable one at that.'

'Hmphf,' the colonel uttered. 'If only all our charges were so lucky to receive your generosity,' she replied venomously.

'Toshiko's abilities shouldn't be wasted. And nor should UNIT be entitled to pass judgement so easily.'

'Then I'm sure you'll cover off on the major points of your argument at this afternoon's seminar.'

'Among other things,' Jack replied icily.

'Pleasure as always, Captain. I look forward to your presentation.'

'The pleasure was all mine,' Jack called at her retreating form.

He turned his focus back to Toshiko. 'I don't know what she said to you, but know that UNIT can't touch you. You are under my protection for as long as you work for me. And probably even afterwards.'

Tosh didn't know what to say. She was relieved that she she didn't have to run for her life, but she seemed happier that Jack had been wiling to defend her no matter what. She knew she'd made the right decision in giving him her allegiance.

'Thank you,' she said.

'Now what's say we skip the icebreaker canapés and head back to the hotel to go through your presentation notes one last time. If we only have to come here once a year, let's make it worth their while. Then we can show these stuffed shirts just how brilliant you are.'

Comments

[bk_forever]

Poor Tosh, what a terrifying encounter! But she doesn't need to worry, Jack will stand up for her and there's nothing UNIT can do about it!

Thanks for the fill!

(Sorry I can't read your Arrow fics, I refuse to read anything that might contain spoilers because some day I will watch Arrow, dammit! I just need to get the DVDs.)