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Title: "Old Dogs and New Tricks"
Author: BeccaDG
Rated: PG-13
Characters: John Grant, Bailey Malone, Captain Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones
Pairings: Jack/Ianto, mention of George/Rich
Fandoms: Profiler, Torchwood/Doctor Who (Torchwood is a spin-off from Doctor Who)
Summary: John and Bailey are unemployed in the UK, but not for long.
Warning: Temporary character death, slash
Disclaimer/Notes: This is a Profiler/Torchwood Crossover. I don't own John Grant, Bailey Malone, or any other Profiler character. I don't own Captain Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones or any other Torchwood/Doctor Who character. This isn't beta'd so all mistakes are my own.
"Old Dogs and New Tricks"
by BeccaDG
"What are we doing here?" John Grant looked just as impatient as he sounded.
"Wait and see," Bailey Malone cautioned him over his drink.
"See what?" The younger man tried again to get more information out of his former boss. Rather than say a word Bailey nodded towards the door. For a moment John wasn't sure what he was supposed to be looking at. It was only a moment. The man who tromped through the door in heavy work boots was hard to miss. It wasn't just the thick wool coat he was wearing, or the way another man seemed almost invisible in his shadow. There was an unmistakable air of command around him.
Captain Jack Harkness paused once they were inside of the club. He quietly asked Ianto Jones, "Do you see those former FBI agents we're supposed to be meeting here?"
Ianto gave a little nod in the direction of the table that Bailey and John were sitting at, "Those are the men in the pictures Martha gave us."
He didn't comment on how the older ex-agent's scotch was sitting untouched on the table, or how the younger one seemed to be watching them.
"And she's sure they aren't working for the FBI anymore?" Jack asked, keeping his eye on the men at the table. Ianto nodded some more, "The Violent Crimes Task Force was disbanded. Bailey Malone has some sort of history with Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart. Whatever it is, he agreed to the meeting after he learned Martha is working for UNIT."
John revised his opinion of which man held the real power as he watched the shadow in a three piece suit talk quietly to the guy in the coat, "Where are they from? Not to mention what decade."
"Torchwood. 1940's," Bailey answered laconically. John wasn't entirely sure how to take the answer. Torchwood was some supposedly super secret special agency, all very black helicopters. 1940's probably meant World War II, but neither man was old enough to have actually been part of the war.
Jack headed straight for the ex-agents table once Ianto had confirmed it contained the men they were there to meet. He flashed them his best smile, and offered the older man his hand along with his usual, "Captain Jack Harkness."
John noted that while the young man behind Captain Jack Harkness remained silent through the greeting he couldn't help rolling his eyes. Apparently the delivery was part of the ritual.
"Bailey Malone, this is my associate, John Grant," he made a simple nod to the younger man with him while he shook the Captain's hand.
"Who's your associate?" John asked after Bailey had introduced him to Jack.
"Jones, Ianto Jones," The Captain purred before Ianto could cut in. Jack looked thoroughly unrepentant while Ianto glared at him for using the James Bond delivery in front of total strangers.
"Nice suit, Ianto Jones," Bailey nodded in the direction of the suit.
"Thank you, Bailey Malone," Ianto said, his delivery only a little stiff from his irritation with Jack.
"Just Bailey," the older ex-agent offered.
"Bailey," Ianto repeated with a nod. He pronounced the name more smoothly as he relaxed.
"So, a little bird tells us you two might be interested in some work in Cardiff?" Jack questioned while he helped himself to a chair. Ianto moved to stand behind the chair his boss commandeered. He didn't take a seat himself. John noted each difference between the two men from Torchwood, and how they interacted. There was something about their relationship he couldn't quite put his finger on.
"We might," Bailey confirmed for Jack as usual he didn't elaborate on his answer.
"Depends on what that work might be," John added once he realized Bailey wasn't going to add more.
"Need some action? Excitement?" Jack responded. Ianto didn't look like he approved of those words being used in the vicinity of the work they were offering, but he continued to remain quiet. Bailey left answering those questions up to John.
"We can handle action if that's what you're asking. You got some to offer?" The younger ex-agent asked a question of his own. Before Jack could answer the question, a very large and very old dog walked up to him, and planted its front feet firmly in his lap.
"Hello big fella," the Captain offered warmly. He reached out to the dog cautiously. Something about it felt off, but he couldn't decide what it was. Ianto leaned towards Jack, whispering softly to him, "Be careful."
"Trying," Jack promised. John had to resist the urge to slide his chair away from the dog. Bailey knew he wasn't comfortable around the things, but their new acquaintances didn't know that yet.
"Steady," Bailey offered quietly to John. The younger ex-agent glanced from the dog to his boss. It was only for a moment, but in that moment he missed something. Jack screamed, Ianto took a step back to draw his gun, and the dog looking considerably younger and faster bolted from the table.
"Where'd it go?" John asked. He didn't get an answer from Ianto or Jack. The man he'd thought was only the Captain's shadow took off in the direction the dog had gone. Jack was slumped over on the table, looking very old and more than just slowed down. As John stared at the transformation in shock, Bailey checked for a pulse. He shook his head sadly. John started to ask what they were going to do next, but before Bailey could answer him Ianto Jones returned. His suit was considerably worse for wear, but his expression was triumphant. The pleasure on Ianto's face lasted until his eyes lighted on the shriveled old man remains that were still wearing the Captain's coat.
"Help me get him out to the SUV," Ianto instructed Bailey and John. The younger ex-agent was in enough shock he followed the order without question. The older didn't say a word, but there was a question in the look he gave Ianto as he moved. The younger Torchwood agent gave him an answer.
"You'll see," Ianto promised Bailey. He made sure they were careful of Jack's head as they carried him to the SUV. Ianto wasn't entirely sure how much damage Jack could recover from, and he didn't want to learn what would happen if Jack's head fell off while it was attached to his body by so little. As they carefully laid the remains in the back of the SUV, John noticed something. The remains were beginning to slowly fill back out. It was subtle. He wondered if Grace would be able to explain to him how a body could age so quickly, or begin to look young again.
"Get in," Ianto told Bailey and John after they'd laid Jack out in the back. The older ex-agent climbed in without question. He was clearly waiting for the fulfillment of Ianto's promise. John lingered where he was, still watching with fascination the changes happening to the remains.
"Come on, John, get in," Bailey coaxed the younger ex-agent into the SUV. John listened to Bailey, and moved to take a seat. Once again something happened while he wasn't looking. This time he heard a ragged gasp, and flailing in the back of the SUV. Ianto slipped from the driver's seat, moving to where John had been standing at the back of the SUV. He reached in the direction they'd laid the remains.
"Jack! Jack!! It's alright. You're alright. I got it," Ianto's tone became more soothing as the flailing subsided. John twisted in his seat to see what was going on in the back of the SUV. What had been only slowly rejuvenating remains seemed to once again be a living breathing Captain Jack Harkness. The man's hair still had more than a little gray in it, and the way his head seemed to focus in on Ianto, John suspected his eye sight was still clouded as well. Jack got on to his hands and knees, and crawled towards the sound of Ianto's voice. The look on Ianto Jones face told John what he'd been missing, before Jack began to reach out towards Ianto with a shaky hand. They weren't just coworkers or friends. The thing John hadn't been able to put his finger on was how much they were in love.
"Cataracts?" Jack's voice still had an old man's creak when he asked the question.
"They'll clear," Ianto answered. He wasn't sure, but it seemed likely enough to make the promise. Jack tentatively touched Ianto's face. John couldn't look away as the Captain found his partner's lips first with tentative fingers, and then with his own lips. The gray in Jack's hair seemed to fade away completely while he drew out the kiss he gave Ianto.
"You watch George and Rich kiss?" Bailey asked John. It snapped the spell he'd been under, and he looked away. It wasn't long after he heard more movement in the back. Someone closed the back of the SUV. John wondered briefly if it was Jack or Ianto. He could guess which watching Ianto help Jack into the front passenger seat.
"I can see fine now," Jack protested. While his voice no longer creaked, John was glad Ianto wasn't going to let him drive. As the younger man got into the driver's seat, the older turned towards Bailey and John. It was true that his eyes were once again a clear blue.
"How much have you two seen?" Jack asked them.
"Enough," was Bailey's short answer.
"Want the jobs?" Ianto asked after he was settled into his seat.
"Yes," John answered.
"You're hired," Jack and Ianto assured them.
The End
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