Fic - There Are Stranger Things In Leadworth Than In Heaven or Hell
Title: There Are Stranger Things In Leadworth Than In Heaven or Hell
Series: Doctor Who, Torchwood
Characters: Rory Williams, Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones
Rating: PG
Beta: firefly_124
Disclaimer: I don’t own Doctor Who, Torchwood or the characters therein. Any original characters, places and ideas belong to me.
Summary: Leadworth seems to be full of surprises for Torchwood.
Author’s Notes: Inspired by a friend who needed some cheering up, and the picture from one of our photoshoots.
There Are Stranger Things In Leadworth Than In Heaven or Hell
“All right then, Mr. Harkness, there seems to be nothing life-threatening with your condition. I’ll have the nurse release you, and you can go.” The doctor looped their stethoscope around their neck and looked Jack up and down, tapping her foot to an unknown rhythm.
Jack pulled his braces up over the undershirt the staff had found for him. “I told you, I’m fine. Just like I told the paramedics, and I tried to tell that old lady-”
“Mrs. Morgan,” a young nurse said, stepping up to them and picking up Jack’s chart. Jack grinned as he watched the male nurse look at them and then back at the chart, ruffling his brown hair in consternation.
“Well, you should consider yourself very lucky Mr. Harkness,” the doctor said.
“Captain.”
“What?”
“Captain. It’s Captain Jack Harkness. We didn’t get a chance to properly introduce ourselves, what with the chaos and the blood, and people thinking I was dying when I wasn’t.”
“You had a fence pole through your stomach. An iron spike straight through you.”
“Lucky I had my coat off at the time.”
“Lucky for you it seemed to miss any major organs. I still don’t think you should be going-”
“Sorry doc, I’m not staying. Now, if you wanted to discuss it over some wine and a dinner, maybe a decadent dessert by candlelight, then I might rethink it.”
“Sorry. Already married,” the doctor said as she turned to leave. She put a hand on the nurse’s arm. “Rory, please check the wound dressings and I left a prescription for pain medicine in the chart.”
“I would much prefer you left your phone number,” Jack said, grinning at the woman.
“Good luck, Mr. Williams,” she said and hurried off down the ward.
Rory took a deep breath, reading over the chart. “Right, I need to check the dressings. If you could take off your shirt.”
“Anything for you,” Jack said, giving Rory a wink. He chuckled as the younger man just stared at him for a second, assessing the situation.
“Just… just remove the shirt, that’s it.”
Jack pulled off his shirt and tossed it to the end of the stretcher, next to the blue shirt he had been wearing that day. He pursed his lips looking at the blood stains and the big holes in the front and back. Good thing he had a spare shirt in the SUV - it would make driving back to Cardiff more comfortable and wouldn’t worry Ianto as much. He sat there, watching Rory’s fingers as the went to work gently removing the tape and dressing.
“You know, you’re very lucky.”
“Why? Because I get to be alone with you?”
He smiled as Rory stopped what he was doing and stared at him, a slight fluster in his eyes. Rory gave him a look, started to say something, and stopped. He turned his attention back to the task at hand.
“Mrs. Morgan doesn’t go around telling tall tales. You nearly gave her a heart attack, especially when you impaled yourself on her fence post.”
“Unfortunately, it couldn’t be helped. I hope she’s okay.”
“She’ll probably be partaking of some medicinal bourbon down at the pub, but overall she’s fine. As for you…” Rory removed the first bandage stared at Jack’s chest. “How is this possible?” His fingers touched the edge of scar tissue, but no gaping wound was evident.
“Jack, I found you.”
Jack looked up, his heart pounding as Ianto Jones stuck his impeccably-timed head into the curtained off area. He watched as Ianto looked first at him, the bloody bandage in the nurse’s hand and then the ripped up shirt.
“Ianto! You don’t know how good it is to see you. Meet you out back?”
“Right. See you in five minutes.” And with that Ianto turned on his heels and briskly headed for the exit.
“Sorry. Looks like my date’s here.” Jack quickly pulled the undershirt and left the braces hanging. He grabbed his bag of personal effects and strapped on his watch and wrist strap.
“Wait! You can’t just leave. I didn’t finish re-dressing the wound.”
“What wound? You saw it yourself, I’m perfectly fine. Sorry handsome, gotta go.” Jack slipped on his coat and hurried for the exit.
He could hear Rory chasing after him. Hurrying outside into the bright sunshine he took a breath. Ianto wasn’t there yet. Slowly exhaling, Jack turned around and Rory the nurse was in his face.
“I demand an explanation.”
“Why is that?”
“I have to put something in the chart.”
“No you don’t.”
“Yes I do.”
“You don’t have to tell anyone anything. In fact, it would probably be best if you forgot all about this.”
“I saw the reports from when you were brought in. And two hours later you are completely healed.”
Jack could feel a twinge and rubbed his stomach where the recent injury had been. “Not completely.”
“Tell me. I need to know.”
“You live in a sleepy little town. Believe me, you couldn’t begin to fathom what happened here today.”
“I’ve stared down a fifty-foot metal eye spaceship that has just threatened to incinerate the Earth while standing on the roof of the hospital. Try me.”
“You did what?”
“My fiance had an imaginary friend known as the ‘Raggedy Doctor’ who when she was seven destroyed her shed with a blue police box. Let’s just say he’s no longer imaginary. I need to know how you healed so quickly.”
Jack found himself being the one staring at Rory now. The Raggedy ‘Doctor’? In a blue police box? A fifty-foot metal eye attempting to incinerate the Earth? Sounded like Leadworth held more mysteries for him than he previously thought.
“Maybe we should sit down.”
Rory nodded and led them over to a stone bench a bit away from the hospital entrance. Jack took a moment, trying to figure out what he was going to say to this intriguing nurse.
“Would you believe it was all just an illusion?”
“No. Too much blood on Mrs. Morgan’s fence.”
“Would you believe-”
“Just tell me the truth. I can take it.”
Jack looked just past Rory and spotted Ianto behind them. He reached into the pocket of his coat and tapped on his bluetooth. He watched as Ianto held a hand to his own communications device and stare at them.
“You want the truth? Fine. I hunt aliens and I can’t die.”
“I don’t believe it.”
“That I hunt aliens?”
“That I believe. Deal with Prisoner Zero and you believe in aliens. I don’t believe that you can’t die. Everyone can die.”
“Not everyone. That’s why I healed so quickly. Sort of my curse.”
“Curse? I think it would be nice to know you couldn’t die.”
“Yeah well, the dying every other week gets to be a little tiresome.”
“Better than the alternative, but I can see what you mean. How?”
“How do imaginary friends suddenly exist? Maybe its all because of a blue police box?”
“I still don’t g-”
“Figured you needed to stay hydrated. Being in hospital always does that to you,” Ianto said as he handed Jack a bottle of water, who drank from his. “I have an extra one, here.” Ianto handed another bottle of water to Rory and quickly opened the third bottle, drinking from it.
“Thanks Ianto.”
“Wait a minute. What was around Mrs. Morgan’s house that prompted you dying?”
“Something you needn’t worry about anymore.”
“I would like to know what kind of murderous aliens are hanging around my town.”
“So you could play the hero?”
“I don’t see a lot of undying captains or Raggedy Doctors sticking around here. Someone needs to keep an eye out, especially for Amy.”
“Amy?”
“My fiancee. Now tell me.”
“You and your fiancee are fine,” Jack said, putting a hand on Rory’s shoulder as he stood up. “There’s nothing left to disturb the peace. Just, enjoy the wedding.”
With that, Jack made his way to the SUV and slid into the driver’s seat. He watched out the window, a finger on his chin as Rory stood, staring after them. He didn’t say a word as Ianto took the passenger seat, he just started up the vehicle.
“You okay?”
“I will be.”
Jack didn’t pull away, but kept an eye on Rory as he headed back into the hospital, opening the bottle of water and taking a drink. Letting out a sigh, Jack pulled away from the kerb and headed out of town.
“I hope his shift doesn’t last too much longer, he’s about to get tired,” Ianto said, watching after Rory as well.
“Better that he gets some rest. Maybe it’ll clear his mind.”
“That it will.”
“Ianto, make a note. Once we get back to the Hub, I want you to find out as much information as you can on Rory Williams.”
“Williams?”
“Yep. And his fiancee. Someone named Amy.”
“How do you know that?”
“I heard him on his mobile in the hallway while they had me trussed up. From the tone of things, he was definitely talking to his fiancee. It sounded like… well, things might be very interesting for them.”
“I’ll pull it up when we get back.” He could feel Ianto staring at him.
“What?”
“He mentioned a blue police box, you don’t think it’s him?”
“I know it’s him.”
“Are you upset?”
“What? That he didn’t pop by? Come over for coffee? He probably had a good reason. I’ll see him again someday.” Jack let out a sigh, driving past a small farm. “Now then, Mr. Jones, it’s going to take a while to get back to Cardiff, fancy staying overnight somewhere? You can play nurse for me.” Jack grinned.
Ianto slowly turned to him. “Turn off at the third exit. There’s a nice B & B there. They have a reservation for us already.”
Jack let out a chuckle and hit the accelerator.
Series: Doctor Who, Torchwood
Characters: Rory Williams, Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones
Rating: PG
Beta: firefly_124
Disclaimer: I don’t own Doctor Who, Torchwood or the characters therein. Any original characters, places and ideas belong to me.
Summary: Leadworth seems to be full of surprises for Torchwood.
Author’s Notes: Inspired by a friend who needed some cheering up, and the picture from one of our photoshoots.
There Are Stranger Things In Leadworth Than In Heaven or Hell
“All right then, Mr. Harkness, there seems to be nothing life-threatening with your condition. I’ll have the nurse release you, and you can go.” The doctor looped their stethoscope around their neck and looked Jack up and down, tapping her foot to an unknown rhythm.
Jack pulled his braces up over the undershirt the staff had found for him. “I told you, I’m fine. Just like I told the paramedics, and I tried to tell that old lady-”
“Mrs. Morgan,” a young nurse said, stepping up to them and picking up Jack’s chart. Jack grinned as he watched the male nurse look at them and then back at the chart, ruffling his brown hair in consternation.
“Well, you should consider yourself very lucky Mr. Harkness,” the doctor said.
“Captain.”
“What?”
“Captain. It’s Captain Jack Harkness. We didn’t get a chance to properly introduce ourselves, what with the chaos and the blood, and people thinking I was dying when I wasn’t.”
“You had a fence pole through your stomach. An iron spike straight through you.”
“Lucky I had my coat off at the time.”
“Lucky for you it seemed to miss any major organs. I still don’t think you should be going-”
“Sorry doc, I’m not staying. Now, if you wanted to discuss it over some wine and a dinner, maybe a decadent dessert by candlelight, then I might rethink it.”
“Sorry. Already married,” the doctor said as she turned to leave. She put a hand on the nurse’s arm. “Rory, please check the wound dressings and I left a prescription for pain medicine in the chart.”
“I would much prefer you left your phone number,” Jack said, grinning at the woman.
“Good luck, Mr. Williams,” she said and hurried off down the ward.
Rory took a deep breath, reading over the chart. “Right, I need to check the dressings. If you could take off your shirt.”
“Anything for you,” Jack said, giving Rory a wink. He chuckled as the younger man just stared at him for a second, assessing the situation.
“Just… just remove the shirt, that’s it.”
Jack pulled off his shirt and tossed it to the end of the stretcher, next to the blue shirt he had been wearing that day. He pursed his lips looking at the blood stains and the big holes in the front and back. Good thing he had a spare shirt in the SUV - it would make driving back to Cardiff more comfortable and wouldn’t worry Ianto as much. He sat there, watching Rory’s fingers as the went to work gently removing the tape and dressing.
“You know, you’re very lucky.”
“Why? Because I get to be alone with you?”
He smiled as Rory stopped what he was doing and stared at him, a slight fluster in his eyes. Rory gave him a look, started to say something, and stopped. He turned his attention back to the task at hand.
“Mrs. Morgan doesn’t go around telling tall tales. You nearly gave her a heart attack, especially when you impaled yourself on her fence post.”
“Unfortunately, it couldn’t be helped. I hope she’s okay.”
“She’ll probably be partaking of some medicinal bourbon down at the pub, but overall she’s fine. As for you…” Rory removed the first bandage stared at Jack’s chest. “How is this possible?” His fingers touched the edge of scar tissue, but no gaping wound was evident.
“Jack, I found you.”
Jack looked up, his heart pounding as Ianto Jones stuck his impeccably-timed head into the curtained off area. He watched as Ianto looked first at him, the bloody bandage in the nurse’s hand and then the ripped up shirt.
“Ianto! You don’t know how good it is to see you. Meet you out back?”
“Right. See you in five minutes.” And with that Ianto turned on his heels and briskly headed for the exit.
“Sorry. Looks like my date’s here.” Jack quickly pulled the undershirt and left the braces hanging. He grabbed his bag of personal effects and strapped on his watch and wrist strap.
“Wait! You can’t just leave. I didn’t finish re-dressing the wound.”
“What wound? You saw it yourself, I’m perfectly fine. Sorry handsome, gotta go.” Jack slipped on his coat and hurried for the exit.
He could hear Rory chasing after him. Hurrying outside into the bright sunshine he took a breath. Ianto wasn’t there yet. Slowly exhaling, Jack turned around and Rory the nurse was in his face.
“I demand an explanation.”
“Why is that?”
“I have to put something in the chart.”
“No you don’t.”
“Yes I do.”
“You don’t have to tell anyone anything. In fact, it would probably be best if you forgot all about this.”
“I saw the reports from when you were brought in. And two hours later you are completely healed.”
Jack could feel a twinge and rubbed his stomach where the recent injury had been. “Not completely.”
“Tell me. I need to know.”
“You live in a sleepy little town. Believe me, you couldn’t begin to fathom what happened here today.”
“I’ve stared down a fifty-foot metal eye spaceship that has just threatened to incinerate the Earth while standing on the roof of the hospital. Try me.”
“You did what?”
“My fiance had an imaginary friend known as the ‘Raggedy Doctor’ who when she was seven destroyed her shed with a blue police box. Let’s just say he’s no longer imaginary. I need to know how you healed so quickly.”
Jack found himself being the one staring at Rory now. The Raggedy ‘Doctor’? In a blue police box? A fifty-foot metal eye attempting to incinerate the Earth? Sounded like Leadworth held more mysteries for him than he previously thought.
“Maybe we should sit down.”
Rory nodded and led them over to a stone bench a bit away from the hospital entrance. Jack took a moment, trying to figure out what he was going to say to this intriguing nurse.
“Would you believe it was all just an illusion?”
“No. Too much blood on Mrs. Morgan’s fence.”
“Would you believe-”
“Just tell me the truth. I can take it.”
Jack looked just past Rory and spotted Ianto behind them. He reached into the pocket of his coat and tapped on his bluetooth. He watched as Ianto held a hand to his own communications device and stare at them.
“You want the truth? Fine. I hunt aliens and I can’t die.”
“I don’t believe it.”
“That I hunt aliens?”
“That I believe. Deal with Prisoner Zero and you believe in aliens. I don’t believe that you can’t die. Everyone can die.”
“Not everyone. That’s why I healed so quickly. Sort of my curse.”
“Curse? I think it would be nice to know you couldn’t die.”
“Yeah well, the dying every other week gets to be a little tiresome.”
“Better than the alternative, but I can see what you mean. How?”
“How do imaginary friends suddenly exist? Maybe its all because of a blue police box?”
“I still don’t g-”
“Figured you needed to stay hydrated. Being in hospital always does that to you,” Ianto said as he handed Jack a bottle of water, who drank from his. “I have an extra one, here.” Ianto handed another bottle of water to Rory and quickly opened the third bottle, drinking from it.
“Thanks Ianto.”
“Wait a minute. What was around Mrs. Morgan’s house that prompted you dying?”
“Something you needn’t worry about anymore.”
“I would like to know what kind of murderous aliens are hanging around my town.”
“So you could play the hero?”
“I don’t see a lot of undying captains or Raggedy Doctors sticking around here. Someone needs to keep an eye out, especially for Amy.”
“Amy?”
“My fiancee. Now tell me.”
“You and your fiancee are fine,” Jack said, putting a hand on Rory’s shoulder as he stood up. “There’s nothing left to disturb the peace. Just, enjoy the wedding.”
With that, Jack made his way to the SUV and slid into the driver’s seat. He watched out the window, a finger on his chin as Rory stood, staring after them. He didn’t say a word as Ianto took the passenger seat, he just started up the vehicle.
“You okay?”
“I will be.”
Jack didn’t pull away, but kept an eye on Rory as he headed back into the hospital, opening the bottle of water and taking a drink. Letting out a sigh, Jack pulled away from the kerb and headed out of town.
“I hope his shift doesn’t last too much longer, he’s about to get tired,” Ianto said, watching after Rory as well.
“Better that he gets some rest. Maybe it’ll clear his mind.”
“That it will.”
“Ianto, make a note. Once we get back to the Hub, I want you to find out as much information as you can on Rory Williams.”
“Williams?”
“Yep. And his fiancee. Someone named Amy.”
“How do you know that?”
“I heard him on his mobile in the hallway while they had me trussed up. From the tone of things, he was definitely talking to his fiancee. It sounded like… well, things might be very interesting for them.”
“I’ll pull it up when we get back.” He could feel Ianto staring at him.
“What?”
“He mentioned a blue police box, you don’t think it’s him?”
“I know it’s him.”
“Are you upset?”
“What? That he didn’t pop by? Come over for coffee? He probably had a good reason. I’ll see him again someday.” Jack let out a sigh, driving past a small farm. “Now then, Mr. Jones, it’s going to take a while to get back to Cardiff, fancy staying overnight somewhere? You can play nurse for me.” Jack grinned.
Ianto slowly turned to him. “Turn off at the third exit. There’s a nice B & B there. They have a reservation for us already.”
Jack let out a chuckle and hit the accelerator.