meridian_rose

Title: A Beautiful Friendship
Fandom: Torchwood / Fringe
Pairing/Characters: Jack Harkness, Olivia Dunham, Peter Bishop, Walter Bishop, Astrid Farnsworth
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 908
Prompt: For

everythingshiny as part of the

scifiland challenge 14
Summary: Naked time travellers arriving in the lab via a localised storm wasn't a usual occurrence, but on the other hand, it wasn't the weirdest thing to happen
Warnings: None

There was an impossible gust of wind inside the lab, stirring up papers and disturbing Gene who expressed her distaste for this indoor weather with a low moo.

"Walter!" Peter snapped and his father held out his hands in a gesture of innocence.

"I am not responsible for this," Walter protested. "Or those."

The 'those' he was referring to were the streaks of lightening now crackling from floor to ceiling. Astrid watched in horror, backed up against her desk, coffee mug clutched in one hand.

A ball of energy coalesced in the centre of the lightening storm. Then the lightening and wind were gone, leaving behind a naked man, crouched on the floor. Olivia drew her gun and pointed it at the intruder.

The man stood, slowly, and raised his hands in surrender. He was broad shouldered, brown-haired, with a cheeky grin. Thanks to his current pose, he was hiding nothing of his physique.

"Who are you?" Olivia demanded. "And how did you get here?"

"Captain Jack Harkness," the newcomer said, apparently unashamed by his current state of undress. "You know, my usual methods of time travel don't involve being naked, but sometimes you have to take what you can get. Your turn. Who are you and when am I?"

"Olivia Dunham, FBI," she said. "This is a laboratory on the Harvard University campus, Boston."

"I asked 'when'," Harkness said. "Not where."

"Um, 2010," Peter said. "Common Era. AD if you prefer."

"Really?" Harkness looked surprised. "2010? Oh, that's not so bad."

Astrid cleared her throat. "Olivia, can I get him something to, uh –"

"Yes," Olivia said quickly. "That's a good idea, Astrid."

"Astrid. Pretty name." Harkness grinned at her. "So, Olivia Dunham, FBI, can I put my hands down?"

"Yes. Just don't make any sudden moves," Olivia said, lowering her weapon.

"Did you say time travel?" Walter asked.

"Yes." Harkness flashed a white smile as Astrid handed over a blanket. He tucked the material around his waist as if it were a towel and he'd just showered. "That it's 2010 and you don't find that particularly odd tells me I'm in luck here."

"Wait until you get to know us a little before you make that call," Peter advised.

"Mr – er, Captain," Olivia said, remembering his title. "You need to tell us how you got here and what you want."

"I was stuck in the – well, future, as far as you're concerned. Fell in with some rebel types, did them some favours, earned a trip using their version of time travel. Which, as I said, for some reason involved being naked." Harkness spotted Gene. "Cool, a cow. That must save running out to the store when the milk's gone off."

"Are you really a captain?" Peter asked. "Because I'm guessing you don't mean a sea captain."

"I had my own ship," Harkness said obliquely. "Emphasis on the had. Look, Mr –"

"Peter Bishop."

Harkness flashed a flirtatious smile at Peter. "Let me make a couple of international phone calls and we'll get this all straightened out. You ever hear of Torchwood?"

"No," Olivia said, and looked to each of her companions, all of whom shook their heads in turn. Astrid returned to her desk and began typing at the computer keyboard.

"Well you're about to." Harkness ran appraising eyes over Olivia, then suddenly turned back to face Peter. "Did you say 'Bishop'? As in Walter Bishop?"

Walter raised his hand excitedly. "That would be me!"

Harkness strode over to Walter and grasped his hand, shaking it enthusiastically. "A pleasure, sir, an honour and a pleasure! Oh, come here!" And with that, Harness embraced Walter, patting him firmly on the back.

Walter didn't seem in the least upset by being hugged by the semi-naked Harkness. "I'm afraid I don't remember you, Captain," he said.

"We haven't met before," Harkness said, pulling away. "But I've heard of you. You're doing to do great things, Doctor Bishop. Very great things."

Astrid looked up from her monitor. "Um, Olivia?"

"What is it?" Olivia asked, still watching Harkness, undecided as to how much of a threat the man really was – she wasn't about to holster her gun yet, that was for sure.

"I ran 'Torchwood' through the databases and I think I've triggered something."

Olivia sidestepped to Astrid's desk and glanced at the computer screen. TORCHWOOD: LEVEL ONE CLEARANCE ONLY was flashing over the FBI logo. The phone rang and Astrid grabbed for the receiver.

"Agent Farnsworth." She listened to the caller for a moment, a surprised expression spreading over her face. She held out the phone, shaking her head when Olivia reached for it. "Captain Harkness? It's for you."

"About time." Harkness bounced over to them. He hesitated a moment and said, "You know, I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship." Then he took the phone.

"I think we ought to get him some clothes," Olivia said, eyeing the blanket, which had slid further down Harkness's hips due to his enthusiastic movements.

Astrid nodded. Finding clothes for their new companion was going to be one of the easier and more pleasant tasks she'd been given since joining Fringe Division. Naked time travellers arriving in the lab via a localised storm wasn't a usual occurrence, but on the other hand, it wasn't the weirdest thing to happen, and so far there wasn't anything dead or decaying to deal with – which, as far as Astrid was concerned, was always a good start.