Title: Adaptation, a Torchwood/NCIS Crossover (7/?)

Author: Emma

Characters: Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones, Tim McGee, LJ Gibbs, Ducky Mallard, others

Rating: Starts PG, but hey, it’s got Jack and Ianto in it (not to mention Tim & Jethro!)

Disclaimer: Oh, please. If I owned them, would I let some of those idiots write the scripts? And if I were making any money off them, would I be where they could find me?

Summary: Tim McGee’s worlds collide as Torchwood is drawn into an NCIS case

Author's Note: This is part of an AU where Gwen and Owen were killed by Gray. So if you want to know why Martha is married to Rhys, why Jack and Ianto have a CP, two sons and two adopted daughters, and why Andy and Ianto are Kings of an alien race that settled on Earth millennia ago, you may want to read Evolution and Bred in the Bone first

Part One is here; Part Two is here; Part Three is here; Part Four is here; Part Five is here; Part Six is here

“You promised me a story.”

Gibbs and I were sitting on the couch in Ducky's solarium, watching Harkness and Jones prepare dinner. They seemed perfectly at home in the kitchen. Harkness had ditched the coat and boots and was padding around in his socks. Jones had taken off his suit coat and tie and rolled up his sleeves. It was clear that they had been doing it for a while; jobs were apportioned by some sort of unspoken agreement, Jones dealing with vegetables while Harkness prepared the chicken.

Jones had opened a bottle of wine and set everyone up. He had handed Gibbs his with a slight smirk that left me in no doubt that Ducky had told him a few things, among them Gibbs's preference for beer at the end of the day. Gibbs accepted it with a nod and a silent toast. The news that the body was not Ziva's had relaxed him enough so that a little gentle ribbing was a source of amusement rather than irritation. Now he sipped the excellent Alsatian Pinot Blanc Ducky's cellar had provided and prodded at me with questions.

“Nothing much to it, or a great deal more than I can tell you in one night.” I answered. “My people come from another Universe. Our planet was destroyed when a runaway black hole slammed into our local gas supergiant. Some of us managed to escape and settled in the shadow dimension of what is now Wales and Ireland. Those people with whom we interacted considered us supernatural beings.. In Wales, the name they gave us was Tylwyth Teg, the Fair Folk.”

He gave me one of his patented sardonic looks. “You're right, it's going to be a great deal more. Never mind. Let's start with one small detail. Is it hard to maintain the disguise?”

“We call it a glamour, and no, it's not, unless you're really exhausted or... well...”

“Having sex?”

“Yeah.” I changed the topic quickly. “What's really hard is retraining yourself not to call on your natural abilities when you are in a mess. Or do it in a way that doesn't attract attention.”

“How often have you used your... abilities... and blamed it on the computer?”

I grinned – oh, all right, smirked. “Only a few times. I really am good with computers, you know.”

“Lord Drustan's family are Keepers of the Wards,” Jones came up, bottle in hand. “It's similar to the role of the Doorward in medieval Scotland. Protectors of the King's property. Think of them as security experts. In this instance, the job determines the skills required. Refill?”

“Lord Drustan?” Gibbs stared a me, mouth twitching. “Is that your official title?”

I held out my glass. “Not quite. But my personal title is untranslatable, so suppose Lord will do.”

“So when Tony named you Elf-Lord... Don't look so surprised, McGee. I did have to take some humanities classes in college. The Tylwyth Teg are the elves in Wales, the Aes Sidhe in Ireland. And they're all based on your people? Right?”

“It's more accurate to say that there were legends the Tylwyth Teg fitted. And so their names for themselves passed into the human vocabulary,” Jones said judiciously.

Gibbs studied him for a moment. “What do you look like?”

Jones laughed. “Like this.”

“No, I mean... Tim dropped his... glamour? You haven't.”

“That's because he doesn't have any, boss.” I blurted out. “He's human.”

“Back up. The King of the elves is human?”

“Short version again, boss. Mr. Jones...”

“Ianto. And the cook is Jack. You're family, Tim.”

I nodded. “Ianto is the Winter King. The family from which we chose the Winter Kings died out several millennia ago. It was the reason we left Wales and then Ireland. My family did not believe there would ever be Winter Kings again and our jobs were obsolete.” I dipped my head in apology to Ianto. “Turns out one of our Eldest had found a human family with the right psychic gifts and bred them to be the next Winter Kings.”

Gibb tossed back the last of his wine and held out his glass for more. “I shouldn't have asked. There's Ducky's car.”

A few minutes later the man himself walked in, trailed by Abby and Jimmy Palmer. Poor Jimmy looked completely and hopelessly muddled. His nod in my direction was strained, and he kept giving Ianto and Jack quick looks when he thought they wouldn't notice. Abby, on the other hand, flounced in in her usual fashion, made perfect curtseys both as to style and rank to the King and his Consort, and then plopped herself down on the sofa between Gibbs and me.

“So, McGee, God, would you untie my shoes, they are killing me!” She leaned back against Gibbs's arm as she raised her feet to my lap, giving me the blandest look in her repertoire. “Come on, chop chop!”

When Abby gets in that sort of mood, it's less complicated all around to just let her work it out of her system. I did notice that Gibbs had absently juggled her until she was resting comfortably against his chest with his arm wrapped around her middle.

Jack came out from behind the breakfast bar that separated the kitchen from the solarium with another bottle of wine and more glasses. I thought I caught a moment of surprise as his eyes swept over the three of us nearly cuddling in the small sofa, but it didn't last long. He handed the bottle to Ianto and held out the glasses to be filled, passing them out as Ianto did so.

“Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes. It's a tradition in our household that we do not discuss business during meals...”

“Not that we could. We have four children, including twin three-year-olds who are going through a spaghetti-throwing stage.”

“Neeeever the less..." Jack wrinkled his nose at his partner. " No business during meals.”

“There's not a great deal  to discuss,” Gibbs said. “Tomorrow, you two will start on the galleries. Tourists?”

“No, I think we shall be looking for a place. My partner's job is moving us to Washington for a couple of years, so we are looking to furnish a sizable apartment.” He made a wavy sort of gesture, and I immediately got the impression of a spoiled man accustomed to living in luxury. “I can't live with other people's furniture, you know.”

“You are very good,” Gibbs said thoughtfully. “Undercover work?”

“Jack was the best. Caesar and I were good, but nothing like Jack.” Ducky hiked himself up on one of the stools at the breakfast bar. “Mr. Palmer, Abby, and I will continue our forensic work. We have several hints, leads to follow. We should be able to give you a preliminary report tomorrow evening.”

“And that leads us to the last item on the agenda,” Jack said. “We'll meet here every evening to discuss information and make plans. Torchwood spent a great deal of time and money securing this house. And now...” he reached into his pocket and brought out a handful of what looked like gold coins. “Take one and keep it as close to your skin as possible. If you are in a mess, just press it hard. Someone will come.”

“Someone?” Gibbs rubbed the coin between his fingers. “Like who?”

Jack grinned. “Why don't you give it a test?”

Gibbs squeezed the coin. Suddenly there was the loud sound of air being displaced and a Small One stood in the middle of the room. Jimmy Palmer gave a squeak, but Gibbs just raised one eyebrow.

“This is Marigold. She'll be keeping an eye on those coins. Make sure you don't lose them.”


edited to add a word that I managed to miss even after many readings.  Thanks, bloodredrose1!