Title: Adaptation, a Torchwood/NCIS Crossover (16/?)

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; Part Seven is here; Interlude is here; Part Eight is here; Part Nine is here; Part Ten is here; Part Eleven is here; Part Twelve is here; Part Thirteen is here; Part Fourteen is here; Part Fifteen is here

We had barely opened the lab’s door when Gibbs found himself with an armful of Abby. She wrapped her arms around his neck while babbling a mile a minute.

“I’m so glad, I’m so glad, you two are made for each other, and you never realized until now and this is so cool, my two best…”

Gibbs took the easy way out and stopped the flood by kissing her. Well, more like devouring. It confirmed something I had suspected for a long time: Gibbs’s usual treatment of Abby as an annoying kid sister was a cover for other feelings. Now that he knew he didn’t have to keep her at arm’s length, he could indulge them.

When they both surfaced the babble started again. “We’re going to have to figure out living arrangements, because Tim is too far away from Georgetown and we can’t live at your place…”

“Your turn,” Gibbs said, passing Abby over. So I did. And while I was kissing her, I reached out and grasped Gibbs hand. As our fingers intertwined, thunder rolled across the blue, cloudless sky.

“What the hell was that?” Gibbs asked.

“Confirmation,” I gasped as I freed my mouth. Abby grinned at me. She had had a basic education on Tylwyth magick, and she knew what it meant. “I’ll explain later.”

“Perhaps that would be best,” Ianto’s amused voice had us turning towards the door. “And perhaps you could, ah, let go? It could cause a great deal of gossip if the head of NCIS is spotted holding hands with his forensic consultant and one of his senior agents.”

“They'll stop talking sooner or later,” said Jack with cheerful malice. “Look at us.”

“Jack, they've never stopped talking about us.”

Jack shrugged. “Oh, well. Then Gibbs will have to learn to live with it, won't he?” He took Abby's right hand and tugged her away from us. “You have something for us, Gorgeous Abigail?”

I saw it coming but wasn’t fast enough to stop it. I winced as Gibbs's hand shot out and slapped Jack on the back of the head.

“Hey! What was that for?” The Consort threw a dirty look in our direction.

“You've got your own.” Gibbs said. “Leave mine alone.”

Jack smiled the most deliciously lascivious smile I had ever seen in the face of a human being. If I hadn't been so sure of my own feelings I would have been seriously tempted. From her sudden stillness, I could tell Abby had gotten the same message. “And are you so sure of their feelings, Director?”

Gibbs smiled back, but this one had knives in it. “I'm completely sure of my own.”

Jack grinned and handed Abby back with a quaint little bow. “Then all is well. We will hold the celebration next Solstice. Our Master of Ceremonies will be in touch.”

My sputtering was lost in the loud roll of thunder overhead. Abby smiled happily at me over Gibbs's shoulder. We had just gotten engaged, and it had been accepted and witnessed, and Gibbs didn't have the least idea of what the Winter Consort had set in motion. I didn't know how the hell I was going to explain it.

“So what do you have for us, Abby?” I said, just so neither Gibbs nor Jack had a chance to start all over again.

“Roberta and I worked all day yesterday. I have to tell you, McGee, if we could figure out how she does it we could make a fortune. I'm going to introduce her to Jake, you know, the perfume guy upstairs from me because she's wasting her life as a secretary, and...”

“Abbs,” Gibbs cut through the monologue, “did you bring me down here just so you could tell me about your plans for your new best friend?”

“Gibbs, did I ever do that to you? Don't answer that,” she said hurriedly, fingers flying over the keyboard in front of her. “But not this time. Roberta identified the smell as a mixture of, and I quote, waste oil, paint, burnt steel, and body waste.”

“Drydock facilities,” Gibbs said immediately.

“Bingo. However, Roberta also identified other components to the smell, including powdered granite and cement.” A map appeared on the large screen over her head. “This is Drydock Number One at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. A lot of people confuse the Naval Base with the yard, but they are two separate entities. Drydock Number One at the shipyard is a National Historic Landmark as the earliest drydock in the United States. It was built from Massachusetts granite. Until recently, it was still a working facility. However, it is currently closed while being converted to a teaching museum of naval history.”

“McGee…”

“On it, boss.” I grabbed for the keyboard and logged into my own system, pulling up Zigler’s file. Ellen had been very thorough. “Zigler’s brother-in-law owns a construction company that has a contract for work on the Drydock One buildings. They started five weeks ago.”

“Direct access to the open ocean, and to the base,” Jack said. “It would be a perfect base of operations for Silurians.”

“But what could they want?” Gibbs asked, frustration plain in his voice. “The sailors in the Truman just wanted to make money, and they probably bribed Zigler to look the other way. But why are the Silurians getting involved? And why are the sailors working with them?”

“Maybe they have been... whatever it is Roberta can do.” Abby waved her hands about. “Influenced.”

“Maybe. On the other hand,” Ianto said, “it wouldn't be the first time humans have thrown their lot with the enemies of humankind. Money, power, and love are all good motivators.”

“So, Director, do we go after Zigler now?” Jack asked.

Gibbs nodded. “We go after Zigler now.”