51stcenturyfox: (Jack With Head Tilt)
[personal profile] 51stcenturyfox
Title: Don't Speak 
Author: 51stcenturyfox
Pairing(s): Jack/Kathy Swanson
Rating: R
Length: 1,700 words
Warnings/Kinks: Silence (for [community profile] kink_bingo )
A/N:  Takes place a week or so after They Keep Killing Suzie. Look how cute they are.  Beta credit and smooches to [livejournal.com profile] neifile7 






Kathy knew. Even before she glanced at the caller ID display, she knew it had to be Torchwood.

"What's the problem this time? Locked out of your car? Shall I recite poetry or the phone number to a locksmith?"

"You know, Detective Swanson," Jack Harkness drawled, "if I didn't know better, I'd almost start to suspect you didn't like me or something."

"That's ridiculous," she replied.

"I know." Jack sounded incredulous.

"I mean that I don't dislike anyone, Captain," Kathy scolded. Gillian, sitting behind her desk, lifted her eyebrows, and Kathy shook her head. "Waste of time. I'm just tired of clearing up your organisation's little messes. Which lead to expenditures of time, personnel, budget..."

"Let me make that up to you."

She twisted the tight curl of the telephone cord in her fingers. "Hmm. Considering it. No, don't bother. I'll just nurse my sense of annoyance a while longer."

"Nurse a drink instead. Let me take you out to dinner," Jack offered. At her pause, he rushed forward. "Somewhere really nice. Come on, it's the least I can do."

"It is actually the very least," Kathy agreed.

"Half-eight?"

"You're not buttering me up merely to ask another favour, are you?" she asked.

"Moi?"

Kathy sighed. "Fine. Half-eight. Pick me up here. You're driving." She put the phone back in the receiver and glanced back at Gillian. "What?"

"I didn't say a word, ma'am."

*

"Well, this is nice," Kathy acknowledged, sweeping her eyes round the small dining area. "I expected a place with placemat menus and a pub quiz."

"I thought we could do that after," Jack said with a grin as he tugged off his greatcoat and the host pulled out Kathy's chair. She sat and smoothed her black skirt along her lap as he joined her.

"This isn't that kind of evening, Captain. You're watching me enjoy the expensive dinner you're paying for whilst explaining why you're going to stop stepping all over my constabulary's procedures, running up costly man-hours on my end to assist your team with various things when we're not dealing with a problem you caused, and-"

"Fine. We'll set up... rules of engagement. But could we eat before we talk shop? Talk about the... weather?" Jack leaned forward.

"It's Cardiff," Kathy pointed out. "It's either raining or looks like it'll rain tomorrow."

"That's uncharitable. London's no better."

"Technically..." Kathy paused as the waiter returned with wine and pulled out the cork, then offered a swirl of garnet in a large goblet to Jack. He sniffed it and nodded at her, but handed the glass back to their waiter and gestured her way.

"Do you want to approve this? I'm having water."

Kathy raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like a strategic move."

"Nope. I just don't drink."

Kathy took the glass and gestured at the waiter to leave the bottle. He recited the specials and she ordered. "And a starter, I think."

"Now you're just taking advantage of my generosity."

"Absolutely. It's a business dinner -- I'm sure you're expensing it to the Crown," Kathy said, and had a sip of her wine. "All right. Let's get started, then. First off, quit poaching my staff."

"What?" Jack gave his head a quick shake: exaggerated disbelief. "I've hired one constable..."

"I see your people talking to Davidson. We spend money to train officers. We don't do that so you can just-"

"We're not hiring Andy Davidson. I promise you that."

Kathy paused. "All right, then. Anybody else?"

"No. Unless you're looking for a chall-"

"No," Kathy cut him off, then smiled. "I like what I do, thank you very much."

"You'd like working with me."

"I think the shine would wear off after a while, Captain."

"Jack. You can call me Jack."

"All right then, Jack. Again, no thank you." Kathy put down her fork and gestured at the last stuffed mushroom on her plate. "Fancy that?" Jack nodded and speared the morsel as their main courses arrived. They tucked into their steaks and the negotiation continued:

"...and the fourth point: lose my mobile number. No more calls at ungodly hours."

"Detective."

"I'm serious. Ring dispatch. They have a protocol for dealing with your... requests."

Jack sighed. "That's fine."

Kathy placed her napkin on the table and straightened her dessert spoon. "Why don't you just call in UNIT, anyway?"

"You know about UNIT?"

Kathy cast her eyes skyward and exhaled, exasperated. "I'm having crème brûlée."


"I'll just walk home from here," she said outside the restaurant, gesturing vaguely up the street. She tucked a stray plait behind her ear. "Good night."

"Could I drive you?" Jack asked, shrugging into his greatcoat.

"It's a nice evening and I'm ten minutes away. I feel like walking."

"It's about to rain."

"Cardiff," she said, and smiled, eyes searching the dark, clouded sky. The air held that warm, heavy charge it carries just before a heavy rainfall.

"Are you sure-"

"No thank you, really." She began to walk up the road, the sound of her heels on the pavement echoing as she strode away. Jack jogged a few steps to catch up.

"I'll walk with you, if that's all right."

"Fine. I won't stop you." They walked in silence for a block and a half.

"You know, Detective Swanson... Kathy, there are lot of reasons why the Constabulary should just let Torchwood... be Torchwood."

She slowed to a stroll. "It's just that you're not accountable. If something happens, the public ring us, not you."

Jack nodded, too fast. "Yeah. Yeah, I know, but we're not always able to-

Kathy continued, "And what happened to our suspect? The one connected to..." she gestured in the air, "Pilgrim. His family filed a missing person's report and next thing you know, he's in the morgue. The last time he was seen was being tucked into the back of a black SUV with you lot."

"He had a seizure, I told you. It was unfortunate, because we had him in a holding area with concrete floors, unsupervised and we assume he fell. He had a head injury and bled out."

"I don't actually believe you, Jack."

"Check the inquest report. We did one, and we turned the body over to your guys."

She stopped walking. "It's one of those things, isn't it? One of those expedient Torchwood things. He was due to be questioned on our end, arrested and booked. But a trial would have been a bit problematic for your organisation, wouldn't it? He might have said a lot of inconvenient things in court, under oath."

Jack, hands in pockets, looked skyward and kicked at a bit of gravel on the pavement beneath a bank of steps. "Kathy-"

She shook her head. "Just stop. Stop talking. Because every time you open your mouth, egregious lies fall out."

"But-"

Kathy put a finger to her own lips and then held it up and pressed it to his. "Stop. Don't say another word."

Jack stood and looked at her.

"This is my house," she said, and he glanced at the door and nodded, her finger moving against his mouth as he did. "Oh. Look at that. You can be quiet." She moved her finger away and dug into her shoulder bag, then pulled out a set of keys, just as a fat raindrop fell on her bare forearm. "Right, then."

She held the keys up and jingled them, then passed them to Jack and put a hand on her hip, waiting. He glanced at the sky and then at her and examined the keys, trying two before one clicked the tumbler. Her door swung open with a low creak, and Kathy walked in. Jack disengaged the key from the lock and followed her inside, then placed the keys on a small entry table as Kathy moved down the hall and into an adjoining room, where she switched on a lamp with a soft click.

Jack stood in the hallway for a moment, and then walked into Kathy's sitting room, where she was perched on a creamy sofa, pulling off her shoes. He opened his mouth to say something, but at her look, merely licked his lips.

"I said you should be quiet." Kathy stood and turned around, pointing behind her. "Give me a hand, please?" Jack walked over and, following her direction, unbuttoned her back skirt button with one hand, then pulled down the zip. "Thanks," Kathy said, softly, as Jack's other hand went to the side of her waist and gently crumpled the fabric of her black blouse, pulling it out of the skirt, which was starting to slip down the curve of her hips. She gave a slight shake and it shimmied down to pool at the edge of the sofa. Jack picked it up and laid it over the sofa's arm.

Kathy turned, and Jack focused on the row of trim buttons running down the front of her shirt. When he edged the cloth back to find ruched silk trimmed with lace -- the colour of a blood orange -- he grinned. Pulling the fabric over her shoulders, he bent to kiss her collarbone, inhale the faint scent of gardenias at the curve of her neck. Her fingers found his belt buckle and unfastened it, then slipped inside his trousers.

"Kathy," he whispered, and she wrapped a hand around his chin and gave him a warning look. No, it said, and he moved finally to kiss her.

"That's better," she laughed. "Put that lying mouth to good use." Jack started to protest, but she was smiling, so he smiled back instead. He dropped to sit on his heels, slid her knickers to the floor as she stepped out of them and slid back on the sofa as Jack parted her knees. He traced a slow, slick line upward along the inside of her thigh with his tongue and she slipped her fingertips into his dark shock of hair as her head fell backward on the cushions.

"Oh. Yes. That's much, much better," Kathy breathed.

*

Sometimes, Jack still called Detective Kathy Swanson when he said he wouldn't; late at night when the bedside light in her house shone. She'd come awake, blinking, book on her chest and answer her mobile.

And sometimes, she even let him speak.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-09 03:34 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dremiel.livejournal.com
Oh, my, yes!

You make these two yummy together! I LOVE all the strong women TW gave us!

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-09 10:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com
Me too! Thank you! :)

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-09 03:44 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] igrockspock.livejournal.com
I'm so glad someone wrote fic about her - she is such an excellent female character! I particularly admired the professionalism of their dinner.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-09 10:22 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com
She's very professional. And she pwned Jack, which is always fun. :D


(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-09 03:44 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] azn-jack-fiend.livejournal.com
I love the scenario. Jack on his knees, so sexy! Great dialogue too! I can so imagine Kathy Swanson using a word like "egregious" and even the tone she would use to say it.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-09 10:38 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com
Kathy totally would!

He's always sexy. And he thinks he's sooooo charming.

Well, he is, sort of!

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-09 03:48 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] quean-of-swords.livejournal.com
I liked this a lot! I'm a little embarrassed to say that I'd forgotten about about Swanson, but I certainly will remember her now!

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-09 10:51 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com
Aww, well, she really only had much of a part in one episode, sadly. :)

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-09 05:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] saintmaybe1121.livejournal.com
This was great! Witty, adult banter. Because, you know, they're adults. Just from the little bit we're given in canon, I think Jack does like Kathy. I was sad when we didn't get any more of her. And just that one little scene you have is hotter than some of the most explicit pwp's I've read.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-09 10:52 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com
I think he likes her and she is exasperated by him. O)

Thank you! My explicit is broken! So I'm glad the subtler sexytiems were still sexy-ish. :)

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-09 06:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] teamharkness.livejournal.com
Oh mercy. I ship this like my job now.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-09 10:52 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com
There should be jobs like this! Why don't we have jobs in shipping?

Thanks! :)

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-09 11:13 pm (UTC)
ext_86641: (Default)
From: [identity profile] supergreak.livejournal.com
We could start a shipping company.

Dibs on the Human Relations department.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-10 01:23 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] teamharkness.livejournal.com
I'd be rich right now if we did. That's for sure. And you're welcome!

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-09 06:22 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] spiderine.livejournal.com
Oooh, yummy! *drools*

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-09 10:53 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com
Thank youoooouuuu, Spider! <3

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-09 09:32 pm (UTC)
such_heights: amy and rory looking at a pile of post (Default)
From: [personal profile] such_heights
\o/! This is totally great, and hot, and I love love love your Kathy voice.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-09 10:36 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com
Ah, thank you very, very much! I haven't written her before, and we got such a tiny bit of Kathy on the show. *happy* :)

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-09 10:25 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wendymr.livejournal.com
Ooh! I've been wanting good Jack/Swanson fic for *ages*. She's top of my list for people to join the Torchwood team; I just loved her in TKKS, especially the way she was able to run rings around Jack. And she does that so well here, too :) Perfect!

Tiny Britpick: we don't use 'blocks' for distance (we don't even tend to have blocks as a rule - look at any city map and you'll see why). We'd talk in terms of actual distance - say quarter of a mile - or time - say ten minutes' walk away.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-09 10:29 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com
I love her too... I hope she's in S4 in some capacity. More than one episode, at the very least.

Oh, thank you re: the Britpick; my beta's a Yank, too! *fixes*

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-09 11:27 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mimarie.livejournal.com
Mmm, yum :D Great Swanson voice - and Jack would *love* taking orders from her...

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-11 03:53 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com
Thank you! I think he really wouldn't mind. :)

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-09 11:40 pm (UTC)
ext_348818: Jack Harkness. (Default)
From: [identity profile] canaana.livejournal.com
Lovely. I've seen this pairing done before, but hardly ever well, and you hit exactly the right note here. Kathy's voice is fantastic, and I found them both utterly in character, right down to Jack's grin and willingness to get down on his knees.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-11 03:55 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com
Ah, appreciate that. Jack's interested!

In retrospect, I think I should have added more flirting to the dinner conversation, but... hmm. ARRRGH. :)

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-10 12:03 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lefaym.livejournal.com
Very nicely done indeed! Your writing really makes the most of this premise -- you give us just enough detail, and nothing more.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-11 04:13 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com
Thanks so much! I'm glad it worked... it was actually going to be another square entirely, but the characters made me do silence instead. :)

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-10 02:23 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] topgeargirl2.livejournal.com
I really enjoyed this.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-11 04:14 pm (UTC)

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-10 10:50 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] neifile7.livejournal.com
*hearts hearts hearts all over this*

I probably told you how much I love the voices in this and how wicked sexy Kathy is. Also, love how you handled the fade to black: slid, slow, slick, slip, and it's buuuuunk tiem.

Kathy turned, and Jack focused on the row of trim buttons running down the front of her shirt. When he edged the cloth back to find ruched silk trimmed with lace -- the colour of a blood orange -- he grinned.

What a visual.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-11 04:16 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com
YAYS. I'm really pleased you enjoyed the fade -- I wanted not to, but A.) My porn is slightly broken at the minute (maybe it's TOO HOT OUT to write any and B.) Sometimes imagination is betta.

I LOVE orange! I can't wear orange and look good in it. Kathy would look brilliant, though.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-10 04:43 pm (UTC)
unfeathered: (Default)
From: [personal profile] unfeathered
Yummy, yummy, yummy. And I do adore Jack/Kathy so much! (All right, I've only ever read one other, but it was one of the hottest fics ever and there should definitely be more!)

Anyway, this is gorgeous and exactly the way I imagine they would get on if they would just get together outside work. :-)

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-11 10:32 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com
Thank you very kindly! She doesn't get much fic -- wonder where she's hiding during the series? Too busy! :D

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-10 06:18 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] nancybrown.livejournal.com
Yay! There definitely needs to be more Kathy fic in the fandom. :D

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-11 10:39 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com
I hope she comes back in some way. :)

Thank you, nancy!

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-11 12:04 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ljossalf.livejournal.com
I do think that it was a damn shame that Detective Swanson was not more of a presence in TW. The actress that played her did a great job (same actress who played Jabe -- the tree woman of Cheem in DW, oddly enough!) as well.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-11 10:40 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com
Agree -- she's pretty awesome! TY very much!

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-11 03:17 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mcparrot.livejournal.com
Oh that was Niice!.
See, if Captain Jack offers to take you out for dinner, you must go.
Like that Kathy was still the initiator.

That worked so well.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-11 10:41 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com
Thanks much!

I'd go out to dinner with Jack. Would Torchwood be paying? Probably!

Kathy and Jack had a lovely time. :)

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-11 05:26 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wildeagain.livejournal.com
This is sexy. Poaching is an awesome word. Lots of other good ones, too.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-11 11:05 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com
Thank you! I'm glad you found it sexy.

(It was supposed to be phone sex, hence the picture, but I couldn't do that for some reason.) :)

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-11 11:38 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wildeagain.livejournal.com
Heh. Well, the visuals were pretty great, so, as a reader, glad that it didn't develop into phone sex for whatever reasons.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-12 12:31 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pearlseed.livejournal.com
Luscious, very nice texture on this lovely snacky read!

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-23 02:16 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com
Aww, thank you so much!

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-13 05:53 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] spoggly.livejournal.com
So awesome - I really wish they had brought her back!

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-23 02:17 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com
Me too! Maybe in S4? Thanks!

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-21 01:08 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] karaokegal.livejournal.com
GMTA! We definitely had a bit of the same page there, with Jack on the prowl and Kathy possibly thinking she's in control. So good to see real!Jack in action. Fun stuff.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-23 02:17 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com
Thanks! She's gorgeous. LOVE her.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-22 12:26 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] debitha.livejournal.com
Oh man, I always wanted to see more Swanson on the show, because she was awesome. Your Swanson is even more awesome.

Also, Jack really does just want someone to tell him what to do, doesn't he?

(no subject)

Date: 2010-07-23 02:18 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com
Thank you, debitha!

I think Jack enjoys that part best...