**A Silent Struggle**

Prompt: Jack harkness wakes up sick. He hides it from his team because he is scared that they will think of him as a burden and make him leave the hub. Jack is the captain of the team so he can not avord to be a burden. Besides, his team does not know that jack lives in the hub and does not have an other place to call home. The team gets mad at jack for being slower then usual, so jack promises to try harder. Eventualy he pushed himself to hard and faints infront of his team. His team takes care of him as they realise that jack is sick

Jack Harkness woke up to the dim light filtering through the grimy window of the Hub. A dull ache throbbed in his temples, and his throat felt like sandpaper. He lay still for a moment, listening to the usual hum of machinery and the distant murmur of his team busily running around. They were a well-oiled machine, and as their captain, he had to ensure he was the engine that kept it running smoothly. With a groan, he turned onto his side, his muscles protesting in a way that he hadn’t felt before. A heatwave rolled over him, and he swallowed hard, trying to chase away the nauseating feeling settling in his stomach. Despite everything screaming at him to stay in bed, he forced himself to sit up. He couldn’t let them see him like this. He had to be strong, reliable, the indomitable Captain Jack Harkness they had come to depend on. After a few moments of shaking off the dizziness, Jack got to his feet, swaying slightly. He took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and stepped towards the mirror. His reflection was a ghost of its usual self—sunken eyes, pale complexion, and unkempt hair. He needed to clean up. He splashed cold water on his face and dressed himself, donning his signature long coat, hoping it would give him some semblance of the confidence he felt slipping away. As he emerged into the main area of the Hub, he was greeted by the sight of his team–Gwen, Ianto, and Toshiko, each deep in their tasks. The comforting sight of them should have warmed his heart, but instead, it tightened his stomach. He smiled, trying to hide the discomfort in his chest, and went to give Gwen a nod. “Morning, Jack! You look… fresh,” she replied, raising an eyebrow, clearly sensing something off. Jack opened his mouth to reply, but the words eluded him. He simply smiled wider, hoping it would be sufficient. “Need any help with that?” he offered, moving beside her, but his hands betrayed him. They trembled slightly, a small tremor that he hoped she wouldn’t notice. “Just organizing the data from yesterday’s recon,” Gwen said, focused but clearly not fooled. She glanced at him again. “You alright?” “Just a little tired,” he managed, forcing himself to sound convincing. “You know how it is.” Gwen gave him a look that told him she didn’t quite believe him, but before she could pry further, Ianto approached with a steaming cup of coffee, his expression unreadable but the warmth in his gesture unmistakable. “Coffee, Captain? You look like you could use it,” he said lightly, handing it over. “Thanks, Ianto,” Jack replied, taking the cup. The aroma was rich and enticing. As he lifted it to his lips, he took a small sip, and the heat burned down his throat, making him cough lightly. “Are you sure you’re okay?” Ianto asked, a frown marring his usually calm demeanor. Jack waved a hand dismissively, trying to brush off the concern. “I’m fine, I promise. Just woke up a bit under the weather. Nothing I can’t handle,” he said, forcing a smile that felt more like a grimace. Over the next few hours, Jack pushed himself harder than he usually would. He found it increasingly difficult to focus, and his limbs felt heavier with each passing minute. He felt guilty for slowing down when his team relied on him. They were moving with pace, and he struggled to keep up, committing to his mantra of working through the weariness. He didn’t want to let them down, didn’t want them thinking he was weak. “Jack, could you check the security feeds for any disturbances?” Toshiko asked from her workstation. He nodded but realized he hadn’t registered what she’d said. “Uh, sure, Tosh. Let me just—” He stumbled over his own words, feeling the room tilt slightly. "I’ll get right on that." The sharp concern in Jake's voice made him pause, but he swallowed it down, forcing himself to press on. He got to his feet and took a step toward the monitors, but the effort felt monumental, each footfall heavy as if he were trying to run through mud. Focus, he told himself. Just a little more. “Hey, Jack, do you need a hand?” Gwen asked as Jack staggered slightly. “I’m good!” he forced out, gritting his teeth against the fatigue that clouded his senses. But as he reached the monitor, the world began to swirl like autumn leaves caught in a storm. The lights blurred, and the buzzing in his head became a relentless roar. “Jack?” The concern in Gwen’s voice registered too late as he collapsed forward, slumping against the console in front of him. Everything went black. When he came to, Jack found himself in Ianto’s arms, his team hovering anxiously around him. Panic and worry etched across their faces as he blinked away the dizziness. “Jack! You scared the hell out of us,” Gwen exclaimed, her voice nearly cracking. “What happened?” he asked, rubbing his temples, embarrassed that he’d fainted in front of them probably because he was too proud to admit he was sick. “You weren’t yourself today—slower than usual, struggling to keep up. We should have pushed you to rest,” Ianto said firmly, his brows knit together with concern. Jack, realizing the burden of keeping his sickness a secret was far heavier than he’d imagined, began to feel tears prick at the corners of his eyes. “I didn’t want to be a burden. You all rely on me,” he said softly. “Jack, we’re a team,” Toshiko replied, her voice soothing. “We take care of each other.” Gwen pulled him into a hug, and he melted against her, his resolve crumbling. He felt safe, oddly comforted by the warmth of solidarity that merged with the ache in his chest. “We’re here for you, Captain,” Ianto reminded him, rubbing his shoulder gently. “We’ll take care of you. You don’t have to bear this alone.” In that moment, as the reality of caring for one another settled over the group like a blanket, Jack realized he had never been as alone as he thought. The Hub was not just a building, but a home—with people who would always be there, beyond just their leader; they were family. The burdens were lighter shared, and this time, he would let them in.