Title: Ache
Author: Stolendreams
Pairing: gen
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine. Sadly. I'm a broke student. All I own is this computer I'm writing on and over half of that was paid for by the university.
Spoilers: Cyberwoman
A/N: Written for the 2dozenowies challenge at LJ. Thanks to Shaz and Erin for the wonderful beta job as always.
Summary: PreSeries ficlet. Ianto's arm aches. Oneshot. Spoilers for Cyberwoman.

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Ianto's arm aches. A lingering pain that isn't enough to warrant seeking out some painkillers but is just enough to be annoying. At least until Jack asks him to go and get some heavy box from the archives, or manhandle a weevil into its cell. That stops the ache. Replaces it instead with a shooting pain that makes him have to fight not to wince or groan. It's nothing serious, there's no bruising, no swelling. He's had enough first aid training to know the difference between a serious injury and a simple strained muscle. He'd like nothing more than to rest it for a couple of days, just like all the training and the common sense tells him, but he can't.

The only way to rest would be to admit that there's a problem. And then Jack will make Owen check him out. Owen will ask how it happened. He can't say that he strained it while setting up the machinery for Lisa. They'll kill her. Jack will march right down there and unplug the machines and probably shoot her in the head as well, just to be sure she's dead. Owen would probably punch him. Tosh would cry. Suzie might understand, but it wouldn't be enough. As for him, he'd probably be shot by Jack as well, or just retconned and sent off to live a 'normal' life. Either way it wouldn't matter because Lisa would be gone.

When Tosh asks him for another box of tech from the archives he goes without a word. His arm aches, but, to keep Lisa safe, he would put up with much worse.

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