Title: Meant To Be
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Ianto Jones/Tenth Doctor
Fandom: Torchwood/Doctor Who
Rating: R
Table: 11
Prompt: 20, Lie In
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own Ianto Jones or the Tenth Doctor. Please do not sue.

***

The Doctor rolled over onto his back, looking over at Ianto with a satisfied smile on his face. His young lover smiled back at him, reaching over to ruffle the Time Lord's already unruly hair with one hand and propping himself up on one elbow.

"That gets better every time," the Doctor murmured, one hand moving down Ianto's arm in a gentle caress. "I wouldn't have thought anything could be better than the first time we made love -- but I was definitely wrong about that. Not that the first time wasn't amazing, of course ...."

"Making love to you is always wonderful," Ianto said softly, leaning over to press his lips against the Doctor's. "I don't believe I ever really knew what 'making love' was until our first time together. It took on a whole new meaning."

"It's because I'm the one you're meant to be with," the Doctor told him, almost sounding smug. "It's always supposed to be best with your one and only, isn't it?"

"And is that how you think of me? As your one and only?" Ianto asked, smiling as he moved closer to his lover and slid his arms around the Time Lord's waist. "I know there have been a lot of others in your life, at some time or other."

"But not in this body," the Doctor reminded him, shaking his head as though he was admonishing Ianto for those words. "There's only been Jack before you." He fell silent, not wanting to even think about the other two men he'd been with.

Ianto guessed what he was thinking, placing one finger against the Doctor's lips and shaking his own head in a mirror image of the Doctor's movement. "Don't," he said softly, his voice almost a whisper. "They don't count. That wasn't making love. They took you by force."

The Doctor sighed, moving closer to Ianto and letting himself relax in his lover's embrace. "They never had me, Ianto. Not the inner core of me, not the way you do. They didn't have anything but my body. And that wasn't given willingly."

"I know, love," Ianto murmured, his arms tightening around the Doctor. He hated to think about what the Time Lord had been through since they'd been together; he wished that they could go back in time and erase those events from their memories, though he knew it wasn't possible.

"Let's not think about that, all right?" he said when the lump in his throat retreated and he could speak again without his voice sounding weak. "It's in the past."

"You're right," the Doctor agreed, heaving another sigh. "There are times when I wish those times could be erased -- but we both know that isn't a good idea. I've tampered with timelines before, but I've learned that it's not wise to do that with my own."

"Besides, if you did -- then we might not have each other," Ianto said, feeling a cold chill run down his spine at the thought. A life without the Doctor -- that would be no life. He'd rather be dead than not have this man in his arms, in his heart.

The Doctor shifted his body in Ianto's arms until he was facing the other man, wrapping his arms around his waist and resting his forehead against his lover's shoulder. "Don't think like that," he whispered, his voice hoarse. "I don't want to contemplate a life without you."

Ianto closed his eyes, his arms tightening around the Time Lord. Eventually, the Doctor would have to face a life without him. He knew that. They wouldn't always be together -- he would die long before the other man would. It was inevitable.

He hated to think about that, but it was the truth. It was something that he hoped would be far, far in the future, something that they wouldn't have to give any thought for a very long time. But he knew that there was always a chance that it would happen sooner rather than later.

And if it did .... then the Doctor would have to learn to deal with it as best he could. There would be no other alternative for him.

But he didn't want to bring that up now, not when they'd just made love. This wasn't the time for either of them to be thinking of something that would only make them both unhappy. He'd have to steer the Doctor's mind away from his darker thoughts somehow.

"Let's not think about that," he murmured, brushing his lips across the Time Lord's brow. "This isn't the time, Doctor. We have each other in the here and now -- and we should enjoy what we have while we have it. Let's live in the moment while we can."

The Doctor nodded, raising his head and looking up at his young lover, a somewhat reluctant smile starting to form on his lips. "You're right, Ianto," he said softly, blinking a little, as though he was forcing back tears that hadn't fallen yet. "We need to live in the present, not the future."

So the Doctor had been thinking along the same lines that he had. Ianto wished that he could completely redo their conversation, turn the Doctor's mind along a different path. But it was too late for that; he'd have to try to change the subject, if he could.

"No unpleasant thoughts," he announced, shaking his head. "We're meant to be having a bit of a lie-in, you know. We're supposed to be enjoying each other and our time together, not thinking of what could be and may not even come to pass."

Well, that had been the wrong choice of words, Ianto thought as soon as they were out of his mouth. Of course it would come to pass. He wouldn't live forever, and they both knew that.

Had he managed to put his foot in it? He hoped not; he didn't want to unsettle the Doctor any more than he already was. He'd known for the past few days that the other man was feeling restless, and he'd wanted to calm him. He wasn't doing such a good job of that.

But to his surprise, the Doctor only nodded, snuggling into his arms. "I'd rather spend my time enjoying you while we have that luxury," he said, stretching his long, lean body out next to the younger man's. "And letting you enjoy me."

"Oh, I don't believe I'll have any problems doing that," Ianto replied, smiling as he rolled over on top of the Doctor. He moved his hands down the other man's arms, lifting them above the Doctor's head and entwining their fingers.

"This is how we were meant to be," he whispered, his blue-grey eyes locking with the Doctor's deep brown gaze. "It doesn't matter that I'm human and you're Gallifreyan. It doesn't matter that you're so much older than me. Nothing matters except that we belong together."

"I've known that from the first time you kissed me," the Doctor murmured, his voice barely audible. Those low, husky words were meant only for Ianto's ears; even as softly as they were spoken, he heard them crystal-clear, from the Doctor's hearts to his own.

"We're both where we belong," Ianto said softly, releasing one of the Time Lord's hands and stroking the other man's tawny hair. "I don't know what led you to me, Doctor, but whatever it was, I'll be grateful to it for the rest of my life."

"So will I," the Doctor told him, his voice still husky, but a little louder now. "I couldn't imagine ever wanting to be anywhere else."

Ianto couldn't help feeling relieved; he'd managed to turn the Doctor's mind from those thoughts that he knew always made the other man feel sad, and he had to congratulate himself for that. Besides, they had other things to think about -- much happier things.

"Shouldn't we get back to concentrating on our little lie-in?" he whispered, lowering his head to nip at the Doctor's earlobe. "After all, we may not get such a long, uninterrupted time to ourselves for a while -- at least not in this particular place."

"I think you're entirely right about that," the Doctor answered, closing his eyes as Ianto's mouth came down on his and the other man's hands began to roam over his body. Within a few moments, any unsettling thoughts were swept away on a rising tide of passion that they couldn't hold back.

***