Title: The Doctor's Son
Author: bookwrm89
Rating: AO
Summary: Ianto Jones is travelling with his father, the Doctor, and the Doctor's Companion, Rose, when he meets an American RAF captain in London, 1941....this is their story.
Pairings: Jack/Ianto, Doctor/Rose (implied)
Warnings: AU, language, violence, slash - all the usual suspects
Spoilers: Story begins with DW S1 - The Empty Child and progresses through TW S2 Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang; anything set during that time-frame is fair game.
Authors Notes: I first started writing this just over a year ago, posted two chapters and then the muses went into hiding. This fic is dedicated to[info]teachwriteslash - who poked, prodded, encouraged and sometimes even begged for me to finish the story. I hope you enjoy it, Hon!
Thank you to my wonderful beta's, cazmalfoy faithharkness teachwriteslash and christine_twfan
***
"You know, Da hates it when we wander off like this." Ianto smiled at the blonde walking beside him.
"What's the point of travelling through space and time if you're not going to explore a little?" Rose asked. "Besides, that kid shouldn't be up on the roof all alone. It isn't safe."
"Fine, but just so you know, if we get in trouble, I'm blaming it all on you."
Rose just laughed and started climbing up the ladder to the roof.
Twenty minutes later, he was cursing...fluently...in several different languages. "This is why it's a bad idea to listen to the Companions, Ianto. You end up clinging to a rope attached to a barrage balloon, drifting through the nighttime skies of
Just as the rope slipped out of his hands and he started to fall, a bright light caught him and held him in mid-air. He heard a voice say, "Relax, I'm just programming your descent pattern. Stay as still as you can, and keep your hands and feet inside the light field."
Ianto leant back in mid-air and crossed his legs. A tractor beam in 1941? This could be interesting.
The voice spoke again, "Oh, I like your style."
He just quirked an eyebrow and waited. Travel by tractor beam always left him a little off-kilter, but considering the alternative, he wasn't going to complain. The next moment, he found himself inside a cramped spaceship, being held in a pair of strong arms and looking up into the bluest blue eyes he'd ever seen.
"I've got you. You're fine. The tractor beam, it can scramble your head just a little."
Nodding absently, Ianto said, "Hello."
"Hello. Are you all right?"
"I'm fine." Ianto was still mesmerised by those blue eyes.
"You look a little dizzy."
"What about you? You're not even in focus...oh shi..." Ianto passed out.
A few minutes later he came to and realised he was lying down. "I really hate it when that happens."
A chuckle sounded from a short distance away and Ianto turned his head to look at his rescuer. He saw a rather attractive man with dark hair, striking blue eyes and...an RAF uniform?
"So, who are you anyway?" Ianto asked.
"Captain Jack Harkness. 133 squadron, Royal Air Force. American volunteer." The Captain passed him a small card and Ianto laughed when he saw what was on it.
"Liar. This is psychic paper. It tells me whatever you want it to tell me."
"How do you know?"
"Two things. One, my da uses it all the time, and two, you just handed me a piece of paper that says you're single...oh, and that you work out." Ianto passed the paper back with a knowing grin.
"Tricky thing, psychic paper. Can't let your mind wander when you're handing it over." Captain Jack said, with a cheeky grin, looking down at the paper he'd just been handed. His eyes widened in surprise and a leering smile crossed his face. "For instance, you find me attractive, but don't have the time right now and you don't entirely trust me."
"Actually, I believe my exact words were that I think you are incredibly sexy, and I would love to fuck you senseless if I had the time, even though I don't trust you any further than I could throw you. So, you want to tell me how an American RAF pilot has his own spaceship? Guessing you're not a local boy?" Ianto smirked.
"Hmmmm...liquid crystal watch, fabric that won't be around for another two decades....I'm guessing you're not a local boy either."
"You'd be right." Ianto got up and started exploring the ship. He hissed in pain when he ran a hand across one of the consoles.
"Burn your hands on the rope?" Jack asked. "Can I have a look at your hands for a moment?"
Ianto turned around and held out his hands. As Jack scanned them he said, "You know you can stop acting now, I know exactly who you are. I can spot a Time Agent a mile away."
"A Time Agent?"
"I've been expecting one of you guys to show up, just didn't expect it to be by barrage balloon."
"Always make an entrance, I say." Ianto laughed.
"Hold your hands still." He leant over and flipped a switch, causing several small bright lights to dance across Ianto's hands.
"Nanogenes?" Ianto asked.
"Yep. The air in here is full of them."
"Thanks."
"No problem. Now we can get down to business." Jack walked away, pulling a bottle and two glasses out of a cabinet. "Shall we have a drink on the balcony?" He grinned and pressed a button, lowering a staircase leading to the roof.
Ianto rolled his eyes, "Look, I appreciate the whole seduction scene you've got going on, but I really need to find the rest of my travelling companions. Can we just cut to the chase?"
Jack laughed, "Oh c'mon, I've got champagne, a little Glenn Miller, a little dancing...."
Ianto just looked at him.
"All right. It's 1941, the height of the London Blitz. The height of the German bombing campaign. But something else has fallen on London. A fully-equipped Chula warship. The last one in existence; armed to the teeth. And I know where it is. Because I parked it. If the Agency can name the right price, I can get it for you. But in two hours, a German bomb is going to fall on it and destroy it forever. That's your deadline. That's the deal. Now, shall we discuss payment?"
"My da is really the decision-maker of our outfit; you'll have to talk to him."
"Well, maybe we should go find him."
"Sure. But first, can you do a scan for a mobile phone?"
Chapter 1 - part 2 this way...
***
"Why is your dad at a hospital? Is he a doctor?" Jack asked.Ianto rolled his eyes as Rose stifled a laugh. "No idea. There's probably some mystery here. He never can resist a mystery." Ianto raised his voice, "Da? Hello?"
The Doctor walked through the door at the end of the corridor. "Ianto, Rose? Where have you been? And who's your friend?"
"Hello. Captain Jack Harkness." Jack held out his hand. "Ianto here has been telling me all about you on the way over."
Ianto broke in, "It's ok, Da. I had to tell him about us, that we're Time Agents."
The Doctor caught on and nodded his head. "Oh yeah, right. Nice to meet you."
Jack brushed past and walked through the door the Doctor had just come out of. The Doctor turned to Ianto and Rose, confused.
"Time Agents?" he asked. "Where have you guys been? We're in the middle of a German air raid, it's not safe for a stroll."
"Who's strolling? I went by barrage balloon," Ianto replied. "It's the only way to see an air raid."
"What? Barrage balloon?" the Doctor asked.
"Don't ask, Da." Ianto shook his head at Rose, who was giggling through the whole conversation.
"Doctor? What's a Chula warship?" Rose asked.
"Chula?"
They followed Jack onto the ward, watching him scan the patients in the beds.
"This just isn't possible!" he exclaimed.
The Doctor stood with his arms folded. "What kind of Chula ship landed here?"
"What?" Jack asked.
"He said it was a warship," Ianto answered. "He stole it and parked it out there somewhere. He said a bomb is going to fall on it and destroy it, unless we make him an offer."
"What kind of ship was it?" the Doctor insisted.
"Does it matter? It's got nothing to do with this!" Ianto could see Jack getting defensive.
"Yes, it matters," the Doctor replied. "This started when that ship landed. What kind of Chula ship was it?"
"It's an ambulance, ok? Completely harmless." Jack pressed some buttons on his wrist strap. "Look, this is what you chased through the vortex. It's space junk. I wanted you to think it was valuable. It's empty, I made sure of it. It's nothing but a shell. I threw it at you, at your time ship. Love the retro look by the way, nice panels."
Ianto stifled a chuckle, turning it into a cough when the Doctor looked over at him. He'd been trying to convince his da to fix the chameleon circuit for 50 years.
"You were using it as bait, right?" Ianto asked, having a feeling he knew what Jack had been trying to do.
"Bait?" Rose looked confused.
"Yep. The perfect self-cleaning con," Ianto explained. "Take a piece of worthless junk, sell it to some poor sap and then destroy it before they can take possession and see that it was junk. The
He could feel his father's look of disapproval without even looking over at him. The Doctor wasn't too happy about some of the things in his son's past. Jack, on the other hand, was looking at him with even more interest.
"I thought you said it was a warship?" Rose asked.
Jack rolled his eyes, "They have ambulances in wars. Ianto's right, it's a con. That's what I am, a con man. I thought you all were Time Agents, but you're not are you?"
"Nope, just a group of freelancers," Ianto grinned.
"Oh, I should've known. The way you guys are blending in with the local colour. I mean, the flag twins were bad enough, but U-boat captain? Anyway, whatever's happening here has nothing to do with that ship!"
"What is happening here, Da?" Ianto asked, privately agreeing with Jack about their clothes.
"Human
Rose was leaning over one of the gas-mask people in the beds when they all started to sit up and ask for their mummy. The Doctor, Rose, Ianto and Jack started backing away, but the gas-mask people followed them.
"Don't let them touch you," the Doctor advised.
"What happens if they touch you?" Rose asked.
"You're looking at it," he replied.
The gas-mask people were quickly backing them into a corner when Ianto had an idea. He stepped forward.
"Go to your room," he said. The others looked at him like he'd lost his mind - which was very possible, he thought. "Go to your room! I mean it. I'm very, very angry with you. I'm very cross. Now, go to your room!"
The gas-mask people turned and started shuffling back to their beds.
The Doctor stepped forward and put his hand on Ianto's shoulder. "I'm really glad that worked, Son. Those would've been terrible last words!"
****************************************
As they made their way up to the room Dr. Constantine had told the Doctor about, Ianto and Jack walked a little way behind.
"Sounds like you used to do a few cons, too," Jack started.
"Once upon a time, yeah. Before I started travelling with Da. Nothing on your scale though," Ianto replied. "Using the Blitz was a stroke of genius."
Jack laughed. "The Blitz is good for self-cleaner's. Pompeii‘s nice, if you want to make a vacation out of it. You just have to remember to set your alarm for volcano day."
The Doctor turned around and glared at Jack.
"I'm getting a strong hint of disapproval here," Jack murmured.
Ianto shook his head. "Yeah, well, hate to tell you this, but Da's right. This all has something to do with that space junk of yours. Look's like you forgot to set your alarm, Jack. It's volcano day."
Jack looked at the intriguing man walking next to him and started to feel like maybe it was actually his fault. He was determined to see it through, and help them fix whatever it was that he'd done wrong.
There was something about this group, especially Ianto, that made him want to be a better person.
****************************************
After all the running was over, when the world was safe and
"Fantastic! I need more days like this one, Rose. Everybody lives!" the Doctor exclaimed.
"Da?"
"What is it, Son? Ask me anything! I'm on fire today!"
"Da, what about Jack? He said goodbye. Are we just going to leave him to die? Doesn't he deserve a second chance as well?"
The Doctor looked searchingly at his son, remembering what Ianto had been doing when he'd found him. He looked down at the console in front of him then looked back up, meeting Ianto's green eyes.
****************************************
Ianto stood at the door of the TARDIS, looking past the bomb at Jack. The Doctor and Rose were dancing to Glenn Miller behind him.
"Well, c'mon then, hurry up!" Rose yelled.
Jack looked around in surprise before a grin lit up his face as he ran into the TARDIS.
"Close the door, will you?" the Doctor instructed, "Your ship is about to blow up. There'll be a draft."
Jack looked over at Ianto and asked, "Is he always like this?"
Ianto rolled his eyes. "You have no idea."
"Hmmm...It's much bigger on the inside," Jack mused.
"It'd better be," the Doctor retorted.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I think what the Doctor is trying to say is, you may cut in." Rose gave Jack a teasing look, walking towards the captain. Ianto rolled his eyes again.
"Rose," exclaimed the Doctor, "I've just remembered!"
"What?" Rose asked.
"I can dance! I can dance!"
"Actually, Doctor, I thought Jack might like this dance."
"I'm sure he would, Rose, I'm absolutely positive. But who with?" Rose laughed and ran back to the Doctor, grabbing his hand and dancing into his arms.
Ianto turned to the Captain and grinned. "I seem to recall you offering a dance?"
As Jack took him in his arms, he leant over and whispered in Ianto's ear, "So, about that fucking me senseless idea..."
"Later," Ianto said and winked.
***
Ianto walked down the hallway to Jack's room, slipping quietly inside and shutting the door behind him.
"I was beginning to think you weren't going to show up," Jack commented dryly, his lips quirking in a knowing smirk.
"Would that be why you're lying on the bed completely naked?" Ianto asked with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
"Like what you see?" Jack challenged, nonchalantly stroking his hard cock.
Ianto's eyes wandered over the lean body displayed so wantonly on the bed. "Oh, yeah," he breathed. "Most definitely."
He walked across the room, shedding his clothes as he went, enjoying the way Jack's blue eyes darkened and his breathing quickened.
The Time Lord climbed onto the bed; Jack met him and pulled him into a fierce kiss, holding back just long enough to ask a question, "I'm not going to have to deal with an angry father coming in, am I?"
Ianto chuckled softly. "No, he's just as busy as we are right now. Besides, he knows better than to interfere in my sex life."
Jack's hands were moving frantically over Ianto's body, trying to learn everything all at once. When one hand reached down and began to stroke his growing erection, Ianto stopped him.
"Slow down, Captain," Ianto murmured. "We have all night and I want to spend every last second worshipping this gorgeous body."
In a hundred and thirty-two years, Ianto had learnt a thing or two about giving pleasure to another person. He pushed Jack down onto the bed, straddling the other man's hips to keep him in place.
Jack moaned as Ianto's hands trailed down his chest, nails delicately teasing his nipples into sensitised points of pleasure. When they were hardened to Ianto's satisfaction, he leant forward and swiped his tongue across one and then the other.
Chuckling at the sounds Jack was making, Ianto began exploring Jack's skin with his hands and mouth. The smooth planes and contours of Jack's chest were thoroughly mapped out. Reaching the juncture of shoulder meeting neck, Ianto breathed in Jack's unique scent.
"Gods, your pheromones have been driving me insane all night," Ianto murmured, inhaling deeply once again. "Mmm, fifty-second century?"
"Close," Jack gasped. "Fifty-first. Oh god, yes. Right there."
Ianto smiled and continued his exploration, using his teeth, tongue and lips to reduce the Captain to a quivering mass of pleasure.
"Fuck, Ianto. Where did you learn to do that?" Jack panted.
"You mean this?" Ianto asked, repeating the action.
"Oh, yes," Jack moaned.
"I spent a year in the Lotus Nebula at the Society of Hedonistic Arts & Gratification."
Jack's eyes snapped open. "Really? You went to S.H.A.G.? When?" he asked.
"Let's see, it was before I started travelling with my da," Ianto mused, continuing his assault on Jack's senses. "So, about sixty years ago."
"Sixty..." Jack sat up, pushing Ianto away. His gaze roamed over the body in front of him, taking in the dishevelled blonde hair, sparkling green eyes, smooth skin and toned muscles. He reached out and trailed his fingertips down Ianto's face, caressing the kiss-swollen lips.
"But you don't look....How old are you?" he wondered.
Nipping at the fingers resting against his mouth, Ianto grinned and replied, "One hundred and thirty-two."
"How...But...You...?" Stunned at Ianto's revelation, Jack didn't notice that the other man was easing him back down onto the bed.
"Jack?" Ianto murmured, kissing the side of Jack's mouth.
"Hmm?" Jack gazed into the captivating green eyes above him.
Ianto nuzzled against Jack's ear. "Do you want my life story, or..." Ianto lowered his body to rest fully on top of the captain, rubbing his erection against Jack's, "Do you want my cock?"
Jack gasped, arching against Ianto's body. "Life story can wait. I want your cock. Right. Fucking. Now." He puntuacted each word with a fierce kiss.
Ianto laughed and knelt up between Jack's legs, reaching for the lube on the bedside table. He quickly slicked up his fingers and began preparing Jack. "Demanding. I like that quality in a lover."
"Good," Jack replied, moaning as Ianto's fingers brushed against his prostate. "Because I want to feel you so far up my ass that I can taste you."
"In that case, turn over," Ianto instructed, removing his fingers and slicking up his own cock. "On your hands and knees, Captain."
Jack quickly complied, spreading his legs and presenting himself to the other man.
Ianto ran his hands up Jack's thighs, kneading the finely sculpted buttocks, before guiding his cock into Jack's receptive body. He paused, relishing the hot tightness surrounding him.
Jack pushed back against him in a wordless plea. Ianto settled his hands on the other man's hips. Withdrawing until just the tip of his cock was still inside Jack, he snapped his hips forward, burying himself to the hilt in the welcoming heat.
"God, yes, Ianto," Jack panted. "Feels so good."
Ianto withdrew and thrust back in, sliding his hands up Jack's stomach and chest. Grasping Jack's shoulders, Ianto guided him until Jack's back rested against his chest. Jack was straddling him, impaled on Ianto's cock.
Jack's head fell back onto Ianto's shoulder and Ianto growled low in his ear, "Ride me, Jack. Use the headboard and show me how you want it."
"Fuck, yes!" Jack grabbed the railing in front of him and began fucking himself on Ianto's cock, raising and lowering himself in an erratic rhythm that kept them both on the edge.
Ianto bucked up to meet Jack's downward thrusts. His lips and teeth left a trail of red marks across the Captain's shoulders and neck.
Reaching down, he took Jack's neglected cock in his hand and began to stroke in time to his thrusts into his arse.
"Not going to last, Ianto," Jack exclaimed breathlessly.
Increasing the rhythm of his hand, Ianto encouraged Jack to let go. "Do it, Jack. Come for me. I want to feel your body constrict around my cock."
Jack groaned, working himself faster on Ianto's cock. Sweat trickled down his back, lubricating the friction of his skin against Ianto's.
"Ianto," he gasped. "So close. Fuck. Need to come. Please."
Ianto listened as Jack's words spurred his own pleasure higher. His free hand wrapped around Jack's chest, holding him tight against his chest. He could feel the tremors beginning in Jack's body and bit down at the juncture of Jack's shoulder and neck.
"Oh, yes!" Jack yelled as his orgasm washed over him.
Ianto continued to stroke Jack through his orgasm, prolonging the captain's pleasure. He thrust a few more times before he felt his release shudder through his body.
He sank against Jack's back for a moment, trembling as the aftershocks worked through them both. Encouraging Jack to move forward, Ianto felt his softened cock slip out of his body.
They collapsed back onto the bed, breathing heavily. Jack turned and looked at Ianto with a roguish gleam in his eye, "Now, that's what I call dancing!"
***
"Well, I guess this is goodbye." Jack's voice was light, but his eyes were serious.
"Don't talk like that," Rose exclaimed. "The Doctor and Ianto are going to make it work. You just watch ‘em."
Jack reached out and cupped Rose's face in his hands. "Rose, you are worth fighting for." He leaned forward and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips.
Ianto smirked at the look on Rose's face as Jack turned towards the Doctor. Oh, you have no idea what those lips can do, sweetheart, he thought.
"I wish I'd never met you, Doctor," Jack said, grinning. Ianto rolled his eyes as Jack reached out and took his father's face in his hands. "I was much better off as a coward."
Both Ianto and Rose chuckled as Jack kissed the Doctor. Then the Captain turned to Ianto. Blue eyes stared into green, a conversation without words taking place. They both knew their chances were slim to none in getting out of this alive.
Ianto placed his hand on the back of Jack's neck and pulled him close. Jack's arms circled Ianto's shoulders as their lips met. They kissed passionately in a frantic mating of lips and teeth and tongues. They were lost to the world around them until the Doctor cleared his throat.
Still pressed closely together, Ianto ran his hands down Jack's back and further, caressing the gorgeous arse encased in leather. "I really like these trousers," he teased.
"Better than the coat?" Jack asked, knowing grin fixed firmly on his face.
Ianto winked. "You know I love that coat." He inclined his head closer and whispered, "In fact, I have this fantasy of you wearing nothing but the coat as you fuck me through the mattress."
He felt the fine shudder that passed through Jack's body at the thought and grinned. It was his turn to tremble when he felt Jack's warm breath blow gently across his ear.
"Why don't we make that fantasy a reality after we're done saving the world then?" Jack whispered, running his tongue lightly around the shell of Ianto's ear.
"That sounds like a fantastic idea," Ianto agreed. "It's a date."
The two lovers stepped back from each other. Their lips were smiling, but their eyes revealed the knowledge that one, or both, of them probably wouldn't make that date.
Jack took a deep breath and slapped his hands against his thighs. "Right," he pointed towards the exit, "see you in hell."
Ianto watched him run to the lift, calling after him, "I'll save you a seat!"
Rose put her hand on Ianto's arm. "He's going to be all right," she said. The Doctor and Ianto looked at each other, their faces bleak. Seeing the glance between them, Rose frowned. "Isn't he?"
She didn't like the lack of response she received in return.
*******************
Ianto worked steadily, thoughts focused four hundred and ninety-nine floors below. He imagined that he could hear yelling and gunfire, but knew he wasn't really hearing anything. His father and Rose were talking quietly beside him, but he couldn't concentrate on what they were saying until he heard his father speak his name.
"Ianto, the Delta Wave has started building. How long does it need?" The Doctor ran to the console Ianto was at, Rose close behind him.
Too much time, Da. Ianto sent the thought to his father, not wanting to frighten Rose.
The Doctor read the figures on the screen and closed his eyes in defeat.
"Is that bad?" Rose worriedly asked.
Ianto could only stare hopelessly at the screen as his father bowed his head in sorrow.
"Okay, it's bad," Rose murmured. "How bad is it?"
I promised her mum that I'd keep her safe. His father's voice sounded in Ianto's head. I need to keep that promise. Follow my lead.
"Rose Tyler, you're a genius," the Doctor exclaimed, bounding to his feet and kissing her on the forehead. "Ianto, we can do it if we use the TARDIS to cross our own timeline..."
"Yes!" Ianto ran after his father, Rose following excitedly behind.
The Doctor opened the door of the TARDIS and they all ran inside. Ianto watched as his father started flipping switches and pulling levers on the console.
"Ianto, here. Rose, hold that down and keep position," he instructed.
Ianto took his place, knowing what his father was doing. But what about Jack? he wanted to scream. Why save Rose, but not Jack? He kept his thoughts to himself. He could return for Jack and his father as soon as he dropped Rose off at home.
"What's that do?" Rose asked the Doctor.
"Cancels the buffers," the Doctor replied. "If I'm very clever - and I'm more than clever, I'm brilliant - I might just save the world."
"Or rip it apart," Ianto interjected.
Rose glanced over at him. "I'd go for the first one," she stated.
"Me, too," the Doctor agreed. "Now, I've just got to go and power up the Game Station." He pointed to Ianto. "You know what to do."
Ianto nodded and watched his father hurry back out of the TARDIS. As soon as the door closed behind him, Ianto hit the button that caused the ship to take off.
Over the familiar sound of the TARDIS's engines, he heard his father's voice in his mind, Thank you, Son. Take care of her for me.
I will, Ianto replied.
"Ianto, what are you doing?" Rose yelled. "It's moving. We aren't supposed to be moving."
He ignored her as she ran to the entrance and started banging on the door.
"Ianto, let me out," she cried. "Doctor! What have you done?"
"Rose, listen to me," Ianto said. "Da promised to look after you, and that's what he's doing. There wasn't enough time for the Delta Wave to finish building before the Daleks got there. He asked me to take you home."
"I won't let you," she argued.
"You don't have a choice, Rose," Ianto insisted, taking her in his arms.
"No!" Rose struggled to get free, beating on his chest with her fists. "Don't do this to me. Take me back!"
Ianto remained firm, holding her until her struggles ceased. His shoulder was wet from her tears. He could understand her pain. Even though he had every intention of going right back, he'd still abandoned his lover to a war against the most ruthless enemy in the universe.
Rose lifted her head from his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Ianto," she mumbled, subdued. "I just..."
"I know, it's okay," he soothed. Ianto watched as Rose straightened up and wiped her eyes.
"Right, then. How about some tea?" she asked. "Mum always says a good cuppa is the solution for everything."
Ianto shook his head, smiling slightly at how very British that sounded. Still, it would give Rose something to occupy her attention until they landed.
"That sounds good, Rose," he said. "Thank you."
Rose left the room. Ianto slumped back onto the seat and covered his face with his hands.
His thoughts flew back to the Game Station and the battle taking place there. Was Jack still alive? Did he know that Ianto had left? Would Jack understand why he left and that he was coming back? He thought the answer to the last question would be ‘yes'.
For all his devil-may-care, con-man ways, Jack had a streak of nobility in him a mile wide. Ianto thought about the few details the captain had let slip about his family. Yes, Jack Harkness knew the importance of responsibility and protecting those entrusted to your care.
Ianto felt a comforting touch on his mind and reached out to caress the console in front of him.
"Thank you, beautiful," he whispered to the ship. She always seemed to know when he needed encouragement or reassurance. "You're worried about them too, aren't you?"
The presence in his mind faded, leaving a lingering feeling of regret. Distracted by why the TARDIS would be apologising to him, Ianto didn't notice that Rose had returned until she pressed a cup of tea into his hands.
"Are you okay, Ianto?" Rose asked.
"Hmmm...just, thinking," Ianto replied. He took a sip of his tea and grimaced at the bitter taste. She'd let it steep too long again. Not wanting to hurt her feelings, he gulped the remainder, hoping that drinking it quickly would minimise actually tasting it.
"We should almost be there," Ianto said. He set the teacup aside, missing the close attention Rose was paying to him. He stood up to check the display and swayed dizzily.
Passing a hand over his eyes, Ianto tried to focus on the girl in front of him. "Rose, what...?"
Before everything went dark, he thought he heard Rose say, "I'm sorry, Ianto. But I have to find a way back to the Doctor and I won't let you stop me."
**********************
Ianto woke in an unfamiliar bed and groaned. His head was pounding, his mouth was dry, his muscles ached and he felt as weak as a newborn kitten. He looked around vaguely, something niggling at the back of his mind.
"Jack, where the hell are we?" he asked, groggily reaching out to the other side of the bed. Finding it empty, he sat up and tried to focus on something, anything, that might tell him where he was.
His gaze came to rest on a picture frame. Looking closer, he realised that the people in the photo were Rose and her mother, Jackie.
"Oh, fuck." Ianto slumped back onto the bed. "Rose, what the hell did you do?"
He slowly got up and made his way out of the bedroom. Wandering through the flat, looking for his father's headstrong Companion, Ianto was struck by the silence permeating the rooms. Having spent the last few months with Rose, and meeting her mother on several occasions, he knew he was alone. There was no way either of them could be this quiet.
Opening the front door, he looked around for any indication where the pair could be. A familiar grinding sound caught his attention and he took off at a run.
Ianto arrived on the corner just in time to see the TARDIS dematerialise in front of him.
"Shit!" he exclaimed, pressing his hand to the stitch in his side.
His voice caused the two people standing next to a bright yellow tow-truck to turn around and stare at him.
"Mickey, you idiot," Ianto berated the young man. "What the hell were you thinking just letting her go off on her own like that? And how the buggering fuck did she get the TARDIS to take off?"
"Ianto Jones, you should be ashamed of yourself. Talking like that in front of a lady," Jackie admonished.
Ianto rolled his eyes at her comment and continued to glare at Mickey.
"Look, mate, she was determined to get back to the Doc," Mickey explained sheepishly. "You know what she's like on a tear; there's no stopping her. What are you yellin' at me for anyway? Fat lot of good you did to stop her."
"She drugged me," Ianto growled. "If I'd known what she was going to do, I would've bloody handcuffed her to a fucking wall."
"Oi! There's no need to be threatening about it," Jackie jumped in. "My Rose was just doing what she felt was right. She'll be fine once she gets back to the Doctor; he promised he wouldn't let anything happen to her."
"Which is why he had me bring her home, Jackie," Ianto enlightened her. "Da is facing the worst enemy in the universe and needed me to go back to help him, not some wet behind the ears, stubborn blonde. Now please explain what the tow truck was for and how she got the TARDIS to leave without me!"
"We used the tow truck to open the heart of the TARDIS so Rose could communicate with it and let it know what she wanted," Mickey explained.
"And you didn't think that might be more than a little dangerous for her?" Ianto demanded. He shook his head in frustration. Of all the stupid, idiotic, reckless... Da, Rose is on her way back to you. She opened the heart of the TARDIS and stole the ship.
He didn't get an answer and when he tried to reach out to his father, he could feel the TARDIS blocking him. She felt faintly apologetic, but he couldn't get a good read; another awareness was interfering with the connection.
A wave of dizzyness threatened to overwhelm him and Ianto abruptly sat down on the pavement and buried his face in his hands.
"Ianto, are you all right?" Jackie's voice filtered through the confusion in his mind. Her hand rested softly on his shoulder.
"No, Jackie, I'm not okay," Ianto mumbled. "Your daughter drugged me with god knows what and then abandoned me on this backward little planet when I should be helping my lover and my father fight. I have a raging headache and the TARDIS is blocking me from communicating with my father. I'd say that constitutes as pretty not all right."
"C'mon, love. Come back to the flat and I'll get you something for the headache. You can have a nice rest until your dad and Rose get here. They'll be back in no time."
Ianto resigned himself to the fact that he was stuck until the TARDIS brought Jack, his father and Rose back to him. Letting Jackie and Mickey help him up and lead him back to the Estates, he found himself hoping they'd be back soon...if they came back at all.
***
Ianto knew his father couldn't see her like this. It would be better to let him think she was dead, rather than see the suffering in her beautiful brown eyes.
Da, I found her. I'm sorry, Da, so very sorry, but she's gone. Ianto's eyes were full of tears.
What? Gone? Where are you? I'm on my way, came the panicked reply.
No, Da! You don't want to see her like this. They tried to convert her. Just, please, Da, just go. I'll take care of her and stay here on Earth until you're ready to come back. Remember her like she was, Da.
He could feel his father's pain and wished there was something he could do to ease it. Maybe...the conversion wasn't complete. Maybe he could find a way. He heard the faint sound of the TARDIS leaving and took a deep breath. Good. Now to come up with a plan and get Rose out of here.
Ianto was hurting, too. The past year had changed so many things for him. 133 years old, and he felt like he'd finally grown up.
After the events on the Game Station - Rose drugging him and leaving him behind; finding out that Jack had stayed to help rebuild Earth; getting used to his father's new regeneration - it hadn't been easy.
He'd seen how close his dad and Rose had gotten and he'd found himself falling a little for her, too. He didn't love her like the Doctor did, but she'd become his closest friend. Now he would do anything he could to save her, even consorting with the enemy. He knew there were other Torchwood locations in the UK; one in Scotland and one in Cardiff. If anyone on Earth would have the technology to save Rose, it would be Torchwood.
****************************************
A week later, he'd managed to get Rose to a small warehouse on the outskirts of Cardiff and get himself set up with a flat and an identity. He'd grown up in Wales with his mother, which was why he'd decided on the Cardiff branch of Torchwood. At least he'd be somewhat familiar with the country.
His mother had left him a substantial legacy which had been gathering interest in a Swiss bank account for the last century. He'd even added to it once in a while with the money he made as a con man, so money wasn't a problem.
Figuring out how to get into Torchwood was. He hadn't been able to hack into their systems yet, but he'd seen the SUV they drove and a few of the team members going in and out of a dingy tourist office just off the Roald Dahl Plass. He hadn't seen the elusive leader of Torchwood Three yet, though. That was who he needed to contact.
He'd managed to put a small tracking system on the SUV and late one night saw that it was heading towards Bute Park. Deciding to follow, Ianto reached the area to see an alien attacking a man in a long coat. It was too dark to see who the man was, however, and the alien had him pinned to the ground.
Grabbing a stick, Ianto hit the thing on the back and when it looked up, he hit it in the face. It left the man on the ground and came after Ianto. Struggling to keep it off of him, he was surprised when the other man tackled the alien to the ground and gave it a sedative.
His surprise turned to shock as the man turned around and he looked into the bluest blue eyes he'd never thought he'd see again.
"Jack?!"
Jack's face showed that he was just as shocked as Ianto was, but the shock quickly turned to anger. He lunged towards Ianto and threw a punch that nearly knocked him off his feet.
"Jack, what the bloody hell did you do that for?" Ianto exclaimed, rubbing his jaw.
"You left me. You all fucking left me there!" Jack growled.
"No, Jack, I didn't...I wasn't there...Da sent me back with Rose...He said..."
Ianto was feeling a little dizzy, not sure if it was from shock, Jack's blow or something else. He saw blood on Jack's collar and reached out, "Jack, you're bleed..." Jack moved back from his outstretched hand, "Well, you were bleeding." Something was making him slightly nauseous, but he didn't know what it was. It was something about Jack, he felt...wrong.
"I've had worse from shaving. Now get the hell away from me." Jack stooped to pick up the drugged alien and strode off into the night, his overcoat billowing behind him. Shit, that was going to complicate things.
Ianto couldn't resist calling after him, "I always did like that coat!"
****************************************
He'd spent the rest of the night working out a plan to get Jack to hire him; he just hoped he'd be able to convince him. Knowing how much his former lover enjoyed his coffee, he'd decided to show up outside the tourist office with a cup of his finest.
He didn't have to wait long. Jack came out of the door and Ianto was in front of him, holding out the cup of coffee before the man could take more than a couple of steps. Jack shook his head in exasperation, but accepted the coffee.
"What are you doing here, Ianto?"
"I want to work for you."
"The Doctor's son wants to work for Torchwood? Why do I find that so unbelievable?" Jack scoffed.
"I was at Canary Wharf, Jack. I saw what happened..." Ianto debated on telling Jack the rest. He shook his head, trying to clear the vertigo he was feeling.
"Canary Wharf... I saw the lists of the dead... It said Rose Tyler." The flash of pain on Jack's face was intense, but gone quickly. Ianto took a deep breath and decided to tell Jack the truth; maybe if he was honest they could find a way to help her together.
"She's not dead, Jack."
"What? What do you mean she's not dead?" Jack pushed him up against the wall, the coffee cup falling unheeded and shattering on the ground at their feet.
"They tried to convert her, Jack, but they didn't finish the job. There's got to be a way to save her. Can you help me find it?" Ianto pleaded.
"Take me to her."
A short while later they were at the warehouse. Jack's face was anguished as he looked at what had been done to her.
"Where the fuck was the Doctor when this was happening?" His bitterness surprised Ianto. "Did he just leave her to this fate? Abandon her like he did me?"
"He doesn't know, Jack. I was the one who found her after...after it was all over. I told him she was dead. I didn't want him to see her like this." Ianto's voice was low, trying not wake the sleeping form in front of them. "I told him to leave, to take some time to grieve. Then I brought her here, hoping I could find a way into Torchwood and see if they - if you - had anything that could help her. Why are you here, anyway?"
Jack laughed mirthlessly, bitterness still coating every word, "I'm here because I'm a fool. How much do you know about what happened on the Game Station?"
"Not much. Da sent me away with Rose. She begged me to take her back, and when I wouldn't, she drugged me and made it back on her own. Da won't talk about it and Rose doesn't remember it. All I know is that when they got back, Da had regenerated and there was that whole crisis with the Sycorax on Christmas Day. When I finally asked him where you were, he just said that you'd stayed behind to help rebuild Earth. What happened, Jack?"
"I died. I was facing a hallway full of Daleks and I ran out of ammunition. I knew I there was nothing I could do, and I was willing to die for all of you. The Daleks killed me and the next thing I knew I'm alive again, piles of dust everywhere. I heard the TARDIS and ran, but I was too late; it was already gone."
"I still had my vortex manipulator, though. I figured I'd come back here and catch up with you guys somehow. I miscalculated and ended up in 1869. This thing burned out," Jack tapped his wrist strap, "and I was stuck."
"1869?! But, Jack, how are you still here?"
"I don't know! I was hoping you could tell me. Whatever happened to me on the Game Station changed me. I can't die, Ianto." Jack's voice sounded tired.
"What do you mean, you can't die?"
"Just what it sounds like. I've been shot, fallen off a cliff, trampled by horses, World War One, World War Two, poison, starvation, even a stray javelin once... and I just keep coming back to life every time." The frustration was evident in Jack's voice.
"You mean you've been stuck here? Since 1869?! And you have no idea why? No wonder you're angry. That could also explain what I've been feeling when I'm around you," he mused.
Jack looked at him quizzically. "What feeling?"
"Like vertigo. Last night I just thought it was because you hit me, but it happened earlier too. The fact that you can't die would explain it though. The earth is hurtling around the sun at sixty seven thousand miles an hour. And I can feel it. But when I look at you, it's like you're not moving. A fixed point in space and time. And it makes me dizzy."
Ianto paused. "You're looking pretty good though, for a...hey, how old are you now?" In spite of the seriousness of the situation, Ianto just couldn't resist flirting. He was relieved with Jack's answering grin.
"Yeah, not bad for a man that's 163 years old, huh? Ha! I just realised, that makes me the older man finally!"
Ianto rolled his eyes and then started to laugh. "I've really missed you, Jack!"
"I've missed you too, Ianto." Their eyes met and the laughter died away, replaced with the awareness that had always flared between them.
Ianto reached out a hesitant hand and touched Jack's face. The Captain's eyes closed as he leant forward and captured Ianto's lips with his own. Both men sighed as they rediscovered each other's taste. For one it had only been a year; for the other, over 137. Regardless of the time, it still felt like coming home.
A soft voice broke them apart, "Ianto?"
He spun around and took her hand in his. "I'm here, Rose. I'm right here."
"Where are we?"
"We're in Cardiff, sweetheart. I've brought someone to see you." His voice was soft.
"Doctor?"
"Sorry, gorgeous, it's just me." Jack had moved to her other side and took her hand in his.
"Jack? It's good to see you, I've missed you." Her breath caught in her throat, "It hurts."
"I know it does, sweetheart, but we're going to get you all fixed up," Ianto promised, looking at Jack with a question in his eyes.
Jack nodded and added his assurances, "You bet we are. We'll have you up and about in no time and then, off we'll go..."
"..into time and space!" All three finished together, laughing. The effort tired Rose out and she dropped back to sleep. The men stepped back to discuss their plans.
"We can move her into the basement of the Hub tonight after everyone's gone home. I'll make sure the internal CCTV cameras are turned off. You can start work tomorrow as general office support and archivist. That will give you an excuse to be down in the basements looking through the archives to find anything that can help her."
"Thank you, Jack."
"I love her, too, you know. It's your father I'm angry at, not either of you." Jack paused. "So, do you have a place to stay?" he asked casually.
Ianto glanced at him with laughter in his eyes. "Yes, I rented a flat a couple of days ago. I'd like to be able to be closer to her though, if you have any suggestions."
Jack winked. "I think something can be arranged."
****************************************
Jack returned to the Hub and went up to his office. Sitting down, he rubbed his hands over his face and thought about what he'd just agreed to.
He'd just hired the Doctor's son to do the filing, make the coffee and clean up after everyone. Not only that, but he'd agreed to install a partially converted cyberman - woman? - and a conversion unit in the lower levels of Torchwood. They were supposed to be protecting the Earth from the aliens, not harboring the threats in the basement. Still, it was Rose; he had to try.
Swiveling his chair around, he looked down at the Hub. It was a mess. They really did need someone to help them out around here, but Ianto? Jack shook his head.
He couldn't imagine the Ianto he knew cleaning up after them. He remembered what Ianto's room on the TARDIS looked like. It had looked similar to the way the Hub did at that moment.
He smiled. At least the man knew how to make coffee. Ianto's coffee was why Jack was so addicted to the drink, and he hadn't been able to find anything that compared to it in the last 137 years.
Ianto's knowledge would be a huge help in cataloguing the archives. There was stuff down there that even Jack wasn't sure what it was. Jack's smile turned into a full-fledged grin; there were other benefits too.
Jack snapped back from his memories when Toshiko looked up from the computer program she was working on and waved at him. He realised he was going to have to tell the rest of the team something before Ianto showed up to work tomorrow morning. He'd have to come up with a cover story and tell Ianto about it this evening.
Deciding to tell the team that Ianto was a survivor of Canary Wharf, he hoped that would stall any awkward questions into his background. The team knew how horrific the events in London had been, they'd gone up there right after it had happened and sorted through the rubble for anything or anyone they could save. There hadn't been much.
He walked out of his office and called down to Suzie, "Hey, Suzie? Grab Owen and Tosh and come up to the conference room. I have a few things I want to go over with you guys."
"Be right there, Jack," she called back.
Jack watched as the team entered the conference room and sat down. Knowing this wasn't going to be an easy meeting, he remained standing. Placing his hands on the table, he leant forward and began to speak.
"Right. I just wanted to let you all know that I hired someone to the archiving and general admin. His name is Ianto Jones, he was a junior researcher for Torchwood One, and he starts tomorrow morning."
"Jack, why...?"
"Torchwood One! What...?"
"You're shagging him, aren't you?"
Jack sighed in exasperation. Yep, it was definitely going to be a long meeting.
**************************
After the meeting was over, Owen stopped him on the way back to his office. "Since his records were destroyed in London, I'll need to do a medical exam on the new guy tomorrow."
Nodding, Jack walked back to his office. Shit. He'd forgotten about the medical exam. How were they going to get past that? He remembered the number of nights he'd fallen asleep with his head on Ianto's chest, lulled by the sound of two heartbeats. There was no way Owen would miss that in an exam. Item number one hundred and two on the list of things to discuss with Ianto this evening.
****************************************
They'd done it, Ianto thought, looking at Rose's new "home". He shivered a little at the sight of the conversion unit sitting there, gleaming silver in the darkened room. So many lives lost to...no, he wouldn't think about it. This was Rose and he was going to help her. He turned when Jack came back into the room.
"Thank you for giving her the sedative, Jack. This time was easier. She was in so much pain on the way here from London," his voice broke a little before he managed to steady it.
"We need to talk about a few things before tomorrow morning, Ianto." Jack laid a reassuring hand on Ianto's arm, comforting him silently. "I told the team today that I'd hired someone and thought we should go over the cover story."
"Ok. Do you have anything to eat in this place? I'm starving." Ianto made a conscious effort to push away the worries that had been nagging him all day, grateful for Jack's silent support.
"Yeah, I just had some pizza delivered. It's from a place called Jubilee Pizza. Best in the galaxy and it's right here in Cardiff, go figure. Come on, let's go up to my office."
Settling in the chairs on either side of Jack's desk, the men dug into the pizza, not bothering with plates or napkins.
Ianto closed his eyes in ecstasy. "Oh, fuck, that's good."
"Told you so," Jack mumbled. He was having a difficult time swallowing as he'd gotten a flash of another time that Ianto had said those words with that exact look on his face.
Jack rolled his eyes, nice to know he ranked right up there with pizza in Ianto's world. It was amazing how being in this man's presence made him feel like he was just 26 again.
"So, what did you tell them?" Ianto asked, oblivious to the thoughts going through Jack's mind.
"That you were a junior researcher at Torchwood London. Should keep them from asking too many questions about you and you're familiar with the London facility so it should work out okay. One problem that came up though; our medical officer is going to want to give you a physical. Is there any way to mask your heartbeats?"
"Yeah, I can use a low-level perception field that will give me the characteristics of only one heart. What about us? Are we supposed to have met in any way before you hiring me?"
"Nope. If they know we've met before they might think I was hiring a former shag or something." Jack sent a mischievous grin across the desk.
Ianto rolled his eyes and laughed. "Knowing you, they'll probably think that anyway! Ok, so we're complete strangers. I can do that. It's not like I know what you've been up to for the past hundred years or so. Do they know about the not-dying thing?"
Jack snorted. "Hell no! It tends to freak people out, so I don't go around advertising the fact that I can't die. Speaking of which, how are you doing with that whole vertigo thing?"
"I think I'm getting used to it the longer I'm around you. At least now I don't get nauseous looking at you." Ianto grinned, knowing how Jack would take that statement. He wasn't disappointed.
"You mean to tell me that you got physically sick to your stomach looking at me? Ouch! Way to deflate a guy's ego," Jack pouted.
"You know, that pout would be a lot more effective if you didn't have pizza sauce on your face." Ianto reached across the desk and wiped the speck of sauce away with his finger, before putting the finger in his mouth and sucking on it. His green eyes sparkled wickedly at the way Jack's eyes darkened and focused intently on his mouth, breathing shallow and rapid. Ianto stood up and put on his jacket.
"Good night, Jack. Thanks for dinner, but I'd better get home and prepare for my first day at work. I've heard my new boss can be a real hard task-master and I'm going to need all my energy to satisfy him."
He walked out of the door, smirking at the sound of Jack's strangled groan and the faint thud of his head hitting the desk. He knew Jack would pay him back for that little stunt, but he also knew he'd enjoy the payback so it didn't bother him too much.
In spite of his worry and desperation concerning Rose, he had the feeling that working for Torchwood was going to be very entertaining.
He glanced back one more time before he left to see Jack, eyes closed, leaning back in his chair with his head against the glass wall in his office, stroking himself slowly.
Oh yeah...very entertaining.
***
Ianto straightened his tie and looked in the mirror. How his father managed to wear one every day, he had no idea. Still, it was how everyone had dressed at Torchwood-London, so he was going to have to get used to it. Rose should like it; she'd been trying to get him to wear a suit for the last several months. It was a good thing that he'd gotten a variety of clothing when he went shopping the other day.
As he left the flat for his first day at his new job, he wondered what Jack's reaction was going to be to the three-piece suit and tie.
"Are you Jones?" a voice called as he approached the tourist office.
Ianto looked around, finally spotting the man who'd spoken. He was shorter than Ianto, with dark hair, wearing jeans, a t-shirt and a leather jacket.
Ianto raised an eyebrow at the aggression in the other man's voice. "Yes, I'm Ianto Jones. And you are?"
"Figures, you look like one of those stiffs from London," the other man muttered. "I'm Dr. Owen Harper. Jack's been called away and he asked me to show you around."
Ianto nodded and followed the other man into the small tourist office.
Jack had already showed him the layout the previous night, but Ianto made a show of looking around like it was the first time he was seeing everything.
Owen went behind the counter and pressed a hidden button, which opened a door that would let them into the Hub.
"Well, c'mon then. Jack said you'll be doing general office stuff, archiving and taking care of the tourist information centre. I'll need to do a complete physical for our records, so why don't we get that out of the way first. By the time we're done with that, the rest of the team should be back and Jack can finish giving you the bloody tour himself." Owen's gruff voice still had that hostile edge to it and Ianto wondered what the man's problem was.
When they got to the medical bay, Owen brusquely told Ianto to strip down to his underwear and get up on the table. Sparing a brief thanks to any passing deities for the fact that he'd worn sensible boxers today instead of what he usually preferred, Ianto did as he was told.
The next several minutes were filled with blood pressure cuffs, thermometers, stethoscopes and answering medical history questions.
"Did you have anything to eat or drink this morning?" Owen asked.
Ianto shook his head. "Good, that means we can do the blood work."
"I fucking hate needles," Ianto grumbled, silently cursing that he hadn't anticipated blood work. His statement elicited a surprised laugh from the doctor. Owen took the blood he needed and labelled the vials with Ianto's information.
"I could really use a drink," Ianto muttered. He eyed the tray where the vials of blood were lying. If he could distract the doctor enough, he could destroy them before Harper had a chance to test them.
Owen looked at the man sitting on the table, putting pressure on the spot where he'd taken blood and laughed again.
"It's 9:30 in the morning, isn't that a little early to start drinking?" he asked.
"Probably," Ianto replied. "Guess it will have to wait until after work. Hey, can you recommend any good pubs around here?"
"Why ask me? I thought you were from this area." Owen's voice had that hostile edge again.
"Just because I grew up in Wales doesn't mean I'm familiar with Cardiff," Ianto retorted, again wondering what the doctor's problem was.
"Whatever. We're done, you can get dressed again."
Ianto had had enough. He started jerking on his clothes, "What the hell is your problem anyway? Are you this much of a prick all the time or is it just me?"
Startled, Owen angrily replied, "You want to know what my problem is? We don't need some bloody Torchwood London git swanning around here in a suit, sticking his nose where it doesn't belong."
"Don't you dare lump me in with those stupid fucks in London," Ianto growled. "I may have been there, but that doesn't mean I agreed with what they were doing." He paused and leant against the tray of instruments, catching his breath. "Believe me, if there was anything I could've done to stop what those idiots were doing, I would've done it."
Owen watched Ianto silently for a few moments, measuring his sincerity. Deciding the man was telling the truth, he gave a sharp nod and said, "Salutations."
"What?" Ianto's voice betrayed his confusion. He pushed off the small table and turned around, smiling internally at the crashing sound of the tray with his blood vials falling to the floor.
"You asked for a pub recommendation. I'm answering you. Salutations. It's just down the street." Owen looked toward the shattered vials on the floor. "I'm just going to have to take more blood, you know, mate."
Ianto shook his head in bewilderment at the volatile man standing in front of him. It was almost like dealing with his dad's sudden changes in mood. Maybe the attitude came with the title of ‘doctor'. At least he was used to it, Ianto thought as he thanked Harper for the information.
"Not right now you're not. I'm done with being a pin-cushion for the day. Since it's too early for alcohol, what about some coffee?" Ianto asked.
Owen grunted, barely looking up from picking up his scattered instruments, as he waved towards the main part of the Hub. "Coffee machine is up there. You'll have to make it yourself. Make me a cup while you're at it, you owe me for making a mess out of my lab."
Rolling his eyes, Ianto shrugged into his jacket and made his way up to the small alcove where the coffee machine sat. Rummaging through the cupboards, he found some coffee beans and started to prepare himself a cup of the heavenly brew.
Taking a sip, he closed his eyes in appreciation. Ianto leant against the counter and looked around the Hub. They certainly needed someone to clean up after them. He sighed. He hated to clean. But if it helped Rose, he'd do it and do it well.
Running his fingers through his disheveled blonde hair, he finished his cup of coffee and delivered a mug to the doctor. He decided to find a black bag to start cleaning. He really wanted to go downstairs and check on Rose, but knew he'd need to wait until Jack returned and gave him the rest of the ‘tour'.
By the time the alarms went off, signalling the return of the rest of the team, Ianto had filled three bin bags with various detritus that had accumulated around the work areas.
Looking up, he watched as a tall, dark-haired woman and a shorter Asian lady entered the Hub, but no Jack.
"Oi? Where's Harkness?" Owen had appeared at the top of the autopsy bay stairs.
"Called in for a consult with UNIT," the tall woman replied. She turned towards Ianto. "Ianto Jones? I'm Suzie Costello, second in command of Torchwood three. You've already met Owen. And this is Toshiko Sato, resident tech guru and computer whiz."
Toshiko gave him a shy smile and shook his hand before hurrying over to her station to check on a program she'd left running.
Suzie continued talking to Ianto. "Jack said to get you set up on the computers and comms systems. Tosh, could you make that a priority? Then I'll show you to the archives. Jack may need some information for UNIT and he wanted you to be available down there in case he needs anything."
********
It was late afternoon and the archives were quiet, until Ianto sneezed.
"Bless you," Jack's voice sounded in his ear.
"Shit, Jack," he exclaimed, starting in surprise. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack here?"
Jack's chuckle sounded warm and intimate, "You've got two."
"Bastard," Ianto mumbled, amusement lacing his tone. "You know, these archives are really quite a disgrace. The dust is so thick in here a good breeze would stir up a sand-storm worthy of Sintara Eight."
"Never been there. What's it like?" Jack asked.
"Think Tatooine with 50-mph winds," was the sarcastic reply.
Jack laughed outright at the reference to their favorite series of classic movies. They'd discovered the shared love of Star Wars during a particularly boring stop at a garden planet the Doctor had wanted to show Rose. It was uninhabited and after you'd seen 30 different species of orchid, you really had no desire to see any more.
They'd even used their shared passion to develope a private code between them as a way to recognise each other. A line from one of the movies included in a message to the other person would let them know who the message was from without using names.
"Have you found anything that might help Rose yet?" Jack asked seriously.
"Not really," Ianto replied, discouraged. "There's been a couple of references to the Cybermen and one particularly delusional file about the Terminators being a race from the future and that James Cameron had come back in time to warn humans about them."
"That was Jasper," Jack declared affectionately. "He worked for Torchwood in the late 80's. Paranoid as hell, but he was a good doctor. Saw conspiracies everywhere."
Ianto could hear the sadness underlying Jack's voice at the remembrance of an old friend.
"What happened to him?" Ianto asked softly.
Jack's sigh carried over the comm unit. "Like I said, he was really paranoid and working for Torchwood didn't help. It finally got to him and he went insane. Ended up in a psychiatric hospital where he hung himself."
The sorrow in Jack's voice had grown more pronounced. Ianto ached at the thought of how many people, friends and lovers, which Jack had likely lost over the years he'd been stranded on Earth. Stranded because Ianto's father had abandoned him. Anger ignited in his belly, directed solely toward his absent parent.
"I'm sorry, Jack," Ianto said softly, none of the anger he was feeling reflecting in his voice.
"It's just part of life, eventually everyone dies," Jack replied, not realising how lonely he sounded. "It looks like I'm going to be pretty late getting back; you should go home and get some rest. We'll both do more research tomorrow."
"Yep, I'm just going to spend some time with Rose first."
*****
Rose had been sleeping when Ianto went to see her. After checking all the monitors to make sure the machines that kept her alive were working properly, he left the Hub and made his way back to his flat.
Feeling a bit bored, he started sorting through some of the tech he'd grabbed from Torchwood London. Holding up what looked like a PDA, Ianto pressed a button and was startled to see a map of Cardiff come up with small red dots scattered across the screen. There was a line moving along the bottom of the screen, like a graph to chart seismic activity.
When a sudden spike along the line disrupted the screen for a moment and then disappeared to show a large red area over the industrial district, Ianto realised what he was holding. A Rift activity locator. Wondering if anyone from Torchwood had noticed the activity, he briefly thought about calling them before deciding to check it out himself.
Slipping his suit jacket back on, he grabbed his keys and wallet before striding out the door.
*****
"Toshiko, see if you can decode those hieroglyphics," Jack ordered over his comm system. He was driving back from the meeting with UNIT and wishing for a cup of Ianto's delicious coffee.
"Already on it, Jack," Toshiko replied.
"Owen, take a cross-section of the paramedic's brain and check it against the list of chemical agents."
"Will do."
"Suzie, we're going to have to dredge the reservoir. See if you can find the other half…" Jack slammed on his brakes as a figure stepped out in front of the SUV.
Recognising the foolhardy person in front of him, Jack got out of the car and slammed the door.
"What are you trying to do? Use up one of your regenerations?" Jack asked angrily.
"No, listen to me," Ianto tried to calm Jack down.
Jack refused to be calmed down. "I don't have time for this. Look, I'm already harbouring a potentially dangerous secret in the basement of the Hub. If you want to flirt with death, call your dad and tell him what's really happened to Rose. I'm sure he'd regenerate you himself."
"No, but the thing is," Ianto paused as he processed what Jack had just said. "Are you worried that Rose can't be cured?"
"Ianto, I've seen what the Cybermen can do and they are dangerous. I'd be an idiot not to worry that there's nothing we can do to help Rose." Jack's momentary anger had dissipated, leaving him tired and discouraged.
Ianto reached out and put his hand on Jack's shoulder. "It will be okay, Jack. Rose is strong and she'll be able to fight this. She's taken on Slitheen, Daleks and my father in all kinds of moods. She'll beat this too."
Jack smiled at Ianto's certainty and hoped he was right about Rose. Turning to get back in the SUV, he asked, "Do you need a ride home?"
"So, you're not going to help me catch this pterodactyl then?" Ianto asked.
Jack turned back towards Ianto. "What pterodactyl?"
*****
Ianto watched as Jack put together a large syringe filled with sedative.
"Ok, that is the only special equipment you've got?" he teased.
"Yeah, ‘cause I keep dinosaur nets in the back of the SUV," Jack replied.
"Too bad we don't have access to the TARDIS. I think Da has one lying around somewhere."
Jack rolled his eyes and made his way to the warehouse door, Ianto following behind him. As they opened it and stepped inside, the winged animal squawked and headed straight for them.
"Nope," Ianto yelled as they both ran back out the door and slammed it behind them.
"How'd you find it, anyway?" Jack asked.
"Rift activity locator," Ianto replied, distracted.
"Torchwood London?"
"Yep. I grabbed a bunch of tech while I was getting Rose out of there. Hoped it would help."
"Seems like our target is quite excitable." Jack grinned at the man standing next to him.
"Must be those 51st century pheromones of yours," Ianto teased.
"Ready for another go?" Jack asked.
Ianto nodded. "I'm game if you are."
Bracing themselves, Jack counted down from three and Ianto opened the door. They rushed through, splitting up to confuse the animal inside.
The pterodactyl landed in front of the door, blocking any escape route. Jack and Ianto met up in the middle of the large, open room, watching the prehistoric visitor closely.
Jack chuckled, his eyes shining in excitement. "Oh, you beauty. We're not going to harm you. You can't stay here, though." He patted his chest. "Come back with us. We have somewhere nice and big where you can fly around."
They walked slowly towards the pterodactyl until Ianto grabbed Jack's arm and stopped him.
"Excuse me, what exactly is your plan?" he demanded.
Jack pulled away and whispered, "I'm going to be the decoy…"
"And it will rip you to shreds. Not a pleasant way to die, even if you will come back!"
Jack scoffed, "Dinosaurs? Had ‘em for breakfast. You remember, it was the only source of pre-killed food after that asteroid crashed." He handed the syringe to Ianto.
Ianto rolled his eyes and handed it back. "No. It knows me, I'll be the better decoy."
"It'll be too dangerous," Jack hissed.
"No, I've got a secret weapon." Ianto pulled a chocolate bar out of his pocket. "Chocolate, remember? Preferably dark."
"Why do you have a chocolate bar with you?" Jack called as Ianto started to walk off.
Ianto ignored the question and started whistling to the pterodactyl like he would a dog. Jack shrugged and started to sneak around behind the animal.
"Your favourite, yeah?" Ianto spoke softly, trying not to startle the predator as he stepped closer. He tossed the chocolate bar in front of the animal. "It's, uh, good for your serotonin levels…if you've got serotonin levels."
The pterodactyl looked from him to the chocolate in front of it before leaning its head down to peck at the chocolate. Jack made a small movement and the animal dropped the chocolate bar and turned towards him.
Squawking loudly, it took off, grabbing Jack in its talons as it flew away. Ianto watched in disbelief as the beast flew around the building, Jack dangling beneath.
Jack reached for the syringe and quickly injected the sedative into the dinosaur's leg. The sedative rapidly took effect and the pterodactyl relaxed its hold on him.
Ianto positioned himself under Jack's falling body and attempted to catch the other man. Jack's weight pushed him down to the ground and they both groaned at the impact.
Looking up, Ianto saw the animal dropping out of the air and heading straight towards where they were lying on the concrete.
"Watch out," he called, rolling Jack over and out of the way.
When they came to a stop, they were laughing breathlessly, Ianto on top of Jack, the sleeping pterodactyl on the concrete next to them.
Ianto's green eyes met Jack's blue ones and just like that the laughter was gone. It was replaced with a sizzling awareness.
Every inch of his body was pressed against Jack. Ianto could feel the other man's hot breath on his lips. Their noses rubbed lightly together. He let his body relax further into Jack as Jack's hands moved from his shoulders down his back.
Jack tilted his head, never breaking eye contact with Ianto. His eyes fluttered shut when Ianto's lips closed gently over his own. Lips parted and tongues stroked against each other, fighting for dominance.
Everything faded as they kissed. Ianto's worry for Rose, the faint anger he harbored against his father, even the lingering sense of shame that he hadn't pushed further to find out what had happened to Jack on the Game Station. All of it was gone in the wet heat, heart thudding feeling of Jack's lips on his.
Jack felt the same. The taste of Ianto's mouth on his swept away the loneliness and pain of the last hundred and thirty-seven years, the burden of leadership thrust on him by Alex that fateful New Year's Eve and the bitterness of abandonment by the Doctor. Right there, in that moment, was where he belonged.
They broke apart, gasping for breath.
"We should go," Ianto murmured.
"Mmmhmm, we need to get the pterodactyl back to the Hub before the sedative wears off," Jack agreed reluctantly.
Ianto moved slowly off of Jack and stood up. Taking a moment to bring his arousal under control, Jack also stood up.
"There's some rope in the back of the SUV, grab it and we'll get this tied up and loaded into the boot," he instructed.
Ianto nodded in assent. "And after we get the pterodactyl settled into its new home, maybe we can continue our ‘dancing' at your place?"
Jack flashed a leering grin Ianto's way. "Oh, I'm counting on it."
As he turned and walked to the door, Jack called after him.
"By the way, love the suit." ***
Walking up the stairs to the Captain's office, Ianto wondered where the man had gone. Hearing water running from the open hatch in the floor, he climbed down the ladder into Jack's living area.
Seeing the sparse conditions his lover lived in, he felt his anger toward his father bubble up again. Pushing the feeling aside in favor of joining Jack in the shower, Ianto quickly stripped out of his suit and entered the small bathroom.
"Is there room for one more?" he questioned, poking his head around the curtain.
Jack grinned and opened his eyes. "There's always room for you, Ianto."
Ianto stepped into the steamy cubicle and twitched the curtain closed behind him. He paused a moment to savor the sight of his lover.
Jack's skin was flushed pink from the heat of the shower. His hair was plastered to his skull and rivulets of water were making their way down his face. Eyelashes made spiky from moisture framed the cerulean depths of his eyes.
"God, you're beautiful like this," Ianto murmured reverently. The humid air was redolent with Jack's pheromones. He took a deep breath and the heady scent permeated his senses.
"It's the jawline," Jack joked. "Once seen, it's always yearned for."
Ianto chuckled at the typical response, but he saw the hint of vulnerability hiding in the immortal's eyes. Stepping forward, he cupped his hands around Jack's face, rubbing his thumbs gently over his eyebrows.
"No," he whispered, pressing his lips to the Captain's forehead. "It's you. Yes, the outer shell is attractive, but it's the soul inside that's beautiful."
He nuzzled against Jack's face, feathering kisses across his cheekbones and down to his mouth. Ianto's tongue delicately traced the full lower lip, taking advantage of the other man's gasp to dart inside and taste the spicy-sweet flavour that he'd been missing.
Jack sighed into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Ianto's torso and pulling him flush against his body. They both gasped as their hardened cocks brushed against each other.
"I've missed you so much, Ianto," Jack muttered between kisses. "You have no idea."
Ianto heard the years of loneliness and pain in his lover's voice and his heart broke a little.
"I'm so sorry, Jack. I should've pushed Da harder about why you stayed behind." Ianto rested his forehead against Jack's, looking him directly in the eyes. "I swear to you, if I'd known what he'd done, I would've hijacked the TARDIS and come back for you."
Jack closed his eyes and buried his face in the Time Lord's neck. The last, lingering doubt about Ianto's knowledge of his abandonment melting away.
"Thank you," he whispered, feeling his lover's arms tighten around him.
They stood, locked together like that until the water streaming over them started to cool.
Lifting his head from Ianto's shoulder, Jack grinned and said, "Come on, Mr. Jones. What say we get out of here and get reacquainted?"
Ianto laughed loudly and followed the Captain out of the shower. He caught the towel Jack tossed him and quickly dried off. Ianto ran the soft fabric over his head as he padded into the other room. He stopped short at the sight before him.
"If I remember correctly, we were on a promise that day on the Game Station," Jack said, voice husky with desire.
"Nngh." Ianto feasted his eyes on the stunning vision of Jack sprawled out on the bed, naked except for his RAF greatcoat.
Jack chuckled softly and held out his hand. "Well? Are you going to join me?"
"Oh, yeah," Ianto breathed, walking to the side of the bed and taking Jack's hand. "I like the way you think, Sir."
The blue eyes staring up at him darkened with arousal. A sudden jerk on his arm caused Ianto to lose his balance and topple directly onto Jack. Before he could draw a breath, Jack reversed their positions, settling Ianto under him and taking his lips in a heated kiss.
Ianto wrapped his arms around Jack's back under the coat, his hands brushing up and down the smooth bumps of his spine. The heat of his lover's supple skin and the occasional brush of rough wool was driving him to distraction.
Breaking away from Jack's mouth, Ianto gasped, "Please, Jack. I want - I need to feel you inside me."
"I need you, too, Ianto," Jack murmured. "It's been so long. I want to go slow and take my time, but I don't think I can right now."
"Fuck slow," came the heated reply. "We can take our time later. Just, please, for the love of Rassilon, please fuck me now."
Chuckling at Ianto's impatience, Jack reached into the pocket of his greatcoat and took out the lube. Pouring a dollop into his hand, he let it warm up a bit before coating his fingers.
Brushing his fingers across the sensitive opening, Jack teased until Ianto began to push against him. Breaching him with just one finger, he slowly began to thrust in and out, adding another finger and twisting until he felt the small bundle of nerves he was looking for.
"Bloody hell, Jack," Ianto moaned. "Just fuck me already, please."
"Good things come to those who wait," Jack replied.
Ianto looked straight into Jack's deep blue eyes. "I don't know about you, Captain, but I think we've waited long enough for this."
"You're right, we have," Jack agreed, removing his fingers and quickly slicking his cock.
Lifting one of Ianto's legs to his shoulder and wrapping the other around his waist, Jack pressed inside, pausing once he was fully sheathed to let them both adjust.
"God, Ianto. You feel so good," he groaned.
Pushing up against Jack, Ianto demanded, "Would you move already?"
"You always were a damn pushy bottom," Jack muttered, withdrawing slowly. He snapped his hips forward, burying himself once again in Ianto's welcoming body.
"Oh, yeah. Just like that," Ianto exclaimed, grasping the Captain's arse and pulling him closer.
Jack began to thrust in and out of his lover's body, setting a punishing rhythym.
Relishing the feel of his lover pounding into his arse, Ianto matched his pace. The wool of Jack's coat rubbed against the back of his thigh; the slight burn adding to Ianto's pleasure.
"Touch me," Ianto begged, his head tossing against the pillows. "I need to come. Please, Jack. Now."
Reaching between their bodies, Jack wrapped his hand around Ianto's cock and began to jerk him off in fast, filthy pulls.
His thrusts started to get erratic and shallow, not wanting to leave Ianto's body. His breathing hitched as he encouraged Ianto to let go.
"Come for me, gorgeous," he said breathlessly. "I need to feel you come around me."
"Yes," Ianto panted. He could feel the delicious coil start to unwind in his body. "God, Jack. Fuck. I'm going to... Jack," he shouted, shuddering as pleasure shot down his spine.
The tremors of Ianto's orgasm pushed Jack over the edge and he came hard. He continued to thrust, wringing every last bit of pleasure from both of them.
Shaking, he collapsed onto Ianto's chest, trying to get his breathing back under control. Raising his head, he kissed Ianto and began to pull out.
Ianto wrapped his legs around Jack's hips, refusing to let him go. "No, not yet," he whispered. "Stay, please."
"Always," Jack replied, resting his head on his lover's shoulder.
Eventually, his softened cock slipped out and they both moaned at the loss of connection. Jack pushed himself off of the bed and shrugged out of his coat.
He went into the bathroom and brought back a flannel, gently cleaning Ianto, then himself. Tossing the cloth back through the door, Jack crawled back into the bed.
Covered with the sheet, they settled into their customary position - Ianto lying on his back, Jack snuggled next to him, head on his chest.
Ianto was asleep almost as soon as he closed his eyes. Jack stayed awake a little longer until the familiar sound of dual-heartbeats lulled him to sleep.
***
Next part of part of The Doctor's Son.
- Main Torchwood slash page
- New stories page
- Jack/Ianto stories
- Ianto/Owen stories
- Other pairings stories - ie threesomes
- F/F stories
- Gen stories
- Amazon.com - Torchwood: Children of Earth
- Amazon.co.uk - Torchwood - Children of Earth [DVD] [2009]
- Amazon.ca link - Torchwood - The Complete First Season (7DVD)
