Title: Change Will Come
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Ianto Jones/Tenth Doctor
Fandom: Torchwood/Doctor Who
Rating: PG-13
Table: 1, 50scenes
Prompt: 48, Pluto
Author's Note: Spoilers for the Torchwood episode Cyberwoman.
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.***
"It's hard to believe that things have changed so much in just a hundred years," Ianto murmured as he and the Doctor entered the Tardis, going to the console and looking down at it. "Things were so different in the early twentieth century."
"Yes, they were," the Doctor agreed, pressing a button and placing a hand on the console. Ianto couldn't help but smile at that; even as long as the Time Lord had been with the Tardis, he apparently still never got used to the slight imbalance when the ship shimmered into the timestream.
"Not only the technological advances, but just the way that people thought back then," Ianto mused, his voice soft. "If we had tried to hold hands while we were there, we probably would have been arrested. I was shocked at how intolerant people could be."
"Different times, different morals." The Doctor leaned against the console with a smile, directing his attention at Ianto. "And yes, the technological advances in the last century on Earth have been amazing. Though some of what they've done has been .... well, rather silly."
"Oh? Like what?" Ianto raised his brows, crossing his arms and leaning against the console. "Not that I disagree with you -- I do think the human race has done some really stupid things. I'd just like to know what you think some of them are."
The Doctor laughed, going to his chair by the console and sitting down. He leaned back, his dark gaze meeting Ianto's, his expression whimsical. "Well, for instance .... deciding that Pluto isn't a planet. What nonsense! Of course it's a planet."
"I never thought it wasn't!" Ianto laughed along with the Doctor, moving to sit in the chair beside the Time Lord. "That was a pretty silly thing for humans to do," he conceded. "After all those years of calling a planet, to suddenly change their minds."
"Humans aren't the only race who do silly things, Ianto," the Doctor said, becoming serious for a moment. "Don't ever put your race down by thinking that they're ridiculous. Sometimes they can be, but overall, they're very impressive."
"Sometimes they can be," Ianto murmured, thinking back to the times when he'd been proud of the fact that he was human. "They've stood up to so many attacks. And they've proven their bravery time and time again -- well, at least some humans have."
"And don't forget that I'm half-human," the Doctor said softly, his dark gaze meeting Ianto's. "I suppose that's why I have such a fascination with your people. Because part of their blood flows through my veins. I'm a part of them, in a way that no other Gallifreyan was."
"There were no other Gallifreyans other than your father who mated with human?" Ianto was surprised at that; he'd thought that there might have been a great deal of marrying outside the Gallifreyan race while they were still in existence.
But the Doctor shook his head, looking regretful. "No, there weren't. There were others who bonded with humans, but never had children with them. I think I was looked as something of an experiment -- and a failed one, at that, at least according to most of my race."
Ianto scowled, shaking his head emphatically. "Anyone who thinks that about you is an absolute fool," he said, his tone angry. "You're not a failure, Doctor. You might not be able to save everyone all the time, but you do a damn good job of trying."
"I know, love," the Doctor said softly, reaching for his lover's hand and twining their fingers together. "And with you by my side, I feel that I'm a lot more successful than I was before I had you. Having my soul mate with me makes a big difference."
"I'm glad that I can be of some help to you," Ianto murmured, a blush suffusing his cheeks. He'd never quite gotten used to hearing compliments from the Doctor; he felt that he should be showering them on the other man, not vice versa.
"You keep me grounded, Ianto, in a way that no one else ever has," the Doctor told him, his tone serious again. "It gets easier for me to get angry as I get older -- and believe me, there are instances when a Time Lord's anger can have stunning consequences."
"I know that," Ianto said, though he hadn't actually seen the consequences of the Doctor's anger as of yet. He'd heard of them, of course; but fortunately, the Time Lord hadn't been angry enough since they'd been together to cause such devastation.
In a way, Ianto hoped that he never had to witness anything like that. He knew that his lover was a very powerful entity, but there was a side of him that didn't want to see that power. It almost made him a little afraid, though he knew that the Doctor's anger would never be directed at him.
"I'd never do anything to hurt you, love -- or anyone you care for," the Doctor said softly, squeezing his hand. "Though I have to say .... If anyone you cared for became a menace to the welfare of Earth, then I wouldn't really have a choice."
Ianto nodded, his throat tightening as he thought of Lisa. What she had become was the kind of menace that the Doctor was talking about -- and he no longer blamed Jack for what had happened to her. But it still hurt to think of that time in his life.
What hurt the most wasn't that he'd lost Lisa -- he knew now that his love for her had been transitory, a fleeting feeling that wouldn't have stood the test of time. No, what hurt the most was knowing that he had tried to protect what was, in effect, a monster.
But that was the past, Ianto told himself firmly. And the Doctor wouldn't let things go that far. Ianto would never hide something like that from him, the way he'd hidden it from the Torchwood team. There would never be a reason for him to do so.
"You're thinking about what happened when you were first with Jack's team," the Doctor said softly, his gaze riveted on Ianto's face. "I know it, Ianto. You can't hide feelings that strong from me. We're bonded now, remember. I can feel what you feel."
Ianto nodded, sighing. "There are times when I can't help flashing back to that time," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "Even though I know it's in the past and nothing like that will happen again, it still haunts me. Maybe it always will."
"Eventually, you learn to make peace with all memories," the Doctor told him, his tone quiet yet firm. "I know, Ianto. I've had to do it myself. You'll have to let it go, and realise that you did the best you could. Your best is all that you have to give. And you gave that."
"I'll give it in any situation we might happen to find ourselves in," Ianto told his lover, trying to push those thoughts of the past out of his mind and change the subject. "And I know that you will, too. Even if you might think that humans do silly things sometimes and wonder if they're worth preserving."
"I'd never wonder about that," the Doctor told him with a smile. "I've always been fascinated by humans. And since I'm half-human, that just makes me like them all the more. They're not perfect, but then again, neither is any race. We all have our faults."
Ianto thought it wise not to go into a discussion of all the faults that Gallifreyans had displayed; that was something that could only lead to more serious, sober thoughts. And he didn't want that. He wanted them to have a bit of lighthearted chatter that they could enjoy.
"We certainly do," he agreed, glancing at the viewscreen. "And just out of curiosity -- what is Pluto like? Have you ever been there?" He was changing the subject a bit abruptly, he knew, but he had a feeling that the Doctor would appreciate him doing so.
The Time Lord shook his head, a smile spreading over his face. "I don't think it would be habitable for us, love," he said, sounding a little regretful. "But we can land there, if you'd like. Just so you can say that you've been to the planet-that's-no-longer-considered-a-planet."
"We can?" Ianto couldn't help but feel a surge of interest; he'd always wanted to go to the different planets in the galaxy that he'd studied when he was a child in school. "I've always been fascinated with the idea of exploring the solar system."
"Of course we can, love," the Doctor told him, smiling. "We can go anywhere you want, you know. Well, anywhere that we won't get into trouble. We never know when change will come and make those places taboo for us. Best to go there while we still can."
"Then let's go!" Ianto said, getting up and moving over to the console. "We can always look around via the viewscreens, even if we can't go out onto the planet. And," he added, flashing a grin at the Doctor, "we both know that it's a planet, regardless of what humans might say."
"Indeed we do!" the Time Lord exclaimed, bounding out of his chair and over to the console. "All right, then. Next destination -- Pluto!" Ianto laughed at his exuberance, watching with interest as the Doctor set the coordinates to send them on their way.***
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