Title: Driven
By: Wereleopard
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: AU, character death
Summary: Jack is driven by the loss of someone close to him. This is taken from a line in the Torchwood book The Twilight Streets.

N/B Just so you know in this story Owen managed to get out of the plant and Tosh survived as well.

Ianto smiled as he helped Jack on with his long, heavy military coat. It was as much a part of who Jack was just like his suit was for him.

“I love you Jack.” Ianto whispered.

Jack spun around to look at him, his mouth agape.

“Ianto.” But before the Captain could say anything Ianto pulled him into a passionate, soul searing kiss trying to show Jack how much he really did love him.

“I just thought this was the right time to tell you. You’d better go the others are waiting.”

“Why don’t you come along Ianto?” Jack offered his mind still reeling at what had just happened.

“I have to be here.” Ianto said with a sad smile. “Just remember what I said.” With that the young Welshman turned away and continued to work.

XXXXX

Jack sat back in the front seat as Owen drove his mind still on his lover. He could feel that something was going to happen but he didn’t know what it was.

Owen pulled the SUV over. “This is where we had some Weevil sightings.”

Jack’s wristsrap beeped.

“It can’t be.” Gwen muttered as the image of John Hart appeared.

“Hey gang.” The image said with a smirk. “Jack, I can’t stop thinking about you, about loving you and first I thought it was Gwen but I’ve been here watching and it isn’t her stopping us from being together, it’s eye candy and if he were out of the way maybe you and I could start again. I hope dear Ianto knows how you all feel about him because by the time you get back he’ll be dead.”

“John don’t you dare.” Jack screamed as they all scrambled back into the car.

Owen pushing the black vehicle as hard and as fast as he could.

XXXXX

Ianto stood there watching John Hart stalk towards him guns in each hand.

“Hello eye candy.” He muttered eyeing the young man up and down.

“Captain Hart.” Ianto replied politely. “Unfortunately the others are not here.”

“I’ll see them all soon enough but first things first.” John raised one of his guns and aimed it at Ianto.

XXXXX

Jack and the others ran through the tourist information office and made their way quickly into the depths of the hub. The large circular door would not move Jack looked through the small window in the centre.

Ianto turned straight to him as if he knew that he would be there. He smiled his face full of love as the first bullet hit his head throwing him back and to the ground.

Jack screamed and pounded on the door as a cold hand of fear gripped hold of his heart and squeezed.

Tosh managed to get the door open. Owen ran passed Jack skidded across to the floor where his friend lay, blood pouring from him head.

Owen checked his vitals but already knew that he was dead. Jack collapsed on his knees next to the body of his lover. He pulled the young man into his arms, rocking too and fro. Jack looked up and screamed.

Owen wrapped his arms around Tosh and Gwen as tears fell from their eyes. Laughter surrounded them slowly the all turned and there was John Hart smirking at them.

Jack’s eyes were cold as he turned. “Kill him.”

John’s mouth opened. “Jack, it’s me.”

“I know, Ianto’s dead and so are you.”

John fiddled with his wrist strap, a light shone behind him and he walked through and disappeared somewhere in time.

XXXXX

Jack sat at his desk staring at picture of him and Ianto in one hand. From his desk he picked up a waist coat holding it to his face, he took a deep breath. Breathing in the scent of the man he loved.

“Jack?” Gwen whispered as she walked into his office.

“Go away Gwen.”

“You can’t wallow like this Ianto would not have wanted that.”

“He didn’t know.” Jack said hoarsely.

Gwen frowned. “Know what?”

“That I loved him.”

“He knew Jack.” Jack looked at her and she smiled. “He knew and he loved you very much.”

“There was something different about him that day.”

“Different how?”

“He told me he loved me, he seemed to be saying good bye and when he was shot there was no fear nothing, he looked at me and smiled. He knew it was going to happen.”

“How Jack?” Gwen asked.

“I don’t know but I won’t rest until I find out, until I find a reason that Ianto let himself die like this.”

XXXXX

Weeks passed and nothing. The others watched as Jack drove himself harder to solve this mystery but it was also eating away at him, killing him inside. They could see how alone he felt but none of them could get through to him, the only one that could was Ianto.

XXXXX

“What the hell do you think you are doing Jack?” A voice muttered in disgust.

Jack looked up, his eyes filled with tears as he moved and hugged the other man. “Doctor, take me back to him. I have to save him, to let him know how much I love and need him in my life.”

“I can’t Jack, I’m sorry.”

5 Hours earlier

Ianto stared in the mirror straightening his tie before he headed out. He turned to look at the door as there was a knock.

Reaching the handle he pulled it open and standing there was a man, a tall slender man in a suit and a long brown coat grinning at him. “Ianto Jones.” The man asked.

“Yes?” Ianto said it as a question.

“I have heard so much about you, it’s a pleasure.” The Doctor smiled lost some of its shine at Ianto’s confused look and then it dawned on him. “Oh I’m The Doctor.”

“The doctor,” Ianto shook his head.” You’re Jack’s Doctor?”

“Yes that’s me.” The Doctor said bouncing on the balls of his feet.

“Jack’s not here.” Ianto looked confused.

The smile left the other man’s face. “I know it’s you I have come to see.”

Ianto felt a sickness in the pit of his stomach something was wrong, very, very wrong. “Jack, is he?”

“Oh no he’s fine and will be for a very, very, VERY long time. Well he will be if….” The Doctor trailed off.

“If?” Ianto asked.

“Ianto, in 5 hours you’ll die.”

“What? Why are you telling me this?” Ianto demanded.

“You have to die for Jack to become the man, the legend he is meant to be. To become the man who saves countless lives.”

“Why do I have to die for that to happen?” Ianto felt as if he had been kicked. With everything that happened they wanted to take away his life. To take him away from the man he loved more than anything. “Why would losing me help Jack?”

“Jack has to lose the thing he loves more than anything else; he has to be driven by the memory of that person and what they meant. He has to be driven by the memory of you.”

Tears fell from his eyes. “I never thought I could love anyone again not after Lisa. Jack he just happened it was just fun and then slowly I couldn’t help it. I just fell in love with him. I wish I truly knew what he felt for me?”

“Come with me.” The Doctor said and marched out of Ianto’s flat, with the young man on his heels.

XXXXX

Ianto stared at amazement, this was The Tardis. Jack had told him so many stories but it was nothing compared to the reality.

“Ianto there is something you should know about Jack?”

“What is it?”

“Well maybe I should have mentioned this before. Jack is immortal but his body does slowly age so he has had to ummmm compensate for that.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Walk out of that door and take a look. Don’t worry I will get you back before.” The Doctor waved his hand in the air.

“Die?” Ianto said.

“Well, yes.”

Ianto smiled sadly, opened the Tardis door and walked out.

There in front of him was a giant head in a glass jar.

Large eyes blinked open and stared at the young Welshman.

“Ianto?” The deep resonant voice said.

Ianto opened and closed his mouth. “Jack is that you?” He felt silly asking but he couldn’t seem to help himself.

“Yes it’s me, you died what are you doing here?”

“The Doctor told me that I had to die for you to become this.” Ianto waved his hand up and down.

“I would have rather had you. I always regret that I never got to tell you that I loved you. That last day watching you get shot has stayed with me for all of this time. Thoughts of you, of your smile, your body kept me going especially when I didn’t have one of my own. That was a torture all of its own, but really by that time I had just grown tired.”

Ianto reached out and stroked the glass with his hand. “Oh Jack, I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you.”

“Oh Ianto I wish I could feel your touch once more.”

“Ianto.” The Doctor called out with tears in his eyes. “It’s time to go.”

“Goodbye Jack, my love.”

“I’ve never stopped loving you even after all of this time.”

XXXXX

Present Day

“Doctor please, you have to.” Jack begged tears streaming down his face.

“I can’t Jack and you have to carry on, remember him. Remember how strong he was, how he loved you. Don’t let that go to waste.”

Jack stared at The Doctor, his eyes red from crying.  Wide and angry at life itself but especially with the man in front of him.   “It’s because you don’t know him.  You took Rose to her past but I’m not her am I do I don’t count.”

The Doctor stared at him open mouthed he was too shocked at the outburst to do anything, before he had time to move Jack’s fist connected with his face and he crumpled to the ground.

“Jack!”  Gwen cried out.

“Get out.”  Jack ordered his fists clenched tightly.

“Jack listen to me.”  The Doctor said calmly.

“Why?”  Jack interrupted him.  “When Rose changed me you dumped me, left me alone not explaining what happened, not knowing what I was.  Then, when you came here you saw me but you left as quickly as you could.  Why should I listen to anything you have to say?”

“Jack.”  The Doctor moved slowly towards him.

“Get the hell out of here you broke my heart once, both you and Rose.  I survived and got something better.  Ianto.  Now that has been ripped away from me.  I can’t die I have to live with this pain and it is unbearable.”

Owen watched the two men; he never thought he would hear Jack tell these things to the man that he had left them for.  It showed him how much Ianto meant to him.  Ianto meant a lot to all of them.

“I’d think you better leave.”  Owen said taking charge knowing that this could get out of hand very quickly indicating for the time lord to leave.

The Doctor sighed as he stood at the door of Jack’s office.  “I’m sorry I let you down and I did Jack, badly.  Just so you know Ianto knew that he was going to die.  He didn’t have to be here but he accepted it and he did it for you.  He loved you and knew that this had to happen for you to become who you were meant to be.”

“Why?”

“Jack you save so many lives in the future.  It is your destiny.”  The Doctor said with a sad smile knowing how Jack felt.

“I’m going to be alone.”

“Jack, even if Ianto lived he would have died eventually.  Nothing can prepare you for losing someone you love no matter much time has passed.”  The Doctor stopped before leaving.  “You have my number; if you ever need me give me a call.  Just so you know I can’t take you to Ianto, because of what you are going to be this has to happen.”

Gwen wanted to comfort Jack.  She’d always had feelings for him, who wouldn’t but the look of him now.  He was deeply, madly and truly in love with Ianto Jones, it was the forever kind.  That didn’t mean a lot to most people but for Jack, well his forever kind, was forever.

Owen, Tosh and Gwen surrounded Jack trying to give him their strength.

“How am I going to manage?”  He asked.

“You’ll do the same as me.” Tosh said.  “Ianto is my best friend.  We live one day at a time.  In memory of him.  He accepted that he was going to die to make us all better people.  It was never for just you Jack it was for all of us.”

“Tosh is right; Ianto would never have left if he thought you would be alone.”  Owen said as he placed a hand on Jack’s shoulder.

“He’s not alone; we are in this together, a family.”  Gwen said with a sad smile.

Jack gave them a watery smile.  He still felt dead inside but these three people would not let him rot away in despair.

XXXXX

Millions of year had passed; he fought to be the man that Ianto had always wanted to be.  He lay breathing fresh air, it had been so long he had helped the people of New Earth and now he could join his loved ones and most importantly Ianto.

XXXXX

“Jack, Jack.”  A voice screamed.

“Jack, Jack.” Gwen yelled at the sleeping man. She sighed he looked as good asleep as he did awake; she didn’t want to wake him.

“What?” Jack mumbled as he slowly awoke.

“You fell asleep; it was time to get up.” Gwen wished that she could wake to him everyday.

Suddenly memories flooded Jack’s mind.

“Ianto.” He whispered as he jumped to his feet.

“What?” Gwen asked a little confused at how Jack was acting, a small amount of jealousy attacking her insides.

“Where is Ianto?” Jack asked. “Ianto Jones, the hot Welshman that works here.”

Gwen glared at him. “He’s with Tosh and Owen.”

Before she could say anything else Jack was running out and down to Tosh’s station, Gwen right on his heels.

Ianto turned and smiled at his lover, it soon faded as soon as he saw the look on the other man’s face.

“Jack what’s wrong?” Ianto was the crushed into a bruising hug.

“Oh god Ianto.” Jack whispered pulling back to look at his lover and then pulled him into a passionate kiss.

Ianto melted in Jack’s arms, just like he always did but worry still niggled at the back of his mind.

Tosh and Owen looked at each other in shock and then turned to Gwen who was trying to look anywhere but at the two men in the passionate embrace. They were all amazed because unless the two of them were caught in the act they never did anything in front of them.

Jack pulled away and stroked Ianto’s face reverently. “Ianto.”

“What is it you are worrying me?” Ianto asked.

“I’d lost you and never got the chance to tell you.”

Whatever Jack had dreamed about it had obviously had a profound effect.

“Cariad, tell me?” Ianto whispered not realising what he had called Jack.

Tosh smiled at the two of them, they were so cute together.

“You died.” Jack choked. “You died to make me a better man. You told me that you loved me and I didn’t say it back.”

“Jack it was only a dream. I’m here alive.” Ianto started to talk he didn’t want to hear right now how Jack could never love him and the excuses why, one of the reasons was behind him. Gwen.

“I love you Ianto.” The young Welshman opened and closed his mouth, sure that he had misheard. “I was so lost without you. Millions of years later when I died I was happy that I could be with you again, my love and with my family.” Jack indicated to the other members of Torchwood.

“I love you Jack.” Ianto said tears in his eyes.

“Jack what happened?” Owen asked this wasn’t like their leader something big had happened.

“Can it wait until later; we’ll go to the pub and talk I just need to be alone with Ianto.” Before anyone could say anything he had grabbed hold of Ianto’s hand and pulled him away.

XXXXX

Ianto lay naked with Jack draped across him, his head resting above Ianto’s’ heart.

They had kissed and caressed, made love as if they hadn’t done it in such a long time savouring every moment. In Jack’s mind it had been a million years.

“Don’t leave Ianto, not yet.” Jack whispered.

“I’ll be with you as long as I can, Cariad and remember I will always love you.”

“I love you too Ianto for as long as I live.” Jack knew that it was trued the dream or vision had been proof of that.

XXXXX

“So let me get this straight, you had to be driven by the death of Ianto so you could be a large.” Owen grinned, “or larger head in a jar.”

Tosh hit him. “You become a legend and it all happens because of your love for Ianto.”

Gwen couldn’t help feeling left out; Jack was supposed to have feelings for her. Even though he was shagging the other man every time she walked into her room his attention went to her. She knew it was petty but she didn’t want to lose it.

“But John Hart thinking that Ianto was the threat, we he came here he saw me as the real threat.”

“Gwen it wasn’t real.” Jack paused. “Well I don’t think it was. My subconscious was telling me to be honest about my feelings for Ianto. If I kept them hidden and carried on treating our relationship like a dirty little secret I would lose him.”

“Jack you won’t.” Ianto stopped talking when Jack placed a finger against his lips.

“So that date I promised you, how about the French place in town.” Jack said with a grin.

Ianto nodded and smiled they had time to talk as long as working at Torchwood would give them and he planned to make the most of it because he only had one lifetime and as long as he was with Jack that was all he needed.


The End