Previous part of fy Cariad.

***

"Hello?"

"Saeth? It's Ianto."

Silence.

"Saeth?"

"Ianto Fucking Harkness I'm going to kill you if you don't get your slimy ass down to the Church RIGHT now!"

Ianto sighed softly.

"I can't."

"What?"

"I can't!"

"What do you mean you can't? it's our wedding day! You're two hours late!"

Ianto grimaced. This was going to sound good.

"I'm…busy."

"OH… MY… GOD!"

"Saeth. Saeth, listen to me…"

"No you listen to me Ianto! This isn't funny, I don't care what kind of joke you and your sick friends are up to but you'd better stop it right now!"

"It's not a joke Saeth!"

"And where is Yestin? Not only is the groom missing, but also his best man! I know you're there with him Parker!"

"Saeth, I can't give you the details. But there is a…Police emergency."

"Don't give me that bullshit Harkness! It would've been on the news! You're making me look like a complete laughing stock here! The whole church is coming up to me asking me if I'm alright! All our friends and family are here Ianto! You can't do this now!"

"Saeth…it's not what you think."

"If this is pre-wedding jitters then don't worry. We all get them sweetheart it's completely normal! Just please don't leave me like this! Come to the church and we can sort this out!"

Ianto gulped back a tear and ploughed on.

"I'm sorry Saeth."

"What? Don't you dare!"

"I can't marry you!"

"Ianto, please don't do this to me!"

"I'll talk later- I can't right now. Apologise to everyone for me please!"

"Ianto you complete and utter asshole! Get down here right now!"

"Shit…Gethin?"

"Yes it's me. Why are you doing this to your older brother hey? You're meant to be the normal one in this family! So get your ass down to church now!"

"I just said…I can't!"

"Yes you fucking can! Saeth's in tears, her brother looks ready to beat the shit out of me and the whole church is in an uproar! Think about what you're doing to mum? To Ivy? Your own sister! To me!"

Ianto bit his lip and continued. "I can't explain it right now, could you put Saeth back on please. Tell mum I'm sorry,"

A string of swearwords followed before Saeth answered again.

"Ianto, please come to church now- you've had your fun."

"Believe me, this is not fun!"

"Yea well you sound like you're having a billboard time over there!"

"Look, I'll ring you later. I love you."

"yea…whatever Ianto."

There was a click as the phone was hung up. Ianto sighed, wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and proceeded back to the group of Police officers.

"Is it done?"

"Yea Owen. It's done."

***

The steady gunfire continued, causing Lorraine to run her hands through her blonde hair in frustration.

"Will somebody please tell me what that racket is?"

"There appears to be a commotion outside ma'am…"

"I know that fucking much!" Lorraine was at the end of her tether by now. "Guards, go shut them up!"

"But they have guns…"

"So do you!" Lorraine yelled angrily. "Now get out there and stop them!"

One by one the guards started filing out of the large warehouse, their machine rifles clutched by their sides. Hundreds of footsteps stamped on the ground as they ran in almost perfect unison out the sturdy metal doors.

Jack, Tosh and Gwen watched them go with as much confusion as their captors; what the hell could be making such a noise?

Meanwhile, Ianto, Owen and Rhys crouched low in the bushes, watching as thousands of bullets bounded off the metal grating. Hundreds of cries filled the air, as police officers screamed, yelled and wolf whistled to accompany the gunshots. Ianto covered his ears at the deafening racket.

"This is ridiculous!" he yelled loudly. "They're not gonna hear us!"

"What?" Rhys and Owen yelled in unison, straining to hear him.

"They're not…" Ianto trailed off as the sound of marching footsteps could now be heard to accompany their racket.

"Stop!" he cried, standing up and holding up his hands. "Stop a minute!"

Andy heard and also held his hands up and soon the gunfire died down; every police officer now pointed their guns at the doors to the warehouse as the sound of marching footsteps grew louder and louder.

"This is it," Owen said nodding at Rhys and Ianto. "You two ready."

"Yep," Rhys answered although the ringing in his ears was almost deafening him in itself.

"Whenever you are," Ianto replied raising his gun slightly for emphasis.

The door burst open and about a hundred guards burst out, all clad in black, their faces set to a determined fierceness.

However, this soon vanished as they saw the barrels of the guns they were now faced with, and one by one their black guns clattered to the floor as they raised their arms in surrender.

"It worked!" Owen yelled jumping up and hugging Ianto and Rhys gleefully. "It fucking worked!"

"We're not out of danger yet Owen," Rhys reminded him calmly. "We still have to go in."

Owens' grin faded. "We're gonna die aren't we?" he gulped. "There was weevils in there."

Ianto grinned. "Owen, my dear Owen," he began. "Who's the weevil king?"
Owen groaned. "You have got to be kidding me!"

The three got to their feet, guns still clutched in their hands and made their way to where Andy and Yestin were now organising the guards into alphabetical order ("What's your name? not gonna say? okay we'll just call you tubby"), grinning as they did so.

"Hey Ianto!" Yestin called as they passed. "This is really fun!"

Ianto smiled and waved in a mock farewell as he, Owen and Rhys pushed open the door from which the guards had exited and slipped inside.

Back inside the warehouse, Lorraine's confusion had just gone from bad to worse.

It was now only her, Farad and the three captives inside, and her guards had seemed to have disappeared. On top of that, the gunfire had now stopped and it was now replaced with roars of laughter and badly sung extracts from what appeared to be "Mamma Mia- the musical".

Farad was choosing to keep a safe distance from his daughter, and instead stood with the three weevils, their chains clutched fearfully in his hand. He would much prefer their company right now.

Lorraine sighed and span round to find her father trying to explain to the weevils how you play tic-tac-toe. "Dad!" she cried. "Please just dispose of Jack and his girlfriends right now!"

Farad looked positively delighted to oblige and standing up, he released the weevils' chains.

Jack cried out in horror as the three weevils charged towards them. Gwen screamed and wrapped a protective arm around Tosh. At least their ordeal was over. Sweet release would soon follow.

It never came. Instead a soft whistling filled his ears and he watched in amazement as the three weevils stopped dead in their tracks.

"What?"

The weevils moaned softly and backed into a corner, where they continued to cower looking around them fearfully.

Lorraine span round; the look on her face showed she was terrified. She scowled, and was about to say something when she froze as she felt a gun pressed to the back of her head.

"Alright," a clear commanding voice instructed. "Put your hands above your head and walk VERY SLOWLY towards the wall!"

***

"Alright! Put your hands above your head and walk VERY SLOWLY towards the wall!"

Lorraine silently obeyed and raised her arms up slowly. From the corner of her eyes, she could see that another young man had her father in a headlock position, while a third was sprinting down the length of the warehouse.

"Jack? Jack!" He yelled wildly. "Tosh? Gwen?"

"Ianto?"

"Gwen?"

"Ianto!"

Gwen was up on her feet running forwards, limping slightly.

"Ianto!" she cried flinging her arms round him wildly. "Oh my God, I've missed you!"

Ianto stumbled back slightly, but regained composure quickly and hugged her tightly to him.

"God, Gwen you're leg," he muttered releasing her and staring at her bloody jeans. "Where's Tosh? Is she alright?"

Gwen pointed to the still form on the floor.

"Oh my God, she's not-?"

"She's alive," Gwen patted his shoulder reassuringly. "She was shot in the shoulder. She's unconscious,"

"Owen we're gonna need you over here in a minute mate!" Ianto called down to the Doctor who was tying Farad and Lorraine to the weevils. He grunted a reply and made his way towards them quickly.

Ianto turned back to Gwen who was slowly making her way over to Owen to hug him.

"Where's Jack?"

Gwen looked at him quickly and pointed grimly to the wall.

"He's been tied up there for hours- I think he's dead at the moment," she whispered sadly. "God Ianto, I can't even begin to imagine what kind of pain he's been in."

Ianto followed her finger reeled back in horror at what he saw. Jack was strung up by chains to his wrists about ten feet in the air. Blood was trailing down his face, arms and legs and splashing down onto the cold floor below. The look on Jack's still face suggested he had been in a lot of pain before his death which Ianto could not bear to think about.

"Damnit Jack," whispered Ianto softly as a tear rolled down his cheek. "How do you make this kind of enemy?"

He span round quickly on his heels and headed quickly back up the warehouse, passing Gwen, Rhys, Tosh and Owen as he went. He pulled out his gun.

Lorraine noticed him approaching them and smiled up at him evilly.

"Hello Ianto."

"What the fuck kind of sick operation are you running here?" he demanded furiously ignoring the fact that she knew him name and aiming his gun at Lorraine's head.

She continued to smile which angered Ianto all the more.

"Him?" she indicated down the warehouse to Jack. "He's my cousin."

"Then he's got one screwed up family," Ianto snarled through gritted teeth, resisting the urge to shoot. He gestured towards Farad who was eyeing the sleeping weevils nervously. "And I suppose you're what? His brother?"

"Uncle," Farad corrected barely glancing up. "Though I wish I wasn't."

"I'm sure he'd say the same to you," Owen growled loudly.

"Why would a cousin do this to you? - that's what I'm having a hard time understanding," Ianto spat.

Lorraine nodded towards Jack. "He's an important person to you isn't he?" she grinned wickedly.

Ianto didn't reply but clutched the gun still clutched in his hand even tighter.

"Well, has he ever abandoned you?"

His gun wavered slightly.

"Shut up,"

"Oh, so he has?" Lorraine's eyes sparkled gleefully. "Us too. When we were children our home was attacked. He and his mother abandoned us in the only vehicle, leaving us to flee for our lives."

Ianto scowled. "So your grudge against him is based on something which happened when you were children- young children?" Ianto asked. "Of course he's going to run- to follow his mother! On top of that, you hold him in a dark warehouse with his friends and torture him until he dies in agony. I really don't understand your sick minds."

Lorraine raised an eyebrow slightly. "Weren't the reason you hated him was because of something that happened when you were a child."

"That's different I…" Ianto frowned. "How do you know about that?"

"Don't you recognise me Ianto?"

He shook his head, perplexed.

"Shame," Lorraine whispered slightly. "I would've thought that after what you saw that day you'd remember you best friend."

Ianto dropped his gun in shock. He stepped back slightly in horror. "You're dead…" he gasped hoarsely. "I saw you die Lorraine."

Lorraine laughed. "Oh, you remember now?" she glared at him. "Jack decided we were too dangerous to be around civilisation as he knew what a grudge we held against him. So he faked our deaths, changed our names and moved us away to the middle of nowhere."

"Well, he was obviously right to be a little cautious around you lot," Gwen spat angrily.

"What, still defending him?" Lorraine giggled. "Your loyalty is impressive I must say. But why don't you ask him about it?" She gestured down the warehouse.

Ianto, Owen, Rhys and Gwen span round anxiously. Jack's eyes were open and he groaned loudly.

"Jack!" Ianto yelled in relief.

Jack's head shot up at the sound of his name. "Yan!" his face lit up happily. "You're alright!"

Ianto smiled at his Captain and nodded. "Rhys can you help him down?"

"On it!" Rhys answered running towards him with the large axe they had apparently brought with them- although Ianto had no idea where he had acquired it. Ianto turned back to Lorraine and froze in horror. The gun which had previously lay at his feet was now clutched in Lorraine's hand and she stood with it aimed directly at Ianto's head. The ropes which she had previously been tied up in lay in a heap in the corner near the sleeping weevils and Farad was also stood, gun raised.

"You were always good at escaping Lorraine," Jack hissed quietly as Rhys helped him onto his feet. "But there's no need for bloodshed. Drop the gun!"

"Oh, I think we're way past that stage Jack," Lorraine scowled quietly. "Besides, he has another gun." She gestured to Ianto's waist where another pistol was strapped to his side. "Pick it up Ianto!"

Ianto lowered his arms and placed his shaking hands around the weapon, before drawing it and offering it to Lorraine.

She laughed slightly and shook her head. "No, no Ianto- you're gonna be needing that. You see, you've got a big decision to make." She removed her gun from Ianto's head and pointed it towards Jack who froze instantly. "Can you kill your best friend before I kill your Captain? Would you?"

Ianto raised the gun and fired instantly. Gwen gasped as Lorraine fell to her knees, blood soaking her t-shirt from the shot in her chest."

"But…he can't die," she gasped desperately.

Ianto lowered the gun and walked slowly over to Lorraine before bending down in front of her and whispering in her ear so that only she could hear.

"You see that's what you could never understand Lou," he stroked her hair softly. "When you really love someone, you'd kill to not see them hurt."

He stood up and turned away from her as she collapsed onto the ground, her last breath escaping her lips. He was about to head towards Jack when another single gunshot was fired into the air.

Ianto turned slowly to see Farad holding his gun pointed directly at him. He glanced down in horror as the red stain spread over his suit and shirt and his knees buckled under him.

Everything moved in slow motion for Ianto as the team shot furiously at Farad, killing him instantly. His vision blurred in and out as they ran over towards him.

"Yan!"

Ianto's last thought was how warm Jack's arms felt around him before darkness engulfed him.

***

"Yan!" Jack's heart froze as he bent and gathered the Welshmen into his arms. "Look at me Yan…Talk to me," he gasped slapping Ianto's cheek gently. "Owen!"

The Doctor ran over and knelt beside the Captain, pulling his med kit with him as he did so.

"Cummon Ianto mate, don't this to us now," Owen pleaded, pulling out a light and shining it into Ianto's eyes. "Jack, we need to stop this bleeding."

Jack nodded and reached into Owen's bag, pulling out bandages and gauze.

He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Gwen and Tosh were busy trying to clean up the "mess"- carefully trying to avoid him, while Andy, Rhys and Yestin were now rounding up the Police Officers to corner off the area.

"Here," he passed the items to Owen.

"Jack," Owen muttered to him softly. "It's not looking good. He's lost a lot of blood and his body has gone into shock- basically he's now in a 'mini-coma'. If we don't get him to a hospital soon…well…"

Jack bit his lip anxiously. "Owen, can you finish cleaning up?"

Owen nodded. "Yea Jack…just make sure he makes it, okay?"

"Will do."

Jack stood up and looked over at Tosh. He knew she was closest to Ianto, and God knows he would need a friend with him when he woke up.

"Toshiko, can you come with us to the hospital?" he called, hoisting Ianto onto his back and making his way down the now crowded warehouse.

"Right Jack!"

Tosh ran after him quickly and caught the SUV keys he threw at her. She unlocked it quickly, before helping Jack lift Ianto into the backseat. She didn't need to ask if she was driving. She knew Jack wouldn't leave Ianto's side. Jack clutched Ianto's hand all the way to the hospital, whispering quietly in his ear the whole time. He thought he felt the Welshman stir a couple of times, but they all turned out to be false alarms. If Jack didn't know any better, he'd say that Ianto was just sleeping. But the blood staining his chest was a painful reminder of what was really happening inside Ianto's body. Jack just hoped that Ianto was strong enough to hold on…

"Hold on…" Jack whispered into his ear as they careered round another corner. "Please hold on Yan. For me…"

"I'm dead," thought Ianto as he drifted into nothingness. "I'm dead and I will never see Jack again. Or anyone else for that matter…"

He could feel a warm pressure on his left hand, and he tried to move it- but his brain didn't seem to be recognising anything. Once or twice Ianto could swear that he heard Jack's voice whispering to him from somewhere. But he wasn't aware enough to respond or even register that fact properly.

"Being dead's not so bad," Ianto thought calmly. "It just feels like sleeping,"

"Ianto!"

What was that voice? Ianto's brain wouldn't quite recognise it.

"Ianto? Yan!"

"Jack…Jack!" Ianto's mind screamed. "Jack! I'm okay, I can hear you!"

"I know you probably can't hear me Yan," Jack whispered softly. He must be fairly close as Ianto could now feel his breath on his ear. "I know I'm probably just spilling my feelings out to a heart monitor and a bunch of wires right now, but you have to wake up Yan. I've never promised you a commitment Ianto, I don't think there was even a mention of a proper relationship before now- but if you wake up then we can have forever. I love you so much, more than anything else in the galaxy…you can't leave me alone. I won't be able to go on without your smartass comments about my coat or the standards of Owen's 'bullshit which he calls coffee.' Yan, we need you. I need you."

"I can hear you Jack, I can hear you!" Ianto's mind screamed repeatedly. "Oh God, don't leave me again!"

Jack sniffed and looked up at Ianto's still form lying in the hospital bed. It had been three days and as far as medical advice was going, it wasn't looking good. Jack had confessed as a last resort of desperation- he wasn't ready to let go.

"You need sleep Jack," Owen muttered from the doorway.

Jack looked up wearily and shook his head. "I can't leave him," he answered shortly, turning back to stare at Ianto's still form.

Ianto could hear them talking now…if faintly.

"That's right! Don't Go Jack!"

"I can stay for a bit. Gwen and Tosh have already said they'd take shifts watching him and Andy and Rhys also volunteered. He's liked by a lot of people Jack. I'll call immediately if there's any progress."

Jack nodded and stood up slowly, releasing Ianto's hand. Ianto, however, was having other ideas.

"No fucking way are you leaving me yet Jack Harkness!"

Jack's eyes widened. "Oh my God! Owen, his fingers look at his fingers!"

Ianto's fingers stayed firmly clenched round Jack's wrist refusing to let go.

Owen's jaw dropped. "Fuck!"

Jack sat back down on the edge of the bed, relief spread over his face.

"Ianto, can you hear me?"

Ianto squeezed Jack's hand firmly.

"He squeezed my hand Owen!"

Owen flipped open his mobile and immediately dialled Gwen and Tosh to tell them to get their asses to the hospital pronto.

"Jack…" Ianto muttered softly, his eyes flickering open.

Jack's eyes immediately lit up with relief.

"Yes Yan I'm here."

"Don't go Jack…" Ianto pleaded desperately clawing at Jack's arm.

"No, I'm staying right here," Jack stroked his hand softly. "How are you feeling?"

Out of the corner of his eye Ianto could see Owen slip out the room unnoticed. He immediately felt a rush of gratitude for the usually "wanker-ish" Welshman.

"Spectacular," Ianto muttered, clutching his head with his free hand.

Jack smiled slightly and lent over kissing Ianto softly on the lips.

"Get some sleep before Gwen and Tosh get here," he instructed.

"Jack?"

"Yes Ianto?"

"I can remember everything…"

"Ssh, we'll talk later," Jack soothed stroking his hair as Ianto began to drift off.

"Oh, and Jack?" mumbled Ianto sleepily.

"Yes Yan?"

"I love you too."

Jack chuckled.

***

Ianto frowned as Jack pushed his wheelchair down the hospital corridor.

"Jack?" he ventured cautiously. "Where are we going?"

Jack had leapt into his hospital room that morning announcing that they were going out for dinner, but as far as Ianto could tell they were nowhere near the hospitals' exit.

Jack grinned apologetically down at him. "They wouldn't let you leave the hospital just yet," he muttered, and Ianto noted a bit of resentment in his voice. "So I'm afraid it's the hospital restaurant for dinner."

Ianto shook his head. "As long as it's better than their dinner trays then I'm more than happy," he reassured Jack. "Besides, it'll be fun as long as you're there."

Jack hung his head.

"Jack…" Ianto glared up at him from his wheelchair as they entered the restaurant. "What did you do…?"

He glanced around at the patients sitting on the chairs provided. He was about to turn back to look questionably up at Jack when he noticed a young woman sitting in the corner. Her eyes flashed recognition and she got up to greet them.

"Jack you didn't…"

"Sorry Yan," Jack whispered in his ear. "She wouldn't leave us alone. There's retcon in your pocket if you need it. Good luck."

Jack wheeled Ianto's wheelchair up to the table, smiled hesitantly at Ianto and strode out of the cafeteria.

Saeth sat down again slowly in the chair opposite Ianto. Silence ensued.

"Why didn't you call…?"

Ianto sighed heavily.

"I wouldn't have known what to say."

"Do you now?"

He glanced up into Saeth's questioning blue eyes. The eyes he had fallen for four months ago.

"Not really."

Ianto could see Saeth's eyes watering. He hated this. He hated Jack for making him do this.

"Is it because you think we rushed into the wedding too fast?"

"It's not that…"

Ianto groaned heavily.

"What is it then?"

Ianto paused.

"It's my job."

Saeth was confused.

"You want more time for your career?"

Ianto shook his head sadly.

"Then what? Ianto you need to be honest with me now!"

Ianto sighed.

"I can't marry you…" he whispered slowly. "Not now, not ever."

Silence ensued.

"Why not?" Saeth demanded angrily, leaning forwards. "Have I done something?"

Ianto shook his head for what seemed like the millionth time.

"No, it's not you. It's me."

"You're GAY?"

"No, no, no" Ianto answered trying to shake it off with nervous laughter. "My job stops me from having a normal life- and I'm just not ready for a 'normal life' anyway."

"Yea, I'm not buying that," Saeth answered furiously crossing her eyes. "This isn't like you Ianto."

Ianto smiled sadly. "Ianto Harkness was in love with you Saeth. Not me…"

Now Saeth was really confused.

"But you ARE Ianto Harkness!" she insisted shrilly. "Ianto, cummon let's just wait till you're better and then we can go home and talk about this. We can maybe rearrange the wedding- I don't think people would mind having to come down and we can always…" she faltered slowly at Ianto's expression. "You don't love me do you Ianto?"

"I do. I do love you. Just not in the right way anymore."

Saeth sipped the coffee in front of her and angrily wiped a tear from her cheek.

"I'm never going to find out the real reason why am I?"

"I fight aliens."

Saeth laughed bitterly. "Yes Ianto, I'm sure you do."

"I'm serious."

Saeth nodded and placed her coffee back on the table. "Maybe we can talk to the nurse later. We could get you some help?" she suggested kindly, grabbing Ianto's hand. "Together we can work through this Ianto."

"That won't be possible."

"Why on earth not?"

Ianto smiled sadly at Saeth. "You won't remember me."

"Ianto, don't be stupid I'll never forget you." she yawned softly.

"Sorry Saeth, it was the only way for you not to get hurt," Ianto prised Saeth's hand off his own.

"Ianto…what?" Saeth's eyelids were slowly closing. "I'm just a bit tired. We can talk about this!" she tried desperately to get up, but fell down in her seat again. "Ianto, please don't leave me. I love you…" her chin drooped as she dozed off, a stray tear falling off her cheek

Ianto kissed the top of Saeth's head and pushed himself silently out of the restaurant- but not before he realised how very much alike he and Jack actually were. And he hated himself for it. He really, really did.

Jack met him outside the restaurant and comforted him while he wept.

"I'm sorry Jack," Ianto sniffed fiercely, "I'm being stupid."

"No you're not. You loved her." Jack squeezed his hand tightly.

"Not in the right way," Ianto murmured. "I'm pretty sure that you have the majority of that Captain."

Jack smiled and pulled Ianto into his arms. "I meant it Yan. Forever." He whispered softly.

"Forever and ever," Ianto replied kissing him.

"Now," Jack grinned and winked at Ianto, "Back to bed because I need you back to work in a couple of days. Owen without his decent caffeine intake is not an Owen worth mentioning at all."

Ianto smiled. "I'm feeling fine now honestly!"

"Even so, we can't be too careful. We don't want you passing out on the coffee machine nor while fighting a weevil now do we?"

Jack grimaced jokingly and hugged him tightly. "I love you so much Yan," he whispered. "And I swear I will never ever leave you again."

"Unless something really good happens," Ianto laughed softly.

"No, even then I'll take you with me," Jack grinned happily.

Two days passed and Ianto was allowed to return home.

The evening he returned, the team fussed over him like mother hens to their chicks. Even Owen was especially considerate, buying coffee from Starbucks rather than making him get up and fetching him a blanket to keep his feet warm. Gwen and Toshiko were amazing. Ianto was convinced that they would have jumped off a cliff for him that evening if he had asked them to. He was still confined to a wheelchair though until his wound was completely healed, as the Doctors were worried that walking would cause stress and strain on it further (Jack had found this highly amusing to Ianto's annoyance).

Soon, the team departed to various houses and left Jack and Ianto to talk about anything but the last few days. After a while of joking about Owen's last weevil randevu, Ianto began to notice Jack had fallen into a bit of a slump.

"I don't blame you for what happened with Lorraine," he reassured him softly grabbing his hand. "You did what was best- it was her fault. Not yours."

Jack shook his head sadly. "it's not that…it's just…" he faltered and stared at the desk, rubbing Ianto's hand anxiously.

"Jack?"

Jack blinked hard and stared up at Ianto. "I made you so miserable…you wanted to forget me," he whispered hoarsely. "I'm so sorry."

Ianto smiled softly and leant forward so that his forehead rested on Jack's shoulder.

"I wanted to forget because I loved you so much Jack," he answered slowly. "I thought you didn't love me…"

"You're not as smart as that suit of yours Ianto," Jack smiled softly. "I'll always love you."

"I know," Ianto replied. "I love you too Fy cariad."

***