Title: The Past Makes The Man
By: Jennie-x
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Owen accidently touches something that makes the team watch scenes from their childhood. They're all surprised when they see Ianto's.

***

Ianto never spoke about his childhood, only now did Jack and the rest of the team understand why. Owen's meddling fingers had caused all the Torchwood members to travel back to their childhood, watching it happen as though they were watching a film. Owen's childhood consisted of smoking behind the school gates, fooling around with friends, and a bad relationship with his mum but nothing too serious. Gwen's was what they all expected, normal. A steady boyfriend; Craig, a happy life at home with friends and family. Toshiko's was more strict, her parents wanting the best for her meaning she had brilliant grades, and a small group of friends. No one really knew what Jack's childhood meant. It seemed happy, playing games with his dad and brother, they all awed at the fact that they were looking at life on another planet thousands of years in the future. But all the wonders they saw in each others were soon forgotten as they watched Ianto's childhood.

"Mr Jones, a word please," The man speaking was a tall brunette. Dark eyes with anger all over them. Teenage Ianto was enough to make Jack smile, handsome and rough. He rolled his eyes and sat on the front desk, his school uniform wasn't like the other students who had just walked out of the class; his tie was wrapped loose around his neck, his white shirt undone revealing a black tight top underneath. "I know it's a hard time for you right now..."

"You don't know anything about me!" Teenage Ianto yelled. "Save the inspirational speech for someone who gives a damn."

"Ianto, please just wait. Your mum's asked me to talk to you," The teacher said gently, Jack could tell that he was trying not to give into his instincts and shout at him.

"That's because she's too drunk to do it herself," Ianto muttered.

"How about a coffee?" The teacher smiled. Ianto looked up at him and smiled weakly, but then shook his head.

"I can't. My friends are waiting," Ianto smiled before walking again.

The scene shifted in front of them like it had before with the previous members memories, but instead of laughing or commenting on them like they had previously, they all stared at Ianto who was staring aimlessly in front.

"Ianto, come on. It will be a laugh," Teenage Ianto rolled his eyes, but followed anyway. "If you don't want to you could always go home, I'm sure your mum will need some more Vodka soon."

"Don't you dare talk about my mum like that!" Ianto shouted, he pinned the boy to the wall behind him and punched him hard in the jaw.

"You've been wanting to do that for ages," The boy laughed as he pulled himself up from the floor. For a boy who had been hit a second ago, he was taking it well. "It's good, you letting your emotions out."

"I shouldn't have punched you, though you did deserve it." Ianto laughed. "So we doing this or what?" The boy nodded and pulled up his black hood, Ianto doing the same. They walked down the street, eyes down. Jack could tell they were avoiding the cameras on the corner, he exchanged looks with Ianto who just closed his eyes. He took the young man's hand in his and held it tightly.

The boys pushed open the door to the newsagents, the man behind the counter stared at them with fear in his eyes. They headed to the back of the shop, grabbing beer from the fridge. "You're not old enough to buy those," The man said loudly, but both boys just laughed.

"Like we are going to pay for them," Ianto's friend laughed. The man stood in front of the door trying to block their exit, but both boys were prepared and started to trash the shop, throwing things at the shop keeper. The man ran behind the counter, giving the two boys there escape. They ran down the street laughing, hands full of beer. They didn't take their hoods off until they reached their destination.

"Do you think he's okay?" Ianto's friend asked nervously.

"Yeah because you threw the chocolate bar at his head so hard," Ianto grinned, he took a can of beer from its pack and drank half of it down. "It was your idea, why are you worrying now?"

"I'm not worrying about what we did," The boy insisted. "More about the fact that it was you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ianto asked angrily.

"You've changed." There was sadness in the boys tone.

"I've had to!" Ianto yelled.

"I know, but do you think your dad..."

"Don't talk about my dad, please, just don't."

"Yan, he wouldn't want this for you."

"But he's not here is he!" Ianto screamed. "You know, you're a fucking hypocrite you know that. You've had this whole idiotic dumb gangster routine down for four years, always trying to get me to play your stupid games, and when I do. You try to act like you give a toss."

"I do, but you're only doing this because you miss your dad."

"I don't have time for this," Ianto said before grabbing the beer and walking off. He ignored his friends calling after him as he walked away.

The scene changed again, and Ianto was glad because that meant this was the last one. Jack was holding on to his hand tightly, but his eyes were burning wholes in his body. As was the rest of the teams.

"Ianto!" His mother slurred as he walked into the small apartment. "Is that you son?"

"Who else would it be?" Ianto said under his breath as he walked into the living room. His mum was crouched on the armchair, bottle of Vodka clutched desperately in her hand.

"Where did you get the beer?" She asked, eyeing the alcohol.

"Shop," Ianto replied quietly.

"So Mr Stevenson didn't speak to you?" She sighed. Ianto's eyes were drawn to his mother, he grabbed a can of beer and before he could control his emotions he was throwing them around the room.

"Why can't you talk to me?" He yelled. "Always getting the teachers involved. But you never talk to me! Do you hate me that much?" He cried.

"I don't..."

"Then why do you look at me like it's my fault?" Ianto screamed. His whole body was shaking with emotions. "Because it isn't my fault."

"He was picking you up from the police station! If you hadn't got yourself thrown in a cell!"

"I didn't do anything wrong!" Ianto screamed.

"How you're acting now, how am I supposed to believe anything you say? The police phoned again, they know it was you in the shop today, that's how you got the beer." She looked at her son sadly, her own tears pouring down her cheeks. "I told them that if they see you to lock you up."

"Fine." Ianto pulled his hooded jumper around him tightly before walking out of the house.

The scene stopped and they were back at the hub, no flashing images of anyone's childhood in front of their eyes. They all looked at Ianto who was too ashamed, too scared to look up.

"Ianto, are you okay?" Gwen asked, though they could hear the hesitation in her voice.

"Fine. I'm going to make some coffee." He walked up to the kitchen, his eyes watering.

"Did you know about his past?" Owen asked.

"I knew he had shoplifted in his past," Jack replied truthfully. "It's been a long, eventful day. Why don't you all go home?"

"You sure?" Toshiko asked.

"Yeah, and Owen next time you see a nice shiny button just being begged to be pressed, don't touch it." Owen nodded before walking away.

Jack walked up the stairs to the small kitchen and smiled weakly at Ianto who was sat on the counter, a mug of coffee being cradled in his hands. "I sent every one home," Jack said as he wrapped his arms around his partner.

"My friend, Cade, he got into a fight at school, his mouth was bigger than his fists. He said the wrong thing to the wrong person and after school they jumped him. They had a knife, and went to stab him. I was there and pulled them away from him, got involved in the fight. When the police turned up, they arrested us all. Kept us all in the cells. My dad was on his way to pick me up when he got hit by a car."

Jack hadn't asked for an explanation, but he was glad that his partner had opened up. "My mum she blamed me, she didn't speak to me always wanted to but found it easier to communicate with a bottle of vodka then me." He cried harder into Jack's shoulder as he continued to speak. "So I became the son she thought she had. I got into fights at school, let my grades drop. Didn't care about anything. Just fell in with the wrong crowd, and everything seemed to go wrong. I lost all my friends, they didn't want to be seen with a 'thug'. When I walked out of my house that night, I went to London. Just left it all behind. Haven't seen my mum since. I just knew I had to change."

"And look at what you've become, your mum would be so proud if she knew."

"Too bad she doesn't want to know. I don't blame her."

"I'm sorry, about your dad." Jack said gently as he pulled away from Ianto slightly, using his thumb to brush away the tears.

"It was a long time ago," Ianto sighed. "I could kill Owen for this."

"Me too," Jack smiled.

"Well at least we can remember how adorable he looked in those glasses," Ianto smiled. "Too bad we couldn't take a picture."

"What about his sweater vest on his first day of school?" Jack laughed.

"What about his lisp, wasn't that the cutest thing?"

"Let's not kill him yet, we've got at least a month of insults to get through first." Jack grinned, as he and Ianto headed to their sleeping space. Jack couldn't quite believe what had happened during Ianto's childhood, but he was glad it had. Because his past made who he was today, and Jack wouldn't have him any other way.

***