Fic: The Sea After a Storm (5/?)
Title: The Sea After a Storm, Chapter 5
Rating: R
Warnings: Language
Spoilers: Season Two thru Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (2x01)
Pairings: Jack/Ianto
Disclaimer: Torchwood and all its wonderfulness belong to the Mighty Beeb and He Who Must Not Be Named. All ©’s to Chris Chibnall for dialogue borrowed from Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang. No infringement, only worship intended!
Summary: In which Jack surprises Ianto with a question (a.k.a. The Office Scene)…
Notes: Thank you to everyone for the words of encouragement last week!! *hugs* And a special thank you to
draw_yourworld for my fabulous story icon! *doublehugs* Sequel to Vizzini’s Rule and To The Pain. Thanks to my amazing beta and wonderful friend
thrace_adams for all the help and support; any mistakes are mine!
The Sea After a Storm: Chapter Five
The drive was silent, Ianto checking the GPS now and again to make sure they were heading in the right direction. He was hyperaware of the man sitting next to him. He could hear every breath, every sigh that escaped those perfect lips. Ianto wanted to reach across the seats and touch Jack, to reassure himself that it was real, that Jack was really there, but he held himself back. He didn't know where they stood, what Jack expected or wanted or needed from him anymore. He was equally confused about his own desires, knowing only that he wanted Jack to take him in his arms more than anything.
Ianto shook his head, mentally chastising himself for being so weak.
"What is it?" Jack asked quietly, startling Ianto.
"Huh? No, nothing, I just - " Ianto sighed. "It's nothing, sir."
Jack frowned again. "Ianto, do you think… That is, I wondered…" Jack's voice trailed off.
"Yes, sir?" Ianto prompted.
"Never mind," Jack muttered.
Ianto was relieved to realize they had arrived at the coordinates. He parked in front of a tall office building and set the handbrake. "This is it," he said.
Jack just sat for a moment and then nodded. "Let's go."
They wouldn't be reduced to breaking and entering, Ianto was pleased to see. The night guard let them in and barely glanced at their Torchwood IDs, much more interested in returning to the telly than finding out who they were.
"Top floor," Ianto directed as they stepped into the elevator.
The ride was short, the elevator shooting smoothly to the top of the building. There were two offices on the floor, one on each side of the elevator bay. Jack pointed to the right and led the way through the fire doors into a fine example of the everyday working world. Ianto could imagine the place filled with people, phones ringing off the hook, the copier clacking out page after page of paper, conversations taking place where everyone could hear. He shuddered. No thank you. Give me weevils and aliens any day.
Jack chuckled and looked around as well. "Oh, yeah, loving that officey feel." Jack walked through the open room, but his eyes never strayed far from Ianto who headed straight for the nearest desk and began searching. Jack kept blethering. "I always get excited in these places. To me, they’re exotic. Office romances… photocopying your butt… Well, maybe not your butt, although as we’re here, why don’t we photo-"
"The rift," Ianto interrupted, slapping his hands on the desk as he stood, "was active at these coordinates two hundred feet above ground. That means this floor or the roof." He needed to stop Jack's babbling, needed him to stop pretending that this was just another case, just another day, that everything was fine. He put his hands on his hips and stared straight ahead, not looking at Jack.
When Jack didn't speak again, Ianto walked around the desk, wondering just what the hell he was doing. There's no way we can find one little canister in all this mess, he thought, resolutely not looking at Jack.
"How are you, Ianto?" Jack asked quietly.
Ianto felt something inside him melt at the concern in Jack's voice, so different from his manic rambling a few moments before. He was overwhelmed with the urge to touch Jack again, to feel Jack's strong arms wrapped around him, holding him close. But he couldn’t, wouldn't let go yet. They had work to do and if he told Jack how he really was, they'd never find that damn canister. How are you? Such a simple question. Ianto fobbed it off as he walked away from Jack. The further away, the better.
"All the better for having you back, sir," he said glibly.
"Can we maybe drop the 'sir' now?" That note of uncertainty crept back into Jack's voice. "While I was away, I was thinking… Maybe we could - after this is all done… Dinner? A movie?"
Ianto turned and looked at Jack, hands on his hips again, trying to disguise their shaking. "Are…" he stalled and then forced himself to finish the question. "You asking me out on a date?" he asked, disbelief soaking the words.
"Interested?" Jack countered, sounding slightly defensive and very unsure about the answer.
Ianto wasn't too sure himself.
Part of him was screaming 'yes!' while another part of him was screaming 'why now?' and he just stared at Jack for a moment, completely unable to speak. Ianto could see his silence was torturing Jack so he tried to answer.
"Uh, well," he huffed. "As… long as it's… not in an office," he said, meeting Jack's eyes for a quick second before turning away again and striding across the office as he muttered, "Some fetishes should be kept to yourself."
Ianto could hear Jack moving, following him. He focused on the desk in front of him.
When Jack spoke again, his normal, playful tone was back. "Looks like we're gonna have to go through every drawer, bin and plant pot," he observed.
Suddenly Ianto felt like he was suffocating. It was too much, Jack's presence, his changing moods, the whole date thing - did that really happen? - Ianto needed some space.
"Right. Okay. I'll do this floor," he offered. "Don’t want you getting overexcited." He faced Jack and felt his stomach clench at the tentative smile on Jack's face. It was almost as if Jack was as tied in knots about this whole conversation as Ianto was. "You take the roof. You're good on roofs." The moment the words were out of his mouth, Ianto remembered the last time they were on a roof together, right after Ianto had found out about the real Captain Jack Harkness. Jack's grin faded and he turned to leave. Ianto kicked himself. He hadn't been trying to make Jack feel worse, he'd just - God, what a fucking mess, he thought.
"Jack!" he called, unable to let him go yet. It was the first time Ianto had called him by his name since he'd returned.
Jack stopped and turned to face him.
Ianto took a deep breath. "Why are we h-helping him?" he asked, knowing Jack would know that he meant John Hart. As soon as the words were out of his mouth he realised he wasn't really sure he wanted to hear the answer.
"He's a reminder of my past," Jack said candidly. "I want him gone."
Ianto nodded. He had just turned back to the desks when Jack spoke again.
"By the way… was that a yes?"
"Yes," Ianto said, the word tumbling from his mouth before Jack had finished. "Yes," he said again, cursing himself for giving in so easily, at the same time flying on the knowledge that Jack still wanted him. He caught a glimpse of Jack's smile as he turned away to hide his own grin. For the first time, Jack's smile looked genuine. Ianto heard Jack push through the swinging doors and let out a deep breath. Maybe… maybe there's a way we can get back to where it was good, Ianto thought happily. Maybe…
He remembered Captain Hart, stopped his musings and started searching again. He'd gone through most of the desks around him and was just about to move on to the next group when he heard the lift ding.
He looked through the window to the corridor, expecting to see Jack striding down the hall towards him. He heard the lift door open but no one appeared. He reached into his suit coat and pulled out his sidearm without dropping his eyes from the door. After cocking the weapon, he made his way cautiously into the corridor, keeping his gun at the ready.
He tried to control his breathing as he made his way to the farthest lift. He could see the doors were open and images of what he might find inside were slamming through his mind. He clutched the grip of the gun more tightly. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward and faced the lift.
It was empty.
Thank God, but what - oh, fuck.
Ianto felt the barrel of a gun against the back of his head.
"Into the lift, eye candy," Hart ordered smoothly.
Fuck, fuck, fuck. Ianto slipped his finger from the trigger and spread his arms in supplication, offering up his weapon as he berated himself for being so stupid. After he was disarmed, he turned. Hart didn’t drop his weapon, simply pressed it into Ianto's forehead instead and pushed hard, encouraging him to step back into the lift.
"Your friends are bleeding and dying," Hart informed him. "And you barely have enough time to save them."
Tosh! Ianto thought. He engaged his comm. "Owen? Gwen?" he said through clenched teeth, checking in with each team.
Hart scoffed at him, gun unwavering. "What am I? A child? It's a primitive bit of technology, easily blocked. You should be embarrassed."
Oh, I am, Ianto thought. He quickly assessed the situation and realized that any move he made against Hart would unquestionably leave him with a gaping hole in his head.
"When you get to the bottom, run," Hart advised him. "You look like a man who enjoys a challenge. See if you can save them. Come back up here, I'll shoot on sight." Hart took his eyes off Ianto long enough to press the ground floor button. When the lift chimed 'going down' Hart echoed it. "Going down. Yes, please."
As soon as Hart dropped the gun, Ianto surged forward, slamming his hands into the lift doors, forcing them back open. Hart's eyes widened. He apparently hadn't been expecting any arguments.
"Why are you doing this?" Ianto practically growled. He didn't care that Hart had raised his gun and aimed it at him again.
Hart grinned. "We're a cosmic joke, eye candy. An accident of chemicals and evolution." He stepped forward, but this time instead of pressing the gun to Ianto's head, the man slid it lovingly down Ianto's cheek. "The jokes, the sex, just cover the fact that nothing means anything. And the only consolation is money." He spat the last word and jammed the gun into Ianto's skin so hard that Ianto fell back, certain that he'd have a mark on his face. "So run, Ianto Jones!" Hart yelled.
This time Ianto let the lift doors close. He saw Hart laughing at him as they slid shut and punched the wall in frustration as he fumed. What the hell do I do now?
TBC in Chapter Six