Fic: The Sea After a Storm (38/?)
Title: The Sea After a Storm, Chapter 38
Rating: R
Warnings: None really, just don't feel like changing the rating :)
Spoilers: Season Two thru To the Last Man (2x03)
Pairings: Jack/Ianto
Disclaimer: Torchwood and all its wonderfulness belong to the Mighty Beeb and He Who Must Not Be Named. All ©'s to Helen Raynor for situations borrowed from To the Last Man. No infringement, only worship intended!
Summary: The rest of the team learns the details about Tommy's mission and that he only has one more night before the time-shift completes...
Notes: Thank you to everyone who is reading and DOUBLE thanks to all y'all leaving comments! Each one is treasured by yours truly. :) You can find all the previous chapters to The Sea After a Storm here. This is a sequel to Vizzini’s Rule and To The Pain. Thanks again and forever to my amazing beta, wonderful friend and soon to be published author (squeee!!)
thrace_adams for all the help and support; any mistakes are mine!
The Sea After a Storm: Chapter Thirty-Eight
Previously on The Sea After a Storm: Jack and Ianto have to come to terms with the information about Tommy's mission and how it involves Tosh...
Ianto checked the location of Tommy's effects in the database and then headed down to the archives, his already black mood darkening. He hated the upper levels of the archives. The lower the level, the tidier the contents of the rooms - technology and storage capabilities improving slowly over time as Torchwood filled the archives, level by level. The rooms on the lowest active level, where Ianto'd been working for the last year, were as neat as a pin. He fit the key into the lock of room 97 and pushed open the door.
The site that greeted him made him groan. At some point, one of the shelves had broken, dropping its contents partially onto the row beneath it and partially onto the floor. The other shelves were still intact, although bowed and warped with age. Ianto removed his jacket and hung it on the doorknob before wading in.
As soon as he started the mundane task of sorting items back into their boxes, his mind strayed to the events of the day. His thoughts and emotions were as jumbled as the storeroom - concern for Tosh, pity for Tommy, worry for the team facing yet another world-ending phenomenon, all topped off with a knot of jealousy and fear in his gut that Jack would reconsider the Doctor's offer and vanish from his life again. He knew he was being stupid, he knew Jack had sworn that he wanted to be here and now, with Ianto and the rest of the team, but still… he's seen so much, been so many places, how can he be happy here, so far away from his own time?
Ianto stared at the box in his hand, suddenly frozen in place. He would have sworn John Hart was standing right next to him, hissing in his ear like a snake. "You're not enough to keep him here and you know it." Ianto ground his teeth and squeezed his eyes closed, but he couldn't shake it off. "He'll leave, you know. No goodbyes, no note, just no more Jack." He remembered wanting to protest, to tell Hart he was full of shit, but he couldn't do it because Jack had left him with no word. He could see himself standing in the Hub, looking at a mess of papers all over the floor and glancing up at Jack's empty office. Someday... someday it'll happen again. He'll just go and I'll be left behind… again.
With a wordless noise of protest, Ianto shoved the box he was holding onto the shelf. He knew he was being ridiculous. Jack had taken him to task for not believing his word less than an hour ago and here he was doubting him again. Jack promised this is where he wants to be, so I should believe him. Ianto sighed and picked up another box. It's not like he's the together forever, saying I love you type, I know better than that. Telling me he wants me is as good as it gets. Ianto straightened his shoulders and tried to shake off his insecurities. Jack deserved his trust and he was going to give it to him without holding anything back.
At least that way, whenever Jack left him again, he could console himself with the knowledge that he hadn't wasted any of their time together.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Ianto finally finished tidying the storeroom and found the box with Tommy's clothing. He gave the items a quick check for holes or stains and, finding neither, took the whole box with him to the locker room. He gave the coat, undershirt and pyjama bottoms a spray of fabric refresher before heading up to the Hub, making sure the musty smell of storage was gone.
When he joined the others in the boardroom, Ianto was glad to find he'd missed all of Jack's explanations and the team's reaction. Jack caught Ianto's eye and looked meaningfully at Tommy.
"Tommy, stay with Ianto. Tosh? With me," Jack said and then pushed back from the table. He clapped Ianto on the shoulder as he strode past with Tosh following reluctantly. Owen and Gwen gave Tommy pitying glances and then hurried from the room as well, leaving Tommy and Ianto alone.
Ianto gave Tommy a slight smile and then set the box on the table. "We've kept these in the archives," he said as he loosened the strap holding the box closed. "You were wearing them in the hospital when Torchwood took you." Stepping back, he put his hands in his pockets and watched as Tommy picked up the uniform jacket first. He bowed his head slightly, feeling helpless as Tommy confronted his past.
"Good job the moths haven't got into them," Tommy said, his normal cheerfulness sounding forced. He reached into the box and held up a pair striped pyjama bottoms. He glanced up at Ianto and smiled. "So I'll be saving the world in some pyjamas? How daft is that?"
Ianto smiled back. "Oh, I don't know. I think they lend you an air of insouciance."
Tommy snorted softly as he set the lid back on the box. "Yeah, that's me, Mr. Devil-May-Care." He picked up the archive box and looked up at Ianto. "Can you do me a favour, Ianto?"
"Anything," Ianto said immediately.
"Can you... will you promise me that you'll make sure Toshiko takes some time for the small things? Make her learn the piano like she said she would or something else mad and pointless. I... I want her to have some fun, have a good life," Tommy said softly. "She deserves it."
Ianto swallowed hard and nodded. "I promise I'll do my best."
"Thanks." Tommy paused as if he wanted to say something more, but in the end he just nodded and turned to walk out the door.
Ianto followed slowly, taking time to turn out the lights and slide the pocket doors closed behind him. He caught up with Tommy at the top of the stairs, walking with him as he joined Gwen and Owen. They were all on edge, clearly uncertain about what they should be doing - a point driven home when Tommy asked how they should pass the time before his date with the rift. Ianto had been in some awkward situations before, but never one that made him feel so completely ineffectual. Luckily, Jack and Tosh emerged from Jack's office before things became too uncomfortable.
"We were just wondering what Tommy should do tonight," Gwen said, turning her chair to look up at Jack for guidance.
Before Jack could answer, however, Tosh said matter-of-factly, "He can come home with me."
Ianto turned to look at Tosh as the others did the same.
"He's not our prisoner, he doesn't have to stay here," she went on, glancing at Tommy. Her face hardened as she looked at Jack again. "Does he?" she added sharply.
Jack gave Tosh a terse nod, acknowledging something between the two of them. "No," he said aloud. "If that's what you both want..." He let the sentence trail off.
The smile that Tosh and Tommy shared made Ianto's heart ache for them both. He didn't think he could stand seeing Tosh get hurt again and that was the only possible outcome of her getting even closer to Tommy than she already was.
Jack sighed. "Tomorrow morning, six thirty," he ordered, galvanizing everyone into action.
Tommy handed Ianto the box with his clothes and went to fetch his jacket. Ianto quickly deposited the box on Owen's workstation and hurried over to Tosh. She gave him a quick smile and turned to leave.
"Tosh, wait, I - "
"Go on, Tosh," Owen said, grabbing Ianto's elbow. "I'll help our tea-boy out with whatever he needs."
Ianto glared at Owen. "What? I need to - "
"No, you don't," Owen growled. "See you in the morning," he said to Tosh in a more pleasant tone.
Tosh gave them an odd look and then shook her head, clearly dismissing them as she took Tommy's arm and headed for the door.
Ianto wrenched his arm away from Owen and scowled at the other man. "What the hell was that, Owen?" he ground out.
"Save your breath, mate. I already talked to her."
When Ianto raised his eyebrow sceptically, Owen crossed his arms over his chest.
"Hey, you're not the only one who cares about Tosh, okay?" he muttered. "I just wanted to make sure she doesn't get hurt again. She knows what she's doing so just let her have this."
Ianto nodded, surprised at Owen's display of sympathy. They watched together as the cog door rolled back into place, blocking Tosh and Tommy from view.
"Poor bastard," Owen sighed.
Ianto couldn't have agreed more.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
It was late; the Hub silent except for Myfanwy's shuffling as she settled into her den. Ianto made his way across the catwalk and down to the main level, checking that everything was closed down for the night. He walked slowly, his mind back on the thoughts that had plagued him earlier - thoughts of Jack leaving him again or, even worse, of Jack keeping his promise to stay and being miserable because of it. Ianto made his way to Jack's office from the back stairs, wagering that Jack was still awake and torturing himself over Tommy's fate.
"This time tomorrow he'll be back in 1918," Jack said without turning around as Ianto slowly came up the steps. He was seated at his desk, elbow deep in Tommy's file just as Ianto had suspected.
"In his own time," Ianto said softly. He paused as he came around the guardrail, trying to decide if he should broach the topic that had been weighing on him. He took a deep breath. "Would you go back to yours? If you could?"
Jack raised his head, looking out toward the Hub. "Why?" he asked, his tone playful. "Would you miss me?"
"Yep," Ianto answered quickly. He tried to quash his disappointment as he started towards the desk. Jack's teasing usually meant he would avoid any serious conversation. To Ianto's great surprise, Jack continued after a sad sigh.
"I left home a long time ago. I don't really know where I really belong," he said pensively as he fiddled with the papers on his desk. He looked up again, a frown creasing his forehead. "Maybe that doesn't matter any more."
"I..." Ianto wasn't really sure what to say to that. "...know you get lonely," he said quietly, finishing his sentence with one of his biggest worries - that he wasn't enough for Jack, that Jack needed more, needed his own people and the whole of space and time at his fingertips again. He perched on the edge of the desk as Jack closed the file and looked at him for the first time.
"Going home wouldn't fix that," Jack said, shaking his head. "Being here, I've seen things that I never dreamt I'd see. Loved people I never would have known if I'd just stayed where I was."
Ianto looked down so Jack wouldn't see the foolish hope he knew was shining in his eyes. He doesn't mean you, the little voice in his head said firmly, still sounding like John Hart.
Jack paused again, waiting until Ianto raised his eyes once more. Jack held his gaze, his voice soft but full of meaning, matching the intensity in his blue eyes.
"And I wouldn't change that for the world."
TBC in Chapter Thirty-Nine
. This entry was originally posted at http://buttononthetop.dreamwidth.org/95169.html. Please comment there using OpenID.
Rating: R
Warnings: None really, just don't feel like changing the rating :)
Spoilers: Season Two thru To the Last Man (2x03)
Pairings: Jack/Ianto
Disclaimer: Torchwood and all its wonderfulness belong to the Mighty Beeb and He Who Must Not Be Named. All ©'s to Helen Raynor for situations borrowed from To the Last Man. No infringement, only worship intended!
Summary: The rest of the team learns the details about Tommy's mission and that he only has one more night before the time-shift completes...
Notes: Thank you to everyone who is reading and DOUBLE thanks to all y'all leaving comments! Each one is treasured by yours truly. :) You can find all the previous chapters to The Sea After a Storm here. This is a sequel to Vizzini’s Rule and To The Pain. Thanks again and forever to my amazing beta, wonderful friend and soon to be published author (squeee!!)
thrace_adams for all the help and support; any mistakes are mine!
The Sea After a Storm: Chapter Thirty-Eight
Previously on The Sea After a Storm: Jack and Ianto have to come to terms with the information about Tommy's mission and how it involves Tosh...
Ianto checked the location of Tommy's effects in the database and then headed down to the archives, his already black mood darkening. He hated the upper levels of the archives. The lower the level, the tidier the contents of the rooms - technology and storage capabilities improving slowly over time as Torchwood filled the archives, level by level. The rooms on the lowest active level, where Ianto'd been working for the last year, were as neat as a pin. He fit the key into the lock of room 97 and pushed open the door.
The site that greeted him made him groan. At some point, one of the shelves had broken, dropping its contents partially onto the row beneath it and partially onto the floor. The other shelves were still intact, although bowed and warped with age. Ianto removed his jacket and hung it on the doorknob before wading in.
As soon as he started the mundane task of sorting items back into their boxes, his mind strayed to the events of the day. His thoughts and emotions were as jumbled as the storeroom - concern for Tosh, pity for Tommy, worry for the team facing yet another world-ending phenomenon, all topped off with a knot of jealousy and fear in his gut that Jack would reconsider the Doctor's offer and vanish from his life again. He knew he was being stupid, he knew Jack had sworn that he wanted to be here and now, with Ianto and the rest of the team, but still… he's seen so much, been so many places, how can he be happy here, so far away from his own time?
Ianto stared at the box in his hand, suddenly frozen in place. He would have sworn John Hart was standing right next to him, hissing in his ear like a snake. "You're not enough to keep him here and you know it." Ianto ground his teeth and squeezed his eyes closed, but he couldn't shake it off. "He'll leave, you know. No goodbyes, no note, just no more Jack." He remembered wanting to protest, to tell Hart he was full of shit, but he couldn't do it because Jack had left him with no word. He could see himself standing in the Hub, looking at a mess of papers all over the floor and glancing up at Jack's empty office. Someday... someday it'll happen again. He'll just go and I'll be left behind… again.
With a wordless noise of protest, Ianto shoved the box he was holding onto the shelf. He knew he was being ridiculous. Jack had taken him to task for not believing his word less than an hour ago and here he was doubting him again. Jack promised this is where he wants to be, so I should believe him. Ianto sighed and picked up another box. It's not like he's the together forever, saying I love you type, I know better than that. Telling me he wants me is as good as it gets. Ianto straightened his shoulders and tried to shake off his insecurities. Jack deserved his trust and he was going to give it to him without holding anything back.
At least that way, whenever Jack left him again, he could console himself with the knowledge that he hadn't wasted any of their time together.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Ianto finally finished tidying the storeroom and found the box with Tommy's clothing. He gave the items a quick check for holes or stains and, finding neither, took the whole box with him to the locker room. He gave the coat, undershirt and pyjama bottoms a spray of fabric refresher before heading up to the Hub, making sure the musty smell of storage was gone.
When he joined the others in the boardroom, Ianto was glad to find he'd missed all of Jack's explanations and the team's reaction. Jack caught Ianto's eye and looked meaningfully at Tommy.
"Tommy, stay with Ianto. Tosh? With me," Jack said and then pushed back from the table. He clapped Ianto on the shoulder as he strode past with Tosh following reluctantly. Owen and Gwen gave Tommy pitying glances and then hurried from the room as well, leaving Tommy and Ianto alone.
Ianto gave Tommy a slight smile and then set the box on the table. "We've kept these in the archives," he said as he loosened the strap holding the box closed. "You were wearing them in the hospital when Torchwood took you." Stepping back, he put his hands in his pockets and watched as Tommy picked up the uniform jacket first. He bowed his head slightly, feeling helpless as Tommy confronted his past.
"Good job the moths haven't got into them," Tommy said, his normal cheerfulness sounding forced. He reached into the box and held up a pair striped pyjama bottoms. He glanced up at Ianto and smiled. "So I'll be saving the world in some pyjamas? How daft is that?"
Ianto smiled back. "Oh, I don't know. I think they lend you an air of insouciance."
Tommy snorted softly as he set the lid back on the box. "Yeah, that's me, Mr. Devil-May-Care." He picked up the archive box and looked up at Ianto. "Can you do me a favour, Ianto?"
"Anything," Ianto said immediately.
"Can you... will you promise me that you'll make sure Toshiko takes some time for the small things? Make her learn the piano like she said she would or something else mad and pointless. I... I want her to have some fun, have a good life," Tommy said softly. "She deserves it."
Ianto swallowed hard and nodded. "I promise I'll do my best."
"Thanks." Tommy paused as if he wanted to say something more, but in the end he just nodded and turned to walk out the door.
Ianto followed slowly, taking time to turn out the lights and slide the pocket doors closed behind him. He caught up with Tommy at the top of the stairs, walking with him as he joined Gwen and Owen. They were all on edge, clearly uncertain about what they should be doing - a point driven home when Tommy asked how they should pass the time before his date with the rift. Ianto had been in some awkward situations before, but never one that made him feel so completely ineffectual. Luckily, Jack and Tosh emerged from Jack's office before things became too uncomfortable.
"We were just wondering what Tommy should do tonight," Gwen said, turning her chair to look up at Jack for guidance.
Before Jack could answer, however, Tosh said matter-of-factly, "He can come home with me."
Ianto turned to look at Tosh as the others did the same.
"He's not our prisoner, he doesn't have to stay here," she went on, glancing at Tommy. Her face hardened as she looked at Jack again. "Does he?" she added sharply.
Jack gave Tosh a terse nod, acknowledging something between the two of them. "No," he said aloud. "If that's what you both want..." He let the sentence trail off.
The smile that Tosh and Tommy shared made Ianto's heart ache for them both. He didn't think he could stand seeing Tosh get hurt again and that was the only possible outcome of her getting even closer to Tommy than she already was.
Jack sighed. "Tomorrow morning, six thirty," he ordered, galvanizing everyone into action.
Tommy handed Ianto the box with his clothes and went to fetch his jacket. Ianto quickly deposited the box on Owen's workstation and hurried over to Tosh. She gave him a quick smile and turned to leave.
"Tosh, wait, I - "
"Go on, Tosh," Owen said, grabbing Ianto's elbow. "I'll help our tea-boy out with whatever he needs."
Ianto glared at Owen. "What? I need to - "
"No, you don't," Owen growled. "See you in the morning," he said to Tosh in a more pleasant tone.
Tosh gave them an odd look and then shook her head, clearly dismissing them as she took Tommy's arm and headed for the door.
Ianto wrenched his arm away from Owen and scowled at the other man. "What the hell was that, Owen?" he ground out.
"Save your breath, mate. I already talked to her."
When Ianto raised his eyebrow sceptically, Owen crossed his arms over his chest.
"Hey, you're not the only one who cares about Tosh, okay?" he muttered. "I just wanted to make sure she doesn't get hurt again. She knows what she's doing so just let her have this."
Ianto nodded, surprised at Owen's display of sympathy. They watched together as the cog door rolled back into place, blocking Tosh and Tommy from view.
"Poor bastard," Owen sighed.
Ianto couldn't have agreed more.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
It was late; the Hub silent except for Myfanwy's shuffling as she settled into her den. Ianto made his way across the catwalk and down to the main level, checking that everything was closed down for the night. He walked slowly, his mind back on the thoughts that had plagued him earlier - thoughts of Jack leaving him again or, even worse, of Jack keeping his promise to stay and being miserable because of it. Ianto made his way to Jack's office from the back stairs, wagering that Jack was still awake and torturing himself over Tommy's fate.
"This time tomorrow he'll be back in 1918," Jack said without turning around as Ianto slowly came up the steps. He was seated at his desk, elbow deep in Tommy's file just as Ianto had suspected.
"In his own time," Ianto said softly. He paused as he came around the guardrail, trying to decide if he should broach the topic that had been weighing on him. He took a deep breath. "Would you go back to yours? If you could?"
Jack raised his head, looking out toward the Hub. "Why?" he asked, his tone playful. "Would you miss me?"
"Yep," Ianto answered quickly. He tried to quash his disappointment as he started towards the desk. Jack's teasing usually meant he would avoid any serious conversation. To Ianto's great surprise, Jack continued after a sad sigh.
"I left home a long time ago. I don't really know where I really belong," he said pensively as he fiddled with the papers on his desk. He looked up again, a frown creasing his forehead. "Maybe that doesn't matter any more."
"I..." Ianto wasn't really sure what to say to that. "...know you get lonely," he said quietly, finishing his sentence with one of his biggest worries - that he wasn't enough for Jack, that Jack needed more, needed his own people and the whole of space and time at his fingertips again. He perched on the edge of the desk as Jack closed the file and looked at him for the first time.
"Going home wouldn't fix that," Jack said, shaking his head. "Being here, I've seen things that I never dreamt I'd see. Loved people I never would have known if I'd just stayed where I was."
Ianto looked down so Jack wouldn't see the foolish hope he knew was shining in his eyes. He doesn't mean you, the little voice in his head said firmly, still sounding like John Hart.
Jack paused again, waiting until Ianto raised his eyes once more. Jack held his gaze, his voice soft but full of meaning, matching the intensity in his blue eyes.
"And I wouldn't change that for the world."
TBC in Chapter Thirty-Nine
. This entry was originally posted at http://buttononthetop.dreamwidth.org/95169.html. Please comment there using OpenID.