MUSIC IS THE BEST MEDICINE.....1/?
Title: Music is the Best Medicine
Author: iantosdreamer46
Rating: N/C-17 overall, adult concepts, occasional language, m/m
Characters: Jack, Ianto, Gwen, Rhys, Owen, Tosh, John Hart, Richard, Giles
Spoilers: None, this is totally Aleternate Universe
Summary: Jack is the Station Manager at Cardiff Royal Infirmary's Hospital Radio. He helps a young man to get well and introduces him to the life at the Radio.
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters they belong to the BBC and RTD. I just like to experiment with them sometimes.
Words: 1,572
A/N This is completely AU and is all thanks to zazajb for challenging me to have a go. Apologies for any bad geography of Cardiff and Wales, I was never any good at the subject when I was at school
A/N2 Apologies for anyone who is getting this more than once as it's cross posted.
Masterlist http://iantosdreamer46.livejournal.com/3003.html
Jack was making his rounds of the wards trying to get requests from the patients. Jack Harkness, Station Manager of the Royals Hospital Radio. He liked to think that a bit of music did you the world of good and if it was something that you’d requested then it was even better. He’d been at the hospital eight years and for the last three he’d been the station manager. He loved his job, meeting people, making them smile with his cheery banter. It was a world away from his day job as the Director of Torchwood Finance.
He’d started the company with John Hart. They’d met at University and been on the same course. They’d had the idea that when they graduated they should set up in business, which they did at first as friends but then a relationship had blossomed. A couple of tempestuous years later they’d split and now their friendship was purely on a professional basis. They’d also joined the Hospital Radio together and initially worked on the same night, but as they drifted apart, their nights changed. Then Jack became John’s manager at the station as well as major shareholder at Torchwood Finance. They vowed that their personal and professional lives wouldn’t clash.
Jack was making his way around the ward when he saw a young man without any visitors. He was about to approach him when he was accosted by Dr Harper.
“Hey Jack, how’re you doing?”
“Hi Doc, fine thanks, long time no see.”
“Yeah, been on call and doing a stint with the air ambulance. Now that’s an adrenaline rush, going up in that. Although sometimes the accidents you go to bring you back to reality with a bump. Take this young man as an example.” He pointed to the young man Jack had been about to approach.
“What’s his story then?”
“Not sure. I was called out last Friday night to an RTA on the M4. When we got there this young man had driven, so it appeared, into the central reservation. I managed to save his leg, although he’s going to have a limp for the rest of his life. But I haven’t been able to get anything out of him as to what happened. He seems to have gone into his own world.”
“What about visitors? He seems to be the only one without any.”
“He was unconscious for nearly two days and a young lady was at his side for part of that time, but since they moved him up here, he’s had no-one. Hey Jack, see if you can work your smile on him and find out if he wants us to contact anyone.”
“Gee, thanks Doc, I only came to collect requests.”
“I know, but you’d be surprised how some people will open up to a stranger.”
“Ok, listen, I’ll finish collecting requests and get them back down to the studio, then I’ll come back and see what I can do. How does that sound?”
“Great Jack, I owe you one.”
“I think it’s more than one, don’t you?”
The two men laughed. They’d become friends when Jack had introduced Owen to Tosh after his fiancée had died unexpectedly. Tosh worked for the Hospital and had volunteered as a presenter just after Jack had become station manager. When he found out that she could write any programme for anything he’d got her to write the station playout system. Since this had been up and running word had spread of her genius and she was now in the process of selling the idea to other hospital stations.
The two men parted and Jack noticed the sadness in the young man’s face as Owen went to check on him. Jack also noticed that he had the bluest eyes he had ever seen and found himself being drawn into them. Stop it Jack, the Doc told you he’d had a young woman visiting. But he couldn’t help feel the stirrings of something. Come on Jack you’ve got a job to do, now get those requests and stop staring at him.
Jack finished his collection and took them back down to Richard who was the request show presenter for the night.
“Here you go, look can you manage without me for about half an hour? Doc Harper’s got me on a mercy mission.”
“Yeah sure Jack, no worries. Oh there was a message for you just after you left.”
“Who was it?”
“John, he wants to speak to you about something at work and he said it couldn’t wait.”
Jack sighed “well he’s going to have to wait, I’ve got more important things to do. I’ll see him at work tomorrow. He knows I’m here every night.”
“Are things ok between you?”
“Yeah, it’s just he’s now split with Cameron and he’s hoping I’ll take pity on him and go back to him. But he’s got another think coming. I’ve moved on, and it’s time he did.”
“Ok, look, if he rings again I’ll get Giles to tell him you’re in a meeting with the Hospital Trust. How does that sound?”
“Great, thanks. Hey how are you and Giles getting on?”
“Good thanks. We’ve been out a couple of times, we don’t want to rush things, we’re both just finding our way again.”
Richard and Giles had met at the station. They’d both decided that they needed something to occupy their evenings as they’d both had nasty splits with their respective partners. They’d had an instant attraction but were taking things slowly as neither wanted to be hurt again.
“If you want some time to yourselves you can always cook him a meal at mine. I’m here every night. It’s all yours, just ask.”
“Great, thanks Jack, I may take you up on that.”
Jack left the studio and made his way back to the ward.
Owen was still with the young man checking his dressing and making sure he wasn’t in any pain. He saw Jack approaching, “Jack, what can I do for you?” He didn’t want the young man to know he’d asked Jack to come back.
“I didn’t finish collecting my requests, you, Doc stopped me. So….I’ve come back to finish my job.”
“Right, I’ll leave you then.” He winked at Jack as he left the bedside.
Jack made a point of going to a couple of the other beds asking for requests before he approached the young man.
“Good evening, I’m Jack and I work for the Hospital Radio. I’m collecting requests, can I play you something tonight?”
“Leave me alone.”
“Hey, I’m only trying to be friendly here. Are you sure you don’t want a song playing?”
“I asked you to leave me alone, I don’t want a song playing, I just want to be on my own.” Ianto turned his face away from Jack so he couldn’t see the tears in his eyes.
Jack could tell from the sound of this young man’s voice that he was upset. He was not going to leave him in this state. He moved to the side of the bed so he could see those blue eyes, thus forcing the young man to look at him.
“Hey, as I said I’m only trying to be friendly and do my job. I saw you didn’t have any visitors so I thought I’d come and have a chat.”
Ianto looked up to see who was talking and looked straight into the most gorgeous blue/grey eyes he’d ever seen. Deciding this man was not a threat “look I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you, it’s just….I….”
“Hey, you don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to, I’m not here to extract information, I just play the songs on the radio.”
Ianto managed a half smile which caused jack to take a deep breath. This man is beautiful. Stop it Jack, you don’t know anything about him.
“I’m sorry….Jack was it?” Jack nodded. “I….they only transferred me up here a couple of days ago and I think I’m just feeling sorry for myself.”
“No worries. I’ll go if you want, just remember if you do want a song playing just let us know and It’ll be our pleasure.”
“Thanks. Look if you don’t mind I’m rather tired and my leg is hurting.”
“Oh, yeah, sure. I’ve got to get back to work anyhow.”
Jack stood to leave. “Jack….”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Taking the time to talk to me.”
“No problem.” He went to leave.
“I’m….I’m Ianto, Ianto Jones.”
“Nice to meet you Ianto Jones. Just don’t forget those songs.”
“No….no I won’t. Erm Jack….would….would you visit me again? I don’t get any visitors and I’d like to know more about this Hospital Radio thing. I didn’t know they had them.”
“No problem, how does tomorrow night sound?”
“That would be nice, thank you.”
“See you then.” And Jack left smiling to himself. He’s lonely Jack, you should stop reading anything more into it. He’s got a girlfriend. But Jack couldn’t hide the feelings he’d had when he looked into those blue eyes.
Ianto watched as Jack left. Why did I ask him to come back? I don’t want to know about the radio, but those eyes. He felt something stirring. Stop it Ianto, you’re straight! So why were those feelings there? He found himself smiling at the thought of seeing Jack again the following night.
tbc
Chapter 2 http://iantosdreamer46.livejournal.com/22583.html