COMING HOME - Chapter 1/17 + Epilogue
Title: Coming Home - Chapter 1
Author: iantosdreamer46
Genre: AU
Pairings/Characters: Ianto/Jack, Tosh/Owen, Gwen/Rhys, Rhiannon
Summary: Ianto has returned to Cardiff to pursue his chosen career as a Theatre Director. He then encounters the Torchwood team who are looking for an alien with a revenge. It's at this point he meets Jack.
Rating: NC-17 Overall
Wordcount: 27,000
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters, they belong to the BBC and RTD, I just like to experiment with them from time to time.
Artist:the_silver_sun
Beta:zazajb
A/N Thanks to the-silver-sun for an awesome design I love it. Also many thanks to zazajb for betaing my fic.
Fic Master list http://iantosdreamer46.livejournal.com/3003.html
Artist link http://pics.livejournal.com/the_silver_sun/pic/00082x3g/
Ianto Jones walked into the auditorium of the Donald Gordon Theatre. He smiled to himself, he was home.
It had been ten years since he’d been back to Cardiff. He’d left when he was 18 to study at the Drama Centre in London. His family had laughed at him, saying that none of the Jones’ had gone into theatre. He’d fallen out big time with his sister Rhiannon, she’d called him selfish and told him to think of what moving to London would do to their mam. He argued that it was his life and he could do whatever he wanted. And if that meant following his dream and becoming a Theatre Director, then that’s what he’d do. Rhiannon and his mam had told him that the only people you found in the theatre were gay, and they’d asked him if he was. He remembered glaring and shouting that they were stupid and if they took time to get to know what he was really like they’d see that he was quite happy with his girlfriend Lisa. He recalled leaving his mam’s house and going to live at Lisa’s until his course began at University.
They’d moved to London, shared a house with another couple, Gary and Christine. All four of them were at the same University. Gary and Ianto were specialising in Directing with Lisa and Christine specialising in Acting.
But that was all water under the bridge. He’d written to Rhi and his mam several times to tell them how he was getting on, he’d even tried to ring them but they’d never taken his calls. Well, he thought that was their loss. He was back in his home town doing what he loved, albeit without the love of his life, Lisa. She’d met someone else and had been having an affair for six months before Ianto found out. He was heartbroken, but he’d slowly come to terms that it was never meant to be. She’d moved out of their flat and for the last year he’d been on his own. Sure he’d been out with other girls but none of them compared to Lisa. Yes he was hurt, who wouldn’t be after you’d been with someone for nine years. He’d asked her to marry him on numerous occasions, but she’d turned him down, saying that her career would suffer if they found she was married. It had upset Ianto but he understood.
He was back in Cardiff, he’d written to Rhi to let her know he was coming home, said he hoped she’d come and see the play, if not to see him. He didn’t think she would as it was Romeo and Juliet, and Rhi hated Shakespeare.
As he arrived at the theatre, the security guard handed him a bunch of mail. Some of it was from people asking if he would audition them, some was from people trying to sell him things and one…. He stopped dead, one was from his sister. After all these years he still recognised her handwriting. He sat down on the treads leading up to the stage. Why now? Maybe she wanted to see him after all. With shaking hands he opened the envelope. It wasn’t a letter, but a card wishing him luck in the production. Ianto was angry, didn’t she realise it was bad luck to wish someone good luck in the theatre. She really didn’t know him or anything about his life. Well he’d done without her for ten years he could continue without her. The only thing that did upset him was his mam believing everything Rhiannon told her about his life. He really wanted to see his mam, but no doubt Rhi would be there and stop him. He’d written to his mam too, he’d just have to wait and see.
Looking at his watch he realised the rest of the company would be arriving shortly and he needed to be ready to begin rehearsals. He stopped, he thought he’d heard someone moving in the wings on stage left. “Who’s there? Mark if it’s you we need the stage setting up for Act One Scene Two - the balcony scene. Mark….Mark!”
Ianto didn’t get an answer. Going through the wings, he found them empty. As he stood looking around he felt a shiver go down his spine. Something was not quite right.
“Mr Jones….Mr Jones, are you there? I’ve got your programme to look through, just to make sure they’ve been set out as you asked for.”
Ianto went back onto the stage. “Did someone come by here a couple of minutes ago? I thought I heard someone back here then they disappeared.”
“No Mr Jones, no one’s come through this way.”
“Right….erm, ok let’s have a look.” Ianto took the draft from Dawn his assistant. I must be imagining things, it’s that stupid card Rhi sent me. Checking the programme he saw everything was in order, “Dawn, these are fine, you can take them to the printers and have the usual run off.”
“Mr Jones”
“Yeah?”
“Are you ok?”
“I’m fine Dawn, it’s just my overworked imagination playing tricks on me. I thought I heard someone in the wings, but no one was there. It must be this stupid card my sister sent. Here, get rid of it for me please. If she can’t be bothered to come and see me, I can’t be bothered to keep this.” He handed Dawn the card and she smiled at him.
“Ok, no problem. Mark’s just arrived with the last of the trucks and the scenery, I’ll tell him you’re looking for him.”
“Thanks Dawn. Listen, I’m sorry if I was a bit short with you there, I’m just nervous about being home.”
“No problem. Shout if there’s anything I can get you.”
“Thanks Dawn, what would I do without you?”
Dawn smiled and went to finish sorting out the programmes. She’d worked for Ianto for six months now and secretly she had a crush on him, but he just saw her as his assistant. Oh well, maybe one day?”
~~~~~*~~~~~
“Jack, you’d better come and have a look at this. Not sure what’s happening, but one minute I get rift activity from the Donald Gordon Theatre, the next it’s gone. It’s been on and off for the last couple of hours. I can’t get an exact location on it, as it doesn’t stay constant long enough.”
“Do we need to go down there? I could do with some excitement. The rift has been quiet this last few weeks and I’m getting slightly bored. I’ve even thought about going and talking to Janet.”
“Come on Jack, it’s not that bad.”
“Hey you’ve got Owen, Gwen has Rhys, who’ve I got?”
“Jack you’re not short of admirers. When was the last time you took someone to dinner?”
“Oh about six months ago. It was that Samoth who wanted to learn about earth culture. Turned out he wanted to eat me rather than the excellent Italian food we’d ordered. And….as much as I like being devoured, I’d rather remain whole thank you very much. He would’ve just spat out my bones.”
Tosh laughed as Jack raised his eyebrows and grinned.
“Oi Jack, what’re you doing chatting up my girlfriend?”
“Erm not, we’re just discussing the last time I went on a date, why do you fancy going with me?”
“I’ll skip that one if you don’t mind. I’ll stick with Tosh.”
They all laughed.
“Seriously Jack, you’ve got to get yourself back out there. There is someone just waiting to fall for that Hollywood smile of yours and when they do, make sure you catch them!”
“Who’s Jack catching?”
“Not sure Gwen, he’s looking for that Mr Right, but no one’s arrived so far. He’s had a few aliens but none are right for him.”
“Oi Owen, too much information for my delicate ears, thank you very much.” Laughed Gwen.
Jack left his colleagues and his best friends to go sort out the paperwork that had piled up on his desk. Sitting down he got to thinking about what they had said. He did need to get out more. Maybe one day, he’d find someone to share his life with. Maybe he’d even fall in love. He shook his head, like that was going to happen? Who would want a 51st Century immortal? It would have to be someone special. He laughed to himself, his friends knew him too well. Mr Right….yeah….one day.
tbc
Chapter 2 http://iantosdreamer46.livejournal.com/31588.html