Fic - Back to the Beginning
Title: Back to the Beginning
Author: szm
Rating: G
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Notes: I borrowed Dr Malcolm Taylor from the Doctor Who ep 'Planet of the Dead'. But you don't need to know who he is to read this.
Summary: Ianto has to go back to Torchwood One
Betaed by the ever amazing vipersweb. Many thanks again, hun.
Suzie found it. Suzie was good at finding odd bits of tech; she showed it to Jack who immediately recognised it. Suzie played with it for a while but without the other half she couldn’t get it to work. Then she found something that interested her more. It was consigned to long term storage and forgotten about.
Three years later, it started to glow.
**
“Jack,” called Ianto across the Hub. “I need you in the archives.”
Gwen nearly choked on her coffee and Ianto glared at her.
“Not like that! Mrs Williams, you have a one track mind,” Ianto scolded.
Jack pouted. “Aww, I got my hopes up and everything.”
“Hopes?” asked Gwen with a grin. “That’s what you’re calling it now then?”
“Sex maniacs,” muttered Ianto as he led them down to the archives.
“You love it,” countered Jack, which set Gwen off giggling. Ianto just rolled his eyes.
They all ended up traipsing down to the archives. Ianto didn’t say anything about Gwen tagging along. It was barely a month since Tosh and Owen had died and none of them liked being alone in the Hub if they could help it.
They followed Ianto down the twists and turns. “It would be easy to get lost down here,” commented Gwen.
“I have no idea where we are,” agreed Jack cheerfully. “Just don’t lose sight of Ianto!”
Ianto sighed. “Really, it’s not that difficult, and here we are. Long-term storage T to Z”
He led them amongst the shelves and boxes to a small table against the wall. The lights were on sensors that only illuminated the area they were in and switched themselves off as they passed. She could see the benefits of the system. It was a huge space, lighting all of it would be wasteful. But it was still creepy.
“Which section is this?” asked Jack, frowning at the boxes around him.
“Time travel,” said Ianto. “This was labelled as a ‘Time Bridge’. It’s in Suzie’s handwriting. But there’s no other explanation and no entry in the computer system.”
Ianto sounded disapproving. Gwen couldn’t help but think with all of Suzie’s sins, it was petty to condemn her for bad record keeping. She peered at the device, being careful not to touch it. She’d learnt that lesson, thank you very much.
It was about the same size as a coffee mug: flat on the bottom and rounded everywhere else. It was a very boring pale grey colour, without any obvious buttons or control. Then it started to glow, a deep amber colour that came from somewhere deep within it and got stronger and brighter. Gwen took a step back.
“I didn’t touch it!” she said quickly.
“It’s been doing that on and off for about an hour,” explained Ianto. “Any minute now…”
Suddenly the amber light went out and there was a thud as a manila folder appeared out of nowhere and landed on the table next to the device.
“Time Bridge,” said Jack knowingly. “It does exactly what it says on the tin. Links two separate areas of space and time. We’ve got the far end, someone else has the control end and they’re sending things through. Could be from anywhere, any when.”
“Could be,” said Ianto picking up the folder, he flicked through the pages, suddenly the colour drained from his face. “But it’s not. It’s from London, nearly five years ago.
“How do you know that?” asked Jack.
Ianto looked up. “Because this is my report, I wrote it and my boss lost the hard copy. I had to re-print it. The other end of the bridge is at Torchwood Tower.”
**
They relocated the bridge and the items that had come across to the boardroom. Along with Ianto’s report there was a woman’s coat, a broken mug, and a set of car keys.
Jack surveyed the items. “These are pretty random; I suppose it’s too much to hope that the researchers at One fed these into the bridge?”
“Why would they steal my report off my boss’s desk?” asked Ianto.
Jack pinched the bridge of his nose. “That means it’s not been stabilised properly. Which means it’s transporting things around itself randomly. They probably don’t even know what they’re dealing with. Which means we have to shut it down. It’ll only get worse if we don’t.”
“But we don’t have the controls,” said Gwen. “They’re in London five years ago. What happens if we just destroy this end?”
“Build up of energy with no outlet,” said Jack
“Boom?” suggested Ianto.
“Oh, big boom,” confirmed Jack.
Gwen sighed. “Nothing is ever easy.”
Jack frowned and picked up the Time Bridge, turning it slowly in his hand.
“Oh no,” said Ianto quietly.
“What?” asked Gwen.
“It’s never good when he gets that look,” said Ianto watching Jack warily.
“I could,” said Jack shooting Ianto a warning look, “use my wrist strap to force the bridge temporarily the other way. Then I could travel back and disable the bridge at the other end. I should have enough time to travel back before the bridge closes down.”
“What if you don’t have enough time?” asked Gwen.
“If not, I just have to make myself scarce for five years, not a big problem,” Jack shrugged.
“Will you materialise right next to the device?” asked Ianto. “Because these things weren’t even near it. My boss’s office was three floors up from R&D. And I’m pretty sure that’s Sarah’s coat. She worked in Human Resources, that was the other side of the building.”
“Like I said, it’s not been stabilised properly. Depending on exactly which model it is, the feeder area could be anything up to three miles. But I should materialise at the place where the last thing through came from,” explained Jack.
“So you’ll turn up in Ianto’s boss’s office?” asked Gwen.
“Yep,” said Jack pressing some buttons on his wrist strap.
“Isn’t that going to cause some comment?” asked Gwen
Jack shrugged. “They’ll probably just assume I’m the Jack Harkness from that time.”
Ianto coughed. “With all due respect, that wouldn’t be a good thing…”
Jack raised an eyebrow. “Why not?”
“Well Mr I-cut-all-ties, you were considered a traitor to the Empire. You were on the seize-and-detain list,” explained Ianto.
“Really?” asked Jack, his face lighting up like a kid at Christmas. “How high up?”
Ianto rolled his eyes. “Number five, if I recall correctly.”
Jack looked offended. “Only five?”
“How come they let you run Torchwood Three then?” asked Gwen interrupting them. This kind of discussion between Jack and Ianto could go on for days. Especially when Jack’s pride was on the line.
Jack chuckled. “Yvonne wasn’t overly happy when I refused to give up the Hub. But I locked her out of the system. There wasn’t a lot she could do short of mounting a full out assault on Cardiff. And that would have got her more attention than she wanted.”
“I could go,” said Ianto staring at his report. “I have some security clearance, if not a lot.”
Gwen looked at Jack who had gone very still. No joking and bantering now. This was serious and she felt out of her depth. Ianto never talked about what happened at Canary Wharf, and she knew she’d never really understand it. Ianto never even really talked about Torchwood One at all, and Jack always radiated disapproval whenever it did come up.
“Ianto,” Jack began carefully, “that would be crossing your own timeline. That’s never a good idea…”
“If they see Gwen, an unidentified intruder, in the HQ of Torchwood One they’ll shoot first and ask questions later. If they catch you…”
“If they catch me,” interrupted Jack
“You’d end up at the mercy of the biological research department,” continued Ianto. “For god knows how long. It has to be me.”
Jack and Ianto stared at each other of a long moment, an unspoken battle of wills. Arguing without words. Gwen held her breath waiting of the tension to clear.
“Fine,” said Jack finally. “You can come with me.”
Ianto opened his mouth to protest.
“You can’t go on your own,” said Jack before Ianto could voice any objection. “It’s too dangerous and besides I don’t have time to explain how to shut down the Time Bridge.”
Ianto closed his mouth and nodded. Gwen let out the breath she’d been holding.
“Right, put your hand on the bridge,” said Jack to Ianto. He grinned at Gwen. “We’ll either be appearing back here in a flash of light in a few minutes or walking in through the door and Ianto will look a bit older. Either way, see you in a few.”
Jack pressed a final button on his wrist strap and laid his hand over Ianto’s. The bridge made a disturbing grating sound and there was a bright light. Gwen shielded her eyes but it was already gone, and with it so were Jack and Ianto.
**
There was a flash and smell like burnt ozone. Suddenly Gwen and the Hub were gone only to be replaced by a familiar office. Ianto felt the floor move under his feet and he thought could taste purple. He thought he was going to fall but Jack caught him.
“Whoa, careful. Give your brain a little time to catch up with what’s happened. Do you feel sick?”
Ianto shook his head. “I’m fine, just don’t let go for a minute. That’s… weird. Why are you okay?”
Jack smirked, “Practice. You good to go?”
Ianto nodded and Jack carefully let go as if he were afraid Ianto couldn’t stand on his own. Ianto felt wobbly but okay. Voices came from the other side of the closed door, and the sound of a key in the lock. Ianto pushed Jack towards some filing cabinets. Luckily Jack caught on quick and crouched down to hide.
The door opened and a well dressed woman came in, the man she’d been talking to heading down the corridor. She turned and saw Ianto.
“Ianto! What are you doing in here, the door was locked?” she asked.
Ianto perched on the edge of the desk. “Janice! Like a locked door would keep me away.”
Janice grinned. “Shut up Jones. Are you in a suit?” She raised an eyebrow. “Miss Hartman will be pleased to see you finally following the dress code.” She brushed past Ianto to sit at her desk.
Ianto stood and turned to face her. Trying to remember what Janice expected him to be like. It felt like lifetimes ago. “Morrison dared me,” he said off-handedly. “I probably won’t last the day, it’s driving me nuts.”
Janice smirked. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but it suits you. Ha, sorry about the pun.”
Ianto grinned. “I missed you,” he blurted out.
Janice frowned. “You saw me yesterday.”
Ianto panicked for a split second. “Mere moments from you feel like days…” he said finally to cover.
Janice scoffed. “Save it for that poor girl you’re seeing. Is it still that Lisa?”
Normally at this point Ianto would have launched into a long spiel about how fantastic Lisa was, but all he could force past the lump in his throat was “Yes, Lisa.”
Janice frowned again. “You okay?” She looked up and Ianto couldn’t keep the sadness off his face. “Oh,” said Janice softly. “You actually like this one don’t you?”
Ianto couldn’t think of anything to say. Luckily, Janice changed the subject.
“So, what did you break into my office for really?” she asked.
“My report,” said Ianto as it was the first thing that came to his head. “I need it back there’s something I need to add.”
Janice chuckled. “I’m sure it’s fine, your reports always are.” She rifled through her inbox. “That’s weird, it’s gone.”
“What?” asked Ianto, keeping up the pretence. “I put it there last night.”
“Well, this is stupid,” said Janice. She jumped as the phone rang.
“Better get that,” said Ianto.
Janice picked up the phone. “Janice Carson… Oh hi, Mark, yes I’m on my way, see you there. Yep. Bye.” Janice put the receiver down and turned back to Ianto. “I’ve got to go, reprint that report for me, ‘kay?”
“Sure,” said Ianto breezily.
“Don’t get sarcastic with me, Jones, just do it. And remind Morrison that I need his sometime this week too.” With that she was gone and Jack reappeared from behind the filing cabinets.
“I thought she’d never leave,” he said knocking imaginary dust from his trousers.
“That’s Janice; she’s always doing a million things. She’s never in one place very long,” replied Ianto. “Come on, if this Time Bridge is anywhere it’ll be in the Research and Development labs. That’s lower ground floor.” Ianto stuck his head out of the office. “Coast’s clear. Come on.”
Ianto led Jack down the corridor a short way. A man in his late forties came rushing past; he spared Ianto a nod but barely gave Jack a second glance. Ianto gave him a nod and a quick ‘hey’ back.
“Who was he?” asked Jack as Ianto stopped at a fire door.
“He works upstairs, Gordon or Gerald or something. I never could remember. He thought I was called Steve for the first two months I worked here.” Ianto typed a code into the numeric lock and pushed the door open, ushering Jack in before him. “Right, this is the back staircase; no-one uses this unless they’re having a crafty smoke, and no cameras.”
Jack held up his wrist strap with a grin. “Cameras are no problem. Are the doors not alarmed? Yvonne must have been slipping.”
“External doors and doors to restricted areas from the back stairs are alarmed. But internal doors to minor research departments, no,” replied Ianto heading down the stairs past a large white 1 that was painted onto the bare concrete wall. “R&D is a restricted section though.”
Jack followed Ianto’s brisk pace. “I can probably handle the alarm,” he stated with considerable confidence. “Walk in the park.”
Ianto just rolled his eyes at that.
They carried on in silence for a long moment. Long enough that Ianto thought he’d gotten away with it. That Jack wasn’t going to ask…
“She was cute, did you sleep together?”
Exactly that.
“Who?” asked Ianto feigning ignorance.
“Janice,” clarified Jack. Ianto was walking ahead of Jack down the stairs but he could almost feel the smirk that was no doubt gracing Jack’s face. “You two were flirting, it was sweet.”
“She’s married,” said Ianto flatly.
“Ah-ha! So not a no then?”
“… Yes okay,” admitted Ianto, turning to glare at Jack. “We had sex. Before I met Lisa.”
Jack mock-pouted. “So the sleeping with your boss thing? I’m not your first?
Ianto sighed and quickened his step down the corridor. “Why are you being such an arse?”
Jack, unfortunately, was keeping up. ”I’m kinda shocked by younger you. Shagging married women.”
“Are you channelling Owen or something?” muttered Ianto. Louder he said. “One married woman. And it was once. Can we drop the subject now?”
“Oh no,” replied Jack with glee. “I want all the details.”
“Learn to live with the disappointment.”
“Iantoooooooo,” whined Jack. “I tell you about mine.”
“Whether I want to hear or not.” Ianto muttered under his breath.
“Ianto…” started Jack, his voice taking on the wheedling quality he used when he wanted something. Usually an extra biscuit or another cup of coffee.
“Jack,” replied Ianto through gritted teeth. “Drop. It”
“Why?” asked Jack.
Ianto finally snapped. He stopped in his tracks and spun round to face Jack. “Because she’d dead okay?” he hissed. Keeping his voice low to avoid getting caught but really wanting to shout. “Her, the guy we passed in the hallway whose name I could never remember, Matt from the post room, Sarah from HR, Penny from the front desk. In less than three years from today they all die and I don’t.”
There was a silence and Jack at least looked contrite. “Sorry,” he said quietly.
The anger drained out of Ianto leaving a horrible empty space. “Apology accepted,” he said. He turned back heading down the next flight of stairs.
“She’s got great legs though,” said Jack following him.
Ianto smiled sadly, “Yes, she did.” Ianto paused then looked up at Jack. “Do you ever get used to it?”
“What?” asked Jack
“Knowing that everyone you talk to is going to die.”
Jack looked at Ianto for a long moment then sighed. “No, no you don’t.”
Ianto just nodded and carried on walking.
**
Jack had always had a problem with this kind of sign:
“WARNING. AUTHORISED PERSONNEL ONLY.”
All written in big foreboding black letters on a yellow background. Honestly, how could they make a door any more tempting? Oh yeah, by writing in slightly smaller letters underneath, “All trespassers will be shot by order of Director Hartman.” Clearly this was where the party was. Jack grinned, humming to himself as he worked the cover off the electronic lock. Like riding a bike.
Ianto was less enamoured by the current situation. “Jack, are you sure you can do this? That sign is not joking; they will shoot us if they find us in there.”
Jack tutted. “Ianto, Ianto, Ianto. Stop worrying so much.”
“Says the immortal one,” muttered Ianto under his breath and glancing nervously over his shoulder.
“Would I let anything happen to you?” asked Jack. “After all Gwen can’t work the coffee machine…”
Ianto shook his head. “The tragic thing is you think you’re funny.”
“I’m not?” asked Jack. “You wound me, Mr Jones. Still, I’m pretty.” The door slid open with a soft ‘whoooosh’ and Jack stepped through quickly grabbing Ianto round the waist pulling to bring him through too. The door whooshed closed behind them, almost closing on Ianto’s leg. Jack pulled Ianto close and grinned. “Not to mention pretty smart.”
Ianto couldn’t help but smirk back. “Not bad, Captain,” he said stepping back out of Jack‘s arms.
“So where now?” asked Jack.
“I have no idea; I’ve never been down here before. Restricted section, remember?”
Jack tapped at the controls on his wrist strap. “Well I can’t follow the signal down here. Too many other things are interfering… These readings have to be wrong…”
Ianto glanced around. “If we can find a terminal I can probably hack into the catalogue.”
“I thought you didn’t have clearance,” said Jack. He pointed to a disused looking corridor and headed down with Ianto following.
“I don’t, but Tosh used to use old Torchwood systems for practice. She taught me a couple of things.”
Jack paused for a split second.
“What?” asked Ianto glancing at Jack’s face. His expression had gone stony.
Jack glanced back. “Somewhere out there I’m convincing Tosh to join Torchwood.” He looked away. “She’d have been better off if I’d left her alone.”
“In a UNIT prison?” asked Ianto softly.
Jack ignored him. “There’s voices up ahead,” he said instead. “Be careful.”
They approached the double doors at the end of the corridor without speaking. There were faint sounds of voices beyond it. As they approached the voices became clearer.
“It’s coming in?”
“Yeah. Hartman ordered the retrieval team out this morning. God knows how they’re going to transport it mind you.”
“I thought we were going to leave it where it was until we’d figured that little detail out?”
“Yeah well, the bloody boy scouts have been sniffing around it.”
The other voice chuckled and there was the sound of footsteps moving away.
“Boy scouts?” whispered Jack.
Ianto smirked. “UNIT,” he whispered back. “They kept trying to challenge us over artefacts. We usually won.”
Jack managed to bite his tongue before he commented on that one. He pushed the door open a little. The room beyond was a vast storeroom with some boxes piled high to the right of the door. Jack gestured to Ianto and they hurried over to them. Behind the boxes was a trolley. Somebody had left a clipboard on it.
“Jack,” said Ianto with a worrying smile. “I have a very good idea…”
**
Jack had, in his long life, travelled in various different forms of transport. However right this moment, he was hard pressed to think of a single one that was more uncomfortable than ‘in a wooden crate, on a trolley, pushed by Ianto’. Add the heart attack he nearly had when Ianto stopped to ask for directions, and it was a fairly stressful journey. But when anybody questioned him Ianto just waved the clipboard and said something like ‘Director Hartman said’ and he was waved on.
Human nature made Jack smile.
Ianto rolled the trolley into a room and it rattled over the threshold. Jack had to bite his lip as his head hit the top of the crate.
“Ianto,” came a heavily accented Welsh voice. “What brings you down here?”
“Hey, Dr Taylor. Someone mistook me for a porter, I guess. I’m lost; can I borrow your computer?”
“Now, none of that Dr Taylor stuff,” chided the voice. “The computer’s all yours. I’m late for a meeting.”
“You, Malcolm, late? Imagine my shock,” said Ianto with good natured teasing.
The other man chuckled. “Say hello to Lisa for me.”
“Malcolm,” said Ianto and something about the tone set alarm bell ringing in Jack’s head. “You should take that job with UNIT.”
No, no, no, thought Jack, hoping that Ianto would spontaneously develop telepathy.
“How do you know about that?” asked Malcolm. “You shouldn’t know about that. I only had the offer yesterday.”
“I know everything,” replied Ianto. “Really, you should get out of here.”
There was a long silence. Malcolm said “Bye” then there was the sound of the door opening and closing. Ianto opened the crate.
“What the hell was that?” asked Jack as he climbed out.
“Dr Malcolm Taylor, he joins UNIT anyway. He got headhunted, still works for them as a ‘scientific advisor’. I wasn’t very nice about it when I found out. We were friends; we had coffee on a Thursday lunchtime. He introduced me to Lisa.” Ianto didn’t meet Jack’s eye as he spoke. He busied himself at the computer. “Malcolm left himself signed in, daft sod.” There was real warmth in Ianto’s voice. Jack let it go. “Right, what does this thing look like?” asked Ianto.
Jack lent over Ianto’s shoulder. “It’s probably a box with a touch screen on top. Bigger than a bread bin. But not by much.”
“Any writing?”
“Maybe. If there is, it’ll be 32th century script. If not, there’ll be a symbol somewhere. Like this.” Jack sketched a simple round symbol on the pad next to the computer.
After a few minutes of Ianto tapping away at the keyboard Jack started to get antsy. “Ianto, what is taking so long?”
“Torchwood One doesn’t know what it is, remember? There’s a lot of ‘unknowns’ to go through.”
“Torchwood One, never met an electrical socket they didn’t stick a finger in,” quipped Jack.
“Like UNIT is any better,” replied Ianto. “Or you, for that… ha! Found it.” Ianto grabbed a pen and paper and scribbled some numbers down. “It’s in long term storage. Back in the box, Jack.”
Jack groaned.
**
No-one challenged them on the short way to long term storage. But Jack heard a lot of voices. They must have travelled through a busy area. Then it went quiet.
A few moments later there was a thump on the lid of Jack’s crate.
“Hey you!” came a voice. “Where the hell are you taking that?”
“To Dr Taylor’s office,” said Ianto with the just the right bored inflection. Jack found a split in the wood he could just see Ianto through.
“Really? I haven’t had any paperwork for it,” the man said sounding annoyed.
“Look man,” replied Ianto. “I just go where they send me.”
“Well, I’m sending you away. Nothing leaves my archive without the paperwork.”
“Fine,” replied Ianto with the one shouldered shrug of Owen’s that had driven Ianto mad in similar situations. “But you’ll need to sign this for Director Hartman.” Ianto had the clipboard in his hands.
“Director Hartman,” said the voice. Sounding a lot less sure.
Ianto did the one shoulder shrug again. “Something to do with that retrieval team that went out today?”
“Look, take it. This once, okay? And tell Dr Taylor to do his paperwork!”
“Yeah,” said Ianto. “Like he’ll listen to me.”
“Amen to that,” replied the man. “Bloody scientists.”
**
They got back to Dr Taylor’s office without incident. Jack grinned when he saw the control end of the bridge.
“Look at you, gorgeous,” he crooned. “Such a shame to have to destroy something this beautiful.”
Ianto was silent as Jack worked.
“Right,” said Jack. “I’ve looped the power source into the chronus matrix. Should burn out in about five minutes. Plenty of time for us to get back. Come on, Mr Jones.”
Ianto stood staring at the door.
“Ianto, we need to move, the bridge won’t stay open forever!” said Jack.
“I could warn them,” said Ianto softly.
“Ianto,” warned Jack. “Do you think they’d listen to you?”
“I could tell them,” said Ianto desperately. “There are code words in place for time travel. They’d believe me.”
“You can’t…”
“They die, Jack,” shouted Ianto. “Everybody we’ve met today, besides Malcolm, dies a horrible death. Them, and hundreds more.”
Jack didn’t say anything else. He just grabbed Ianto by the arm and dragged him towards the bridge. There was a blinding flash of light and the world lurched violently to one side. Ianto hit the grating of the Hub floor with his face.
It hurt, and he felt sick. And he really didn’t think it was anything to do with time travel. Ianto lay very still listening to Jack and Gwen.
“Ooo, travel through an unstable bridge. Not fun.”
“Know how to make an entrance, don’t you?” said Gwen. Ianto could hear her help Jack up. He screwed his eyes shut and forced himself to get up. Otherwise they might try to help him and he didn’t think he could take being touched right now.
Jack waved Gwen off. She looked from one to the other. She wasn’t stupid she could tell something was going on. She opened her mouth to speak just as Jack said, “Ianto.”
“Stop, just… stop,” said Ianto turning and walking towards the archives. Walking, even though he desperately wanted to run.
Gwen must have made a move to follow him because he heard Jack say, “Just leave him be.”
**
It was several hours later than Ianto expected when Gwen found him. He sat on the floor of a disused little room just inside the archives proper. A CCTV blind spot, all it contained was a broken chair and a naked light bulb. She sat next to him in silence for several minutes before she spoke. A personal record, thought Ianto meanly.
“Jack told me what happened. I’m so sorry, Ianto.”
Ianto didn’t reply. He scrubbed the back of his hand across his eyes. He’d been crying.
“I’m sure Jack’s sorry as well,” continued Gwen. Her eyes round and full of way more sympathy than Ianto could take right now.
“He might be,” said Ianto flatly, listening to the croak of his own voice. “But he won’t say it. Besides, he was right. I couldn’t save them. Then or now.”
“Ianto, you wouldn’t be human if you didn’t want to try.”
“Gwen, I… can you just not… not now, please?” Ianto could feel the tears pressing on the backs of his eyes again. He wished he could yell and rant at somebody. But Gwen didn’t deserve that.
Gwen bit her bottom lip. It was one of her most obvious tells. It meant she wasn’t sure that something was a good idea but she was going to do it anyway. Ianto braced himself.
“Jack called someone. He’s waiting for you in the tourist office.”
Ianto took a deep breath. Torchwood waited for no-one. It certainly didn’t make room for your nervous breakdown. “I’ll be up in a minute,” he said.
As Gwen left she flashed him her ‘brave little solider smile’.
**
Ianto went up to the tourist office via the bathroom. He cleaned himself up best as he could. Professional smile in place he stepped into the office.
“Ianto!” exclaimed Dr Malcolm Taylor. He swerved round the desk and enveloped Ianto in a hug.
“Malcolm?” said Ianto, probably sounding as stupid as he felt.
“In the flesh,” replied Malcolm, stepping back. “My god, it’s good to see you again. You look… well I’m not going to lie, you look terrible. Your Captain Jack rang General Harris and, long story short, here I am.”
Ianto felt the smile spread across his face as Malcolm was talking. “Good to see you Dr Taylor.”
“Now, none of that,” scolded Malcolm. He stood in what was the closest Malcolm ever came to military posture. “What do you need me for, Sir?”
Ianto smirked. “Don’t try and salute Malcolm, You’ll hurt yourself.” Malcolm chuckled and Ianto’s face fell. “I… I had a really bad day.”
Malcolm was quiet for a long moment. Looking at Ianto like he was an unusual particle. “Well then,” he said finally. “What’s needed then is a coffee and a good natter.”
Ianto couldn’t hold back the smile. “I’ll just get my coat and I need to make a quick call. Meet you outside?”
The bell rang as Malcolm left. Ianto rang through to Jack’s office.
“Yes?” Jack answered.
“I’m going out for a bit,” said Ianto.
“Okay,” replied Jack. “But stay on comms. Just in case.”
“Of course. Jack?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” said Jack, his voice was warm even down the phone.
**
Malcolm was waiting outside.
“So,” said Ianto. “How’s life with the boy scouts?”
Malcolm grinned. “A Captain threatened to shoot me the other day.”
Ianto smirked and shook his head. “Terrible staff motivation.”
“I don’t know. Yvonne Hartman would have shot me.”
“And you would have been motivated,” nodded Ianto.
They headed off, not quite into the sunset, because life is never like the movies. But somehow this helped, just remembering what had been lost with someone who understood, and knowing that at least one other had survived.
Cold comforts, but comforts none the less. They did survive, and who knew what tomorrow could be?
Author: szm
Rating: G
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Notes: I borrowed Dr Malcolm Taylor from the Doctor Who ep 'Planet of the Dead'. But you don't need to know who he is to read this.
Summary: Ianto has to go back to Torchwood One
Betaed by the ever amazing vipersweb. Many thanks again, hun.
Suzie found it. Suzie was good at finding odd bits of tech; she showed it to Jack who immediately recognised it. Suzie played with it for a while but without the other half she couldn’t get it to work. Then she found something that interested her more. It was consigned to long term storage and forgotten about.
Three years later, it started to glow.
**
“Jack,” called Ianto across the Hub. “I need you in the archives.”
Gwen nearly choked on her coffee and Ianto glared at her.
“Not like that! Mrs Williams, you have a one track mind,” Ianto scolded.
Jack pouted. “Aww, I got my hopes up and everything.”
“Hopes?” asked Gwen with a grin. “That’s what you’re calling it now then?”
“Sex maniacs,” muttered Ianto as he led them down to the archives.
“You love it,” countered Jack, which set Gwen off giggling. Ianto just rolled his eyes.
They all ended up traipsing down to the archives. Ianto didn’t say anything about Gwen tagging along. It was barely a month since Tosh and Owen had died and none of them liked being alone in the Hub if they could help it.
They followed Ianto down the twists and turns. “It would be easy to get lost down here,” commented Gwen.
“I have no idea where we are,” agreed Jack cheerfully. “Just don’t lose sight of Ianto!”
Ianto sighed. “Really, it’s not that difficult, and here we are. Long-term storage T to Z”
He led them amongst the shelves and boxes to a small table against the wall. The lights were on sensors that only illuminated the area they were in and switched themselves off as they passed. She could see the benefits of the system. It was a huge space, lighting all of it would be wasteful. But it was still creepy.
“Which section is this?” asked Jack, frowning at the boxes around him.
“Time travel,” said Ianto. “This was labelled as a ‘Time Bridge’. It’s in Suzie’s handwriting. But there’s no other explanation and no entry in the computer system.”
Ianto sounded disapproving. Gwen couldn’t help but think with all of Suzie’s sins, it was petty to condemn her for bad record keeping. She peered at the device, being careful not to touch it. She’d learnt that lesson, thank you very much.
It was about the same size as a coffee mug: flat on the bottom and rounded everywhere else. It was a very boring pale grey colour, without any obvious buttons or control. Then it started to glow, a deep amber colour that came from somewhere deep within it and got stronger and brighter. Gwen took a step back.
“I didn’t touch it!” she said quickly.
“It’s been doing that on and off for about an hour,” explained Ianto. “Any minute now…”
Suddenly the amber light went out and there was a thud as a manila folder appeared out of nowhere and landed on the table next to the device.
“Time Bridge,” said Jack knowingly. “It does exactly what it says on the tin. Links two separate areas of space and time. We’ve got the far end, someone else has the control end and they’re sending things through. Could be from anywhere, any when.”
“Could be,” said Ianto picking up the folder, he flicked through the pages, suddenly the colour drained from his face. “But it’s not. It’s from London, nearly five years ago.
“How do you know that?” asked Jack.
Ianto looked up. “Because this is my report, I wrote it and my boss lost the hard copy. I had to re-print it. The other end of the bridge is at Torchwood Tower.”
**
They relocated the bridge and the items that had come across to the boardroom. Along with Ianto’s report there was a woman’s coat, a broken mug, and a set of car keys.
Jack surveyed the items. “These are pretty random; I suppose it’s too much to hope that the researchers at One fed these into the bridge?”
“Why would they steal my report off my boss’s desk?” asked Ianto.
Jack pinched the bridge of his nose. “That means it’s not been stabilised properly. Which means it’s transporting things around itself randomly. They probably don’t even know what they’re dealing with. Which means we have to shut it down. It’ll only get worse if we don’t.”
“But we don’t have the controls,” said Gwen. “They’re in London five years ago. What happens if we just destroy this end?”
“Build up of energy with no outlet,” said Jack
“Boom?” suggested Ianto.
“Oh, big boom,” confirmed Jack.
Gwen sighed. “Nothing is ever easy.”
Jack frowned and picked up the Time Bridge, turning it slowly in his hand.
“Oh no,” said Ianto quietly.
“What?” asked Gwen.
“It’s never good when he gets that look,” said Ianto watching Jack warily.
“I could,” said Jack shooting Ianto a warning look, “use my wrist strap to force the bridge temporarily the other way. Then I could travel back and disable the bridge at the other end. I should have enough time to travel back before the bridge closes down.”
“What if you don’t have enough time?” asked Gwen.
“If not, I just have to make myself scarce for five years, not a big problem,” Jack shrugged.
“Will you materialise right next to the device?” asked Ianto. “Because these things weren’t even near it. My boss’s office was three floors up from R&D. And I’m pretty sure that’s Sarah’s coat. She worked in Human Resources, that was the other side of the building.”
“Like I said, it’s not been stabilised properly. Depending on exactly which model it is, the feeder area could be anything up to three miles. But I should materialise at the place where the last thing through came from,” explained Jack.
“So you’ll turn up in Ianto’s boss’s office?” asked Gwen.
“Yep,” said Jack pressing some buttons on his wrist strap.
“Isn’t that going to cause some comment?” asked Gwen
Jack shrugged. “They’ll probably just assume I’m the Jack Harkness from that time.”
Ianto coughed. “With all due respect, that wouldn’t be a good thing…”
Jack raised an eyebrow. “Why not?”
“Well Mr I-cut-all-ties, you were considered a traitor to the Empire. You were on the seize-and-detain list,” explained Ianto.
“Really?” asked Jack, his face lighting up like a kid at Christmas. “How high up?”
Ianto rolled his eyes. “Number five, if I recall correctly.”
Jack looked offended. “Only five?”
“How come they let you run Torchwood Three then?” asked Gwen interrupting them. This kind of discussion between Jack and Ianto could go on for days. Especially when Jack’s pride was on the line.
Jack chuckled. “Yvonne wasn’t overly happy when I refused to give up the Hub. But I locked her out of the system. There wasn’t a lot she could do short of mounting a full out assault on Cardiff. And that would have got her more attention than she wanted.”
“I could go,” said Ianto staring at his report. “I have some security clearance, if not a lot.”
Gwen looked at Jack who had gone very still. No joking and bantering now. This was serious and she felt out of her depth. Ianto never talked about what happened at Canary Wharf, and she knew she’d never really understand it. Ianto never even really talked about Torchwood One at all, and Jack always radiated disapproval whenever it did come up.
“Ianto,” Jack began carefully, “that would be crossing your own timeline. That’s never a good idea…”
“If they see Gwen, an unidentified intruder, in the HQ of Torchwood One they’ll shoot first and ask questions later. If they catch you…”
“If they catch me,” interrupted Jack
“You’d end up at the mercy of the biological research department,” continued Ianto. “For god knows how long. It has to be me.”
Jack and Ianto stared at each other of a long moment, an unspoken battle of wills. Arguing without words. Gwen held her breath waiting of the tension to clear.
“Fine,” said Jack finally. “You can come with me.”
Ianto opened his mouth to protest.
“You can’t go on your own,” said Jack before Ianto could voice any objection. “It’s too dangerous and besides I don’t have time to explain how to shut down the Time Bridge.”
Ianto closed his mouth and nodded. Gwen let out the breath she’d been holding.
“Right, put your hand on the bridge,” said Jack to Ianto. He grinned at Gwen. “We’ll either be appearing back here in a flash of light in a few minutes or walking in through the door and Ianto will look a bit older. Either way, see you in a few.”
Jack pressed a final button on his wrist strap and laid his hand over Ianto’s. The bridge made a disturbing grating sound and there was a bright light. Gwen shielded her eyes but it was already gone, and with it so were Jack and Ianto.
**
There was a flash and smell like burnt ozone. Suddenly Gwen and the Hub were gone only to be replaced by a familiar office. Ianto felt the floor move under his feet and he thought could taste purple. He thought he was going to fall but Jack caught him.
“Whoa, careful. Give your brain a little time to catch up with what’s happened. Do you feel sick?”
Ianto shook his head. “I’m fine, just don’t let go for a minute. That’s… weird. Why are you okay?”
Jack smirked, “Practice. You good to go?”
Ianto nodded and Jack carefully let go as if he were afraid Ianto couldn’t stand on his own. Ianto felt wobbly but okay. Voices came from the other side of the closed door, and the sound of a key in the lock. Ianto pushed Jack towards some filing cabinets. Luckily Jack caught on quick and crouched down to hide.
The door opened and a well dressed woman came in, the man she’d been talking to heading down the corridor. She turned and saw Ianto.
“Ianto! What are you doing in here, the door was locked?” she asked.
Ianto perched on the edge of the desk. “Janice! Like a locked door would keep me away.”
Janice grinned. “Shut up Jones. Are you in a suit?” She raised an eyebrow. “Miss Hartman will be pleased to see you finally following the dress code.” She brushed past Ianto to sit at her desk.
Ianto stood and turned to face her. Trying to remember what Janice expected him to be like. It felt like lifetimes ago. “Morrison dared me,” he said off-handedly. “I probably won’t last the day, it’s driving me nuts.”
Janice smirked. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but it suits you. Ha, sorry about the pun.”
Ianto grinned. “I missed you,” he blurted out.
Janice frowned. “You saw me yesterday.”
Ianto panicked for a split second. “Mere moments from you feel like days…” he said finally to cover.
Janice scoffed. “Save it for that poor girl you’re seeing. Is it still that Lisa?”
Normally at this point Ianto would have launched into a long spiel about how fantastic Lisa was, but all he could force past the lump in his throat was “Yes, Lisa.”
Janice frowned again. “You okay?” She looked up and Ianto couldn’t keep the sadness off his face. “Oh,” said Janice softly. “You actually like this one don’t you?”
Ianto couldn’t think of anything to say. Luckily, Janice changed the subject.
“So, what did you break into my office for really?” she asked.
“My report,” said Ianto as it was the first thing that came to his head. “I need it back there’s something I need to add.”
Janice chuckled. “I’m sure it’s fine, your reports always are.” She rifled through her inbox. “That’s weird, it’s gone.”
“What?” asked Ianto, keeping up the pretence. “I put it there last night.”
“Well, this is stupid,” said Janice. She jumped as the phone rang.
“Better get that,” said Ianto.
Janice picked up the phone. “Janice Carson… Oh hi, Mark, yes I’m on my way, see you there. Yep. Bye.” Janice put the receiver down and turned back to Ianto. “I’ve got to go, reprint that report for me, ‘kay?”
“Sure,” said Ianto breezily.
“Don’t get sarcastic with me, Jones, just do it. And remind Morrison that I need his sometime this week too.” With that she was gone and Jack reappeared from behind the filing cabinets.
“I thought she’d never leave,” he said knocking imaginary dust from his trousers.
“That’s Janice; she’s always doing a million things. She’s never in one place very long,” replied Ianto. “Come on, if this Time Bridge is anywhere it’ll be in the Research and Development labs. That’s lower ground floor.” Ianto stuck his head out of the office. “Coast’s clear. Come on.”
Ianto led Jack down the corridor a short way. A man in his late forties came rushing past; he spared Ianto a nod but barely gave Jack a second glance. Ianto gave him a nod and a quick ‘hey’ back.
“Who was he?” asked Jack as Ianto stopped at a fire door.
“He works upstairs, Gordon or Gerald or something. I never could remember. He thought I was called Steve for the first two months I worked here.” Ianto typed a code into the numeric lock and pushed the door open, ushering Jack in before him. “Right, this is the back staircase; no-one uses this unless they’re having a crafty smoke, and no cameras.”
Jack held up his wrist strap with a grin. “Cameras are no problem. Are the doors not alarmed? Yvonne must have been slipping.”
“External doors and doors to restricted areas from the back stairs are alarmed. But internal doors to minor research departments, no,” replied Ianto heading down the stairs past a large white 1 that was painted onto the bare concrete wall. “R&D is a restricted section though.”
Jack followed Ianto’s brisk pace. “I can probably handle the alarm,” he stated with considerable confidence. “Walk in the park.”
Ianto just rolled his eyes at that.
They carried on in silence for a long moment. Long enough that Ianto thought he’d gotten away with it. That Jack wasn’t going to ask…
“She was cute, did you sleep together?”
Exactly that.
“Who?” asked Ianto feigning ignorance.
“Janice,” clarified Jack. Ianto was walking ahead of Jack down the stairs but he could almost feel the smirk that was no doubt gracing Jack’s face. “You two were flirting, it was sweet.”
“She’s married,” said Ianto flatly.
“Ah-ha! So not a no then?”
“… Yes okay,” admitted Ianto, turning to glare at Jack. “We had sex. Before I met Lisa.”
Jack mock-pouted. “So the sleeping with your boss thing? I’m not your first?
Ianto sighed and quickened his step down the corridor. “Why are you being such an arse?”
Jack, unfortunately, was keeping up. ”I’m kinda shocked by younger you. Shagging married women.”
“Are you channelling Owen or something?” muttered Ianto. Louder he said. “One married woman. And it was once. Can we drop the subject now?”
“Oh no,” replied Jack with glee. “I want all the details.”
“Learn to live with the disappointment.”
“Iantoooooooo,” whined Jack. “I tell you about mine.”
“Whether I want to hear or not.” Ianto muttered under his breath.
“Ianto…” started Jack, his voice taking on the wheedling quality he used when he wanted something. Usually an extra biscuit or another cup of coffee.
“Jack,” replied Ianto through gritted teeth. “Drop. It”
“Why?” asked Jack.
Ianto finally snapped. He stopped in his tracks and spun round to face Jack. “Because she’d dead okay?” he hissed. Keeping his voice low to avoid getting caught but really wanting to shout. “Her, the guy we passed in the hallway whose name I could never remember, Matt from the post room, Sarah from HR, Penny from the front desk. In less than three years from today they all die and I don’t.”
There was a silence and Jack at least looked contrite. “Sorry,” he said quietly.
The anger drained out of Ianto leaving a horrible empty space. “Apology accepted,” he said. He turned back heading down the next flight of stairs.
“She’s got great legs though,” said Jack following him.
Ianto smiled sadly, “Yes, she did.” Ianto paused then looked up at Jack. “Do you ever get used to it?”
“What?” asked Jack
“Knowing that everyone you talk to is going to die.”
Jack looked at Ianto for a long moment then sighed. “No, no you don’t.”
Ianto just nodded and carried on walking.
**
Jack had always had a problem with this kind of sign:
“WARNING. AUTHORISED PERSONNEL ONLY.”
All written in big foreboding black letters on a yellow background. Honestly, how could they make a door any more tempting? Oh yeah, by writing in slightly smaller letters underneath, “All trespassers will be shot by order of Director Hartman.” Clearly this was where the party was. Jack grinned, humming to himself as he worked the cover off the electronic lock. Like riding a bike.
Ianto was less enamoured by the current situation. “Jack, are you sure you can do this? That sign is not joking; they will shoot us if they find us in there.”
Jack tutted. “Ianto, Ianto, Ianto. Stop worrying so much.”
“Says the immortal one,” muttered Ianto under his breath and glancing nervously over his shoulder.
“Would I let anything happen to you?” asked Jack. “After all Gwen can’t work the coffee machine…”
Ianto shook his head. “The tragic thing is you think you’re funny.”
“I’m not?” asked Jack. “You wound me, Mr Jones. Still, I’m pretty.” The door slid open with a soft ‘whoooosh’ and Jack stepped through quickly grabbing Ianto round the waist pulling to bring him through too. The door whooshed closed behind them, almost closing on Ianto’s leg. Jack pulled Ianto close and grinned. “Not to mention pretty smart.”
Ianto couldn’t help but smirk back. “Not bad, Captain,” he said stepping back out of Jack‘s arms.
“So where now?” asked Jack.
“I have no idea; I’ve never been down here before. Restricted section, remember?”
Jack tapped at the controls on his wrist strap. “Well I can’t follow the signal down here. Too many other things are interfering… These readings have to be wrong…”
Ianto glanced around. “If we can find a terminal I can probably hack into the catalogue.”
“I thought you didn’t have clearance,” said Jack. He pointed to a disused looking corridor and headed down with Ianto following.
“I don’t, but Tosh used to use old Torchwood systems for practice. She taught me a couple of things.”
Jack paused for a split second.
“What?” asked Ianto glancing at Jack’s face. His expression had gone stony.
Jack glanced back. “Somewhere out there I’m convincing Tosh to join Torchwood.” He looked away. “She’d have been better off if I’d left her alone.”
“In a UNIT prison?” asked Ianto softly.
Jack ignored him. “There’s voices up ahead,” he said instead. “Be careful.”
They approached the double doors at the end of the corridor without speaking. There were faint sounds of voices beyond it. As they approached the voices became clearer.
“It’s coming in?”
“Yeah. Hartman ordered the retrieval team out this morning. God knows how they’re going to transport it mind you.”
“I thought we were going to leave it where it was until we’d figured that little detail out?”
“Yeah well, the bloody boy scouts have been sniffing around it.”
The other voice chuckled and there was the sound of footsteps moving away.
“Boy scouts?” whispered Jack.
Ianto smirked. “UNIT,” he whispered back. “They kept trying to challenge us over artefacts. We usually won.”
Jack managed to bite his tongue before he commented on that one. He pushed the door open a little. The room beyond was a vast storeroom with some boxes piled high to the right of the door. Jack gestured to Ianto and they hurried over to them. Behind the boxes was a trolley. Somebody had left a clipboard on it.
“Jack,” said Ianto with a worrying smile. “I have a very good idea…”
**
Jack had, in his long life, travelled in various different forms of transport. However right this moment, he was hard pressed to think of a single one that was more uncomfortable than ‘in a wooden crate, on a trolley, pushed by Ianto’. Add the heart attack he nearly had when Ianto stopped to ask for directions, and it was a fairly stressful journey. But when anybody questioned him Ianto just waved the clipboard and said something like ‘Director Hartman said’ and he was waved on.
Human nature made Jack smile.
Ianto rolled the trolley into a room and it rattled over the threshold. Jack had to bite his lip as his head hit the top of the crate.
“Ianto,” came a heavily accented Welsh voice. “What brings you down here?”
“Hey, Dr Taylor. Someone mistook me for a porter, I guess. I’m lost; can I borrow your computer?”
“Now, none of that Dr Taylor stuff,” chided the voice. “The computer’s all yours. I’m late for a meeting.”
“You, Malcolm, late? Imagine my shock,” said Ianto with good natured teasing.
The other man chuckled. “Say hello to Lisa for me.”
“Malcolm,” said Ianto and something about the tone set alarm bell ringing in Jack’s head. “You should take that job with UNIT.”
No, no, no, thought Jack, hoping that Ianto would spontaneously develop telepathy.
“How do you know about that?” asked Malcolm. “You shouldn’t know about that. I only had the offer yesterday.”
“I know everything,” replied Ianto. “Really, you should get out of here.”
There was a long silence. Malcolm said “Bye” then there was the sound of the door opening and closing. Ianto opened the crate.
“What the hell was that?” asked Jack as he climbed out.
“Dr Malcolm Taylor, he joins UNIT anyway. He got headhunted, still works for them as a ‘scientific advisor’. I wasn’t very nice about it when I found out. We were friends; we had coffee on a Thursday lunchtime. He introduced me to Lisa.” Ianto didn’t meet Jack’s eye as he spoke. He busied himself at the computer. “Malcolm left himself signed in, daft sod.” There was real warmth in Ianto’s voice. Jack let it go. “Right, what does this thing look like?” asked Ianto.
Jack lent over Ianto’s shoulder. “It’s probably a box with a touch screen on top. Bigger than a bread bin. But not by much.”
“Any writing?”
“Maybe. If there is, it’ll be 32th century script. If not, there’ll be a symbol somewhere. Like this.” Jack sketched a simple round symbol on the pad next to the computer.
After a few minutes of Ianto tapping away at the keyboard Jack started to get antsy. “Ianto, what is taking so long?”
“Torchwood One doesn’t know what it is, remember? There’s a lot of ‘unknowns’ to go through.”
“Torchwood One, never met an electrical socket they didn’t stick a finger in,” quipped Jack.
“Like UNIT is any better,” replied Ianto. “Or you, for that… ha! Found it.” Ianto grabbed a pen and paper and scribbled some numbers down. “It’s in long term storage. Back in the box, Jack.”
Jack groaned.
**
No-one challenged them on the short way to long term storage. But Jack heard a lot of voices. They must have travelled through a busy area. Then it went quiet.
A few moments later there was a thump on the lid of Jack’s crate.
“Hey you!” came a voice. “Where the hell are you taking that?”
“To Dr Taylor’s office,” said Ianto with the just the right bored inflection. Jack found a split in the wood he could just see Ianto through.
“Really? I haven’t had any paperwork for it,” the man said sounding annoyed.
“Look man,” replied Ianto. “I just go where they send me.”
“Well, I’m sending you away. Nothing leaves my archive without the paperwork.”
“Fine,” replied Ianto with the one shouldered shrug of Owen’s that had driven Ianto mad in similar situations. “But you’ll need to sign this for Director Hartman.” Ianto had the clipboard in his hands.
“Director Hartman,” said the voice. Sounding a lot less sure.
Ianto did the one shoulder shrug again. “Something to do with that retrieval team that went out today?”
“Look, take it. This once, okay? And tell Dr Taylor to do his paperwork!”
“Yeah,” said Ianto. “Like he’ll listen to me.”
“Amen to that,” replied the man. “Bloody scientists.”
**
They got back to Dr Taylor’s office without incident. Jack grinned when he saw the control end of the bridge.
“Look at you, gorgeous,” he crooned. “Such a shame to have to destroy something this beautiful.”
Ianto was silent as Jack worked.
“Right,” said Jack. “I’ve looped the power source into the chronus matrix. Should burn out in about five minutes. Plenty of time for us to get back. Come on, Mr Jones.”
Ianto stood staring at the door.
“Ianto, we need to move, the bridge won’t stay open forever!” said Jack.
“I could warn them,” said Ianto softly.
“Ianto,” warned Jack. “Do you think they’d listen to you?”
“I could tell them,” said Ianto desperately. “There are code words in place for time travel. They’d believe me.”
“You can’t…”
“They die, Jack,” shouted Ianto. “Everybody we’ve met today, besides Malcolm, dies a horrible death. Them, and hundreds more.”
Jack didn’t say anything else. He just grabbed Ianto by the arm and dragged him towards the bridge. There was a blinding flash of light and the world lurched violently to one side. Ianto hit the grating of the Hub floor with his face.
It hurt, and he felt sick. And he really didn’t think it was anything to do with time travel. Ianto lay very still listening to Jack and Gwen.
“Ooo, travel through an unstable bridge. Not fun.”
“Know how to make an entrance, don’t you?” said Gwen. Ianto could hear her help Jack up. He screwed his eyes shut and forced himself to get up. Otherwise they might try to help him and he didn’t think he could take being touched right now.
Jack waved Gwen off. She looked from one to the other. She wasn’t stupid she could tell something was going on. She opened her mouth to speak just as Jack said, “Ianto.”
“Stop, just… stop,” said Ianto turning and walking towards the archives. Walking, even though he desperately wanted to run.
Gwen must have made a move to follow him because he heard Jack say, “Just leave him be.”
**
It was several hours later than Ianto expected when Gwen found him. He sat on the floor of a disused little room just inside the archives proper. A CCTV blind spot, all it contained was a broken chair and a naked light bulb. She sat next to him in silence for several minutes before she spoke. A personal record, thought Ianto meanly.
“Jack told me what happened. I’m so sorry, Ianto.”
Ianto didn’t reply. He scrubbed the back of his hand across his eyes. He’d been crying.
“I’m sure Jack’s sorry as well,” continued Gwen. Her eyes round and full of way more sympathy than Ianto could take right now.
“He might be,” said Ianto flatly, listening to the croak of his own voice. “But he won’t say it. Besides, he was right. I couldn’t save them. Then or now.”
“Ianto, you wouldn’t be human if you didn’t want to try.”
“Gwen, I… can you just not… not now, please?” Ianto could feel the tears pressing on the backs of his eyes again. He wished he could yell and rant at somebody. But Gwen didn’t deserve that.
Gwen bit her bottom lip. It was one of her most obvious tells. It meant she wasn’t sure that something was a good idea but she was going to do it anyway. Ianto braced himself.
“Jack called someone. He’s waiting for you in the tourist office.”
Ianto took a deep breath. Torchwood waited for no-one. It certainly didn’t make room for your nervous breakdown. “I’ll be up in a minute,” he said.
As Gwen left she flashed him her ‘brave little solider smile’.
**
Ianto went up to the tourist office via the bathroom. He cleaned himself up best as he could. Professional smile in place he stepped into the office.
“Ianto!” exclaimed Dr Malcolm Taylor. He swerved round the desk and enveloped Ianto in a hug.
“Malcolm?” said Ianto, probably sounding as stupid as he felt.
“In the flesh,” replied Malcolm, stepping back. “My god, it’s good to see you again. You look… well I’m not going to lie, you look terrible. Your Captain Jack rang General Harris and, long story short, here I am.”
Ianto felt the smile spread across his face as Malcolm was talking. “Good to see you Dr Taylor.”
“Now, none of that,” scolded Malcolm. He stood in what was the closest Malcolm ever came to military posture. “What do you need me for, Sir?”
Ianto smirked. “Don’t try and salute Malcolm, You’ll hurt yourself.” Malcolm chuckled and Ianto’s face fell. “I… I had a really bad day.”
Malcolm was quiet for a long moment. Looking at Ianto like he was an unusual particle. “Well then,” he said finally. “What’s needed then is a coffee and a good natter.”
Ianto couldn’t hold back the smile. “I’ll just get my coat and I need to make a quick call. Meet you outside?”
The bell rang as Malcolm left. Ianto rang through to Jack’s office.
“Yes?” Jack answered.
“I’m going out for a bit,” said Ianto.
“Okay,” replied Jack. “But stay on comms. Just in case.”
“Of course. Jack?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” said Jack, his voice was warm even down the phone.
**
Malcolm was waiting outside.
“So,” said Ianto. “How’s life with the boy scouts?”
Malcolm grinned. “A Captain threatened to shoot me the other day.”
Ianto smirked and shook his head. “Terrible staff motivation.”
“I don’t know. Yvonne Hartman would have shot me.”
“And you would have been motivated,” nodded Ianto.
They headed off, not quite into the sunset, because life is never like the movies. But somehow this helped, just remembering what had been lost with someone who understood, and knowing that at least one other had survived.
Cold comforts, but comforts none the less. They did survive, and who knew what tomorrow could be?