Aftermath (1/2)
Author’s notes: I didn’t like the end of Day Two. I thought it had great potential for some Jantoness. Unfortunately, he who must not be named thought differently. Whilst this is canon compliant, the ending allows room for ambiguity for those who live in Denialsville. Written over a year ago, it has been modified for chamilet who wanted h/c with Ianto doing the comforting, Next part will be posted tomorrow.
Summary: In the aftermath of Day Two, Jack needs a hug; Ianto’s only too happy to oblige. AU ending of Day Two.
Pairing: Janto
Spoilers: C of E
Warning: None
Rating: PG
Ianto was grateful when Gwen and Rhys didn’t follow him out the car when they ground to a stop. It wasn’t that they weren’t sensitive. They were. Gwen especially, it was just that Jack looked so lost and vulnerable and Ianto was the only one who knew how to handle him when he was like this. Jack felt able to open up to him. He wouldn’t if the others were there, he’d feel the need to cover it up and put a mask on and Ianto knew he didn’t have the energy or the will to do either. When he reached Jack, he could see the fatigue evident on his drawn features, his beautiful blue eyes glazed as if he were elsewhere.
“Hey, Jack. It’s me. It’s Ianto,” whispered Ianto softly, trying to reach the older man, unwilling to touch him for fear of hurting him further. When the Immortal didn’t respond, Ianto risked stepping closer so they were mere millimetres from touching.
“You promised you’d come back to me,” he murmured in his ear, his breath ghosting over Jack’s newly healed skin as his gentle reminder penetrated Jack’s subconscious and he came back with a gasp.
“Ianto,” he croaked, instinctively reaching for the younger man, his indifference from earlier melting away as he closed the remaining gap between them and buried his face in the crook of Ianto’s neck, breathing in the scent of comfort and security.
“Shh, you’re safe now,” murmured Ianto, stroking Jack’s hair soothingly and pressing a kiss to the top of his head, his other hand trailing lightly over Jack’s skin. The relief that Jack was actually here and in one piece almost too much to take in.
“Jack, Cariad, listen to me; Gwen and Rhys are in the car over there and they have spare clothes and water you can use. We’re then going to drive to an old warehouse that I know of where we’ll be safe. Once there, I’ll clean you up and then you can get some sleep, okay?” said Ianto, gently, cupping Jack’s face with his hands, caressing his cheeks with his thumbs and looking him in the eye, conveying all the love and assurances he could for the man who’d been through so much the last couple of days and needed to feel like he was worth something to someone. He was worth everything to Ianto.
“Thank you,” mumbled Jack, looking into the Welshman’s eyes and seeing genuine love and concern in them as he kissed Ianto gently on the lips, conveying his response through physical contact, his hand cupping the back of Ianto’s head entwining his fingers in deep brown locks, the other resting over Ianto’s heart, feeling each steady beat beneath his fingers as Ianto responded with as much need as he had last time, needing to convince himself that Jack really was here as his hand rested on Jack’s waist, the other moving up to his shoulder.
“There’s nothing to thank me for. Come one,” murmured Ianto as he gently pulled away before taking his mercifully healed hand and leading him to safety.
“So where to now then?” asked Rhys as Ianto and Jack climbed into the back and Gwen glared at him.
“What?” mouthed Rhys, genuinely unable to see the problem. Before he and Gwen could embark in a fully fledged silent argument, Ianto had thrust a piece of paper with a postcode on it forward.
“Shove that in the Sat- Nav. Even you can’t muck that up,” he said, wearily, his voice conveying a silent plea to leave him alone. All his energy and devotion was focused on Jack whom he was currently helping to drink from the spare water bottle; he didn’t have the will to deal with Rhys’ stupid questions, well intentioned or otherwise. Gwen gave him a brief smile, reassuring him she had everything under control and asking if Jack was okay. Ianto just nodded in response, satisfying her concern for now as she helped Rhys programme the Sat Nav.
Ianto then turned his attention to quickly and efficiently dressing Jack as painlessly as possible which was quite a feat in the back of a car with Rhys driving.
“Thank you,” mumbled Jack drowsily when the task had been completed and he was dressed in a mid blue t-shirt and grey tracksuit bottoms, making him seem even more fragile.
“No problem,” murmured Ianto soothingly, moving him so Jack’s back was to his side, his head resting against his shoulder, Ianto’s arm round his waist, his other hand lightly stroking the dust out of Jack’s hair.
“How did you know where I was?” asked Jack, softly, the intricate movements calming him as he entwined his fingers with Ianto’s where they were resting lightly on his stomach.
“I know everything. Now sleep, you’re exhausted,” murmured Ianto, kissing the top of his head, unwilling to divulge the information. It had been bad enough the first time, the constant worry and fear hanging over him like a black cloak. He’d come apart if he had to relive it again. Maybe when this was all over and they could look back on it and laugh or at the very least, wince.
“My Genius,” whispered Jack, not pressing him as he snuggled closer, exhaustion overcoming him as he fell into a deep sleep, lulled by the comforting warmth of his lover’s body protecting and reassuring him.
“Yeah,” breathed Ianto, sadly, resting his elbow on the windowsill and staring vacantly out the window. What sort of people were they up against? They’d shot Jack twice and implanted a bomb in him, blowing him to smithereens then watching as he agonisingly grew his own body back before drowning him in concrete. If Ianto hadn’t have gotten there in time, who knew what they would’ve done?
“He alright?” asked Rhys, inclining his head back towards the now passive man.
“I don’t know. I don’t know what goes on in either of their heads any more, not after…” Gwen trailed off, looking back at the two men who fitted together so well. Who understood each other in a way she never could.
“Hey, there was nothing you could do. We found him, that’s the main thing,” said Rhys, reassuringly, squeezing her hand.
“I know, it’s just… oh I don’t know, I’m too tired to think straight let alone talk coherently,” said Gwen, running a shaky hand through her tousled hair.
“Look, we’re nearly there. You can get some kip, Ianto and Jack can sort each other out and it’ll all look better in the morning,” smiled Rhys, reminding Gwen of why she’d married this amazing man, he hadn’t asked for this. For any of this but was taking it all in his stride because for some strange reason, he loved her.
“Yeah,” said Gwen, softly, looking back at her two friends, both of whom were exhausted and dishevelled beyond belief. The cut on Ianto’ cheek having gone unnoticed by both men. They were all rapidly reaching their limits and she wondered how long it’d take for them to break.
“We’re here. What do we do now?” asked Rhys, stopping the car. Ianto threw his pass forward.
“Should still work, they never got round to changing the system and when they did, it was too late anyway. Access code 19081983,” he said as he started to gently nudge Jack awake.
“Your birthday,” stated Gwen, surprised at the obviousness of the code.
“Yup. When you’ve had as many passes as I have, you run out of imagination pretty quickly,” said Ianto, soothing Jack as he stirred.
“Rhys and I will go and open up then,” said Gwen, making to follow her husband out of the car but Ianto stopped her, catching her wrist.
“It’ll be okay. Jack’s strong,” he reassured her, answering her unspoken question, reminding her of how perceptive he could be.
She regarded him for a moment, holding his gaze with hers, seeing the same fierce determination reflected in his eyes that she knew was in her own before nodding, “ I know,” she replied before squeezing his hand and going to make sure her husband hadn’t put the place into accidental lockdown.
Ianto closed his eyes, leaning heavily on the sink, his back to Jack as he tried to compose himself. He could do this; emotional support, he was practically paid for it so why was he finding this so hard? It should be the easiest, most natural thing in the world to comfort his traumatised lover who was currently sitting stoically on the side of the bath.
Deep down, Ianto knew why, this time was different. They knew; Ianto, Gwen, Jack’s immortality. They knew everything. How did you stop someone who knew you better than you did? Who was always one step ahead of you? You didn’t. You hid and if you had any sense, you stayed hidden. You had no control and Ianto knew that’s what scared Jack the most. They’d been in bad situations before, after Gray, Jack had fallen to pieces, the idea that someone could use that knowledge to kill two of his closest friends nearly breaking him. Ianto had pulled him through that and he’d pull him through this. Kicking and screaming if he had to.
Exhaling slowly, he turned back around and walked tentatively over to Jack, carrying the cloth he had meant to be wetting, knowing he had taken too long. He didn’t think that Jack had noticed as he remained completely passive, offering neither help nor hindrance as he gently stripped him so he could clean the remaining concrete.
“It’ll be alright, Jack. You’re safe now,” murmured Ianto, holding the older man close and gently rocking him back and forth, trying to bring him back as Jack clung to him, burying his face in his chest, whilst Ianto pressed a kiss to his tousled hair, moving it back into place, trying not to inhale the scent of concrete and debris when it brought up so many mixed emotions he didn’t have the energy and couldn’t afford to deal with. Not now. Not now when Jack needed him so much.
“Course it will. I have you,” murmured Jack relaxing under the Welshman’s tender touch. Ianto had dragged Jack through more bad times than he cared to remember, often being shouted at for his troubles, yet not once had he snapped, even when Jack’s rants had reduced him to tears, instead standing silently, his eyes holding no judgement as he let Jack take his anger and frustration out on him because he knew that was what Jack needed to heal.
“Let’s get you cleaned up and then you can get some rest, okay?” whispered Ianto, kissing him on the forehead as he gently trailed the cloth over his face, down his chest and over his shoulders.
“I was so scared,” confessed Jack as he stared, transfixed at Ianto’s ministrations.
“That’s quite understandable. No one should have to go through what you’ve been through,” murmured Ianto, not looking up from what he was doing.
“No. You don’t understand, I wasn’t scared for myself, I was scared for you. I knew Gwen was okay, she’d had enough time to clear the building, but I never saw you clear it. I didn’t know if you’d survived or if you were...” Jack couldn’t finish the sentence as emotion welled in his throat.
“Shh… I’m okay, I survived,” soothed Ianto, moving in to kiss Jack softly on the lips, knowing how much the Immortal needed to be assured of his reality.
“I know... and that’s what kept me going. Knowing that when I got out, I could return to you and you’d be there like you are now, knowing exactly what to do when chaos is coming at you from all directions. As long as I have you, I’ll put up with anything because you’re worth fighting for. You give my life meaning,” said Jack sincerely, cupping Ianto’s face in his hands, silently pleading that the self depreciating man forgot the last few days and believed in his sincerity.
Ianto looked at him for several minutes before averting his gaze. “Good,” he murmured shyly.
“Aren’t you going to join me?” asked Jack, once Ianto had redressed him and settled him into bed. It had been agreed that Jack and Ianto would take the small bedroom off the side of the warehouse on account of Jack being in need of it most and as his partner, Ianto would stay with him.
“Nah. You need to sleep. I’d only disturb you,” replied Ianto from the doorway, he’d been planning on letting Jack have the bed to himself. The Immortal would no doubt be feeling stiff and achy and wouldn’t want Ianto accidentally knocking into him when he was trying to sleep.
“Please, Ianto, I just want to be held,” pleaded Jack, softly, holding his hand out to the Welshman who nodded obligingly, understanding how important it was to Jack to feel safe and secure. “Of course,” he replied, slowly walking over and slipping his tie, jacket and shoes off before carefully climbing into bed and wrapping his arms round the older man, moving him so his head was resting on his chest.
“Thank you,” breathed Jack, snuggling closer and moving one arm to rest on the slight curve of Ianto’s waist, the other absent mindedly playing with his buttons as he closed his eyes against the soothing motion of Ianto stroking his hair, murmuring soft assurances as he let his slow and steady heartbeat lull him into a peaceful sleep.
“Anytime,” whispered Ianto, kissing his thankfully clean hair, fingers trailing lightly over Jack’s spine. They’d been lucky today, next time they could… No. There wouldn’t be a next time, Ianto wouldn’t let there be. This time they’d been unprepared, unsure of what they were up against. If any good could come of this was that they knew how far the enemy was prepared to go. Someone wanted them dead which meant someone was trying to hide something and that’s what gave Torchwood the advantage; the enemy was desperate and desperate people made stupid mistakes which were ultimately their downfall. Torchwood just had to be in the right place at the right time and they’d destroy them.
http://welsh-scotsman.livejournal.com/18858.html#cutid1 part two