Fic- Forever Part Three

[branwen_blaidd]

Title: Forever

By Branwen Blaidd & Oncoming Scone

Part Three of Thirty One

Pairing: Jack/Ianto

Rating: Adult - Dark Themes, Violence, Graphic sex, AU

Spoilers: Torchwood & Doctor Who all seasons to date.

Summary: Set after Exit Wounds and Journey’s End, no-one is coping with recent tragic events. In an attempt to bring the team back to unity and strength, Ianto makes a decision that will change the fate of Torchwood, and the world, Forever.

Disclaimers: Despite 5 months of creating this together, we own nothing and never will! The various songs, verses, etc do not belong to us either. 

Notes: This is AU, though it begins in line with canon up to Exit Wounds. We hope to post one chapter each day at roughly the same time. Comments please!

 

 

Jack couldn’t get even one minute of peace. Now Gwen was having a go at him. Jack gritted his teeth as she went on at him.

“So instead of facing his mortality, you’re going to push him away now so you don’t have to lose him later? Is that it, Jack?”

“Leave it, Gwen,” Jack growled. “I’m not in the mood for this.”

She remained resolute. “No. I won’t let you do this, Jack. Not to him, not to yourself.”

“You don’t know anything, Gwen. You don’t know what’s it’s like for me. I’ve lost too much now. I can’t go through it anymore.”

“I know, Jack. And I wish I could get you out of it. But right here, right now, you have someone to love.”

“GET OUT!” Jack screamed. “You don’t know how hard this is so stop telling me to just be okay! You don’t know what it’s like to have to live with this forever! This is it! This is what forever is going to be like for me; losing people all the fucking time. Well, I’m sick of it! I don’t want…”

It was then he noticed Ianto behind her, holding his coffee. “Ianto, I…”

“I don’t think you need this coffee, do you?” Ianto said coolly.

Jack folded his arms across his chest. “What do you mean?” His voice was distant, wary.

Ianto put the coffee down on the nearest surface. “You’ve been out for hours.”

“So?”

“You’ve not slept properly for days.”

“So?”

“So, you’re exhausted and you can’t think straight. Go and have a nap.”

Jack opened his mouth to argue but Ianto talked over him. “We’ll call you if anything happens. Not even you can function properly without sleep.”

Jack gazed down at the floor and nodded, before turning away and going down to his quarters. Ianto turned to Gwen, who was staring at him open-mouthed.

“He…still listens to you then,” she said.

Ianto shrugged. “When he knows I’m right.” He straightened his tie, took a deep breath and strode towards the main door. “If he asks where I am, tell him I’ve gone for donuts. There’s coffee if you want it.”

“Hey, wait. Ianto, where are you really going?”

“Just…out. I’ll try not to be long.”

Gwen watched him go, feeling completely helpless. She grabbed the discarded mug and took a sip, wincing at the strong taste of Jack’s Java Lava coffee. She was lost, utterly lost, but so were all three of them and she didn’t know what to do.

* * *

Ianto knew just what he was going to do. Jack had always said that if there was something he needed, something impossible, there was only one person to go to. Ianto had never been there before but he knew exactly how to get there.

It was bright and sunny outside and when he finally stepped inside the red velvet draped room, his eyes took several seconds to adjust to the light, or lack of it. It was so dark; he could barely even see his own hands in front of his face.

“Hello?” he called out. “Anyone there?”

“I saw you coming,” said the soft young voice he’d been expecting. “Did Jack send you?”

“No. I’ve come to ask a favour.”

“I know.” A light came on and Ianto could see the young girl’s face, as young as she had been for centuries, unchanging, just as he would be.

Her large eyes took him in, then she smiled. Her serious face looked strange wearing a smile. “You want it so much,” she said, gently. “Are you prepared to accept the consequences?”

“Yes. For Jack. I’ll do anything for Jack.”

                                             * * *

Jack was warm and cosy. Peace settled inside his tummy. He lay in his bed with Ianto in his arms and they whispered in each other’s ears. They were giggling. No worries, no imminent apocalypse, no sorrow. Nothing but him and Ianto together, their fingers lacing easily. Ianto pressed soft kisses to Jack’s neck. Jack turned into him and snuggled into Ianto’s chest.

“I love this,” whispered Ianto, his breath gracing Jack’s hair.

 An easy smile spread across Jack’s face as they cuddled, pressing close against each other’s familiar bodies. Nothing could find them here. They were safe in their own private universe. Their naked bodies held each other close and they were as intimate as they could be. Jack listened to Ianto’s breathing, slow and regular. It comforted him.

Then there was silence. Jack opened his eyes and looked up.

Ianto’s naked body was ashen, like he’d been drained of blood and of life. Jack sat up and looked properly. He caught some movement in the corner of his eye. An arm swung. A dagger plunged into Ianto’s heart and he jerked, then lay still. Jack turned to look at the attacker. It was Gray. Jack screamed and turned to Ianto, but his body was already dissolving, melting into the mattress, his blood spilling on Jack’s bare skin.

Jack was standing alone in Cathays Cemetery. His eyes wandered over the headstone bearing Ianto’s name. Twenty five years old. His heart thudded, then died, the silence echoing in Jack’s chest. It was all over.

It was future day. The sun shone brightly into Jack’s eyes as he walked, strolled along the quay side at Cardiff Bay. And next to him was Ianto, nothing but a silvery impression. An echo. A ghost. But he was walking with Jack. And it felt entirely right. The ghost walked by Jack’s side as if he’d always been there and always would; protecting him forever. But he was still just a ghost.

“It’s too late,” said Jack, eyes stinging with tears. “I’ve should have held you closer.”

Ianto’s echo gave him a sad smile. Jack felt the cold wrap around him as he gazed out across the bay. The sun faded away. It was night and the stony moon glared at Cardiff. Suddenly, the ocean was rising, higher and higher in a great arched wave, splashing and spilling with a great roar onto the quay side. But it wasn’t water. It was blood.

The ghost stood by Jack’s side, a silent shadow.

* * *

Jack woke with a yell, dizzy with disorientation. He reached out for Ianto. He needed comfort. He needed to pull that warm familiar body against him and breathe in his scent, be reassured by Ianto’s calm, steady presence.

But Ianto wasn’t there. Jack suppressed a whimper as his hand fell on his empty bed. He remembered their fight. They’d had so many fights recently and it was Jack’s fault. Jack knew that. It wasn’t right. It wasn’t fair on Ianto. Jack knew he had said hurtful things. This one had been the worst.

Jack stretched and stood. He felt like he’d been sleeping for days. He straightened his clothes, then climbed his ladder and returned to his office. He glanced at the monitor behind his desk. The screen showed the area just outside of the hub. It was rather dark. The contrast must be wrong. He’d have to get Tosh…No; Ianto would have to look at it.

Jack went through to the main area and there was Gwen, sitting on the couch with her chin resting on her knees. She chewed her lip and gazed into space, worrying.

“Hey, what’s going on? Where’s Ianto?”

Gwen looked up. “Jack! You’re awake! I was going to come and get you.”

“Where’s Ianto?” Jack asked, peering around the hub.

Gwen stood. “He…went out. When you went for a nap. He…he said he was going for donuts but he’s been gone ages.”

“What time is it?”

“Half seven.”

“At night?” Jack tore over to the nearest screen and opened the CCTV window. “Where the hell can he be? It was mid-morning when I went to sleep. You should have woken me.”

“I’m sorry but…”

“Never mind. We’ve just got to find him now,” Jack snapped, tapping furiously on the screen.

The cog door rolled open. Jack looked up and Gwen spun around. Ianto stepped inside, looking calm and even.

“Ianto, where have you been?” Jack demanded.

“I had some things to do,” Ianto said, his voice calm. “I’m sorry I’m so late.”

Jack stepped closer. “That’s all right. I wanted…to apologise about before…” he began.

Only, as he stepped closer, he noticed that Ianto was a hell of a lot paler than usual. His skin was almost white and his eyes seemed brighter. Had they changed colour since that morning? No, it was impossible. But still, they seemed…stronger, brighter than they had been before. Jack was sure they used to be a sort of pale, grey-blue. But now…they seemed almost silver. No. They were silver.

His cheekbones seemed all the more defined, like snowy peaks on that white face. He seemed taller but as Jack stepped up to him, he could see he was still level with Jack.

Jack put his hand on Ianto’s shoulder, expecting him to soften under the caress like he always did. But he didn’t. He remained stiff and strong.

“Ianto, are you…all right?” he asked, feeling Gwen watching them warily.

Ianto smiled slowly and Jack had the sudden urge to back away but he didn’t. He kept looking into those silvery eyes, captivated by them and by Ianto himself.

“I’m fine, thank you, Jack,” Ianto said, evenly. His head snapped towards Gwen. “It’s getting late, Gwen,” he said and his eyes seemed brighter, dangerous. “You should be getting home to Rhys.”

There was something about the tone of his voice which made Gwen want to obey.

“Oh, yes. Of course. I’ll…see you tomorrow then,” she said and, rather dazed, made her way out of the hub.

Ianto looked at Jack. “Let’s go to bed.”