Fic- Forever Part Twenty Two

[branwen_blaidd]

Title: Forever

By Branwen Blaidd & Oncoming Scone

Part Twenty Two 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!

           

           Gwen watched Ianto. He was humming as he worked, dipping into several projects at the same time. He cleaned; he sorted; he filed; he examined rift activity. All perfectly normal.

Gwen wasn’t sure how she’d feel in Ianto’s place but she did know that if he was aware of the damage he’d caused then he wouldn’t be happy and cheerful. He had too much of a conscience for that.

It wasn’t right to deny him knowledge of what he’d done. She knew Jack was just trying to protect him but it wasn’t right. Ianto deserved to know what had happened. Only then would he be able to heal and make amends.

He’d come to terms with what had happened two years ago. He’d made up for the deaths he’d been responsible for by bringing Lisa into Torchwood. It wasn’t fair not to give him the same opportunity again. After all, this time he’d actually killed someone. Okay, so he hadn’t been in his right mind at the time, but he had been in his right mind when he’d decided to become that monster.

Ianto would want to know. He’d want to be told. She knew that. She wasn’t blinded by fear like Jack. She knew Ianto needed to know. But should he be told? Maybe just being told would do damage too.

Gwen waited until Jack was hidden away in his office on a conference call, then she went up to Ianto.

“Ianto, how are you?” she asked.

He smiled at her. “Oh, I’m fine, thank you, Gwen.”

“Really?”

Ianto’s eyes glazed a little. “Well, I feel a bit…”

“What?”

“Nothing. I’m sure I’ll get over it.”

She nodded. “It’ll take some time.” She paused, biting her lip. “Listen, Ianto…” she started.

He gazed calmly at her. “Yes, Gwen? Something you want to tell me?”

“Erm…no…but…”

“But what?”

“Nothing. It’s just there’s some files for you to go over. Police reports. They’re on the top of the To Do pile in the archives.”

“Oh. Thanks, I’ll get to it.”

Gwen nodded, then turned away anxiously, glancing at Jack’s office as she scurried off back to work, guilt already gnawing at her insides. 

                                                * * *

            Ianto went on down to the archives. It was his place, the place he felt most comfortable in. The filing cabinets stood beside each other so neatly, every single thing in place. And he’d ensured that even when he wasn’t there, it could remain tidy. Even after his two week absence, everything was perfect.

His To Do pile sat in three boxes on one of the tables. Usually, only one box got filled but now all three were filled. Most were simple to file and sort. The rift analyses were simple and had one cabinet to go into. He dealt with those first, then turned his attention to the police files. There were only two.

The first referenced the disappearance of a thief in the bay. He filed that along with the Flat Holm files. The second one was a murder report. Ianto frowned. There must be something different about this murder. Torchwood tried not to get involved in ordinary crime.

He read it carefully, the information slipping easily into his photographic memory. Attached to the report was a photograph of the victim. Blond, pale. The crime scene photograph showed a withered corpse, empty, emptied.  

His eyes. He’s on the dark side.

Ianto shook his head. Why was that song coming back again? He blinked hard and tried not the listen to the roaring in his ears.

His chest pounded and he couldn’t breathe.

Neutralise every man in sight.

He choked on his own saliva as a deep sense of horror drifted over him.

He closed his eyes. The innocent face of that blond boy swam before him.

So you don’t want foreplay. How do you feel about love bites?

Ianto’s own voice, hard and seductive, floated through his mind. Ianto swallowed and he could taste it. He could taste the blond boy, the lost boy.

Ianto collapsed in a heap, sobbing and shuddering and grasping onto the cold cabinets for support. It was over. It was all over. Ianto was a murderer. And it had been kept from him.

                                                * * *

When Jack came out of his office, the first thing he saw was Gwen. She was sitting on the couch, chewing her lip.

“Gwen? What’s wrong? Where’s Ianto?”

She glanced up at him, eyes wide with fear. “There was no choice,” she said.

“Gwen.” His voice was low and dangerous. “What have you done?”

“I had to, Jack. You weren’t going to tell him.”

“Gwen…”

“He’s looking at police files.”

Jack’s mouth fell open and his eyes burned into Gwen. “How dare you? How could you have been so fucking stupid?”

“He needed to know.”

“No, he didn’t! He wasn’t himself when he killed that boy. It wasn’t him and…”

“His name was Dylon Lloyd.” Ianto’s voice was calm but firm as he walked towards them.

They both turned to him. Gwen met his eyes and he gave her a nod. Then he looked at Jack. Jack lowered his head.

“I was going to tell you,” Jack whispered.

“No, you weren’t, Jack.”

“I was…I…”

“No, Jack. You forget how well I know you.” Ianto’s voice was so calm it made Jack feel ridiculously small.

“You were going to try and keep everything from me. I understand. You wanted to protect me. You wanted to keep me innocent. Well you can’t. I’m not innocent anymore. And that’s my fault so I’m going to have to live with it.” There was a quiver in his voice and he paused to take a deep breath.

Gwen took the opportunity to stand and go over to him. She put his arm around him. “You have to remember you weren’t yourself.”

He looked at the ground and nodded. “I know.” He found her hand and squeezed it, then looked up at Jack. “You need to tell me, Jack.”

“Ianto…”

“You need to tell me everything.”