branwen_blaidd

Title: Forever

By Branwen Blaidd & Oncoming Scone

Part Thirty 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!

“Donuts?!” shouted Jack. “And you let him go? Because the last time this happened the donuts came back as a vampire!”

Gwen breathed in deeply. “Jack, he’s not going to do anything stupid. This time.”

Jack gritted his teeth and pointed a finger at her. “If he doesn’t come back with donuts, you’re in serious…”

At that moment the cog door opened. It was Ianto. They stared at him and he stared back.

“Where are the donuts?” asked Jack, dangerously, walking right up to him. Ianto raised an eyebrow. He was going to have to come up with another cover story when he sneaked off. The donuts were obviously passé.

“I didn’t go for donuts,” he said quietly, trying not to smile at Jack’s rather paternal glowering.

“Where did you go?” Jack fired another question, his hands on his hips.

Ianto didn’t answer immediately. He took a deep breath.

“I have something to tell you both.”

* * *

They were seated around the conference table again. It felt like a family meeting, and as Gwen and Jack stared at him intently Ianto tried to shake off the feeling of being in trouble with his parents. He was certainly a lot more than a child now.

“I went to see her again.” He paused and glanced at Jack; his lover was trembling with anger.

“Because I’m not quite right, not back to normal, not entirely.”

“Why?” asked Jack urgently. “How?”

“You were shot,” said Gwen slowly. She was studying him. He was sure she was working it out but simply didn’t want to. As if it were too much.

“But he was fine,” said Jack dismissively.

“Yes,” said Ianto. “And it looks like I’m going to be fine for some time.”

“Oh my God,” breathed Gwen. She had worked it out.

But Jack looked from Ianto to Gwen wildly.

“Will someone tell me what’s going on?”

“I’m not a vampire anymore, Jack,” said Ianto softly, placing his hand on Jack’s.

“I know!” said Jack impatiently. “Hello! Been there, done that, saved your ass.”

“I was shot, Jack. Between the eyes. Know what that feels like?”

Jack opened his mouth and closed it, his bottom lip threatening to wobble. Ianto knew he wasn’t allowing himself to put two and two together, scared of what this may mean.

“I didn’t die. Because I can’t.”

“Oh my God,” said Gwen again, now in considerable shock. He’d said it now. It was becoming real.

Panic flashed across Jack’s face. “So what went wrong?” he asked. “There’s still something in you, something we need to do? I thought the vampire was dead.”

Ianto gazed at him calmly. “The vampire is gone, Jack. But she…Faith said she has given me ‘forever’.”

“W…w…why?” breathed Jack.

Ianto glanced at Gwen who looked like she thought she was dreaming and would surely wake up soon next to a snoring Rhys. He looked back at Jack.

“She said…your love made me safe. Because you love me, she’s given me what I asked for. Forever. And I won’t die. Not ever.” He couldn’t believe he was saying it. He couldn’t believe it was real.

Jack’s mouth had fallen open.

Only love will make him safe.

Suddenly it made sense. He remembered her saying it, so long ago now. She’d known, all that time ago. Of course she had.

He looked into Ianto’s eyes and they shared a euphoric, deep understanding. But all they could do was stare at each other.

“Oh my God,” said Gwen.

“You said that already,” said Ianto with a smirk.

“So now neither of you can die?” She blinked. “When do I become bloody immortal?”

“You never know,” said Ianto with a laugh.

Jack was still gazing at him. “You can’t die?” he asked.

“Apparently not. Wanna jump off a building with me and find out?”

“Oh. My. God.” Gwen put her head in her hands.

Jack scowled at Ianto. “Time and a place,” he chided. “This is serious.”

“So you can’t be harmed then?” asked Gwen.

“I heal very quickly. Quicker than Jack.”

Without further ado, Gwen yanked out an earring and stabbed the pointed metal of it into the back of Ianto’s hand.

“Ouch!” he yelped.

“Hey!” shouted Jack, leaping to his feet.

“Hold still,” ordered Gwen, holding Ianto’s wrist firmly on the table.

They watched as the small hole in his flesh and the bead of blood disappeared, Ianto’s hand was healing instantly before their eyes.

“Oh my God,” said Jack.

“Oh my God,” said Gwen, standing and wiping her earring on her jeans.

“Cool!” said Ianto, his eyes gleaming as he regarded his hand.

Jack glared at him. “Cool?” he snarled. “You can’t die! You’re stuck forever. Are you fucking crazy?”

Ianto looked hurt. “I’m stuck with you, Jack. Isn’t that what you wanted? Or does the lack of variety concern you?”

Now Jack looked hurt. “I only meant…Ianto…it’s no picnic.”

“I know,” said Ianto. He stood and closed the distance between them.

Gwen watched eagerly. Could there really be a happy ending in all of this?

“But you’re not alone now. I’m never going to leave you.”

Jack was speechless.

“It would kind of suck though if, after all of this, you decided to leave me,” mumbled Ianto. “I might have to go and hook up with The Doctor.” There was a twinkle in his eye.

Gwen held her breath. Then the two men fell into each other’s arms and stayed that way for some time. She laughed silently to herself. “Oh my God.”

* * *

Gwen had cried on the way home. She couldn’t separate the thoughts and the feelings. The emotions simply washed over her. How happy she was for them. How much they’d been through already. And yet, she suddenly felt she wasn’t a part of it. She was going to be left behind. The thought both terrified her and soothed her. There was the comfort of being normal, but the idea of being separated from those two men, whom she’d done everything for, tore her apart.

She wept as she drove home through the rain.

She entered the flat and there he was. Her husband. And her world. Gwen and Rhys. Since she’d joined Torchwood she’d never felt more propelled towards her ordinary life. She threw her keys down on the table and breathed in the smell of lasagne.

“Hello my lovely,” said Rhys with his usual goofy grin. “What’s occurring?”

“Oh the usual,” she said. “Couple of weevils, some rift activity. And turns out Ianto’s immortal.”

“Oh right,” said Rhys, frowning slightly. He sighed at the wooden spatula he was holding. “Well, dinner’s nearly ready, so take a pew, pour yourself a glass of red and you can tell me all about it.

* * *

They lay on their sofa cuddling each other.

“I just don’t know what this means for us now,” said Gwen. “I’ve put my heart and soul into Torchwood and now I feel…useless. Redundant. Nothing compared to the strength that they have together.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” scoffed Rhys, stroking her hair. “Torchwood owes you everything.”

She buried her face in his chest. Somewhere inside, she knew he was right, but her heart filled with loss. They were different now. Those boys. And she wasn’t one of them.

“Plus, what happens if Harkness decides he's bored? Eternity is one heck of a commitment for a man like him.”

Gwen grinned. It was a point, she supposed. Who was to know who was better off? She would live and die in her own world. What would become of Jack and Ianto? She frowned and Rhys felt her tense.

“So do they have a Secret Society for Immortal people, then?” asked Rhys, trying to lighten her mood.

“Maybe,” she smiled.

“Bet they have a secret knock. Always wanted a secret knock, me.”

Gwen giggled into him. Ianto and Jack had forever, but she’d make sure that she and Rhys enjoyed the time they had. However long that would be.

Rhys felt her relax into him a bit more and kissed her head. “Besides,” he said, simply. “You put your heart and soul into Torchwood. If the soul really is eternal, then you’ll be there with them too. And they won’t forget that.”

She allowed her eyes to drift closed and felt a sense of peace that had been long since missing. Time was a strange concept, she thought. However much you have of it, it’s really only now that matters. Eternity doesn’t change that. She sank further into Rhys’s arms.

* * *

“No,” said Jack firmly. “I’m not risking it.”

Ianto pouted. Jack ignored him. “If you happen to die and then happen to come back or otherwise, then we’ll know. But no experiments.”

Ianto sighed and placed the pistol down on the worktop. It had only been a joke, inviting Jack to shoot him to see if he would die or not. Perhaps it wasn’t funny after all.

“Sorry,” he mumbled.

Jack answered him with a kiss. “So you should be. It’s no joke.” But he was smiling warmly.

They hadn’t stopped gazing at each other since Gwen had left. Pure disbelief. Jack had lectured him on visiting the mysterious girl without telling him yet again. Then he’d cried. Then he’d started laughing and had pulled Ianto into his arms, dancing with him around the table.

“I can’t believe this,” said Jack. “You’re going to love the 30^th century. I used to read stuff from that era all the time. I had my own 3076 vintage cowboy boots.”

“There are cowboys in the year 3076?” asked Ianto, his eyebrows reaching his hairline.

“Duh, of course!” said Jack. A shadow fell over him. “Hang on,” he said, thinking hard. “Will you age?”

Ianto bit his lip. “Er, no. Don’t think so.”

Jack looked rather miffed about that. “Well people in 3076 will probably assume I’m your dad.”

Ianto giggled. “Well, some people in 2009 already think you’re my dad.” He dodged a swat from Jack and affectionately pulled him in close by the braces. “I should dress you younger, maybe,” he teased.

Jack pouted and tried not to think about botox. But then Ianto was kissing him and nothing mattered.

“Let’s go to bed!” said Jack cheerfully.

“I don’t need to sleep. I’m invincible,” said Ianto sitting on the table and swinging his legs.

“Who said anything about sleep?” chirped Jack. “Immortal sex; been dying to try it!”

They collapsed into giggles. Even the hub seemed brighter, as if it was happy for them. When the laughter subsided, they realised that all they wanted was to be as close as possible to one another.

“Right, sir,” said Ianto, straightening his tie. “I’ll clear up one or two things here and then I expect to find you in position when I join you in the hatch.”

Jack raised an eyebrow. “Oh do you, now?” But his eyes betrayed lust. “See you in ten.”

Ianto smirked. He walked into Jack’s office and picked up one or two files, just tidying them away. He didn’t suppose that sort of behaviour would disappear any time soon, even if he did have the rest of time to clear up.

But his hand grazed over a file. Dylon Lloyd. Guilt suddenly gripped him. He was still a murderer. He filed it neatly in Jack’s on-going folder and steadily made his way downstairs.

Jack was only half way out of his shirt. “Hey!” he complained. “That wasn’t ten minutes.” But then he saw Ianto’s expression. “What? What is it?”

“Tell me, Jack,” said Ianto heavily, sitting down on the bed. “Tell me how to live with this. What I’ve done.”

“What’s brought this on?”

“I forgot. For, I don’t know, maybe two hours. Then what? Two days? Two years. I killed someone, Jack.”

Jack gently sat down next to him. “You really want to know?” he asked with an edge to his voice.

Ianto’s eyes met his firmly. “Yes.”

Jack sighed. “I’ve done some terrible things, Ianto. Killed people. Executed them. Sometimes I believed it was for the greater good. Sometimes it may have been fear. Even, on occasion, convenience.” He shuddered. He looked back at Ianto. “I’m no angel,” he said.

“I know,” said Ianto, smiling. “But you have such goodness in you, Jack.”

“As do you,” whispered Jack. “It’s not good people and bad people, Ianto. It’s choices and responsibility.”

Ianto swallowed. Jack had killed people. And he had full control over his mind and body when he had chosen to do that. He frowned at the floor.

“Is that why you do this, then?” asked Ianto. “To make amends. Because you have the knowledge and ability to help, so you can’t walk away?”

Jack’s eyes were sad. “Something like that.”

Ianto knew how The Doctor had changed Jack’s life. Forever. And then abandoned him. But Ianto wouldn’t do that. He smiled to himself, a little smugly, at the idea of meeting that Doctor again and seeing the look on his face when he found out that Ianto had become immortal. He surely wouldn’t approve. There would be trouble. He held Jack’s hand.

Jack took a deep breath. “If I can live with what I’ve done in my time, then you certainly can, Ianto,” he said softly. “And now you have no time limit in which to make amends. To make a difference.” He grinned and Ianto grinned with him. “We can save the world, you and me. For as long as possible.”

Ianto nodded. “Yes.” He stroked Jack’s hair. They shared an intense but wonderful silence.

Eventually, Ianto cleared his throat. “So,” he said. “This immortal sex…”

Jack tensed slightly but sent Ianto a lopsided grin. The wounds were still there, but they would heal together.

Ianto continued to stroke his hair. “We have all the time in the world,” he breathed.