Fic: Fairy Mischief Chapter 5/5
Title: Fairy Mischief
Fandom: Torchwood
Pairings/Characters: Jack/Ianto, Tosh, Kathy, Caden, Estelle, mentions of Rhys/Gwen and Owen/Gwen
Summary: Jack sets Gwen straight about what she thinks is going on between them, all the while dealing with the fairies.
Rating: R
Beta: The amazing royalladyemma
Disclaimer: I don’t own the pretties of Torchwood. RTD can keep Gwen, and I am pretty sure that Jack and Ianto belong to one another. I do own Caden.
Author Notes: This is the first sequel to my alien Ianto fic Screams of the Lost, my take on ‘Small Worlds.’
Chapter 5
With the fairy threat against Ianto still a very real possibility, Jack had not let Ianto out of his sight for a moment. Seeing them constantly together had brought out a variety of responses from the team. Tosh watched them with delighted smile on her face and she ‘ahhed’ and cooed numerous times at what a cute couple they were. Owen made snarky comments about how sickeningly sweet he found the whole thing, although he made sure Ianto wasn’t within hearing distance when he said it; no sense in pissing off the source of the best coffee he’d ever drunk in his life.
Always the odd man out, Gwen continued to sulk and glare, refusing to be part of the cruel farce that she was positive Ianto was perpetrating against Jack. Despite her earlier apology to Ianto, and her feeble attempts to make the others believe that she pleased for the happy couple, Gwen Cooper was still convinced that Jack was under some form of mind control.
It didn’t matter to her whether it was from aliens or fairies, mind control was the only reason she could think of for Jack not wanting to be with her. Nothing else made sense; after all, who in their right mind would choose the Tea-Boy when someone as perfect for them as Gwen clearly was for Jack was available. No, something was obviously going on and she wasn’t going to rest until she’d figured it out and then put a stop to it.
Only Ianto knew the real reason Jack was being overprotective, and as much as he was enjoying the constant affection, he couldn’t help but feel it was marred by the fairy’s threat.
Snuggled up together in what Ianto was quickly coming to refer to as their bed, Ianto looked up at Jack with curiosity in his stormy blue eyes. “Jack? Can I ask you a something?”
Jack looked at Ianto with amusement in his eyes. “I believe you just did, but go ahead.”
“I’ve heard you refer to me as your mate a few times and when you do, your scent changes; in fact, your pheromones become so much stronger that it’s hard for me not to jump you.” Ianto was wondering if Jack was not completely human, because in truth no human should ever be able to smell that good. Even just thinking about it was exciting Ianto’s libido.
A smile graced Jack’s face, “I was wondering when you were going to mention that. As I told you before, I’m from the 51st century so I’m not completely one hundred pre cent human. In my time relationships are a lot different, we don’t have traditional marriages anymore, and relationships aren’t so rigid or structured as they are today. We’re free to love who and when we please, and it’s perfectly normal to have as many lovers at one time as we want until we find our one true mate.” Jack gazed fondly at Ianto as he stroked his thumb across Ianto’s lower lip.
“Like you we have a life-mate, our bond mate. They are the other half of our soul and what we have with them is beyond anything else. To bond with your mate is to complete yourself; when we commit to them it is forever and we forsake all others and. We bind our souls together and declare for all to know that that this is the one I plan to spend my life with, that they are my heart, my soul and my whole world.” The absolute love in Jack’s eyes stole Ianto’s breath.
Shyly, Ianto gathered up all his courage. “Am I…” he whispered.
Jack smiled shone with love as he pressed the tenderest of kisses against Ianto’s lips. Pulling away Jack told him, “Yes, Ianto Jones, you are my bond mate and when you are ready I would love to commit to you in the soul bonding ceremony.”
With tears in his eyes Ianto hugged Jack. “When that day comes I will gladly bond my soul to you forever.”
The kiss that followed was full of pure love as they sealed their pledge to one another.
“Yan, what are you thinking about?” Jack walked up from behind and purred against Ianto’s ear as he wrapped his arms around his beloved waist. He wanted to know what had brought the look of such pure happiness to his mate’s face; selfishly, he hoped Ianto was thinking about him.
Ianto allowed himself to relax backwards and rest against Jack’s chest. “I was thinking about the night you told me that I am your bond mate,” Ianto admitted shyly. He enjoyed saying those words and he turned in Jack’s arms to look at the older man.
Jack felt a smile blossom across his face as he recalled that night fondly. “That was a wonderful night, one that I never thought would happen.” Jack stole a soft and lingering kiss and the world melted away as they lost themselves in their kiss.
Only the ringing of Jack’s cell phone could ruin their moment, and with the utmost reluctance Jack forced himself to break their connection. “This better be world ending,” Jack mumbled as he pulled out his phone, only to be gripped by fear when Estelle’s name shone at him from the display. “Estelle, what’s wrong?” He was grateful when he felt Ianto join their hands together and as panic gripped him at Estelle’s terrified words he squeezed his lover’s hand.
******
Kathy Swanson watched her Captain pace anxiously around his living room all the while muttering about ‘unreliable flirts.’ She had been quite alarm when she’d walked in to see the mayhem that the flat’s earlier visitor had wrought; even now Rhys’ big feet were grinding that mess into the carpet.
“Caden is Caden and yes, he may be a flirt but he is loyal to our Prince. There must be a good reason why he’s late.” Kathy defended their third ally although secretly she was worried by his absence.
Rhys stopped and looked at his second; his eyes were pools of flames and the air in the room grew hotter as he hissed, “These Mara have threatened our Prince and somehow something that Gwen is doing is making them angrier.”
Kathy bristled at the mention of Gwen; it was no secret she did not like or trust the former PC. Before she left the force, Gwen Cooper had had a history of shamelessly manipulating her co-workers; she had wrapped the men around her little finger, used them until there was nothing else they could do for her, and then thrown them away when they were of no more use to her. Kathy had been shocked when Torchwood had picked Gwen to be on their team; surely they heard of her reputation when they’d checked her out. She could only hope that they would at least turn Gwen into a decent field agent before she got somebody, like their Prince, hurt, or worse killed.
“Maybe we should try calling Caden again,” Kathy finally suggested to Rhys in an attempt to calm him.
Rhys quickly nodded his agreement. “We also need to warn our Prince about the Mara and about whatever dangers Gwen will be putting him in.” Rhys felt a weight upon his heart; if Gwen continued to put his Prince in danger then he would be forced to choose between her and his loyalty. He already knows who would win.
“I’ll do that, you see if you can get a hold of Caden again.” Kathy’s heart went out to her Captain; she knew that he would soon have to make a choice and that it would more than likely break his heart.
*****
Hidden by the shadows, a figure moved easily across the rooftops. “Rhys is going to kill me!” the man muttered as he followed the rapidly forming storm clouds. He knew the freak weather was the work of the Mara and he silently cursed those who dared to threaten his Prince. Even though Rhys continued to call him, the man knew that the sudden storm was not something he could ignore. His concern grew as he realised that it seemed to be centered above one single house. “Oh, this is not good, not good at all!”
*****
As the winds howled and the rain pounded against her windows Estelle huddled down beside the sofa, the phone still clutched to her chest. She was grateful that she had managed to get through to Jack; as the windows shuddered violently she prayed he would get to her in time. A frightened scream escaped her lips as the window nearest her shattered under the sheer force of the wind and she covered her face from the flying glass.
A sudden and deafening silence filled the room; even as the roaring of the wind outside the window was gone. The unexpected and eerie quiet forced Estelle to cautiously lower her arms and her eyes widen when she saw the strange man standing protectively before her. As the man turned to face her, words of surprise died unspoken on her lips when Estelle saw how truly breath takingly beautiful he was.
Long raven-black hair cascaded in waves down his back and his eyes were deep pools of the most amazing molten gold. He wore skin-tight black leather pants that clung to him, emphasizing the rock-hard muscles of his thighs. A shirt of the deepest shade of and dark blue made of the finest silk clung to his torso, highlighting his six-pack abs. But what really drew her attention were the sweeping deep blue cape he wore and the sheathed sword at his side.
“Do not worry, my fair flower, I will let no harm come to you. I am here and you are safe.” With one long stride, the man closed the distance between them, holding out his hand and without Estelle allowed him to help her to her feet. As he lifted her hand to his lips, Estelle was sure she was blushing like a schoolgirl as the man gently kissed the back of her hand.
“How can you be so sure that they won’t get in?” Estelle could hear her voice shaking and for a brief moment, she was afraid that the tears weren’t far behind. She just could not believe that Jack had been right about her beloved fairies. After all the years she had spent believing in them and defending them, to find out that they were, in fact, horrible, evil, ugly creatures truly broke her heart.
With a start, Estelle remembered that she had company, gorgeous company who was looking at her with a mixture of amusement and concern. “And who are you?”
“I am Caden.” He could see the fear in Estelle’s eyes and it was written plainly on her face. His heart went out to her, and he respected the fact that she had not shied away from him. “You are safe now,” he repeated with an understanding smile. “My shield can not be broken, it will hold until help arrives.”
For the first time Estelle realised that she could see the faint shimmer of light surrounding the broken window and she turned back to look at Caden, blinking in confusion. He merely smiled back at her reassuringly.
*****
Ianto clung on to the dashboard for dear life as the SUV tore through the streets of Cardiff. A quick glance into the back seat and he could see Tosh hanging on to the door handle and trying to keep her eyes on her PDA, while Gwen seemed to be enjoying been smashed against Owen every time they spread around a corner.
The moment he had finished speaking to Estelle, Jack had called for all hands on deck and Ianto privately thought the safety in numbers was more for Jack’s peace of mind than anything else. Having researched the Archive files for all the information Torchwood had on fairy encounters, Ianto knew that if the fairies were brazen enough to attack Estelle then he didn’t dare to think of what the fairies to do to any one of them left alone.
Ianto knew that if anything happened to Estelle it would break Jack’s heart but if something were to happen to one of them, then Jack would shatter. The young man turned and watched as the passing streetlights shone on Jack’s face, the constantly shifting light emphasised the grim look in his eyes. Ianto’s heart went out to his lover.
Reaching over Ianto rested a hand on Jack’s leg and squeezed lightly. ‘Calm down, Cariad. If Kathy was right then I believe that Estelle is being well protected,’ Ianto sent soothing thoughts to his mate. He had been grateful for Kathy’s quick phone call to inform him of Rhys’ unpleasant meeting with the fairies and when she asked Torchwood to meet them at Estelle’s he immediately agreed.
At Ianto’s touch and soft words Jack managed to calm down enough to remember his mortal team members and he began driving a little more carefully, still well above the speed limit but at least a little less insanely. He could feel Ianto projecting waves of comforting calmness towards him, and Jack took a deep breath, consciously relaxing his neck and shoulder muscles. Once again, his young mate knew what was best for him and the others.
Grateful that Ianto had managed to calm Jack down enough that so she didn’t need to maintain a death grip on the door handle, Tosh was finally able to actually focus on the readouts her equipment was getting. Her brow furrowed with worry when her scanner began picking up wild energy readings and when she realised that they were coming specifically from Estelle’s house her concern deepened. ‘It could be the fairies, but I don’t dare ask Jack, not now.’
Momentarily distracted by the noise coming from her left Tosh made the mistake of looking over just in time to see Gwen pawing shamelessly at Owen. Thankful that she had her tech to study, Tosh shifted subtly in her seat just enough to put her back to the obnoxiously amorous couple. She let her mind flash back to the day she caught them in a passionate embrace. It had been a disillusioning eye-opener, one that still brought an occasional tear of disappointment to her eye.
Now, Tosh was determined to get over Owen which meant that she did not want to watch the raunchy Gwen-and-Owen show. Tosh also knew that if she had to be subjected to Gwen using every bump and turn as an excuse to snuggle closer to Owen for very much longer she was probably going to go Weevil on their asses.
With a screech of the tires that echoed loudly in the quite neighbourhood, the big black Torchwood SUV came to a jolting halt outside of Estelle’s house. As they piled out of the vehicle, the team blinked at the shimmering blue dome that covered Estelle’s house. Ianto was the only person who was prepared for the sight, and it brought a smile to his lips; he knew that Jack’s Estelle was safe inside, at least for the moment.
‘Is that Caden’s gift?’ Jack sent his question through their bond and Ianto’s smile broadened as the sound and feel of his mate’s voice caressed his mind. Before they’d left the Hub, Ianto had told Jack that his father had sent three royal guards to keep him and his mother safe. Discovering that Rhys William, of all people, was one of the guards had been a shock to Jack’s system. To be honest, given the enhanced senses that Ianto’s race enjoyed, it had made the immortal wonder whether or not Rhys knew about Gwen’s dirty little secrets.
‘Yes, it is. Caden can create an unbreakable shield which means that Estelle should be safe.’ Ianto grinned. ‘Well, safe from the fairies, at least; Caden does have a thing for pretty ladies,’ Ianto teased his mate, hoping to help ease some of the tension he could feel flowing to him through their link.
‘Aah! So we should probably keep a close eye on our beautiful Toshiko then.’ With a sweet smile for the man he loved, Jack sent his thanks to Ianto for understanding what he was feeling and for helping him to regain some control. Jack knew if he had any hope of saving Estelle and prevailing against the fairies, he couldn’t let his rage control him when he spoke to the Mara. The Mara would see his emotional state as a weakness that they could- and would- ruthlessly exploit.
The unexpected sound of an approaching vehicle drew the Torchwood team’s attention and they paused to see if it would stop or drive on by. It pulled up behind the SUV and Gwen’s jaw dropped as Rhys climbed out of his car. “Rhys! What the hell are you doing here? It’s too dangerous for you!” Gwen screeched as she ran towards him. Her rush forward came to a stuttering halt and her disbelief grew as she watched Kathy Swanson get out of the passenger’s side. Gwen bristled when she saw the detective stand next to her boyfriend as if she belonged there.
It took all of Kathy’s willpower not to snarl at Gwen as the woman grew closer, and Kathy’s lip curled up in anger and disgust as the scent of another man poured off her. ‘How dare this harlot betray Rhys!’ She subtly sniffed the air and recognised the scent, identifying its owner as that of the Torchwood medic. Lightning crackled from her eyes as she glared at the former PC.
Rhys, much to Gwen’s growing rage, completely ignored her and focused all of his attention on Ianto. “My Prince, are you all right? What can we do to help?” Rhys and Kathy moved forward to flank Ianto, being respectful of Jack in the process.
“My Prince!? What the hell are you playing at, Rhys? That’s Ianto, the bloody Tea-Boy, he is not a prince!” Gwen snarled. She’d always known that Rhys wasn’t the brightest bulb in the box, but thinking Ianto was something special? ‘Ianto Jones, a prince? Puh-leeze, as if someone as pathetic as Ianto could ever be a prince! No, he’ll never be anything more than a pathetic Tea-Boy.’
Gwen’s eyes widen in with sudden understanding. Clearly, Ianto was using his mind control techniques on Rhys; where else would he have gotten such a ridiculous idea. It didn’t surprise her that Rhys’ mind was weak enough to be influenced by Ianto; after all, the Tea-Boy was able to manipulate Jack’s strong mind.
A low growl escaped Jack’s lips as Gwen’s thoughts leaked to him. He couldn’t believe how little she thought of one of her own teammates. ‘I see my talk had little effect on Gwen. After I deal with the Mara I need to figure out what to do with Gwen.’ Keeping a tight grip on Ianto’s hand, Jack decided to ignore Gwen and her disrespectful behaviour; instead he focused his attention on Rhys and Kathy. “Keep my team safe while I deal with the fairies.” Although the words sounded like a demand, both of them could feel the fear behind them.
Rhys observed Jack with a critical eye; this was the first time he had ever met his Prince’s mate, although he’d heard plenty about the man from Gwen. Grudgingly, he had to admit that Jack was a somewhat handsome bloke. He could easily see the love and worry for his team, and more importantly for Ianto, pouring off Jack in waves, and Rhys bowed his head. “We will keep them safe,” he vowed and Kathy nodded her silent agreement.
“Jack, you can’t be serious! Rhys and Kathy are not trained to handle something like this!” Gwen screeched loudly. “Send them home, right now!” she demanded stridently and the group saw her actually stamp her foot like an petulant child. She did not want Rhys anywhere near Torchwood.
Lightning slashed the night sky in angry jagged lines, lightning that had nothing to do with the Mara. Kathy took a step closer to Gwen and dangerous sparks flashed in her eyes. “I have had enough of your attitude, you little brat! This mess wouldn’t even be happening if you had listened to your leader for once! If you had stayed out of the Mara’s business then none of this would be happening! It’s time you began following orders instead of thinking you should be the one giving them!” Kathy snarled. “Now shut the hell up!” Her voice rose to a roar and a bolt of lightning snapped down from the sky and struck the ground not far from them.
Tosh and Ianto fought back smiles as Kathy did something they had dreamed of doing for some time. Jack didn’t even attempt to hide his amusement and he allowed himself to grin broadly at Gwen’s expression; she looked like a gap-toothed fish with her mouth flapping open. Then a serious look over his face, and he placed a kiss on Ianto’s cheek before he reluctantly released his hold on his mate.
With a last grim look at Rhys and Kathy, Jack moved towards Estelle’s damaged house noticing that since Torchwood had arrived, the fairies had begun to slow their attack somewhat.
The leader of the fairies flew out to meet Jack. “Undying one, we are warning you! This is your last chance; allow us to take our chosen one or lose those you care for,” the fairy hissed. “We will take the one you love.”
Jack truly hated the idea of giving a child to such horrible monsters but also knew he could not risk the world for one child. It was a simple truth; the fairies would not stop until they had their chosen one, even if that meant bringing about the next ice age. As much as he wanted to save everyone, he knew it just wasn’t possible, not when the enemy he faced was the Mara.
“Swear to me that you will not touch my mate and that you will leave my team and Estelle alone. I want your word that you will never again threaten anyone I love as a way to get me to give into your demands.” Jack’s voice was strong and full of his own silent threats, his promise of retribution was very clear if the Mara ever sought to harm his loved ones again.
The fairy’s pointed face twisted into a wickedly vicious smile. “We will agree to your terms. But should any of your team try and stop us we will deal with them without mercy.” The fairy’s eyes flashed over to Gwen and Jack knew he was going to have problems with his newest team member. Even now she stood with her arms crossed belligerently over her chest while her eyes glared daggers at Rhys and Kathy. If she didn’t drastically alter her attitude and soon, Jack knew that her career with Torchwood -maybe even her life - was sure to be over quickly.
“Agreed.” Jack forced the word through clenched teeth. The fairy’s contorted smile grew as it darted back to its friends and in a whirlwind of flowers they disappeared. The moment they were out of sight, Jack whirled around and rushed back to Ianto’s side. He purposefully ignored Gwen, who was already protesting Jack’s decision, and focused his attention solely on Ianto.
“Can you get your friend to lower his shield?” he asked anxiously; he desperately needed to make sure that Estelle was okay.
Ianto rested a comforting hand on Jack’s arm. “Caden is doing so even as we speak.” He physically turned Jack to watch as the shield slowly lowered. “I’ve been in contact with Caden since we arrived. He knows it is now safe and he tells me that Estelle is eager to see us.”
That was all Jack needed to hear and he pulled his mate into a close hug. “Thank you,” he whispered as he linked his hand with Ianto’s and began dragging him towards Estelle’s front door. The others, led by a protective Rhys and Kathy, followed behind them while Gwen brought up the rear, sulking, confused and angry.
*****
Despite everything that had happened, Estelle found herself enjoying her time with Caden; without even trying, the handsome warrior made her feel and act like a blushing schoolgirl. ‘I didn’t think it was possible but there is a even bigger flirt and bigger charmer out there than Jack Harkness.’ She smiled as she took a sip of her tea just as her door was flung open and Jack made a very dramatic entrance.
Despite his earlier intention of sweeping Estelle up in his arms, Jack found himself stopped just inside the doorway. As usual, seeing Estelle brought back such vivid, strong memories of the past that he could feel his heart skip a beat. As he looked across the room, he could still see the beautiful young girl he’d fallen in love with as the war began. Estelle smiled warmly at him and held out her hand, making his heartbeat speed up. He knew that she knew he was lying about being the son of the man she’d been in love with so many decades before. It was an unspoken agreement between them that they continue to pretend.
“Go to her,” Ianto whispered in Jack’s ear. Startled from his reverie, Jack gave Ianto a gentle kiss on his lips before bounding over to Estelle’s side.
Jack engulfed Estelle in his strong arms. “Thank God, you are okay. I was so afraid that we’d be too late.” Jack nuzzled into her hair and inhaled the perfume she’d worn since the day he’d met her.
Estelle wrapped her arms around Jack in return and clung to her former lover. “I’m okay, Jack, I’m still here,” she reassured him softly.
Climbing to his feet Caden moved away from Jack and Estelle, not wanting to interrupt a private moment. Instead, he turned to greet his Prince while mentally preparing himself for a huge lecture from Rhys. The moment his eyes landed on the woman standing next to his Prince his breath caught in his throat.
“Be still my beating heart,” Caden murmured as he ignored everyone else and approached Tosh. Taking her hand in his he pressed a kiss on to her hand while never losing eye contact with her. “I am Caden and I can say with absolute truthfulness that you are the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on.”
Tosh found herself blushing a deep red as the most beautiful man she had ever laid eyes on delicately pressed his lips to her skin. “Umm, I’m Tosh; it’s very nice to meet you, Caden,” she whispered shyly and glanced at Ianto for help.
Thankfully, Rhys had been keeping a watchful eye on everyone who was around Ianto saw Tosh’s predicament and came to her aid. He used the fact that he had unfinished business with his enforcer. “Caden, release Tosh’s hand; we need to have a talk.”
A pout graced Caden’s face as he did as he was told. “You can’t be mad at me, Rhys; I saved the fair damsel. I’m the hero.” Hearing such a childishly petulant whine coming from such a gorgeous man brought giggles and guffaws of laughter from the others.
It was their laughter, well more importantly it was Ianto’s laughter, that drew Jack and Estelle’s attention back to the group. Estelle found herself focusing on Ianto specifically; there was something about him that didn’t quite match. She looked up at the man she had once loved with all her heart, the man she knew had loved her just as much. “His eyes are far too old for someone so young; I believe he has lost so much.” She was worried about Jack’s new love.
For a brief moment, Estelle allowed herself to feel the pain of loss herself; she and Jack had had such a short time together. She didn’t begrudge Jack the opportunity to love again; she just wished that they could have built a life with one another before the war had separated them.
Jack was not at all surprised that Estelle had noticed Ianto’s pain. “Yeah, he has lost a lot but he still manages to keep going on. He’s the strongest man I know.” Jack’s pride in his mate was obvious in his voice.
“You love him.” Estelle told him flat out; it was not a time to mince words.
Jack nodded his head and a silly grin stole across his face. “I do; it’s been a long time since I’ve loved anyone like this.” A look of guilt and sadness flashed across his face and was gone. The last person to stir such strong feelings of love in him was the very woman who stood next to him.
Estelle rested her small hand on Jack’s arm. “I’m glad that you’ve found someone to love, the way that I loved your father.” The unspoken words ‘the way I loved you’ were at the back of both their minds. But Estelle was wise enough to know that what Jack and she had shared once upon a time was very different compared to what Jack would have with Ianto. She couldn’t remember a time when Jack had looked at her with the same degree of pure love in his eyes. Estelle couldn’t deceive herself; in her heart she knew that Jack loved her but not in the way he loved Ianto.
“You are special, Estelle; please never doubt that I lov… my dad loved you.” Jack murmured; he would have spent his life with this woman if he could have. Estelle chose to ignore Jack’s little slip of the tongue.
*****
The pale rosy fingers of pre-dawn were beginning to paint the sky by the time the Torchwood team managed to clean up Estelle’s place. Kathy had surprised them all, well all but Ianto, when she decided that Estelle would stay with her until the elderly woman felt comfortable returning home. Jack was grateful that gutsy female was willing to keep an eye on Estelle; he wanted to make sure his oldest and dearest friend was truly safe from the Mara.
Caden had barely left Tosh’s side throughout the clean-up, and it was obvious that the warrior was completely smitten with the shy tech genius. Owen, having worked beside Rhys for several hours, surprised himself when he decided that he liked the other man. What surprised him more, though, was the fact that he actually felt guilty about sleeping with Gwen. Normally he didn’t care a whit about helping a woman violate her relationship vows.
Gwen fumed during the entire trip back to the Hub, her rage bubbling just under the surface and expressed by huffing, clicking her tongue against her teeth, and muttering words no one could understand under her breath. Caden had insisted on riding in the SUV so he could stay close to Tosh and that fact alone pissed her off. It didn’t matter that she was involved with Owen; she wasn’t used to any man ignoring her, especially for a mousy computer geek. Plus, she didn’t appreciate being squashed against the door by Caden’s muscular body; that only served to increase her bad temper.
Having managed to hold back her questions until they arrived back at the Hub, Gwen confronted Jack the moment they were inside the cog door. She gestured at Kathy, Rhys and Caden. “What the hell is going on, Jack? Since when are outsiders,” and she used the word with a nasty sneer in her voice, “allowed on Torchwood missions? And what the hell are they doing back here?”
Gwen’s voice rose as she got to the crux of her anger. “And what is all this crap about Ianto being a prince?” Gwen roared loud enough to disturb Myfanwy.
Ianto, tired of Gwen’s negative thoughts and attitude, finally snapped. “That crap, as you call it, is all true. I am an alien Prince sent to the safety of Earth to hide here from my evil uncle. Rhys, Kathy and Caden are my royal bodyguards. They came with me and have been protecting me from the moment we arrived.”
“Don’t be absurd!” Gwen snorted in derision. “Rhys is an idiot! The only thing he can protect is a bag of crisps!” Realising what she’d just said, Gwen turned to Rhys with a simpering look on her face. “Oh, pet, I didn’t mean…” her voice died out as she saw the withering look in his eyes. “Ummm… Rhys?”
Kathy chuckled. “Care to put the other foot in, Gwen?”
After allowing himself a small smile at Gwen’s discomfort, Ianto continued. “Jack is my mate! He is the other half of my soul, as I am his. So get off your high horse and realise that not everything is about you!” It was worth the pain he knew Gwen was going to be in just for the look on her face. “Oh, and by the way, I can read minds so I’d be careful what you think around me,” Ianto added as an oh-so-casual afterthought.
A bark of laughter escaped Owen’s lips. “You sure told her, Tea-Boy.” His respect for the young Welshman - it was hard to think of him as alien - ratcheted up dramatically. Laughter filled the Hub and Jack wrapped his arms around Ianto.
“I thought Torchwood’s motto is ‘if it’s alien, it’s ours’, so shouldn’t Ianto be locked up down in the Vaults, in one of those cells next to the Weevils? I mean, there’s gotta be something we can use him for besides making coffee.” Gwen stated with a savage bite to her tone. Her vicious words killed all the laughter in the room.
Jack shivered with horror at how much Gwen sounded like Yvonne Hartman at that moment; he’d heard her use those very words on many occasions. “Ianto is different,” Jack told her with a warning look in his eyes and he tightened his grip on Ianto’s waist, pulling his young mate tighter against his side. Jack narrowed his eyes at her. “And let’s not forget that if we’re going to be locking people away in the cells, that that would include Rhys. Is that what you want?” Gwen cast a quick glance at Rhys and she was dismayed to see that he wouldn’t meet her gaze. Realising that what Jack said was true, she sighed. While she may not love him the way she once did, she did not want to see him locked away in a cell.
“No, it’s not.” ‘At least not yet, anyway,’ she found herself thinking; ‘not until I find a way to break the alien mind control Ianto has over Jack and the others.’
Jack glanced worriedly at Gwen; he had a very strong feeling that she was not ready to trust Ianto yet. He knew in his gut that she wasn’t being completely truthful; she was so emotional at the moment he didn’t know what she might do next and that knowledge worried him. He would never, ever allow anyone to harm his beloved soul mate.
‘Do not try and force my hand, Gwen, because against Ianto you will lose every time.’
The End for now! There are more adventures with Jack and Ianto to come.
Fandom: Torchwood
Pairings/Characters: Jack/Ianto, Tosh, Kathy, Caden, Estelle, mentions of Rhys/Gwen and Owen/Gwen
Summary: Jack sets Gwen straight about what she thinks is going on between them, all the while dealing with the fairies.
Rating: R
Beta: The amazing royalladyemma
Disclaimer: I don’t own the pretties of Torchwood. RTD can keep Gwen, and I am pretty sure that Jack and Ianto belong to one another. I do own Caden.
Author Notes: This is the first sequel to my alien Ianto fic Screams of the Lost, my take on ‘Small Worlds.’
Chapter 5
With the fairy threat against Ianto still a very real possibility, Jack had not let Ianto out of his sight for a moment. Seeing them constantly together had brought out a variety of responses from the team. Tosh watched them with delighted smile on her face and she ‘ahhed’ and cooed numerous times at what a cute couple they were. Owen made snarky comments about how sickeningly sweet he found the whole thing, although he made sure Ianto wasn’t within hearing distance when he said it; no sense in pissing off the source of the best coffee he’d ever drunk in his life.
Always the odd man out, Gwen continued to sulk and glare, refusing to be part of the cruel farce that she was positive Ianto was perpetrating against Jack. Despite her earlier apology to Ianto, and her feeble attempts to make the others believe that she pleased for the happy couple, Gwen Cooper was still convinced that Jack was under some form of mind control.
It didn’t matter to her whether it was from aliens or fairies, mind control was the only reason she could think of for Jack not wanting to be with her. Nothing else made sense; after all, who in their right mind would choose the Tea-Boy when someone as perfect for them as Gwen clearly was for Jack was available. No, something was obviously going on and she wasn’t going to rest until she’d figured it out and then put a stop to it.
Only Ianto knew the real reason Jack was being overprotective, and as much as he was enjoying the constant affection, he couldn’t help but feel it was marred by the fairy’s threat.
Snuggled up together in what Ianto was quickly coming to refer to as their bed, Ianto looked up at Jack with curiosity in his stormy blue eyes. “Jack? Can I ask you a something?”
Jack looked at Ianto with amusement in his eyes. “I believe you just did, but go ahead.”
“I’ve heard you refer to me as your mate a few times and when you do, your scent changes; in fact, your pheromones become so much stronger that it’s hard for me not to jump you.” Ianto was wondering if Jack was not completely human, because in truth no human should ever be able to smell that good. Even just thinking about it was exciting Ianto’s libido.
A smile graced Jack’s face, “I was wondering when you were going to mention that. As I told you before, I’m from the 51st century so I’m not completely one hundred pre cent human. In my time relationships are a lot different, we don’t have traditional marriages anymore, and relationships aren’t so rigid or structured as they are today. We’re free to love who and when we please, and it’s perfectly normal to have as many lovers at one time as we want until we find our one true mate.” Jack gazed fondly at Ianto as he stroked his thumb across Ianto’s lower lip.
“Like you we have a life-mate, our bond mate. They are the other half of our soul and what we have with them is beyond anything else. To bond with your mate is to complete yourself; when we commit to them it is forever and we forsake all others and. We bind our souls together and declare for all to know that that this is the one I plan to spend my life with, that they are my heart, my soul and my whole world.” The absolute love in Jack’s eyes stole Ianto’s breath.
Shyly, Ianto gathered up all his courage. “Am I…” he whispered.
Jack smiled shone with love as he pressed the tenderest of kisses against Ianto’s lips. Pulling away Jack told him, “Yes, Ianto Jones, you are my bond mate and when you are ready I would love to commit to you in the soul bonding ceremony.”
With tears in his eyes Ianto hugged Jack. “When that day comes I will gladly bond my soul to you forever.”
The kiss that followed was full of pure love as they sealed their pledge to one another.
“Yan, what are you thinking about?” Jack walked up from behind and purred against Ianto’s ear as he wrapped his arms around his beloved waist. He wanted to know what had brought the look of such pure happiness to his mate’s face; selfishly, he hoped Ianto was thinking about him.
Ianto allowed himself to relax backwards and rest against Jack’s chest. “I was thinking about the night you told me that I am your bond mate,” Ianto admitted shyly. He enjoyed saying those words and he turned in Jack’s arms to look at the older man.
Jack felt a smile blossom across his face as he recalled that night fondly. “That was a wonderful night, one that I never thought would happen.” Jack stole a soft and lingering kiss and the world melted away as they lost themselves in their kiss.
Only the ringing of Jack’s cell phone could ruin their moment, and with the utmost reluctance Jack forced himself to break their connection. “This better be world ending,” Jack mumbled as he pulled out his phone, only to be gripped by fear when Estelle’s name shone at him from the display. “Estelle, what’s wrong?” He was grateful when he felt Ianto join their hands together and as panic gripped him at Estelle’s terrified words he squeezed his lover’s hand.
******
Kathy Swanson watched her Captain pace anxiously around his living room all the while muttering about ‘unreliable flirts.’ She had been quite alarm when she’d walked in to see the mayhem that the flat’s earlier visitor had wrought; even now Rhys’ big feet were grinding that mess into the carpet.
“Caden is Caden and yes, he may be a flirt but he is loyal to our Prince. There must be a good reason why he’s late.” Kathy defended their third ally although secretly she was worried by his absence.
Rhys stopped and looked at his second; his eyes were pools of flames and the air in the room grew hotter as he hissed, “These Mara have threatened our Prince and somehow something that Gwen is doing is making them angrier.”
Kathy bristled at the mention of Gwen; it was no secret she did not like or trust the former PC. Before she left the force, Gwen Cooper had had a history of shamelessly manipulating her co-workers; she had wrapped the men around her little finger, used them until there was nothing else they could do for her, and then thrown them away when they were of no more use to her. Kathy had been shocked when Torchwood had picked Gwen to be on their team; surely they heard of her reputation when they’d checked her out. She could only hope that they would at least turn Gwen into a decent field agent before she got somebody, like their Prince, hurt, or worse killed.
“Maybe we should try calling Caden again,” Kathy finally suggested to Rhys in an attempt to calm him.
Rhys quickly nodded his agreement. “We also need to warn our Prince about the Mara and about whatever dangers Gwen will be putting him in.” Rhys felt a weight upon his heart; if Gwen continued to put his Prince in danger then he would be forced to choose between her and his loyalty. He already knows who would win.
“I’ll do that, you see if you can get a hold of Caden again.” Kathy’s heart went out to her Captain; she knew that he would soon have to make a choice and that it would more than likely break his heart.
*****
Hidden by the shadows, a figure moved easily across the rooftops. “Rhys is going to kill me!” the man muttered as he followed the rapidly forming storm clouds. He knew the freak weather was the work of the Mara and he silently cursed those who dared to threaten his Prince. Even though Rhys continued to call him, the man knew that the sudden storm was not something he could ignore. His concern grew as he realised that it seemed to be centered above one single house. “Oh, this is not good, not good at all!”
*****
As the winds howled and the rain pounded against her windows Estelle huddled down beside the sofa, the phone still clutched to her chest. She was grateful that she had managed to get through to Jack; as the windows shuddered violently she prayed he would get to her in time. A frightened scream escaped her lips as the window nearest her shattered under the sheer force of the wind and she covered her face from the flying glass.
A sudden and deafening silence filled the room; even as the roaring of the wind outside the window was gone. The unexpected and eerie quiet forced Estelle to cautiously lower her arms and her eyes widen when she saw the strange man standing protectively before her. As the man turned to face her, words of surprise died unspoken on her lips when Estelle saw how truly breath takingly beautiful he was.
Long raven-black hair cascaded in waves down his back and his eyes were deep pools of the most amazing molten gold. He wore skin-tight black leather pants that clung to him, emphasizing the rock-hard muscles of his thighs. A shirt of the deepest shade of and dark blue made of the finest silk clung to his torso, highlighting his six-pack abs. But what really drew her attention were the sweeping deep blue cape he wore and the sheathed sword at his side.
“Do not worry, my fair flower, I will let no harm come to you. I am here and you are safe.” With one long stride, the man closed the distance between them, holding out his hand and without Estelle allowed him to help her to her feet. As he lifted her hand to his lips, Estelle was sure she was blushing like a schoolgirl as the man gently kissed the back of her hand.
“How can you be so sure that they won’t get in?” Estelle could hear her voice shaking and for a brief moment, she was afraid that the tears weren’t far behind. She just could not believe that Jack had been right about her beloved fairies. After all the years she had spent believing in them and defending them, to find out that they were, in fact, horrible, evil, ugly creatures truly broke her heart.
With a start, Estelle remembered that she had company, gorgeous company who was looking at her with a mixture of amusement and concern. “And who are you?”
“I am Caden.” He could see the fear in Estelle’s eyes and it was written plainly on her face. His heart went out to her, and he respected the fact that she had not shied away from him. “You are safe now,” he repeated with an understanding smile. “My shield can not be broken, it will hold until help arrives.”
For the first time Estelle realised that she could see the faint shimmer of light surrounding the broken window and she turned back to look at Caden, blinking in confusion. He merely smiled back at her reassuringly.
*****
Ianto clung on to the dashboard for dear life as the SUV tore through the streets of Cardiff. A quick glance into the back seat and he could see Tosh hanging on to the door handle and trying to keep her eyes on her PDA, while Gwen seemed to be enjoying been smashed against Owen every time they spread around a corner.
The moment he had finished speaking to Estelle, Jack had called for all hands on deck and Ianto privately thought the safety in numbers was more for Jack’s peace of mind than anything else. Having researched the Archive files for all the information Torchwood had on fairy encounters, Ianto knew that if the fairies were brazen enough to attack Estelle then he didn’t dare to think of what the fairies to do to any one of them left alone.
Ianto knew that if anything happened to Estelle it would break Jack’s heart but if something were to happen to one of them, then Jack would shatter. The young man turned and watched as the passing streetlights shone on Jack’s face, the constantly shifting light emphasised the grim look in his eyes. Ianto’s heart went out to his lover.
Reaching over Ianto rested a hand on Jack’s leg and squeezed lightly. ‘Calm down, Cariad. If Kathy was right then I believe that Estelle is being well protected,’ Ianto sent soothing thoughts to his mate. He had been grateful for Kathy’s quick phone call to inform him of Rhys’ unpleasant meeting with the fairies and when she asked Torchwood to meet them at Estelle’s he immediately agreed.
At Ianto’s touch and soft words Jack managed to calm down enough to remember his mortal team members and he began driving a little more carefully, still well above the speed limit but at least a little less insanely. He could feel Ianto projecting waves of comforting calmness towards him, and Jack took a deep breath, consciously relaxing his neck and shoulder muscles. Once again, his young mate knew what was best for him and the others.
Grateful that Ianto had managed to calm Jack down enough that so she didn’t need to maintain a death grip on the door handle, Tosh was finally able to actually focus on the readouts her equipment was getting. Her brow furrowed with worry when her scanner began picking up wild energy readings and when she realised that they were coming specifically from Estelle’s house her concern deepened. ‘It could be the fairies, but I don’t dare ask Jack, not now.’
Momentarily distracted by the noise coming from her left Tosh made the mistake of looking over just in time to see Gwen pawing shamelessly at Owen. Thankful that she had her tech to study, Tosh shifted subtly in her seat just enough to put her back to the obnoxiously amorous couple. She let her mind flash back to the day she caught them in a passionate embrace. It had been a disillusioning eye-opener, one that still brought an occasional tear of disappointment to her eye.
Now, Tosh was determined to get over Owen which meant that she did not want to watch the raunchy Gwen-and-Owen show. Tosh also knew that if she had to be subjected to Gwen using every bump and turn as an excuse to snuggle closer to Owen for very much longer she was probably going to go Weevil on their asses.
With a screech of the tires that echoed loudly in the quite neighbourhood, the big black Torchwood SUV came to a jolting halt outside of Estelle’s house. As they piled out of the vehicle, the team blinked at the shimmering blue dome that covered Estelle’s house. Ianto was the only person who was prepared for the sight, and it brought a smile to his lips; he knew that Jack’s Estelle was safe inside, at least for the moment.
‘Is that Caden’s gift?’ Jack sent his question through their bond and Ianto’s smile broadened as the sound and feel of his mate’s voice caressed his mind. Before they’d left the Hub, Ianto had told Jack that his father had sent three royal guards to keep him and his mother safe. Discovering that Rhys William, of all people, was one of the guards had been a shock to Jack’s system. To be honest, given the enhanced senses that Ianto’s race enjoyed, it had made the immortal wonder whether or not Rhys knew about Gwen’s dirty little secrets.
‘Yes, it is. Caden can create an unbreakable shield which means that Estelle should be safe.’ Ianto grinned. ‘Well, safe from the fairies, at least; Caden does have a thing for pretty ladies,’ Ianto teased his mate, hoping to help ease some of the tension he could feel flowing to him through their link.
‘Aah! So we should probably keep a close eye on our beautiful Toshiko then.’ With a sweet smile for the man he loved, Jack sent his thanks to Ianto for understanding what he was feeling and for helping him to regain some control. Jack knew if he had any hope of saving Estelle and prevailing against the fairies, he couldn’t let his rage control him when he spoke to the Mara. The Mara would see his emotional state as a weakness that they could- and would- ruthlessly exploit.
The unexpected sound of an approaching vehicle drew the Torchwood team’s attention and they paused to see if it would stop or drive on by. It pulled up behind the SUV and Gwen’s jaw dropped as Rhys climbed out of his car. “Rhys! What the hell are you doing here? It’s too dangerous for you!” Gwen screeched as she ran towards him. Her rush forward came to a stuttering halt and her disbelief grew as she watched Kathy Swanson get out of the passenger’s side. Gwen bristled when she saw the detective stand next to her boyfriend as if she belonged there.
It took all of Kathy’s willpower not to snarl at Gwen as the woman grew closer, and Kathy’s lip curled up in anger and disgust as the scent of another man poured off her. ‘How dare this harlot betray Rhys!’ She subtly sniffed the air and recognised the scent, identifying its owner as that of the Torchwood medic. Lightning crackled from her eyes as she glared at the former PC.
Rhys, much to Gwen’s growing rage, completely ignored her and focused all of his attention on Ianto. “My Prince, are you all right? What can we do to help?” Rhys and Kathy moved forward to flank Ianto, being respectful of Jack in the process.
“My Prince!? What the hell are you playing at, Rhys? That’s Ianto, the bloody Tea-Boy, he is not a prince!” Gwen snarled. She’d always known that Rhys wasn’t the brightest bulb in the box, but thinking Ianto was something special? ‘Ianto Jones, a prince? Puh-leeze, as if someone as pathetic as Ianto could ever be a prince! No, he’ll never be anything more than a pathetic Tea-Boy.’
Gwen’s eyes widen in with sudden understanding. Clearly, Ianto was using his mind control techniques on Rhys; where else would he have gotten such a ridiculous idea. It didn’t surprise her that Rhys’ mind was weak enough to be influenced by Ianto; after all, the Tea-Boy was able to manipulate Jack’s strong mind.
A low growl escaped Jack’s lips as Gwen’s thoughts leaked to him. He couldn’t believe how little she thought of one of her own teammates. ‘I see my talk had little effect on Gwen. After I deal with the Mara I need to figure out what to do with Gwen.’ Keeping a tight grip on Ianto’s hand, Jack decided to ignore Gwen and her disrespectful behaviour; instead he focused his attention on Rhys and Kathy. “Keep my team safe while I deal with the fairies.” Although the words sounded like a demand, both of them could feel the fear behind them.
Rhys observed Jack with a critical eye; this was the first time he had ever met his Prince’s mate, although he’d heard plenty about the man from Gwen. Grudgingly, he had to admit that Jack was a somewhat handsome bloke. He could easily see the love and worry for his team, and more importantly for Ianto, pouring off Jack in waves, and Rhys bowed his head. “We will keep them safe,” he vowed and Kathy nodded her silent agreement.
“Jack, you can’t be serious! Rhys and Kathy are not trained to handle something like this!” Gwen screeched loudly. “Send them home, right now!” she demanded stridently and the group saw her actually stamp her foot like an petulant child. She did not want Rhys anywhere near Torchwood.
Lightning slashed the night sky in angry jagged lines, lightning that had nothing to do with the Mara. Kathy took a step closer to Gwen and dangerous sparks flashed in her eyes. “I have had enough of your attitude, you little brat! This mess wouldn’t even be happening if you had listened to your leader for once! If you had stayed out of the Mara’s business then none of this would be happening! It’s time you began following orders instead of thinking you should be the one giving them!” Kathy snarled. “Now shut the hell up!” Her voice rose to a roar and a bolt of lightning snapped down from the sky and struck the ground not far from them.
Tosh and Ianto fought back smiles as Kathy did something they had dreamed of doing for some time. Jack didn’t even attempt to hide his amusement and he allowed himself to grin broadly at Gwen’s expression; she looked like a gap-toothed fish with her mouth flapping open. Then a serious look over his face, and he placed a kiss on Ianto’s cheek before he reluctantly released his hold on his mate.
With a last grim look at Rhys and Kathy, Jack moved towards Estelle’s damaged house noticing that since Torchwood had arrived, the fairies had begun to slow their attack somewhat.
The leader of the fairies flew out to meet Jack. “Undying one, we are warning you! This is your last chance; allow us to take our chosen one or lose those you care for,” the fairy hissed. “We will take the one you love.”
Jack truly hated the idea of giving a child to such horrible monsters but also knew he could not risk the world for one child. It was a simple truth; the fairies would not stop until they had their chosen one, even if that meant bringing about the next ice age. As much as he wanted to save everyone, he knew it just wasn’t possible, not when the enemy he faced was the Mara.
“Swear to me that you will not touch my mate and that you will leave my team and Estelle alone. I want your word that you will never again threaten anyone I love as a way to get me to give into your demands.” Jack’s voice was strong and full of his own silent threats, his promise of retribution was very clear if the Mara ever sought to harm his loved ones again.
The fairy’s pointed face twisted into a wickedly vicious smile. “We will agree to your terms. But should any of your team try and stop us we will deal with them without mercy.” The fairy’s eyes flashed over to Gwen and Jack knew he was going to have problems with his newest team member. Even now she stood with her arms crossed belligerently over her chest while her eyes glared daggers at Rhys and Kathy. If she didn’t drastically alter her attitude and soon, Jack knew that her career with Torchwood -maybe even her life - was sure to be over quickly.
“Agreed.” Jack forced the word through clenched teeth. The fairy’s contorted smile grew as it darted back to its friends and in a whirlwind of flowers they disappeared. The moment they were out of sight, Jack whirled around and rushed back to Ianto’s side. He purposefully ignored Gwen, who was already protesting Jack’s decision, and focused his attention solely on Ianto.
“Can you get your friend to lower his shield?” he asked anxiously; he desperately needed to make sure that Estelle was okay.
Ianto rested a comforting hand on Jack’s arm. “Caden is doing so even as we speak.” He physically turned Jack to watch as the shield slowly lowered. “I’ve been in contact with Caden since we arrived. He knows it is now safe and he tells me that Estelle is eager to see us.”
That was all Jack needed to hear and he pulled his mate into a close hug. “Thank you,” he whispered as he linked his hand with Ianto’s and began dragging him towards Estelle’s front door. The others, led by a protective Rhys and Kathy, followed behind them while Gwen brought up the rear, sulking, confused and angry.
*****
Despite everything that had happened, Estelle found herself enjoying her time with Caden; without even trying, the handsome warrior made her feel and act like a blushing schoolgirl. ‘I didn’t think it was possible but there is a even bigger flirt and bigger charmer out there than Jack Harkness.’ She smiled as she took a sip of her tea just as her door was flung open and Jack made a very dramatic entrance.
Despite his earlier intention of sweeping Estelle up in his arms, Jack found himself stopped just inside the doorway. As usual, seeing Estelle brought back such vivid, strong memories of the past that he could feel his heart skip a beat. As he looked across the room, he could still see the beautiful young girl he’d fallen in love with as the war began. Estelle smiled warmly at him and held out her hand, making his heartbeat speed up. He knew that she knew he was lying about being the son of the man she’d been in love with so many decades before. It was an unspoken agreement between them that they continue to pretend.
“Go to her,” Ianto whispered in Jack’s ear. Startled from his reverie, Jack gave Ianto a gentle kiss on his lips before bounding over to Estelle’s side.
Jack engulfed Estelle in his strong arms. “Thank God, you are okay. I was so afraid that we’d be too late.” Jack nuzzled into her hair and inhaled the perfume she’d worn since the day he’d met her.
Estelle wrapped her arms around Jack in return and clung to her former lover. “I’m okay, Jack, I’m still here,” she reassured him softly.
Climbing to his feet Caden moved away from Jack and Estelle, not wanting to interrupt a private moment. Instead, he turned to greet his Prince while mentally preparing himself for a huge lecture from Rhys. The moment his eyes landed on the woman standing next to his Prince his breath caught in his throat.
“Be still my beating heart,” Caden murmured as he ignored everyone else and approached Tosh. Taking her hand in his he pressed a kiss on to her hand while never losing eye contact with her. “I am Caden and I can say with absolute truthfulness that you are the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on.”
Tosh found herself blushing a deep red as the most beautiful man she had ever laid eyes on delicately pressed his lips to her skin. “Umm, I’m Tosh; it’s very nice to meet you, Caden,” she whispered shyly and glanced at Ianto for help.
Thankfully, Rhys had been keeping a watchful eye on everyone who was around Ianto saw Tosh’s predicament and came to her aid. He used the fact that he had unfinished business with his enforcer. “Caden, release Tosh’s hand; we need to have a talk.”
A pout graced Caden’s face as he did as he was told. “You can’t be mad at me, Rhys; I saved the fair damsel. I’m the hero.” Hearing such a childishly petulant whine coming from such a gorgeous man brought giggles and guffaws of laughter from the others.
It was their laughter, well more importantly it was Ianto’s laughter, that drew Jack and Estelle’s attention back to the group. Estelle found herself focusing on Ianto specifically; there was something about him that didn’t quite match. She looked up at the man she had once loved with all her heart, the man she knew had loved her just as much. “His eyes are far too old for someone so young; I believe he has lost so much.” She was worried about Jack’s new love.
For a brief moment, Estelle allowed herself to feel the pain of loss herself; she and Jack had had such a short time together. She didn’t begrudge Jack the opportunity to love again; she just wished that they could have built a life with one another before the war had separated them.
Jack was not at all surprised that Estelle had noticed Ianto’s pain. “Yeah, he has lost a lot but he still manages to keep going on. He’s the strongest man I know.” Jack’s pride in his mate was obvious in his voice.
“You love him.” Estelle told him flat out; it was not a time to mince words.
Jack nodded his head and a silly grin stole across his face. “I do; it’s been a long time since I’ve loved anyone like this.” A look of guilt and sadness flashed across his face and was gone. The last person to stir such strong feelings of love in him was the very woman who stood next to him.
Estelle rested her small hand on Jack’s arm. “I’m glad that you’ve found someone to love, the way that I loved your father.” The unspoken words ‘the way I loved you’ were at the back of both their minds. But Estelle was wise enough to know that what Jack and she had shared once upon a time was very different compared to what Jack would have with Ianto. She couldn’t remember a time when Jack had looked at her with the same degree of pure love in his eyes. Estelle couldn’t deceive herself; in her heart she knew that Jack loved her but not in the way he loved Ianto.
“You are special, Estelle; please never doubt that I lov… my dad loved you.” Jack murmured; he would have spent his life with this woman if he could have. Estelle chose to ignore Jack’s little slip of the tongue.
*****
The pale rosy fingers of pre-dawn were beginning to paint the sky by the time the Torchwood team managed to clean up Estelle’s place. Kathy had surprised them all, well all but Ianto, when she decided that Estelle would stay with her until the elderly woman felt comfortable returning home. Jack was grateful that gutsy female was willing to keep an eye on Estelle; he wanted to make sure his oldest and dearest friend was truly safe from the Mara.
Caden had barely left Tosh’s side throughout the clean-up, and it was obvious that the warrior was completely smitten with the shy tech genius. Owen, having worked beside Rhys for several hours, surprised himself when he decided that he liked the other man. What surprised him more, though, was the fact that he actually felt guilty about sleeping with Gwen. Normally he didn’t care a whit about helping a woman violate her relationship vows.
Gwen fumed during the entire trip back to the Hub, her rage bubbling just under the surface and expressed by huffing, clicking her tongue against her teeth, and muttering words no one could understand under her breath. Caden had insisted on riding in the SUV so he could stay close to Tosh and that fact alone pissed her off. It didn’t matter that she was involved with Owen; she wasn’t used to any man ignoring her, especially for a mousy computer geek. Plus, she didn’t appreciate being squashed against the door by Caden’s muscular body; that only served to increase her bad temper.
Having managed to hold back her questions until they arrived back at the Hub, Gwen confronted Jack the moment they were inside the cog door. She gestured at Kathy, Rhys and Caden. “What the hell is going on, Jack? Since when are outsiders,” and she used the word with a nasty sneer in her voice, “allowed on Torchwood missions? And what the hell are they doing back here?”
Gwen’s voice rose as she got to the crux of her anger. “And what is all this crap about Ianto being a prince?” Gwen roared loud enough to disturb Myfanwy.
Ianto, tired of Gwen’s negative thoughts and attitude, finally snapped. “That crap, as you call it, is all true. I am an alien Prince sent to the safety of Earth to hide here from my evil uncle. Rhys, Kathy and Caden are my royal bodyguards. They came with me and have been protecting me from the moment we arrived.”
“Don’t be absurd!” Gwen snorted in derision. “Rhys is an idiot! The only thing he can protect is a bag of crisps!” Realising what she’d just said, Gwen turned to Rhys with a simpering look on her face. “Oh, pet, I didn’t mean…” her voice died out as she saw the withering look in his eyes. “Ummm… Rhys?”
Kathy chuckled. “Care to put the other foot in, Gwen?”
After allowing himself a small smile at Gwen’s discomfort, Ianto continued. “Jack is my mate! He is the other half of my soul, as I am his. So get off your high horse and realise that not everything is about you!” It was worth the pain he knew Gwen was going to be in just for the look on her face. “Oh, and by the way, I can read minds so I’d be careful what you think around me,” Ianto added as an oh-so-casual afterthought.
A bark of laughter escaped Owen’s lips. “You sure told her, Tea-Boy.” His respect for the young Welshman - it was hard to think of him as alien - ratcheted up dramatically. Laughter filled the Hub and Jack wrapped his arms around Ianto.
“I thought Torchwood’s motto is ‘if it’s alien, it’s ours’, so shouldn’t Ianto be locked up down in the Vaults, in one of those cells next to the Weevils? I mean, there’s gotta be something we can use him for besides making coffee.” Gwen stated with a savage bite to her tone. Her vicious words killed all the laughter in the room.
Jack shivered with horror at how much Gwen sounded like Yvonne Hartman at that moment; he’d heard her use those very words on many occasions. “Ianto is different,” Jack told her with a warning look in his eyes and he tightened his grip on Ianto’s waist, pulling his young mate tighter against his side. Jack narrowed his eyes at her. “And let’s not forget that if we’re going to be locking people away in the cells, that that would include Rhys. Is that what you want?” Gwen cast a quick glance at Rhys and she was dismayed to see that he wouldn’t meet her gaze. Realising that what Jack said was true, she sighed. While she may not love him the way she once did, she did not want to see him locked away in a cell.
“No, it’s not.” ‘At least not yet, anyway,’ she found herself thinking; ‘not until I find a way to break the alien mind control Ianto has over Jack and the others.’
Jack glanced worriedly at Gwen; he had a very strong feeling that she was not ready to trust Ianto yet. He knew in his gut that she wasn’t being completely truthful; she was so emotional at the moment he didn’t know what she might do next and that knowledge worried him. He would never, ever allow anyone to harm his beloved soul mate.
‘Do not try and force my hand, Gwen, because against Ianto you will lose every time.’
The End for now! There are more adventures with Jack and Ianto to come.