Fic: The Pirates of Boeshane Chapter 13/16
Title: The Pirates of Boeshane: The Curse of the Myfanwy
Fandoms: Torchwood/Doctor Who
Pairings/Characters: Jack/Ianto, Tommy/Tosh, past John/Jack, one-sided John/Ianto, Owen, Kathy, Gwen, Mickey/Jake, Harold Saxon, Rhys/Andy, Martha, James Harper, Ross, Rory, brief mention of the Doctor/Rose, Donna
Author: backrose_17
Prompt: The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Summary: A Pirate Captain seeking to reclaim what was stolen from him joins forces with a young Blacksmith seeking to rescue his kidnapped best friend. Together they find more than just the adventures of their journey.
Rating: PG-15
Disclaimer: I do not own Torchwood or Doctor Who.
Beta: royalladyemma
Written for Reel_Torchwood Round 5
Chapter 13
Safely on board the Valiant and properly attired once again, Tosh’s pleas to save Ianto were going unheard. “But we’ve got to save Ianto!” Tosh was pleading with her father. “Please, father?”
Governor Saxon shook his head firmly as he hugged his daughter tightly. He never thought he’d see her again and he certainly wasn’t going to waster a miracle by putting her back in danger. “No! You’re safe now and I want you to remain that way. We will return to Boeshane immediately, not go gallivanting after pirates!”
Unable to believe what she was hearing, Tosh ripped herself out of her father’s arms. “Then we condemn him to death!” Tosh had never known her father to be so cruel and heartless before.
Harold knew that Ianto was important to his daughter and he had encouraged Tosh’s friendship with the young man to a large degree, but now he was beginning to regret it. “The boy’s fate is regrettable, yes, but then, so was his decision to engage in piracy.” He wished Tosh would stop being so stubborn - but and he came to the realisation with a fond, tender smile - she got her stubbornness from his beloved late wife Sarah-Jane.
“To rescue me, father. He did it to prevent anything from happening to me.” Tosh couldn’t understand why everyone was having so much trouble realising that Ianto had done exactly what any of them would have done.
Jack was listening to Tosh and Harold argue and he forced himself not to scowl in frustration. There was a loud voice in his head that was tell him to run both the Commodore and the Governor through with his sword, take over the Valiant and go rescue Ianto himself. ‘But,' he told his little voice, ‘I’m smarter than that. I can always play to Tommy’s ego.'
“If I may be so bold as to inject my professional opinion? The Myfanwy was listing near to scuppers after the battle. It’s very unlikely she’ll be able to make good time. Think about it. The Black Myfanwy, the last real pirate threat in the New Caribbean, mate,” Jack slid closer to Tommy and wrapped a friendly arm around his shoulder. “How can you pass that up?”
Tommy merely looked at Jack like he was lower than dirt and proceeded to remove Jack’s hand from his shoulder, using just his thumb and forefinger. “By remembering that I serve others, Mr Harkness, not only myself.”
‘Well, this wasn’t the way I wanted things to go but desperate times call for desperate measures.’ Tosh drew a deep breath, straightened herself up and looked Tommy right in the eye. “Commodore, I beg you, please do this, for me, as a wedding gift.”
Shock and happiness appeared on both Tommy and Saxon’s faces while a look of pride appeared on Jack’s. ‘Oh, you clever, clever girl! You’re using the dear old Commodore’s love for you to get your way!’ Jack was full of pride for Tosh. ‘You would make a wonderful pirate,’ he thought wistfully.
Harold Saxon could scarcely believe his ears. ‘It looks like all my hoping and planning is actually going to pay off!’ He could have jumped for joy, except that would have been undignified. ‘Look, Sarah-Jane, our little girl’s going to be set for life!’ Reigning in his enthusiasm, Harold looked at his daughter. “Toshiko, are you accepting the Commodore’s proposal?” A big smile graced Saxon’s lips and he didn’t even wait for her to answer him as he began to make plans for Tommy and Tosh’s wedding. It would be the biggest and best the colonies had ever seen, a celebration befitting the daughter of the Colonial Governor of Boeshane.
Tosh smiled up at Tommy, letting all the love she had for him shine in her eyes. “Yes,” she said softly, resting her hand on Tommy’s arm. “I am.”
Tommy felt his heart leap for joy the woman as he looked into Tosh’s eyes. He had been in love with her for so very long, and now that he knew she felt the same and had agreed to be his wife, he didn’t care that Tosh was using their engagement as way to get him to go after Ianto. If it would make his intended happy, he’d bring her back the moon if she wanted it.
Of the assembled group, no one was as excited as Captain Jack Harkness and he did a silly little jig across the deck and back. “A wedding! I love weddings, drinks all around!” Jack did indeed love weddings; after all, pirates were just big romantics at heart. ‘Hmm, I wonder if we could make it a double wedding. Mr and Mrs Commodore and Mr and Mr Captain.’
Jack was pulled from his daydream when he suddenly noticed how ferociously Commodore Tommy Bridegroom was glaring at him. Ceasing his dancing, Jack rolled his eyes and extended his arms. “I know. Clap him in irons, right?”
Tommy rolled his eyes in an exaggerated imitation of the pirate, suitably annoyed by the typically over-dramatic Jack Harkness-style surrender. He desperately wanted to throw the scoundrel in the brig, but he had a new fiancée to impress. “Mr Harkness, you will accompany these fine men to the helm and provide us with the bearing to Isle de la Muerta. You will then spend the rest of the voyage contemplating all the possible meanings of the phrase, ‘silent as the grave’.” Tommy growled, getting right up in Jack’s face. “Do I make myself clear?”
Standing next to her father, Tosh watched the interaction between the two polar-opposite men; ‘I must admit I’m actually a little turned on by Tommy’s forceful side!' and she blushed when she realised how brazen her thoughts were.
“Inescapably clear,” Jack agreed with an emphatically happy nod. ‘Hang on, Ianto; I’m on my way. John, if you’ve harmed him in any way, I will make sure you have a first-class ticket to Hell!’ Jack vowed, his blue eyes burning with the fire of promised retribution.
*****
Ever since John had threatened him, Ianto had been locked down in the brig in a very small cell with a rather curious odour that Ianto just couldn’t place. Regardless of his surroundings, he was thrilled to be out of the eyesight and away from the wandering hands of John Hart. Ianto lounged casually against the wall and watched as Rhys and Andy swabbed the floor.
Ross’ parrot suddenly let his opinion of the situation be known. “Awwk, shiver me timbers!” he squawked loudly and flapped his wings.
Owen grinned as he rested his body against the door of his own cell. “Ross’ mouthpiece here says you missed a bit.”
Rhys glared at Owen while Ianto decided to ask Rhys a question. “You knew John Smith?”
“Ol’ Doctor. We knew him. Never sat well with Doc what we did to Jack Harkness, the mutiny and all. He said it wasn’t right with the Code. That’s why he sent off a piece of the treasure to you as it were. He said we deserved to be cursed and remain cursed.” Bitterness laced Rhys’ voice as he spoke of the Doctor.
“Stupid blighter,” Andy muttered under his breath.
Owen caught Ianto’s eye and smiled, offering him a true opinion about his father. “Good man,” he nodded. Ianto smiled back at Owen, grateful to hear that not everyone hated his father.
A sneer twisted Rhys’ lips when he heard Owen’s answer and he saw how grateful Ianto was. He got Andy’s attention by poking him with his mop handle and nodded in Ianto’s direction. He decided it was time to knock the boy down a peg by telling him his father’s fate. Rhys cleared his throat and waited until Ianto looked at him. “Well, as you can imagine, that the Doctor’s betrayal didn’t sit too well with the Captain.”
Andy grinned as he snuggled up against Rhys’ back and smirked at Ianto over his lover’s shoulder. “That didn’t sit too well with the Captain, at all. Tell him what Hart did.”
“I’m telling the story!” Rhys snapped at Andy, although his voice lacked fire, before his gaze flickered back to Ianto. “So what the Captain did, he strapped a cannon to the Doc’s bootstraps.” Rhys leaned in as close as he could to look into Ianto’s eyes; he loved the pain he saw in them “The last we saw of ol’ John Smith, he was sinking to the crushing black oblivion of Davy Jones Locker!”
Ianto’s breath hitched in his throat and his heart broke as he learned the truth about his father’s fate. He couldn’t believe that at one time these heartless monsters had been a part of Jack’s crew, and even more unbelievably, that his own father had served with them.
Delighted with the results of their story-telling, Rhys and Andy burst into laughter. After catching his breath, Rhys continued. “Course it was only after that we learned we needed his blood to lift the curse,” Rhys added as an afterthought.
“That’s what you call ironic,” Andy added his own opinion with a thoughtful look on his face.
‘This horrible curse is a fitting punishment indeed and nothing less than what you heartless monsters deserve!’ Ianto thought bitterly. ‘I swear I will do everything in my power to make sure that this curse is never broken!'
At that moment, John entered the brig and his eyes immediately locked with Ianto’s. The wicked and hungry gleam shining in those horrible eyes made Ianto shiver with fear and trepidation. “Bring him!” he ordered as he tossed the cell’s keys to Andy.
*****
In one of the two longboats, Jack found himself seated between two armed soldiers and with Tommy, who was giving Jack a distrustful look, sitting opposite. “I don’t care for the situation. Any attempt to storm the caves could turn in to an ambush.” Tommy repeated for the fourth time; he did not trust Jack or his plan.
At this point in the game, Jack could really care less about Tommy’s dislike of him. All that mattered was getting to Ianto before Hart could hurt him, and arguing with the stubborn Commodore was wasting valuable time. “Not if you’re the one doing the ambushing. I go in, I convince Hart to send his men out with their little boats. You and your mates return to the Valiant and blast the bejesus outta them with your little cannons, eh?” Jack put his arm around Tommy’s shoulders as he added with a smile, “What do you have to lose?”
Staring at Jack with an absolutely deadpan expression, Tommy once again peeled Jack’s arm off his shoulders with a gesture of distaste. “Nothing I’d lament being rid of.”
‘I knew you’d say that Commodore, old boy, and that’s just what I wanted to hear. I don’t trust any of your UNIT boys with the safety of my Ianto.’ Jack was going to make damned sure that no one but him would be the one to rescue Ianto; he was the only one he trusted not to mess things up.
Plus, he had one more ace up his sleeve and the perfect moment in which to play it. “Now, to be quite honest with you, there’s still a slight risk to those aboard the Valiant, which includes the future Mrs Commodore.”
The slight flare of worry in Tommy’s eyes let Jack know he had won. ‘Hang on, Ianto, I’m almost there!’ Jack mentally danced another happy little jig.
*****
On the Valiant Tosh found herself being dragged towards Tommy’s cabin by James and Esther. “Sorry, but it’s for your own safety,” James explained.
Tosh struggled in their grip; she knew Jack hadn’t told Tommy about the curse. “Coward! The Commodore ordered? I have to tell him! The pirates! They’re cursed! They cannot be killed!”
James and Esther shared an amused look that clearly said ‘oh, that’s a new one’. James sent Tosh a mocking smile. “Don’t worry, miss, he’s already been informed of that.”
Tosh looks at James with curiosity and a little hope; maybe, just maybe, she had been wrong about Jack Harkness. She felt her spirits rise as James and Esther pushed her into the cabin.
Those feelings were cruelly dashed when James continued, “A little mermaid flopped up on deck and told him the whole story.” Howling with laughter, James slammed the door shut in Tosh’s face.
“This is Jack Harkness’ doing!” Tosh shouted uselessly at the locked door and she wished she wasn’t so ladylike; ‘I would dearly love to throw something at Jack’s head!'
*****
With his wrists tightly bound behind his back, Ianto found himself being led through the cage by Rhys and Andy. Rhys noticed the pensive look on Ianto’s face and decided to try cheering him up. “No reason to fret, mate. It’s just a prick of the finger, a few drops of blood.”
Rex snorted and sneered at Ianto as he passed by. “No mistakes this time. He’s only half-Jones. We spill it all!” Rex declared.
‘Well at least that would save me from being forced to service John. But I have a feeling that John will change their tune.’ Ianto honestly prefer death than becoming John’s sex toy but he doubted the captain would agree to Rex’s plan.
Unaware of Ianto’s inner thoughts, Rhys and Andy grinned at one another. “Guess there is a reason to fret,” Rhys told Ianto as he shoved him forward and into John Hart’s waiting arms.
Dragging Ianto the last few feet to the chest of gold medallions, John openly leered at his captive as Rhys and Andy shoved him to his knees. Ignoring Ianto’s wince of pain as his knee struck a sharp rock, John leaned forward and whispered in Ianto’s ear, “Next time you’re in this position it’ll be to service me.” He licked Ianto’s ear and added, “I bet you’ll be so good I’ll never let you go.” Ianto fought back the wave of nausea that John’s words inspired.
Relief filled Jack as he pushed through the crowd and saw that his beloved young Welshman was still alive and untouched; ‘I’m not too late to save my Ianto!’ “Beg your pardon?”
Resting his knife against Ianto’s throat, John felt a rush of power at how easy it would be to simply drain the life out of Eye-Candy. ‘No, I have plans for this man and I have to make sure not to kill Ianto.'
“Begun by blood…” John began the ritual.
“Excuse me.” Jack pushed further through the crowd.
“By blood un…” John trailed off as he saw Jack push his way to the front of the crowd.
“Jack!” Ianto’s voice was filled with hope and pure joy as he laid eyes on the other man. ‘You’re here! You came back for me,’ he thought. ‘I didn’t think I’d ever see you again!’
Shock filled John and his hand shook, making the knife’s blade scrape against Ianto’s Adam’s apple. He could not believe that Jack was standing right there in the cavern with the rest of them. He should have still been trapped on that island with no hope of escape or rescue. “It’s not possible!” John muttered in pure disbelief.
Jack favoured Ianto with a tender smile before turning a smug grin to John. “Not probable,” Jack corrected John.
“Where’s Tosh?” Ianto needed to know that Tosh was safe, that after everything he’d been through to rescue her, she was going to be all right.
Jack smiled; he could understand Ianto’s fears, worrying about loved ones. “She’s safe, just like I promised. She’s all set to marry Brockless, just like she promised. And you get to die for her, just like you promised.” 'Of course, if I have things my way, the only one dying tonight will be John!'
“So we’re all men of our word, really, except for Toshiko who is, in fact, a woman.” Jack smiled warmly at Ianto.
Ianto felt a return smile grace his lips when he heard the news that Tommy and Tosh were finally engaged. He wanted nothing but the best for Tosh and that seemed to be Tommy. Although Ianto thought the man was a bit of a prancing prat at times, he really made his friend happy and that was all that mattered to him, Tosh’s happiness.
Anger filled John until he felt his blood beginning to boil; he hadn’t missed the tender and protective look that Jack had given Ianto. In all the time they had been together Jack had never once looked at him the way he’d just looked at Ianto. “Shut up!” John roared, letting his temper get the best of him for a moment.
When he saw his crew looking at him expectantly, waiting for him to fix things, anticipating their return to life, John took a deep breath and settled himself. “You’re next,” he snarled at Jack as he leaned in again, prepared to slit Ianto’s throat and end the curse.
Jack tried not to tense up when he saw the knife so close to Ianto’s throat and the way the sharp edge of the blade pressed into his flesh. “You don’t want to be doing that, mate.” Even though he wanted desperately to rush over and take Ianto in his arms, to protect him from John’s evil plan, Jack had to force himself to stick to his own plan.
John thought about Jack’s words for all of a second before he grinned rather maniacally at Jack. “No, I really think I do.” He nodded his head in Adam’s direction, and his man reached out and grabbed Jack’s shoulder.
“Your funeral.” Jack shrugged his shoulders as if Ianto’s fate meant nothing to him.
John halted the motion of the knife but not until he’d drawn a small trickle of blood; Jack had to bite the inside of his mouth to keep from reaction to the sight. Wondering what Jack was scheming John narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “Why don’t I want to be doing it?”
“Well, because…” Jack frowned and pushed Adam’s arm off his shoulder before stepping closer to Ianto and John. “Because the Valiant, the pride of UNIT, is floating just offshore. Waiting for you.” Well, at least Jack hoped they were.
*****
Floating outside the cave entrance in one of the long boats, Jake was a little confused as to what was going on inside the cavern. “What are we doing here?” he quietly asked Mickey who was seated next to him.
Despite the fact that they were on a tropical locale, there was a cold wind coming from the cave and the men huddled in on themselves for warmth. Mickey rolled his eyes as he told Jake the plan, again. “The pirates come out, unprepared and unawares, we catch ‘em in the crossfire, send them down to see Old Hob.”
Exasperated, ‘God, I’m not that dumb!’ Jake rolled his own eyes. “I know why we’re here. I mean, why aren’t we doing what it was… what Mr Harkness said we should do, with the cannons and all?” ‘I actually think Jack’s plan is a good one.'
“Because it was Mr Harkness who said it,” Tommy spoke up, sarcasm heavy in his voice; he never took his eyes off the entrance of the cave. ‘I know that filthy pirate is up to something!’
A confused look entered Jake’s eyes. “You think he wasn’t telling the truth?” He looked back and forth between the two men, but no one could give him an answer.
Fandoms: Torchwood/Doctor Who
Pairings/Characters: Jack/Ianto, Tommy/Tosh, past John/Jack, one-sided John/Ianto, Owen, Kathy, Gwen, Mickey/Jake, Harold Saxon, Rhys/Andy, Martha, James Harper, Ross, Rory, brief mention of the Doctor/Rose, Donna
Author: backrose_17
Prompt: The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Summary: A Pirate Captain seeking to reclaim what was stolen from him joins forces with a young Blacksmith seeking to rescue his kidnapped best friend. Together they find more than just the adventures of their journey.
Rating: PG-15
Disclaimer: I do not own Torchwood or Doctor Who.
Beta: royalladyemma
Written for Reel_Torchwood Round 5
Chapter 13
Safely on board the Valiant and properly attired once again, Tosh’s pleas to save Ianto were going unheard. “But we’ve got to save Ianto!” Tosh was pleading with her father. “Please, father?”
Governor Saxon shook his head firmly as he hugged his daughter tightly. He never thought he’d see her again and he certainly wasn’t going to waster a miracle by putting her back in danger. “No! You’re safe now and I want you to remain that way. We will return to Boeshane immediately, not go gallivanting after pirates!”
Unable to believe what she was hearing, Tosh ripped herself out of her father’s arms. “Then we condemn him to death!” Tosh had never known her father to be so cruel and heartless before.
Harold knew that Ianto was important to his daughter and he had encouraged Tosh’s friendship with the young man to a large degree, but now he was beginning to regret it. “The boy’s fate is regrettable, yes, but then, so was his decision to engage in piracy.” He wished Tosh would stop being so stubborn - but and he came to the realisation with a fond, tender smile - she got her stubbornness from his beloved late wife Sarah-Jane.
“To rescue me, father. He did it to prevent anything from happening to me.” Tosh couldn’t understand why everyone was having so much trouble realising that Ianto had done exactly what any of them would have done.
Jack was listening to Tosh and Harold argue and he forced himself not to scowl in frustration. There was a loud voice in his head that was tell him to run both the Commodore and the Governor through with his sword, take over the Valiant and go rescue Ianto himself. ‘But,' he told his little voice, ‘I’m smarter than that. I can always play to Tommy’s ego.'
“If I may be so bold as to inject my professional opinion? The Myfanwy was listing near to scuppers after the battle. It’s very unlikely she’ll be able to make good time. Think about it. The Black Myfanwy, the last real pirate threat in the New Caribbean, mate,” Jack slid closer to Tommy and wrapped a friendly arm around his shoulder. “How can you pass that up?”
Tommy merely looked at Jack like he was lower than dirt and proceeded to remove Jack’s hand from his shoulder, using just his thumb and forefinger. “By remembering that I serve others, Mr Harkness, not only myself.”
‘Well, this wasn’t the way I wanted things to go but desperate times call for desperate measures.’ Tosh drew a deep breath, straightened herself up and looked Tommy right in the eye. “Commodore, I beg you, please do this, for me, as a wedding gift.”
Shock and happiness appeared on both Tommy and Saxon’s faces while a look of pride appeared on Jack’s. ‘Oh, you clever, clever girl! You’re using the dear old Commodore’s love for you to get your way!’ Jack was full of pride for Tosh. ‘You would make a wonderful pirate,’ he thought wistfully.
Harold Saxon could scarcely believe his ears. ‘It looks like all my hoping and planning is actually going to pay off!’ He could have jumped for joy, except that would have been undignified. ‘Look, Sarah-Jane, our little girl’s going to be set for life!’ Reigning in his enthusiasm, Harold looked at his daughter. “Toshiko, are you accepting the Commodore’s proposal?” A big smile graced Saxon’s lips and he didn’t even wait for her to answer him as he began to make plans for Tommy and Tosh’s wedding. It would be the biggest and best the colonies had ever seen, a celebration befitting the daughter of the Colonial Governor of Boeshane.
Tosh smiled up at Tommy, letting all the love she had for him shine in her eyes. “Yes,” she said softly, resting her hand on Tommy’s arm. “I am.”
Tommy felt his heart leap for joy the woman as he looked into Tosh’s eyes. He had been in love with her for so very long, and now that he knew she felt the same and had agreed to be his wife, he didn’t care that Tosh was using their engagement as way to get him to go after Ianto. If it would make his intended happy, he’d bring her back the moon if she wanted it.
Of the assembled group, no one was as excited as Captain Jack Harkness and he did a silly little jig across the deck and back. “A wedding! I love weddings, drinks all around!” Jack did indeed love weddings; after all, pirates were just big romantics at heart. ‘Hmm, I wonder if we could make it a double wedding. Mr and Mrs Commodore and Mr and Mr Captain.’
Jack was pulled from his daydream when he suddenly noticed how ferociously Commodore Tommy Bridegroom was glaring at him. Ceasing his dancing, Jack rolled his eyes and extended his arms. “I know. Clap him in irons, right?”
Tommy rolled his eyes in an exaggerated imitation of the pirate, suitably annoyed by the typically over-dramatic Jack Harkness-style surrender. He desperately wanted to throw the scoundrel in the brig, but he had a new fiancée to impress. “Mr Harkness, you will accompany these fine men to the helm and provide us with the bearing to Isle de la Muerta. You will then spend the rest of the voyage contemplating all the possible meanings of the phrase, ‘silent as the grave’.” Tommy growled, getting right up in Jack’s face. “Do I make myself clear?”
Standing next to her father, Tosh watched the interaction between the two polar-opposite men; ‘I must admit I’m actually a little turned on by Tommy’s forceful side!' and she blushed when she realised how brazen her thoughts were.
“Inescapably clear,” Jack agreed with an emphatically happy nod. ‘Hang on, Ianto; I’m on my way. John, if you’ve harmed him in any way, I will make sure you have a first-class ticket to Hell!’ Jack vowed, his blue eyes burning with the fire of promised retribution.
*****
Ever since John had threatened him, Ianto had been locked down in the brig in a very small cell with a rather curious odour that Ianto just couldn’t place. Regardless of his surroundings, he was thrilled to be out of the eyesight and away from the wandering hands of John Hart. Ianto lounged casually against the wall and watched as Rhys and Andy swabbed the floor.
Ross’ parrot suddenly let his opinion of the situation be known. “Awwk, shiver me timbers!” he squawked loudly and flapped his wings.
Owen grinned as he rested his body against the door of his own cell. “Ross’ mouthpiece here says you missed a bit.”
Rhys glared at Owen while Ianto decided to ask Rhys a question. “You knew John Smith?”
“Ol’ Doctor. We knew him. Never sat well with Doc what we did to Jack Harkness, the mutiny and all. He said it wasn’t right with the Code. That’s why he sent off a piece of the treasure to you as it were. He said we deserved to be cursed and remain cursed.” Bitterness laced Rhys’ voice as he spoke of the Doctor.
“Stupid blighter,” Andy muttered under his breath.
Owen caught Ianto’s eye and smiled, offering him a true opinion about his father. “Good man,” he nodded. Ianto smiled back at Owen, grateful to hear that not everyone hated his father.
A sneer twisted Rhys’ lips when he heard Owen’s answer and he saw how grateful Ianto was. He got Andy’s attention by poking him with his mop handle and nodded in Ianto’s direction. He decided it was time to knock the boy down a peg by telling him his father’s fate. Rhys cleared his throat and waited until Ianto looked at him. “Well, as you can imagine, that the Doctor’s betrayal didn’t sit too well with the Captain.”
Andy grinned as he snuggled up against Rhys’ back and smirked at Ianto over his lover’s shoulder. “That didn’t sit too well with the Captain, at all. Tell him what Hart did.”
“I’m telling the story!” Rhys snapped at Andy, although his voice lacked fire, before his gaze flickered back to Ianto. “So what the Captain did, he strapped a cannon to the Doc’s bootstraps.” Rhys leaned in as close as he could to look into Ianto’s eyes; he loved the pain he saw in them “The last we saw of ol’ John Smith, he was sinking to the crushing black oblivion of Davy Jones Locker!”
Ianto’s breath hitched in his throat and his heart broke as he learned the truth about his father’s fate. He couldn’t believe that at one time these heartless monsters had been a part of Jack’s crew, and even more unbelievably, that his own father had served with them.
Delighted with the results of their story-telling, Rhys and Andy burst into laughter. After catching his breath, Rhys continued. “Course it was only after that we learned we needed his blood to lift the curse,” Rhys added as an afterthought.
“That’s what you call ironic,” Andy added his own opinion with a thoughtful look on his face.
‘This horrible curse is a fitting punishment indeed and nothing less than what you heartless monsters deserve!’ Ianto thought bitterly. ‘I swear I will do everything in my power to make sure that this curse is never broken!'
At that moment, John entered the brig and his eyes immediately locked with Ianto’s. The wicked and hungry gleam shining in those horrible eyes made Ianto shiver with fear and trepidation. “Bring him!” he ordered as he tossed the cell’s keys to Andy.
*****
In one of the two longboats, Jack found himself seated between two armed soldiers and with Tommy, who was giving Jack a distrustful look, sitting opposite. “I don’t care for the situation. Any attempt to storm the caves could turn in to an ambush.” Tommy repeated for the fourth time; he did not trust Jack or his plan.
At this point in the game, Jack could really care less about Tommy’s dislike of him. All that mattered was getting to Ianto before Hart could hurt him, and arguing with the stubborn Commodore was wasting valuable time. “Not if you’re the one doing the ambushing. I go in, I convince Hart to send his men out with their little boats. You and your mates return to the Valiant and blast the bejesus outta them with your little cannons, eh?” Jack put his arm around Tommy’s shoulders as he added with a smile, “What do you have to lose?”
Staring at Jack with an absolutely deadpan expression, Tommy once again peeled Jack’s arm off his shoulders with a gesture of distaste. “Nothing I’d lament being rid of.”
‘I knew you’d say that Commodore, old boy, and that’s just what I wanted to hear. I don’t trust any of your UNIT boys with the safety of my Ianto.’ Jack was going to make damned sure that no one but him would be the one to rescue Ianto; he was the only one he trusted not to mess things up.
Plus, he had one more ace up his sleeve and the perfect moment in which to play it. “Now, to be quite honest with you, there’s still a slight risk to those aboard the Valiant, which includes the future Mrs Commodore.”
The slight flare of worry in Tommy’s eyes let Jack know he had won. ‘Hang on, Ianto, I’m almost there!’ Jack mentally danced another happy little jig.
*****
On the Valiant Tosh found herself being dragged towards Tommy’s cabin by James and Esther. “Sorry, but it’s for your own safety,” James explained.
Tosh struggled in their grip; she knew Jack hadn’t told Tommy about the curse. “Coward! The Commodore ordered? I have to tell him! The pirates! They’re cursed! They cannot be killed!”
James and Esther shared an amused look that clearly said ‘oh, that’s a new one’. James sent Tosh a mocking smile. “Don’t worry, miss, he’s already been informed of that.”
Tosh looks at James with curiosity and a little hope; maybe, just maybe, she had been wrong about Jack Harkness. She felt her spirits rise as James and Esther pushed her into the cabin.
Those feelings were cruelly dashed when James continued, “A little mermaid flopped up on deck and told him the whole story.” Howling with laughter, James slammed the door shut in Tosh’s face.
“This is Jack Harkness’ doing!” Tosh shouted uselessly at the locked door and she wished she wasn’t so ladylike; ‘I would dearly love to throw something at Jack’s head!'
*****
With his wrists tightly bound behind his back, Ianto found himself being led through the cage by Rhys and Andy. Rhys noticed the pensive look on Ianto’s face and decided to try cheering him up. “No reason to fret, mate. It’s just a prick of the finger, a few drops of blood.”
Rex snorted and sneered at Ianto as he passed by. “No mistakes this time. He’s only half-Jones. We spill it all!” Rex declared.
‘Well at least that would save me from being forced to service John. But I have a feeling that John will change their tune.’ Ianto honestly prefer death than becoming John’s sex toy but he doubted the captain would agree to Rex’s plan.
Unaware of Ianto’s inner thoughts, Rhys and Andy grinned at one another. “Guess there is a reason to fret,” Rhys told Ianto as he shoved him forward and into John Hart’s waiting arms.
Dragging Ianto the last few feet to the chest of gold medallions, John openly leered at his captive as Rhys and Andy shoved him to his knees. Ignoring Ianto’s wince of pain as his knee struck a sharp rock, John leaned forward and whispered in Ianto’s ear, “Next time you’re in this position it’ll be to service me.” He licked Ianto’s ear and added, “I bet you’ll be so good I’ll never let you go.” Ianto fought back the wave of nausea that John’s words inspired.
Relief filled Jack as he pushed through the crowd and saw that his beloved young Welshman was still alive and untouched; ‘I’m not too late to save my Ianto!’ “Beg your pardon?”
Resting his knife against Ianto’s throat, John felt a rush of power at how easy it would be to simply drain the life out of Eye-Candy. ‘No, I have plans for this man and I have to make sure not to kill Ianto.'
“Begun by blood…” John began the ritual.
“Excuse me.” Jack pushed further through the crowd.
“By blood un…” John trailed off as he saw Jack push his way to the front of the crowd.
“Jack!” Ianto’s voice was filled with hope and pure joy as he laid eyes on the other man. ‘You’re here! You came back for me,’ he thought. ‘I didn’t think I’d ever see you again!’
Shock filled John and his hand shook, making the knife’s blade scrape against Ianto’s Adam’s apple. He could not believe that Jack was standing right there in the cavern with the rest of them. He should have still been trapped on that island with no hope of escape or rescue. “It’s not possible!” John muttered in pure disbelief.
Jack favoured Ianto with a tender smile before turning a smug grin to John. “Not probable,” Jack corrected John.
“Where’s Tosh?” Ianto needed to know that Tosh was safe, that after everything he’d been through to rescue her, she was going to be all right.
Jack smiled; he could understand Ianto’s fears, worrying about loved ones. “She’s safe, just like I promised. She’s all set to marry Brockless, just like she promised. And you get to die for her, just like you promised.” 'Of course, if I have things my way, the only one dying tonight will be John!'
“So we’re all men of our word, really, except for Toshiko who is, in fact, a woman.” Jack smiled warmly at Ianto.
Ianto felt a return smile grace his lips when he heard the news that Tommy and Tosh were finally engaged. He wanted nothing but the best for Tosh and that seemed to be Tommy. Although Ianto thought the man was a bit of a prancing prat at times, he really made his friend happy and that was all that mattered to him, Tosh’s happiness.
Anger filled John until he felt his blood beginning to boil; he hadn’t missed the tender and protective look that Jack had given Ianto. In all the time they had been together Jack had never once looked at him the way he’d just looked at Ianto. “Shut up!” John roared, letting his temper get the best of him for a moment.
When he saw his crew looking at him expectantly, waiting for him to fix things, anticipating their return to life, John took a deep breath and settled himself. “You’re next,” he snarled at Jack as he leaned in again, prepared to slit Ianto’s throat and end the curse.
Jack tried not to tense up when he saw the knife so close to Ianto’s throat and the way the sharp edge of the blade pressed into his flesh. “You don’t want to be doing that, mate.” Even though he wanted desperately to rush over and take Ianto in his arms, to protect him from John’s evil plan, Jack had to force himself to stick to his own plan.
John thought about Jack’s words for all of a second before he grinned rather maniacally at Jack. “No, I really think I do.” He nodded his head in Adam’s direction, and his man reached out and grabbed Jack’s shoulder.
“Your funeral.” Jack shrugged his shoulders as if Ianto’s fate meant nothing to him.
John halted the motion of the knife but not until he’d drawn a small trickle of blood; Jack had to bite the inside of his mouth to keep from reaction to the sight. Wondering what Jack was scheming John narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “Why don’t I want to be doing it?”
“Well, because…” Jack frowned and pushed Adam’s arm off his shoulder before stepping closer to Ianto and John. “Because the Valiant, the pride of UNIT, is floating just offshore. Waiting for you.” Well, at least Jack hoped they were.
*****
Floating outside the cave entrance in one of the long boats, Jake was a little confused as to what was going on inside the cavern. “What are we doing here?” he quietly asked Mickey who was seated next to him.
Despite the fact that they were on a tropical locale, there was a cold wind coming from the cave and the men huddled in on themselves for warmth. Mickey rolled his eyes as he told Jake the plan, again. “The pirates come out, unprepared and unawares, we catch ‘em in the crossfire, send them down to see Old Hob.”
Exasperated, ‘God, I’m not that dumb!’ Jake rolled his own eyes. “I know why we’re here. I mean, why aren’t we doing what it was… what Mr Harkness said we should do, with the cannons and all?” ‘I actually think Jack’s plan is a good one.'
“Because it was Mr Harkness who said it,” Tommy spoke up, sarcasm heavy in his voice; he never took his eyes off the entrance of the cave. ‘I know that filthy pirate is up to something!’
A confused look entered Jake’s eyes. “You think he wasn’t telling the truth?” He looked back and forth between the two men, but no one could give him an answer.