Fic: Vizzini's Rule (53/105)
Title: Vizzini's Rule, Chapter 53
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Nope, not really
Spoilers: Season One thru Random Shoes (1x09) and Season Two for the episode Adrift (2x11)
Disclaimer: Torchwood and all its wonderfulness belong to Russell T. Davies and the Mighty Beeb. Just goofin' around!
Summary: In which Ianto heads back to Flat Holm...
Notes: All hail the magnificent butterflycell for my awesome new icon! She made me THIRTEEN of them from my Dragon*Con pics. Check my user pics if you’d like to see the rest - feel free to snag any you like, just be sure to give her credit, please and thank you!
Previous Chapters
Vizzini's Rule: Chapter Fifty-Three
Before he left the Hub, Ianto scribbled a quick note:
Jack,
Running errand. Back before midnight. Will bring dinner.
- I
He scrambled down the ladder to leave it on Jack’s pillow. He grabbed his keys and his coat and headed back upstairs. A quick listen at the stairwell told him Jack was still busy decimating paper weevils, but he didn’t want to risk him hearing the door alarm so he engaged the invisible lift instead. He hurried to his car and pointed it to the west. If he remembered right, there was a Catholic church just off Cardiff Road in Dinas Powys. St. Margaret’s? St. Mary’s? He couldn’t remember the name but he was pretty sure it was there.
As he drove, Ianto tried to figure out what to say to the priest when he got there. He couldn’t very well tell him the truth and he wasn’t even sure you could get a rosary at a church, but at this time of night he couldn’t think of any other options. He tried to remember the last time he’d been in a church, let alone a Catholic church. It must have been Barry and Jessie’s wedding, he thought. It had been his first official date with Lisa, Barry and Jessie both worked in her department at Torchwood One. Shying away from the memory of the last time he had seen the two of them, Ianto began to look for the turn. I think it’s this way, he thought as he turned right on Millbrook Road. When he reached the Pen-Y-Turnpike, he started to wonder if he was going the right way. Shrugging, he followed his instincts and turned left, continuing down the road. It’s not to the north so it must be down here somewhere. I just hope - Ah! There it is.
He pulled into the deserted lot and stared at the church for a moment. Where do I even go in? he thought with a twinge of distress. Surely the front doors are locked this time of night? He got out of the car and walked toward the church slowly, scanning the building for a sign or a light or - Ah! There we go. There was an old wooden door on the side of the church with a single bulb burning above the entrance. The door had ‘croeso’ carved in elaborate text into the wood, it’s edges smoothed and blackened with age. He tugged gently on the handle and found that the door was indeed unlocked.
Ianto entered the church slowly, glancing around for any signs of life. “Hello?” he said quietly.
“One moment!” he heard a strong voice shout from the back. After a moment, a tall elderly man came through a curtained off area of the room, fastening his collar. “Welcome, what can I do for you this fine evening, young man?”
“I -” Ianto still had no idea what to say.
“Come, come, sit down. Too late to be standing around. I am Father Patrick.” The priest led Ianto to a small alcove where several chairs were placed in a circle. Ianto introduced himself as they sat. The priest smiled encouragingly and Ianto tried again.
“I… er, I helped someone today. She’s… been in an accident and lost everything and… well, she’s, I think she’s Catholic. She hasn’t spoken, we don’t even know her name, but she seemed to be… well, saying the rosary only without beads? I didn’t realize that was what she was doing until just now and… well… I…” Ianto’s voice faded. He resisted the temptation to pull at the collar of his jumper.
“I see,” the older man said. “And you wish to help this lady?”
“Yes,” Ianto said in relief. “I thought if she had something that was comforting to her, she might feel safe again and maybe… maybe be able to talk to us, tell us what she needs.”
“I see,” Father Patrick said again. His warm brown eyes regarded Ianto for a moment. “So you wish to take her some rosary beads?”
“Yes. I didn’t know where to buy them or… or anything. I hope it was okay, coming here.”
“Of course. What is a church except a place to find what you need?” The priest reached in his pocket and pulled out a strand of beads. He pressed it into Ianto’s hands. “Take these to the lady. See if they can give her comfort.”
Ianto flushed. “I didn’t mean to take yours, I can-”
“Nonsense.” Father Patrick folded Ianto’s hand over the beads and held it for a moment. “Take them. I will pray for the lady and I will give thanks for you, Ianto Jones. Compassion like yours is very rare.”
Mumbling his thanks, Ianto hurried out of the church. He spotted the collection box and dropped a £20 note inside as he passed. He glanced at his watch. He had about ten minutes to get to Lavernock. He started the car and sped back the way he had come, hoping that the police weren’t out in Penarth. When he arrived, just a few minutes late, he found Captain Tregallas lounging on the dock smoking a pipe.
“Back again, are ye?” he said as Ianto approached.
“Yes, I have something for the woman we brought over today.”
“Aye, that’s what they told me.” The Captain peered at Ianto for a moment. “You seem like a nice lad, how’d you get mixed up with this business anyway?”
Ianto stiffened. “It’s just part of my job, sir,” he said coolly.
“Aye, aye, no offense meant. Let’s be off then,” Tregallas said, motioning for Ianto to climb on board.
Ianto couldn’t remember the last time he’d been out on the water at night. He watched the black waves rushing by the small craft, their crests almost glowing in the moonlight. The journey was shorter than earlier, whether due to the tides or fewer passengers, Ianto didn’t know and he wasn’t inclined to chat with the Captain about it.
When they tied off at the dock on Flat Holm, Tregallas asked if he’d be returning directly.
“Yes, if it’s not a problem. I just need to drop something off and then I should be ready to go.”
“I’ll just wait down here then. You come on back down when you want to head home.”
“Thank you,” Ianto said and turned towards the path.
He stumbled quite a few times on his way to the facility. The path wasn’t lighted and if it hadn’t been for the almost-full moon, Ianto was sure he would have gotten lost. That’s what you get for going off half-cocked in the middle of the night, stupid git, he told himself as he tripped over another loose rock. He found the door eventually and, after closing his eyes for a moment to picture the paper he’d received that afternoon, entered his code on the keypad. He pulled the door open with a gothic clank and entered.
Helen wasn’t at the nurse station this time, but the man Ianto had spoken to on the phone was waiting for him. He greeted Ianto with a nod and then stepped from behind the high counter to lead him to the correct room.
“After the doctor was here to look at those rings in her ankles, she just got more and more upset. We tried to tell her that he was going to help, but I’m not sure she understands.”
“She’s… she’s been through a lot,” Ianto said in a tight voice.
“Here you go, Mr. Jones,” he said, swiping his card through the lock on the door. “My name is Trevor if you need anything. Just holler down the hallway if I can help.”
“Thank you,” Ianto said trying to conjure up a smile. He knocked quietly on the door before swinging it open.
TBC in Chapter Fifty-Four
*croeso - welcome
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Nope, not really
Spoilers: Season One thru Random Shoes (1x09) and Season Two for the episode Adrift (2x11)
Disclaimer: Torchwood and all its wonderfulness belong to Russell T. Davies and the Mighty Beeb. Just goofin' around!
Summary: In which Ianto heads back to Flat Holm...
Notes: All hail the magnificent butterflycell for my awesome new icon! She made me THIRTEEN of them from my Dragon*Con pics. Check my user pics if you’d like to see the rest - feel free to snag any you like, just be sure to give her credit, please and thank you!
Previous Chapters
Vizzini's Rule: Chapter Fifty-Three
Before he left the Hub, Ianto scribbled a quick note:
Jack,
Running errand. Back before midnight. Will bring dinner.
- I
He scrambled down the ladder to leave it on Jack’s pillow. He grabbed his keys and his coat and headed back upstairs. A quick listen at the stairwell told him Jack was still busy decimating paper weevils, but he didn’t want to risk him hearing the door alarm so he engaged the invisible lift instead. He hurried to his car and pointed it to the west. If he remembered right, there was a Catholic church just off Cardiff Road in Dinas Powys. St. Margaret’s? St. Mary’s? He couldn’t remember the name but he was pretty sure it was there.
As he drove, Ianto tried to figure out what to say to the priest when he got there. He couldn’t very well tell him the truth and he wasn’t even sure you could get a rosary at a church, but at this time of night he couldn’t think of any other options. He tried to remember the last time he’d been in a church, let alone a Catholic church. It must have been Barry and Jessie’s wedding, he thought. It had been his first official date with Lisa, Barry and Jessie both worked in her department at Torchwood One. Shying away from the memory of the last time he had seen the two of them, Ianto began to look for the turn. I think it’s this way, he thought as he turned right on Millbrook Road. When he reached the Pen-Y-Turnpike, he started to wonder if he was going the right way. Shrugging, he followed his instincts and turned left, continuing down the road. It’s not to the north so it must be down here somewhere. I just hope - Ah! There it is.
He pulled into the deserted lot and stared at the church for a moment. Where do I even go in? he thought with a twinge of distress. Surely the front doors are locked this time of night? He got out of the car and walked toward the church slowly, scanning the building for a sign or a light or - Ah! There we go. There was an old wooden door on the side of the church with a single bulb burning above the entrance. The door had ‘croeso’ carved in elaborate text into the wood, it’s edges smoothed and blackened with age. He tugged gently on the handle and found that the door was indeed unlocked.
Ianto entered the church slowly, glancing around for any signs of life. “Hello?” he said quietly.
“One moment!” he heard a strong voice shout from the back. After a moment, a tall elderly man came through a curtained off area of the room, fastening his collar. “Welcome, what can I do for you this fine evening, young man?”
“I -” Ianto still had no idea what to say.
“Come, come, sit down. Too late to be standing around. I am Father Patrick.” The priest led Ianto to a small alcove where several chairs were placed in a circle. Ianto introduced himself as they sat. The priest smiled encouragingly and Ianto tried again.
“I… er, I helped someone today. She’s… been in an accident and lost everything and… well, she’s, I think she’s Catholic. She hasn’t spoken, we don’t even know her name, but she seemed to be… well, saying the rosary only without beads? I didn’t realize that was what she was doing until just now and… well… I…” Ianto’s voice faded. He resisted the temptation to pull at the collar of his jumper.
“I see,” the older man said. “And you wish to help this lady?”
“Yes,” Ianto said in relief. “I thought if she had something that was comforting to her, she might feel safe again and maybe… maybe be able to talk to us, tell us what she needs.”
“I see,” Father Patrick said again. His warm brown eyes regarded Ianto for a moment. “So you wish to take her some rosary beads?”
“Yes. I didn’t know where to buy them or… or anything. I hope it was okay, coming here.”
“Of course. What is a church except a place to find what you need?” The priest reached in his pocket and pulled out a strand of beads. He pressed it into Ianto’s hands. “Take these to the lady. See if they can give her comfort.”
Ianto flushed. “I didn’t mean to take yours, I can-”
“Nonsense.” Father Patrick folded Ianto’s hand over the beads and held it for a moment. “Take them. I will pray for the lady and I will give thanks for you, Ianto Jones. Compassion like yours is very rare.”
Mumbling his thanks, Ianto hurried out of the church. He spotted the collection box and dropped a £20 note inside as he passed. He glanced at his watch. He had about ten minutes to get to Lavernock. He started the car and sped back the way he had come, hoping that the police weren’t out in Penarth. When he arrived, just a few minutes late, he found Captain Tregallas lounging on the dock smoking a pipe.
“Back again, are ye?” he said as Ianto approached.
“Yes, I have something for the woman we brought over today.”
“Aye, that’s what they told me.” The Captain peered at Ianto for a moment. “You seem like a nice lad, how’d you get mixed up with this business anyway?”
Ianto stiffened. “It’s just part of my job, sir,” he said coolly.
“Aye, aye, no offense meant. Let’s be off then,” Tregallas said, motioning for Ianto to climb on board.
Ianto couldn’t remember the last time he’d been out on the water at night. He watched the black waves rushing by the small craft, their crests almost glowing in the moonlight. The journey was shorter than earlier, whether due to the tides or fewer passengers, Ianto didn’t know and he wasn’t inclined to chat with the Captain about it.
When they tied off at the dock on Flat Holm, Tregallas asked if he’d be returning directly.
“Yes, if it’s not a problem. I just need to drop something off and then I should be ready to go.”
“I’ll just wait down here then. You come on back down when you want to head home.”
“Thank you,” Ianto said and turned towards the path.
He stumbled quite a few times on his way to the facility. The path wasn’t lighted and if it hadn’t been for the almost-full moon, Ianto was sure he would have gotten lost. That’s what you get for going off half-cocked in the middle of the night, stupid git, he told himself as he tripped over another loose rock. He found the door eventually and, after closing his eyes for a moment to picture the paper he’d received that afternoon, entered his code on the keypad. He pulled the door open with a gothic clank and entered.
Helen wasn’t at the nurse station this time, but the man Ianto had spoken to on the phone was waiting for him. He greeted Ianto with a nod and then stepped from behind the high counter to lead him to the correct room.
“After the doctor was here to look at those rings in her ankles, she just got more and more upset. We tried to tell her that he was going to help, but I’m not sure she understands.”
“She’s… she’s been through a lot,” Ianto said in a tight voice.
“Here you go, Mr. Jones,” he said, swiping his card through the lock on the door. “My name is Trevor if you need anything. Just holler down the hallway if I can help.”
“Thank you,” Ianto said trying to conjure up a smile. He knocked quietly on the door before swinging it open.
TBC in Chapter Fifty-Four
*croeso - welcome