Fic: Comfort - Ianto/Jack - NC17 - Torchwood - Part: 3/?
Title: Comfort
Part: 3/?
Author: Celebrian.
Web page: @ LJ http://www.livejournal.com/users/celebrian_lotr/
&
@ IJ http://users.insanejournal.com/_bad_wolf/
Pairing: Ianto/ Jack
Rating: R
Summary: What happens after sleeping with the boss.
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Warnings: Angst - Spoilers for Small Worlds, Countrycide if you didn´t see it and eventually probably S1 in general-
Author’s notes: WIP. And for the record, I suck at summaries, sorry about that.
Feedback: Is addictive and encouraging ;-)
Thanks to Beta xibalba who is a saint and reads stories about a fandom she’s only heard me rambling about and just4bri Any remaining mistakes, all my fault.
Ianto woke up in Jack’s bed, he had no idea how he had managed to fall asleep there when he had made a point of not falling asleep, at least, not this deeply.
Blinking the daze away he looked around the small room to find Jack gone, he was nowhere in sight which meant he was not there. The space was small enough to scan with your eyes once and realize someone was not there.
Groaning softly he shifted in place and stared at the ceiling of Jack’s office, as the hole that leads to it was right over his head, and wondered how on earth he had fallen asleep so deeply, that he hadn’t felt Jack moving much less leaving.
Shaking the idea out of his mind, he checked his watch and sighed, noticing it was actually late. He wouldn’t have time to go to his apartment to change and shower now, unless he asked Jack to give him ten minutes more or perhaps fifteen…
Getting up from the small bed he found his boxers on the floor and put them on, along with his pants and his shirt, before climbing up the ladder. As he climbed up, he couldn’t help himself from peeking out from the hole; as he peeked, a voice, coming from the side, startled him.
Ianto made it all the way out until he was sitting on the side of the hole; he looked at Jack, who was sitting on his chair, looking at him with softened eyes. “You were looking too relaxed for me to wake you.” Jack pointed out, to which Ianto simply smiled whilst getting to his feet.
“I overslept.” Ianto sighed and looked around to see if anyone was there, but as predicted, everyone was thankfully still home. “I need to go home and...“ He started to say, whilst noticing one of his suits hanging from the coat rack on which Jack’s coat was also resting. Puzzlement was apparently easily read on his features, because he heard Jack snorting from the side.
“You have a spare one for whenever you get covered in Alien blood; guts, brains, or dust..., I can go on… Point is, you can take a shower here and change. Then perhaps prepare me some of that wonderful coffee you make, before everyone arrives, so I get the chance to wake up properly?”
“Ah...“ Ianto looked from Jack to the suit and back again, as his hand rested on the back of his neck. “That would be best.” He agreed, for that would actually save time.
“Clean towels, shampoo, soap and clean underwear are in the bathroom too.”
Ianto felt his cheeks going reddish at the mention of his underwear, and forced a smile whilst nodding. It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate Jack’s gesture, it was actually the fact that Jack had managed to know where he kept his spare clothes; his underwear... how did he know that? Probably the CCTV… someday he’d caught him putting everything away.
Heading to the bathroom, Ianto stripped out of his clothes, leaving his suit right outside the door so the steam wouldn’t ruin the fabric, and proceeded to take a quick shower. He could still feel Jack around him, something that caused him to close his eyes. He could smell him; his hair against his nose, that silky hair…
And there he was, daydreaming about his boss yet again, whilst taking his morning shower. This obviously needed to be stopped before it got too far, there could be repercussions that wouldn’t be good for either of them.
Done with the shower, Ianto made sure to dry his hair thoroughly, as he didn’t want anyone assuming he had spent the night. After changing into his suit, he made it to Jack’s office whilst blindly fixing the knot in his tie, for it was feeling a little bit tight. “Coffee, Sir?” He asked, for that was what Jack had requested before.
“Please.” Jack said, whilst looking up from his papers to give Ianto a pleading smile.
Nodding once Ianto went straight to his coffee station and set himself the task of preparing Jack’s favourite blend, a while later he was carrying a full mug of steamy coffee back to the office.
Placing it on the desk he turned to leave Jack to his work, but then paused before turning back on his heels to find Jack looking at him, as though he’d predicted that Ianto was going to do just that. Had he though? Predicted it?
“I can’t do this anymore.” Ianto said quietly, regarding the previous night and the night before. “It was a mistake.” He added quietly.
“Why?”
“Several reasons Sir.” he said, looking away to focus his eyes on the papers on Jack’s desk, instead of the blue eyes piercing his flesh right to his very chore.
“I can get the kinky side of that, but this is different Ianto, I think you can call me Jack. We’ve fucked twice now, you’ve earned the right.” He pointed out blankly.
Swallowing tightly at the obviously annoyed tone of voice, Ianto locked eyes with Jack whilst nodding, he was right. “First; you are my boss, second; you killed my girlfriend, third; we work together, fourth; you can not die, fifth; I do not know who you are, sixth; you might be using that body as camouflage, seventh;...“
Ianto was interrupted by a ´I get it´ which made him look at the Captain, who was looking less than happy.
“I get it, but for the record; none of those would really matter if you weren’t scared, would they?”
“You killed Lisa.” Ianto said, with an accusatory voice, whilst feeling the guilt take him over as he recalled the events of that dreadful day. “You killed her in cold blood, and now I am sleeping with the man that killed the person I loved.”
“STOP fooling yourself! I didn’t kill Lisa; I just finished what THEY didn’t.” Jack said in a fiercely indignant way, whilst resting both hands on his desk.
“The Cybermen did that to her, not me; I had no choice, it was her or us, and then eventually the rest of the world. I had to do what needed to be done, she was not Lisa anymore. Grow up from that illusion, stop deluding yourself that this is actually about her, and move forward.”
Ianto looked taken aback at the harsh words, though the pain he was feeling in the middle of his chest made him glare at Jack, with something that could be considered hate.
“The only reason you want to stop this is because you are starting to feel alive again. You’re finding a reason to live, something entirely yours that doesn’t depend on some sort of machine to keep your hopes alive. Nothing certain, just possibilities instead of someone who would be there locked in the basement for whenever you want to take care of them. Something real that could get to be more and that scares the shit out of you.”
“You think I liked having her there? Do you think I enjoyed having to do that day after day? Going to check on her, hiding from everyone I knew? Fearing someday I would screw up and you would find me, retcon me and send me away whilst you got rid of her?!” Ianto yelled back angrily. “IT WAS HELL.” He yelled at Jack, anger now visible in his every feature.
“It was hell and I couldn’t take it anymore, these feelings of pain and remorse are consuming me and I can not deal with anything more! What is it to you anyway? I am just another shag in your list; you can get anyone you want. You can go to Gwen; she will gladly take you to her bed instead of Owen, where we all know she will end up. Why me?” He snarled.
“I am not even like this; I am straight, I like women, I was going to marry, and have children... instead all I have is bloody Torchwood and Captain Jack Harkness to shag now and then. Well it is not enough.” He said angrily. “I can’t do it anymore, I do not give a flying fuck what you have to say about that or whatever excuse you think I have. I CAN’T!” He yelled and noticed Jack sitting on his chair whilst giving him an icy glare.
“Fine.”
Was all Jack said, and knowing that was going to be the only thing the other was going to say for the time being, Ianto turned to leave. As predicted there were no more words uttered by the other man, who soon disappeared within the hub to head downstairs to the vaults, whilst Ianto went to the tourist office as he tried to calm down.
He didn’t think he had managed all that well; as when Gwen got inside, complaining about the weather, she gave him a worried look. Owen followed her in, but instead he headed straight for the door after muttering a hurried ´Morning.´
“Ianto are you alright?” Gwen asked.
She had to bloody ask didn’t she? “I am fine.” Ianto forced a smile and tried to compose himself whilst nodding in a polite way. Thankfully Tosh made it in moments later, and after Gwen gave him a worried look, she headed down the hallway to the lift that would lead them both to the hub.
Sighing deeply Ianto raked a hand through his hair before picking something up from the counter and throwing it against the wall, the glass shattered into tiny pieces that fell to the floor.
Rubbing his face with both his hands, he couldn’t help fuming as his head kept on reeling; the things Jack said, the words running at abnormal speed through his mind.
He wasn’t scared, he was mourning; he loved Lisa, she was the love of his life and Jack had killed her. They could have saved her, but no; they’d not even tried, just aiming and shooting; dead.
That was all Torchwood was about, death.
* * * * *
The day went on without further problems. Ianto stayed as far away as possible from Jack; and Jack seemed to be willing to do the same. At most they probably crossed paths no more than twice. If Ianto had actually gotten his stopwatch out to time it; time wise the two of them sharing the same breathing space for no more than one and a half minutes, tops.
He was up in his office going through some files on his computer, mostly just the usual things he needed to do during the week, when the intercom buzzed. Picking it up he heard Tosh asking him to go to the hub for a team meeting.
Not having much of a choice, he headed downstairs, fixing his jacket as he walked, he crossed through the doors to head into the conferences room. Jack instantly asked him to take care of the coffee and tea in a polite way, as if nothing had happened, no argument, no reference to the previous events, and Ianto complied.
Heading to his coffee station, he prepared coffee the way he knew everyone liked and carried the tray to the conferences room, where they were already debating some recent events; the disappearances in the countryside, it seemed.
“Why don’t the police take care of this?” Owen asked with an annoyed voice, whilst stretching on his chair. “We don’t have time for people who want to run away from home and pretend they’ve actually vanished from the face of the earth.” He complained.
“Perhaps they got lost.” Gwen said looking at Jack, wondering if that could be a possibility.
Ianto refrained from commenting, whilst catching up on the information in the folder he had before him; apparently he was the only one reading it. Owen was too busy complaining that the police should take care of it; and Gwen was busy guessing that these people were probably getting lost or kidnapped; insisting they should go take a look in case they could help.
Because that is what they did, help people, apart from dealing with Aliens. Plus they didn’t know for sure this wasn’t the result of some sort of Alien that could have escaped their radar; this suggestion caused Tosh to jump in, saying that her machinery and programs were -as always- up to date, and that she had set the pattern to keep track of any type of Alien activity in that area for the past week.
“Ianto?”
Ianto glanced up from the folder he had just finished reading and looked at Jack; half wondering what he wanted from him, because this was probably the first time he’d directly addressed him during a meeting of this sort. He was guessing he might need some sort of file, or perhaps more coffee.
“What do you think?”
The question took him by surprise, as it probably did the rest of the team; all eyes fell on him and Ianto fought the urge to fidget in his chair.
“It is clear we need to go and check Jack, it’s the only way we are going to make sure there is no Alien activity there; after we are done with that we can pass it over to the police, again.“ Gwen stated, before having a sip of her coffee.
Ianto looked away from the team to the file and sighed softly, whilst flickering through the pages again. “If I may Sir, I would like to do some research before answering your question as to what I would consider it best that the team does.”
“It’s just a missing persons case tea boy, doesn’t take too much brains to figure out what needs to be done.” Owen snapped from his place. “The police should take it; we are busy.” He concluded.
“Alright.” Jack said and closed the folder he had before him. “You have until tomorrow afternoon.”
Ianto noticed the bewildered look the team gave to Jack, before looking back at him.
Ianto actually felt as if he would wish that the chair and the concrete under it would open up and swallow him; though, considering the things he’s heard about, that might not be too wise an idea; one never knew what could really happen and what couldn’t anymore.
“Fucking great, we’re depending on the tea boy now. Sorry, ´general support guy´.” Owen said, making the ´air quote´ sign with his fingers, before he cursed, got up from his chair and headed back to his work station.
Ianto felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to notice Gwen giving him a reassuring smile, “If there's anything I can do to help, just let me know yeah?” She asked kindly, to which Ianto nodded until she left, leaving him alone with Tosh.
Toshiko was simply looking at him, she didn’t seem angry that Jack had put him up to investigate this; nor at the idea that the police should take care of this instead of them.
“You got the passwords you need?” She asked simply though kindly.
“I believe I do, yes.” Ianto said with a thankful nod and a polite smile.
“Alright, anything you need just let me know, I have access to everything; so if you can’t figure it out, I’ll give you a hand.” She assured.
“Thank you.” Ianto said, and got up along with her, carrying his mug he headed downstairs. He looked up at Jack’s office; he was nowhere to be seen.
Making it to his office Ianto sat down at his computer, which was considerably older, when compared to the ones they kept down in the hub; but he was used to it, he knew how to hack into different systems, whatever equipment he used. He could do this; despite what the rest of the team thought regarding his abilities.
He wasn’t stupid enough to believe he knew more than Tosh, but this, this he could manage just fine.
Night time arrived and Ianto kept on working, one by one they left the hub and he kept on typing and printing until the slow computer got on his nerves.
Gathering the new files along with the old ones and a USB drive, he headed downstairs to use one of the newest workstations.
Three computers worked faster than one and he was feeling quite accomplished, he was actually getting all the information he needed.
The information he was getting went back for years; it was proving to be quite suspicious. Every ten years there were reports of missing people in the same area. They went back over fifty years now… and it was probably more, but apparently, those files were not something he could find, because this was as far back as the computerised records would go; the rest, Ianto assumed, would’ve had to have been processed manually.
“Found something?”
Jack’s voice startled him and Ianto looked over his shoulder before nodding. “There are reports of people going missing in this area of the road, every ten years over the last fifty years; on record.” He said pointing to the well organized papers.
“The Police have nothing, nor do UNIT; everyone is blind when it comes to this Sir. No one knows what is going on.” He said, knowing for a fact that all they knew was that there were people disappearing, and in large numbers at that.
“So should Torchwood take the case or not?”
“I believe we might pick up some sort of pattern, or any information that might possibly help clear this up. If no one has anything about it, it might actually be the doing of some sort of Alien creatures that we have no knowledge about.” Ianto pondered. “Something that might have escaped the rift; long before we got here, gone there and stayed… I don’t know.” He sighed deeply.
“Yes or no?” Jack asked once again, whilst crossing his arms in front of his chest, obviously waiting for his answer.
“Yes.” Ianto said feeling pushed up against the wall yet one more time, but in an obviously less pleasurable way than the previous times.
“Good; call everyone tell them to wear comfortable clothes, we’re going to the countryside tomorrow morning, first thing. Tell them to be here one hour earlier, we’ll need to pack things.”
Looking at Jack silently Ianto nodded and stood up gathering his files. “I could actually do that now Sir, just to make sure we have everything we need. It shouldn’t take long.” He offered, after considering the idea of packing the things they were obviously going to need with Gwen; muttering about how this was the right choice, Owen; whining about not wanting to leave, and Tosh; more busy with her gadgets than anything else.
“Whatever you consider best.” Jack called back before closing the door to his office.
“Right.” Ianto muttered quietly to himself before he headed to where they kept all the equipment and, after making a list, he checked it twice to make sure everything they needed was written down, and started packing things in an efficient way; it took him no more than an hour and half until it was all ready to be put in the SUV whenever they left.
TBC
Part 1
Part 2
Part: 3/?
Author: Celebrian.
Web page: @ LJ http://www.livejournal.com/users/celebrian_lotr/
&
@ IJ http://users.insanejournal.com/_bad_wolf/
Pairing: Ianto/ Jack
Rating: R
Summary: What happens after sleeping with the boss.
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Warnings: Angst - Spoilers for Small Worlds, Countrycide if you didn´t see it and eventually probably S1 in general-
Author’s notes: WIP. And for the record, I suck at summaries, sorry about that.
Feedback: Is addictive and encouraging ;-)
Thanks to Beta xibalba who is a saint and reads stories about a fandom she’s only heard me rambling about and just4bri Any remaining mistakes, all my fault.
Ianto woke up in Jack’s bed, he had no idea how he had managed to fall asleep there when he had made a point of not falling asleep, at least, not this deeply.
Blinking the daze away he looked around the small room to find Jack gone, he was nowhere in sight which meant he was not there. The space was small enough to scan with your eyes once and realize someone was not there.
Groaning softly he shifted in place and stared at the ceiling of Jack’s office, as the hole that leads to it was right over his head, and wondered how on earth he had fallen asleep so deeply, that he hadn’t felt Jack moving much less leaving.
Shaking the idea out of his mind, he checked his watch and sighed, noticing it was actually late. He wouldn’t have time to go to his apartment to change and shower now, unless he asked Jack to give him ten minutes more or perhaps fifteen…
Getting up from the small bed he found his boxers on the floor and put them on, along with his pants and his shirt, before climbing up the ladder. As he climbed up, he couldn’t help himself from peeking out from the hole; as he peeked, a voice, coming from the side, startled him.
Ianto made it all the way out until he was sitting on the side of the hole; he looked at Jack, who was sitting on his chair, looking at him with softened eyes. “You were looking too relaxed for me to wake you.” Jack pointed out, to which Ianto simply smiled whilst getting to his feet.
“I overslept.” Ianto sighed and looked around to see if anyone was there, but as predicted, everyone was thankfully still home. “I need to go home and...“ He started to say, whilst noticing one of his suits hanging from the coat rack on which Jack’s coat was also resting. Puzzlement was apparently easily read on his features, because he heard Jack snorting from the side.
“You have a spare one for whenever you get covered in Alien blood; guts, brains, or dust..., I can go on… Point is, you can take a shower here and change. Then perhaps prepare me some of that wonderful coffee you make, before everyone arrives, so I get the chance to wake up properly?”
“Ah...“ Ianto looked from Jack to the suit and back again, as his hand rested on the back of his neck. “That would be best.” He agreed, for that would actually save time.
“Clean towels, shampoo, soap and clean underwear are in the bathroom too.”
Ianto felt his cheeks going reddish at the mention of his underwear, and forced a smile whilst nodding. It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate Jack’s gesture, it was actually the fact that Jack had managed to know where he kept his spare clothes; his underwear... how did he know that? Probably the CCTV… someday he’d caught him putting everything away.
Heading to the bathroom, Ianto stripped out of his clothes, leaving his suit right outside the door so the steam wouldn’t ruin the fabric, and proceeded to take a quick shower. He could still feel Jack around him, something that caused him to close his eyes. He could smell him; his hair against his nose, that silky hair…
And there he was, daydreaming about his boss yet again, whilst taking his morning shower. This obviously needed to be stopped before it got too far, there could be repercussions that wouldn’t be good for either of them.
Done with the shower, Ianto made sure to dry his hair thoroughly, as he didn’t want anyone assuming he had spent the night. After changing into his suit, he made it to Jack’s office whilst blindly fixing the knot in his tie, for it was feeling a little bit tight. “Coffee, Sir?” He asked, for that was what Jack had requested before.
“Please.” Jack said, whilst looking up from his papers to give Ianto a pleading smile.
Nodding once Ianto went straight to his coffee station and set himself the task of preparing Jack’s favourite blend, a while later he was carrying a full mug of steamy coffee back to the office.
Placing it on the desk he turned to leave Jack to his work, but then paused before turning back on his heels to find Jack looking at him, as though he’d predicted that Ianto was going to do just that. Had he though? Predicted it?
“I can’t do this anymore.” Ianto said quietly, regarding the previous night and the night before. “It was a mistake.” He added quietly.
“Why?”
“Several reasons Sir.” he said, looking away to focus his eyes on the papers on Jack’s desk, instead of the blue eyes piercing his flesh right to his very chore.
“I can get the kinky side of that, but this is different Ianto, I think you can call me Jack. We’ve fucked twice now, you’ve earned the right.” He pointed out blankly.
Swallowing tightly at the obviously annoyed tone of voice, Ianto locked eyes with Jack whilst nodding, he was right. “First; you are my boss, second; you killed my girlfriend, third; we work together, fourth; you can not die, fifth; I do not know who you are, sixth; you might be using that body as camouflage, seventh;...“
Ianto was interrupted by a ´I get it´ which made him look at the Captain, who was looking less than happy.
“I get it, but for the record; none of those would really matter if you weren’t scared, would they?”
“You killed Lisa.” Ianto said, with an accusatory voice, whilst feeling the guilt take him over as he recalled the events of that dreadful day. “You killed her in cold blood, and now I am sleeping with the man that killed the person I loved.”
“STOP fooling yourself! I didn’t kill Lisa; I just finished what THEY didn’t.” Jack said in a fiercely indignant way, whilst resting both hands on his desk.
“The Cybermen did that to her, not me; I had no choice, it was her or us, and then eventually the rest of the world. I had to do what needed to be done, she was not Lisa anymore. Grow up from that illusion, stop deluding yourself that this is actually about her, and move forward.”
Ianto looked taken aback at the harsh words, though the pain he was feeling in the middle of his chest made him glare at Jack, with something that could be considered hate.
“The only reason you want to stop this is because you are starting to feel alive again. You’re finding a reason to live, something entirely yours that doesn’t depend on some sort of machine to keep your hopes alive. Nothing certain, just possibilities instead of someone who would be there locked in the basement for whenever you want to take care of them. Something real that could get to be more and that scares the shit out of you.”
“You think I liked having her there? Do you think I enjoyed having to do that day after day? Going to check on her, hiding from everyone I knew? Fearing someday I would screw up and you would find me, retcon me and send me away whilst you got rid of her?!” Ianto yelled back angrily. “IT WAS HELL.” He yelled at Jack, anger now visible in his every feature.
“It was hell and I couldn’t take it anymore, these feelings of pain and remorse are consuming me and I can not deal with anything more! What is it to you anyway? I am just another shag in your list; you can get anyone you want. You can go to Gwen; she will gladly take you to her bed instead of Owen, where we all know she will end up. Why me?” He snarled.
“I am not even like this; I am straight, I like women, I was going to marry, and have children... instead all I have is bloody Torchwood and Captain Jack Harkness to shag now and then. Well it is not enough.” He said angrily. “I can’t do it anymore, I do not give a flying fuck what you have to say about that or whatever excuse you think I have. I CAN’T!” He yelled and noticed Jack sitting on his chair whilst giving him an icy glare.
“Fine.”
Was all Jack said, and knowing that was going to be the only thing the other was going to say for the time being, Ianto turned to leave. As predicted there were no more words uttered by the other man, who soon disappeared within the hub to head downstairs to the vaults, whilst Ianto went to the tourist office as he tried to calm down.
He didn’t think he had managed all that well; as when Gwen got inside, complaining about the weather, she gave him a worried look. Owen followed her in, but instead he headed straight for the door after muttering a hurried ´Morning.´
“Ianto are you alright?” Gwen asked.
She had to bloody ask didn’t she? “I am fine.” Ianto forced a smile and tried to compose himself whilst nodding in a polite way. Thankfully Tosh made it in moments later, and after Gwen gave him a worried look, she headed down the hallway to the lift that would lead them both to the hub.
Sighing deeply Ianto raked a hand through his hair before picking something up from the counter and throwing it against the wall, the glass shattered into tiny pieces that fell to the floor.
Rubbing his face with both his hands, he couldn’t help fuming as his head kept on reeling; the things Jack said, the words running at abnormal speed through his mind.
He wasn’t scared, he was mourning; he loved Lisa, she was the love of his life and Jack had killed her. They could have saved her, but no; they’d not even tried, just aiming and shooting; dead.
That was all Torchwood was about, death.
* * * * *
The day went on without further problems. Ianto stayed as far away as possible from Jack; and Jack seemed to be willing to do the same. At most they probably crossed paths no more than twice. If Ianto had actually gotten his stopwatch out to time it; time wise the two of them sharing the same breathing space for no more than one and a half minutes, tops.
He was up in his office going through some files on his computer, mostly just the usual things he needed to do during the week, when the intercom buzzed. Picking it up he heard Tosh asking him to go to the hub for a team meeting.
Not having much of a choice, he headed downstairs, fixing his jacket as he walked, he crossed through the doors to head into the conferences room. Jack instantly asked him to take care of the coffee and tea in a polite way, as if nothing had happened, no argument, no reference to the previous events, and Ianto complied.
Heading to his coffee station, he prepared coffee the way he knew everyone liked and carried the tray to the conferences room, where they were already debating some recent events; the disappearances in the countryside, it seemed.
“Why don’t the police take care of this?” Owen asked with an annoyed voice, whilst stretching on his chair. “We don’t have time for people who want to run away from home and pretend they’ve actually vanished from the face of the earth.” He complained.
“Perhaps they got lost.” Gwen said looking at Jack, wondering if that could be a possibility.
Ianto refrained from commenting, whilst catching up on the information in the folder he had before him; apparently he was the only one reading it. Owen was too busy complaining that the police should take care of it; and Gwen was busy guessing that these people were probably getting lost or kidnapped; insisting they should go take a look in case they could help.
Because that is what they did, help people, apart from dealing with Aliens. Plus they didn’t know for sure this wasn’t the result of some sort of Alien that could have escaped their radar; this suggestion caused Tosh to jump in, saying that her machinery and programs were -as always- up to date, and that she had set the pattern to keep track of any type of Alien activity in that area for the past week.
“Ianto?”
Ianto glanced up from the folder he had just finished reading and looked at Jack; half wondering what he wanted from him, because this was probably the first time he’d directly addressed him during a meeting of this sort. He was guessing he might need some sort of file, or perhaps more coffee.
“What do you think?”
The question took him by surprise, as it probably did the rest of the team; all eyes fell on him and Ianto fought the urge to fidget in his chair.
“It is clear we need to go and check Jack, it’s the only way we are going to make sure there is no Alien activity there; after we are done with that we can pass it over to the police, again.“ Gwen stated, before having a sip of her coffee.
Ianto looked away from the team to the file and sighed softly, whilst flickering through the pages again. “If I may Sir, I would like to do some research before answering your question as to what I would consider it best that the team does.”
“It’s just a missing persons case tea boy, doesn’t take too much brains to figure out what needs to be done.” Owen snapped from his place. “The police should take it; we are busy.” He concluded.
“Alright.” Jack said and closed the folder he had before him. “You have until tomorrow afternoon.”
Ianto noticed the bewildered look the team gave to Jack, before looking back at him.
Ianto actually felt as if he would wish that the chair and the concrete under it would open up and swallow him; though, considering the things he’s heard about, that might not be too wise an idea; one never knew what could really happen and what couldn’t anymore.
“Fucking great, we’re depending on the tea boy now. Sorry, ´general support guy´.” Owen said, making the ´air quote´ sign with his fingers, before he cursed, got up from his chair and headed back to his work station.
Ianto felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to notice Gwen giving him a reassuring smile, “If there's anything I can do to help, just let me know yeah?” She asked kindly, to which Ianto nodded until she left, leaving him alone with Tosh.
Toshiko was simply looking at him, she didn’t seem angry that Jack had put him up to investigate this; nor at the idea that the police should take care of this instead of them.
“You got the passwords you need?” She asked simply though kindly.
“I believe I do, yes.” Ianto said with a thankful nod and a polite smile.
“Alright, anything you need just let me know, I have access to everything; so if you can’t figure it out, I’ll give you a hand.” She assured.
“Thank you.” Ianto said, and got up along with her, carrying his mug he headed downstairs. He looked up at Jack’s office; he was nowhere to be seen.
Making it to his office Ianto sat down at his computer, which was considerably older, when compared to the ones they kept down in the hub; but he was used to it, he knew how to hack into different systems, whatever equipment he used. He could do this; despite what the rest of the team thought regarding his abilities.
He wasn’t stupid enough to believe he knew more than Tosh, but this, this he could manage just fine.
Night time arrived and Ianto kept on working, one by one they left the hub and he kept on typing and printing until the slow computer got on his nerves.
Gathering the new files along with the old ones and a USB drive, he headed downstairs to use one of the newest workstations.
Three computers worked faster than one and he was feeling quite accomplished, he was actually getting all the information he needed.
The information he was getting went back for years; it was proving to be quite suspicious. Every ten years there were reports of missing people in the same area. They went back over fifty years now… and it was probably more, but apparently, those files were not something he could find, because this was as far back as the computerised records would go; the rest, Ianto assumed, would’ve had to have been processed manually.
“Found something?”
Jack’s voice startled him and Ianto looked over his shoulder before nodding. “There are reports of people going missing in this area of the road, every ten years over the last fifty years; on record.” He said pointing to the well organized papers.
“The Police have nothing, nor do UNIT; everyone is blind when it comes to this Sir. No one knows what is going on.” He said, knowing for a fact that all they knew was that there were people disappearing, and in large numbers at that.
“So should Torchwood take the case or not?”
“I believe we might pick up some sort of pattern, or any information that might possibly help clear this up. If no one has anything about it, it might actually be the doing of some sort of Alien creatures that we have no knowledge about.” Ianto pondered. “Something that might have escaped the rift; long before we got here, gone there and stayed… I don’t know.” He sighed deeply.
“Yes or no?” Jack asked once again, whilst crossing his arms in front of his chest, obviously waiting for his answer.
“Yes.” Ianto said feeling pushed up against the wall yet one more time, but in an obviously less pleasurable way than the previous times.
“Good; call everyone tell them to wear comfortable clothes, we’re going to the countryside tomorrow morning, first thing. Tell them to be here one hour earlier, we’ll need to pack things.”
Looking at Jack silently Ianto nodded and stood up gathering his files. “I could actually do that now Sir, just to make sure we have everything we need. It shouldn’t take long.” He offered, after considering the idea of packing the things they were obviously going to need with Gwen; muttering about how this was the right choice, Owen; whining about not wanting to leave, and Tosh; more busy with her gadgets than anything else.
“Whatever you consider best.” Jack called back before closing the door to his office.
“Right.” Ianto muttered quietly to himself before he headed to where they kept all the equipment and, after making a list, he checked it twice to make sure everything they needed was written down, and started packing things in an efficient way; it took him no more than an hour and half until it was all ready to be put in the SUV whenever they left.
TBC
Part 1
Part 2