Fic: "The Heart of Everything" (Jack/Ianto) - 07/17
Title: The Heart of Everything
Author: Jedi Princess Clarrisani
Chapter: 07 of 17
Rating: PG-13 (M15+)
Pairing(s): Tosh/Owen, John/Ianto, Gwen/Rhys, Jack/Ianto, referenced John/Jack
Series: Breathe Trilogy (Part Two)
Summary: It's been a year since Ianto left, and the team haven't been the same.
Disclaimer: Still don't own. I'm not allowed to play in that sandbox.
Warnings: Some Season Two spoilers, including Owen and Ianto's story from "Fragments", and some minor references to “Something Borrowed”. Also, some references to the Doctor Who Season Three episodes "Smith and Jones" and "Last of the Time Lords".
A/N: Sequel to " Leave You". Written for TWWC (Torchwood Australia Writing Challenge) #10
. This story is AU as it is set after season two, but everyone is alive and healthy - in other words, I've tweaked the events of Season Two to my liking. For one, the Grey storyline has been completely dumped, and some events never occurred...
----------
FROM PART SIX
----------
PART SEVEN
"Who were you calling?" Gwen asked as they headed across the Plass toward where they had seen the Plasmavore.
"My partner," John replied simply. "Didn't think I was in this alone, did you?"
"And exactly what did Ianto have to say?" Jack asked, noting Gwen's sharp look.
"Wait, I thought Ianto was in London," Gwen said.
"Nope. He's currently out looking for her little base. He usually finds it, too." John shrugged it off. "He's just got a sixth sense for these things."
"What makes him so good at Weevil hunting," Jack said. "How we first met, actually."
"So he told me." John glanced at him. "You told him to bugger off."
"Hey, hot guy in tight jeans shows up and knows about Weevils, I'm entitled to be cautious." Jack shot him a look. "I wanted to find out who he was."
"Yeap, and you still told him to bugger off. Although how you could resist that coffee..." John gave Jack the once over. "Still can't see why he likes the coat, though. Doesn't really suit you."
"I think it does," Gwen said.
John glanced at her. "You've obviously never seen him in tight leather pants and an equally tight open necked shirt. That coat is hiding some of his best assets."
Jack smirked, chuckling to himself as he saw Gwen's eyes drift toward one of those hidden assets and noting John's amused look when he caught it too. "Okay, focus people. We've got a Plasmavore to find, remember? So eyes off my arse."
"As fine an arse as it is," John commented. "You ever let Eye Candy-"
Jack shot him a warning look, John halting mid sentence and grinning, throwing Jack a wink.
"I'll take that as a yes. God, you really do like him, don't you. You're very choosey over who you let do that." John ignored the growing heat in that look. "Not that I blame you. He's got quite a few talents."
Gwen stopped dead, staring at him. "You did not."
John's grin widened as he turned toward them, noticing that Jack has stopped in his tracks as well and was staring at him. John gave a dismissive wave. "Plasmavore, remember? We leave it too long and the trail will get the cold."
Gwen reached out, fingers touching Jack's arm lightly as he glared at John. Jack narrowed his eyes, setting his jaw before he looked toward the bridge. "She probably headed toward the Bay."
"That'd be my guess." John hooked his thumbs into his belt, setting off. They continued on, Gwen eventually leaving Jack's side to try and determine which direction she took. John moved to stand beside Jack, watching her. "There was nothing in it, Jack. From either of us."
"I don't care." Jack watched as Gwen showed the picture of Christina to a young man.
"But you do care," John looked at him, studying his expression. "You've spent too much time in the 21st Century, Jack. You've picked up some of their values and beliefs."
"I never tie myself down, and I don't do domestic."
"Yeah. Right."
Gwen came back toward them, pointing down toward the Bay side. "Apparently she headed out that way. They didn't say anything about dogs, though."
"Might have sent the Carshy out for a meal," John observed.
Gwen looked at him sharply. "What do you mean?"
"He means we might want to keep an eye out for any reports on unexplained deaths in the area," Jack said.
"Oh god..."
John stared into the far distance, scowling as a breeze kicked up off the bay and the sound of other people faded behind them. "Honestly, what do you see in this place? When it's not raining it's still cold, and of a night everything freezes."
"It has a certain charm. Besides," Jack shot Gwen a small smile. "I love the accents."
"Okay, I'll give you that." John also gave Gwen a smile, noting her faint blush. He frowned at the sound of a distant howl, slowing. "That isn't good."
"It's just a dog," Gwen said, glancing at him. "Anyway, I think there's a housing estate not far from here. Should place us around the area that Christina lived."
Jack reached up, hooking a hand behind John's neck and trailing his thumb over the skin, at the same time pushing lightly and encouraging John forward. "Since when did you get so easily spooked?"
"This hunt has been the worst one I've ever been on," John said, frowning and sliding closing the Jack, not one to waste an opportunity. "It's taken me closer to death more times than I'll be happy to admit to."
"I thought you liked living on the edge."
"This stopped being fun a long time ago." John stared into the distance, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck prickle. "This got personal."
Gwen watched them, noting that Jack had now slid an arm around John's shoulders, but surprisingly she didn't feel the usual flare of jealousy. It was almost as if Jack was comforting John. "How much are you getting paid for this?"
"I'm not," John admitted. "I've been paid for the occasional hunt in between, but not this. I would have been paid by the Time Agency, but they were shut down a couple of years ago. Well... a couple of my years ago."
The howl came closer, this time Jack slowing. "That's not a normal dog, is it?"
"Like I said: you've been out of the game too long." John reached for one of his guns, arming it. "That's definitely a Carshy."
Gwen looked around, frowning as she turned and reached for her own gun. "We're upwind to it."
"It's definitely got the scent of something," Jack agreed as the howl came again.
"Me, probably." John narrowed his eyes, scanning their surroundings. "Once a Carshy has your scent, it has it for life. I could leave the country, but if the Plasmavore told it to find and kill me, it would. Best hunting beasts in the galaxy."
"Also the hardest to train," Jack pointed out.
"Believe me, these ones are trained." John spun as a howl came from behind them. "Trained to kill."
***
"What exactly are we looking for again?"
Ianto looked back at Owen. "A deserted warehouse, unused storage facility, or even an abandoned house," he looked forward again, watching the houses as they passed them. "Somewhere just enough out of the way not to be noticed, but large enough for her to keep her Carshy."
"I believe there's an old shop down one of the side streets," Tosh said as she took the next corner, watching the afternoon traffic as she navigated her way through the streets of Cardiff. "It's down toward the bay area, but far enough away that it isn't of interest to real estate agents and developers."
Owen glanced up. "How do you know that?"
"I ran a search on the area before we left."
"Always efficient," Ianto observed with a faint smile.
"Had to become more so when you left." Tosh returned the smile. "I had to do all the research on my own."
"Oi." Owen frowned. "I helped."
"Yes, you did." Tosh chuckled, glancing at Ianto. "We normally had to help him navigate his way out of the archives and Vault. He still gets lost down there."
"There's a trick to it," Ianto admitted. "I suppose having a good sense of direction helps."
Owen glared at him. "You saying I have no sense of direction?"
"You got lost on the way to Gwen's wedding," Ianto reminded him, causing Tosh to laugh.
"Yeah, well, she had it out in the bloody countryside, didn't she." Owen scowled, glaring out the window. "I hate the countryside."
"Yes, Owen, we know." Tosh turned onto a side street, the quality of the housing a striking contrast to those on the main street, indicating they had entered a poorer area of the city.
"This looks promising," Ianto said, gesturing to the run down homes. "Food supply."
"That's a cheery thought." Owen shot him a look. "You haven't changed that much."
Tosh pulled the car over in front of a shopfront, the three taking in the boarded up windows and peeling paint. "So?" She said, looking at Ianto. "Think this might be the place?"
"Only one way to find out," he pointed out, reaching inside his jacket and pulling out a gun.
"Where the hell did you get that?" Owen asked, leaning between the seats.
Ianto looked at him. "Need you ask?"
"John," Tosh said, faint distain in her voice.
Ianto nodded, opening the car door. "Let's go then."
***
"Maybe we should run," Gwen said, her grip tightening on her weapon as the howling moved ever closer. "Get back to the Hub."
"That would mean going through a crowded area,” Jack pointed out. "More people would get hurt. We can't risk it."
"Besides," John glanced behind him as another howl came, sending a chill down his spine. "Once they have your scent they won't stop until they're called off."
"So we're stuck then," Gwen said.
"Yeap."
"If she kills us now she'll be exposing herself, won't she?" Jack looked at John. "She can't have had enough time to organise everything."
"You'd be surprised." John half raised his weapon at a movement, lowering it again as he realised it was just the wind catching a piece of paper. "By the time Ianto and I had worked out who she was, she'd already rigged the London Eye with explosives and managed to make Big Ben run backwards."
"That's who did that," Jack observed.
"That was on the news," Gwen frowned. "But the media said it was a broken spring."
"Told you, Jones is brilliant." John smiled. "Had the media practically eating the story out of his hand. Put together a report and delivered it under the guise of a maintainer of the clock. Had them 100% convinced. Plus, it helped we had a reporter on side. Smith is just as good. What Ianto didn't do, Sarah-Jane did. I'm going to make a point of never crossing them."
"You should never cross Ianto anyway," Jack said.
John shot him a look. "And yet you did."
"Now's not really the time," Gwen said, raising her gun as she spotting the glowing red eyes a second before the Carshy appeared. "We have a problem."
"Where's the other one," John said, glancing behind them. "I'm sure I heard it."
"It might have been an echo," Gwen said.
Jack watched as the Carshy came to a stop, sitting back on its haunches and glaring at them, teeth glittering in the light as it snarled. "It’s not attacking."
"The hell?" John stared at it, shaking his head. "Something's not right here. They never just sit there."
"Maybe it just wants to scare us," Gwen observed.
"It's bloody well done that," John replied.
Jack shot him a look, noting the way a bead of sweat was trickling down John's forehead. "You're terrified."
"I have issues with these things," John said, taking a step back in the direction they had come. "Nearly got my heart torn out by one a few months ago. If Jones hadn't shown up I'd be dead."
Jack stared at him a moment longer before looking back at the Carshy. "Okay, I think we can assume it doesn't want us going this way, so let's go back."
"What about the other one?" Gwen asked.
"I think it's gone. Or it could just be an echo, like you said." Jack continued backing away slowly, keeping his eye on the Carshy that made no move to follow them. "See, no reaction. It just wants us to go."
The sound of the low growl was the only warning he got before he found himself pinned to the ground, staring up into glowing red eyes. He heard Gwen and John cry out, then a blaze of pain and darkness.
***
Despite Owen's more than willingness to kick the door in to gain entry, Ianto and Tosh had managed to persuade him otherwise by pointing out that they didn't want the Plasmavore finding out about them if this was indeed her base. Ianto picked the lock, allowing Owen to enter first before following, Tosh drawing her own weapon and coming in behind.
Dust clung to the air, causing the three to fight the need the cough. The interior was dark, shafts of daylight sliding in between the planks of wood that boarded the windows. Owen pointed to the floor, the Tosh and Ianto noticing like he had that the dust there had been disturbed.
They split up, searching the shopfront and adjoining office and living quarters upstairs. They soon came to realise that no one was home, Ianto sighing as he found Tosh standing in the shop's back office, a frown on her face as she nodded.
"Okay, we'll be right there." She looked up as she spotted him. "Owen found something upstairs."
Ianto nodded, following her to an open door to the side, the two climbing the stairs and wincing slightly as the wood creaked beneath each step. They found Owen in the main living area, leaning against a table as he flicked through papers spread out across it.
"I think I found out what she's up too," he said, pointing down at the paperwork. "She's going after the nuclear plant."
TBC...
Author: Jedi Princess Clarrisani
Chapter: 07 of 17
Rating: PG-13 (M15+)
Pairing(s): Tosh/Owen, John/Ianto, Gwen/Rhys, Jack/Ianto, referenced John/Jack
Series: Breathe Trilogy (Part Two)
Summary: It's been a year since Ianto left, and the team haven't been the same.
Disclaimer: Still don't own. I'm not allowed to play in that sandbox.
Warnings: Some Season Two spoilers, including Owen and Ianto's story from "Fragments", and some minor references to “Something Borrowed”. Also, some references to the Doctor Who Season Three episodes "Smith and Jones" and "Last of the Time Lords".
A/N: Sequel to " Leave You". Written for TWWC (Torchwood Australia Writing Challenge) #10
. This story is AU as it is set after season two, but everyone is alive and healthy - in other words, I've tweaked the events of Season Two to my liking. For one, the Grey storyline has been completely dumped, and some events never occurred...
----------
FROM PART SIX
----------
PART SEVEN
"Who were you calling?" Gwen asked as they headed across the Plass toward where they had seen the Plasmavore.
"My partner," John replied simply. "Didn't think I was in this alone, did you?"
"And exactly what did Ianto have to say?" Jack asked, noting Gwen's sharp look.
"Wait, I thought Ianto was in London," Gwen said.
"Nope. He's currently out looking for her little base. He usually finds it, too." John shrugged it off. "He's just got a sixth sense for these things."
"What makes him so good at Weevil hunting," Jack said. "How we first met, actually."
"So he told me." John glanced at him. "You told him to bugger off."
"Hey, hot guy in tight jeans shows up and knows about Weevils, I'm entitled to be cautious." Jack shot him a look. "I wanted to find out who he was."
"Yeap, and you still told him to bugger off. Although how you could resist that coffee..." John gave Jack the once over. "Still can't see why he likes the coat, though. Doesn't really suit you."
"I think it does," Gwen said.
John glanced at her. "You've obviously never seen him in tight leather pants and an equally tight open necked shirt. That coat is hiding some of his best assets."
Jack smirked, chuckling to himself as he saw Gwen's eyes drift toward one of those hidden assets and noting John's amused look when he caught it too. "Okay, focus people. We've got a Plasmavore to find, remember? So eyes off my arse."
"As fine an arse as it is," John commented. "You ever let Eye Candy-"
Jack shot him a warning look, John halting mid sentence and grinning, throwing Jack a wink.
"I'll take that as a yes. God, you really do like him, don't you. You're very choosey over who you let do that." John ignored the growing heat in that look. "Not that I blame you. He's got quite a few talents."
Gwen stopped dead, staring at him. "You did not."
John's grin widened as he turned toward them, noticing that Jack has stopped in his tracks as well and was staring at him. John gave a dismissive wave. "Plasmavore, remember? We leave it too long and the trail will get the cold."
Gwen reached out, fingers touching Jack's arm lightly as he glared at John. Jack narrowed his eyes, setting his jaw before he looked toward the bridge. "She probably headed toward the Bay."
"That'd be my guess." John hooked his thumbs into his belt, setting off. They continued on, Gwen eventually leaving Jack's side to try and determine which direction she took. John moved to stand beside Jack, watching her. "There was nothing in it, Jack. From either of us."
"I don't care." Jack watched as Gwen showed the picture of Christina to a young man.
"But you do care," John looked at him, studying his expression. "You've spent too much time in the 21st Century, Jack. You've picked up some of their values and beliefs."
"I never tie myself down, and I don't do domestic."
"Yeah. Right."
Gwen came back toward them, pointing down toward the Bay side. "Apparently she headed out that way. They didn't say anything about dogs, though."
"Might have sent the Carshy out for a meal," John observed.
Gwen looked at him sharply. "What do you mean?"
"He means we might want to keep an eye out for any reports on unexplained deaths in the area," Jack said.
"Oh god..."
John stared into the far distance, scowling as a breeze kicked up off the bay and the sound of other people faded behind them. "Honestly, what do you see in this place? When it's not raining it's still cold, and of a night everything freezes."
"It has a certain charm. Besides," Jack shot Gwen a small smile. "I love the accents."
"Okay, I'll give you that." John also gave Gwen a smile, noting her faint blush. He frowned at the sound of a distant howl, slowing. "That isn't good."
"It's just a dog," Gwen said, glancing at him. "Anyway, I think there's a housing estate not far from here. Should place us around the area that Christina lived."
Jack reached up, hooking a hand behind John's neck and trailing his thumb over the skin, at the same time pushing lightly and encouraging John forward. "Since when did you get so easily spooked?"
"This hunt has been the worst one I've ever been on," John said, frowning and sliding closing the Jack, not one to waste an opportunity. "It's taken me closer to death more times than I'll be happy to admit to."
"I thought you liked living on the edge."
"This stopped being fun a long time ago." John stared into the distance, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck prickle. "This got personal."
Gwen watched them, noting that Jack had now slid an arm around John's shoulders, but surprisingly she didn't feel the usual flare of jealousy. It was almost as if Jack was comforting John. "How much are you getting paid for this?"
"I'm not," John admitted. "I've been paid for the occasional hunt in between, but not this. I would have been paid by the Time Agency, but they were shut down a couple of years ago. Well... a couple of my years ago."
The howl came closer, this time Jack slowing. "That's not a normal dog, is it?"
"Like I said: you've been out of the game too long." John reached for one of his guns, arming it. "That's definitely a Carshy."
Gwen looked around, frowning as she turned and reached for her own gun. "We're upwind to it."
"It's definitely got the scent of something," Jack agreed as the howl came again.
"Me, probably." John narrowed his eyes, scanning their surroundings. "Once a Carshy has your scent, it has it for life. I could leave the country, but if the Plasmavore told it to find and kill me, it would. Best hunting beasts in the galaxy."
"Also the hardest to train," Jack pointed out.
"Believe me, these ones are trained." John spun as a howl came from behind them. "Trained to kill."
***
"What exactly are we looking for again?"
Ianto looked back at Owen. "A deserted warehouse, unused storage facility, or even an abandoned house," he looked forward again, watching the houses as they passed them. "Somewhere just enough out of the way not to be noticed, but large enough for her to keep her Carshy."
"I believe there's an old shop down one of the side streets," Tosh said as she took the next corner, watching the afternoon traffic as she navigated her way through the streets of Cardiff. "It's down toward the bay area, but far enough away that it isn't of interest to real estate agents and developers."
Owen glanced up. "How do you know that?"
"I ran a search on the area before we left."
"Always efficient," Ianto observed with a faint smile.
"Had to become more so when you left." Tosh returned the smile. "I had to do all the research on my own."
"Oi." Owen frowned. "I helped."
"Yes, you did." Tosh chuckled, glancing at Ianto. "We normally had to help him navigate his way out of the archives and Vault. He still gets lost down there."
"There's a trick to it," Ianto admitted. "I suppose having a good sense of direction helps."
Owen glared at him. "You saying I have no sense of direction?"
"You got lost on the way to Gwen's wedding," Ianto reminded him, causing Tosh to laugh.
"Yeah, well, she had it out in the bloody countryside, didn't she." Owen scowled, glaring out the window. "I hate the countryside."
"Yes, Owen, we know." Tosh turned onto a side street, the quality of the housing a striking contrast to those on the main street, indicating they had entered a poorer area of the city.
"This looks promising," Ianto said, gesturing to the run down homes. "Food supply."
"That's a cheery thought." Owen shot him a look. "You haven't changed that much."
Tosh pulled the car over in front of a shopfront, the three taking in the boarded up windows and peeling paint. "So?" She said, looking at Ianto. "Think this might be the place?"
"Only one way to find out," he pointed out, reaching inside his jacket and pulling out a gun.
"Where the hell did you get that?" Owen asked, leaning between the seats.
Ianto looked at him. "Need you ask?"
"John," Tosh said, faint distain in her voice.
Ianto nodded, opening the car door. "Let's go then."
***
"Maybe we should run," Gwen said, her grip tightening on her weapon as the howling moved ever closer. "Get back to the Hub."
"That would mean going through a crowded area,” Jack pointed out. "More people would get hurt. We can't risk it."
"Besides," John glanced behind him as another howl came, sending a chill down his spine. "Once they have your scent they won't stop until they're called off."
"So we're stuck then," Gwen said.
"Yeap."
"If she kills us now she'll be exposing herself, won't she?" Jack looked at John. "She can't have had enough time to organise everything."
"You'd be surprised." John half raised his weapon at a movement, lowering it again as he realised it was just the wind catching a piece of paper. "By the time Ianto and I had worked out who she was, she'd already rigged the London Eye with explosives and managed to make Big Ben run backwards."
"That's who did that," Jack observed.
"That was on the news," Gwen frowned. "But the media said it was a broken spring."
"Told you, Jones is brilliant." John smiled. "Had the media practically eating the story out of his hand. Put together a report and delivered it under the guise of a maintainer of the clock. Had them 100% convinced. Plus, it helped we had a reporter on side. Smith is just as good. What Ianto didn't do, Sarah-Jane did. I'm going to make a point of never crossing them."
"You should never cross Ianto anyway," Jack said.
John shot him a look. "And yet you did."
"Now's not really the time," Gwen said, raising her gun as she spotting the glowing red eyes a second before the Carshy appeared. "We have a problem."
"Where's the other one," John said, glancing behind them. "I'm sure I heard it."
"It might have been an echo," Gwen said.
Jack watched as the Carshy came to a stop, sitting back on its haunches and glaring at them, teeth glittering in the light as it snarled. "It’s not attacking."
"The hell?" John stared at it, shaking his head. "Something's not right here. They never just sit there."
"Maybe it just wants to scare us," Gwen observed.
"It's bloody well done that," John replied.
Jack shot him a look, noting the way a bead of sweat was trickling down John's forehead. "You're terrified."
"I have issues with these things," John said, taking a step back in the direction they had come. "Nearly got my heart torn out by one a few months ago. If Jones hadn't shown up I'd be dead."
Jack stared at him a moment longer before looking back at the Carshy. "Okay, I think we can assume it doesn't want us going this way, so let's go back."
"What about the other one?" Gwen asked.
"I think it's gone. Or it could just be an echo, like you said." Jack continued backing away slowly, keeping his eye on the Carshy that made no move to follow them. "See, no reaction. It just wants us to go."
The sound of the low growl was the only warning he got before he found himself pinned to the ground, staring up into glowing red eyes. He heard Gwen and John cry out, then a blaze of pain and darkness.
***
Despite Owen's more than willingness to kick the door in to gain entry, Ianto and Tosh had managed to persuade him otherwise by pointing out that they didn't want the Plasmavore finding out about them if this was indeed her base. Ianto picked the lock, allowing Owen to enter first before following, Tosh drawing her own weapon and coming in behind.
Dust clung to the air, causing the three to fight the need the cough. The interior was dark, shafts of daylight sliding in between the planks of wood that boarded the windows. Owen pointed to the floor, the Tosh and Ianto noticing like he had that the dust there had been disturbed.
They split up, searching the shopfront and adjoining office and living quarters upstairs. They soon came to realise that no one was home, Ianto sighing as he found Tosh standing in the shop's back office, a frown on her face as she nodded.
"Okay, we'll be right there." She looked up as she spotted him. "Owen found something upstairs."
Ianto nodded, following her to an open door to the side, the two climbing the stairs and wincing slightly as the wood creaked beneath each step. They found Owen in the main living area, leaning against a table as he flicked through papers spread out across it.
"I think I found out what she's up too," he said, pointing down at the paperwork. "She's going after the nuclear plant."
TBC...