Fic: Heading For Grief Part 1
Title: Heading for Grief Part 1
Used to be called "Revenge"
Author: CrabbyLioness
Characters: Jack/Ianto
Rating: PG for adult themes
Word Count: 400-ish
Set after Cyberwoman. Jack is playing head games -- or is he?
Disclaimer: Don't own them.
Ianto Jones opened the door of his flat to go to work and found Jack Harkness looking back at him. He started in surprise.
"What are you doing here?" His boss was the last person Ianto wanted to see. Ever since Lisa's death and the violent confrontations with Jack he had to steel himself to go in to work. Bad enough that Jack watched him constantly while he was on duty, but having to deal with his boss at his front door was a bit much.
Why would Jack want to talk to him at his home before work? Maybe he was going to fire him. Ianto had been expecting that.
"Good morning, Ianto."
"Good morning, sir."
"All set? Let's go."
"Where are we going, sir?"
"To the Hub."
Why? Ianto wanted to ask Jack, but didn't see the point. Jack could be maddening at times. He put on his coat instead.
Jack didn't speak again until they got outside the building and started walking towards the Millennium Center.
"How are you doing?"
"Fine, sir."
"What about Lisa's family?"
"They think she died in London."
Jack nodded. A block passed before he spoke again. "How's the revenge plan coming?"
"What?" Ianto broke stride to turn and stare at Jack.
"You swore you would get your revenge by watching me suffer. Have you figured out how to make me suffer yet?"
"No, sir." And why would Ianto tell Jack if he had? Ianto didn't know what sort of game Jack was playing, but he didn't like it.
"Can I offer you some advice? Do your homework. I've had a strange life, Ianto. These days a lot of the things that'd make other people suffer would only make me laugh. I don't want you to go embarrassing yourself with the wrong choice."
Ianto could feel his temper boiling up, but he fought to keep it out of his voice. "Sir? Let me get this straight. Are you encouraging me to pursue a vendetta against you?"
"You could say that."
"Why? Are you looking for an excuse to fire me?"
"Oh, I've already got an excuse to fire you.
"Look, you've been in shock, but you're starting to get angry. You've got a lot of reasons to be angry. In a few days you're going to feel like a walking volcano.
"There's three targets for your anger. The Cybermen, me, or yourself. I'd like you to go after the Cybermen, but they're gone. You can go after me. Or you can turn that anger on yourself. You tend to drink too much when you get upset, Ianto. I don't want to see you crawl into a bottle and drown.
"Plus, you've been spending hours every day caring for Lisa. Now you don't have anything to do with that time. You can spend that time on the job, on me or on booze. Better you spend it on me than on booze.
"Don't get me wrong, I don't like getting hit. It hurts! But my jaw can take a lot more abuse than your liver."
They walked several paces in silence. Finally Ianto said, "Sir, that is without a doubt the most arrogant and patronizing speech I have ever heard in my life."
"Ooo, such flattery."
Neither of them spoke again. Ianto puzzled over Jack's words. It had to be some sort of trap. But what kind? And why bother? Jack clearly had grounds to fire him. Or give Ianto enough amnesia drug to make him forget ever working for Torchwood. Or just shoot him and tip him in the Bay.
No. The last wasn't Jack's style. Jack might spend hours disfiguring a corpse, but Ianto had seen no evidence that Jack would kill in cold blood. Although Jack had obviously been tempted to the point of murder by Ianto's mess, so he might consider it a justified execution. But if that was the case, why toy with Ianto like this? To hide if from their superiors? London didn't know or care what they did, and if they found out they would probably do worse to Ianto. He'd end up as a test subject in one of the labs or something.
He'd deal with it later. It was time to start work.
Used to be called "Revenge"
Author: CrabbyLioness
Characters: Jack/Ianto
Rating: PG for adult themes
Word Count: 400-ish
Set after Cyberwoman. Jack is playing head games -- or is he?
Disclaimer: Don't own them.
Ianto Jones opened the door of his flat to go to work and found Jack Harkness looking back at him. He started in surprise.
"What are you doing here?" His boss was the last person Ianto wanted to see. Ever since Lisa's death and the violent confrontations with Jack he had to steel himself to go in to work. Bad enough that Jack watched him constantly while he was on duty, but having to deal with his boss at his front door was a bit much.
Why would Jack want to talk to him at his home before work? Maybe he was going to fire him. Ianto had been expecting that.
"Good morning, Ianto."
"Good morning, sir."
"All set? Let's go."
"Where are we going, sir?"
"To the Hub."
Why? Ianto wanted to ask Jack, but didn't see the point. Jack could be maddening at times. He put on his coat instead.
Jack didn't speak again until they got outside the building and started walking towards the Millennium Center.
"How are you doing?"
"Fine, sir."
"What about Lisa's family?"
"They think she died in London."
Jack nodded. A block passed before he spoke again. "How's the revenge plan coming?"
"What?" Ianto broke stride to turn and stare at Jack.
"You swore you would get your revenge by watching me suffer. Have you figured out how to make me suffer yet?"
"No, sir." And why would Ianto tell Jack if he had? Ianto didn't know what sort of game Jack was playing, but he didn't like it.
"Can I offer you some advice? Do your homework. I've had a strange life, Ianto. These days a lot of the things that'd make other people suffer would only make me laugh. I don't want you to go embarrassing yourself with the wrong choice."
Ianto could feel his temper boiling up, but he fought to keep it out of his voice. "Sir? Let me get this straight. Are you encouraging me to pursue a vendetta against you?"
"You could say that."
"Why? Are you looking for an excuse to fire me?"
"Oh, I've already got an excuse to fire you.
"Look, you've been in shock, but you're starting to get angry. You've got a lot of reasons to be angry. In a few days you're going to feel like a walking volcano.
"There's three targets for your anger. The Cybermen, me, or yourself. I'd like you to go after the Cybermen, but they're gone. You can go after me. Or you can turn that anger on yourself. You tend to drink too much when you get upset, Ianto. I don't want to see you crawl into a bottle and drown.
"Plus, you've been spending hours every day caring for Lisa. Now you don't have anything to do with that time. You can spend that time on the job, on me or on booze. Better you spend it on me than on booze.
"Don't get me wrong, I don't like getting hit. It hurts! But my jaw can take a lot more abuse than your liver."
They walked several paces in silence. Finally Ianto said, "Sir, that is without a doubt the most arrogant and patronizing speech I have ever heard in my life."
"Ooo, such flattery."
Neither of them spoke again. Ianto puzzled over Jack's words. It had to be some sort of trap. But what kind? And why bother? Jack clearly had grounds to fire him. Or give Ianto enough amnesia drug to make him forget ever working for Torchwood. Or just shoot him and tip him in the Bay.
No. The last wasn't Jack's style. Jack might spend hours disfiguring a corpse, but Ianto had seen no evidence that Jack would kill in cold blood. Although Jack had obviously been tempted to the point of murder by Ianto's mess, so he might consider it a justified execution. But if that was the case, why toy with Ianto like this? To hide if from their superiors? London didn't know or care what they did, and if they found out they would probably do worse to Ianto. He'd end up as a test subject in one of the labs or something.
He'd deal with it later. It was time to start work.