Sonata for the TARDIS In D -- Holding My Last Breath
Title: Sonata for the TARDIS in D
Chapter Eight: Holding My Last Breath
dwtwprompts prompt: Regret
Date Written: 6/19/08
Word Count: 1,308
Rating: PG/K+
Fandom: Torchwood/Doctor Who
Characters/Pairings: Jack/Ianto, Doctor, OC
Spoilers: Up through Torchwood Season 02
Warnings: Character death
Author's Notes: She was supposed to be a one-shot! *sigh* What the heck? Title from Evanescence's Fallen, thanks to totally4ryo for the title idea!
1/?: And So It Begins
2/?: Time Travel Messes With Your Senses
3/?: It's Just Sex, Sex, Sex With You People
4/?: Break Out Your Converse, It's Time To Save The Universe
5/?: Here Be Dragons
6/?: Imitation Is The Finest Form Of Flattery
7/?: Isn't There A Place Between?
"'Come on, it'll be fun,' you said."
The Doctor rolled his eyes. "You have done nothing but moan since we got here," he pointed out.
"I got stabbed. I'm dying. I'm bloody entitled."
The Doctor rounded on his Companion, hands on his hips. "And I suppose it's my fault?"
"Yes!" Ianto yelled, wincing a little. "It is always your fault," he added, forcing himself to stay calm.
"I thought it was always Jack's fault," the Doctor countered, using Ianto's own words back on the Welshman.
"Things that involve being covered from head to toe with alien come are Jack's; things that include me dying are yours," Ianto informed him, looking down his body to where he'd been injured. The Doctor had shucked his own undershirt and pressed it against Ianto's wound before the guards had even slammed the doors shut.
He really wasn't all that mad. Death was just a hazard of the trade. Still hurt like a son of a bitch, though.
"While the idea of Uncle Jack and sex is not all that offsetting," Emiko said calmly, scratching a calculation into the dirt, "the idea of my father being a part of it is."
"You humans and your blood ties," the Doctor teased, turning back to the doors and playing with his sonic screwdriver. "Find out you're related and everything is automatically off-limits."
"Just stop right there before I find out far too much about you," Ianto said, shifting slightly and letting out a hiss as the wound pulled, fresh blood soaking into the Doctor's shirt.
The other two abandoned their current plans of escape and went over to Ianto. Emiko sat next him, putting a hand over the one holding the shirt against the wound.
Ianto shook his head. "Don't, cariad. I'm too far gone."
"We could staunch it," she suggested. "There's a torch within reach."
"I'd much rather die," Ianto replied, giving her a tired, pained smile. "Besides, you never forget the scent of burning flesh. I'm not putting that in your head."
The Doctor squatted down on his other side, pulling out a stethoscope. He pressed the cold, flat end on Ianto's chest, listening to his heartbeat. After a few moments he sighed and pulled back, tucking it away. "Your heartbeat is weakening," he told Ianto gently. "Not long now."
Ianto nodded, his head falling back against the stone wall. His breathing was becoming shorter, more labored."Jack'll be here soon," he finally managed.
"Any moment," the Doctor agreed. "He'll come around that corner, guns blazing."
"He does like to make an entrance!" Ianto laughed, coughing a little. "Oh, think they nicked a lung," he managed after catching his breath. "Died like this the first time. Bullet to the chest. Hurts like hell."
There was a muffled sound on the other side, and Ianto turned to see Emiko, trying to stop her tears. "Hey, hey now," he murmured, reaching up to wipe her tears away. "No crying. I'm not dying."
"You are, it's just not sticking!" Emiko argued, and Ianto heard the deja vu in the back of his mind. It was an argument he had used often against Jack's crazy plans before the Doctor had whisked him away.
He laughed a little, coughing again. This time when he pulled his hand away, there was blood on it. "You really are too clever for your own good," he told her, earning a watery smile.
"She comes by it honestly," the Doctor said, moving to sit next to his Companion.
"Oh, don't I know it." Ianto smiled and laid his head down on Emiko's shoulder. Emiko turned to press a kiss to her father's forehead, and the Doctor reached out to take Ianto's free hand.
The immortal's grasp on the Doctor's hand belied his bravado about dying.
"Shh, it's okay. We'll be right here when you come back," the Doctor soothed, rubbing the back of Ianto's hand soothingly, the way his children had liked when they were feeling poorly.
"Yeah," Emiko agreed, nodding and putting an arm around his shoulders. "We won't move an inch."
"If Jack comes back, you'd better," Ianto panted, his eyes sliding shut. "Father's orders."
Emiko closed her eyes as well, leaning her cheek against the top of his head.
There was a scuffling sound outside the cell, and the three looked towards the sound. Jack came sweeping into view, weapon in hand and greatcoat billowing back behind him. "Ianto!"
Ianto gave a brilliant smile when he saw his husband. Jack fumbled with the keys while the Doctor and Emiko helped Ianto to his feet. The Welshman hissed as the blood-soaked shirt fell to the floor, breaking the clots that had managed to form. Jack ripped the door open and ran forward to take Ianto into his arms.
"It's okay," he told the younger immortal softly. "The Captain's got ya."
Ianto's smile softened as his fingers went lax on Jack's shoulders. The young body became twice as heavy as Ianto died in his husband's arms.
"TARDIS," the Doctor ordered, reaching down to take Ianto's feet.
Emiko just held Ianto's hand in hers.
"She's never seen him die before," Jack told the Doctor in a low tone. Emiko was still sitting next to her father, still holding his hand. She'd been so like her Auntie Gwen, holding Ianto's hand and waiting patiently for him to wake up.
"Once is more than enough," the Doctor replied. "Even knowing you two will come back, it's still disturbing."
Jack nodded a little. "Thank you. For staying with him."
The Doctor shoved his hands into his pockets. "I've already made far too many mistakes when it comes to my Companions. It's the least I can do to stand next to one when he needs me."
Ianto's rebirth wasn't one of the less violent ones; instead of falling off the bed, gasping hard for air and grabbing at the nearest standing object, he inhaled deeply and grasped at the hand holding his.
An arm wrapped around his shoulders, holding him tight as Ianto tried to get his bearings. The familiar hum told him he was back in the TARDIS; and the dark head crying into his shoulder belonged to his beautiful, brilliant daughter.
"Shh, shh, Emiko, don't cry," he murmured to her, one hand moving up to run through her black hair.
"I'm so sorry!" she wailed instead, hugging him tighter. "I got you killed!"
Ianto laughed a little, managing to sit up and pull his daughter into his lap. Even at almost twenty-one, she still had the tiny build her mother had possessed. "You're not the one who stuck a knife in me, cariad," he soothed, tucking her head up under his chin.
"But I asked you to come, and you died and -- "
"Emiko," Ianto said firmly, pulling her back. "Did you think I'd get mad at you?"
Meekly, she nodded, pushing her glasses up to rub at her eyes.
"Never, cariad," Ianto reassured her, cupping her chin with his fingers. "I'd rather it was me than you."
"So you don't r-regret coming with us?" she hiccuped a little.
Ianto smiled and rubbed her back soothingly with his other hand. "Regret? Never." He kissed her forehead. "I'm so incredibly thankful to the Doctor for giving me a chance to share something this wonderful with you, and with Jack. I'd come with you if it meant I had to die a hundred thousand times."
Emiko sniffled, hugging him a little tighter. "Don't you dare! I don't like you dying."
The Welshman chuckled. "I'll do my best. Meanwhile you, love, are not allowed to die. Ever."
The girl laughed and hugged him a little tighter. "Of course not, Tad."
Ianto just buried his nose into her hair, holding her. Neither of them mentioned that it was the only promise that she'd never be able to keep.
ETA: Chapter nine here.
Chapter Eight: Holding My Last Breath
dwtwprompts prompt: Regret
Date Written: 6/19/08
Word Count: 1,308
Rating: PG/K+
Fandom: Torchwood/Doctor Who
Characters/Pairings: Jack/Ianto, Doctor, OC
Spoilers: Up through Torchwood Season 02
Warnings: Character death
Author's Notes: She was supposed to be a one-shot! *sigh* What the heck? Title from Evanescence's Fallen, thanks to totally4ryo for the title idea!
1/?: And So It Begins
2/?: Time Travel Messes With Your Senses
3/?: It's Just Sex, Sex, Sex With You People
4/?: Break Out Your Converse, It's Time To Save The Universe
5/?: Here Be Dragons
6/?: Imitation Is The Finest Form Of Flattery
7/?: Isn't There A Place Between?
"'Come on, it'll be fun,' you said."
The Doctor rolled his eyes. "You have done nothing but moan since we got here," he pointed out.
"I got stabbed. I'm dying. I'm bloody entitled."
The Doctor rounded on his Companion, hands on his hips. "And I suppose it's my fault?"
"Yes!" Ianto yelled, wincing a little. "It is always your fault," he added, forcing himself to stay calm.
"I thought it was always Jack's fault," the Doctor countered, using Ianto's own words back on the Welshman.
"Things that involve being covered from head to toe with alien come are Jack's; things that include me dying are yours," Ianto informed him, looking down his body to where he'd been injured. The Doctor had shucked his own undershirt and pressed it against Ianto's wound before the guards had even slammed the doors shut.
He really wasn't all that mad. Death was just a hazard of the trade. Still hurt like a son of a bitch, though.
"While the idea of Uncle Jack and sex is not all that offsetting," Emiko said calmly, scratching a calculation into the dirt, "the idea of my father being a part of it is."
"You humans and your blood ties," the Doctor teased, turning back to the doors and playing with his sonic screwdriver. "Find out you're related and everything is automatically off-limits."
"Just stop right there before I find out far too much about you," Ianto said, shifting slightly and letting out a hiss as the wound pulled, fresh blood soaking into the Doctor's shirt.
The other two abandoned their current plans of escape and went over to Ianto. Emiko sat next him, putting a hand over the one holding the shirt against the wound.
Ianto shook his head. "Don't, cariad. I'm too far gone."
"We could staunch it," she suggested. "There's a torch within reach."
"I'd much rather die," Ianto replied, giving her a tired, pained smile. "Besides, you never forget the scent of burning flesh. I'm not putting that in your head."
The Doctor squatted down on his other side, pulling out a stethoscope. He pressed the cold, flat end on Ianto's chest, listening to his heartbeat. After a few moments he sighed and pulled back, tucking it away. "Your heartbeat is weakening," he told Ianto gently. "Not long now."
Ianto nodded, his head falling back against the stone wall. His breathing was becoming shorter, more labored."Jack'll be here soon," he finally managed.
"Any moment," the Doctor agreed. "He'll come around that corner, guns blazing."
"He does like to make an entrance!" Ianto laughed, coughing a little. "Oh, think they nicked a lung," he managed after catching his breath. "Died like this the first time. Bullet to the chest. Hurts like hell."
There was a muffled sound on the other side, and Ianto turned to see Emiko, trying to stop her tears. "Hey, hey now," he murmured, reaching up to wipe her tears away. "No crying. I'm not dying."
"You are, it's just not sticking!" Emiko argued, and Ianto heard the deja vu in the back of his mind. It was an argument he had used often against Jack's crazy plans before the Doctor had whisked him away.
He laughed a little, coughing again. This time when he pulled his hand away, there was blood on it. "You really are too clever for your own good," he told her, earning a watery smile.
"She comes by it honestly," the Doctor said, moving to sit next to his Companion.
"Oh, don't I know it." Ianto smiled and laid his head down on Emiko's shoulder. Emiko turned to press a kiss to her father's forehead, and the Doctor reached out to take Ianto's free hand.
The immortal's grasp on the Doctor's hand belied his bravado about dying.
"Shh, it's okay. We'll be right here when you come back," the Doctor soothed, rubbing the back of Ianto's hand soothingly, the way his children had liked when they were feeling poorly.
"Yeah," Emiko agreed, nodding and putting an arm around his shoulders. "We won't move an inch."
"If Jack comes back, you'd better," Ianto panted, his eyes sliding shut. "Father's orders."
Emiko closed her eyes as well, leaning her cheek against the top of his head.
There was a scuffling sound outside the cell, and the three looked towards the sound. Jack came sweeping into view, weapon in hand and greatcoat billowing back behind him. "Ianto!"
Ianto gave a brilliant smile when he saw his husband. Jack fumbled with the keys while the Doctor and Emiko helped Ianto to his feet. The Welshman hissed as the blood-soaked shirt fell to the floor, breaking the clots that had managed to form. Jack ripped the door open and ran forward to take Ianto into his arms.
"It's okay," he told the younger immortal softly. "The Captain's got ya."
Ianto's smile softened as his fingers went lax on Jack's shoulders. The young body became twice as heavy as Ianto died in his husband's arms.
"TARDIS," the Doctor ordered, reaching down to take Ianto's feet.
Emiko just held Ianto's hand in hers.
"She's never seen him die before," Jack told the Doctor in a low tone. Emiko was still sitting next to her father, still holding his hand. She'd been so like her Auntie Gwen, holding Ianto's hand and waiting patiently for him to wake up.
"Once is more than enough," the Doctor replied. "Even knowing you two will come back, it's still disturbing."
Jack nodded a little. "Thank you. For staying with him."
The Doctor shoved his hands into his pockets. "I've already made far too many mistakes when it comes to my Companions. It's the least I can do to stand next to one when he needs me."
Ianto's rebirth wasn't one of the less violent ones; instead of falling off the bed, gasping hard for air and grabbing at the nearest standing object, he inhaled deeply and grasped at the hand holding his.
An arm wrapped around his shoulders, holding him tight as Ianto tried to get his bearings. The familiar hum told him he was back in the TARDIS; and the dark head crying into his shoulder belonged to his beautiful, brilliant daughter.
"Shh, shh, Emiko, don't cry," he murmured to her, one hand moving up to run through her black hair.
"I'm so sorry!" she wailed instead, hugging him tighter. "I got you killed!"
Ianto laughed a little, managing to sit up and pull his daughter into his lap. Even at almost twenty-one, she still had the tiny build her mother had possessed. "You're not the one who stuck a knife in me, cariad," he soothed, tucking her head up under his chin.
"But I asked you to come, and you died and -- "
"Emiko," Ianto said firmly, pulling her back. "Did you think I'd get mad at you?"
Meekly, she nodded, pushing her glasses up to rub at her eyes.
"Never, cariad," Ianto reassured her, cupping her chin with his fingers. "I'd rather it was me than you."
"So you don't r-regret coming with us?" she hiccuped a little.
Ianto smiled and rubbed her back soothingly with his other hand. "Regret? Never." He kissed her forehead. "I'm so incredibly thankful to the Doctor for giving me a chance to share something this wonderful with you, and with Jack. I'd come with you if it meant I had to die a hundred thousand times."
Emiko sniffled, hugging him a little tighter. "Don't you dare! I don't like you dying."
The Welshman chuckled. "I'll do my best. Meanwhile you, love, are not allowed to die. Ever."
The girl laughed and hugged him a little tighter. "Of course not, Tad."
Ianto just buried his nose into her hair, holding her. Neither of them mentioned that it was the only promise that she'd never be able to keep.
ETA: Chapter nine here.