Different Sort of Science -- Saying Good-Bye
Title: Different Sort of Science
Chapter Six: Saying Good-Bye
Date Written: 8/23/08
Rating: PG/K+
Word Count: 1,148
Fandom: Torchwood/Doctor Who
Characters/Pairings: slight Ianto/Jack, Ross (DW), Victoria (DW), OMC (Mr. Jones) OFC (Mama Jones), mentioned Doctor and Donna
Spoilers: Doctor Who up through Season 04
Warnings: AU like whoa
Author's Notes: Mama Jones helps with a mystery. Thanks to my beta, totally4ryo.
Previous chapters found here.
Book cover by cjharknessgirl
"I'm not coming with you. I've been thinking. I'm sorry. I'm going home."
"Really?"
"I've got to go."
"Well, if that's what you want. I mean, it's a bit soon. I had so many places I wanted to take you. The Fifteenth Broken Moon of the Medusa Cascade, the Lightning Skies of Cotter Palluni's World, the Diamond Coral Reefs of Kataa Flo Ko... Thank you. Thank you, Donna Noble. It's been brilliant. You saved my life, in so many ways. You are... You're just popping home for a visit, that's what you mean."
"You dumbo."
"Then you're coming back."
"Know what you are? A great big, outer-space dunce."
-- Donna Noble and The Doctor, The Sontaran Stratagem
Tad was pretty upset when Ianto got back to the shop closer to sunset, but Jack had come along and charmed the lot of them, all smiles and apologies and explanations. He gave them a very convincing lie -- that Torchwood House needed a full-time tailor and Ianto was just perfect for the job -- and his parents had been ecstatic at the idea. Their younger son was provided for, a secure position for life.
Ross had been fairly put out when Jack had said Ianto had to start immediately, the next day, but he'd hid it well. Not from his brother and Jack, but well enough.
Jack left that night and Ianto saw him off, helping him saddle up Janet and patting her nose affectionately as the other levered himself up to the saddle. "You know why we can't tell them the truth."
Ianto sighed, but he nodded. It hurt to lie to his parents, but the fewer people who knew what really went on at Torchwood House, the better. Doctor's orders.
"Hey." Jack reached down and fitted two fingers under Ianto's chin, raising his gaze. "You have a great family that truly loves you, but do you think they'll believe you?"
"I don't rightly believe it myself," he admitted.
"I hear a 'but' coming," Jack replied, smiling at him.
"But I can't deny what Donna showed me, that -- what did she call it? A shared memory. It was so familiar, so... comforting. Like it was home."
Jack smiled at him, and the fingers under his chin traced up to stroke his cheek. "Go. Have a good night with your family." He held onto the pommel for balance as he leaned down and pressed his lips against Ianto's cheek. The younger man felt his breath hitch in his chest, a whisper of stubble and a soft exhalation of breath against his skin. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said softly in his ear before pulling back upright. He clicked his tongue at Janet, gave Ianto a wink and led the horse off down the lane.
-----
Ianto was sorting through his things that night when there was a knock at the door. "It's open," he called out, turning the article of clothing in his hands this way and that as he debated taking it with him.
The door opened and his Mam smiled at him, holding a candle up for light. "Need any help?"
"I'm managing," Ianto reassured her, shoving his things over on his mattress so she could settle down.
She blew out the candle and set it on his bedside table beside the oil lamp. "What's really going on up there, Ianto?"
The young man took a deep breath, preparing to tell his mother the carefully constructed lie, but found himself telling her everything about his day, about Jack and Janet, the manic Doctor, Donna and Home-That-Was, his library memory. Halfway through his story she'd pushed the bags and clothing aside, and when Ianto finally fell silent he had his head in her lap, her fingers stroking through his hair like he was a child again.
"I always knew you were special, love," she finally said, chuckling when he looked up at her in curiosity. "When you were little, a touch older than the baby, you showed me just how remarkable you were. Do you remember that?"
Ianto shook his head, the movement shifting the fabric of her dress.
She smiled and bent down to kiss his forehead. "Let's see... Ross was just starting to get old enough to help out your Tad in the shop, and Victoria was still brand new." She began threading her fingers through his hair again, looking down at him with a fond look. "We were worried, your Tad and I, that with the new baby and Ross getting more attention that you'd feel lonely."
Ianto shook his head again. "I don't remember ever feeling lonely in this house -- wanting to," he joked, laughing at her laugh, "but never feeling lonely."
"Good." She smiled and continued to pet his hair. "You were such a serious baby, Ianto. Victoria and Ross, they laughed and cried and screamed, but you were always quiet, always watching everybody else. It only took you a few times watching me or your father doing something for you to pick it up."
He blushed a little and she leaned down to kiss his face again. "One day, I was using the loom and one of the strings broke." Both of them made identical faces at the thought -- it was hell going back to fix. "I took a break to feed your sister and let you alone. You liked studying things that were broken, figuring out how they ticked over. And when I came back, you had fixed the loom."
"I... I what?"
"You fixed it," she repeated, now scratching gently. "The string was back, like it hadn't even snapped at all. And I asked you what had happened, and you gave me one of your looks and said -- "
"You were sad, Mam," Ianto interrupted, words tumbling out of his mouth. "And I wanted to make you happy again. I remember that."
She smiled and nodded. "And then you laughed. First time I'd ever heard you laugh like that."
"That must have been my trigger," he said, mostly to himself but loud enough for her to hear. "What does that say?"
"It says everything about you," she replied, chuckling a little. "You're loyal and kind and would do anything to make those you love happy." She kissed him a third time. "You're my Ianto, and I'm going to miss you something fierce."
"I'm going to miss you too, Mam."
She smiled down at him before patting his side. "All right. Enough of that. We need to get you sorted."
"Mam..." Ianto swung himself upright. "Donna, she said I didn't have to go. So did Jack and the Doctor."
"Do you want to go?"
"No. Yes. Both."
She chuckled and patted his cheek. "You've got all night to think on it. But let's get you packed, just in case. Hmn?"
-----
Jack was in the family shop, hands folded behind his back as he admired the latest fashion displayed up in the window of Jones and Sons. He'd told Ianto's sister -- Victoria, if memory served -- that he was here, and waiting to whisk him away to a life of luxury up in Torchwood House.
There was a soft sound behind him, and he turned around. Ianto was standing in the doorway, looking like he hadn't slept much and wearing a very fine outfit. He felt his heart sink a little, remembering Ianto's opinion of his fine riding gear. "Well, Mr. Jones. Have you made your decision?"
"Yes, Jack." Ianto took a deep breath, then gave him a smile. "I'm ready to go."
Chapter Six: Saying Good-Bye
Date Written: 8/23/08
Rating: PG/K+
Word Count: 1,148
Fandom: Torchwood/Doctor Who
Characters/Pairings: slight Ianto/Jack, Ross (DW), Victoria (DW), OMC (Mr. Jones) OFC (Mama Jones), mentioned Doctor and Donna
Spoilers: Doctor Who up through Season 04
Warnings: AU like whoa
Author's Notes: Mama Jones helps with a mystery. Thanks to my beta, totally4ryo.
Previous chapters found here.
Book cover by cjharknessgirl
"I'm not coming with you. I've been thinking. I'm sorry. I'm going home."
"Really?"
"I've got to go."
"Well, if that's what you want. I mean, it's a bit soon. I had so many places I wanted to take you. The Fifteenth Broken Moon of the Medusa Cascade, the Lightning Skies of Cotter Palluni's World, the Diamond Coral Reefs of Kataa Flo Ko... Thank you. Thank you, Donna Noble. It's been brilliant. You saved my life, in so many ways. You are... You're just popping home for a visit, that's what you mean."
"You dumbo."
"Then you're coming back."
"Know what you are? A great big, outer-space dunce."
-- Donna Noble and The Doctor, The Sontaran Stratagem
Tad was pretty upset when Ianto got back to the shop closer to sunset, but Jack had come along and charmed the lot of them, all smiles and apologies and explanations. He gave them a very convincing lie -- that Torchwood House needed a full-time tailor and Ianto was just perfect for the job -- and his parents had been ecstatic at the idea. Their younger son was provided for, a secure position for life.
Ross had been fairly put out when Jack had said Ianto had to start immediately, the next day, but he'd hid it well. Not from his brother and Jack, but well enough.
Jack left that night and Ianto saw him off, helping him saddle up Janet and patting her nose affectionately as the other levered himself up to the saddle. "You know why we can't tell them the truth."
Ianto sighed, but he nodded. It hurt to lie to his parents, but the fewer people who knew what really went on at Torchwood House, the better. Doctor's orders.
"Hey." Jack reached down and fitted two fingers under Ianto's chin, raising his gaze. "You have a great family that truly loves you, but do you think they'll believe you?"
"I don't rightly believe it myself," he admitted.
"I hear a 'but' coming," Jack replied, smiling at him.
"But I can't deny what Donna showed me, that -- what did she call it? A shared memory. It was so familiar, so... comforting. Like it was home."
Jack smiled at him, and the fingers under his chin traced up to stroke his cheek. "Go. Have a good night with your family." He held onto the pommel for balance as he leaned down and pressed his lips against Ianto's cheek. The younger man felt his breath hitch in his chest, a whisper of stubble and a soft exhalation of breath against his skin. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said softly in his ear before pulling back upright. He clicked his tongue at Janet, gave Ianto a wink and led the horse off down the lane.
-----
Ianto was sorting through his things that night when there was a knock at the door. "It's open," he called out, turning the article of clothing in his hands this way and that as he debated taking it with him.
The door opened and his Mam smiled at him, holding a candle up for light. "Need any help?"
"I'm managing," Ianto reassured her, shoving his things over on his mattress so she could settle down.
She blew out the candle and set it on his bedside table beside the oil lamp. "What's really going on up there, Ianto?"
The young man took a deep breath, preparing to tell his mother the carefully constructed lie, but found himself telling her everything about his day, about Jack and Janet, the manic Doctor, Donna and Home-That-Was, his library memory. Halfway through his story she'd pushed the bags and clothing aside, and when Ianto finally fell silent he had his head in her lap, her fingers stroking through his hair like he was a child again.
"I always knew you were special, love," she finally said, chuckling when he looked up at her in curiosity. "When you were little, a touch older than the baby, you showed me just how remarkable you were. Do you remember that?"
Ianto shook his head, the movement shifting the fabric of her dress.
She smiled and bent down to kiss his forehead. "Let's see... Ross was just starting to get old enough to help out your Tad in the shop, and Victoria was still brand new." She began threading her fingers through his hair again, looking down at him with a fond look. "We were worried, your Tad and I, that with the new baby and Ross getting more attention that you'd feel lonely."
Ianto shook his head again. "I don't remember ever feeling lonely in this house -- wanting to," he joked, laughing at her laugh, "but never feeling lonely."
"Good." She smiled and continued to pet his hair. "You were such a serious baby, Ianto. Victoria and Ross, they laughed and cried and screamed, but you were always quiet, always watching everybody else. It only took you a few times watching me or your father doing something for you to pick it up."
He blushed a little and she leaned down to kiss his face again. "One day, I was using the loom and one of the strings broke." Both of them made identical faces at the thought -- it was hell going back to fix. "I took a break to feed your sister and let you alone. You liked studying things that were broken, figuring out how they ticked over. And when I came back, you had fixed the loom."
"I... I what?"
"You fixed it," she repeated, now scratching gently. "The string was back, like it hadn't even snapped at all. And I asked you what had happened, and you gave me one of your looks and said -- "
"You were sad, Mam," Ianto interrupted, words tumbling out of his mouth. "And I wanted to make you happy again. I remember that."
She smiled and nodded. "And then you laughed. First time I'd ever heard you laugh like that."
"That must have been my trigger," he said, mostly to himself but loud enough for her to hear. "What does that say?"
"It says everything about you," she replied, chuckling a little. "You're loyal and kind and would do anything to make those you love happy." She kissed him a third time. "You're my Ianto, and I'm going to miss you something fierce."
"I'm going to miss you too, Mam."
She smiled down at him before patting his side. "All right. Enough of that. We need to get you sorted."
"Mam..." Ianto swung himself upright. "Donna, she said I didn't have to go. So did Jack and the Doctor."
"Do you want to go?"
"No. Yes. Both."
She chuckled and patted his cheek. "You've got all night to think on it. But let's get you packed, just in case. Hmn?"
-----
Jack was in the family shop, hands folded behind his back as he admired the latest fashion displayed up in the window of Jones and Sons. He'd told Ianto's sister -- Victoria, if memory served -- that he was here, and waiting to whisk him away to a life of luxury up in Torchwood House.
There was a soft sound behind him, and he turned around. Ianto was standing in the doorway, looking like he hadn't slept much and wearing a very fine outfit. He felt his heart sink a little, remembering Ianto's opinion of his fine riding gear. "Well, Mr. Jones. Have you made your decision?"
"Yes, Jack." Ianto took a deep breath, then gave him a smile. "I'm ready to go."