Iantowood - The Boys from the Hub
Title: The Boys from the Hub - one shot. Part of my "Iantowood" AU.
Author:jovialien
Characters:
Ianto, Mickey, John
Ratings: 15 to be sure but not much really
Warnings: SPOILERS FOR COE. Sequel to What I've Done and The End is Where We Begin and AU from that Universe.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters (I'm way too "soft" to write for TV). I am not making any money from this. But new friends are always appreciated...
Summary: When Mickey Smith agrees to a quiet night out with Ianto and John he has no idea just what he is letting himself in for...
Authors Notes: This was going to be flashbacks within the next full "episode" of the Iantowood AU but it just didn't flow right and demanded a space all of its own. And who am I to refuse..?
Mickey Smith slipped up to fifth gear and leaned back a little in the driver's seat, enjoying the feel of the vehicle responding to his touch. It was just about ready, the extra features discreetly hidden on the dashboard and side panels, the back seat roomy with fold down consoles for the computer, the upholstery simple and inviting and under the bonnet...
Mickey grinned to himself and rested his arm on the edge of the window as he drove. He had to admit, he had done a good job converting the vehicle into something worthy of Torchwood, yet a little more discreet than their old one.
Not that his passenger would have noticed.
Glancing over, Mickey took in the sleeping form of Tom Milligan, Martha's long suffering husband, hunched up against the window, his mouth open as he snored quietly. A second honeymoon was badly needed for those two lovebirds, and Cardiff would hopefully do the trick.
Cardiff. Last time Mickey had been here for anything other than business had been to meet Rose, his heart racing as he clasped her passport tight, hoping for some sign that she was ready to come home to him. Instead, she was even more settled than ever, the shine in her eyes telling him he had lost her already. Lost to the Doctor.
He couldn't understand sometimes how Ianto could bear it, being surrounded by memories of Jack but having him so far away. To lose someone in that way... Definitely a good weekend to drag him out for a beer and see how he was doing. Because no one understood being left behind, or holding out hope with no word, no idea of whether the one they loved was okay, quite like Mickey Smith. Grinning to himself, he tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. Those days were long gone now though, he was footloose, fancy free and loving it, a different girl every night and all that.
When he wasn't staying on Sarah Jane's couch anyway. He really needed to do something about that. Maybe now he was fully legit, his “death” overwritten, debts repaid and back on the payroll he could get himself a little place by the river, a proper bachelor pad to chill in. Maybe he'd invite Ianto over for the weekend, take him out in a proper city for once.
On the other hand, a gay white guy didn't always make the best wingman, no matter how cute the ladies found him.
Shrugging to himself, Mickey tapped on the wheel. Blokes weekend then. Maybe a poker game. Maybe Tom could come too, the poor guy looked like he needed more fun in his life. Although, judging by the bag that Tish had slipped him to give to Martha, winking at him that it was “just some essentials”, it looked like Tom would be getting some fun this week at least.
A third guy might be fun though and avoid any “are you a couple” hesitation. Yeah, he'd have to ask Ianto who would be good to hit the town with, someone who could really handle their drink.
On looking back later, Mickey realised he had completely missed the glint in Ianto's eye when he said he knew just the man...
*********************************************************************************************
Mickey Smith watched as Captain John Hart chatted easily to the three young women, occasionally looking over his shoulder at his abandoned drinking companions and saying something that made the women smile at them in just the right way - or laugh. Shaking his head slightly, Mickey returned his attention to his drink, tapping the side of his pint and rubbing the condensation on the glass. “Okay, I give up. Where'd you find him then?”
“51st Century,” Ianto Jones answered simply.
“Ah.” Taking a deep gulp from the glass, Mickey watched Ianto do likewise. Ianto's usual smart suit was gone, replaced with a simple denim jacket that was slung over the back of the chair, black jeans and dark grey t shirt. A beaded necklace hugged his throat in that way that was fashionable with young men still. It was a bit too emo for Mickey's tastes though. He'd opted for classic blue jeans and a red t shirt telling anyone who looked to “keep calm and carry on”. He also had an almost matching one in Navy saying “now freak out and panic”, but he was saving that for work.
It was weird, drinking with Ianto again. They had barely been in the same city since Mickey returned to the planet - universe really - and had been restricted to catching up on phone calls. It had been too long a story to try and explain to the others that they had already met anyway, as the last time they had been under the same roof had been pretty traumatic for both of them.
Canary Wharf. Torchwood Tower. Whatever you called it, they had been lucky to get out alive.
“Nothing quite like the old Torchwood crew hitting the town, huh?” Mickey said with a laugh. “You remember that club Yvonne made us all go to, after that alien caused hallucinations there? She said we had to make sure it got back to normal so-”
“So she gave us each a hundred quid and told us to go spend it there and...” Ianto paused for a moment, grinning at the memory and slipping into a more than passable imitation of her voice. “'Go have a bloody good time and if anyone turns up here without a hangover tomorrow they will have me to answer to'.”
Laughing, Mickey grinned back and raised his glass in a toast. “To Yvonne. She may have ended up being crap at protecting the planet but she was a hell of a boss.”
“To Yvonne.” Ianto raised his glass in return and took another sip. “You never explained where you got the name Samuel from by the way.”
“Oh that,” Mickey waved his hand dismissively, “just random. Needed something to get past security with didn' I. Mickey Smith was never exactly what you'd call Torchwood material.”
“Oh I don't know,” Ianto pointed out, “I wasn't exactly a golden boy either. Before or during my time there.” Smiling slightly, Ianto leaned forward across the table. “You remember Cathy from accounts?”
“Cracking Cathy, who could for- No.” Mickey looked at Ianto disbelievingly as he just smiled smugly. “You never... You sly dog! I thought you were-” waving his wrist, Mickey tried to find the words before shrugging casually. “With Jack's team.”
“You think Jack would have turned down Cathy?”
“Hell no.” Inclining his head, as though inviting Mickey to connect the dots, Ianto simply stared. “Ahhh,” Mickey sighed in understanding, “playing both sides against the middle, nice one. What about Johnny boy,” he asked, pointing with his bottle to their missing friend, “he bat for both teams too?”
Shuddering, Ianto took another drink and shook his head a little. “I think with him it's more a question of what he won't do than what he will. Let's just say it's not just that he's a 'I wouldn't let him date my daughter' kind of guy, its more that I wouldn't even let him walk my dog.”
“Ouch.” Mickey looked round the bar and shook his head a little. “Man, this place is quiet. We should dump Captain cock and head somewhere with a bit more action, and maybe some better chicks. Or dudes,” he added hastily with a nod to Ianto.
“I'm not really-” Ianto broke off as John bounded back over, slamming his hands on the table with a satisfied expression.
“Right, those three little lovelies are gonna be about ready to pop in an hour or so, assuming I can keep the drinks flowing, so as this is a works outing thing and they are gonna be a lot,” turning, he waved at the redhead with a grin that promised a lot more than just a drink, “of work, hows about you lend me that credit card you've been hiding?”
With a small sigh, Ianto pulled a simple credit card out of his pocket and handed it to John. “You know the number, just remember to stop spending at some point.”
“Nice.” Stepping back, John leaned down and lowered his voice. “Just so you know, I get first pick and I'm going for the red head. You two can fight it out amongst yourselves for her friends. Or, if you're not in the mood, I suppose I can take them all off your hands-”
“Get lost, John,” Ianto snapped back quickly.
“Suit yourself! You're no fun any more.” Tutting to himself, John shook his head as he walked away from them, muttering under his breath. “How hard is it to organise a good old fashioned orgy in this town.”
“He is-” Mickey trailed off as he watched him go again, unable to figure out the word.
“Incorrigible?” Ianto suggested as they watched him return to the three young women, arms wrapping themselves around him from all angles.
Mickey snorted and raised an eyebrow at the sight. “I was gonna go with gifted, but that too. He really reminds me of-” Mickey broke off and looked down at his pint for a moment.
“Jack.”
Looking up again, Mickey nodded apologetically. “Sorry mate.” Waving it off, Ianto smiled softly.
“It's okay. I'm used to it by now.” He hesitated a moment, looking at Mickey seriously. “Can I ask you a personal question?”
Snorting into his glass, Mickey hastily put it down again, wiping his chin off as he grinned. “As long as it isn't an orgy invitation or the answer to what four people can get up to in a small wooden box, sure.”
Laughing, Ianto shook his head quickly. “No, no way. No it's... After that whole business with the planets, Jack told me about you and the blonde, your old girlfriend, Rose.”
“Ah.” Nodding in understanding, Mickey pursed his lips. “So what do you want to know? How to cope with someone who used to have space and time and now just has you? Or how to compete with a guy who's literally been there and done it all already?”
“It's not that.” Ianto took another sip of his drink and tried to look casual but failed miserably. “Jack said that she went missing for a year...”
“Oh that.” Mickey leaned back in his chair and looked around the room casually. “How do you cope with loving someone who isn't there, and who you don't know when or if they're coming back who might as well be dead?” At a nod, Mickey sucked in a deep breath. “Blimey mate, this was supposed to be a fun drink you know.”
“You don't have to-”
Mickey waved at him dismissively. “Nah, it's okay. It's just been a while since I've even thought 'bout it. Me and Rose, we were just kids. We've moved on from that. To be honest, I miss her mum as much as her now.” Ianto chuckled softly and Mickey quickly joined in. “Not like that. I mean, Jackie's fit for her age but she's like a mum to me too. I miss that. Sarah Jane's cool too though, and she don't make me pay for phone calls neither.”
Pausing for a moment, Mickey nodded once, steeling himself for the question at hand. “Wasn't always like that though. When Rose went off with the Doctor the first time she was gone for a whole year. No word, no idea if she was alive or dead, she just buggered off into the night with him. Was hard. On Jackie too, she lashed out a bit. Don't blame her.”
Ianto shifted in his seat and looked at his colleague. “How did you cope?”
“Well when I wasn't being questioned by the cops,” Mickey started counting things off on his fingers as he spoke, “or being yelled abuse at by Jackie's mates, plus the fun time a group of kids decided to try and 'beat up the killer', when I wasn't enjoying those highlights I was mostly just trying to get by. Keep looking for that bloody blue box, try to hold down a job and pretty much just trying to make a life without her in it.”
Mickey gave a wry smile and shrugged. “And then the instant she came back again I wondered why I even bothered as I dropped it all just on the off chance that she needed me.”
Ianto fidgeted slightly and fiddled with the strap on his watch, as though trying not to ask what was really on his mind. “Mickey, when she was gone, did you...” He was unsure how to ask, as despite their history he didn't really know Mickey well enough to be sure he wouldn't take offence. Instead, Ianto glanced over at John and the three young women, one of whom was now sitting on his lap whilst her friends laughed and egged her on. Following his gaze, Mickey smiled knowingly.
“Play the field?” Shifting, he looked down at his glass and frowned slightly. “Not at first. Took a long time before I even looked at anyone else, 'cause I knew she was alive and not dead in a ditch somewhere. And then, being the one everyone thought had done her in didn't exactly improve my pullin' power.” Looking around the bar, Mickey was lost in memory for a moment. “But yeah, eventually my mates took me out, got me well drunk and away I went.”
Taking a deep drink, Mickey returned his attention to Ianto. “Didn' mean nothing though, was just a one night stand. Was gonna tell her, but when she got back Rose didn't even come see me, I wasn't even on her list of people to tell she was alive and home again.” Laughing slightly bitterly, Mickey tried to push the memory aside but it still hurt, just a little. “And then she left again, with him. So next time I didn't wait, just went straight out and got back in the saddle. Still, took seeing her with him, and your Jack, again to really sink in though.”
Mickey snorted softly and leaned back in his chair, a wry grin on his face. “I ended up having to move to a parallel universe with no Rose Tyler in it to get over her. Exes eh?”
Ianto nodded in agreement and raised his glass in a toast. “To the ex.” Mickey raised his in return then frowned slightly.
“Hang on a sec, Cathy? Weren't you supposed to be seeing some bird from R and D? Louise?”
“Lisa.” Ianto was almost surprised that it didn't hurt to say her name, that the pain was just a dull ache now. He wondered at what point Jack's name wouldn't hurt either.
Or Steven's.
“That's it. She was fit, man, Lisa and Cathy, you are one jammy bastard! Was she...?” He broke off, not wanting to say the words but they both knew what he meant.
“Sort of.” Ianto hesitated then realised there really was no good way to say it. Instead he opted to get it all out at once, as matter of fact as possible, as though chatting about his plans for the week. “She was half converted, survived, I then managed to cannibalise a conversion chamber, get her back to Cardiff, persuade Jack to hire me, hid her in the basement and tried to find a cure until she got free, tried to convert us all, killed two people, got half eaten by a Pteradactyl, put her brain in a Pizza delivery girl, then was finally shot by the rest of the team.”
Mickey blinked slowly, taking it all in before frowning. “Damn Ianto, and I thought I had it bad!” Looking at his stunned expression, Ianto chuckled slightly before giving in and laughing. It was sort of funny, in a tragic way.
At their laughter Captain John looked over and whispered something to his new friends before rising to his feet and coming back over. “Finally, you two are starting to lighten up. This calls for a celebration! Waiter!” John yelled across the busy bar, only his generous tips keeping him from being ignored by the bar staff or chucked out by the bouncer. “Tequila, three glasses and leave the bottle!”
“Oh no,” Ianto began to object, shaking his head. “Not again, not after-”
“Come on Ianto, we'll go easy on you, won't we Mickey?” John slid back into his chair as the barman came over and slid an unopened bottle of tequila onto the table and began sorting out lemon and salt too. As the shot glasses were placed in front of them John looked round and beckoned to the three girls, enticing them over. “Actually mate, make it six glasses and we'll take a vodka too.” Handing over the company credit card, to a loud groan from Ianto, John placed his hands flat on the table and grinned. “Right, last man standing.”
With a resigned grin, Ianto quickly set them all up and raised an eyebrow to Mickey. “Welcome back to Torchwood Mickey Smith!”
***********************************************************************************
Mickey knew he had a head. He knew this, because it hurt too much to not still be attached to his body. His body wasn't in great shape either, his stomach clenching unpleasantly as he tried to move. His mouth tasted like he had something furry all over his tongue and he couldn't seem to move his limbs. Looked like Ianto had known what he was doing when he left them to it about 3am, saying something about lunch with Gwen. Mickey should have called it a night then but seemed to recall ordering a bottle of scotch instead...
He couldn't work out where he was, the bed unfamiliar and the room definitely not one he knew. Looking round, he smiled blearily at the sight of a tussled blonde head next to him in the bed and a vague memory returned of a drunken “your place or mine” conversation. Her place then. Okay, that made sense. Turning his head to the other side, he frowned as another head full of long hair appeared, this one brunette.
That was unexpected.
Not nearly as unexpected as the slender foot with painted red nails he suddenly spotted poking out from the sheet beyond the head.
But definitely not as unexpected as the head of Captain John Hart as he sat up straight at the other end of the bed. “Morning mate. You seen my gun anywhere?”
Mickey could feel his butt cheeks tensing reflexively and wondered just what exactly he had got up to the night before. With three lovely women to choose from it was unlikely John would have taken advantage of him, but still-
Nope, no pain, no stickiness and no memory. Just an old fashioned straight orgy then. At least, that was what Mickey was telling himself.
Groaning loudly, he pulled the covers up over his head and closed his eyes. Yep, he was definitely back in Torchwood's world now.
The End
Want to see what happens on Mickey's first full day? Click to read All Secrets Become Dark
Author:jovialien
Characters:
Ianto, Mickey, John
Ratings: 15 to be sure but not much really
Warnings: SPOILERS FOR COE. Sequel to What I've Done and The End is Where We Begin and AU from that Universe.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters (I'm way too "soft" to write for TV). I am not making any money from this. But new friends are always appreciated...
Summary: When Mickey Smith agrees to a quiet night out with Ianto and John he has no idea just what he is letting himself in for...
Authors Notes: This was going to be flashbacks within the next full "episode" of the Iantowood AU but it just didn't flow right and demanded a space all of its own. And who am I to refuse..?
Mickey Smith slipped up to fifth gear and leaned back a little in the driver's seat, enjoying the feel of the vehicle responding to his touch. It was just about ready, the extra features discreetly hidden on the dashboard and side panels, the back seat roomy with fold down consoles for the computer, the upholstery simple and inviting and under the bonnet...
Mickey grinned to himself and rested his arm on the edge of the window as he drove. He had to admit, he had done a good job converting the vehicle into something worthy of Torchwood, yet a little more discreet than their old one.
Not that his passenger would have noticed.
Glancing over, Mickey took in the sleeping form of Tom Milligan, Martha's long suffering husband, hunched up against the window, his mouth open as he snored quietly. A second honeymoon was badly needed for those two lovebirds, and Cardiff would hopefully do the trick.
Cardiff. Last time Mickey had been here for anything other than business had been to meet Rose, his heart racing as he clasped her passport tight, hoping for some sign that she was ready to come home to him. Instead, she was even more settled than ever, the shine in her eyes telling him he had lost her already. Lost to the Doctor.
He couldn't understand sometimes how Ianto could bear it, being surrounded by memories of Jack but having him so far away. To lose someone in that way... Definitely a good weekend to drag him out for a beer and see how he was doing. Because no one understood being left behind, or holding out hope with no word, no idea of whether the one they loved was okay, quite like Mickey Smith. Grinning to himself, he tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. Those days were long gone now though, he was footloose, fancy free and loving it, a different girl every night and all that.
When he wasn't staying on Sarah Jane's couch anyway. He really needed to do something about that. Maybe now he was fully legit, his “death” overwritten, debts repaid and back on the payroll he could get himself a little place by the river, a proper bachelor pad to chill in. Maybe he'd invite Ianto over for the weekend, take him out in a proper city for once.
On the other hand, a gay white guy didn't always make the best wingman, no matter how cute the ladies found him.
Shrugging to himself, Mickey tapped on the wheel. Blokes weekend then. Maybe a poker game. Maybe Tom could come too, the poor guy looked like he needed more fun in his life. Although, judging by the bag that Tish had slipped him to give to Martha, winking at him that it was “just some essentials”, it looked like Tom would be getting some fun this week at least.
A third guy might be fun though and avoid any “are you a couple” hesitation. Yeah, he'd have to ask Ianto who would be good to hit the town with, someone who could really handle their drink.
On looking back later, Mickey realised he had completely missed the glint in Ianto's eye when he said he knew just the man...
*********************************************************************************************
Mickey Smith watched as Captain John Hart chatted easily to the three young women, occasionally looking over his shoulder at his abandoned drinking companions and saying something that made the women smile at them in just the right way - or laugh. Shaking his head slightly, Mickey returned his attention to his drink, tapping the side of his pint and rubbing the condensation on the glass. “Okay, I give up. Where'd you find him then?”
“51st Century,” Ianto Jones answered simply.
“Ah.” Taking a deep gulp from the glass, Mickey watched Ianto do likewise. Ianto's usual smart suit was gone, replaced with a simple denim jacket that was slung over the back of the chair, black jeans and dark grey t shirt. A beaded necklace hugged his throat in that way that was fashionable with young men still. It was a bit too emo for Mickey's tastes though. He'd opted for classic blue jeans and a red t shirt telling anyone who looked to “keep calm and carry on”. He also had an almost matching one in Navy saying “now freak out and panic”, but he was saving that for work.
It was weird, drinking with Ianto again. They had barely been in the same city since Mickey returned to the planet - universe really - and had been restricted to catching up on phone calls. It had been too long a story to try and explain to the others that they had already met anyway, as the last time they had been under the same roof had been pretty traumatic for both of them.
Canary Wharf. Torchwood Tower. Whatever you called it, they had been lucky to get out alive.
“Nothing quite like the old Torchwood crew hitting the town, huh?” Mickey said with a laugh. “You remember that club Yvonne made us all go to, after that alien caused hallucinations there? She said we had to make sure it got back to normal so-”
“So she gave us each a hundred quid and told us to go spend it there and...” Ianto paused for a moment, grinning at the memory and slipping into a more than passable imitation of her voice. “'Go have a bloody good time and if anyone turns up here without a hangover tomorrow they will have me to answer to'.”
Laughing, Mickey grinned back and raised his glass in a toast. “To Yvonne. She may have ended up being crap at protecting the planet but she was a hell of a boss.”
“To Yvonne.” Ianto raised his glass in return and took another sip. “You never explained where you got the name Samuel from by the way.”
“Oh that,” Mickey waved his hand dismissively, “just random. Needed something to get past security with didn' I. Mickey Smith was never exactly what you'd call Torchwood material.”
“Oh I don't know,” Ianto pointed out, “I wasn't exactly a golden boy either. Before or during my time there.” Smiling slightly, Ianto leaned forward across the table. “You remember Cathy from accounts?”
“Cracking Cathy, who could for- No.” Mickey looked at Ianto disbelievingly as he just smiled smugly. “You never... You sly dog! I thought you were-” waving his wrist, Mickey tried to find the words before shrugging casually. “With Jack's team.”
“You think Jack would have turned down Cathy?”
“Hell no.” Inclining his head, as though inviting Mickey to connect the dots, Ianto simply stared. “Ahhh,” Mickey sighed in understanding, “playing both sides against the middle, nice one. What about Johnny boy,” he asked, pointing with his bottle to their missing friend, “he bat for both teams too?”
Shuddering, Ianto took another drink and shook his head a little. “I think with him it's more a question of what he won't do than what he will. Let's just say it's not just that he's a 'I wouldn't let him date my daughter' kind of guy, its more that I wouldn't even let him walk my dog.”
“Ouch.” Mickey looked round the bar and shook his head a little. “Man, this place is quiet. We should dump Captain cock and head somewhere with a bit more action, and maybe some better chicks. Or dudes,” he added hastily with a nod to Ianto.
“I'm not really-” Ianto broke off as John bounded back over, slamming his hands on the table with a satisfied expression.
“Right, those three little lovelies are gonna be about ready to pop in an hour or so, assuming I can keep the drinks flowing, so as this is a works outing thing and they are gonna be a lot,” turning, he waved at the redhead with a grin that promised a lot more than just a drink, “of work, hows about you lend me that credit card you've been hiding?”
With a small sigh, Ianto pulled a simple credit card out of his pocket and handed it to John. “You know the number, just remember to stop spending at some point.”
“Nice.” Stepping back, John leaned down and lowered his voice. “Just so you know, I get first pick and I'm going for the red head. You two can fight it out amongst yourselves for her friends. Or, if you're not in the mood, I suppose I can take them all off your hands-”
“Get lost, John,” Ianto snapped back quickly.
“Suit yourself! You're no fun any more.” Tutting to himself, John shook his head as he walked away from them, muttering under his breath. “How hard is it to organise a good old fashioned orgy in this town.”
“He is-” Mickey trailed off as he watched him go again, unable to figure out the word.
“Incorrigible?” Ianto suggested as they watched him return to the three young women, arms wrapping themselves around him from all angles.
Mickey snorted and raised an eyebrow at the sight. “I was gonna go with gifted, but that too. He really reminds me of-” Mickey broke off and looked down at his pint for a moment.
“Jack.”
Looking up again, Mickey nodded apologetically. “Sorry mate.” Waving it off, Ianto smiled softly.
“It's okay. I'm used to it by now.” He hesitated a moment, looking at Mickey seriously. “Can I ask you a personal question?”
Snorting into his glass, Mickey hastily put it down again, wiping his chin off as he grinned. “As long as it isn't an orgy invitation or the answer to what four people can get up to in a small wooden box, sure.”
Laughing, Ianto shook his head quickly. “No, no way. No it's... After that whole business with the planets, Jack told me about you and the blonde, your old girlfriend, Rose.”
“Ah.” Nodding in understanding, Mickey pursed his lips. “So what do you want to know? How to cope with someone who used to have space and time and now just has you? Or how to compete with a guy who's literally been there and done it all already?”
“It's not that.” Ianto took another sip of his drink and tried to look casual but failed miserably. “Jack said that she went missing for a year...”
“Oh that.” Mickey leaned back in his chair and looked around the room casually. “How do you cope with loving someone who isn't there, and who you don't know when or if they're coming back who might as well be dead?” At a nod, Mickey sucked in a deep breath. “Blimey mate, this was supposed to be a fun drink you know.”
“You don't have to-”
Mickey waved at him dismissively. “Nah, it's okay. It's just been a while since I've even thought 'bout it. Me and Rose, we were just kids. We've moved on from that. To be honest, I miss her mum as much as her now.” Ianto chuckled softly and Mickey quickly joined in. “Not like that. I mean, Jackie's fit for her age but she's like a mum to me too. I miss that. Sarah Jane's cool too though, and she don't make me pay for phone calls neither.”
Pausing for a moment, Mickey nodded once, steeling himself for the question at hand. “Wasn't always like that though. When Rose went off with the Doctor the first time she was gone for a whole year. No word, no idea if she was alive or dead, she just buggered off into the night with him. Was hard. On Jackie too, she lashed out a bit. Don't blame her.”
Ianto shifted in his seat and looked at his colleague. “How did you cope?”
“Well when I wasn't being questioned by the cops,” Mickey started counting things off on his fingers as he spoke, “or being yelled abuse at by Jackie's mates, plus the fun time a group of kids decided to try and 'beat up the killer', when I wasn't enjoying those highlights I was mostly just trying to get by. Keep looking for that bloody blue box, try to hold down a job and pretty much just trying to make a life without her in it.”
Mickey gave a wry smile and shrugged. “And then the instant she came back again I wondered why I even bothered as I dropped it all just on the off chance that she needed me.”
Ianto fidgeted slightly and fiddled with the strap on his watch, as though trying not to ask what was really on his mind. “Mickey, when she was gone, did you...” He was unsure how to ask, as despite their history he didn't really know Mickey well enough to be sure he wouldn't take offence. Instead, Ianto glanced over at John and the three young women, one of whom was now sitting on his lap whilst her friends laughed and egged her on. Following his gaze, Mickey smiled knowingly.
“Play the field?” Shifting, he looked down at his glass and frowned slightly. “Not at first. Took a long time before I even looked at anyone else, 'cause I knew she was alive and not dead in a ditch somewhere. And then, being the one everyone thought had done her in didn't exactly improve my pullin' power.” Looking around the bar, Mickey was lost in memory for a moment. “But yeah, eventually my mates took me out, got me well drunk and away I went.”
Taking a deep drink, Mickey returned his attention to Ianto. “Didn' mean nothing though, was just a one night stand. Was gonna tell her, but when she got back Rose didn't even come see me, I wasn't even on her list of people to tell she was alive and home again.” Laughing slightly bitterly, Mickey tried to push the memory aside but it still hurt, just a little. “And then she left again, with him. So next time I didn't wait, just went straight out and got back in the saddle. Still, took seeing her with him, and your Jack, again to really sink in though.”
Mickey snorted softly and leaned back in his chair, a wry grin on his face. “I ended up having to move to a parallel universe with no Rose Tyler in it to get over her. Exes eh?”
Ianto nodded in agreement and raised his glass in a toast. “To the ex.” Mickey raised his in return then frowned slightly.
“Hang on a sec, Cathy? Weren't you supposed to be seeing some bird from R and D? Louise?”
“Lisa.” Ianto was almost surprised that it didn't hurt to say her name, that the pain was just a dull ache now. He wondered at what point Jack's name wouldn't hurt either.
Or Steven's.
“That's it. She was fit, man, Lisa and Cathy, you are one jammy bastard! Was she...?” He broke off, not wanting to say the words but they both knew what he meant.
“Sort of.” Ianto hesitated then realised there really was no good way to say it. Instead he opted to get it all out at once, as matter of fact as possible, as though chatting about his plans for the week. “She was half converted, survived, I then managed to cannibalise a conversion chamber, get her back to Cardiff, persuade Jack to hire me, hid her in the basement and tried to find a cure until she got free, tried to convert us all, killed two people, got half eaten by a Pteradactyl, put her brain in a Pizza delivery girl, then was finally shot by the rest of the team.”
Mickey blinked slowly, taking it all in before frowning. “Damn Ianto, and I thought I had it bad!” Looking at his stunned expression, Ianto chuckled slightly before giving in and laughing. It was sort of funny, in a tragic way.
At their laughter Captain John looked over and whispered something to his new friends before rising to his feet and coming back over. “Finally, you two are starting to lighten up. This calls for a celebration! Waiter!” John yelled across the busy bar, only his generous tips keeping him from being ignored by the bar staff or chucked out by the bouncer. “Tequila, three glasses and leave the bottle!”
“Oh no,” Ianto began to object, shaking his head. “Not again, not after-”
“Come on Ianto, we'll go easy on you, won't we Mickey?” John slid back into his chair as the barman came over and slid an unopened bottle of tequila onto the table and began sorting out lemon and salt too. As the shot glasses were placed in front of them John looked round and beckoned to the three girls, enticing them over. “Actually mate, make it six glasses and we'll take a vodka too.” Handing over the company credit card, to a loud groan from Ianto, John placed his hands flat on the table and grinned. “Right, last man standing.”
With a resigned grin, Ianto quickly set them all up and raised an eyebrow to Mickey. “Welcome back to Torchwood Mickey Smith!”
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Mickey knew he had a head. He knew this, because it hurt too much to not still be attached to his body. His body wasn't in great shape either, his stomach clenching unpleasantly as he tried to move. His mouth tasted like he had something furry all over his tongue and he couldn't seem to move his limbs. Looked like Ianto had known what he was doing when he left them to it about 3am, saying something about lunch with Gwen. Mickey should have called it a night then but seemed to recall ordering a bottle of scotch instead...
He couldn't work out where he was, the bed unfamiliar and the room definitely not one he knew. Looking round, he smiled blearily at the sight of a tussled blonde head next to him in the bed and a vague memory returned of a drunken “your place or mine” conversation. Her place then. Okay, that made sense. Turning his head to the other side, he frowned as another head full of long hair appeared, this one brunette.
That was unexpected.
Not nearly as unexpected as the slender foot with painted red nails he suddenly spotted poking out from the sheet beyond the head.
But definitely not as unexpected as the head of Captain John Hart as he sat up straight at the other end of the bed. “Morning mate. You seen my gun anywhere?”
Mickey could feel his butt cheeks tensing reflexively and wondered just what exactly he had got up to the night before. With three lovely women to choose from it was unlikely John would have taken advantage of him, but still-
Nope, no pain, no stickiness and no memory. Just an old fashioned straight orgy then. At least, that was what Mickey was telling himself.
Groaning loudly, he pulled the covers up over his head and closed his eyes. Yep, he was definitely back in Torchwood's world now.
The End
Want to see what happens on Mickey's first full day? Click to read All Secrets Become Dark