Lives in Fast-Forward: Part V
Title: Lives in Fast-Forward
Series: All Our Yesterdays
Episode: 3 of 13
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: All TW series 1-3, and DW 1-4 (at minimum)
Summery: The new Torchwood three is just starting to get settled in when three seemingly unconnected students die in weird circumstances. Torchwood takes the case and finds the students seem to have been aged, but only on the inside. With a lack of connection between the victims and no clues Mickey, and Ianto are forced to do a more in depth investigation.
Previous Part
Ianto watched Jack discreetly as they picked up dinner and sat down to eat. The other man kept shooting surreptitious glances at him before going back to avoiding looking at him at all. He could see Jack fighting with himself over whether to tell him something. If Ianto had to guess he'd figure this was the event after his death that Martha had referred to. He felt a sense of dread, but he had to know. He would wait though, Jack would tell him.
Jack put his chopsticks down, "Ianto we need to talk."
Ianto nodded clearing up his food, "Go sit on the sofa. I'll be there in a minute," he instructed carefully. He moved to clean up Jack's food as the man got up to go out into the living room. Ianto used the time it took to put away the leftovers to prepare himself for the coming conversation. He firmly stopped his mind from coming up with a million possible 'what-ifs' each worse than the last. Time to face it, he thought going out into the living room and sitting next to Jack.
The older man sat arms resting on his thighs head down. He took a moment to collect his thoughts. Then started in a low voice, "After the Thames House incident I was arrested, but Gwen had succeeded in showing Johnson what was going on. I got Gwen sent back here, but now Johnson knew. She used her men to break me out and set me up with anything she thought I might need to stop the 456."
Ianto listened understanding Jack's belief in Johnson a lot more now. Even despite her military inclinations, she had acted against orders to do what she felt was right. Just like every one of Jack's recruits would. Johnson's departure from working for the government also made more sense.
"We found a signal that we could multiply and use to kill them but," here Jack paused swallowing thickly. Ianto reached out and took the other man's hand, squeezing it but not letting go. Jack looked up and seemed to take a bit of strength from Ianto. "We needed a way to focus the signal. We needed a child to focus the signal." Ianto felt horror building, but carefully kept it off his face. "S-Steven," he said the name as if it was painful, "my grandson,” Jack turned away and ran his hand over his face, “He was the only child there. It would kill him there was no question. I . . .” he swallowed, “I pushed the button to do it. To kill him. Right in front of his mother." Jack continued his eyes glassy. Ianto knew the man was not there with him. "He was scared and confused wondering why his mom was screaming at his 'Uncle Jack' and what was going on. Alice was begging me not to do it, Steven was there just staring at me. He asked me what was happening. He trusted me,” Jack’s voice cracked, “and I just did it. I killed him."
Ianto was reeling. He was angry and heartbroken at the same time. He felt like cursing the universe. Why? Why should Jack have to make that kind of decision? Hadn't the man done enough without having to kill his own grandson? Ianto tried to force a calm expression onto his face. His anger at the injustice of the situation wouldn’t help Jack right now. He needed to be calm. As much as he tried to not show anything on his face he could feel tears gathering in his eyes.
"Jack," he tried put his hand under Jack's chin lifting it up to meet his eyes, "Look at me Jack." He saw the man's eyes flicker then focus, finally back in the present. "You saved them. Millions of children and you saved them." Jack shook his head opening his mouth to argue, "No. There are so many out there that you protected. I'm sorry you had to make that call, that I wasn't there to help you, but you did what had to be done. It wasn't the right thing, but it was the only thing to do."
Jack's protests seemed to die. Ianto wasn't naive enough to think this was the end of it. Jack would be haunted by this for a long time, but it seemed that he had taken some of the edge off it for now. He pulled Jack into his arms sitting back and dragging the other man to lay against him. "I hate to say it, but I don't think you have much choice about being Cerys' 'Uncle'." Ianto tried to brighten the mood, "Think about it though, the family spats? Gwen finally pitted against someone as stubborn as she is."
Jack chuckled a little, "Those would be explosive. Cardiff doesn't stand a chance."
"Only Cardiff?" Ianto smiled glad he had managed to bring Jack's smile back out, "I'm thinking the whole world would be in danger."
"Yeah, probably," Jack agreed. "We can spoil the hell out of the girl."
Ianto smiled even more at the 'we'. He hadn't the faintest what to do with a kid, but he'd try. For Jack and for Gwen. "And then laugh when Gwen comes into yell at us about it."
Jack chucked a bit, "Yeah I can just see it now."
They fell into a comfortable silence, Ianto holding Jack on the couch, and for one, quiet, moment everything was alright.
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