Fic: Hanging onto Reaility
Title: Hanging onto Reality
Characters: Jack & Ianto (Jack/Ianto implied)
Rating: oh geez, I hate these things erm PG I think
Disclaimer: Not mine. Torchwood belongs to RTD & the BBC
Spoilers: Doctor Who: Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords
Note: I know loads of people have written h/c about Jacks return but this is my little brainwave.
Date Written: 20.12.2007
~*~
Ianto sighed as he closed the last filing cabinet. He rubbed his eyes and looked at his watch. He blinked in surprise. It was late even by Torchwood standards; everyone would have gone home and Jack… Jack would be wherever he needed to be. He made his way back through the Archives and to the main Hub, cursing Owen Harper as he went. Ianto had one afternoon off to go to the dentist and in that short period of time the doctor had managed to send the Archives in such a state of disarray that it was nigh on impossible.
Of course he had confronted Owen about it, saying why on earth had he even needed to go down to the Archives anyway since all he would need would be on his computer. Owens retort had been that Tosh had cocked up the system which caused her to cry indignantly saying that she had not! This led to a full blown row and Ianto quickly made his way back to the safety of the Archives as Jack came to his office door shouting over their voices to shut the hell up.
Ianto stepped into the Hub blinking as his eyes adjusted to the dim light. He brushed off the dust off his jacket and was about to leave when dirty mugs and empty pizza boxes caught his eye. He contemplated leaving them till morning but reasoned with himself that it would just mean more work then. Ianto scooped the pizza boxes up and dumped them in a black bin bag. He then made the rounds to each desk and picked up the mugs. He was on his way to the kitchenette when a piercing shriek filled the air. Ianto jumped almost dropping the mugs, and spun round, seeing if he could see the source of the noise. Ianto placed the mugs on the coffee table and reached for the gun in his holster. The sound came again, such an inhuman cry, causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end. It sounded as if it came from Jacks’ office, which was strange. There were no lights on and Ianto had thought that the Hub was deserted. He walked slowly towards the office, gun out in front of him.
Ianto hesitated at the doorway but then shook himself and pushed the door open slowly. He moved towards the desk and switched the lamp on, the light casting strange shadows on the walls. Ianto glanced around and saw the manhole cover to Jacks quarters open. Ianto considered leaving, if some creature had come through the Rift then Jack might be in danger but it was an invasion of Jacks privacy. Before he and Jack had been, well it was hard to understand what they had had but since Jack had returned he was even more unpredictable. He still kept up the bravado, the flirting and the jokes but there was a new shadow in his eyes. Jack was distant, not just to Ianto but to everyone. When Jack had returned he’d said he wanted the team to be just that, a team, and they had but Ianto felt that Jack was still on the outside looking in.
Ianto’s mind was made up for him as another scream echoed around him. Ianto took a deep breath, holstered his gun and quickly climbed down the ladder to Jacks quarters. Ianto turned and made his way to Jacks room, following the sounds of a man in pain. Ianto stepped into the room lit by an unseen light, he took in the sight before him. Jack was curled up in a tight ball on his bed, clutching his head in his hands.The white sheet was crumpled at the foot of the bed whilst the pillows were on the floor. Jack was naked save a pair of boxers, his skin was pale and his hair was sticking up at odd angles as if he had been electrocuted.
“Sir?” Ianto spoke softly as he moved further into the small room.
Jack yelped and turned sharply to one side, “Psychotic Bastard,” he spat the words out with venom.
Ianto reached out a hand on Jacks shoulder and found him sticky with sweat, “Jack, it’s me. It’s Ianto.”
Jack shrank away from Ianto’s touch and began muttering under his breath. Ianto knelt on the bed as he strained to catch the words. “Ianto…Don’t you dare hurt him… Don’t you dare hurt them… I’ll break your neck…” Jack screamed, his back arched, clutching his head.
Ianto grabbed Jack by the shoulders and wrapped his arms around his shaking form. “Jack wake up!” Ianto felt Jack jolt in his arms, he was still for a moment before he frantically tried to push Ianto away.
Ianto let go reluctantly and sat back. Jack sat bolt upright, breathing heavily. Ianto watched as his eyes darted around the room, searching for an unknown enemy.
“Jack it’s all right,” Ianto tried to keep his voice steady but the sight of Jack so on edge made him nervous, “You’re in the Hub, safe.” Jacks blue eyes finally focussed on him, Ianto blinked in surprise at how wide and dilated his pupils were. “It was just a dream, a nightmare.”
Jack shook his head, “Not a dream Ianto…” Jack swallowed, “A memory.”
They looked at each other in silence. Ianto looked away first, “I’ll leave you in peace sir.” Ianto turned and pushed him self off the bed. He stopped as Jack caught his hand.
“No!”
Ianto looked at Jacks hand in his, he raised his gaze to meet Jacks’. Jack let go of his hand quickly and looked away, “I mean… Stay with me… Please.”
Ianto smiled warmly down at Jack, “Of course sir.” Ianto said as he shrugged off his jacket and placed it on the back of a chair in the corner. “But I warn you sir, if this is all an elaborate scheme to get me in bed you’ll be in trouble.” Ianto was pleased to hear Jack chuckle softly as he sat on the edge of the bed and removed his shoes.
Ianto lay on his back and placed his arms behind his head. Jack slowly moved closer and lay his head on Ianto’s chest. Ianto wrapped his arms around him as Jack grasped at Ianto’s shirt weakly.
Ianto stared at the dark ceiling wondering what it all meant. A memory… so many theories and possibilities flew round his mind. Jack had never told them anything about what had happened when he had gone away, his only answer to the teams numerous questions was that he’d got his questions answered and he was back which was all that mattered. Jack had sounded as if he was in so much pain, Psychotic Bastard, maybe someone had been hurting him. Ianto turned the information over in his mind, Don’t you dare hurt him… Don’t you dare hurt them, he blinked as things clicked in his mind, perhaps Jack had been protecting them.
Ianto failed to stifle a yawn as he played with Jacks hair. He doubted that he was asleep, with dreams that caused him so much pain Ianto wasn’t surprised that he spent all his time working.
Jack stirred in his arms, he looked up at Ianto, eyes bright. “Get some sleep Ianto.”
Ianto smiled down at him. “I will if you will.”
“I’ll try,” Jack said quietly as he lent on Ianto’s chest.
Ianto didn’t know how long he lay there with Jack in his arms before sleep took him. As he was on the edge of sleep he thought he heard Jacks voice whisper to him but in the morning he couldn’t tell if it was a dream or reality.
“Thank you…”