They're not gonna get us [fic]
Title: They're not gonna get us
Author: shadowbyrd
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Torchwood/Dollhouse
Prompt: Jack returns for jantolution
Word Count: 1471
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Summary: Dashing as Jack, sometimes he needs a helping hand.
A/N: Title from the tATu song. Spoilers only for the premise of Dollhouse.
It has taken them a long time to come up with the plan, and it has taken them even longer to put into action. As Owen points out, several new, British employees turning up at the same time are likely to arouse a few suspicions within the Dollhouse. Especially if they’re expecting any retribution from Torchwood.
Owen goes in first. It’s difficult to arrange, and especially difficult to erase any trace of Torchwood from his past. But they manage to get his “talents” noticed by the right people, including DeWitt. When he’s hired as an additional medic, he scouts out the place, making sure not to do his job too well or too poorly. No need to get himself noticed further.
The second person has to follow a few months later. Both Gwen and Ianto are desperate to go and there’s a big argument over who’s going to accompany Owen and who’s going to remain with Toshiko to keep things ticking over back home. Gwen argues she’s the better field agent while Ianto argues he’s better at infiltration (and there’s a short, sad moment when they remember, again, that Jack isn’t there to make the obvious filthy joke).
The argument ends abruptly when Ianto (reluctantly) pulls the boyfriend card. Gwen swallows any further objections she has and instead helps him on making his CV bulkier and more desirable to DeWitt and the Dollhouse.
He and Owen don’t interact much on the clock, aside from eating together a few times. That doesn’t mean much as far as their co-workers are concerned, though; Owen has been making an effort to mingle under the pretence of “fraternising” and Ianto has heard Owen make a few well-rehearsed remarks about Ianto’s arse. A week after Ianto began one of the handlers - Juliet’s handler, as it happens - comes down with a mysterious illness, a day after he has lunch at the same table as Owen. While Owen and Saunders play House trying to work out what’s wrong with him, Ianto is instructed to take over his commission.
Ianto takes a moment to clear his head before going in. When he finally does, “his” doll is in the chair and Topher is sniggering in that stupid creepy little way he has.
“Gets me every time,” he tells Ianto. “Doesn’t look much like a “Juliet”, does he?”
Ianto swallows “No.”
Lying in the chair, in a pair of lounging pants and a t-shirt, comfortable but fitted enough to hint at his physique and bare feet Jack looks curiously vulnerable. But the look on his face of thinly veiled fear, eyes moving this way and that, desperately looking for someone to trust - it has Ianto’s heart twisting in his chest.
“I take it you’ve already been threatened to keep a close eye on him,” Topher says “He’s our top male doll, y’know. Good for dates, assassinations - everything. From what I hear he wasn’t all that different before he was brought here.”
He doesn’t seem to expect an answer, so Ianto happily doesn’t give any.
“Okay, I’m going to do a handler imprint. Just for while you’re filling in.” Topher hands him a sheet of paper and drags him to stand beside the chair. “Grab his hand and look deep into his eyes. You’re secure in your sexuality, right?” he adds with a nasty little smirk.
Ianto doesn’t say anything - just stares down at Jack staring blankly back up at him. Ianto doesn’t want to say the stupid script - he wants to grabs Jack’s hand, make him remember somehow, to shoot Topher in the head, and anyone else who gets in their and run.
He clears his throat and settles for taking Jack by the hand, thumb rubbing over Jack’s knuckles. Jack blinks, as though confused by the contact, but after a moment smiles up at him.
“Okay, baby, let’s do it!” says Topher, hitting a few buttons. Jack gasps and his fingers tighten around Ianto’s.
“Everything’s going to be alright.” Ianto tells him.
“Now that you’re here.” Jack reels off, looking every bit as mindless as he did before he sat down in the chair.
Ianto pauses, hoping to stall. It’s a small enough time window as it is and this isn’t the military - even Toshiko will have difficulty. “Do you trust me?”
Something dawns in Jack’s eyes, and he looks at Ianto almost like he’s looking at him for the first time. The corners of his mouth twitch up, making him look something like his old self. “With my life.” he murmurs. Ianto only just remembers himself.
“B-eauti-ful!” Topher sing-songs. “You guys really had me believing it. Just stay there, Juliet, I’ll have your treatment ready in a minute.” He turns to one of his monitors and frowns, double-taking.
Ianto, still holding Jack’s hand, feels his fingers tighten again. Ianto looks down at him, hoping against hope.
Jack just smiles at him and puts a finger to his lips, eyes flicking briefly in Topher’s direction.
They’ve done it. Jack is back.
Ianto drops Jack’s hand and steps back from the chair quickly. “Something wrong?” he asks, watching with quiet satisfaction as Topher stabs at his keyboard.
“No, I’ll er - I’ll have this up and running in a minute.” says Topher, turning his attention back to Jack. If he notices a change in Jack, or his vitals or brainwaves or whatever it is the dozen screens around him are monitoring, he doesn’t show it. Instead he busies himself with the cartridge, setting it in place behind the headrest.
Ianto watches anxiously. Toshiko’s been able to get in and out again alright, untraced if not undetected, but if the imprint succeeds, then it was all for nothing.
“What’s the imprint?” he asks casually.
Topher pauses in his ministrations to roll his eyes. “Haven’t you read your brief?”
“Haven’t had time.” says Ianto with a shrug.
“Bodyguard. Hot bodyguard, madly in love with our client.” says Topher “Because apparently our client has watched The Bodyguard one too may times. You really want to read up on the brief before coming in here. Makes things go a lot quicker.”
Ianto bites his tongue and concentrates on the creative insults Owen had for Topher last time he and Ianto had eaten together to keep from saying or doing something he’ll regret when he’s surrounded by guns and Jack’s being taken away to be wiped or put in the “attic”.
He tucks one hand into his pocket and crosses his fingers as Topher begins the imprint.
*
Jack changes in the lift, the attendants thankfully taking Ianto’s discomfort as natural heterosexual male discomfort, exchanging knowing smiles. They pack Jack into the back of a standard black van, along with the equipment that he needs for his engagement.
“Remember, he needs to be there for half eleven sharp,” One of them tells Ianto sternly “This is a second-time client, very wealthy. It would mean a lot if we could secure their patronage.”
Ianto nods as he climbs into the driving seat, careful not to show any disgust. He starts the engine, a little unnerved that they stay to see them off and drives away.
He glances in the mirror and gets a shock. Jack’s looking right back at him, Jack again. He starts moving his hands, British Sign Language not American; safe yet?
Ianto shakes his hands, makes a few clumsy, one-handed signs Got to disconnect. Keep quiet.
Jack nods and climbs quietly into the back while Ianto fiddles with van’s radio to find the travel news.
He manages to get them in the middle of bad traffic jam in the middle of the city and begins deactivating his com links. He turns to signal to Jack, but he’s already at the computer, synchronising with Toshiko to disconnect the camera feeds and sever all other links between the van and the Dollhouse.
They pull out of the traffic jam and into a supermarket car park. The red car is precisely where Owen left it, in a blind spot of the CCTV cameras. They then take the red car and drive. Ianto takes them to nearest airport in silence, Jack marvelling at the city that blurs past them. They find a parking space, well away from any security cameras.
“This is probably going to jinx us, but I’m past caring. Freedom!” Jack yells, throwing both arms up over his head.
Ianto laughs. “And you’re…y’know, you?”
Jack smiles. “I’d tell you how much I adore your beautiful Welsh vowels, but I think that line’s getting a little old.”
Ianto cracks and throws his arms around him, pulling him into a hug with a vice-like grip. Jack just laughs.
“Will I be getting this treatment from Owen and the girls?” he asks
Ianto snorts “I wouldn’t count on it. Now come on. Lots to do before we start celebrating.”
Author: shadowbyrd
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Torchwood/Dollhouse
Prompt: Jack returns for jantolution
Word Count: 1471
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Summary: Dashing as Jack, sometimes he needs a helping hand.
A/N: Title from the tATu song. Spoilers only for the premise of Dollhouse.
It has taken them a long time to come up with the plan, and it has taken them even longer to put into action. As Owen points out, several new, British employees turning up at the same time are likely to arouse a few suspicions within the Dollhouse. Especially if they’re expecting any retribution from Torchwood.
Owen goes in first. It’s difficult to arrange, and especially difficult to erase any trace of Torchwood from his past. But they manage to get his “talents” noticed by the right people, including DeWitt. When he’s hired as an additional medic, he scouts out the place, making sure not to do his job too well or too poorly. No need to get himself noticed further.
The second person has to follow a few months later. Both Gwen and Ianto are desperate to go and there’s a big argument over who’s going to accompany Owen and who’s going to remain with Toshiko to keep things ticking over back home. Gwen argues she’s the better field agent while Ianto argues he’s better at infiltration (and there’s a short, sad moment when they remember, again, that Jack isn’t there to make the obvious filthy joke).
The argument ends abruptly when Ianto (reluctantly) pulls the boyfriend card. Gwen swallows any further objections she has and instead helps him on making his CV bulkier and more desirable to DeWitt and the Dollhouse.
He and Owen don’t interact much on the clock, aside from eating together a few times. That doesn’t mean much as far as their co-workers are concerned, though; Owen has been making an effort to mingle under the pretence of “fraternising” and Ianto has heard Owen make a few well-rehearsed remarks about Ianto’s arse. A week after Ianto began one of the handlers - Juliet’s handler, as it happens - comes down with a mysterious illness, a day after he has lunch at the same table as Owen. While Owen and Saunders play House trying to work out what’s wrong with him, Ianto is instructed to take over his commission.
Ianto takes a moment to clear his head before going in. When he finally does, “his” doll is in the chair and Topher is sniggering in that stupid creepy little way he has.
“Gets me every time,” he tells Ianto. “Doesn’t look much like a “Juliet”, does he?”
Ianto swallows “No.”
Lying in the chair, in a pair of lounging pants and a t-shirt, comfortable but fitted enough to hint at his physique and bare feet Jack looks curiously vulnerable. But the look on his face of thinly veiled fear, eyes moving this way and that, desperately looking for someone to trust - it has Ianto’s heart twisting in his chest.
“I take it you’ve already been threatened to keep a close eye on him,” Topher says “He’s our top male doll, y’know. Good for dates, assassinations - everything. From what I hear he wasn’t all that different before he was brought here.”
He doesn’t seem to expect an answer, so Ianto happily doesn’t give any.
“Okay, I’m going to do a handler imprint. Just for while you’re filling in.” Topher hands him a sheet of paper and drags him to stand beside the chair. “Grab his hand and look deep into his eyes. You’re secure in your sexuality, right?” he adds with a nasty little smirk.
Ianto doesn’t say anything - just stares down at Jack staring blankly back up at him. Ianto doesn’t want to say the stupid script - he wants to grabs Jack’s hand, make him remember somehow, to shoot Topher in the head, and anyone else who gets in their and run.
He clears his throat and settles for taking Jack by the hand, thumb rubbing over Jack’s knuckles. Jack blinks, as though confused by the contact, but after a moment smiles up at him.
“Okay, baby, let’s do it!” says Topher, hitting a few buttons. Jack gasps and his fingers tighten around Ianto’s.
“Everything’s going to be alright.” Ianto tells him.
“Now that you’re here.” Jack reels off, looking every bit as mindless as he did before he sat down in the chair.
Ianto pauses, hoping to stall. It’s a small enough time window as it is and this isn’t the military - even Toshiko will have difficulty. “Do you trust me?”
Something dawns in Jack’s eyes, and he looks at Ianto almost like he’s looking at him for the first time. The corners of his mouth twitch up, making him look something like his old self. “With my life.” he murmurs. Ianto only just remembers himself.
“B-eauti-ful!” Topher sing-songs. “You guys really had me believing it. Just stay there, Juliet, I’ll have your treatment ready in a minute.” He turns to one of his monitors and frowns, double-taking.
Ianto, still holding Jack’s hand, feels his fingers tighten again. Ianto looks down at him, hoping against hope.
Jack just smiles at him and puts a finger to his lips, eyes flicking briefly in Topher’s direction.
They’ve done it. Jack is back.
Ianto drops Jack’s hand and steps back from the chair quickly. “Something wrong?” he asks, watching with quiet satisfaction as Topher stabs at his keyboard.
“No, I’ll er - I’ll have this up and running in a minute.” says Topher, turning his attention back to Jack. If he notices a change in Jack, or his vitals or brainwaves or whatever it is the dozen screens around him are monitoring, he doesn’t show it. Instead he busies himself with the cartridge, setting it in place behind the headrest.
Ianto watches anxiously. Toshiko’s been able to get in and out again alright, untraced if not undetected, but if the imprint succeeds, then it was all for nothing.
“What’s the imprint?” he asks casually.
Topher pauses in his ministrations to roll his eyes. “Haven’t you read your brief?”
“Haven’t had time.” says Ianto with a shrug.
“Bodyguard. Hot bodyguard, madly in love with our client.” says Topher “Because apparently our client has watched The Bodyguard one too may times. You really want to read up on the brief before coming in here. Makes things go a lot quicker.”
Ianto bites his tongue and concentrates on the creative insults Owen had for Topher last time he and Ianto had eaten together to keep from saying or doing something he’ll regret when he’s surrounded by guns and Jack’s being taken away to be wiped or put in the “attic”.
He tucks one hand into his pocket and crosses his fingers as Topher begins the imprint.
*
Jack changes in the lift, the attendants thankfully taking Ianto’s discomfort as natural heterosexual male discomfort, exchanging knowing smiles. They pack Jack into the back of a standard black van, along with the equipment that he needs for his engagement.
“Remember, he needs to be there for half eleven sharp,” One of them tells Ianto sternly “This is a second-time client, very wealthy. It would mean a lot if we could secure their patronage.”
Ianto nods as he climbs into the driving seat, careful not to show any disgust. He starts the engine, a little unnerved that they stay to see them off and drives away.
He glances in the mirror and gets a shock. Jack’s looking right back at him, Jack again. He starts moving his hands, British Sign Language not American; safe yet?
Ianto shakes his hands, makes a few clumsy, one-handed signs Got to disconnect. Keep quiet.
Jack nods and climbs quietly into the back while Ianto fiddles with van’s radio to find the travel news.
He manages to get them in the middle of bad traffic jam in the middle of the city and begins deactivating his com links. He turns to signal to Jack, but he’s already at the computer, synchronising with Toshiko to disconnect the camera feeds and sever all other links between the van and the Dollhouse.
They pull out of the traffic jam and into a supermarket car park. The red car is precisely where Owen left it, in a blind spot of the CCTV cameras. They then take the red car and drive. Ianto takes them to nearest airport in silence, Jack marvelling at the city that blurs past them. They find a parking space, well away from any security cameras.
“This is probably going to jinx us, but I’m past caring. Freedom!” Jack yells, throwing both arms up over his head.
Ianto laughs. “And you’re…y’know, you?”
Jack smiles. “I’d tell you how much I adore your beautiful Welsh vowels, but I think that line’s getting a little old.”
Ianto cracks and throws his arms around him, pulling him into a hug with a vice-like grip. Jack just laughs.
“Will I be getting this treatment from Owen and the girls?” he asks
Ianto snorts “I wouldn’t count on it. Now come on. Lots to do before we start celebrating.”