Fic: Light In the Dark
TITLE: Light in the Dark
AUTHOR: Erin Giles
DISCLAIMER: Torchwood and it's characters are property of the BBC.
RATING: PG-13
PAIRINGS/CHARACTERS: Ianto/Jack
WORDS: 1265
SUMMARY: I tried not to write something that was post-Cyberwoman and failed miserably. Extreme Angst. Ianto's searching for that light in the dark.
CHALLENGE: horizonssing Day 29: Nash Point Lighthouse
Ianto heard the lighthouse door slamming open. He didn’t jump. He’d seen the SUV approaching from over the hill, speeding towards the lighthouse, a dark figure jumping from the vehicle with urgency, coat flapping behind him. He could now make out the sound of boots stampeding up the stairs over the thundering rain. He didn’t move as he felt the presence of someone behind him, just blinked the rain from his eyes as the lighthouse circled round to illuminate the rocks again.
“Ianto?”
He felt a hand on his shoulder. He shuddered against the cold as the rain continued to soak through his suit jacket and felt the hand hesitate slightly in tightening it’s hold.
“How did you know I was here?” Ianto’s voice sounded broken even to his own ears.
“I had Tosh run a trace on your mobile.” Jack admitted as he pulled the collar up on his jacket slightly.
“Oh.” Ianto sighed, blinking again as he looked out to sea, watching stormy waves crashing against rocks.
“I know you want to be alone, but I was worried you would do something stupid.” Jack voiced his concerns his hand moving to massage the back of Ianto’s neck.
“I think if I was going to top myself Jack I would have just taken my gun home with me.” Ianto admitted rather coldly, causing a shiver to run down Jack’s spine that had nothing to do with the wet and windy night.
“Do you want me to go then?” Jack questioned, removing his hand from Ianto’s neck, but it was obvious he didn’t want to leave.
“No,” Ianto whispered, taking one last look out to sea as the lighthouse swung round again to illuminate deadly rocks before he turned to face Jack.
“I want to go home.”
Ianto looked exhausted beyond belief as he watched Jack through half lidded eyes. Jack couldn’t tell if Ianto was crying or not through the torrential rain, but Jack pulled him close, stepping back into the dry of the lighthouse.
Ianto was so cold and wet he was visibly shaking. Jack removed his greatcoat without a thought, wrapping it round Ianto and pulling him into his embrace, rubbing vigorously at his back.
“They just let us burn.” Ianto whispered, barely audible over the thunder and lightening outside. Jack’s grip tightened on Ianto as he continued to shake with the memory of it all. Jack didn’t know what to say, just continued to hold Ianto as he shook.
“Come on, lets get you out of these wet things.” Jack said after a pause. Ianto was reluctant though, like he wanted to be forever cold after the horror of Canary Wharf.
Ianto hesitated outside the SUV, glancing back briefly at the lighthouse again before Jack was bundling him into the car, retrieving a blanket from the boot that he wrapped round Ianto’s shoulders as well.
Jack got into the drivers seat, glancing across at Ianto who was still shivering, his arms wrapped around himself in what looked like an act of self preservation. Jack started the engine, pulling away from the lighthouse and back up the single track road.
“How did you get down here?” Jack questioned, his curiosity getting the better of him as he turned up the heat in the SUV. He watched as Ianto’s shaking hand reached out from underneath the blanket to turn the heat back down again.
“Bus and then I walked.” Ianto admitted through chattering teeth as he pressed the electric window button, letting the wind and the rain in through the tiny gap to batter his face relentlessly.
Jack pressed the button on his side of the car to put the window back up. Ianto’s hand reached out again to put the window back down and Jack slammed the breaks on.
“Ianto.” Jack stated, trying to keep the anger out of his voice.
“What?!” Ianto shouted, turning in his seat as he pressed his finger to the electric window button so it opened all the way, letting in the weather.
“What are you going to say to me that’s going to make everything all hunky dory?!” Ianto asked sarcastically, his finger still on the button so Jack couldn’t put the window back up. Ianto didn’t care though, he was opening the SUV door now, leaving the jacket and the blanket behind in the passenger seat as Jack remained silent, just staring after him.
“I didn’t think so.” Ianto shouted back in through the open window before he started tramping up the single track.
It took a moment for Jack to reanimate himself, throwing open his own door as he ran up the road after Ianto. He grabbed a hold of the young man’s arm pulling him round to face him. Jack didn’t notice the arm that swung round with him, fist connecting with Jack’s jaw so hard it floored him for the second time in as many days.
Jack just sat on his arse in the middle of the road in the puddle, looking up at Ianto through sheets of rain as he felt blood running down his chin. His tongue flicked out and licked his lip, waiting for Ianto to run off again, but he didn’t move, just stood staring at Jack.
“Feel better now you’ve hit me again?” Jack asked calmly.
“No.” Ianto admitted feebly. “It didn’t help the first time either.”
Jack continued to watch every conceivable emotion flit across Ianto’s face; guilt, anger, frustration, grief before they all crumpled into a look of despair.
Ianto sat down on the road with a thump, facing Jack in the rain.
“My Dad brought me here when I was a kid once. He told me lighthouses were symbolic of safety, that guiding light in the dark.” Ianto confessed as he sat staring at the lighthouse over Jack’s shoulder.
“But you’re out in the dark here, nothing for miles.” Jack observed, pulling himself slowly to his feet before reaching out a hand for Ianto. Ianto watched the hand dubiously for a moment, reluctant to take it. Ianto shook his head slightly, squinting up at Jack through the rain and the tears.
“Ianto, you can’t stay out here all night. You’ll catch your death as Gwen would say, and Owen will never let me here the end of it.”
“They don’t care. I mean why are you even here Jack?” Ianto asked, voice trying to sound like it was full of venom, but it just came out pitiful sounding.
“Why would Tosh help me find you? Why would Gwen beg me to go after you?” Jack questioned, bending down so he was as eyelevel with Ianto.
“Owen?” Ianto asked pathetically.
“Well he didn’t disagree, what do you want from him, undying love?” Jack asked, teasing now. Ianto took a moment before his hand was reaching out tentatively for Jack. Jack didn’t hesitate, pulling Ianto to his feet and ushering him back to the car.
When the doors were shut and Ianto was wrapped up in a blanket again, the heater on as they trundled back down the track to the main road Jack finally found his voice again.
“I forgive you, you know.” Jack uttered, stealing a glance at Ianto.
“No you don’t.” Ianto whispered, trying to hold back his sobs.
“Please don’t say that Jack.” Ianto sobbed, tears marring his vision, coughing now he was crying so hard. “Please don’t say you forgive me.”
Jack didn’t say anything more, just continued to drive as Ianto sobbed profusely, the lighthouse flashing every so often in the rear view mirror before it disappeared out of sight.
AUTHOR: Erin Giles
DISCLAIMER: Torchwood and it's characters are property of the BBC.
RATING: PG-13
PAIRINGS/CHARACTERS: Ianto/Jack
WORDS: 1265
SUMMARY: I tried not to write something that was post-Cyberwoman and failed miserably. Extreme Angst. Ianto's searching for that light in the dark.
CHALLENGE: horizonssing Day 29: Nash Point Lighthouse
Ianto heard the lighthouse door slamming open. He didn’t jump. He’d seen the SUV approaching from over the hill, speeding towards the lighthouse, a dark figure jumping from the vehicle with urgency, coat flapping behind him. He could now make out the sound of boots stampeding up the stairs over the thundering rain. He didn’t move as he felt the presence of someone behind him, just blinked the rain from his eyes as the lighthouse circled round to illuminate the rocks again.
“Ianto?”
He felt a hand on his shoulder. He shuddered against the cold as the rain continued to soak through his suit jacket and felt the hand hesitate slightly in tightening it’s hold.
“How did you know I was here?” Ianto’s voice sounded broken even to his own ears.
“I had Tosh run a trace on your mobile.” Jack admitted as he pulled the collar up on his jacket slightly.
“Oh.” Ianto sighed, blinking again as he looked out to sea, watching stormy waves crashing against rocks.
“I know you want to be alone, but I was worried you would do something stupid.” Jack voiced his concerns his hand moving to massage the back of Ianto’s neck.
“I think if I was going to top myself Jack I would have just taken my gun home with me.” Ianto admitted rather coldly, causing a shiver to run down Jack’s spine that had nothing to do with the wet and windy night.
“Do you want me to go then?” Jack questioned, removing his hand from Ianto’s neck, but it was obvious he didn’t want to leave.
“No,” Ianto whispered, taking one last look out to sea as the lighthouse swung round again to illuminate deadly rocks before he turned to face Jack.
“I want to go home.”
Ianto looked exhausted beyond belief as he watched Jack through half lidded eyes. Jack couldn’t tell if Ianto was crying or not through the torrential rain, but Jack pulled him close, stepping back into the dry of the lighthouse.
Ianto was so cold and wet he was visibly shaking. Jack removed his greatcoat without a thought, wrapping it round Ianto and pulling him into his embrace, rubbing vigorously at his back.
“They just let us burn.” Ianto whispered, barely audible over the thunder and lightening outside. Jack’s grip tightened on Ianto as he continued to shake with the memory of it all. Jack didn’t know what to say, just continued to hold Ianto as he shook.
“Come on, lets get you out of these wet things.” Jack said after a pause. Ianto was reluctant though, like he wanted to be forever cold after the horror of Canary Wharf.
Ianto hesitated outside the SUV, glancing back briefly at the lighthouse again before Jack was bundling him into the car, retrieving a blanket from the boot that he wrapped round Ianto’s shoulders as well.
Jack got into the drivers seat, glancing across at Ianto who was still shivering, his arms wrapped around himself in what looked like an act of self preservation. Jack started the engine, pulling away from the lighthouse and back up the single track road.
“How did you get down here?” Jack questioned, his curiosity getting the better of him as he turned up the heat in the SUV. He watched as Ianto’s shaking hand reached out from underneath the blanket to turn the heat back down again.
“Bus and then I walked.” Ianto admitted through chattering teeth as he pressed the electric window button, letting the wind and the rain in through the tiny gap to batter his face relentlessly.
Jack pressed the button on his side of the car to put the window back up. Ianto’s hand reached out again to put the window back down and Jack slammed the breaks on.
“Ianto.” Jack stated, trying to keep the anger out of his voice.
“What?!” Ianto shouted, turning in his seat as he pressed his finger to the electric window button so it opened all the way, letting in the weather.
“What are you going to say to me that’s going to make everything all hunky dory?!” Ianto asked sarcastically, his finger still on the button so Jack couldn’t put the window back up. Ianto didn’t care though, he was opening the SUV door now, leaving the jacket and the blanket behind in the passenger seat as Jack remained silent, just staring after him.
“I didn’t think so.” Ianto shouted back in through the open window before he started tramping up the single track.
It took a moment for Jack to reanimate himself, throwing open his own door as he ran up the road after Ianto. He grabbed a hold of the young man’s arm pulling him round to face him. Jack didn’t notice the arm that swung round with him, fist connecting with Jack’s jaw so hard it floored him for the second time in as many days.
Jack just sat on his arse in the middle of the road in the puddle, looking up at Ianto through sheets of rain as he felt blood running down his chin. His tongue flicked out and licked his lip, waiting for Ianto to run off again, but he didn’t move, just stood staring at Jack.
“Feel better now you’ve hit me again?” Jack asked calmly.
“No.” Ianto admitted feebly. “It didn’t help the first time either.”
Jack continued to watch every conceivable emotion flit across Ianto’s face; guilt, anger, frustration, grief before they all crumpled into a look of despair.
Ianto sat down on the road with a thump, facing Jack in the rain.
“My Dad brought me here when I was a kid once. He told me lighthouses were symbolic of safety, that guiding light in the dark.” Ianto confessed as he sat staring at the lighthouse over Jack’s shoulder.
“But you’re out in the dark here, nothing for miles.” Jack observed, pulling himself slowly to his feet before reaching out a hand for Ianto. Ianto watched the hand dubiously for a moment, reluctant to take it. Ianto shook his head slightly, squinting up at Jack through the rain and the tears.
“Ianto, you can’t stay out here all night. You’ll catch your death as Gwen would say, and Owen will never let me here the end of it.”
“They don’t care. I mean why are you even here Jack?” Ianto asked, voice trying to sound like it was full of venom, but it just came out pitiful sounding.
“Why would Tosh help me find you? Why would Gwen beg me to go after you?” Jack questioned, bending down so he was as eyelevel with Ianto.
“Owen?” Ianto asked pathetically.
“Well he didn’t disagree, what do you want from him, undying love?” Jack asked, teasing now. Ianto took a moment before his hand was reaching out tentatively for Jack. Jack didn’t hesitate, pulling Ianto to his feet and ushering him back to the car.
When the doors were shut and Ianto was wrapped up in a blanket again, the heater on as they trundled back down the track to the main road Jack finally found his voice again.
“I forgive you, you know.” Jack uttered, stealing a glance at Ianto.
“No you don’t.” Ianto whispered, trying to hold back his sobs.
“Please don’t say that Jack.” Ianto sobbed, tears marring his vision, coughing now he was crying so hard. “Please don’t say you forgive me.”
Jack didn’t say anything more, just continued to drive as Ianto sobbed profusely, the lighthouse flashing every so often in the rear view mirror before it disappeared out of sight.