'You Can't Be Here' (WIP) 3
Title: You Can't Be Here
Author: Time Phobia
Rating: PG
Characters: (this section: Jack, Ianto, OC)
Pairings: (series: Jack/Ianto)
Summary: Jack's calling a favor in. Can he find out the truth behind his haunting?
Timing: Post-CoE
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or make a profit. They are owned, for the most part, by RTD and BBC.
Warning: Mentions of cannon character death. Don't worry. Death is only a beginning.
Author's Note (for series): I've got a long detailed spoiler-rific post here
Author's Note (for series) 2: I'm excited that people are excited to get the next pieces, and decided to maintain a steady posting sched of Sunday, Tuesday, and Thrusday.
Doctor Mys finished placing the leg restraints on Jack before moving back to his work station. “You are taking this serious. Not even a joke about bondage for me?”
“Really not in the mood,” Jack replied.
“I’ve got a few remarks.”
“Yes, serious then.” Dr. Mys started typing. “Ah, everything initially looks normal. This is good. I have not used this much on humans though. I cannot remember if the process is painful. Typically it is not. Has he said anything lately?”
“Just a few seconds ago.”
“But not this instant.”
“No.”
“Good. Now, I’m trying to establish a baseline, but I don’t have one before this condition, Jack. You don’t happen to have any brain scans of yourself, do you?”
“In the wrist-strap on the floor.”
Dr. Mys hurried over to the pile. “Ah, you were a Time Agent.”
“That a problem?”
“No,” Dr. Mys replied. “But if the agency were still running, and then this probably would have alerted them to a problem.”
Jack grinned and said, “Unless, you know, something had happened to the connection with the agency.”
Dr. Mys laughed. “Tinkering with your technology?”
“Had to get them off my back somehow.”
Dr. Mys nodded and then worked on retrieving the data. “There they are. They’re a little old, but you never change, Jack. I see no problem in using them. I have enough background for a baseline. I want you to try speaking to it.”
“Okay,” Jack said with a sigh. He focused his gaze on the doorway. Here comes my ticket to crazytown.
“I told you, I’m here. You’re sane.”
“Not comforting if you’re reading my thoughts.”
“I told you before--”
“That I don’t need to communicate out-loud,” Jack said, attempting to shrug despite his restricted movement range. “Feels better this way.”
“Does it sound like it’s in the room with us? Or in your ear?” Dr. Mys interrupted.
Jack thought for a moment. “In the room.”
“Because I am here.”
“So you keep saying,” Jack answered.
“You want me to be in your head.”
Jack admitted sadly, “Considering the alternative.”
“That I’m telling you the truth?”
“Yes.”
“Jack, what’s happening isn’t your fault. You know who’s to blame.”
“Still not winning any points by putting the blame there.”
“Because you do it too often yourself.”
“Again, stay out of my thoughts.”
“I have trouble telling the difference between your thoughts and your voice. It’s the same to me. It’s all in whether or not your mouth moves.”
Jack raised an eyebrow. “You can see me?”
“Of course I can,” the voice said as if the notion he couldn’t was foolish. After a pause, he asked, “Wait. Can’t you see me?”
“No.”
“That would explain the little problems we’ve been having. I thought you just wouldn’t look at me.”
Jack frowned. “Why wouldn’t I want to?”
The voice paused again and when he spoke, Jack could hear a tiny waiver. “I thought it might be too hard for you, considering what happened.”
“Is there a way to make it so I can see you?” Jack asked. His eyes kept scanning back and forth in the area in front of him, but he didn’t see anyone there.
“I’m on your left. No, sorry, your right.”
Jack glanced in the direction. “I still can’t see you.”
“I came to you because you were dreaming of me. Try closing your eyes and thinking about what I look like.”
“And that’s supposed to convince me you aren’t in my head?”
“Mys’s machines will tell you that.”
“What is it telling you to do, Jack?” Dr. Mys asked.
“He wants me to picture him,” Jack replied. “He thinks I’ll be able to see him if I do.”
“I suggest following his advice.”
Jack nodded. He closed his eyes and let out a long, deep breath. For the first time in a long time, he allowed himself to concentrate on what Ianto had looked like. His blue eyes, brown hair. His smile. The black suit pants and merlot-colored shirt that he’d like best. The black tie and the throat above that. Jack’s memory flew back to how Ianto smelled after a shower.
“Try seeing me now.”
Slowly, unwillingly, Jack opened his eyes. Next to him was a man wearing a merlot-colored shirt and a black tie. Taking a deep breath, Jack glanced up and saw Ianto smiling down at him. “This isn’t possible,” Jack whispered. “You died, Ianto. In my arms. You can't be here. You're dead.”
“Still not really with the living,” Ianto said. His mouth moved as he talked. His eyes had a glimmer of merriment that seemed out of place.
“You’re happy,” Jack said with a frown.
“Shouldn’t I be?”
Jack glanced over at Dr. Mys. “Do you have enough yet? Can you tell me?”
Dr. Mys crossed the room slowly over to Jack. “I can.”
When the doctor didn’t say right away, Jack demanded, “Well?”
“Your brain is the picture of health, Jack,” Dr. Mys said. He placed a hand on Jack’s left wrist. “You aren’t imagining him. I cannot confirm for you that this voice, this entity, is actually your dead lover. But I can tell you this, it is real.”
“I tried to tell you that,” Ianto whispered mournfully.
Jack laid his head back against the headrest and stared at the ceiling, willing his heart not to break again.
Onto Part 4
Author: Time Phobia
Rating: PG
Characters: (this section: Jack, Ianto, OC)
Pairings: (series: Jack/Ianto)
Summary: Jack's calling a favor in. Can he find out the truth behind his haunting?
Timing: Post-CoE
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or make a profit. They are owned, for the most part, by RTD and BBC.
Warning: Mentions of cannon character death. Don't worry. Death is only a beginning.
Author's Note (for series): I've got a long detailed spoiler-rific post here
Author's Note (for series) 2: I'm excited that people are excited to get the next pieces, and decided to maintain a steady posting sched of Sunday, Tuesday, and Thrusday.
Doctor Mys finished placing the leg restraints on Jack before moving back to his work station. “You are taking this serious. Not even a joke about bondage for me?”
“Really not in the mood,” Jack replied.
“I’ve got a few remarks.”
“Yes, serious then.” Dr. Mys started typing. “Ah, everything initially looks normal. This is good. I have not used this much on humans though. I cannot remember if the process is painful. Typically it is not. Has he said anything lately?”
“Just a few seconds ago.”
“But not this instant.”
“No.”
“Good. Now, I’m trying to establish a baseline, but I don’t have one before this condition, Jack. You don’t happen to have any brain scans of yourself, do you?”
“In the wrist-strap on the floor.”
Dr. Mys hurried over to the pile. “Ah, you were a Time Agent.”
“That a problem?”
“No,” Dr. Mys replied. “But if the agency were still running, and then this probably would have alerted them to a problem.”
Jack grinned and said, “Unless, you know, something had happened to the connection with the agency.”
Dr. Mys laughed. “Tinkering with your technology?”
“Had to get them off my back somehow.”
Dr. Mys nodded and then worked on retrieving the data. “There they are. They’re a little old, but you never change, Jack. I see no problem in using them. I have enough background for a baseline. I want you to try speaking to it.”
“Okay,” Jack said with a sigh. He focused his gaze on the doorway. Here comes my ticket to crazytown.
“I told you, I’m here. You’re sane.”
“Not comforting if you’re reading my thoughts.”
“I told you before--”
“That I don’t need to communicate out-loud,” Jack said, attempting to shrug despite his restricted movement range. “Feels better this way.”
“Does it sound like it’s in the room with us? Or in your ear?” Dr. Mys interrupted.
Jack thought for a moment. “In the room.”
“Because I am here.”
“So you keep saying,” Jack answered.
“You want me to be in your head.”
Jack admitted sadly, “Considering the alternative.”
“That I’m telling you the truth?”
“Yes.”
“Jack, what’s happening isn’t your fault. You know who’s to blame.”
“Still not winning any points by putting the blame there.”
“Because you do it too often yourself.”
“Again, stay out of my thoughts.”
“I have trouble telling the difference between your thoughts and your voice. It’s the same to me. It’s all in whether or not your mouth moves.”
Jack raised an eyebrow. “You can see me?”
“Of course I can,” the voice said as if the notion he couldn’t was foolish. After a pause, he asked, “Wait. Can’t you see me?”
“No.”
“That would explain the little problems we’ve been having. I thought you just wouldn’t look at me.”
Jack frowned. “Why wouldn’t I want to?”
The voice paused again and when he spoke, Jack could hear a tiny waiver. “I thought it might be too hard for you, considering what happened.”
“Is there a way to make it so I can see you?” Jack asked. His eyes kept scanning back and forth in the area in front of him, but he didn’t see anyone there.
“I’m on your left. No, sorry, your right.”
Jack glanced in the direction. “I still can’t see you.”
“I came to you because you were dreaming of me. Try closing your eyes and thinking about what I look like.”
“And that’s supposed to convince me you aren’t in my head?”
“Mys’s machines will tell you that.”
“What is it telling you to do, Jack?” Dr. Mys asked.
“He wants me to picture him,” Jack replied. “He thinks I’ll be able to see him if I do.”
“I suggest following his advice.”
Jack nodded. He closed his eyes and let out a long, deep breath. For the first time in a long time, he allowed himself to concentrate on what Ianto had looked like. His blue eyes, brown hair. His smile. The black suit pants and merlot-colored shirt that he’d like best. The black tie and the throat above that. Jack’s memory flew back to how Ianto smelled after a shower.
“Try seeing me now.”
Slowly, unwillingly, Jack opened his eyes. Next to him was a man wearing a merlot-colored shirt and a black tie. Taking a deep breath, Jack glanced up and saw Ianto smiling down at him. “This isn’t possible,” Jack whispered. “You died, Ianto. In my arms. You can't be here. You're dead.”
“Still not really with the living,” Ianto said. His mouth moved as he talked. His eyes had a glimmer of merriment that seemed out of place.
“You’re happy,” Jack said with a frown.
“Shouldn’t I be?”
Jack glanced over at Dr. Mys. “Do you have enough yet? Can you tell me?”
Dr. Mys crossed the room slowly over to Jack. “I can.”
When the doctor didn’t say right away, Jack demanded, “Well?”
“Your brain is the picture of health, Jack,” Dr. Mys said. He placed a hand on Jack’s left wrist. “You aren’t imagining him. I cannot confirm for you that this voice, this entity, is actually your dead lover. But I can tell you this, it is real.”
“I tried to tell you that,” Ianto whispered mournfully.
Jack laid his head back against the headrest and stared at the ceiling, willing his heart not to break again.
Onto Part 4