Broken Touch ~ Ch3 pt7
Title: Broken Touch
Rating: M
Genre: angst, hurt/comfort
Spoilers: Torchwood seasons 1 & 2…maybe more, maybe less…strong possibility of crossing over with Doctor Who in the future. And by possibly, I mean definitely.
Pairings: Ianto/Jack, Ianto/Lisa
Warning: child abuse (not graphic), violence, language, slash
Author's Note: I write this as a survivor of childhood trauma. Throughout my life, fan fiction has been a means of catharsis-a safe place to re-frame traumas and create healing. I dedicate this story to all my fellow survivors and supporters out there searching for their own story.
AN: SOOO SORRY it's taken a lifetime to update. Life has been insane and intense and there's been a lot of moving and changes over the last few years. I'm finally in a place, mentally and physically, to continue this piece. Hope it was worth the wait...
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: Ianto Jones is a broken man, and has been broken since long before Lisa, and long before Canary Wharf. Who will save him before he disappears into the shadows completely?
*****
Previously:
Prologue 1/3 Prologue 2/3 Prologue 3/3
Ch1 Pt1 Ch1 Pt2 Ch1 Pt3
Ch2 Pt1 Ch2 Pt2 Ch2 Pt3 Ch2 Pt4 Ch2 Pt5 Ch2 Pt6
Ch3 Pt1 Ch3 Pt2 Ch3 Pt3 Ch3 Pt4 Ch3 Pt5 Ch3 Pt6
Chapter 3 ~ First Days
Part 7
Life at Torchwood 3 passed in steady routine of chaos. Returning to the hub from her one-day suspension, Susie immediately threw herself into her work on the Glove with a passion bordering on obsession. The others had tried off and on to get the glove to work, but seeing as no one had any idea what to expect they all gave it up as useless.
Ianto hated the glove. It repulsed him in a way that no object on Earth ever had before. For some reason it reminded him of the ghost shifts-like something was whispering from beyond some veil and it didn't sound friendly.
When everyone decided to try taking turns putting it on, he'd tried to refuse. He watched Tosh slip her tiny hand into the metal monstrosity and barely be able to flex her fingers. Owen grabbed it and immediately pretended to choke himself with it, falling to the floor in fits and gasping. Tosh giggled and Jack laughed even as Susie kicked the flailing doctor hard enough to bruise his backside and wrestled the artifact from his grasp.
Still smiling, Jack turned to Ianto and raised his eyebrows in a dare. “What do you say, junior researcher? Gonna show the rest of us how to turn it on with your special knowledge of space junk?”
“I'm not sure...” Ianto stood back, trying to fade but the others looked expectant now so he stepped forward and reached to take the glove from Susie's outstretched hand. She still wouldn't look at him, but they had developed a sort of unspoken truce that was centered on avoidance.
As his fingers made contact with the cold metal, Ianto felt something flare in the back of his mind and he swallowed a gasp. Something called to him. It reached down into his gut, pulling up and out through his hand. It wanted him to put the glove on. Put the glove on and touch something...
Death and darkness filled Ianto's mind. He tasted decay on his tongue. Wails and screaming rang in his ears. Still, there was a sense of searching-searching for a link to something or someone nearby. The sensations grew until he came back to himself with a jolt. Ianto opened his eyes to find Susie ripping the glove from his hand. It took a moment for him to realize that he was breathing heavily, still struggling to reach the glove, and there was an unknown arm around his waist. Looking down, he recognized the sleeve of the great coat. He stopped fighting.
“What happened?” He hardly recognized his own voice-it was hallow and wispy.
The arm tightened around him. “You alright?” Jack muttered somewhere between his shoulder blades.
Now that the glove was no longer driving him, Ianto was overly aware of his proximity to Jack and the closeness of his coworkers. Tosh and Owen looked somewhere between horrified and curious. Susie looked incredulous-like a pet owner who had just witnessed her beloved critter biting a person for the first time.
Ianto put his hands over Jack's and tried to pry them off his hip, but the man had a tight grip. “Not letting go til you answer.”
“I'm fine.” Ianto growled out. What the hell is happening? He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I'm fine.” He repeated, but this time in his own voice.
The muscles of Jack's arm relaxed enough to allow Ianto to escape. He realized then that they were all in the morgue. Shaking his head in disbelief, Ianto asked, “Did I walk here during...whatever it was that just happened?”
Everyone's head nodded at once. Ianto felt a hysterical giggle rise in his throat and he fought it down.
“What did happen?” He asked again.
“We were kinda hoping you'd be able to tell us.” Jack looked at Ianto with a calculating look.
“I'm not sure.” Ianto started, having no real idea how to put the experience into words. “It was like I was being pulled...or maybe more like drawn toward something. It was...it was dark. Not just visually but emotionally.” He swallowed thickly, still tasting the ash and sharp copper. “I don't remember putting the glove on actually. Or walking, for that matter.”
“I've felt that too: the draw.” Susie's voice interrupted the dark images echoing inside Ianto's mind. Their eyes met. “It's looking for something. If I could just figure out what it wants then maybe we'll know how it works.”
Ianto shook his head slightly, secretly trying to beg her to leave it be. Didn't she see the evil inherent in it? But her eyes pleaded for understanding and he found himself unable to voice his doubts. Instead, he sighed deeply and looked away. “I'll write up a report of my experience-as much as I can remember. Maybe it will help your research.”
“Thanks.” Her voice was quiet, but the appreciation was unmistakable.
“You sure you want to continue working on this thing?” Jack asked even as Susie was nodding her affirmative.
“I'm not quitting just 'cause teaboy here is sensitive.” The tiny hint of a smile took any heat out of her words.
Ianto nodded his silent acknowledgment before turning to leave the cold dead behind.
*~*~*
It didn't take long for Susie to figure out that the glove needed a dead body to do its intended purpose. Ianto watched from the balcony by the coffee maker as she went, glove-in-hand, into autopsy where Owen was set up with their latest find. The gleeful look on her face turned his stomach as he remembered what he had experienced-it had in no way been positive enough for such a look. However, after several minutes of nothing happening, she released her hold on the body and pouted at her station. The next day, she tried again.
The first time a corpse opened its eyes, Owen screamed which made Susie jump and loose the connection.
“What the fuck!?” Owen stared at the once-again closed eyes of their latest rift victim-some bloke from circa 1850, according to Jack. The poor soul had not survived the journey through time and space but had almost made newspaper headlines when his body appeared on the steps of the local school. It was quickly and quietly written off as a suicidal overdose of an obsessed Charles Dickens fan. Cardiff authorities never questioned Torchwood's rulings.
“Fuck is right! Did you see what I did?” Susie's excitement and Owen's scream drew the rest of the team down to the autopsy bay.
“What's going on?” Jack asked, hand resting on his gun. Tosh peeked around Jack's shoulder and Ianto stood off to the side against the entrance. He'd felt the connection happen like a static charge from across the room. It made him shiver.
“I did it!” Susie stated, cradling the glove to her chest with her hand still inside.
“Did what?” Jack asked, slightly confused.
Owen kept staring at the corpse in disbelief and fascinated horror. “She made his eyes open.”
“I didn't just open his eyes, I-I don't know, I brought him back. This man right here. I felt him and pulled him back.” Susie's eyes shone with pride and excitement.
“Should we be doing that?” Tosh's timid voice echoed off the metal chamber.
Jack opened his mouth to reply, but Susie cut him off. “What do you mean 'should' we? Of course we should! Think of the possibilities. What if this is only the beginning? If anyone knows what the universe is capable of it would be us. This could bring people back to life.” Her tone started aggressive but quickly turned to hopeful enthusiasm.
Ianto wasn't sure what to think, but he knew that the glove's intentions certainly hadn't felt benign let alone life-bringing when he'd been connected. There had been nothing but death. And he feared there was a darkness in Susie that could easily take over and meld with the glove.
“Maybe it's some kind of medical tool? Or better yet, an interrogation device.” Susie held the glove in her other hand and began to furiously scribble notes. “Next time, I'll need to try on a newer body. I wonder if we can get to a person closer to their time of death if it would work better...” Her voice trailed off as she hastily gathered all her items and practically sprinted back to her work station.
“Jack?” Tosh whispered.
“I know.” Jack answered, still looking at Susie's retreating form. “I'll keep an eye on it. But you have to admit,” he turned to the quiet computer genius and gave her a wicked grin, “a glove that raises the dead? That's new, even for us.”
The rift alarm interrupted any further argument. Jack, Susie, and Owen rushed out leaving Tosh and Ianto standing by the banister overlooking the once-again completely dead man.
“What do you think?” Tosh asked Ianto. He kept staring down at the corpse. “I mean, it can't be anything as great as she's making it out to be, right? With our luck, we'd start the next zombie apocalypse.” She followed his gaze back to the autopsy table. “What would you even call a thing like that? Resurrection Gauntlet? Soul Catcher?”
“Risen Mitten.” Ianto blurted out. Tosh spun around with a snort.
“Did you seriously just say that?” A pause, then a giggle came out of the quiet woman. “Risen mitten...” Shaking her head and laughing to herself she made her way back to her computer to her usual support position for the team.
*~*~*
Each person had their pet projects at Torchwood. Susie had the glove, Tosh her computers, and Owen his porn collection (not a work-related project but it was his focus when not in the field or autopsy).
Ianto was the only one whose pet project involved an actual pet: the pterodactyl. When he wasn't organizing the archive, making coffee, checking on Lisa, or staffing the tourist office desk, he was usually researching how to care for the prehistoric creature. He'd decided to call her Myfanwy. It meant 'beloved' in Welsh, and she quickly became one of his closest friends.
It took a while to figure out the right kind of food for her. Eventually, he found that sheep-carcass coated in a sauce consisting of specific amino acids, vitamins, and minerals was the key to relieving her upset digestive system. Which, in turn, greatly reduced the messes Ianto had to clean.
Some nights, when work was done and Lisa was safely sedated, Ianto would go visit Myfanwy in her nest far above the hub. She would chirp and gently preen though his hair with her beak. He would let her, resting his back against her leathery scales. She became his closest confidante, listening to him pour out his hopes and fears about Lisa.
“I just don't know if I'm doing the right thing,” he sighed. He was careful to not allow a visual of Lisa to slip out-Myfanwy always reacted strongly and negatively to any image of the metallic woman. “I worry she's slipping away and,” his voice broke, “and I won't be able to follow her.”
Myfanwy chirped reassuringly, nuzzling her distressed chick's scalp. His frustration had been growing over the weeks since they'd found each other. Ianto had spent so much time focused on getting Lisa out of London and into Torchwood 3's basement that now he felt himself floundering with choosing their next step.
Lisa was not consistent in her help or ideas. One day she'd be loving and encouraging him, excited at his suggestions and offering her own. The next morning, she would be absent and cold, demanding things be done a very specific way. Both sides of Lisa did agree that her and Ianto needed outside help. One name kept popping up in Ianto's research: Dr. Tanizaki, cybernetics expert. It took several days to make contact, but when they did the doctor's response has enthusiastic. They made plans to meet in a few weeks, and Ianto found himself counting down the hours til help arrived.
*~*~*
Ianto found as time passed that he was able to slip more and more into the background. Jack still flirted shamelessly, but he was easily distracted and as long as Ianto offered up a quirky comment or raised eyebrow then Jack would be satisfied for the moment.
Susie's discovery with the glove became a team focus. She started getting first-dibs on all corpses-human and alien. At first, she could only get them to open their eyes, but gradually they started to speak. Ianto became the official time keeper. He was always in possession of his heirloom stopwatch, and insisted they keep a record of the experiments. In fact, he insisted they keep records of everything in the hub from office supplies to detailed accounts of field experiences.
Ianto worried that Susie's use of the glove was turning into an addiction. He had no idea what the glove did to its bearer when they were 'connected' but he knew it was no good. It mirrored what he felt happening to Lisa-Susie would start fading as soon as the connection was established, leaving a dark void in her place. In the beginning, she couldn't even talk while maintaining the connection but the more she practiced the more control she gained during the sessions.
Each passing day, Ianto could see the spark of obsession growing in Susie's eyes. He almost talked to Jack the day he saw her slip it into her bag and take it home. But he decided not to when he thought about his own secret buried deep within the hub.
He questioned his own decision to keep quiet though when Susie started wanting fresher test subjects.
“Jack, I need someone who hasn't been dead for days! How am I going to know the full extent of the glove's capabilities if I'm using it on things that are already rotting?”
“They are people, not things.” Tosh interrupted. Susie waved her off without a glance.
“Oh, you know what I mean. I need someone whose neurons are still firing a little. Please Jack? We're Torchwood, for god's sake, we can do anything we want. What's a few minutes at a crime scene going to hurt?” She used her best 'logic mixed with sincere enthusiasm' tone that she knew worked on Jack.
“I'll think about it.” Jack promised, not quite ready to give in.
“Thank you.” Susie replied, shooting a look at Toshiko letting the quieter woman know who'd won.
~*~*~
“How are you tonight, love?” Ianto whispered as he softly sponged warm soapy water over flesh and metal. Lisa was just showing signs of waking up, and he always wanted to be there for those fleeting moments.
Her only response was a groan and flicker of eyelids which remained closed.
Ianto sighed, wringing out the sponge before dipping it back into the lavender-mint suds and resuming the rhythmic motions. They still had three more weeks before Dr. Tanizaki's arrival, but he was terrified of the rate she was disappearing.
“Ianto?” Her quiet voice jarred Ianto out of his depressing thoughts.
“I'm here. I'm right here, see? Can you open your eyes, love? There you go.” He stroked her face and smiled as she blinked several times before focusing on him.
“How long?” she groaned.
“You've been asleep for about ten hours now...” his voice cut off as she shook her head slightly.
“Doctor.”
“Oh, Dr. Tanizaki will be here in twenty three days.” He continued bathing her to keep the connection, hoping she would stay present even as he felt her slipping once again. “We've come so far, Lisa. Just think how much more we will be able to do with him here.” Her eyes closed. “I'm going to get you back, I promise.” And she was gone.
*~*~*
Ianto left the lower archives to return to the upper hub area only to find the entire team going out on a call. Apparently, Susie had been able to persuade Jack to try the glove on another recent murder victim. Excitement filled the air as the team rushed out, shouting orders for dinner to be ready upon their return.
Hours later, they arrived back in a wild rush of energy. The night's events were electrifying and the team practically ignored Ianto as they devoured the dinner he'd ordered and laid out.
“We beat the old record. Put this in that book of yours!” Susie slapped a paper onto Ianto's chest as she passed him into the meeting room to join the others already feasting on Chinese take out.
Ianto noticed Jack hung back at the entrance, looking lost in thought. He made his way over to the captain just as the man shrugged out of his greatcoat.
“Success, sir?”
“Hmm? Oh, yeah, I guess. Susie kept the connection a lot longer than ever before.” Jack went quiet for a moment. “There was a police woman on the scene. She may cause trouble.” Seriousness settled on his features before it was broken by his blinding smile. “Cute though! And persistent. She may give you a run for your money, Ianto.”
*~*~*
Ianto added 'voyeuristic spy' to his job description as he controlled the CCTV cameras to follow Gwen as she walked up and down the Plass.
Did the Torchwood team do this when I was following Jack? Gods, this is embarrassing. He thought as he stared at the dark haired determined woman. Maybe persistence is a Welsh trait. He watched her argue with her partner. Definitely Welsh.
He had been charged with following Gwen Cooper's every move to ensure she didn't stumble upon anything too revealing. So far, it had been a very boring day.
That evening, things got much more interesting when the police woman showed back up carrying pizza boxes through the tourist office door. Realizing her intended destination, Ianto quickly ducked into the back storage room.
“Gwen Cooper is on her way into the office right now and she's apparently bringing you pizza. What would you like me to do?” The bluetooth headset certainly came in handy when you needed to communicate in a jiffy.
“Send her down.” Came Jack's reply. There was a burst of laughter from the rest of the team. Ianto had to close down the link when he heard the tourist office door open. He could see her through the beaded curtain.
“Oh, hiya. Sorry I'm late. Someone ordered a pizza.” She looked so nervous and eager at the same time. Ianto could see why she appealed to Jack.
“Who's it for?”
“I think it's a,” she paused as though revealing a password, “Mr. Harkness.”
Ianto smiled at her as he pressed the button to open the hidden doorway which led to the elevator and lower hub. Gwen stared at the opening in the wall, then looked to Ianto, hesitance warring with curiosity. He nodded toward the door.
“Don't keep them waiting.” Never mind the fact that the team might actually jump her for the food.
Gwen moved through the door and out of Ianto's line of sight. He quickly radioed down to alert the team.
“She's headed your way, sir. Anything you wish me to...” Ianto was cut off by Jack.
“Shh, Ianto, we know. Just stay there, we've got a plan.” Ianto swore there was muffled laughter in the background. He rolled his eyes, imagining the multitude of actions that could cause such a reaction from his new teammates.
“Umm, right.”
Ianto contented himself to watching the scene play out over the hub cameras on his computer. He couldn't tell who broke first-Tosh or Owen, but either way the charade was up before long and Jack swept Gwen off for the grand tour of the hub. The very messy hub. I swear, I'm up here for two hours and it's like I've never set foot down there. How so few people can manage to destroy such a large space in so little time is beyond me.
Sighing, Ianto grabbed a stack of garbage bags and made his way down to join the others.
*~*~*
After the tour, Gwen and Jack left to go to a bar so Jack could dose her up with retcon and wipe her memories of all things Torchwood. Just another necessary evil to the job. Ianto sat at his station and remoted into Gwen's home computer. He watched the words frantically typed as fast as she could get her drugged brain to cooperate. Letters were switched around, reckless in her haste, but the general concept and story was there. Names, jobs, locations, information on each of them. Except for me. No one needs to remember me. The typing slowed and he imagined Gwen staring glassy-eyed at her screen, fighting through the fog for just one more memory to capture before...
The words stopped. With a few quick buttons, Ianto erased the document from Gwen's hard drive and left to check on Lisa one last time for the evening.
*~*~*
Ianto walked into the hub the next morning to noticeable tension. Jack was already up and locked away in his office. Susie was at her desk, furiously focused on her screen. From the collection of dirty mugs and scattered notes it looked like she'd been there for several hours already. Waves of anger and frustration poured off of her like an overpowering perfume. Once in a while, Ianto picked up a hint of fear and decided that he would avoid her at all costs today. Instead, he made his way to the coffee maker to start his morning routine.
He delivered a cup to a silent Jack, left a fresh mug on the edge of Susie's desk before quickly gathering the dirty ones and made a hasty retreat to the kitchen to do the wash. Soon, Owen and Tosh arrived and while the tension didn't dissipate it did taper off slightly with more bodies and emotions to muddy Ianto's senses.
The day dragged on, and everyone tried to stay focused but ended up just looking busy. With no rift alarms, the afternoon soon became too much and Jack told everyone to go home early. Ianto stayed to continue his work in the archives and spend time with Lisa. Slow days were rare and he cherished any available time with her.
A small beep on Ianto's headset alerted him to the use of the invisible lift. Jack must be too restless to stay inside. However, before he could continue his filing, an explosion of emotions hit him full force.
Without thinking, he ran up the steps into the hub looking for the source. The lift was still making its way up to the surface by the bay. He caught movement on one of Tosh's screens which showed the camera's view of the Millennium Center Tower. Gwen was standing there, facing off with...Susie? What is she doing?
He watched, breathless as Susie pulled out a gun and pointed it at Gwen. He couldn't hear the exchange, but he could guess what was being said by Gwen's pleading face and hand gestures and Susie's sad but resolved body language.
Ianto realized that Jack must have known what was about to happen and was going to intercede. Helplessness choked him when the gun suddenly swung around and shot Jack straight between the eyes. The captain's presence disappeared from Ianto's mind. It didn't fade like Lisa, it simply stopped and left a cold vacancy in its place.
Numbness filled him as he stood there staring at the screen, watching Susie return her attentions to Gwen. This wasn't going to end well. It was already a disaster. Jack was dead. Jack was dead and Ianto was now left with a partially-converted cyber girlfriend below him, an unhinged woman with a gun one level above his head, and a pet pterodactyl the only thing separating him from the inky darkness pouring out of Susie.
The feeling was so strong, he almost didn't feel the spark flickering back to life. It can't be. Jack's gone, he's de-- Ianto's thoughts were interrupted by the image of Jack making his way back onto the screen, demanding the gun from Susie. No one had time to react when she turned the gun on herself and fired.
Ianto screamed this time. Horror started in his toes and spread upwards bringing tremors and nausea. He grasped the edge of Tosh's work desk as he tried to deal with the emotional backlash. Susie had been a boulder falling into his mental pond and now he had to try and block out the growing flood being caused by Gwen and Jack. Jack. Jack is alive. Jack was dead and now he's alive.
As fast as he could, Ianto put up every possible mental barrier. Walking on shaky legs, he made it to Owen's desk before vomiting into the wastebasket. He paused only long enough to tie up the bag and grab it as he escaped out the cog doors towards the tourist office. Questions followed his every step and he had no memory of how he suddenly arrived back at his home, but there he was-standing in the middle of his living room holding a bag of puke and wondering what else could possibly happen.
TBC...in fact, chapter 4 is almost complete and should be posted in the next few days :)
Rating: M
Genre: angst, hurt/comfort
Spoilers: Torchwood seasons 1 & 2…maybe more, maybe less…strong possibility of crossing over with Doctor Who in the future. And by possibly, I mean definitely.
Pairings: Ianto/Jack, Ianto/Lisa
Warning: child abuse (not graphic), violence, language, slash
Author's Note: I write this as a survivor of childhood trauma. Throughout my life, fan fiction has been a means of catharsis-a safe place to re-frame traumas and create healing. I dedicate this story to all my fellow survivors and supporters out there searching for their own story.
AN: SOOO SORRY it's taken a lifetime to update. Life has been insane and intense and there's been a lot of moving and changes over the last few years. I'm finally in a place, mentally and physically, to continue this piece. Hope it was worth the wait...
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: Ianto Jones is a broken man, and has been broken since long before Lisa, and long before Canary Wharf. Who will save him before he disappears into the shadows completely?
*****
Previously:
Prologue 1/3 Prologue 2/3 Prologue 3/3
Ch1 Pt1 Ch1 Pt2 Ch1 Pt3
Ch2 Pt1 Ch2 Pt2 Ch2 Pt3 Ch2 Pt4 Ch2 Pt5 Ch2 Pt6
Ch3 Pt1 Ch3 Pt2 Ch3 Pt3 Ch3 Pt4 Ch3 Pt5 Ch3 Pt6
Chapter 3 ~ First Days
Part 7
Life at Torchwood 3 passed in steady routine of chaos. Returning to the hub from her one-day suspension, Susie immediately threw herself into her work on the Glove with a passion bordering on obsession. The others had tried off and on to get the glove to work, but seeing as no one had any idea what to expect they all gave it up as useless.
Ianto hated the glove. It repulsed him in a way that no object on Earth ever had before. For some reason it reminded him of the ghost shifts-like something was whispering from beyond some veil and it didn't sound friendly.
When everyone decided to try taking turns putting it on, he'd tried to refuse. He watched Tosh slip her tiny hand into the metal monstrosity and barely be able to flex her fingers. Owen grabbed it and immediately pretended to choke himself with it, falling to the floor in fits and gasping. Tosh giggled and Jack laughed even as Susie kicked the flailing doctor hard enough to bruise his backside and wrestled the artifact from his grasp.
Still smiling, Jack turned to Ianto and raised his eyebrows in a dare. “What do you say, junior researcher? Gonna show the rest of us how to turn it on with your special knowledge of space junk?”
“I'm not sure...” Ianto stood back, trying to fade but the others looked expectant now so he stepped forward and reached to take the glove from Susie's outstretched hand. She still wouldn't look at him, but they had developed a sort of unspoken truce that was centered on avoidance.
As his fingers made contact with the cold metal, Ianto felt something flare in the back of his mind and he swallowed a gasp. Something called to him. It reached down into his gut, pulling up and out through his hand. It wanted him to put the glove on. Put the glove on and touch something...
Death and darkness filled Ianto's mind. He tasted decay on his tongue. Wails and screaming rang in his ears. Still, there was a sense of searching-searching for a link to something or someone nearby. The sensations grew until he came back to himself with a jolt. Ianto opened his eyes to find Susie ripping the glove from his hand. It took a moment for him to realize that he was breathing heavily, still struggling to reach the glove, and there was an unknown arm around his waist. Looking down, he recognized the sleeve of the great coat. He stopped fighting.
“What happened?” He hardly recognized his own voice-it was hallow and wispy.
The arm tightened around him. “You alright?” Jack muttered somewhere between his shoulder blades.
Now that the glove was no longer driving him, Ianto was overly aware of his proximity to Jack and the closeness of his coworkers. Tosh and Owen looked somewhere between horrified and curious. Susie looked incredulous-like a pet owner who had just witnessed her beloved critter biting a person for the first time.
Ianto put his hands over Jack's and tried to pry them off his hip, but the man had a tight grip. “Not letting go til you answer.”
“I'm fine.” Ianto growled out. What the hell is happening? He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I'm fine.” He repeated, but this time in his own voice.
The muscles of Jack's arm relaxed enough to allow Ianto to escape. He realized then that they were all in the morgue. Shaking his head in disbelief, Ianto asked, “Did I walk here during...whatever it was that just happened?”
Everyone's head nodded at once. Ianto felt a hysterical giggle rise in his throat and he fought it down.
“What did happen?” He asked again.
“We were kinda hoping you'd be able to tell us.” Jack looked at Ianto with a calculating look.
“I'm not sure.” Ianto started, having no real idea how to put the experience into words. “It was like I was being pulled...or maybe more like drawn toward something. It was...it was dark. Not just visually but emotionally.” He swallowed thickly, still tasting the ash and sharp copper. “I don't remember putting the glove on actually. Or walking, for that matter.”
“I've felt that too: the draw.” Susie's voice interrupted the dark images echoing inside Ianto's mind. Their eyes met. “It's looking for something. If I could just figure out what it wants then maybe we'll know how it works.”
Ianto shook his head slightly, secretly trying to beg her to leave it be. Didn't she see the evil inherent in it? But her eyes pleaded for understanding and he found himself unable to voice his doubts. Instead, he sighed deeply and looked away. “I'll write up a report of my experience-as much as I can remember. Maybe it will help your research.”
“Thanks.” Her voice was quiet, but the appreciation was unmistakable.
“You sure you want to continue working on this thing?” Jack asked even as Susie was nodding her affirmative.
“I'm not quitting just 'cause teaboy here is sensitive.” The tiny hint of a smile took any heat out of her words.
Ianto nodded his silent acknowledgment before turning to leave the cold dead behind.
*~*~*
It didn't take long for Susie to figure out that the glove needed a dead body to do its intended purpose. Ianto watched from the balcony by the coffee maker as she went, glove-in-hand, into autopsy where Owen was set up with their latest find. The gleeful look on her face turned his stomach as he remembered what he had experienced-it had in no way been positive enough for such a look. However, after several minutes of nothing happening, she released her hold on the body and pouted at her station. The next day, she tried again.
The first time a corpse opened its eyes, Owen screamed which made Susie jump and loose the connection.
“What the fuck!?” Owen stared at the once-again closed eyes of their latest rift victim-some bloke from circa 1850, according to Jack. The poor soul had not survived the journey through time and space but had almost made newspaper headlines when his body appeared on the steps of the local school. It was quickly and quietly written off as a suicidal overdose of an obsessed Charles Dickens fan. Cardiff authorities never questioned Torchwood's rulings.
“Fuck is right! Did you see what I did?” Susie's excitement and Owen's scream drew the rest of the team down to the autopsy bay.
“What's going on?” Jack asked, hand resting on his gun. Tosh peeked around Jack's shoulder and Ianto stood off to the side against the entrance. He'd felt the connection happen like a static charge from across the room. It made him shiver.
“I did it!” Susie stated, cradling the glove to her chest with her hand still inside.
“Did what?” Jack asked, slightly confused.
Owen kept staring at the corpse in disbelief and fascinated horror. “She made his eyes open.”
“I didn't just open his eyes, I-I don't know, I brought him back. This man right here. I felt him and pulled him back.” Susie's eyes shone with pride and excitement.
“Should we be doing that?” Tosh's timid voice echoed off the metal chamber.
Jack opened his mouth to reply, but Susie cut him off. “What do you mean 'should' we? Of course we should! Think of the possibilities. What if this is only the beginning? If anyone knows what the universe is capable of it would be us. This could bring people back to life.” Her tone started aggressive but quickly turned to hopeful enthusiasm.
Ianto wasn't sure what to think, but he knew that the glove's intentions certainly hadn't felt benign let alone life-bringing when he'd been connected. There had been nothing but death. And he feared there was a darkness in Susie that could easily take over and meld with the glove.
“Maybe it's some kind of medical tool? Or better yet, an interrogation device.” Susie held the glove in her other hand and began to furiously scribble notes. “Next time, I'll need to try on a newer body. I wonder if we can get to a person closer to their time of death if it would work better...” Her voice trailed off as she hastily gathered all her items and practically sprinted back to her work station.
“Jack?” Tosh whispered.
“I know.” Jack answered, still looking at Susie's retreating form. “I'll keep an eye on it. But you have to admit,” he turned to the quiet computer genius and gave her a wicked grin, “a glove that raises the dead? That's new, even for us.”
The rift alarm interrupted any further argument. Jack, Susie, and Owen rushed out leaving Tosh and Ianto standing by the banister overlooking the once-again completely dead man.
“What do you think?” Tosh asked Ianto. He kept staring down at the corpse. “I mean, it can't be anything as great as she's making it out to be, right? With our luck, we'd start the next zombie apocalypse.” She followed his gaze back to the autopsy table. “What would you even call a thing like that? Resurrection Gauntlet? Soul Catcher?”
“Risen Mitten.” Ianto blurted out. Tosh spun around with a snort.
“Did you seriously just say that?” A pause, then a giggle came out of the quiet woman. “Risen mitten...” Shaking her head and laughing to herself she made her way back to her computer to her usual support position for the team.
*~*~*
Each person had their pet projects at Torchwood. Susie had the glove, Tosh her computers, and Owen his porn collection (not a work-related project but it was his focus when not in the field or autopsy).
Ianto was the only one whose pet project involved an actual pet: the pterodactyl. When he wasn't organizing the archive, making coffee, checking on Lisa, or staffing the tourist office desk, he was usually researching how to care for the prehistoric creature. He'd decided to call her Myfanwy. It meant 'beloved' in Welsh, and she quickly became one of his closest friends.
It took a while to figure out the right kind of food for her. Eventually, he found that sheep-carcass coated in a sauce consisting of specific amino acids, vitamins, and minerals was the key to relieving her upset digestive system. Which, in turn, greatly reduced the messes Ianto had to clean.
Some nights, when work was done and Lisa was safely sedated, Ianto would go visit Myfanwy in her nest far above the hub. She would chirp and gently preen though his hair with her beak. He would let her, resting his back against her leathery scales. She became his closest confidante, listening to him pour out his hopes and fears about Lisa.
“I just don't know if I'm doing the right thing,” he sighed. He was careful to not allow a visual of Lisa to slip out-Myfanwy always reacted strongly and negatively to any image of the metallic woman. “I worry she's slipping away and,” his voice broke, “and I won't be able to follow her.”
Myfanwy chirped reassuringly, nuzzling her distressed chick's scalp. His frustration had been growing over the weeks since they'd found each other. Ianto had spent so much time focused on getting Lisa out of London and into Torchwood 3's basement that now he felt himself floundering with choosing their next step.
Lisa was not consistent in her help or ideas. One day she'd be loving and encouraging him, excited at his suggestions and offering her own. The next morning, she would be absent and cold, demanding things be done a very specific way. Both sides of Lisa did agree that her and Ianto needed outside help. One name kept popping up in Ianto's research: Dr. Tanizaki, cybernetics expert. It took several days to make contact, but when they did the doctor's response has enthusiastic. They made plans to meet in a few weeks, and Ianto found himself counting down the hours til help arrived.
*~*~*
Ianto found as time passed that he was able to slip more and more into the background. Jack still flirted shamelessly, but he was easily distracted and as long as Ianto offered up a quirky comment or raised eyebrow then Jack would be satisfied for the moment.
Susie's discovery with the glove became a team focus. She started getting first-dibs on all corpses-human and alien. At first, she could only get them to open their eyes, but gradually they started to speak. Ianto became the official time keeper. He was always in possession of his heirloom stopwatch, and insisted they keep a record of the experiments. In fact, he insisted they keep records of everything in the hub from office supplies to detailed accounts of field experiences.
Ianto worried that Susie's use of the glove was turning into an addiction. He had no idea what the glove did to its bearer when they were 'connected' but he knew it was no good. It mirrored what he felt happening to Lisa-Susie would start fading as soon as the connection was established, leaving a dark void in her place. In the beginning, she couldn't even talk while maintaining the connection but the more she practiced the more control she gained during the sessions.
Each passing day, Ianto could see the spark of obsession growing in Susie's eyes. He almost talked to Jack the day he saw her slip it into her bag and take it home. But he decided not to when he thought about his own secret buried deep within the hub.
He questioned his own decision to keep quiet though when Susie started wanting fresher test subjects.
“Jack, I need someone who hasn't been dead for days! How am I going to know the full extent of the glove's capabilities if I'm using it on things that are already rotting?”
“They are people, not things.” Tosh interrupted. Susie waved her off without a glance.
“Oh, you know what I mean. I need someone whose neurons are still firing a little. Please Jack? We're Torchwood, for god's sake, we can do anything we want. What's a few minutes at a crime scene going to hurt?” She used her best 'logic mixed with sincere enthusiasm' tone that she knew worked on Jack.
“I'll think about it.” Jack promised, not quite ready to give in.
“Thank you.” Susie replied, shooting a look at Toshiko letting the quieter woman know who'd won.
~*~*~
“How are you tonight, love?” Ianto whispered as he softly sponged warm soapy water over flesh and metal. Lisa was just showing signs of waking up, and he always wanted to be there for those fleeting moments.
Her only response was a groan and flicker of eyelids which remained closed.
Ianto sighed, wringing out the sponge before dipping it back into the lavender-mint suds and resuming the rhythmic motions. They still had three more weeks before Dr. Tanizaki's arrival, but he was terrified of the rate she was disappearing.
“Ianto?” Her quiet voice jarred Ianto out of his depressing thoughts.
“I'm here. I'm right here, see? Can you open your eyes, love? There you go.” He stroked her face and smiled as she blinked several times before focusing on him.
“How long?” she groaned.
“You've been asleep for about ten hours now...” his voice cut off as she shook her head slightly.
“Doctor.”
“Oh, Dr. Tanizaki will be here in twenty three days.” He continued bathing her to keep the connection, hoping she would stay present even as he felt her slipping once again. “We've come so far, Lisa. Just think how much more we will be able to do with him here.” Her eyes closed. “I'm going to get you back, I promise.” And she was gone.
*~*~*
Ianto left the lower archives to return to the upper hub area only to find the entire team going out on a call. Apparently, Susie had been able to persuade Jack to try the glove on another recent murder victim. Excitement filled the air as the team rushed out, shouting orders for dinner to be ready upon their return.
Hours later, they arrived back in a wild rush of energy. The night's events were electrifying and the team practically ignored Ianto as they devoured the dinner he'd ordered and laid out.
“We beat the old record. Put this in that book of yours!” Susie slapped a paper onto Ianto's chest as she passed him into the meeting room to join the others already feasting on Chinese take out.
Ianto noticed Jack hung back at the entrance, looking lost in thought. He made his way over to the captain just as the man shrugged out of his greatcoat.
“Success, sir?”
“Hmm? Oh, yeah, I guess. Susie kept the connection a lot longer than ever before.” Jack went quiet for a moment. “There was a police woman on the scene. She may cause trouble.” Seriousness settled on his features before it was broken by his blinding smile. “Cute though! And persistent. She may give you a run for your money, Ianto.”
*~*~*
Ianto added 'voyeuristic spy' to his job description as he controlled the CCTV cameras to follow Gwen as she walked up and down the Plass.
Did the Torchwood team do this when I was following Jack? Gods, this is embarrassing. He thought as he stared at the dark haired determined woman. Maybe persistence is a Welsh trait. He watched her argue with her partner. Definitely Welsh.
He had been charged with following Gwen Cooper's every move to ensure she didn't stumble upon anything too revealing. So far, it had been a very boring day.
That evening, things got much more interesting when the police woman showed back up carrying pizza boxes through the tourist office door. Realizing her intended destination, Ianto quickly ducked into the back storage room.
“Gwen Cooper is on her way into the office right now and she's apparently bringing you pizza. What would you like me to do?” The bluetooth headset certainly came in handy when you needed to communicate in a jiffy.
“Send her down.” Came Jack's reply. There was a burst of laughter from the rest of the team. Ianto had to close down the link when he heard the tourist office door open. He could see her through the beaded curtain.
“Oh, hiya. Sorry I'm late. Someone ordered a pizza.” She looked so nervous and eager at the same time. Ianto could see why she appealed to Jack.
“Who's it for?”
“I think it's a,” she paused as though revealing a password, “Mr. Harkness.”
Ianto smiled at her as he pressed the button to open the hidden doorway which led to the elevator and lower hub. Gwen stared at the opening in the wall, then looked to Ianto, hesitance warring with curiosity. He nodded toward the door.
“Don't keep them waiting.” Never mind the fact that the team might actually jump her for the food.
Gwen moved through the door and out of Ianto's line of sight. He quickly radioed down to alert the team.
“She's headed your way, sir. Anything you wish me to...” Ianto was cut off by Jack.
“Shh, Ianto, we know. Just stay there, we've got a plan.” Ianto swore there was muffled laughter in the background. He rolled his eyes, imagining the multitude of actions that could cause such a reaction from his new teammates.
“Umm, right.”
Ianto contented himself to watching the scene play out over the hub cameras on his computer. He couldn't tell who broke first-Tosh or Owen, but either way the charade was up before long and Jack swept Gwen off for the grand tour of the hub. The very messy hub. I swear, I'm up here for two hours and it's like I've never set foot down there. How so few people can manage to destroy such a large space in so little time is beyond me.
Sighing, Ianto grabbed a stack of garbage bags and made his way down to join the others.
*~*~*
After the tour, Gwen and Jack left to go to a bar so Jack could dose her up with retcon and wipe her memories of all things Torchwood. Just another necessary evil to the job. Ianto sat at his station and remoted into Gwen's home computer. He watched the words frantically typed as fast as she could get her drugged brain to cooperate. Letters were switched around, reckless in her haste, but the general concept and story was there. Names, jobs, locations, information on each of them. Except for me. No one needs to remember me. The typing slowed and he imagined Gwen staring glassy-eyed at her screen, fighting through the fog for just one more memory to capture before...
The words stopped. With a few quick buttons, Ianto erased the document from Gwen's hard drive and left to check on Lisa one last time for the evening.
*~*~*
Ianto walked into the hub the next morning to noticeable tension. Jack was already up and locked away in his office. Susie was at her desk, furiously focused on her screen. From the collection of dirty mugs and scattered notes it looked like she'd been there for several hours already. Waves of anger and frustration poured off of her like an overpowering perfume. Once in a while, Ianto picked up a hint of fear and decided that he would avoid her at all costs today. Instead, he made his way to the coffee maker to start his morning routine.
He delivered a cup to a silent Jack, left a fresh mug on the edge of Susie's desk before quickly gathering the dirty ones and made a hasty retreat to the kitchen to do the wash. Soon, Owen and Tosh arrived and while the tension didn't dissipate it did taper off slightly with more bodies and emotions to muddy Ianto's senses.
The day dragged on, and everyone tried to stay focused but ended up just looking busy. With no rift alarms, the afternoon soon became too much and Jack told everyone to go home early. Ianto stayed to continue his work in the archives and spend time with Lisa. Slow days were rare and he cherished any available time with her.
A small beep on Ianto's headset alerted him to the use of the invisible lift. Jack must be too restless to stay inside. However, before he could continue his filing, an explosion of emotions hit him full force.
Without thinking, he ran up the steps into the hub looking for the source. The lift was still making its way up to the surface by the bay. He caught movement on one of Tosh's screens which showed the camera's view of the Millennium Center Tower. Gwen was standing there, facing off with...Susie? What is she doing?
He watched, breathless as Susie pulled out a gun and pointed it at Gwen. He couldn't hear the exchange, but he could guess what was being said by Gwen's pleading face and hand gestures and Susie's sad but resolved body language.
Ianto realized that Jack must have known what was about to happen and was going to intercede. Helplessness choked him when the gun suddenly swung around and shot Jack straight between the eyes. The captain's presence disappeared from Ianto's mind. It didn't fade like Lisa, it simply stopped and left a cold vacancy in its place.
Numbness filled him as he stood there staring at the screen, watching Susie return her attentions to Gwen. This wasn't going to end well. It was already a disaster. Jack was dead. Jack was dead and Ianto was now left with a partially-converted cyber girlfriend below him, an unhinged woman with a gun one level above his head, and a pet pterodactyl the only thing separating him from the inky darkness pouring out of Susie.
The feeling was so strong, he almost didn't feel the spark flickering back to life. It can't be. Jack's gone, he's de-- Ianto's thoughts were interrupted by the image of Jack making his way back onto the screen, demanding the gun from Susie. No one had time to react when she turned the gun on herself and fired.
Ianto screamed this time. Horror started in his toes and spread upwards bringing tremors and nausea. He grasped the edge of Tosh's work desk as he tried to deal with the emotional backlash. Susie had been a boulder falling into his mental pond and now he had to try and block out the growing flood being caused by Gwen and Jack. Jack. Jack is alive. Jack was dead and now he's alive.
As fast as he could, Ianto put up every possible mental barrier. Walking on shaky legs, he made it to Owen's desk before vomiting into the wastebasket. He paused only long enough to tie up the bag and grab it as he escaped out the cog doors towards the tourist office. Questions followed his every step and he had no memory of how he suddenly arrived back at his home, but there he was-standing in the middle of his living room holding a bag of puke and wondering what else could possibly happen.
TBC...in fact, chapter 4 is almost complete and should be posted in the next few days :)