Enduring 5/13
Series: Enduring the Test of Time
Title: New Companions
Author: McRaider
Summary: He was still just a kid in comparison to all of the Doctor’s 900 years, but he wanted to see the universe, and sometimes even the Doctor could use a little extra help.
Pairings: Doctor/Rose and eventually in this story leading into Jack/Ianto
Series: Enduring the Test of Time
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Date: 200,000 years .
I decided to start a diary shortly after traveling with the Doctor. Here I am, thirty years old and I’m traveling with the man I swore to bring into custody. I’d be lying is I said I wasn’t a little frightened of him. Every time I step into his ship I feel shivers down my spine, a tingle. A hint of something, as if it’s all familiar to me. Perhaps it is, I’m not sure what to think anymore.
My first trip in the TARDS-which I’ve since learned stands for Time and Relative Dimensions in Space-was to a space station in the year 200,000. The Doctor let Rose explain it to me, I could tell she was just bursting to act as though she knew it all. That’s all right, she’s a beautiful girl, bright as most I know. I acted impressed, didn’t matter that I was so busy staring at earth below us that I missed a third of what she said.
We arrived there, an’ naturally the Doctor is going on about how this is the newest bountiful earth when suddenly he takes one look around and it’s completely different then what he said. Off on my first adventure-it turns out that wherever we were-or whenever-that something was going wrong. Although, again I wasn’t quite paying attention as I was distracted by the large head on the TV-face of Boe or something-it was pregnant…it’s a face how can a face be pregnant?
The Doctor got rather upset when the woman named Cathica seemed oblivious to the idea of asking questions. I can understand his annoyance. Doesn’t seem quite right to walk around all day an’ night an’ not ask questions. Haven’t these people learned anything about history? The Doctor left me to wander for awhile by myself, which was fine and well until I caught Cathica trying to get the 500th floor and followed her, telling her I was with the Doctor and Rose. It didn’t go well from there.
Cathica and Ianto stepped out of the lift, both of them cringing. “So much for walls made of gold.” He whispered softly.
Cathica shot him a glare as she moved off into one direction. Ianto on the other hand wandered over towards the room he could hear someone speaking. His eyes grew wide at the sight of Rose and the Doctor shackled besde one another. A rather pale and strange looking man with strange blonde hair was speaking. Ianto poked his head in further, looking around to see several people manning controls. Looking up Ianto couldn’t help the gasp that escaped his lips.
All eyes snapped to him and he cried out when several pairs of freezing hands grabbed him tight. Suddenly he wished he hadn’t been wearing a t-shirt today. He struggled to get away from them, as he was drug into the room, right in front of the creepy blonde man.
“Nice little intruder, and who do we have here?” The man asked as he grinned at Ianto.
“Let him go!” Yelled the Doctor as he tried to fight harder against his manacles.
Ianto looked over at the Doctor. “Sorry!” He managed as the man who was speaking put his hand against Ianto’s forehead. “AHHH!” Ianto cried as pain ripped through his head.
It was a blinding flash of pain, I barely remember what happened after that. One minute I was seeing everything clearly as if they were memories-but I don’t remember any of them. And the next minute I was on the ground and being picked up by Rose.
We were leaving after everything was over and the Doctor said everything would return to normal. That these people would accelerate back to normal. All I knew was I felt like I was going to be sick. The Doctor and Rose led me back to the Tardis-
“Ianto?” A soft voice spoke, a moment later Rose poked her head into my room. “How are you feeling?”
Ianto looked up and smiled at her. “I’m here. Is the Doctor angry at me?”
“Quite the contrary, actually I’m worried about you. Ianto, we need to talk.” The Doctor said as he pushed the door open the rest of the way and stepped into the room.
Ianto sat up straight, putting his diary away, he was afraid to have this conversation. “You’re taking me home?”
“NO!” Rose declared suddenly. Moving over to the bed she sat down beside him, hugging his shoulders tightly. “We’re not are we, Doctor.”
The Doctor chuckled as he came over and sat on the bed. “As my esteemed companion is attempting to express herself, I’ll be honest. No, Ianto, you can stay with us for as long as you’d like. However, we still need to talk. Ianto, tell me, how long have you been able to hear people’s thoughts and feel their emotions?”
The younger man shrugged. “I’m not sure, few years I guess. My mam always used to comment about knowing people’s emotions before they even did. She said it’s what made me such a good kid to have.”
“Aye, it makes you unique that’s for sure. Ianto, what do you know about telepathy and empathy?
“Not much-seems like a bit of a joke to me.”
“Not exactly, all humans have a low level of psychic powers. It’s how couples start to finish one another’s sentences after awhile. Eventually, if you’ve spent enough time with someone, you become almost…tuned into their frequency. Well, a few people-rare as they are, become tuned into the frequencies at a younger age. You, however are by far one of the strongest ones I’ve ever met, and at such a young age.”
“What does that mean?” Ianto questioned.
The Doctor smiled. “It means you, Ianto Jones, are in luck!”
“Not following.” Ianto replied.
“Don’t’ worry Ianto, even I’m lost.” Offered Rose, causing Ianto to snicker slightly.
“Hush! Ianto, you’re empathic, which means you feel what other’s feel, sometimes in tenfold, yes it can be difficult, but if you hadn’t met me you could have gone crazy from all those thoughts and emotions. It also means you have the ability to read minds-don’t worry, only if you concentrate or someone is in serious distress. I can train you Ianto, I can train you how to control it all and you can use it in the future.”
“But why me?”
“I don’t know Ianto, some people are born with the gift and others aren’t.”
Ianto nodded finally, as if taking everything in first. “What do I have to do?”
“It’s a bit of a process, for starters I need to get you into the zero room, it’s the only room aboard the Tardis where you don’t hear her thoughts, its meant to block everything out. Helps someone focus, it’s a sanctuary of sorts, offering a silence to all the…all the things I hear. We’ll do one hour a day training sessions, starting with just me. Then once you become proficient enough to block me out we’ll bring in Rose.”
“Why does he need to block you out?” Rose inquired.
“Because we’re not meant to hear everything Rose, if we did we’d go crazy. He needs to learn how to harness the power before he gets into a situation where it could be detrimental to him.”
“Such as?” Ianto spoke up, sounding a little scared.
“There are races Ianto, that if they felt you even accidently scrabble around in your head, they’d plant images in your mind so quickly you wouldn’t know fact from fiction. Like wise if they realized you had the power they’d do everything they could to use it against you. No, what happened today can’t happen again.”
“I’m sorry.” He whispered, looking down at the duvet.
He felt a strong and calloused hand against his chin. The hand pulled up until Ianto was forced to look the Doctor in the eyes. “Don’t be sorry for something that isn’t your fault. We’re going to make it better. I’m not sending you home, Ianto. I only take the best, I’ve got you an’ Rose.”
Rose smiled as she pressed a kiss to Ianto’s cheek and looked at the Doctor. “Do you have to start today?” She asked the Doctor.
“No actually, I think Ianto needs some rest first. You’ve been through a lot today, the both of you, get some sleep. Tomorrow we’ll start the training.”
Ianto and Rose both nodded, the Doctor stood to leave, but suddenly Ianto called out. Turning the Doctor looked at the young man, Ianto smiled softly. “Thank you.”
“Get some sleep. You know where I’ll be.”
Rose went to stand up, but Ianto grabbed her wrist. She turned and glanced at him, smiling as his face turned bright red. “I-“ He sighed.
Suddenly it was as if Rose was the one with the telepathic abilities. She pulled back the duvet Ianto had been sitting on. Taking out her pony tail, she lay down under the cover and patted the spot beside her. “Come on then, tough guy.”
Ianto chuckled as he removed his shoes and scooted under the blanket with her. “Nothing funny-“
She pressed a kiss to his nose gently. “You’re like my big brother, but even big brothers get scared sometimes.”
He nodded and wrapped his arms around her. She did the same, and within moments they’d both fallen fast asleep, exhaustion taking over their human bodies. The Doctor opened the door again and smiled at the sight of his two companions curled around one another, protecting each other. Yes, Ianto made a fine member of their little dysfunctional family.
o0o
The zero room was large, and appeared to be surrounded by lights all around. The floor, the ceiling and the walls all had almost a soft bioluminescent to them. The room was glaringly bright, but rather it gave off a soft, gentle and calming glow. Ianto stepped inside, dressed in a pair of jeans and one of his t-shirts, as instructed by the Doctor to remain comfortable. The Doctor stepped inside after him and Ianto was surprised as the door sealed closed and seemed to disappear. “How do we get out?”
“Think of it like the Room of Requirement in Harry Potter, it opens and closes as needed. This room is now half yours Ianto, you can come in here any time, and as often as you’d like. Now, first things first, close your eyes.” He waited until Ianto’s blue eyes were shut. “Very good, now listen to my voice, focus on it, let all of your other thoughts, anything bothering you, worrying you, or scaring you disappear from your mind. Lose yourself in the feeling of complete emptiness.”
Taking a slow and calming breath, Ianto did as told, taking a moment to only hear the Doctor’s voice, to focus on it fully, its richness, the baritone sound, the way it had a tinge of Northern Europe to it. He focused on the way each syllable seemed to roll off the Doctor’s tongue, the way he seemed to breathe as he spoke. The sound of a hint of prestige and cockiness in his voice, Ianto took it all in and felt his mind become empty of everything else.
“Excellent for a beginning, Ianto do you have a place that makes you feel comfortable, at home more than any other plac-“
Before the Doctor could even continue he grinned as he saw the flash in Ianto’s mind. “I must say I’m flattered.” He stated seeing the clear and concise image of his glorious ship. “She quite likes you as well Ianto.”
Then Ianto felt it, the distinct hum, the singing-he could hear her singing. The Doctor shook his head. “Focus Ianto, I know you like what you hear, but there’s time for bonding with my ship later.” He smiled when he felt Ianto shift again, clearing his mind for a second time.
“You’re quite good at this. Okay, Ianto, focus on that safe place-don’t let her back in, but focus on it, what it feels like to be there. You can tell me if you’d like.”
Ianto smiled as he stepped into the Tardis console room in his mind. “I’m warm-which is odd because the ship is extraordinarily cold-but not warm on the outside, I feel warm on the inside. Like I’m shielded, I feel safe and happy. I can hear giggling-Rose.”
“Excellent, what else?”
“You, you’re tinkering with her again. She hates it when you do that.”
“I don’t tinker, and I told you to ignore her.”
“It smells like oil and…time, ancient time-like an old book on a shelf.”
The Doctor grinned. “That’s it! Fantastic! Okay Ianto, lose yourself there for a little while. Take in every nuance and then we’ll start part three.”
He could feel himself just being pulled in by her, as if he was a part of the ship. Another soul to her. The Doctor smiled as he watched Ianto completely lost in his safe place. That’s what it was, he’d tell Ianto the truth later, but Ianto’s safety place, his security blanket was the console room of the Tardis. He let half an hour go by, they had fifteen minutes left in here before the lesson for today was up, and he felt confident enough that Ianto would catch on quickly to what was coming next.
Stepping forward he pressed his thumbs against Ianto’s cheek bones, and his fingers to Ianto’s temples. He was impressed to say the least when the younger man didn’t jump or move away. Rather he gasped when the door was opened, an unknown door Ianto didn’t know about.
“It’s as easy as that Ianto-now close the door.”
Ianto stepped forward looking at the open door, he was suddenly in a hallway, it still looked like the Tardis. He tried to hide the shiver of fear he suddenly felt.
-Don’t be afraid- The Doctor’s voice echoed through his mind.
-I can hear you- Ianto replied with his mind.
“And I can hear you, Ianto Jones you are quite talented. Push me out Ianto. Close the doors.”
The Doctor opened three-Ianto was able to close two of them-by the time he got to the third one, the Doctor could tell Ianto was getting tired. Pulling out gently, so not to harm or disturb anything, the Doctor stepped away. “Find your space again Ianto, and listen to my voice-“
Ianto took the last few minutes to recompose himself, before opening his eyes and looking up at the Doctor. “I’m so tired.”
The Doctor nodded. “That will happen until we’ve got you trained better. You did an excellent job, Ianto. Right then, Rose is bound to be wondering where we are-an’ I promised her a trip to go see her mother.”