FIC: Everyone Deserves the Chance to Fly (8/?)
Name: Everyone Deserves the Chance to Fly
Rating: R
Pairings/Characters: Jack/Ianto, Spike/Buffy, Willow/Tosh, Xander/Anya, Martha, Owen, Faith, Angel, The Doctor, Mickey, PC Andy, Libby(OC) and other OCs who I can’t name without spoilers for the fic! And one other pairing that will probably make you lot want to lynch me.
Summary: Latest story in the Magic and Mayhem series. Two months after the mysterious disappearances of Willow, Xander and Martha and the death of a member of the team, the gang are still reeling when someone unexpected appears from the TARDIS and darkness descends on the team when they find out about their friend...
Spoilers: Oh, everything from Torchwood and Doctor Who and the first six seasons of Buffy. Just ... everything, alright?
Chapter: Eight: Him.
Master List Can be Found Here.
Beta/Punching Bag/Ass-Kicker:
Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood, Doctor Who or Buffy or Angel or anything like that. So, yeah, just ... not mine. But I do own Libby! And I kinda own this completely cracked storyline that’s developing a life of its own and I’m becoming way too attached to.
Author’s Note: I apologise if this starts off a bit Buffy-centric. It’s necessary, I think. It’ll become more Janto-y in later chapters. Tosh (and Willow by association) also have a big part in this fic. But bear with me because this is the darkest most angsty thing I’ve ever written. And if you like certain pairings (Xander/Anya, Spike/Buffy, Willow/Tosh) you’ll be yelling “FIX IT!” within a few chapters. Forgive me, it won’t be fixed that soon. And some won’t be fixed at all... [Jen - She’s not kidding ya know!]
Okay. I'm crap. I get this.
My Torchwood brain is malfunctioning atm. I'm sure it'll be back to it's usual self once series 3 airs.
Enjoy the chapter! xx
Chapters: Ch.1 Ch.2 Ch.3 Ch.4 Ch.5 Ch.6 Ch.7
Chapter 6
Him
Sunday December 22nd
11:01
The Doctor pushed open the doors and stepped outside, closely followed by a tired looking Martha, who was dressed all in black. The first thing he noticed was how...quiet the hub was. Last time he was here, even though Tosh had been ill, things had been upbeat. There was laughter and voices.
Now there was just silence.
Martha noticed it, too, stepping forward a tiny bit and looking at the faces staring at her. The Torchwood team took approximately thirty-five seconds to break out of their respective trances ... and then Martha found herself assaulted. Buffy threw herself at the surprised young doctor, hugging her tight and whimpering, “We thought we lost you,” into her ear. Then Tosh joined her, putting her arms half around Martha and half around Buffy.
When those two pulled back she was assaulted again, this time by a very relieved Jack and Ianto. When Ianto pulled back from the hug Jack merely pulled her closer and kissed her hair.
After a minute he pulled back too and rounded on the Doctor. “Where the hell did you take her?” he demanded. “We’ve been going out of our minds with worry! After Anya and Willow and Xander ... we thought we’d lost her, too!”
“Anya, Willow and Xander?” Martha asked. “What about them?”
Jack stared at her, the penny dropping; she’d left before she could be told. “Anya ... Anya’s dead,” Jack explained. “Xander went missing for a while but is now back and Willow ...” He shot a look at Tosh, who looked away. “Willow’s missing too.”
“Oh god,” Martha said.
“Where have you been?” Jack demanded of the shocked looking Doctor.
“I needed Martha for a special project ...”
“Sounds kinky to me,” Libby said, trying to lighten the mood. It didn’t work and, instead, achieved everyone glaring at her.
“What kind of project?” Ianto asked, quietly.
The Doctor sighed and pushed off from where he’d been leaning against the TARDIS. “Before I had to wipe Donna’s memories to save her life ... she told me something. How to do something.”
“Do what?”
“Jack, calm down,” Martha said, placing a hand on his arm. “Come in the TARDIS. You and Ianto. We can tell you all about it.”
The Doctor kicked open the door; a clear invitation. Jack looked between them both, cautiously. “What’s going on here?” he asked.
“Jack, trust us,” Martha implored him. “Just come into the TARDIS and talk to us. We’ll explain everything.”
Jack looked at Ianto, who shrugged. “Alright,” he said, looking back at Martha. He looked round at Buffy. “Hold the fort?”
She nodded, blankly. “Of course.”
The two men, the Doctor and Martha stepped inside the TARDIS, closing the doors behind them.
Buffy looked round at everyone. “Are you all as relieved as me?”
Everyone except Tosh nodded and Buffy noticed that fact, walking across to the young Japanese woman and pulling her into a hug. “We’ll find her,” she promised, softly.
Tosh nodded and pulled away. “I’m going home,” she whispered before running off towards the cog door.
Buffy looked at Libby, who was staring after Tosh. “Go if you want,” she said.
Libby nodded and ran after her.
“Any idea what’s going on?” Gwen asked, from near Buffy.
“I have no idea,” Buffy replied.
“Suspicions?”
“Beyond something to do with Donna, no.” Buffy looked at Gwen. “I’m not Jack’s confidante, Gwen, I don't know everything.”
“I know, I know,” Gwen said. “I just assumed you’d know something.”
“Well I don't!” Buffy snapped. “Leave it be.”
12:28
Tosh pushed her door open and walked into her flat, pausing in the living room.
Willow was stood in the middle of the living room, her hair lank and dull, eyes black. “Tosh,” she cried, reaching out towards her. “Help me.”
Tosh’s keen eyes scanned Willow’s body; she was pale and thin, almost gaunt, and there were tubes going into her arms connected to ... Tosh didn’t know what they were connected to, she couldn’t tell, she was more intent on reaching out and taking Willow’s hand.
Tosh clamped her eyes closed. She wasn’t going to remember the dream. She wasn’t. Martha was back and so was Xander. It was a good thing. A good thing.
So why was all she could think about the fact Willow hadn’t come back?
She opened her eyes again. Willow was stood in the living room. Not the memory of a dream, no it was more real. “I’m going insane,” she whispered.
“You’re not,” Willow promised, the words being projected rather than coming from her mouth. She was shimmering slightly, her hair going from its usual bright red to lank and dull, then back to bright red, her eyes shimmering from their usual green to black then back again. “I’m real.”
“No, you’re not,” Tosh breathed. “You’re not because you’re changing ... and ... and you’re a figment of my worry ... I’m not insane because I know that but I know you’re not real ...” She backed towards the bedroom doorway and slipped inside, turning back towards the bed and climbing on, lying down and closing her eyes. “I’m not going insane.”
She opened her eyes again; Willow was stood in the doorway. “Tosh,” she said, softly.
Tosh whimpered but found herself unable to remove her eyes from Willow. “Stop it,” she said. “Either come back properly or ... don't haunt me.”
“You think I’m dead.”
Tosh let out a strangled sob. “I don't know,” she admitted. “I don't want to believe it.” Her eyes traced Willow’s arms; marks on them, half-real tubing going in and out, coming and going.
“I’m not dead.”
She buried her head in the pillow. “Stop it ... stop giving me hope ...”
“Please, baby.” The voice was closer and when Tosh looked up she saw Willow was flickering, appearing by the bed, reaching out to touch Tosh and then being back by the doorway. She flickered again vanishing from the doorway.
Tosh was out of bed in a flash, running to the bedroom doorway and looking into the living room. She ran to the front door and turned around, facing the living room like she’d done when she first walked in. Willow was there again. This time she was reaching out. “Tosh ... help me ...” she whimpered, holding out a hand.
Tosh reached for it.
Knock, knock, knock!
Tosh jumped, her hand falling uselessly to her side as she looked round at the door. She looked back towards where Willow had been; she was gone. “Will?” There was no reply. She wiped tears from her eyes and turned to the door, opening it without even thinking about checking who was there.
The door opened to reveal Libby stood there. “Jack sent me over with these,” she said.
Tosh eyed the bottle of wine and box of chocolates before beckoning Libby inside. “Spiked with RetCon?” she enquired.
Libby stepped inside, kicking the door shut behind her. “No!” she exclaimed. She caught Tosh’s look. “Okay, I admit it, Jack didn't send me. I’m on my own personal crusade to give you someone to talk to.”
Tosh nodded, walking away into the bedroom and calling backwards to Libby, “Two glasses in the kitchen.”
13:27
A bottle of wine and too much chocolate later, Tosh was crying and Libby was trying very hard to comfort her and, in her opinion, failing.
“I miss her so much. How could she just leave me?” Tosh picked up the empty chocolate box and hurled it at the wall.
Libby reached out and enfolded the shaking woman in her arms. “Let it out,” she said, soothingly, rubbing calming circles on Tosh's back as she began to sob. “I’m here.”
“I can’t sleep anymore,” Tosh admitted, through sobs. “Not alone. Haven't slept more than an hour for so long.”
Libby kissed her hair. “It’s alright,” she said.
They stayed like that until Tosh stopped sobbing and shaking. Libby was about to pull back when she realised the older woman was asleep in her arms. She wriggled around the bed, still cradling Tosh, and placed the wine glasses on the bed side table before manoeuvring the two of them into a lying-down position, Tosh still holding onto her like a lifeline.
As Libby pulled the duvet over them, Tosh turned, rolling to face away but pulling Libby's arm, innocently, around her waist. Libby held her tight, whispering, “Get some sleep. You need it.”
Tosh mumbled Willow's name and went back to sleep.
11:11
Jack had always known the Doctor was cryptic and that Martha worshiped the ground he walked on, but he had never found them this frustrating before.
“Alright,” Jack said in the console room. “Tell me what’s going on and why you kidnapped my non-snarky doctor!”
The Doctor and Martha laughed for a moment until they saw Jack and Ianto’s stormy expressions. “Before I had to wipe Donna’s memories,” the Doctor said, slowly, “she asked me to do something for her ... She told me to reroute the ejector port assembly back on itself and loop in the system diagnostic and safety matrix. Then punch the decalibrator.”
Ianto and Jack blinked at him and Martha sighed. “Doctor, we’re human, we aren’t half-Time Lords. Explain it to them.”
“I think the best way to explain this is to show you,” the Doctor said.
“That’s not very fair,” Martha told him.
“Well, I can’t explain it without causing a lot of trauma,” the Doctor retorted.
“What’s going on here?” Jack demanded.
Ianto looked past the Doctor at the doorway into the main TARDIS hallway. “Uh, Jack?”
“I think we should just show them!” the Doctor insisted.
“Just tell us!” Jack exclaimed.
“Jack ...”
“Are you trying to give them heart attacks? Jack’ll come back from one, but Ianto won’t!” Martha retorted.
“Why would that give us heart attacks? Start making sense, Doctor!” Jack yelled.
“Jack, you really need to look at this.”
Jack looked at Ianto and followed his gaze. “Oh my God,” he gasped.
“Jack, that’s ...”
“I know,” Jack muttered.
“How is this possible? That’s ...”
“Cole,” Jack finished.
There, stood in the doorway leading into the hall, was a young boy of about six years old with dark hair, shining blue eyes like Ianto’s and the Harkness grin. No one could have denied he was Jack and Ianto’s son.
No one.
Next: Chapter 9
Rating: R
Pairings/Characters: Jack/Ianto, Spike/Buffy, Willow/Tosh, Xander/Anya, Martha, Owen, Faith, Angel, The Doctor, Mickey, PC Andy, Libby(OC) and other OCs who I can’t name without spoilers for the fic! And one other pairing that will probably make you lot want to lynch me.
Summary: Latest story in the Magic and Mayhem series. Two months after the mysterious disappearances of Willow, Xander and Martha and the death of a member of the team, the gang are still reeling when someone unexpected appears from the TARDIS and darkness descends on the team when they find out about their friend...
Spoilers: Oh, everything from Torchwood and Doctor Who and the first six seasons of Buffy. Just ... everything, alright?
Chapter: Eight: Him.
Master List Can be Found Here.
Beta/Punching Bag/Ass-Kicker:
Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood, Doctor Who or Buffy or Angel or anything like that. So, yeah, just ... not mine. But I do own Libby! And I kinda own this completely cracked storyline that’s developing a life of its own and I’m becoming way too attached to.
Author’s Note: I apologise if this starts off a bit Buffy-centric. It’s necessary, I think. It’ll become more Janto-y in later chapters. Tosh (and Willow by association) also have a big part in this fic. But bear with me because this is the darkest most angsty thing I’ve ever written. And if you like certain pairings (Xander/Anya, Spike/Buffy, Willow/Tosh) you’ll be yelling “FIX IT!” within a few chapters. Forgive me, it won’t be fixed that soon. And some won’t be fixed at all... [Jen - She’s not kidding ya know!]
Okay. I'm crap. I get this.
My Torchwood brain is malfunctioning atm. I'm sure it'll be back to it's usual self once series 3 airs.
Enjoy the chapter! xx
Chapters: Ch.1 Ch.2 Ch.3 Ch.4 Ch.5 Ch.6 Ch.7
Chapter 6
Him
Sunday December 22nd
11:01
The Doctor pushed open the doors and stepped outside, closely followed by a tired looking Martha, who was dressed all in black. The first thing he noticed was how...quiet the hub was. Last time he was here, even though Tosh had been ill, things had been upbeat. There was laughter and voices.
Now there was just silence.
Martha noticed it, too, stepping forward a tiny bit and looking at the faces staring at her. The Torchwood team took approximately thirty-five seconds to break out of their respective trances ... and then Martha found herself assaulted. Buffy threw herself at the surprised young doctor, hugging her tight and whimpering, “We thought we lost you,” into her ear. Then Tosh joined her, putting her arms half around Martha and half around Buffy.
When those two pulled back she was assaulted again, this time by a very relieved Jack and Ianto. When Ianto pulled back from the hug Jack merely pulled her closer and kissed her hair.
After a minute he pulled back too and rounded on the Doctor. “Where the hell did you take her?” he demanded. “We’ve been going out of our minds with worry! After Anya and Willow and Xander ... we thought we’d lost her, too!”
“Anya, Willow and Xander?” Martha asked. “What about them?”
Jack stared at her, the penny dropping; she’d left before she could be told. “Anya ... Anya’s dead,” Jack explained. “Xander went missing for a while but is now back and Willow ...” He shot a look at Tosh, who looked away. “Willow’s missing too.”
“Oh god,” Martha said.
“Where have you been?” Jack demanded of the shocked looking Doctor.
“I needed Martha for a special project ...”
“Sounds kinky to me,” Libby said, trying to lighten the mood. It didn’t work and, instead, achieved everyone glaring at her.
“What kind of project?” Ianto asked, quietly.
The Doctor sighed and pushed off from where he’d been leaning against the TARDIS. “Before I had to wipe Donna’s memories to save her life ... she told me something. How to do something.”
“Do what?”
“Jack, calm down,” Martha said, placing a hand on his arm. “Come in the TARDIS. You and Ianto. We can tell you all about it.”
The Doctor kicked open the door; a clear invitation. Jack looked between them both, cautiously. “What’s going on here?” he asked.
“Jack, trust us,” Martha implored him. “Just come into the TARDIS and talk to us. We’ll explain everything.”
Jack looked at Ianto, who shrugged. “Alright,” he said, looking back at Martha. He looked round at Buffy. “Hold the fort?”
She nodded, blankly. “Of course.”
The two men, the Doctor and Martha stepped inside the TARDIS, closing the doors behind them.
Buffy looked round at everyone. “Are you all as relieved as me?”
Everyone except Tosh nodded and Buffy noticed that fact, walking across to the young Japanese woman and pulling her into a hug. “We’ll find her,” she promised, softly.
Tosh nodded and pulled away. “I’m going home,” she whispered before running off towards the cog door.
Buffy looked at Libby, who was staring after Tosh. “Go if you want,” she said.
Libby nodded and ran after her.
“Any idea what’s going on?” Gwen asked, from near Buffy.
“I have no idea,” Buffy replied.
“Suspicions?”
“Beyond something to do with Donna, no.” Buffy looked at Gwen. “I’m not Jack’s confidante, Gwen, I don't know everything.”
“I know, I know,” Gwen said. “I just assumed you’d know something.”
“Well I don't!” Buffy snapped. “Leave it be.”
12:28
Tosh pushed her door open and walked into her flat, pausing in the living room.
Willow was stood in the middle of the living room, her hair lank and dull, eyes black. “Tosh,” she cried, reaching out towards her. “Help me.”
Tosh’s keen eyes scanned Willow’s body; she was pale and thin, almost gaunt, and there were tubes going into her arms connected to ... Tosh didn’t know what they were connected to, she couldn’t tell, she was more intent on reaching out and taking Willow’s hand.
Tosh clamped her eyes closed. She wasn’t going to remember the dream. She wasn’t. Martha was back and so was Xander. It was a good thing. A good thing.
So why was all she could think about the fact Willow hadn’t come back?
She opened her eyes again. Willow was stood in the living room. Not the memory of a dream, no it was more real. “I’m going insane,” she whispered.
“You’re not,” Willow promised, the words being projected rather than coming from her mouth. She was shimmering slightly, her hair going from its usual bright red to lank and dull, then back to bright red, her eyes shimmering from their usual green to black then back again. “I’m real.”
“No, you’re not,” Tosh breathed. “You’re not because you’re changing ... and ... and you’re a figment of my worry ... I’m not insane because I know that but I know you’re not real ...” She backed towards the bedroom doorway and slipped inside, turning back towards the bed and climbing on, lying down and closing her eyes. “I’m not going insane.”
She opened her eyes again; Willow was stood in the doorway. “Tosh,” she said, softly.
Tosh whimpered but found herself unable to remove her eyes from Willow. “Stop it,” she said. “Either come back properly or ... don't haunt me.”
“You think I’m dead.”
Tosh let out a strangled sob. “I don't know,” she admitted. “I don't want to believe it.” Her eyes traced Willow’s arms; marks on them, half-real tubing going in and out, coming and going.
“I’m not dead.”
She buried her head in the pillow. “Stop it ... stop giving me hope ...”
“Please, baby.” The voice was closer and when Tosh looked up she saw Willow was flickering, appearing by the bed, reaching out to touch Tosh and then being back by the doorway. She flickered again vanishing from the doorway.
Tosh was out of bed in a flash, running to the bedroom doorway and looking into the living room. She ran to the front door and turned around, facing the living room like she’d done when she first walked in. Willow was there again. This time she was reaching out. “Tosh ... help me ...” she whimpered, holding out a hand.
Tosh reached for it.
Knock, knock, knock!
Tosh jumped, her hand falling uselessly to her side as she looked round at the door. She looked back towards where Willow had been; she was gone. “Will?” There was no reply. She wiped tears from her eyes and turned to the door, opening it without even thinking about checking who was there.
The door opened to reveal Libby stood there. “Jack sent me over with these,” she said.
Tosh eyed the bottle of wine and box of chocolates before beckoning Libby inside. “Spiked with RetCon?” she enquired.
Libby stepped inside, kicking the door shut behind her. “No!” she exclaimed. She caught Tosh’s look. “Okay, I admit it, Jack didn't send me. I’m on my own personal crusade to give you someone to talk to.”
Tosh nodded, walking away into the bedroom and calling backwards to Libby, “Two glasses in the kitchen.”
13:27
A bottle of wine and too much chocolate later, Tosh was crying and Libby was trying very hard to comfort her and, in her opinion, failing.
“I miss her so much. How could she just leave me?” Tosh picked up the empty chocolate box and hurled it at the wall.
Libby reached out and enfolded the shaking woman in her arms. “Let it out,” she said, soothingly, rubbing calming circles on Tosh's back as she began to sob. “I’m here.”
“I can’t sleep anymore,” Tosh admitted, through sobs. “Not alone. Haven't slept more than an hour for so long.”
Libby kissed her hair. “It’s alright,” she said.
They stayed like that until Tosh stopped sobbing and shaking. Libby was about to pull back when she realised the older woman was asleep in her arms. She wriggled around the bed, still cradling Tosh, and placed the wine glasses on the bed side table before manoeuvring the two of them into a lying-down position, Tosh still holding onto her like a lifeline.
As Libby pulled the duvet over them, Tosh turned, rolling to face away but pulling Libby's arm, innocently, around her waist. Libby held her tight, whispering, “Get some sleep. You need it.”
Tosh mumbled Willow's name and went back to sleep.
11:11
Jack had always known the Doctor was cryptic and that Martha worshiped the ground he walked on, but he had never found them this frustrating before.
“Alright,” Jack said in the console room. “Tell me what’s going on and why you kidnapped my non-snarky doctor!”
The Doctor and Martha laughed for a moment until they saw Jack and Ianto’s stormy expressions. “Before I had to wipe Donna’s memories,” the Doctor said, slowly, “she asked me to do something for her ... She told me to reroute the ejector port assembly back on itself and loop in the system diagnostic and safety matrix. Then punch the decalibrator.”
Ianto and Jack blinked at him and Martha sighed. “Doctor, we’re human, we aren’t half-Time Lords. Explain it to them.”
“I think the best way to explain this is to show you,” the Doctor said.
“That’s not very fair,” Martha told him.
“Well, I can’t explain it without causing a lot of trauma,” the Doctor retorted.
“What’s going on here?” Jack demanded.
Ianto looked past the Doctor at the doorway into the main TARDIS hallway. “Uh, Jack?”
“I think we should just show them!” the Doctor insisted.
“Just tell us!” Jack exclaimed.
“Jack ...”
“Are you trying to give them heart attacks? Jack’ll come back from one, but Ianto won’t!” Martha retorted.
“Why would that give us heart attacks? Start making sense, Doctor!” Jack yelled.
“Jack, you really need to look at this.”
Jack looked at Ianto and followed his gaze. “Oh my God,” he gasped.
“Jack, that’s ...”
“I know,” Jack muttered.
“How is this possible? That’s ...”
“Cole,” Jack finished.
There, stood in the doorway leading into the hall, was a young boy of about six years old with dark hair, shining blue eyes like Ianto’s and the Harkness grin. No one could have denied he was Jack and Ianto’s son.
No one.
Next: Chapter 9